A/N: Two chapters for you, ladies and gents and my loyal lovelies. Two! Enjoy ;)
Chapter 15: From Esgaroth To Erebor, part 1
She'd woken up that morning feeling rather stiff and worn. Considering the night before it didn't really surprise her though. Linshara had a small breakfast, packed up her meagre belongings and headed into town. She longed for coffee or something of similar effect, which she thought she smelled among the various smells wafting from town. Pulling her hood over her head, she stepped onto the long wooden bridge/approach and started for the town.
In the back of her mind, she wondered if she'd perhaps missed the dwarves already or if they'd even made it out of the Mirkwood. Either way, she figured a bustling place like this would hold her answers.
She assumed a similar posture to the rest of the people as she approached the gate.
"Halt!" The scrawny guard at the gate croaked.
Linshara looked up, the hood covering the upper part of her head.
"What business 'ave you in Laketown?" He asked as he stood up from his rickety chair and sauntered over.
Linshara remained calm but was aware of his interest in her. She was a stranger and a woman.
"Just seeking food and shelter for the night before heading further north." She replied, noticing several other guards shift their attention to her.
"'Ere, le's 'ave a look at ya." He opened the small guard's gate and stepped closer.
Looking at him impassively, Linshara waved her hand in front of him lightly, her mind focused on his. "On second thought, you don't need to have a look at me."
"On second thought I dun need t' 'ave a look at ya." He parrotted at her gentle command.
"I'm free to enter the town. You will forget about me." She continued. "Step inside, move along."
The guard opened the gate, "you are free to enter the town. Step inside, move along."
Nodding a little for appearances sake, Linshara stepped inside, and headed down the wooden walkway that lead straight away from the place.
She kept her pace even, posture somewhat hunched, not making many sudden or unusual movements. She was noticed, she could tell but interests shifted quickly.
The Jedi soon found a tavern/brewery type of establishment which served what could be described as coffee. It didn't taste that bad either. She got a slice of cheese and a piece of bread to boot. While lembas was filling and hardy, there was an unusual, calming simplicity to her breakfast.
She scanned minds around her quietly and listened to the gossip as she ate. The person that ran Esgaroth or Laketown as the locals called it was called the Master and seemed to be a right old bastard. Greedy, selfish, spoiled, enormous sense of entitlement. Overall nothing really surprising. Someone called Bard was a bit of a local hero, or local scoundrel, depending on who you asked.
The dwarves didn't seem to pass this way yet, from what she could tell, she'd have to mingle among the populous to find out more.
So she mingled for several more hours until she happened upon a curious story. A dark haired woman she was speaking to told her of an old prophecy regarding the dwarves in the mountain, or rather their exiled descendants.
"I do not know of it..." Linshara put her best inquisitive face on.
"The Lord of Silver Fountains, the King of Carven Stone,
the King Beneath the Mountain, shall come into his own.
And the bells shall ring in gladness, at the Mountain King's return.
But all shall fail in sadness, and the Lake will shine and burn." The woman recited rather cheerfully.
Linshara nodded slowly, "so do you believe it true?"
While the woman clearly had positive thoughts of it, the Jedi looked to the mountain, frowning. ~A mad king will awake the dragon, set it loose...and Esgaroth will suffer the fate of Dale,~ she thought as she looked back at the woman.
"I'd like to, just think of the riches in that mountain we could gain access to." The woman cheerfully replied. "'Ow come ya don't know this? 'Oo are ya?"
Linshara almost rolled her eyes. She didn't like resorting to these methods but this was the painless option.
"I am no one. You will forget this conversation and go back to your wares." She waved her hand again gently and spoke.
"I will go back to my wares now." The woman parroted and turned back to her stall.
Linshara felt the all too familiar migraine coming up. Fish, large amounts of fish and large scuffled barrels. The amount of fish was staggering. What did that particular vision mean? Before she could mull it over she felt several familiar presences at the toll gate. Twelve familiar presences. Fili was highly concerned, something was wrong with Kili, Dwalin was extremely distrustful.
Her heart leapt a little, but she only slightly increased her pace as she headed for their location. She couldn't exactly break her cover now, just like that.
She saw a tall, dark haired man leading her barely clothed, very wet friends across what looked like a market of sorts. There was a guard patrol who seemed to stop and stare in their direction. As more dwarves came into view the guards advanced. As their leader passed her she could sense fierce determination in him and a strong distaste for the man that was with them. They were set to look for those dwarves. Someone saw to it. So, she veered away a little only to veer back just as the guard were about to reach the unusual group.
"Out of my way peasant!" The tall man with longer hair growled down at her.
Instead of moving, Linshara stepped directly into his path and looked up at him through her hood. She was slightly shocked to realize he was being confounded. The only person she knew that could do this, aside from her was the Sith. Well and the wizards, but neither Gandalf nor Ragadast would do this, and she'd have noticed Saruman.
Would her own mental confounding work? She'd have to try.
"These are not the Dwarves you're looking for." She waved her hand, speaking slowly, her mind intently focused on his. "All of you, move along."
He looked down at her, then at the man and the others, "these aren't the Dwarves we're looking for. "All of you, move along."
The confusion and shock was incredible in the small group. As the guards moved along, Linshara turned to the Dwarves, lifting her hood a little, smiling and winking at them, a finger to her lips in a motion to be quiet. She stepped over to the man, "I'm a friend…"
He frowned, but to everyone's surprise it was Thorin who nodded. "She comes with us."
