Twin Rings

Lake Town

I watched the barrels head down the stream forgetting about the orcs that were attacking. My one moment of not watching an Orc took his chance.

An impact hit me and my feet where swept out from under me. The wind swooshed around me until an impact hit me. I opened my mouth to take a breath but my mouth filled with water that flooded into my lungs. A hand grabbed me by the arm and hosted me back to the surface. I clung to the barrel that was in front of me while the hand still held on to me so I wouldn't fall back under the surface.

I looked up too see Kili holding onto my. "Don't let me go," I said as I let go of the barrel.

Kili held me above the surface of the water. I quickly strung an arrow and let it sail into the head of an Orc. The freezing water rushed around me chilling my bones and threatening to drag me under. Kili however wouldn't let the water take me and held tightly onto me. I looked back up the bank too see Legolas fighting an Orc as another one snuck up behind him raising his sword. I pulled a dagger out of my quiver and let it fly. It hit the Orc in the head along with an axe. Legolas whipped around as the Orc fell dead and then he cast he's eyes onto the river.

"Enjoy the dagger grumpy ass!" I yelled over the rushing water before the river swept us around an bend.

The river continued rushing us along for about and hour almost two. by the time it shallower out, all of us climbed on to the rocky bank. I sat down on the stone curling my legs into me trying to get some heat back. The dwarfs paced about while One of them patched up Kili's leg.

"We have to cross the lake!" The leader said pacing the shore staring out into the mist beyond.

Between the talk a new sound echoed softly in my ears. The sound of feet hitting the ground softly above us. I slowly got to my feet, my frozen muscles aching in defiance. Once on my feet I slowly slipped away into the fog doubling back the way we came. The twang of a bow string echoed and I quickly strung my bow also as another twang sounded. A mans shape came into view his bow pointed down where the hobbits where.

"What business do you have here?" The man asked his bow already armed with another arrow.

"Drop the weapon." I said pressing my arrow into the mans back.

He froze and slowly let the string fall back into its place and removed the arrow. He set it back in its quiver before turning to me. "I just wanted a simple answer."

"We have come to visit Laketown. We just want to pass through and spend the night. We however need a ride over there," I said lowering my bow and unhooking the arrow.

"What makes you think I can help?"

"I can tell you are Lake town and it does not look like you swam."

"I didn't but it looks like you did. You'll catch your death being soaking wet and having it be winter time."

I ignored that comment and continued. "We will pay you half the money we have."

The man thought for a moment and then nodded. "Very well. But help me load these barrels they could be helpful."

I nodded and we made our way down to my other companions. The man headed to collect the barrels while everyone turned to me with a questioning look in their eyes.

"I have found us a way across the river... I did however said we would pay him. If that's okay?"

The older of the dwarfs with a white beard nodded up at me grinning. "Very much okay."

The man loaded the Barrels and motioned us aboard his boat. We all climbed on and the man pushed off the shore. The boat glided over the water and we all sat there quietly. I moved next to these and leaned against the side of the boat.