CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
STUBBORN DWARVES
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We were at least in the middle of the lake by now on bards barge as we started navigating through the mist, after which we almost ran into a big boulder coming out of the water.
"Watch out", Bofur screamed in fear as bard moved gently around the boulder, dodging the dangerous boulders coming towards us.
"What are you trying to do?", Thorin paused. "Drown us", He asked, somewhat rudely, as I watched the cold, cold water from the side of the boat. It was clear, but it was foggy at the same time as we could not see more than a few meters below us.
"I was born and bred of these waters, master Dwarf", bard respectively stated, "if I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here", he stated as i smirked, feeling how cold and icy it is as I dip my hand in the water. It was basically refreshing
"Oh, I've had enough of this lippy lake-man", I heard Dwalin whisper close to me "I say we throw him over the side and be done with him", Dwalin growled as I rolled my eyes before looking to Dwalin.
"look", I paused. "If you wouldn't like to meet death and this, be the end of your journeys now", I exhaled. "I suggest you listen and obey his orders", I nodded towards bard as Dwalin crossed his arms over his chest in defeat.
"Oh, bard. His names bard", my uncle stated as I nodded my head.
"How do you know", Dwalin questioned looking at both me and my uncle.
"Uh, we asked him", We ended with a cynical smile, as if he had asked the most absurd question in the universe
"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him", Dwalin stated as I chuckled slightly, he's always in a mood, but once you get to know him, he's actually like a little teddy bear inside.
"You don't like anyone", I smiled as soon as my vision fell on Kili, who was sitting on the edge of the boat with his arms wrapped around his legs. I didn't want to disturb him, but I knew I had to check up on him sooner or later. His face turned pale every minute, and he trembled and trembled more and more as his body temperature rose.
I slowly walked over to kili and sat down next to him. A sorry smile crept across my lips, and my reassuring hand rested on his soft, friendly hand. He looked down at me from the wound, furrowing his eyebrows in pain. "How bad does it feel", I asked, he was looking at the cold water, lifting his hand from mine, rather harshly.
"I'm fine", He spoke bluntly, with no expression on his face.
"Well you're not fine Kili, you need help", I said as I looked at him in his eyes, our gazes transfixed upon each other. But his eyes were hollow and didn't have the light and energy they usually had in them.
"Why do you care about me so much", he asked. I paused for a moment trying to think about what to say.
'I care so much because I'm in love with you. I remember the day we first met, the way you looked at me that day, the smile, your little gestures, how you weren't the slightest shy, everything about you was beautiful, even when you did talk with a mouthful of food multiple times. No I can't say that he doesn't feel that way about me. He's way to out of my league.' I thought to myself knowing full well that I wouldn't be saying that soon.
"Because Kili.... after everything that has happened, I still chose to be here for you. No matter how much you didn't want it that help, I could never ever see you suffer."
"I don't need your help. I'm fine", he said trying to deny the fact that he was in pain. I could sense he was he was just trying to look like he wasn't, so he didn't come out as weak
"Fine whatever, but I'd rather you take all your anger out on me then have you not in my life. The nights that we spend all night together talking, makes me feel more than I've ever felt. I've never wanted to fight for someone so much to stay by my side.", I stopped talking, as I mentally cursed to myself, knowing I should have left him alone. I looked at Fili who made eye contact with me, he seemed as anxious as I was. I got up and walked towards Fili, who stood on the far left of the boat.
"His wound wouldn't be this bad", I watched the dwarfs arguing over money and coins. "Even if it was infected, his body wouldn't react in such a way", my eyes locked with Fili's as he glanced down at his brother
"he's going to make it, Allisa", Fili demanded as I nodded my head "he will", He finished before his eyes were fixed on something more attractive. I frowned before seeing the Lonely Mountain, very close to lake town. We were a lot closer than I thought. Glóin exclaimed when all eyes were fixed on the mountain ahead.
"Bless my beard", Gloin exclaimed as everyones gaze was transfixed on the Mountain ahead. "Take it, take it all", Gloin raised his voice and pulled out a pouch of coins and blessings.
"The money, quick", bard demanded walking over to the Dwarves quickly "give it to me"
"We will pay you when we get out provisions but not before", Thorin demanded crossing his arms over his chest firmly.
"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say", bard stated as my gaze fell on the guards on the docks just up ahead through the fog, "There are guards a head", Then everyone looked forward before bard commands us to climb the barrel again.
"what's he doing", Dwalin asked curiously what the bard was doing or saying to the people at the pier.
"he's talking to someone", I heard my uncle whisper aloud. "he's pointing right at us", he stated as I frowned my eyebrows at what his plan was. "No they're shaking hands"
"what", Thorin questioned angrily
"he's selling us out", Dwalin automatically assumed, but closed the deal. I had a feeling he was the man of promise. I heard footsteps approaching the boat, and I closed my mouth and took a deep breath, hoping that the man wouldn't hear to us. But almost immediately, the barrel we were in was full of fish and fell over our heads, completely filling the barrels.
We were stuck in barrels for a long time, waiting for the barge to keep moving. A little bit of grunting and complaining was heard rather than the quiet needed.
"quiet", I heard bard whisper, kicking one of the barrels. "Were approaching the toll gate", bard finished as we continued before our boat came to a sudden halt.
"Halt, good inspection", a man yelled walking on some wooded flooring, mostly likely a dock. "Papers please" the man shouted. "Oh it's you, bard!" the man seemed to recognize bard quite well.
"Morning Percy", bard replied stepping up towards the front of the boat.
"Anything to declare" Percy questioned.
"nothing", bard said kindly. "But I a cold and tired and ready for home". He finished and the smell of dead fish still made me puke at any minute.
"You and me both" Percy stated as I tried to possible peak through a crack somehow. "There we are, all in order.", Percy said, but there were other footsteps on the pier and someone else was heard.
"not" I heard a step. "so" a heavy exhale. "fast", the man finished, the sound of a paper crackling. "Consignment of empty barrels from the woodland realm" I heard him read off something, "Only they're to empty", he came closer, his voice bearing more audible. "Are they bard, if I recall correctly, your licensed as a bargeman". He inhaled a breath. "not", he paused. "a fisherman", the man finished.
"that's none of your business," I heard bard sated firmly.
"wrong", he man quickly stated. "it's the masters business, which makes it my business"
"Oh come on Alfred" bard exclaimed frustratingly. "Have a heart, people need to eat"
"These fish are illegal", Alfrid stated as I waited for him to say whatever he wished. "Empty barrels over the side". My heart sank and my breathing was short, and I quickly covered my mouth with all my might to keep from making a sound
"You heard him" another voice shouted. "In the canal", the voice demanded as I heard footsteps. "Come on, get a move on". I felt my barrel start to move, the sound of the wood floor was heard, before I began to tilt to the side of the boat, hearing fish fall into the cold water one by one. I gripped the sides of the barrel praying and hoping it would stop.
"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. For is scarce.", Bard said trying to save our lives.
"that's not my problem" Alfrid stated bluntly.
"And when the people hear the mast dumping fish back in the lake? And the rioting starts? Will it be your problem then?", As more fish were heard falling into the water, the tension grew stronger between the two men
"stop", Alfrid ordered. "Ever the people's champion, hey, bard? Protector of the common folk. You might have their favour now, bargeman. But it won't last"
"Raise the gate". Percy shouted to the people at the gate.
"The master has his eye on you. You'll do well to remember; we know where you live" Alfrid stated, trying his best to sound threatening.
"it's a small town, Alfrid", As I lay back on the deck, bard paused and the boat began to move toward the poor little town.. "Everyone knows where everyone lives"