Daughter of a King

Chapter 40: Almost Home

[3rd Person POV]

As the dwarves rode on the barge, air tickling their already wet clothes, Arulla stood near the bow of the barge, leaning forward to see the waters rippling as the boat cut through the calm waves. She smiled at the beautiful waters that crashed softly against the floating wood.

Thorin's eyes never stayed in one place for very long during the entire ride. His sights were set on Arulla, then Kili, then Fili, then the company, then back to Arulla again, and rested on the bargeman. When his gaze finally set on the tall Man, Thorin felt his eyes narrow into slits filled with mistrust and apprehension.

Dwalin decided to remain close to his niece/goddaughter, making sure she doesn't fall over, while also keeping a keen eye on his brother and best friend.

Arulla looked over to her father only to see that he was glaring menacingly at the bargeman. Arulla nudged Dwalin in the side, and he looked down at her with an inquisitive eyebrow raised.

Arulla shifted her eyes towards Thorin again, and Dwalin followed her line of sight. "I think he believes that if he glares at him long enough, he might burst into flames"

Dwalin chuckled, "Maybe it would be an improvement"

Arulla gasped and hit him hard on his chest while trying to contain a smile, "You're horrible Uncle Dwalin"

Dwalin smiled and nudged her softly with his elbow. Arulla's face then shifted as she opened her mouth to say something when Bofur shouted,

"Watch out!"

Dwalin quickly reaches over to wrap his arm around Arulla's waist to steady her as the company grips the railings. While the man swerves the boat away from the oncoming rock formation. Neither notice the icy eyes glaring at them for only a moment before they're gone.

As the boat slowly passes the dodged rock formation, which turns out to be a pile of ruins, Thorin turns around and growls out, "What are you trying to do, drown us?"

"I was born and bred on these waters Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." was the man's quick reply.

Thorin growled low in his throat as he turned back towards the middle edge of the boat, his booted foot only inches from the freezing water.

"Oh I've had enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with it." Dwalin mumbles loud enough for only the company to hear.

"Oh, Bard. His name's Bard." Bilbo speaks out, slightly annoyed.

"How do you know?" Bofur wonders.

"Ah. I asked him." Bilbo speaks in a 'matter of fact' tone

Thorin moved towards Dwalin and Arulla, coming to rest next to Dwalin, leaning on an empty barrel.

"I don't care what he calls himself. I don't like him" Dwalin mumbles to Thorin.

"We don't have to like him," Balin starts, obviously hearing his brother's poor excuse of mumbling. "We simply have to pay him. Come on now lads, turn out your pockets."

Dwalin leans over to Thorin trying to keep his whispering 'quiet', "How do we know he won't betray us?"

Thorin gazes quickly at Arulla, who was gazing at the circle of dwarves emptying out the silver coins for payment, before looking back at Dwalin and answering, "We don't."

Thorin's eyes return to his daughter when he notices her digging into the lapelled pockets of her threadbare coat. He quickly maneuvers around Dwalin and was able to grab her arm as she is pulling out what looks like a maroon red pouch, and by the tinkling sound that is coming from inside of it, the bag was not empty.

As Arulla trails her icy-grey eyes to meet their bearer, Thorin grounds out just two syllables, "Not you."

Stunned by the deliberate command, Arulla jerks her arm from her father's grasp, her eyes are narrowed slightly,"I am still apart of this company am I not?" She says, daring Thorin to oppose as she hands over her pouch to Balin to count, and stomps away to stand at the bow of the boat"

Thorin frowns, taken aback by his daughters disobedience, and moves to stand next to Dwalin again. His gaze never leaving the small dwarrowdam, a smirking smile makes it's way to his face as he remembers his wife's spirit when they were younger before he shakes his head and the smile is gone.

Balin continues to count the money until he comes to a halt as he realizes something amiss, "There's um, just a wee problem; we're ten coins short."

Everyone starts to pat their pockets for spare change, but no one notices Thorin cross his arms, obviously knowing someone has not paid.

"Gloin," Is all he says, and everyone stops to look at the person in question who at least had the decency to look up at their leader. Thorin's smirk on his face is miniscule, but Arulla could see it. "Come on, give us what you have."

Gloin starts to shake his head, "Don't look to me," He starts, wagging his finger back and forth. "I have been bled dry by this venture! And what have I seen for my investment?" Unbeknownst to him, every dwarf began to stand and look at something in the faraway distance. "Naught but misery and grief, and-"

As Oin stands next to his brother, Gloin realizes that no one was paying him any heed. Gloin goes to stand with the rest of the company squinting slightly to try and see what they do.

And like a shroud being lifted from a head, there it was, beneath the shimmering fog was the outline of the Lonely Mountain. So close and yet so far.

Arulla's eyes were misty and full as both of her cousins stood at her side with one arm on each of her shoulders in a warm side embrace, "We are almost home cousin"

If anyone would have looked back at that moment, they would have seen blue-grey eyes shrouded in a thin mist of unshed tears as he watched his precious family embrace together as brothers to sister. But then he remembered,

There was still a long way to go

­­­________________________________________________________________________

There!!! I finished a chapter during college classes, and let me tell you that is no easy feat!! I am sorry to say that you should not expect a chapter next semester since the classes I have chosen are pretty demanding, but if I can, I will try to squeeze one out. I hope to get one more chapter published before the second semester starts, but we'll just have to see.

I hope you guys are still loving this story, and I am entirely grateful for your patience and time you have gone through to stay with me this entire time.

Thank you.

I would love to hear your opinions on the story so far and your thoughts on how you think the story will end. NOT TO SAY I WILL TELL YOU(No spoilers allowed)... But I would love to hear what you think will happen, it would make me feel more connected to my readers and how they are enjoying and interpreting the story.

So thank you again and I hope you guys have a wonderful weekend! :)

Like always: Vote, Comment, Rate, Share!!!!

<3

-TC110