The Last of the Guardians Part 2 - A Hobbit Fan Fiction

Chapter 14 - The Bowman of Laketown

***Hello again! Sorry for my lack of updates - I've been away and revising :( Updates should be normal from now on but my exams are coming up in May so I can't promise anything. I posted the first chapter of a new AU Hobbit fan fiction before I went away so it would be really great if you could all check it out and let me know what you think :)***

The man's vessel was small and narrow, and looked more like a raft than a boat. The barrels they had escaped from the elves in had passed by them on their walk along the river, and the man was now loading them onto his boat and strapping them down. From their refuge amongst the shadows and the rocks, the three dwarves could hear him cursing as he inspected the damaged casks.

"We could knock him out and take the boat for ourselves," Dwalin suggested to Thorin. He adjusted his hold on the axe he had salvaged on their way down the river. "A quick thwack to the back of his head - he wouldn't feel a thing."

His brother was unimpressed. "Has this quest sapped away all of your honour?" He hissed. "We have the coin to pay for passage so we will use it."

"And waste what little of value we have left? That man has the look of Laketown about him - those folk will not even help themselves, let alone strangers. He may refuse us, and then what will you do? We will have lost our advantage of surprise!"

"Keep quiet, the both of you!" Thorin whispered. "Let us return to the others."

They had left the rest of the company a little way upstream where the boat man could not see them. Kili had been struggling to walk, and Fili had demanded they rest and take refuge in a large cleft in the rocky riverbank. Thorin had complained, of course, but what choice did he have? Even he could see that his young nephew was failing.

"How does he fare?" Thorin asked Fili once he had squeezed through the opening. The dwarves sat close together in the small space, their backs up against the rock and their boots touching. Nema could be seen through a gap in the rock above them were she watched their surroundings for any sign of orcs.

"Well enough, but he cannot continue like this for much longer," Fili replied.

Thorin looked down at the younger of the dwarves. It was hard to tell in this light, but Kili was looking paler than he had in the halls of the Woodland Realm. But then, didn't everyone? They had been without food for too long. Yes, that's what he needs, Thorin decided, food. 

Turning to face his company, Thorin said, "There is a man further down the river with a boat that looks as though it could just about carry all of us. Though I would rather take the boat and sail straight for Erebor, we are in dire need of supplies. If we pay enough, the man may take us somewhere we can find food."

"Laketown has no food," Dwalin said. "I say we knock him out and take the damn boat."

"And when his kin come to find him? What then? Would you have us running from men and orcs?" Thorin asked him. "No, we will pay our way. Elves may have no honour but dwarves most certainly do." He lifted his head to the strip of sky visible beyond the rock and called, "Nema!"

"Yes?" came the reply. The Guardian nodded to show she was listening but kept her eyes on the boat's mast which was all that was visible of the man's boat from this distance. 

"It will be safer if you stay away for now. If anyone were to see you or Síor..."

"I understand. We will remain above the cloudline until nightfall. It will be safer then." There was a strong rush of air through the crevice as she took off to join her kin.

As she disappeared into the heavens, Fili grabbed his uncle by the shoulder. "Are you mad? What if he should take her?"

"You underestimate her, Fili. I am sure she can defend herself," Thorin replied. His nephew did not look pleased with his words, but he released him all the same. "If she does not appear tonight, I will look for her myself."