The river has calmed down, and the dwarves paddle along in their barrels with their hands. I climbed out of the river and Bilbo with me so that we didn't have to swim and we're just following on the rocky riverbank. Having to climb up and over rocks every now and then
"Anything behind us?" Thorin asks
"Not that I can see." Balin replies looking behind
"I think we've outrun the orcs." Bofur says after looking around and spitting water
"Not for long; we've lost the current. Is everybody alright?" Thorin asks
"Bombur's half drowned." Dwalin states
"I can't see Chase." Balin says looking around at everyone and a few empty barrels
"Or Bilbo" Bofur adds
"Chase? Bilbo?" Thorin calls as do a few other dwarves.
"It's alright, we're alright" I say helping the Hobbit over a particularly large rock that we were unable to move around.
"We're here" Bilbo says as he appears from behind the rock as I push him up and over it before climbing it, Bilbo offers his hand and helps me to the top.
"Make for the shore! Come on, let's go!" Thorin says and they all start making their way to the rocks. Bilbo and I help some of the dwarves out of the river.
"After that experience I can honestly say I would rather climb rocks than swim or be inside another barrel ever again. Although I will admit, without the orcs and almost drowning it was quite an entertaining turn of events" I say with a slight chuckle.
I look around to make sure everyone is accounted for, last time we had to run from something we had almost lost Bilbo, thankfully everyone is here. But as I look around I notice Kili fall to his knee in pain and pull out an arrowhead. Bofur is looking at him concerned.
"Kili?" I say as I move over to him worried and kneel down next to him.
"I'm fine, it's nothing." He says dismissively, not wanting to feel like a burden
"I know, but let us help" I say reassuringly. He reluctantly nods, but knows it's better to get his leg bound than bleed out.
Fili comes over quickly to check on his brother.
"On your feet." Thorin says as he walks around, looking for any sign of trouble.
I grab one of my daggers that I had recovered and cut part of my mid thigh length tunic and then tear it, it will have to do to bind his leg for now. Fili takes the torn fabric and starts to bind his brothers leg
"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding." Fili says to his uncle.
"There's an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving." Thorin states, as if we all need reminded.
"To where?" Balin asks
"To the mountain; we're so close." Bilbo says
"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it." Balin states
"So then we go around." Bilbo suggests
"The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have few weapons to defend ourselves" Dwalin says since Bilbo and I are the only ones with any weapons.
"Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes." Thorin says as he tries to think of what we can do.
I pat Kili on the shoulder and walk over to Thorin.
"Thorin, perhaps we could seek help from Lake Town?" I suggest "It's closer than the mountain and we may be able to buy some weapons, maybe get a boat to cross the lake?"
Bilbo comes over to the both of us "Lake Town?" he says interested to know more.
"A small town built out in the lake, it's as good a place as we are going to find around here to get supplies from. It's a human settlement. Mostly fishermen no more than a few hundred people, they're a friendly populace"
My thoughts return to the last time I was in LakeTown. My mother and father were still alive, selling some of their trinkets and jewellery for money and supplies. I wonder if they have been sold of melted down after so many years.
I notice a tall dark figure out of the corner of my eye and turn to look, it's a man and he's looking at Ori, he's holding a bow with a semi-drawn arrow. Dwalin jumps between the man and the young dwarf, holding a stick causing the bowman to react and shoot the stick, I reach for my bow as he shoots a rock out of Kili's hand, I quickly draw an arrow, with little pain caused by my shoulder, and shoot at him but he moves out of the way quickly and points the bow with a nocked arrow at me.
"Do it again, and you're dead." He warns. I slowly move my hand away from my quiver, reluctantly, and put my bow down, he points the arrow at the others warningly. Balin starts to approach him slowly with his hands held in the air as this man fixates his his bow on him.
"Excuse me, but, uh, you're from Lake Town, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?" he asks.
"Maybe not so friendly..." I say to myself as I glare at the bowman in annoyance.
The man lowers his bow and looks back to his barge. He puts his arrow back in his quiver and replaces his bow on his back. He moves over to the nearest barrel and rolls it to the platform that his vessel is docked at.
"What makes you think I will help you?" The lakeman asks as we all walk towards him and his barge.
"Those boots have seen better days." Balin states noticing the poor condition of his shoes. This man begins loading the empty casks onto the barge as Balin continues to speak.
"As has that coat. No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?" Balin asks smiling.
