The Hobbit | Kili (ENG)

Chapter 16

"Aye." Archer replied indifferently. "But for that... You would need a smuggler. "

"For which we would pay double. " Dwarf entered his words.

We found a way to get to the other side, but now we had to find a way to pay our smuggler.

***

"I've had enough of this lippy Lakeman." Dwalin said, and Bilbo cut in on his words. "I say we throw him over the side and be done with it. "

"Bard. His name's Bard. " Burglar announced.

"How do you know? " I asked.

"I asked him. " He replied and I just nodded.

"I don't care what he calls himself. " Dwalin interjected. "I don't like him. "

"We don't have to like him. " Balin said. "We simply have to pay him. Come on, lads. Turn out your pockets. There's just a wee problem... We're ten coins short. "

Thorin and I exchanged glances.

"Gloin..." I started and looked at him.

"Oh no, no, no. " He said right away. "Don't look at me. "

"Come on. Give us what you have. " Thorin interjected.

While Gloin began to explain how he put it all into this trip, we were staring at something completely different.

Behind the lake, you could see the mountain in the distance. The Lonely Mountain. We were so close already. I've never seen it so close, I have to admit that it really took my breath away.

"The money, quick. Give it to me. " Bard interjected and came over to us.

"Huh? " I replied. "Firstly... "

"If you value your freedom..." Man interrupted me. "You'll do as I say. There're guards ahed. " I looked at the direction he was showing.

The city was built on stilts in the middle of the lake and was entirely made of wood. From what I saw, only a wooden pier connected them with the land, therefore it was called the Lake-Town. I heard from Balin that after the destruction of Dale, it became a place of refuge for the surviving Rhovanionians. All the buildings were made of wood, on piles driven into the bottom of the lake. There was also a market square in the city center, and due to its location, the city didn't have any major fortifications.

***

When we got to the city, Bard told us to go back to the barrels and wait, while he himself went to talk to someone. I was sitting in that barrel and I thought I would go crazy. I didn't see anything going on there. Only our hobbit had a hole in the barrel through which he watched the whole thing.

"What's he doing? " Dwalin whispered.

"He's talking to someone. " Bilbo replied. "He's pointing right at us! "

"Great." I muttered.

"Now they're shaking hands. " Baggins continued.

"The villain." Dwalin said. "He's selling us out."

"We shouldn't have trusted him. " I said.

We waited to see what would happen. I thought the guards would come soon and lock us up, but they weren't. Instead of guards... Fish appeared. Someone was dropping fish into our barrels.

"Oh my..." I started.

"Quiet. " Bard interrupted me and prodded the barrel I was in. "We're approching the tollgate. "

I was hoping that we would reach these gates quickly, because I was fed up with sitting with these fish.

"Halt! " I heard. "Goods inspection. Papers, please! Ah, it's you, Bard." Stranger said cheerfully.

"Morning, Percy. " Bard greeted.

"Anything to declare? " Percy asked.

"Nothing, but that I'm cold and tired. " Archer replied. "And ready for home. "

"You and me both. " The other replied.

We waited a while longer and from what I heard from the further exchange of opinions we were about to sail, but someone interrupted us.

"Not so fast" I heard another foreign voice. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only... They're not empty, are they, Bard? "

"Ah, damn... " I heard Kili.

"If I recall correctly you're licensed as a bargeman. Not a fisherman." Stranger said.

"That's noone of your business. "Bard defended himself and us at the same time.

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which make sit my business. "

"Come on, Alfrid, have a herat. People need to eat. " Archer continued. "

From what I heard later, the name of the stranger was Alfrid. He didn't want to listen to Bard and ordered the guards to throw the fish into the water. And whose barrel did they start with first? From mine, of course. The guard tilted the barrel and several fish fell into the water. In a moment I would have fallen with them.

"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce. " Bard continued. "And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake? When the rioting starts... Will it be your problem then? "

Alfrid stopped the guards at the last moment. I was relieved because another second and I would have fallen into the lake. Now we just had to get to Bard's house.