The quiet one (Thorin Oakenshield love story)

Chapter 18: Welcome to Laketown

Thorin POV

I glared at the barrel Bilbo and Violet where in and huffed. I listened closely to their conversation while Bard was gone. "What's going on with Thorin and Bofur? Did something happen?" Bilbo whisper. "I-I don't know...it's stressing me out though." I heard Violet say softly. "Well...by what I'm seeing they both have seemed to take a fancy to you...though i thought you where closer to Thorin." He said. "I am...at least I think I am." She said. "Well then why don't you go to him?" Bilbo asked, I silently thanked the hobbit for once. "I...I want too...he's just really intimidating...and it kinda scares me. I'm scared to say anything to him because I'm worried he will yell at me..." She said. I felt my heart crack slightly. "I mean...don't get me wrong he's shown a very soft side to me and I'm thankful to have seen it but since the last time he was like that he's been...well the opposite...I don't know...I'm just sort of scared of him, I always have been." She said. "And what about Bofur?" Bilbo asked. " oh...well I just like how nice he is. He just has a very welcoming vibe." She said. "Yeah...that's...that's obvious that Bofur is a lot more welcoming than Thorin." Bilbo said. 'I take my thank you back.' I said in my head. "I don't know...I kinda just wish Thorin would be...kinder...I'm not good with mean and off putting." She said. "I guess I could understand that. He has been rather harsh the last few days." Bilbo said. "Though...if I'm ever scared id always pick Thorin." She said. I grinned but before I could heard Bilbo reply pounds of fish where dumped on my head. "Oh god..." I heard someone say. "Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." Bard snapped. 'I guess...I'll just be more gentle with her and see how she reacts...I don't want her to be scared of me.' I thought. 'And I don't want her with Bofur.' I snarled in my head. "Halt! Goods inspection. Papers, please. Oh, it's you, Bard." I heard someone say as the barge stopped. "Morning, Percy." Bard replied. "Anything to declare?" The man asked. "Nothing, but that I'm cold and tired and ready for home." Bard replied. "You and me both." The man said. "Here we are, all in order." The man said. "Not so fast." A new voice spoke up. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only, they're not empty, are they, Bard" the man said. "Is I recall, you are licensed as a barge man...not a fisherman." He said. "That's none of your business." Bard snapped. "Wrong. It's the masters buisness, which makes it my buisness." The man said. I rolled my eyes. "Have a have a heart Alfrid. People need to eat." Bard said. "These fish are illegal." Alfrid said. "Empty the barrels over the side." He said. 'Shit.' I thought as I heard one of the barrels being tipped. I looked out a small hole and saw it was Violet and Bilbos. "People in this town are struggling! Food is scarce!" Bard said. "That's not my problem." Alfrid replied calmly. "And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?" Bard asked. I heard silence for a moment, "stop." Alfrid said. I heard the barrels being set back down and sighed in relief. "Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last." Alfrid said. I heard Bard step back onto the barge. "The Master has his eye on you; you'd do well to remember. We know where you live." Alfrid said. "It's a small town Alfrid. Everyon knows where everyone lives." Bard said before the barge behind to move once again. Soon after Bard managed to sneak all of us into his home we where greeted by his children. "Da...why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" Singrid asked, his eldest daughter. "Will they bring us luck?!" Tilda, his youngest followed.

Well all sat in the living room of Bards home. I looked back and saw Violet with a blanket wrapped around her shoulder beginning to doze off. I looked back out the window when something caught my eye. "A dwarvish wind lance..." I whispered. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Bilbo said coming up 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 before he quickly told the tail of the weapon. "If the aim of men had been true that day, things would have been much different." I said. "You speak as though you where there." Bard said coming up to me. "All dwarves know the tale." I said. "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!" His son snapped at me. I gritted my teeth and looked at the boy. "Haha, that's a fairy story lad, nothing more." Dwalin laughed. I looked at Bard. "You took our money, where are the weapons?" I asked. "Wait here." He said before leaving. I turned to Balin. "Tomorrow begins the last days of autumn " I said. "Durin's Day falls morn after next, we must reach the mountain by then." Balin said. "And if we do not? If we fail to find the door before that time?" Kili asked. Fili sighed and placed a hand on his brothers shoulder. "Then this quest has been for nothing." He said. Suddenly Bard returns with covered up...items. These where not weapons. "What is this?" I asked picking one up. "A pike hook, from an old harpoon." He said. Kili picked up another. "And this?" He asked. "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. "We paid you for weapons!! Swords and axes!!!" Gloin yelled. "This is a joke!" Bofur said angrily. "You won't find better outside the city armory. All iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key." Bard said. His words clicked in my mind and I looked over at Dwalin. "Thorin..." Balin said. "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. "What did you just say?!?" Dwalin yelled. "There's spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait till nightfall." Bard said. I sighed and shook my head before glancing at Dwalin once again. We both where thinking the exact same thing. I watched Bard leave and turned to see Violet passed out leaning against the wall. I sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders before pulling her to lean on me. She groaned and turned more towards me before hugging my waist. I looked at Bofur who was giving me a deadly glare and smirked.

Violet POV

I woke up to the sounds of guards yelling along with townspeople. I shot up and saw all the dwarves where gone. "Oh...this can't be god." I said to myself before wrapping another blanket around my shoulders and running out of Bards bourse towards the noise. I stopped seeing a crowd of people circled around something. "Please don't be the dwarves..." I said to myself. "Hold your tongue!! Do you not know of who you speak too!!!" I heard Dwalin yell. "Of course it is...it always is." I said before running towards the crowd. I pushed myself though muttering excuse me's every second. "This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!" Dwalin said. I continued to push through. "We are the dwarves of Erebor." I heard Thorin's Nobel voice speak. "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." He said. I heard the crown whisper before I managed to push my way though, running right into Bofur. He turned and grinned at me before wrapping an arm around my waist. I didn't do anything, only listened to Thorin. "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!" He said causing the crown to cheer. "Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all." We heard Bard yell out of nowhere as he walked out of the crowd. "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!" Thorin said enthusiastically. Bard growled in frustration. "All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!" Bard asked. Causing frantic whispers to start. "Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!" at his words the crowd erupted in a course of No's. Bard continued, "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 pointing at Thorin. Suddenly the master of the town laughed, "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!" He said. I looked at Bard surprised. "It's true, sire. We all know the story: arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark." The odd looking man beside the master said. Bard stormed towards Thorin. "You have no right! No right to enter that mountain." He said. I gritted my teeth. "He has the only right!!" I shouted. I glared at Bard. Thorin looked at me and nodded to me before looking at the master and the people of Laketown. "I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?" He asked. Nobody said a thing as Thorin turned to the master. "I say unto you...welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!" He said happily causing the people to cheer. I smiled and looked up at Bofur. He smiled and kissed my forehead causing me to blush and panic, "isn't this great?!" He asked. "Y-yeah...it's wonderful!" I said looking back at Thorin who had a displeased look on his face...he defiantly saw Bofur kiss my head.