"A boy and two girls." The man replies casually.
"And your wife, I'd imagine she's a beauty."
"Aye." He pauses and just looks over the lake "She was." he looks back to Balin, a hint of sadness in his eyes that he seems to be trying to hide. At that I feel my annoyance at the man fade as I wonder what happened to his wife, strangers? Maybe that is why he is seemingly so hostile.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Balin starts to apologise profusely.
He is interrupted by Dwalin whispering loudly to Thorin.
"Oh, come on, come on, enough with the niceties." Dwalin says impatiently.
"What's your hurry?" The bargeman asks
"What's it to you?" The impatient dwarf asks in reply.
"I would like to know who you are and what you are doing in these lands."
"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills." Balin replies
"Simple merchants, you say? One of you armed like she is expecting to go into a battle, a hobbit who carries an elvish dagger and the rest of you who have no weapons or cargo. Which leads me to wonder why two of you have weapons and the rest of you have nothing" the man says unconvinced looking at all of us in turn and then at the state of the barrels.
"We need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin asks walking forward.
The man examines the various nicks in the wood from arrows that the casks had received during the fight with the orcs.
"I know where these barrels came from." he states
"What of it?" Thorin asks.
"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well."
"And dwarves and elves usually get along so well in any case?" I ask sarcastically.
He gives me a look and tilts his head a little as he nods.
"You have a point. Nevertheless, 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."
Bard boards his barge and tosses a rope to Balin.
"Offer him more." I look at Thorin who speaks quietly to Balin as the man looks at him.
"I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen."
"Aye. But for that, you will need a smuggler." he says as he
"For which we will pay double."
I have a small coin pouch in one of my pockets and pull it out "We can also pay up front" I say and throw it to the man who catches it with ease. He squeezes the pouch, checking the contents as he looks at Balin suspiciously. After a short moment of thinking he looks at Thorin.
"I will help you..." He says nodding.
Thorin and the dwarves start to board the barge and stand at the bow as the bargeman pushes away from the small stone dock.
Out on the open lake it is very foggy, and the air is still and cold. The barge pushes aside small ice floes as the bargeman paddles over the lake.
I'm just sitting on the floor of the barge leaning against the side and I realise I have Ori's slingshot and Gloin's photoframe in my pocket, I've been too busy daydreaming while sitting here that I hadn't realised I could feel them. I stand up and return the items. Gloin is very appreciative that I have recovered his family sketches, and thankful that the images aren't damaged from the water. Surprisingly no water got into my inside pocket.
I decide to go and talk to the Bargeman, I do not want to keep calling him 'bargeman' or 'man'. I stand near him and ask his name.
He looks at me unsure before replying "Bard"
"Bard, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm Chase" I say politely. "Tell me a little bit about yourself?" I ask
"I do not make a habit of talking about myself to dwarves I have only just met, or anyone for that matter." he replies looking ahead.
"What harm will it do, really? And I'm half elf, and you haven't only just met me, we met a good ten minutes, at least, ago"
"Yes, and if I remember rightly you tried to shoot me"
"Well you were threatening my companions, so call us even" I say smiling a little and giving him a look, he smiles a little and nods.
"very well, what would you like to know?"
"Your children, what are their names?" I ask being careful of the subjects I pick.
"My son, Bain, the eldest. My middle daughter Sigrid, and my youngest daughter, Tilda"
"You're a bargeman, have you always been such?"
"I used to be captain of a company of town archers, until the Master and I had a disagreement, we have not been on very good terms since" he says
"So if you were caught doing this then it may cause more trouble for you... Thank you... For helping us"
"Hold on" he says simply before suddenly turning, I hold on quickly so I don't fall overboard. "Watch out!" I look ahead and see large stone formations appear out of the fog.
Bard expertly manoeuvres the barge between the rock formations, which look like ancient ruins.
"What are you trying to do, drown us?" Thorin asks in his usual grumpy manner towards strangers.
"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." Bard replies.
I look towards the front of the barge and see a bit of light through the fog off to my left, I look and see the silhouette of The Lonely Mountain. As I see it I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Sixty years dreaming of home, of nightmares after the dragon attacked, and to finally see it again, words cannot describe how I am feeling. The relief is almost like being in a daze, that's the only way I can explain it. I quickly compose myself and walk over to the company, next to Bilbo, still looking at the mountain.
