A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

64. The Weasel

I watched through the wet strands of my red hair as Bard directed the barge to a small dock, the tall wooden building and guard towers around the water locked town visible in the distance as the fog cleared, low over hanging clouds and the late morning sun just slightly peeking through the clouds set an almost somber atmosphere over the town. Beyond the edge of Rohan, I have not seen such a large town of men, especially one so separated from the world, or land in general.

Built atop a large lake, you could just barely see the distant trees to the south, the mountain to the north stood out so much in comparison. The dock Bard was pulling the barge up to connected to a small wooden house that has seen better days, the side of the house was stacked with baskets full of fish.

Living off of only fish for your whole life? I must say, that sounds awful in my opinion. I have never truly been a fan of fish, except for those rare pubs that can season it just right and make it enjoyable to eat. But, when you have nothing else, fish isn't a bad choice.

I looked to the barrels without shifting or moving an inch, trying to make myself appear as small and non threatening as possible.

I was hating every second of acting this way, but it is much preferable to being in one of those barrels again, especially since the last time I was in one, I nearly had a panic attack right there in front of the dwarves. So I'll take this in comparison.

I watched Bard pull up the sails, looking back at me and nodding before throwing rope off of the boat and hopping off, tying the barge tightly to a wooden pillar and walking along down the dock. I watched the bargeman in confusion, wondering why he pulled us to a stop here, by a set of small houses on the outside of Laketown, clearly here just for fishing, if what I am seeing is correct.

I reached up and pulled the hood of my cloak up and over my hair carefully, letting my wet hair spill out of the hood as I kept up the kicked puppy act, acting small, weak, and cold. Under my hood though, I was glaring so hard at a plank on the barge that I might as well have set fire to it with my gaze alone.

I peeked at the barrels again as one of them shifted slightly, a low grumble coming from one of the dwarves stuck inside a barrel. I hissed quietly, telling the dwarf in question to keep quiet and don't move. A man wearing a funny hat with long straggly brown hair came out of the fishing house, hunched back as he looked up at Bard, looking worn and tired. I strained my ears to listen in on their conversation and couldn't pick up anything more than distant muttering. I carefully watched the few other humans milling about, pulling in fishing nets and filling baskets.

Cursing under my breath, I could only hope my assumption that Bard wouldn't sell us out is true or else we will go from one elvish cell to yet another cell. I continued to watch the bargeman closely, gritting my teeth and tensing as he pointed to the barrels. Oh no, no, he is selling us out.

What do I do? Knock the two humans out? What about all the others on this dock?

As I was just shifting to stand and do so, the straggly haired man handed Bard a... huge basket of fish? I frowned at that, watching the lakeman in confusion. What is Bard's plan here? Feed that to his kids? I watched Bard bring the fish over and poor it straight into the barrels on a few of the dwarves heads.

I ducked my head, fighting back a snort of amusement as I heard those dwarves sputter in shock. I took a deep breath, controlling my laughter and put my head back on my knees, reaching up and pulling the hood of the cloak over my face better. I watched through my hair and the hanging bit off my hood as Bard went back to the old grey haired man five more times, each time grabbing a new basket of fish before proceeding to take it and pour it on the heads of the dwarves. A few of the humans on the dock watched the bargeman in confusion.