The Lionheart (The Hobbit)

Chapter 25: Meeting the master

Thorin POV

I sat steady holding Tygr near me while she burrowed her face in my chest. I'm assuming she did that because she doesn't like fish...first wolf I've meet who doesn't like fish. We felt the barge stop and dock. Suddenly we feel our barrel kicked over. We fell with Tygr ontop of me...once again landing with her chest in my face. "Oh thank god I can breath!" She praised as she got up before offering me a hand which I took. "You where holding your breath?" I asked, now noticing how pale her face was. She covered her nose and nodded, "the smell of fish makes me really nauseous." She muttered. We watched as Bard kicked over the barrels until he got to Dwalin who smacked his leg. "Get your hands off me." He snapped before climbing out. I heard Tygr laugh slightly. We then noticed the dock keeper who looked shocked. "You didn't see them, they were never here. The fish you can have for nothing." Bard said before gesturing for us to follow. Tygr walked quickly, I assume to get away from the fish. Suddenly a boy ran up to us. "Da! Our house, it's being watched." He said. Bard led us under kneeth the dock into the water. Tygr had a worried look in her eyes that Bard seemed to notice. "Don't worry, it's a short distance." He said placing a hand on her shoulder. I resisted the urge to smack his hand off of her, but luckily Dwalin beat me to it. He smacked his hand and pulled Tygr closer to him. "Don't you dare think you can touch her." He snapped. Bard rolled his eyes and turned away. Dwalin then gently pushed Tygr towards me. She looked up at me in shock but amused. "Come on," I said taking her hand that wasn't covering her nose and leading her to follow Bard. We quietly went into the lake and swum below the deck. Tygr swam behind Dwalin who allowed her to hold onto his shirt while she kicked her legs. She wasn't bad at swimming, I think she was just scared of it. We waited below a hold until we heard a knock. Dwalin climbed up through the toilet of their house. "If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off." I heard Dwalin say as he climbed through. I was shocked at somehow Tyge bent herself between the boards and put her feet up first before launching herself through the hold and landing on her feet. "Wow...that was impressive." I heard Bain, Bards son say. "Thank you!" I heard Tygr chime. I got up and followed Tygr, but not before noticing the lovestruck look his son was giving her. I rolled my eyes and grabbed Tygr by the waist leading her faster away. "Da, why are there dwarves coming out of our toilet?" His elder daughter asked. Tygr smile, "I'm not a dwarf." She smiled. "Oh! I'm sorry miss." She said. "Will they bring us luck?!" We heard the littler one said happily. At this Tygr burst out laughing. "Ahahahaha I like her!" Tygr laughed.

We where all given blankets and laid our coats and other things to dry. Tygr had gone off somewhere else with Sigrid, Bards eldest. "It may not be the best fit, but it'll keep you warm." Bard said as he handed me a blanket. I thanked him and looked at Bilbo who was slightly shivering. "Where did Tygr go?" I asked. "I have no idea, I was just wondering that myself." He replied. I then heard her coming back. I looked behind me and saw she had taken the new clothes she got and replaced it with shorts and an old shirt that looked cut off a little below her bust, leaving her back, stomach, and most of her legs exposed. "Thank you for the shirt." She said looking at Sigrid. "Of course! It was old anyways." She said with a smile. Tygr then looked at me and grinned. "Back to exposing clothes?" I asked as I opened one arm allowing her to sit neck to me while I wrapped an arm around her, sharing the blanket. "Yup, feels better actually." She said coming closer to me. I grinned and sat quietly with her. I noticed Balin looking out the window before looking at me and gesturing for me to come to him. I gave Tygr the rest of the blanket and stood. She the moved and sat beside Bofur. I looked out of the window Balin was at and froze. "A Dwarvish Wind-lance." I said. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Bilbo said coming beside me. "He has. The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came." Balin said. I listened to Balin begin to tell Bilbo about what happened. "The day that Smaug destroyed Dale. Girion, the Lord of the city, rallied his bowman to fire upon the beast." Balin said. "But a dragon's hide is tough, tougher than the strongest armor. Only a black arrow, fired from a wind-lance, could have pierced the dragon's hide, and few of those arrows were ever made." He said. I remembered every bit of it as though it happened yesterday. "His store was running low when Girion made his last stand." Balin said. I turned and looked at Bilbo, "Had the aim of Men been true that day, much would have been different." I said. I looked at Tygr, who was dozing off with her back leaning against Bofur. "You speak as though you where there." Bard said. "All dwarves know the tale." I said. Then Bain spoke up, "Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast." He said. Dwalin started laughing, "that's a fairy story lad, nothing more." He said. I looked at Bard, "You took our money. Where are the weapons?" I asked. "Wait here." He said before going off. I looked at Tygr who was sound asleep, until Bofur shook her and woke her up. She yawned and rubbed her eyes before standing. I'd be lying if I didn't say she looked adorable. "Tomorrow begins the last days of autumn." I said. "Durin's Day falls morn after next. We must reach the mountain before then." Balin said. "And if we do not? If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?" Kili asked. "This this quest has been for nothing." Fili and Tygr said simultaneously. Then Bard returned with items wrapped in a quarter resistant cloth. He opens it to revile hand made weapons...if you could even call them that. "What is this?" I asked angry picking up one of them. "A pick-hook. Made from an old harpoon." Bard said. "And this?" Kili asked lifting one up. " A crowbill, we call it, fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in hand, I grant, but in defense of your life, these will serve you better than none." Bard said. Before any of us could say a word Tygr threw down the "weapon" she had in her hand. "Okay. I don't even use weapons and even I know these aren't the kind of weapons we paid you for. I didn't go broke for nothing." She said, obviously irritated. "We paid you for weapons. Iron-forged swords and axes!" Gloin yelled. "It's a joke!" Bofur said as they all threw the weapons back on the table. "You won't find better outside the city armory. All iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key." Bard said. I looked at Dwalin, he was obviously thinking the same thing I was. "Thorin." I heard Balin say. "Why not take what's been offered and go? I've made do with less; so have you. I say we leave now." Balin said. "Your not going anywhere." Bard said. Dwalin was instantly angry. "What did you say?!?" He yelled. "There's spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait till nightfall." Bard said. I looked at Tygr who was standing with her arms crossed and leaning to one side. She rolled her eyes at Bards words and blew a piece of hair out of her face. I then noticed her ears where flattened in an angry way. I walked over while the rest of is began to settle down. "That's just ridiculous." She muttered looking at the weapons. Soon Dwalin joined us. "I think, later in the night we should pay a visit to that armory." Dwalin said. I nodded in agreement. "How will we get in? The windows and doors are locked." I said. "You know, it's not one of my proudest skills but I'm quite talented at picking locks." Tygr said. I raised an eyebrow. "How?" Dwalin asked. I was shocked to see her hold up her finger and form her nail into a think claw. "I perfected it over a few years." She said with a devious smile. "And maybe you could use those flexible skills of yours that's you demonstrated when we got here to get up to the window. Tygr smiled and nodded then looked at me. "I swear though if we get caught I'm going to be pissed." She said.

