DAVINA ⇝ Thorin Oakenshield

Chapter 18

Davina didn't get any sleep that night. 

But it wasn't because of the newly-fashioned braid in her hair, or the bead that held it together, or the fact that she was now courting a dwarf lord, or even that she had finally admitted how much she loved him. No, instead she tossed and turned all night because of something that wasn't entirely unfamiliar to her: visions. 

And they were terrible; full of dragon-fire, and fear, and death. The visions came and went all night, showing Smaug as he broke out of Erebor and wreaked havoc on the small village known as Laketown. 

Her restlessness had caused her to get out of bed just before dawn. After getting dressed into the new clothes the Master had given her when he decided to supply the Company with what they needed for the journey to Erebor, Davina left her room and crept down the hallway in silence. She didn't want to wake anyone else up; for they all needed their rest, and none of them would probably wish to accompany her, anyway. 

The old house seemed almost familiar to her now as she approached it, knocking upon the door before she could talk herself out of it. For no matter their differences, Bard was the only person she could think of who would hear her out and help her come up with a way to start evacuating people.

Davina was just beginning to think she might need to knock again when the door opened and Bard's brown eyes were glaring down at her. "Go away," he grunted, but the moment he tried to close the door she was sticking her foot against it and holding it open. 

"Please," she pleaded. "You don't understand. I... I've had a vision."

This caused the bargeman to pause, and his eyebrows pulled together as he contemplated her words for a moment. "About what?"

Her eyes shifted just past Bard, where they could both hear Sigrid as she moved about the kitchen to find something to prepare for breakfast. "I'm not sure you want her overhearing," she said quietly. 

Bard seemed to understand, though he was still somewhat suspicious of the Nymali. Nevertheless, he stepped out onto the porch and pulled the door shut behind him. "This better be good."

"It isn't." Davina shook her head. "Part of me doesn't even want to tell you."

"Is it that bad?"

Her eyes wouldn't meet his. The visions she had were horrible and they shook her to the core; she hadn't a clue how exactly she would tell Bard, but she knew that she had to. The last time Davina ignored her visions, it cost the lives of a whole race and the destruction of an entire Valley. It cost her everything. And Davina swore she would not make the same mistake; not when she could do something about it. 

So she began by telling him about the visions, skimming over most of the details and only giving him the basics. She told him of Smaug leaving Erebor, of him attacking Laketown, of all the destruction and death that would come because of it. 

Bard was angry -- livid. "Why are you here, telling me this, when you should be talking that dwarf of yours out of this suicide mission?!" He barked, trying hard to keep his voice down. He didn't want to worry Sigrid, nor any of his other children. 

"Because they are going to succeed in getting the Mountain back -- and because I have a feeling that if they don't reclaim Erebor, darker forces are going to use it for something far more horrific," Davina explained, her gaze narrowing at the venom in his voice when he mentioned Thorin. "The journey to the mountain cannot be stopped, but if you just help me, we can prevent some of the destruction and death it will cause Laketown."

"How in Middle-earth are we going to stop that?" Bard demanded. "And why would you even care? You are supposed to be leaving with the dwarfs at dawn, anyway. Why is Laketown and its people of any concern to you?"