Altogether, Laketown wasn't a super interesting place to visit. Definitely not a place Bella would want to visit again, certainly. If nothing else, just for the fact that they were over water was enough to keep her away.
The boat ride was fairly uneventful, luckily, but she was still green by the time they made it to the docks. In the distance she noticed a bridge and briefly wondered why they couldn't have gone a little more on land to the bridge to get across, but she knew they were short on time for it. So, she suffered through a horridly smooth boat ride, to an awfully placed town over water, and lamented over her mother's tendencies to be more wild than all the other Tooks and- no, that wasn't right. It was her decision to pass them to her only daughter, and teaching her to be more in tune with the land than any other hobbit, that Bella lamented. Thus sending her on this journey to do her duty and save the land far to the East, because she was the only one who could.
Oh, well. No use crying over spilled milk, and all that. She was here now; she'd already made it this far, past other horrendously cursed lands and if she could face down those Valar-forsaken spiders (or at least live through them; she didn't actually face them), then she could face down deep waters and eventually, a dragon.
(She hoped she didn't have to face him, because he was already dead and she could just heal the land, but she knew it was unlikely.)
The meeting with the Master of the Lake wasn't anything special, besides him being a sleazy scumbag who would rather let his people suffer as he became rich, than to actually do anything to help them. Just from sitting through a dinner with him as the "guest of honor" - luckily with her elven guards acting as a buffer between them - she knew he was only "helping" them because it was Thranduil's orders. The thought of the ancient dwarven gold waiting as his reward for helping them was also a big motivator, she was certain. Although, one of the guards was very kind to them, if a little wary. Bard, his name was, and he was put in charge of overseeing their lodgings by the Master. He conversed with the guards a bit, giving them the lay of the land; waterways, land trails, and which wildlife was safe to eat versus not.
As they spoke, a thrush came fluttering by, chirping over Bard's head before practically dive-bombing to Bella. She ducked, before noticing it was chirping at her in greeting, and she tentatively held out her hand for it to land on. The thrush did so, chirping a greeting again, and Bella smiled back at it softly.
"Hello, little thrush." She spoke softly, and ignored the curious looks given to her by the elves and Bard. "My name is Bella Baggins, a hobbit of the Shire. And what might your name be?"
"He doesn't have a name," Bard spoke up and both Bella and the thrush looked over to him, "but I call him Berion." Bella looked back to the thrush.
"Berion." She smiled at the bird. It chirped in response. "I like that." He chirped again. She chirped back, thoroughly confusing the men next to her. She glanced at them from the corner of her eye, before altogether ignoring them in favor of chirping with Berion.
My speak not good as like. You have knowledge of land? Inwardly, Bella cringed at how awful she was at communicating with the wildlife. Granted, that was never her strong suite; she was more handy with the land, but her mother made sure she was able to at least speak with the creatures around her. The thrush didn't seem to mind, however.
My Lady, I must warn you of the danger crossing this land poses. The great drake Smaug still lives, and while he has never smelled your kind before, he is sure to notice the decrease of his magic on the land. He hopped a bit on her palm before nuzzling it with his beak and continuing. However, should you so choose to continue onward, my kin and I will aid you across the lands to where the evil festers. Bella smiled gently at him. We don't have much time before he will wake again.
Thank you, friend. Much like help from you and family. I come far already; I cannot end now.
Then we will aid you, Lady Vessel of the Green.
Bella smiled once more before refocusing on her travel companions and Bard.
"Berion and his kin have kindly offered to guide us through the land to where the drake lies and evil festers. I have accepted his help, and we will have to leave shortly if we wish to make good time before he wakes. I- what is it?" She was supremely confused by the odd looks sent her way, although her elven companions were quicker to recover than Bard was.
"Forgive me, My Lady, I was not aware you were able to converse with the thrushes as well." Bard bowed slightly as it was Bella's turn to look slightly startled.
"Oh, you are able to communicate as well? I unfortunately am not as fluent as I would like to be, as it is not my given ability from Lady Yavanna. Other hobbits are more talented and speak easier with the wildlife than I, but my mother made sure I was able to do so. Over time, as I have traveled more so than my fellow hobbits, my abilities have gotten stronger and it gets easier to do other things I was not able to do previously, but I am still not very proficient in some areas versus others." She laughed softly at the flabbergasted look they gave her once more. Bard, once again, surprised her as he recovered.
"Then by all means, let us prepare to leave by morning, Lady Vessel." Bella blushed at the title given to her by the thrushes being used by the man. She, however, couldn't agree more.
Time to leave this horrid water infested place of residence the people call home.
She wasn't sure how he did it, but Bard was able to pull together supplies needed and have transportation ready by the morning, even volunteering to accompany them for a certain distance on land before he had to return to his post. She thanked him profusely before he left, vowing to remember his kindness and to help him in any way that she could.
"Come, Lady Bella. We must continue if we wish to make good distance before dark." She nodded to the Captain of her Honor Guard and mounted her pony once more. Berion was fluttering nearby, anxious to start leading the way once again.
"Then let us be on our way. Berion, lead on." The thrush chirped before flying forward, their horses and her pony following along behind.
He led them through the day, across hidden paths and through ruins of settlements until they came upon the ruins of Dale. They had ridden mostly in silence, small scatterings of conversations here and there, but it was comfortable. Once they started through Dale, however, it became almost oppressive. She could feel the evil wafting through the air, and knew it was only going to get worse the closer they came to the Lonely Mountain. She knew it was going to be hard, but the air around them reeked of terror and pain, and evil.
So, so much evil was around them, it almost choked her.
She pushed her pony onwards.
It was with mixed feelings of dread and relief that they made it to the other side of Dale, about to step on the lands between there and Erebor. Berion landed on the head of her pony, dipping his beak and almost looking ashamed. Regretful?
I am sorry, My Lady, but this is where I must leave you. I cannot lead you any further for fear the dragon will wake early. All you must do now is travel forward until you hit the mountain. Once there, any spot along the sides will do for the cleansing, although I would recommend having good shelter for when the dragon awakes. Until we meet again, Lady Vessel of the Green. Bella dipped her head at the thrush.
Farewell. I thank you. Until meet again, Berion. He flew off without another chirp, leaving Bella and her elven companions to their own devices. Clapping her hands, and summoning the most convincing smile she could at the moment, she looked to her guards.
"Well! Shall we continue on?" Grimly, they all nodded, following her lead as she nudged her pony onwards towards the Lonely Mountain, an already imposing figure from a distance, but now so, so much worse. Her pony seemed just as hesitant as she did.
Comforting.
Bard was wholly unimpressed by Laketown's most recent visitors. He knew exactly who they were, and if their recent arrival just barely missing Lady Bella's departure was any sign, he knew the coming days were not going to be easy.
So if he took a slight vindictive pleasure in letting fish be dumped all over them, muffling their curses?
Well, really, who could blame him?
Berion (Beria (To Protect) + on (Male))
