So a small change: Tilda will be younger in the story than in the movie. Enjoy :)
Reyna ran towards the sound of raised, angry voices. She pushed through a crowd of onlookers and as she had feared, her friends had gotten themselves in trouble. Again. She looked in between two men to see that the dwarves had been surrounded by armed gaurds. Rat face and another man- who had red hair, also looked like a rat, and was very fat- were speaking to them. Reyna sneaked through the crowd until she was next to her friends. Thorin had not yet revealed himself, so she crept over to him.
"What the hell are you doing?!" she hissed. Thorin jumped slightly and looked relieved to see it was only Reyna.
"We were not given proper weapons, so we had to take matters into our own hands. You're a Bender, the Lionheart, so help us!" Thorin whispered back at her. Reyna shook her head angrily.
"Damnit, Thorin! I can't help you when you are the ones that broke the law!" she hissed in return. Benders did hold some influence over local governments, but she could do nothing if her friends were in the wrong. They were on their own.
"Silence! The Master speaks!" Alfrid shouted at Thorin. Reyna slipped behind the dwarves, so that her presence was not known.
"What is the meaning of this?" the fat rat asked.
"We caught 'em stealin' weapons, sir." a gaurd informed the Master.
"Ah. Enemies if the State, then." he said.
"This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sir." Alfrid commented. Reyna pulled her hood up, so the man could not see her face.
"Hold your tongue. You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!" Dwalin snapped. The crowd murmured in awe as Thorin stepped forwards.
"We are the dwarves of Erebor." he stated. The gathered people whispered amongst themselves in recognition.
"We have come to reclaim our homeland. I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the center of all trade in the North. I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more through the halls of Erebor!" Thorin exclaimed, swaying the crowd, who erupted into cheers. The people quieted down as Bard made his way through.
"Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragonfire and ruin. If you awaken the beast, it will destroy us all." he said urgently. The crowd was caught between Thorin's promises and Bard's warnings.
"You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the Mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" Thorin persuaded. The people applauded enthusiastically at his words. Bard would not hear of it.
"All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?" he questioned. The crowd was instantly quiet.
"Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?" he demanded. The people shouted various 'No's'.
"And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a mountain-king, so driven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!" he continued. As Bard and Thorin glared at each other, the Master stepped forward.
"Now, now. We must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, that failed to kill the beast." he intervened. Reyna stared at Bard sympathetically. What the Master had said was very low. It was not Bard who had failed to kill the beast.
YOU ARE READING
The Oncoming Storm (Book 2 in the Lionheart Trilogy)
Fanfiction★ I suggest reading the first book, Lionheart, before you read this one★ Reyna Stormbringer had hoped that after facing goblins, orcs and even the occasional cave troll, that she and the company would have faced the worst of what their quest had to...
