The Story of Us (Fili/The Hobbit)

19. Lake Town

Thorin looked over to me and nodded thankfully as he led the others to the barge and climbing on. I made my way to Fili and helped him with Kili to safely get him into the barge.

When we were all in, I sat at the rear next to Bilbo as the man whom I still don't know his name, steered the boat through the water and into the fog.

The air was very damp and freezing, the occasionally puff of cold air escaping out lips. The barge would push aside ice that would be in the water. Suddenly, large stone formations appeared out of the fog.

"Watch out!" Shouted Bofur.

The man poled the barge between the rock formations, which were actually ancient ruins.

"What are you trying to do, drown us?" Thorin spoke angrily.

"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here."

"Oh I have enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him." Dwalin spat in a low voice to which I rolled my eyes at his negativity.

"Ohh, Bard, his name is Bard." Bilbo answered him slightly angrily.

"How do you know?" Bofur asked.

"Uh, I asked him."

"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him." Dwalin told Thorin.

"We do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him. Come on now lads, turn out your pockets." Balin answered back as the dwarves began to pull out their money.

"How do we know he won't betray us?" Dwalin questioned to Thorin.

"We don't."

I know Bard won't betray us. From the minute I saw him, I never sensed anything bad about him. I can already tell he is a reliable person that keeps his word, but I should've learned by now there is no use to arguing with dwarves. No use at all. So I kept my mouth shut, or should I say I tried, my teeth chattering from the cold air, as I let them talk amongst themselves.

Balin was sitting whilst he counted the money.
"There's a problem. We're ten coins short."

Thorin looked to Gloin, with his arms crossed and a slight smirk on his face.

"Gloin, come on. Give us what you have."

"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-"

I noticed the others began rising up from their spots and stared at something in the distance. Turning my head, the fog thins as the Lonely Mountain is in clear view.

"Bless my beard, take it. Take all of it." Gloin hands Balin a sack of coins he had been hiding before.

Bilbo coughs and gestures at Bard, who is now approaching us.

"The money, quick, give it to me."

"We will pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin said.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." Bard replied.

Thorin was hesitant to give Bard the sack of coins.

"Go ahead, Thorin. You can trust Bard. There's nothing off I sense about him." I said to Thorin, in hopes of at least changing the way he views Bard, even by a little.

"I still don't trust you, but I do trust Eleanor and her judgement." He grumbled as he dropped the sack into Bard's hand.

"Well it wasn't a judgment, more of a fact, really.." I muttered to myself.

"I'm glad to hear that, Master Dwarf, because I don't trust you either. Now all of you, remain on the boat and don't make a sound." Spoke Bard as we arrived at a port.

"So what is the plan?" Thorin asked him.

"Each of you need to climb into the barrels. I do not have time to explain but please trust me." Bard said. But others of course protested about the idea.

No matter how much the dwarves grumbled and complained, they still got in them. I, too, hauled myself into one and quietly sad in there waiting for any more instructions from Bard.

"Now all of you, do not, and I repeat, DO NOT make any noise whatsoever! I will not hesitate to throw you overboard if I have to." Bard said.

"Harsh.." I whispered to myself but he didn't mean any actual harm. He probably was just worried like how I am at the moment.

Bard left for a while to talk to a man. I couldn't quite hear what they were saying but through a hole in the barrel, he was pointing at us and shortly after shook hands with the man, looking like they just made a deal.

After that, all I heard were footsteps coming towards us before having a huge amount of fish hitting and falling down on us. The fish smelled horribly as it came down and occasionally slapped on my face, leaving it disgustingly slimy. I didn't have time to react to this fish ambush, honestly it felt as if it was never-ending.

---------------------------------

I had no idea what was going on other than that we had reached the gate and we haven't moved for about fifteen minutes. Everything sounded muffled to me so it was hard trying to listen to what they were talking about. Slowly moving away some fish from the small hole in the barrel, I saw some guards starting to dump out the fish from some barrels whilst Bard stood there with a nervous expression.

There was this other person there who looked like he was in charge of these things who raised his hand for the guards to stop. Bard obviously did some persuasion because the other man didn't look like he could have his views changed. He walked away as Bard began to pole the barge through the gate.

He eventually stopped the boat to knock down some the barrels, a signal to us that we can get out now. All at once, we popped our heads up from the horrid fish scent and breathing in the fresh cold air. My hair was all gross and was fish-smelling that I just didn't want to talk about it.

"We must get going now." Bard tells all of us.

"Agreed." Said Thorin.

Bard approached a man who had been watching the whole time and handed him some coins. "You didn't see them, they were never here. Fish you can have for nothing."

Bard began to lead us all around and through different houses. "Da!" Called out the voice of a young boy who must be Bard's son. "Our house, it's being watched."

Bard frowned slightly before continuing again. "There's only one way into my house where you won't be seen. But you are all not going to like it."

"Well what is it?" Thorin questioned.

"Climbing up through the toilet."

"We have to what??" Bofur exclaimed in disbelief.

Bofur's reaction was exactly how I felt. First we get fish dumped all over us that make us smell like, well fish! That's already bad enough. Going through something that people do their business in... No thank you.

"It's either that or climbing the walls and going through the window."

I was about to shout with joy upon hearing this wonderful news. Going through the window seems like something I would do and I most definitely will.

"I volunteer!" I raised my voice a bit as I lifted my hand up. "Where is your house?" I asked as Bard pointed at it.

"I'll meet you all over there." I reassured as Bard nodded and lead the dwarves away.

---------------------------
Sorry guys this chapter is boring and there are no Eleanor and Fili moments but I'm sure there will be in the next chapter ayeee😏 so yeah thanks for reading hehe