A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

72. Lord of Silver Fountains

Oh, By The Valar, did some call Thorin by name in Bard's presence? With the Laketown's closeness to the mountain, no doubt Bard's ancestors told tales of the mighty kings who ruled in Erebor. And, no doubt, Thorin's name was among them. It's happened like this to be before with the humans, when I visited a village I had not been to in 57 years after the mountain lion incident, yet me mentioning my name set off the village questioning if I was the strange female known as Philomena who spoke to animals.

I left pretty quickly after that.

But Thorin's name? I wouldn't be surprised if this whole town knew something about the old kings of Erebor, no doubt half of them can at least somewhat remember names, so I am not surprised Bard recognizes the name. I watched closely, planning to put every inch of the training the elves taught me on stealth into affect. I don't think even Nori is aware of just how simple and easy it is for me, even with my bright hair, to silently move among people without leaving a trace of my presence, either in their mind or on the area. I don't do it often, but I can do it with ease, even with a minor cold.

I could move through a thick crowd without a single one of them spotting me and remembering my face. It was the main thing Lord Elrond and Elladan and Elrohir set about teaching me when I started mentioning my want to explore for my home. It has proved useful in a number of situations.

I watched Bard pace slowly away to the door, beginning to reach out for it, before a light shown in his eyes as he spun fast, looking straight in the direction of the mountain. I knew then that he pieced it together, why the name is so familiar. I silently stared, wondering how Bard will act on this information. I planned to silently follow him, wherever he went, especially if he goes for the Master's house, then I will at least knock him out. I won't hurt him, he has three very sweet children who need him, but I will slow him down.

"Da?" I heard a young boy's voice say quietly as I remained as still as a statue, only my eyes moving to glance at Bard's son, before glancing back at Bard, seeing a plan forming in the man's eyes as I narrowed my own, ready to follow him wherever he goes.

"Don't let them leave." Bard said quietly as he turned to his son before quickly walking past the door as Bain shut it, moving fast down the steps. I stood, only the whisper of cloth letting anyone know something moved before cleaning my mind of all thought, focusing on my task as I moved after Bard, gliding down the creaky steps without a single one making a sound as I reached up and tightened my cloak, keeping my focus on Bard's brown coat as I moved after him, falling out the old routine of when the elves taught me such silent and stealthy movements. I watched Elladan do it once, it was like he was a phantom ghosting over the ground, it looked like he hovered rather than his feet toughing the ground.

I am sure I am nearly like that now, I never fully perfected everything they taught me but my smaller stature and lighter weight makes it even harder for me to be spotted. I moved around out of the sight of the people, yet kept my focus on Bard's fast moving form. I jumped up onto a roof before following Bard below me as I hopped from roof to roof without a sound. I noticed a few humans stop and look up, but I was long gone or hidden before they could find out what made the noise.

I jumped down lightly onto the pathway, the lightest of thump's coming from my feet and then my hand landing on the wood, a woman in a chair, sowing, jumped, turning to look in my direction but I was already away from there, my back leaned up against the building Bard just ran by as I heard him stop, my ear pressed near the window as I listened closely.

"'ello, Bard, what you after." I heard a man say as I listened, frowning slightly as I glanced over the town, the sun low and lighting the sky in orange and gold, but I noticed that this seemed near the edge of the town, not where the Master's House would be located.