"Chase? Are you alright?" Bilbo asks. I look at him unsure why he's asking until I feel the cold of the fog on my face and a tear running down my cheek. I wipe it away quickly and nod and smile at Bilbo.
I hear Bard move off the rudder and jump down off the steering platform and walk over to us.
"The money, quick" Bard says. I look at the water as we float along.
"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin states
"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." Bard says gaining mine and Bilbo's attention.
We all turn and look ahead where we can just make out LakeTown through the fog and a guard dock just out from the town.
Balin hands the money to Bard "Quick, into the barrels"
"What?" I ask suddenly
"Just get into the barrels, quickly, we do not have time" He says urgently. I was hoping I would never have to get inside a barrel ever again, to be honest.
Thorin gives Bard an unfriendly look before everyone starts climbing into the barrels. I grumble and quickly climb in as Bard head's back to the rudder. "Keep your heads down and stay quiet."
The barge is stopped at the dock and Bard hops off and speaks to a man. Meanwhile, we are all waiting uncomfortably, quietly in the barrels. Dwalin, getting impatient, asks what Bard is doing.
"He's talking to someone." Bilbo replies "And he's...pointing right at us! Now they're shaking hands."
"What?" Thorin says in disbelief.
"The villain! He's selling us out." Dwallin accuses.
"Let's not jump to conclusions. This could be how he usually greets the dock workers?" I suggest.
I then hear metal, like chains, maybe? And footsteps. The sound is getting closer. Suddenly fish start pouring into the barrel, the smell of raw fish filling my nostrils. I put my head down and create a little air pocket for myself to breath. It feels like forever goes by I've been trying not to concentrate on the smell of fish and the slimy scales surrounding me but I'm brought to my senses when I hear raised voices Bard sounds like he's in a bit of bother with someone.
"Empty the barrels over the side." at that I start to worry a little, this could go very badly for us and Bard very quickly.
"You heard him. Into the canal. Come on, get a move on." a male voice orders.
The barrel I am in moves and is tipped to the side slightly and the fish start falling out, into the water.
"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard says.
"That's not my problem." Comes another voice.
"And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?"
"Stop."
I sigh quietly, relieved as the barrels get stood upright and we're not at risk of being disovered.
"Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might have their favour now, bargeman, but it won't last." I am really starting to hate the person this voice belongs to. He sounds so self rightious.
"Raise the gate!"
"The Master has his eye on you; you'd do well to remember. We know where you live." The voice says after a short silence.
"It's a small town, Alfrid; everyone knows where everyone lives." Alfrid? I hope I never have to hear this man speak again.
I hear a barrel fall over and a dwarf sputtering as the fish fall all over the place. Another barrell falls and then Dwalin, being ever so polite bursts out of the barrel "Get your hands off me." I hear him say to the bargeman. I start to climb out fo the barrel at the same time as everyone else. "I think I officially hate fish..." I say more to myself as I try to figure out a way of getting out of the barrel while maintaining what little dignity I have left after all this. I think my little predicament was noticed because Thorin comes over and helps me out of the barrel. He carefully lifts me up,causing me to have to put my hands on his shoulders. My foot clips the ring of the cask as he gently puts me down on the barge. He keeps his hands on my waist and we stare at each other for a moment before I stutter out a thank you and he lets me go, nodding, I look away unsure what to make of what just happened. Neither of us looking at each other in the eye, and not saying anything.
I notice Bard talking to a dock worker. "You didn't see them, they were never here. The fish you can have for nothing."
Bard starts to walk down the canal side path "Stay close" he says and we all start to follow, I am actually quite thankful since it cuts through the awkwardness. He peers around the corner which has a lot of people, this looks like it should be a market, but there are not many stalls open or people here, times must really be hard here.
"Follow me." Bard says and walks straight through the crowd
"What is this place?" Bilbo asks looking quite dauned by the sight.
"This Master Baggins, is the world of men" Thorin says as he passes Bilbo and follows Bard.
"Keep your heads down, keep moving. Quickly now" Bard says directing us towards a building. Avoiding guards.
"Halt!" A guard shouts causing everyone to look at him then to us. "Oi!"
"Come on, Move!" Thorin says, the dwarves start following Thorin. Bilbo standing there looking at the guard.
"In the name of The Master of Lake Town I said halt!" the guard shouts over as he walks towards us.
I grab Bilbo my the shoulder and pull him until he's in front of me, following the dwarves.
