Stormborn

Chapter 16

I think I might do Narrator POV for quite a bit of the rest of the story.

I apologize in advance, this is a long super chapter😫

Everyone was nervous as they approached the gate. Atalanta was in the barrel closest to Bard. He felt better with her closer to him....yet he was unsure why.

One of the dwarves moaned in disgust and Bard kicked the barrel.

"Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." He spoke and the female inside her barrel who was trying to control her disgust tensed.

"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers, please. Oh, it's you, Bard."

Bard brings the boat up to the gatekeeper office and the gatekeeper steps out to see him.

"Morning Percy."

"Anything to declare?" He asked the bargeman.

Bard looked to the barrel containing Atalanta and frowned.

"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready for home." Bard said handing Percy the papers.

"You and me both."

As Percy went to stamp the papers in the gates office Bard looks around warily gently brushing his hand over the top of Atalanta's barrel.

"Here we are. All in order."

He holds out Bards papers but before Bard could take them, a man, Alfrid, suddenly steps out of the shadows and grabs the papers.

Like a snake.

"Not so fast."

Atalanta growled softly from inside her barrel and hissed at hearing them stopping.

Alfrid reads Bard's papers, then looks to his load.

"Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only they're not empty, are they, Bard?" He spoke in his shaky tone.

Alfrid tossed the papers in the ind before walking forward with the town soldiers.

"If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman."

Alfrid comes to one of the barrels picking up the fish, uncovering Bombur's eye. Yet Alfrid did not see him.

"That is none of your business." Bard growled and Alfrid smirked snakily at him.

"Wrong, it's the masters business, which makes it my business."

Bard frowned looking to the snake like man, "Oh come on, Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat!"

"These fish are illegal." He hissed to him tossing the fish into the water before motioning to soldiers.

The soldiers, lead by their captain, Braga, move to comply.

Braga spoke to motioning with two fingers, "you heard him. Into the canal. Come on, get a move on."