Why hello there... long time no see!
Yes, I'm sorry...but life! And MAJOR writers block, and then I just plain forgot...
But I'm back for now. See how long it lasts this time :D
The river had calmed drastically when they finally paddled towards the shore line.
Thorin looked behind them. "Anything behind us?"
"Not that I can see," Balin replied checking the horizon from whence they had came.
"I think we've outrun the Orcs," Bofur added.
As they climbed out of their barrels, Dwalin began ushering everyone onwards. Kili tried to climb from his barrel but collapsed to his knees from the agony of his wound. Bofur looked at him in concern, his thigh had been bound but blood was seeping through.
"I'm fine," Kili said hurriedly, trying not to grimace as he struggled back to his feet. "It's nothing."
"On your feet," Thorin called as he began moving through the group, encouraging everyone to continue moving.
"Kili's wounded," Fili objected. Kili groaned inwardly, trust him to know the truth. He could feel searing heat through his thigh, it seemed to be extending outwards, further through his leg. The arrow was surely poisoned. "His leg needs binding!"
"There's an orc pack on our tail, we keep moving," Thorin ordered.
"To where?" Balin queried, somewhat breathlessly.
"To the mountain, we're so close," Bilbo said hopefully.
"A lake lies between us and that mountain," Balin replied pointedly. "We have no way to cross it."
"So then we go around."
"The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves," Dwalin replied.
Thorin looked from the discussion, back to Kili, who tried to avoid his uncle's gaze. He worried that if he met Thorin's eyes, he might possibly see just how much pain he was in. "Bind his leg," Thorin instructed Fili. "You have two minutes."
Fili set to work on Kili's leg, every time Fili put pressure on his thigh, Kili did his best not to let the pain show. He wasn't sure how successful he was in convincing his brother though, he was certain he knew how bad the injury was.
Both whirled around when they heard Dwalin give a shout. They found a man with a bow and arrow, poised to shoot at Ori who was sat by the river. Dwalin charged towards him with a large branch, putting himself between the man and Ori. The man fired his arrow, embedding it into the branch between Dwalin's two hands.
Kili hurriedly raised a large rock lying by his hand, ignoring his pain, and went to throw it at the man, but he drew and fired another arrow, shooting the rock from Kili's hand much to his astonishment.
"Do it again," the man spoke. "And you're dead." Kili decided it was best not to provoke the man. His aim was true, and he did not seem the type to make idle threats.
Balin stepped forward from beside Dwalin, his hands raised in the air as he approached slowly. "Excuse me, but, uh, you're from Laketown, if i'm not mistaken?" The man's eyes were drawn to the elder dwarf. "That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance would it?"
The man lowered his bow slowly, an inquisitive look upon his features. He turned and climbed aboard his barge. "What makes you think I will help you?"
"Those boots have seen better days," Balin replied quickly. The man ignored his reply and began loading the empty barrels that the dwarves had ridden down the river in onto his barge. "As has that coat. No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?"
The man answered without stopping. "A boy and two girls."
"And your wife?" Balin pressed further. Kili knew Balin was a great negotiator, but he questioned silently whether pressing for such information was really necessary. "I'd imagine she's a beauty."
The man stopped loading the barrels then, seeming to take a breather. "Aye, she was." Kili groaned inwardly.
Balin too, faltered at the reply. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to –"
"Oh, come on, come on, enough with the niceties," Dwalin growled not so quietly to Thorin.
"What's your hurry?" the man asked bluntly.
"What's it to you?" Dwalin retorted.
"I would like to know who you are and what you are doing in these lands?"
"We are simply merchants, from the Blue Mountains journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills," Balin answered without so much as a moments hesitation. Kili couldn't help but be impressed by Balin's quick thinking. He himself could never have given such a response without giving away the lie.
"Simple merchants, you say?" the man asked, clearly not convinced.
"We'll need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin demanded, clearly losing patience with the conversation.
The man raised an eyebrow, looking from Thorin to the barrels they had arrived in. Kili noticed the barrels looked like they had taken a beating on their way down the river. Some had clear slices in their sides from the Orc's scimitars.
The man looked back to the dwarves. "I know where these barrels come from."
"What of it?" Thorin demanded.
"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Laketown but by leave of the Master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He will see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil."
Kili grit his teeth as the pain in his leg increased, along with his concern. They couldn't wait much longer if they wanted to make it to Erebor in time. If Valisilwen was here, she would surely be able to figure out how they were going to get across. And what of Gandalf, he would certainly have some trick up his sleeve, or some friend who could help them.
The man threw some rope to Balin.
Thorin mouthed something to Balin, but Kili couldn't quite make out what it was, his vision was beginning to grow a little cloudy around the edges.
"I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen," Balin said.
"Aye," the man replied. "But for that, you will need a smuggler."
"For which, we will pay double," Balin returned quick as a flash, raising his eyebrows towards the man. The man narrowed his eyes at the older dwarf, looking him over suspiciously.
oOOo
Bilbo watched the landscape slip by as they glided across the lake on the barge. It was very foggy, and the barge pushed aside ice floes. Suddenly, large stone formations appeared through the fog, startling Bilbo, and apparently the dwarves too.
"Watch out!" Bofur shouted in alarm. The lake man expertly poled the barge between the rock formations, which turned out to be ancient ruins upon closer inspection. Bilbo had never seen anything like it within The Shire.
"What are you trying to do? Drown us?" Thorin demanded.
"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf," the Lake man replied. "If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here."
Dwalin let out an annoyed growl. "Oh, I have had enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him."
Bilbo answered him, his annoyance showing in his voice. "Oh, Bard. His name is Bard."
"How do you know?" Bofur asked lightly, surprise evident in his voice.
"Uh, I asked him."
Dwalin turned to Thorin. "I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him."
"We do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him," Balin scolded Dwalin, before turning to the rest of the group. "Come on now, lads. Turn out your pockets."
The dwarves began to pull out their money and valuables as Dwalin whispered to Thorin. "How do we know he won't betray us?"
"We don't," Thorin replied.
Balin counted the money, but looked grim. "There's, um, just a problem, we're ten coins short."
Thorin looked to Gloin expectantly. "Gloin, come on. Give us what you have."
Gloin looked indignant. "Don't look to me. I have been bled dry by this venture! And what have I seen for my investment? Naught but misery and grief and –" Bilbo looked behind Gloin, as did the rest of the company, as the Lonely Mountain began to appear through the fog and loomed over the town. Gloin turned around to see what everyone was gaping at. "Bless my beard." His hand dove into his pocket quickly. "Take it. Take it all."
Bilbo noticed Bard approaching the company of awestruck dwarves and coughed, bringing the attention the approaching man.
"The money," Bard hissed. "Quick, give it to me."
"We will pay you when we get our provisions, but not before," Thorin replied sternly.
"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say," Bard hissed in response, before nodding toward the town. "There are guards ahead."
xo
Krayzee