"Come on!" The man motioned.
Before they could get further though, a young boy, maybe fifteen years old, hurried over.
"Da, our house is being watched!" He told the dark haired man.
Linshara who stood next to Fili, squeezed his hand tightly for a moment. Feeling the squeeze returned she turned her attention back to father and son. Was this the Bard people were whispering about? Were they being watched for him, or were they being watched because someone knew the dwarves were coming?
"Whatever we're doing we need to get off the streets." She urged.
The man nodded, "follow me."
What followed was an event the dwarves would consider the greatest of shames and would threaten grievous bodily violence on any who mentioned it, while it made the humans chuckle with fondness. While the man, his son and Linshara entered the house through the the front door, under the pretense of the man, she now knew was Bard introducing his new lover to his children, the dwarves had to take the most unsavory way in. Through the outhouse.
Fili was furious to begin with because of the pretense between Linshara and Bard, but he held it in rather well. She was pretty sure his displeasure of their entry method was more a cover for his personal displeasure. Dwalin was brimming with fury at the indignity of their predicament.
As they entered, Linshara immediately felt the curiosity of the two girls, the suspicion of the older daughter and the clueless curiosity of the younger one. Part of her felt sorry for the girls.
Bard nodded to Bain, "Bring them in."
The young man nodded and headed somewhere downstairs.
"Hello and welcome to our home, I am Sigrid and this is my sister Tilda, we are Bard's daughters." The older girl spoke, a polite smile on her face as she and her sister curtseyed.
Linshara curtseyed in return, "well met. I am Linshara, daughter of Rasan."
Bard stood confused for a moment. Linshara could tell he was reluctant to lie to his children.
"Girls, this is…"
At that moment a group of grumbling, grumpy, wet and stinky little men ambled up, Fili immediately moving over to Linshara.
"I'm with them…" the Jedi smiled a little helplessly at the hilarious sight.
"Will the dwarves bring us luck, Da?" The younger one, Tilda wondered.
Bard almost rolled his eyes and set the girls to gather some clothes for the dwarves. Fili
pulled Linshara closer and aside, trying to will away his possessive feelings. Bard spoke with Thorin and the others.
"I was not sure I'd see you again, zakal. How fare you?" He asked in a soft tone, his eyes echoing his feelings as he stepped closer to her still.
She smiled warmly at him. "I am well, darling. A little shaken what with everything that's happened, but well. What of you? What's wrong with Kili?" She glanced behind Fili's shoulder at a deathly pale Kili.
"He was struck with some kind of an a poisonous arrow. I've bound his wound but it keeps leaking black...goo." He leaned close and whispered, "I fear for him, he is getting worse."
She used her sleeve to wipe his mustache and mouth, "Thorin is urging to press on even harder…"
He nodded, his arms sneaking around her waist, "aye…"
It was one of those moments where all else faded away as their lips met in a soft kiss, charged with emotion. They held each other tight, basking for a moment in the fact they were together again before the harsh reality would remind them that they were needed.
It came soon enough via a heavy groan from Kili.
"Can your take a look at him, please?" Fili almost pleaded.
Linshara nodded, "of course. Oin," she called the elder dwarf over with her hand.
"It is good to see your again lassie." He grinned a crooked grin at her.
She chuckled, "you too, my friend. Fili tells me Kili's been injured, can you tell me more?"
He nodded and took her to where the young archer sat to the side, poking at his wound like youngsters often did.
"Hello.." Linshara smiled at Fili's brother, "I hear your got in a bit of trouble."
Kili first smiled then frowned at her. "Don't mother me, Lin." He somewhat growled.
"Sorry, sorry…" Linshara tried to hide a smile but failed. "Can I take a look? Maybe I can help heal you?"
He nodded, letting go of his wraps and leaning back. Linshara kneeled in front of him, Fili and Oin crowding back. She gingerly unwrapped the binding and observed the wound. Black pus and blood seeped from it.
"This reminds me of that blade Radagast found." She murmured.
Kili looked at her, a strange shade over his eyes. She noticed it and frowned.
"When we met him in the Trollshaws?" Kili asked quietly.
Linshara nodded slowly, "mhm. We all need to get cleaned up and into some fresh clothes. Once that is done, I'll clean you wound and see if I can clear out this poison and heal you."
Fili peered over her shoulder, "what will we tell the Humans of your...abilities?" He whispered.
"Same thing I told you in the beginning...I'm a wizard's apprentice." She replied softly.
Fili nodded.
"I'll be right back," she smiled at Kili and stood up. Fili and Oin moved to the young dwarf's side as she went over to Bard.
"Do your have any clothes to spare? And a place where they can wash off the grime? I'll need to tend to the wounded one in particular." She asked gently.
Bard nodded, "I'll show you, come with me."
Linshara nodded and followed Bard to a room in the back. Soon enough she managed to coax everyone into at least wiping themselves with a clean cloth and putting on some clean clothes, while she, Fili and Oin tended to Kili after having washed themselves. For a moment both she and Fili were tempted to share the room while 'washing' themselves but thought better of it. The others were a few wooden walls away, they were in a stranger's house and it was not the time to be selfish. That would simply have to wait.