Golden Eyes

Chapter 19: Celebrating the Greed

The children helped the dwarves getting warm and offered them dry clothes and blankets. Most of it did not fit but they received only gratitude from these strange guests. Bard turned to his eldest daughter, Sigrid, and asked her where the weapons where. She gave him a confused look "They are by the boat outside da, but why do you need them?" He laid a hand on her shoulder, "It is not I who need them but I made a deal and it must be paid out. You needn't worry my dear" Then he went out the back door. Sigrid turned to her brother, Bain, who was attending the fire, "Bain do you think da is in trouble? What is he doing with these dwarves? Has he told you anything?". She kept her voice as low as possible so no one would hear their conversation. Bain shook his head "I don't know. He hasn't told me anything" Bard came in to the house and Sigrid went for some more wood to put on the fire. The dwarves were mildly speaking not satisfied with the weapons offered to them. Bard was frustrated by these dwarves and tried to explain that no better weapons could be offered to them outside the armory. He had not access to any swords, spears or axes. The dwarves began to do what he believed was what they did best: Bickering and complaining. Although in the midst of the angry voices came the old dwarf's voice as he addressed what Bard thought to be the leader. His name. Thorin. He had heard it before he was certain of it. He did not have peace to think and therefore went outside. "Thorin. Why does it sound familiar. I know I have never met a person of that name before neither man nor a dwarf" He thought to himself. Then his gaze landed on  the Lonely Mountain as it towered over the small town. It hit him and his heart fell. It could not be true, could it? He needed answers. Now. Bain poked his head out and asked what the matter was and something Bard did not hear as he ordered his son to look out for the dwarves. No one was allowed to leave the house under any circumstances and he ran. Bard ran through the city over the small bridges and finally reached the market. He found the shop he was looking for and searched through a bunch of old blankets and tapestries until he found what he was looking for. The tapestry was old. The colours were fading but it still held brilliant blue and the sides were laced with gold. on the tapestry a list of foreign names was displayed. A line connecting them all as they went from the top to bottom. The last three names made him stop. Thror, Thrain and... Thorin. He caught his breath as realization hit him. This was no ordinary dwarf. He thought of a prophecy. A long forgotten prophecy speaking of The King Under the Mountain and riches. Of joy and flourishment. Of fire, desolation and death. Bard had no time to waste. He ran back to the house as the sun set and made the lake burn with bright yellow and golden colours. He ran all he could but was too late. The dwarves were gone.

Night had fallen quickly. Smaug stepped out on bridge. A small fog laid low just over the water surface and not even the wind could be heard. She crossed the bridge in silence. No guards were positioned and the entrance to the town. She preceded carefully non the less. She knew herself. The unfortunate guard who might see and try to constrict would surely end his duty would surely be cut short. She rounded a house corner and stopped just as she saw a shadow too small to be a man and too wide to be child.T

he dwarves had left as soon as Bard went to town. The son was quickly pushed aside as the eager company went out of the door. They found the armoury with ease and used a window to get in. They took what they could carry and more as they gathered what was displayed on the walls. Axes, hammers ands swords all might be necessary in fight against Smaug. Thorin took down a long sword and tested its balance. Balin came up beside him, "With a blade like that the beast has no chance" Thorin put a hand on his shoulder, "Not if we work together. Smaug will not see what hit him and he shall rue the day he destroyed Erebor and made us homeless" Balin chuckled, "Indeed, but remember Thorin. You did build us a home. We might not possess the wealth we used to but be still prosper. If the cause fails Thorin..." "It will not fail, Balin, I assure you." Balin shook his head, "If it fails Thorin promise me to go back to the Blue Mountains. Even though you might not have noticed many have built themselves a life there. Some an even better one that what they had before. Some have found a home in a new family" he looked Thorin in the eyes. "My hopes were that you would do the same" Thorin put the sword in his belt, " I will not fail this quest Balin. No matter the cost" He turned his back and continued collecting weapons from the wall. As he took down a sword, he thought of the missing member. He had not been questioned it what he did in a long time. People around him always followed what he said and only came up with suggestions. He had never had anyone talking down to him or refusing to go along with his plans. Suddenly he thought what Frey would think of this plan. Would she agree? Probably not she would insist on doing something entirely different. Everything she did was way of disrespect. Yet it intrigued him. He shook his head and took a few more weapons down. He put them in Kili's arms and the young dwarf struggled. He was affected by his wound from the orc attack. It had weakened him. However, he assured Thorin he could manage but as he made his way down the stairs, his leg failed him and he fell. The weapons went flying down the stairs. Clittering and clattering then silence. At first, they prayed no one had heard the calamity. The guards were there in an instant.