"Stop him!"
"Oi, come here" another guard says as he comes to see what all the commotion is.
Thorin stops holding everyone up, bumping into each other "Get back!"
We all turn around and see another guard coming
Dori hits one of the guards with a broom handle causing the man to fall backwards over Bombur who is on all fours behind the guard. Dori trips another guard who falls face first into a beam. Balin and Thorin deal with another as Fili and Kili trip a fourth guard, who
Ori hits the guard who fell over bombur, knocking him out.
Nori knocks out the one Fili and Kili tripped
And Dwalin knocks out one of the others. Soon the guards have all been knocked out.
"Hide" Bard says to us as another group of guards comes to see what all the fuss is about.
"What's going on here?" From what I can see he must be the captain of the guards? Just an asumption though.
Bilbo and I hide behind a few crates.
"Stay where you are, nobody leaves"
Bard walks down the allyway. "Bragga," he says rather cheerfully "Surrey" he says greeting another guard.
"You. What are you up to, Bard?"
"Me? Nothing" Bard replies. One of the guards start to come around and one of the townsfolk drop a plant pot on his head. I look at her amused and she looks at me grinning a little as she puts another plant pot down as another woman puts a crate of fishing nets down, to hide the knocked out guards as this captain looks to see what the noise was.
"Hey Bragga, your wife would look lovely in this" Bard says, I peek around the side to see what Bard is talking about and I put my hand over my mouth to contain a chuckle.
"What do you know of my wife?" The captain asks in a quiet tone, seemingly feeling all authority has slipped away from his grasp,.
"I know her as well as any man in this town" he says shrugging slightly.
This Bragge grabs the clothing item off Bard and dumps it back where Bard must have gotten it from and storms off, his guards following him. He then looks relieved and head back towards us.
"Come on" he says leading us down the back allies "Stay close"
"Da! Our house. It's being watched." A young lad says coming up to Bard. That must be Bain, he's got his fathers baring, that's for sure.
Bard looks at Thorin as he thinks of what to do.
"Here is what you're going to do, you're going to follow us under the walkway, when we get to the house Bain here will let you know when to come in, he'll knock three times" Bard says.
We do as planned, swimming below the wooden walkway following Bard and Bain until we get to the base of the house where there is only one gap to get up.
"Is that a, is that a toilet?" I hear Bofur ask looking around in disbelief
"I don't believe it, we're climbing through a toilet?" and I thought fish crammed barrels was bad...
"Be quiet" Thorin says waiting for the signal.
We hear the knock and Dwalin climbs through first.
"If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off." Dwalin says to, presumably, Bain.
Dwalin raises the seat and begins to pull himself out of the toilet.
"Get off."
"Up there."
Bain points up the stairs, and Dwalin goes up. I follow Dwalin and Bilbo follows me. Bilbo pokes his head up through the toilet, looking flabbergasted, and Bain helps him out. We all go upstairs to where Bard's two daughters look confused. The rest of the dwarves follow and head upstairs.]
"Da...why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" his eldest asks
"Will they bring us luck?"
I walk over to Bard as I look around. "This is a cosy little place you have got here" I say smiling
"Chase these are my daughters" he introduces as I turn around and see them.
"You don't look like what I've heard about female dwarves, where's your beard?" Tilda asks looking at me confused
"Tilda" Sigrid says in a scolding manner to her sister she looks at me and appologises while handing out blankets.
"It's quite alright" I say smiling, I look at tilda "Well, Tilda, you see I'm not actually a dwarf" I say
"You're not?" She asks interested
"I'm only half dwarf"
"If you're only half dwarf what else are you?" she asks quizzically
"I'm half elf, see" I say showing her my slightly pointed ears.
"Da, can we keep them?" she asks smiling, looking around at her father.
I chuckle and look at Bard, he's smiling amused.
.::.
I hope you like this chapter, and for Silvern Shine I have added a bit of Thorin/Chase, without changing their characters too much, I hope you liked it, even though it was just a little bit, for now. More will come in later chapters, that I promise.
Thank you to my reviewers, your comments have given me a much needed boost to write, it's always nice to hear that people enjoy what you have spent time on. To my readers; Sorry for my slow updates a lot of the time I keep getting distracted with 3D work, I'm trying to create a 3D dragon, and I may also try to create Smaug, so yeah, 3D work is taking up a lot of my time.