Star-Crossed

Chapter 56

"Can I help ya miss?" 

"Uh, yes, I was hoping to find myself someone who could get me into Laketown. My horse got spooked you see, bolted on me about a league or so back. It's a very long walk and I'm more than happy to pay." She fumbled around in her boot for what little money she had.
"The Master doesn't much like strangers comin' in and out of Laketown." He said uncertainty.

"Well, I would never be able to introduce myself if I didn't make it into town, would I?" Obviously, he didn't need much convincing, he accepted her gold and told her to help him load the remaining barrels onto the barge. 

It was nightfall before they pulled into town. As she stepped onto the docks, she overheard the barge inspector talking. He mentioned that the King had returned, Thorin Oakenshield. And he was setting out at first light to reclaim their homeland. 

"That is quite a tale." She responded looking back at the men. 

"A tale? A tale? Well, go have a see yourself! They're throwing a party for them in the Master's quarters." 

"Master's quarters you say?"

"Aye."

"And how exactly would one get to the Master's quarters?"

Thorin watched as his men drank, feasted, and rejoiced. It was a much-needed distraction from the impending doom they faced on the morrow. The dragon loomed in his mind, how would they kill it? At what cost? Where about would the Arkenstone be hidden? It was all too much for him to process at the moment. Thorin drank deeply from his tankard, trying to answer his own questions and create plans for the ensuing battle. That was when the door burst open. In whirlwind of rage and flying limbs, several guards entered into the Master's quarters with a very disgruntled looking figure. 

"Put. Me. Down. I swear if you don't drop me I'll rip your arms off! Let go of me-OW!" 

"Beuren?" Thorin questioned in disbelief, rising to his feet. She froze, looking back at him. The guards had her beneath her arms, carrying her at least a foot and a half off the ground. 

"Honey, I'm home!" She snarked in return. 

"Release her, she is with us." The guards didn't move. Thorin turned to the Master, a portly man with thinning ginger hair who had seated himself at the head of the table. The Master looked at Beuren, much more interested than Thorin would have liked. "If you do not want your men injured, I suggest you call them off." 

"Is that a threat, King?"

"Oh it's not us you'll have to worry about." Dwalin said with a grin. "She was serious when she said she'd rip their arms off. Seen her do it a time or two." The Master glowered at the Dwarf before nodding to his men to drop her. They put her down, her feet landing firmly on the floor. 

"Where have you been?" Thorin inquired, his voice harsh. 

"That matters not."

"Oh, it does." The room fell silent. "We could have used your help there for a moment." 

"Well, if you would have just followed the path I told you about, everything would have gone fine." 

"The path." Thorin chuckled to himself. "The path was in ruin. We needed you."

"Well, you'll have to excuse my absence, I was a little preoccupied with Frerin and Arathorn." Dwalin and Balin whipped around in their seats. "Oh, Father sends his regards too."

"Frerin?" Thorin breathed. 

"Oh boy, have I got a tale to tell you!" Beuren said sarcastically. 

"For another time, perhaps?" Balin said, looking between the two. "Wouldn't want to bore our host..." 

"Right you are." Beuren growled, her eyes stabbing daggers into Thorin's soul. "Kili, my darling, why don't you show me to my quarters." 

"Irak'amad..." He complained, not wanting to sound like a child. "We just dished up." He pointed to his plate, to be fair, it had been a minute since he'd eaten.

"ZÛ KILI!" 

"Yes ma'am." The dwarves all chuckled, most of them forgetting that Beuren spoke their language. Kili rose from his seat, taking to a flight of stairs to their right. As she passed, Dwalin took Beuren's arm, rising to his feet and whispering to her through the noise. 

"How are you?" 

"Fine."

"You're covered in blood and the last time I saw you, you were vomiting blood." She looked up at him. "Explain." He shoved a plate of food in her hands to make it appear they weren't talking about the massive amounts of blood on her shirt.