Hope and Memory[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Thirty Three]

The bargeman had finally figured out a way to smuggle the company into his home unseen but they weren't going to like it. He peeked around the corner of one of the shops with his son and sure enough he spotted every entrance to his home being watched by towns people by order of the Master, except for one. The dwarves were murmuring amongst themselves, trying to figure out what to do, if the bargeman didn't have a plan to get them into his home to get provisions. They couldn't afford to be captured again, Durin's Day was only a few days away.

" There is only one entrance, that's not being guarded." Bard stated, interrupting the companies thoughts.

" Which is where?" Dwalin growled at the man and Freya nudged him and shook her head at him to stop being rude to this man and he grumbled under his breath. The bargeman pointed to a back entrance of his house.

" I can get you closer, but you'll have to go in the water to get to the entrance." Bard pointed out. The cousins shared a look, not liking this plan already.

" Your joking right?" Nori complained.

" It's the only way." Bard pressed. The dwarves sighed, but they didn't see what other option they had. They followed the man to one of the docks, that was a short distance from his house. " Wait till you hear three knocks to come out." Bard added before disappearing with his son. It wasn't long before the company heard three distinctive knocks. Dwalin went first into the water and popped his head out of their toilet, not impressed.

" If you speak of this to anyone, ill rip your arms off." Dwalin threatened, as he wrenched the lid up. Freya rolled her eyes, as they all heard Dwalin on the other side. The boy offered to help the dwarf out, but his hand was quickly knocked out of the way. " Get off.

" Up there." Bain pointed, and Dwalin marched passed him and up the steps. Bilbo was the next to get wet and struggled to climb out of the toilet and Bain pulled him out by his clothing and he went up the stairs next. The rest of the dwarves one by one went in and climbed out of the toilet, leaving only Freya and Thorin left. Thorin insisted that he go last, so he could keep watch encase they were spotted. Freya took a deep breath and submerged herself under the freezing lake water and was pulled out by Bain when she appeared on the other side. She could see her own breath in front of her as she walked up the steps, half frozen.

" Da, why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet." A young girl asked, watching all the dwarves that were now gathering in the main room.

" Will they bring us luck?" an even younger girl asked. Bard went and gathered dry clothing for the dwarves and the two cousins to wear to keep them warm and got a fire going.

" They may not be the best fit, but they'll keep you warm." Bard stated.The little girl carried some blankets and passed them out to the dwarves.

" Thank you, very much." Freya said, as she took a blanket and wrapped herself in it, while she sat in front of the fire shivering with the others. One one dwarf hadn't join them, instead he was staring at something outside the window. The woman got up from her spot with her cousin, holding her hot tea and walked over.

" A Dwarvish windlance." Thorin whispered.

" You look like you've seen a ghost." Bilbo pointed out. Thorin glanced beside him to see the two hobbits had joined his side.

" He has." Balin stated, joining the group and the cousin waited patiently for Balin to explain the story behind this weapon. " The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came. The day that Smaug destroyed Dale. Girion, the Lord of the city rallied his bowman to fire upon the beast. But a dragon's hide is tough. Tougher than the strongest armor. Only a black arrow fired from a windlance could have pierced the dragon's hide. And few of those arrows were ever made. The store was running low when Girion made his last stand. "

" Had the aim of men been true that day, much would have been different." Thorin stated, as the two dwarves remembered that tragic day like it was only yesterday. Freya looked down at the ground, unable to imagine what that day must have felt like for those that lived through it.

" You speak as if you were there." Bard pressed, coming up behind them.

" All dwarves know the tale." Thorin stated.

" Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast." Bain growled, when Dwalin came chuckling behind them at this nonsense.

" That's a fairy story, lad. Nothin' more." Freya noticed how angry Bard looked, when Dwalin had said this and she wondered how true this was. Thorin walked in between them till he was only a few steps away from the man.

" You took our money. Where are the weapons?" Thorin questioned, not wanting to waste anymore time, when the mountain was right there.

" Wait here." The bargeman left to get the weapons he promised to these dwarves. Freya and Bilbo went to sit back in front of the fire to get warm, while Thorin, Fili, Kili and Balin were discussing things. The two hobbit's turned when they heard heavy footsteps coming back up the stairs. He carried in a wrapped package and placed it on the table and the dwarves gathered around to check out the weapons to make sure they were to their liking.

The dwarves began to murmur when they saw they weapons were not what they were expecting. " What is this?" Thorin snarled, expecting at least a sword or an axe.

" Pike Hook. Made from an old Harpoon." Bard answered. Freya and Bilbo had left the weapon's for the dwarves to decided if they were what they want, since it was their money that paid for them to get them.

" And this?" Kili asked, looking at confused.

" A Crowbill, we call it. Fashioned from a Smithy's Hammer. It's heavy in hand, I grant, but in defense of your life, these will serve you better then none."

" We paid you for weapons. Iron-forged swords and axes!" Gloin stated, infuriated.

" It's a joke!" Bofur added and the dwarves began to murmur their agreements tossing the weapons back into a pile on the table.

" You won't find better outside the city armory. All iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key." Bard pressed. Thorin and Dwalin shared a look, knowing what they had to do next. They would have to break into the armory if they wanted better weapons, but it would be risky.

" Thorin... Why not take what's on offer and go? I've made do with less. So have you. I say we leave now" Balin ordered.

" You're not going anywhere." Bard hissed.

" What did you say?" Dwalin snarled at him.

" There are spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait till night fall." The dwarves slumped back in their spots, and let out sighs. Freya shook her head, the bargeman was just trying to help them out, and willing to give them his own weapons, he had built himself, and the dwarves were treating him badly. Bard had gone outside. Thorin demanded the others to follow him over to the corner of the house away from the boy and instructed everyone to be ready to leave by nightfall to break into the armory, to get proper weapons.