As soon as night fell Tygr formed into a medium sized wolf and snuck out of the house to look and see if the coast was clear. She came backs and formed back into a girl. "I think we're clear." She said. I nodded and we all followed in suit. "As soon as we get the weapons, we head straight for the mountain. Go!" Thorin said. Tygr and Fili then quickly and quietly ran and Fili boosted her up and she grabbed the edge of the roof and pulled herself up. As she began to work on the lock the rest of us made our way up as well. We all watched as Tygr messed with the lock. "All...most..." She whispered before we heard a click. "Got it~" she said before hopping down into the building. She ran down and started unlocking the door we where to leave through while we collected weapons. We formed a line down the stairs so we would just pass them. I turned to hand Kili another weapon to hand down to Dwalin though he looks in pain from the weapons he's already holding. "Are you alright?" I asked. He nodded, "I can manage, let's just get out of here." I turned then flinched hearing a crash, Kili had called down the stairs. "Kili!" I heard Tygr whisper yell and run over to him, I watched her kneel down and force him to eat something. "What is that...?" I muttered, though that confusion was interrupted. We all began to hear the yelling of guards in the distance. "Run!" I yelled as Fili and Tygr supported Kili and ran. We ran out the door only to be stopped by guards. We attempted to run the other way only to see more. "Shit..." I heard Tygr mutter. Soon we where all grabbed and dragged elsewhere.

We where settled in front of a rather large house and saw an...unfortunate looking man poke his head out. He disappears and comes back out with a man following him. "What is the meaning of this?" The man yelled. "We caught them stealing our weapons." One of the soldiers said. "Ah, enemies of the state then." The man said. I saw the other one saunter over and look at Tygr. He grabbed her chin and pulled her up to looked at him only for her to snarl at him. He flinched and laughed. "This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire." He said. "Hold your tongue. You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!" Dwalin yelled. Everyone stayed silent and I stepped out. "We are the dwarves of Erebor." I said looking at the larger man. The crowd around us whispered in shock. "We have come to reclaim our homeland. I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the center of all trade in the North." I said. I turned to look at the towns people nodding. "I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!" I said causing the crowd to cheer and clap. Suddenly Bard steps out from the crowd. "Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all." He said. I heard the people whisper concerned. "You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" I yelled. The people once again erupt in cheer. "All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!" Bard yelled, the people went quiet. "Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!" He asked, getting various replies of no. "And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a mountain-king so riven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!" Bard said looking at me. I glared back at him not hindering my gaze. "Now, now, we must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!" The master said. "It's true, sire. We all know the story: arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark." Alfrid said. I glared at the disgusting man and how he looked at Tygr, she hid behind Bofur and Fili, keeping quiet. "You have no right, no right to enter that mountain!" Bard said. Suddenly Tygr pushed past Alfrid and stood in front of Bard. "He has the only right! I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. I am obviously not a dwarf that much is true. However I have traveled a very long ways with this company, learned their ways and their stories. I can honestly say that they are a true people, trustworthy and loyal. Will you not see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you not share in the great wealth of their people?" She asked the crowd. They all watched in anticipation. "What say you?" I asked looking at the Master. "I say unto you...welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!" He said, the town cheering loudly and clapping. I looked back and saw a wide heart filled smile on Tygr's face. The soldiers released us and we where all given a room in their in to stay for the night. I thanked the master before heading off to my room, unknowing where Tygr was now in all the commotion since I took my eye off her.