Bring On The Wonder[Thorin Oakenshield]

Chapter Thirty Two: Past Catching Up!

Bard steered the barge through Laketown and eventually came to a stop at the docks. Once he felt it was safe to do so, he began kicking over the barrels to free the dwarves from suffering the stench of fish any longer. Bella was coming up behind her brother, who was about to push over the next barrel in his path when Dwalin's head popped out with a glare. " Get your hands off me." Dwalin sneered. Bella clenched her hands in fist, she had enough of this dwarf's arrogance towards her brother and she pushed by him and slammed the heel of her boot into Dwalin's barrel and knocked it on it's side. "What was that for, lass?" Dwalin bickered as he climbed out of the pile of fish.

"You know exactly what that was for." Bella snapped walking right by and huffed at him. Thorin and the rest of the dwarves still buried in the barrels of fish, managed to claw their way to the surface. Thorin catching the tail end of the warrior giving Bella an angry glare as she climbed off the barge and onto the dock. She looked around, things hadn't changed at all since she was last here in this god forsaken town. The rest of the company began making their way off the boat and onto the docks. Bella was the first to notice that, their arrival seemed to be attracting the eyes of some of the men folk.

"You didn't see them. They were never here." Bard stated lowly to the man as he slipped him two coins into his hand and was about to leave when he thought of something else. "The fish you can have for nothing." The older man didn't even turn an eye to the new visitors that had invaded the town and started gathering the fish to give to starving families. " Follow me."

Thorin gave the go ahead to his men to start following Bella's brother. The young woman could feel eyes on her from every direction. She had not step foot into this place in nearly 10 years.

"What is this place?" Bilbo asked lowly as Thorin came up beside him.

"This, Master Baggins, is the world of Men." The dwarf king stated, as he walked passed him and was now walking right beside Bella and behind Bard. The young woman could feel Thorin's intense stare as he walked beside her. He had questions, that much she was sure. Since him finding out she was half Man's blood he had been looking at her differently, more cold like.

"Keep your head down, and follow me." Bard instructed. The company didn't get more then five steps when they were spotted by guards.

"HALT!"

"Come on move." Thorin hissed at his men. The dwarves ran pass Bard and the half-breed through the market. They couldn't let themselves be captured all over again, not when they were so close to reaching the mountain.

" In the name of the Master of Laketown, I said halt! Stop them!" The captain of the guard shouted.

Bella turned to her brother. "We have to do something." She pressed, seeing her brother was being hesitant about it she took off to do it herself. Her brother might have promise to get them into town unseen, he never promised to get them through the town square. Bella saw Braga, the captain of the guard, about to spot Thorin and Balin taking out one of his guards. The half-breed did the only thing that came to mind and knocked right into the guard captain and caused him to lose his balance.

"Watch it-" Braga snapped when he stopped and noticed who it was. " Bella...I was wondering how many years it would be before you'd turn up again. Did you forget why you had to leave last time? The Master will be interested to know of your return."

"I don't think we need to disturb the Master with this nonsense, do you?" Bella retorted, when Braga grabbed her by her arm.

"You were warned Bella, if you came back here, what would happen. You will be brought before the Master." The captain declared.

"Braga." Bard interrupted acting as if nothing had happened.

"You. What are you up to, Bard?" Braga challenged.