Walking Between Dreams

Chapter 8

The wood groaned as the ship swayed in the waves that increased in intensity with the light reflecting off of the water. The lake looked like an empty, endless abyss with something in it undiscovered. A sharp smell of musty, earthy odors hit my nose as the ship sailed onward to the fiery sphere that was moving towards the west with the dwarves huddle towards the front of the ship, the mast casted a shadow onto them. I resided by Bard who was steering the boat along the choppy waters.

"Where are you traveling from?" questioned Bard, "It is dangerous to travel by yourself."

I lied, "I am from a quaint village outside of Rohan. I am visiting some relatives of mine here in Laketown, it has been a while since I have seen them."

Bard nodded and continued steering. I looked up and watched the sky's clouds drift in thin sheets.
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"What do you think you are doing?!," snarled Thorin as he stomped towards Bard and I, "Are you trying to drown us?"

Bard calmly stated as he steered around ancient remains, "If I was I would not do it here. I have sailed these waters all of my life."

Large stone structures that were eroded lined the water. Some towers stood above the mast and the sails, others were barely out of the water. My head rested on my arms that were laid across the rim of the ship. Little silver fish were visible if the water hit them just right.  Thought wondered way to why I was here still, I had what I needed.

"Mia,ummm... You need to change your clothes because you look strange. We do not need to draw any unneeded attention," disrupted Bard.

His eyes searched the ship until behind him he revealed a woolen sack that was damp. He tossed it over to me and I snagged it before it hit the water.

"What do you expect me to do?" I asked.

"I can hang some cloth or a blanket so it act as a wall. Then you can get into something... less elaborate," improvised Bard as a pulled a blanket from the sack and hung it up.

I awkwardly climbed behind the blanket and switched from jeans to dark gray trousers that were too big around the waist (thankfully my belt was there with the elven dagger), dark green tunic draped over original pale yellow shirt, and I tucked myself into a blue cloak. Finally, the key was hung around my neck along with my pocket watch tucked into a new button-fastened pocket.

With a flick of my wrist the ragged blanket was down and my remaining clothes were put overboard, the depths of the water swallowed them up. Soon, the dwarves and the hobbit were packed away in their barrels with fish overhead without much complaint.

Bard tried to compliment, "You look less odd but still abnormal."

"Why is that the case?," I glared towards the waters. The rhythm of the wind picked up as a bird flew overhead.

Bard answered, "Women are usually wearing dresses, not trousers."

"Well I am a working woman," I stated as the shore came more into view.

A large gateway entered a wooden town that was a huge fire hazard. Lake-town rested upon pillars that entered the water and had waterways the connected everything. You could smell the odor of feces and human sweat from miles away.

"Where you find the pretty girl?" asked a man with crooked teeth and a unibrow as we made it to the entrance. I could only assume that he was Alfred.

Bard said as the ship stopped, "She was traveling by herself to Lake-town in search of her family. She reminded me of my daughters so I decided to help her."

"I see, but why are there fish. You are only have a permit for barrels," Alfred pointed out with too much joy.

A guard stepped a board towards the one of the elven barrels and tried to reach for a fish until I took a step towards him. His eyes wandered a bit too far and grasped my hair.

"You would make a great wife for me," the guard stated with his hot, fish smelling breath into my face, "Your hair color of strawberry blonde is a rarity."

I took his hand and guided him off the ship while barely holding back my anger. My grasp on his thick fingers tightened with each until when I reached the edge I shoved him off on to the splintered deck.

"You should start going," I sneered as I stalked away. Thankfully, they left and I had fun emptying the barrels into the water with the dwarves.