An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Fifty-One: Bard's House

Sitting in Bard's home, Thalia looked around and sighed knowing that they were running out of time to get from Lake Town to Erebor and find the door; it wasn't going to be easy and she was hopeful that they would be able to make it in time.

Thalia brushed some wet hair from her face, they had climbed into Bard's home via the toilet since his house was being watched; she hated to think what would happen if they were caught by the guards. 

Thorin walked past Thalia, they were all exhausted and Bard had promised them that they could rest at his home before he gave them their weapons so that they could leave the next day. 

Sigrid looked at Thalia curiously, her father hadn't explained what the group of dwarves were doing in their home; she didn't understand why they were here or why they were traveling with a hobbit and a woman. 

"Hand out some blankets Sigrid," Bain said to his sister, he knew that she was curious but they didn't have time to stand about; they had guests who were not likely to stay calm for long and they didn't want attention being drawn to their home. 

Sigrid nodded her head, she slowly moved to hand out blankets while people tried to dry themselves; she continued to watch Thalia as the blonde spoke with several of the dwarves. 

"Here... to keep you warm," Sigrid said handing Thalia a blanket, she smiled at the blonde and she knew that she would have time later on to ask questions. 

Thalia thanked Sigrid, she smiled politely at the teenager before she ran her fingers through her hair trying to get the excess water out of it without revealing that she was a witch. 

***

Bilbo wrinkled his nose as he had some of the stew that he had been given, it wasn't much but it would fill him; he looked around the room knowing that they still had a long trip ahead of them. 

Thorin was sat across the room with Balin, they were talking quietly about how they would get to the mountain and working out how much time they had left before Durin's day. 

"Lia... could you tell us another story?" Kíli asked looking at Thalia, it was getting late and the dwarves wouldn't be able to leave the house without risking being caught. 

Thalia looked up from her stew, she smiled amused as the rest of the company moved to look at her; she wasn't surprised that they wished for her to tell another story. 

Bard eyed the blonde, he was still curious about why she travelled with the dwarves and he had yet to get an answer from her about why she was with them; he had a feeling that there was something about the group that he should be worried about. 

"Once upon a time, a long time ago there lived a beautiful maiden named Medusa.  Medusa lived in the city of Athens and although there were many pretty girls in the city, Medusa was considered the loveliest," Thalia said doubting that the name of the city really mattered, it wasn't as if the company would ever see her world. 

Thalia ignored the twist in her stomach, she wasn't sure what would happen when it came to the end of the journey and Erebor was reclaimed but she didn't think that she wanted to return to her own world. 

"Unfortunately, Medusa was very proud of her beauty and thought or spoke of little else. Each day she boasted of how pretty she was and each day her boasts became more outrageous," Thalia said, she looked around the room thinking about all that she would leave behind if she did return to Earth and it wasn't what she wanted.

Bard listened quietly, he had never heard this tale before and he was amazed that the room was completely silent as Thalia spoke; her voice had a quality that made it completely mesmerizing.