For the Love of a King

Chapter Twenty: Dwarves of Erebor

Lilja

It is night at Laketown. The dwarves, Bilbo and I are sneaking through the town toward the armory, hiding from watchmen. We hide behind a boat as two watchmen walk by.

"Shh! Keep it down." Dwalin says

 "As soon as we have the weapons, we make straight for the mountain. Go, go, go!" Thorin says

With the watchmen gone, Thorin points to Nori, who gets a running start and runs up a pyramid of dwarves who have pressed themselves against the walls of the city armory. He is able to get high enough that he can reach a second floor window and dive through.

"Next." Thorin says

Bilbo does the same thing as Nori.

Soon, several dwarves are in the armory, and they begin collecting the weapons stored there.  I use my animal like hearing to hear what's going on.

"You all right?" Thorin asks someone, I assume Kili with how he is being wounded

"I can manage. Let's just get out of here." Kili says

I hear some weapons falling. The weapons make a terrible clanging noise, and the dwarves outside look around warily. In the distance, the watchmen cry out, and running footsteps approach.

"Run!" Dori says

The dwarves still outside begin to run, but are stopped by two watchmen pointing pikes at them. I hide behind Bofur. We are draged away, I grab Thorin's hand and he squeezes  mine. We then are draged to the Master's house.

Alfrid pokes his head out of the door to the Master's mansion to see the commotion. He sees the soldiers dragging the dwarves to the mansion, with multitudes of townspeople following behind. It is snowing a little.

"Get off of me!" Dwalin says

Lots of indistinct muttering and yelling. Alfrid closes the door and goes to get the master. Braga arranges all of the dwarves under guard in the town square before the doors of the mansion. As guards open the doors of the mansion, the Master storms out, still putting on his coat.

"What is the meaning of this?" Master asks

"We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire." Braga says

"Ah. Enemies of the state, then." Master says, I snarl.

"This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire." Alfrid says

"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 says

Dwalin gestures at Thorin, and Thorin steps forward pulling me with him. The crowd murmurs in amazement.

"We are the dwarves of Erebor." Thorin says

The crowd whispers in shock and recognition, and people crane their heads to see better.

"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." Thorin says

Thorin is speaking earnestly to the crowd, and the people nod in agreement.

"I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!" Thorin says