The Hobbit Imagines

1. Bard x Reader

As you were tidying around the house, putting away a coat and a pair of old, worn boots, you reminisced about all those years ago when you met Bard and his family:

It was just after the dragon Smaug had attacked; you were trapped in a fiery cage which was once your home. Smaug had set Lake Town ablaze, causing chaos and devastation everywhere. Sure that it was the end for you, you crouched down to the floor, hugging yourself tightly, feeling the heat surround you. Beads of sweat formed on your brow and your throat became dry. You shut your eyes, waiting for the flames to envelope you. But, before the fire reached you, you felt a hand grip your shirt and lift you from the wreckage. The face of a young boy stared back at you through the smoke. "You saved me..." You coughed "How can I thank you?" You yelled over the crackling which filled the air. "We haven't got time!" He shouted back to you, gesturing for you to follow him. And so, you ran through the streets with this mysterious boy, wondering who he was and where he had come from.

Before long you stumbled onto the pier, the boy urging you to continue. You were tired and your lungs ached from the soot which pervaded the air you breathed. Stopping to witness the horrors around you, you noticed a young girl standing beneath a burning pillar. She seemed lost, and you felt your instinct telling you to help her. Moving slowly towards you, you heard the groaning and creaking of houses aflame. The pillar, having completely detached from the building it supported, began to tumble. And you saw it crashing down, eventually going to crush the girl. Lunging for her, you knocked her aside, saving her from a nightmarish fate. The boy who turned only in time to see you reach the girl, let out a cry of fear. "Tilda!" He roared. Moments passed as you processed what you had just done. You reached your hand out to the girl, who gripped it desperately. Pulling her towards you, you picked yourself up off the ground and held her in your arms. She tied her legs around your waist, clinging to your body and you carried her over the fallen timber and debris. The boy's eyes grew enormously and he ran towards you and the girl. Ripping her from your body, he squeezed her tightly. "Tilda." He breathed, relieved. You realised he was saying her name. "Thank you." He looked up at you. You smiled slightly "You don't need to thank me, we're even." He let out a short laugh, not to be distracted from the embrace he had on the girl. You decided to take control of the situation- you all were still in danger. "Come now, we must find a boat." The three of you sprinted to the end of the pier where another girl, just a few years older than Tilda, joined you. Noting the similar facial features between the three young teenagers who stood before you, it occurred to you that they were all siblings... But then, where were their parents? You ushered them into an unoccupied boat and clambered in afterwards. The boy grabbed the ores and started to row, you could tell this boy was naturally very strong. Merely a few seconds later, the boy spotted something in the distance, leapt out of the boat and raced through the streets of traumatised people. Tilda and her sister screamed his name, but you were too busy to call after him while you were diving for the ores to stop them from disappearing into the river. Once you had them tightly in your grip you turned back to face the girls. The boat rocked from the girls' panicked movements so you quickly instructed them "Girls, sit down. We will find him later, I promise." Obediently, the girls followed your orders. Taking up the boy's job of rowing, you perched, with your back to the bow and began to push and pull with what little strength was left, deep within you.

Looking back on it, you realised your determination to get these girls to safety is what drove you on, for that whole, agonising journey.

*Time skip- Bard and Bain have defeated the dragon and have joined the masses of damaged spirits on the other side of the lake*

Offering a blanket to Tilda, you sat her down with her sister, who you found out was called Sigrid, and checked them for injuries. You knelt down, scanning them and they smiled kindly at you. You smiled back, feeling proud that you had helped them. After finding nothing on either child, you noticed that you had a sharp, slicing pain through your left arm. Peeling back your now blood-soaked sleeve, you revealed a monstrous gash in your upper arm. The girls gasped when they saw it too and worry clouded their weary eyes. Calmly, you assured them you were okay, though you were quite uncertain yourself about how much blood you had lost, or how long your wound had been unattended. Bracing against the sting which bolted up and down your arm, you shut your eyes. You were assessing the pain in your arm and shoulder when Tilda and Sigrid perked up in their seats and suddenly jumped, speeding off. Slowly, you stood from your crouch and searched for the girls. They were running to a man and one figure of slightly smaller stature... The boy! You gasped happily and walked as fast as you could towards the group. You felt your arm fall by your side, almost numb which worried you, but you ignored it for now. As you neared, the boy spied you and parted from his sisters to meet you. "You're here!" He chuckled. "You are too." You laughed along with him and added "I'm surprised after you pulled that stunt." A glad sort of guilt shadowed his face "I went to help my father, I'm sorry." You nodded, your eyes flicking to the man who lovingly held his daughters. "You are a smart young man. I don't think I got your name before..." You frowned. "Bain," He introduced himself "And you are?" You drew your gaze back to the boy and bowed curtly "My name is Y/N. It's nice to have met you Bain. If you would, I should like for you to tell your sisters that I'm glad they are safe, and I wish your family the best of luck." Bain's face contorted to a mask of confusion "You're not going, are you?" He asked. "Well, there are many people here who need help and I will offer my service where I can." Bain admired your selflessness and half-smiled sadly. "Okay, Y/N. Thank you for everything you've done. Goodbye." Bain gently took your hand and kissed the back of it. Blushing, you whispered "Goodbye." And turned to leave. Bain stumbled back to his family, and explained that you had left to help others. Bard listened, his eyebrows knitting together. He told his children to stay exactly where they were and began to jog after you. You heard the rhythmic thud of feet behind you and slowed. Bard appeared in front of you and placed a hand on your arm. "Is it true? You saved my girls?" He breathed heavily. Now he was close to you, you were mesmerised by how strikingly handsome he was. Gentle eyes, soft voice, warm smile. You stuttered "Yes... But, I couldn't have if it weren't for your son saving me first." You shrugged. He let out a light laugh "You do not understand, I owe you more than my life, I owe you theirs too. Were you really going to leave without introducing yourself?" He asked curiously. You nodded almost shamefully. "But why?" Bard questioned. You tried to reply, but a searing pain blackened your vision. You became faint and lost your balance. Before you hit the floor, a pair of muscular arms caught you and lifted you. Bard stared at you, shocked. Your nose crinkled as you tried to free yourself of the mind-numbing ache which filled your head. You tried to explain that you had lost a lot of blood, but it came out as nothing but an exhausted groan. "Shh, don't speak. You are unwell. Rest now." Bard's soothing voice lulled you. He carried you back over to the children, who watched intently. The girls mentioned your arm and Bard inspected it. He commanded Bain to collect some string, a needle, anything he could find to help you. Disappearing and reappearing within seconds, he handed his father the make-shift equipment. "This may hurt, but it will not last long, I promise." You felt slight pressure above your wound and then nothing but pain. You cried out, your body writhing, but Sigrid and Tilda held you still. The throbbing was unbearable, you felt yourself wanting to wretch but not having the strength to. For a moment you passed out, but came to after a few seconds. Just as you thought you couldn't take it anymore, Bard stepped away, having finished. You vision was blurred and nebulous but you glanced down at your arm once to see it wrapped neatly in a bandage, and then fell unconscious.