Smaug's daughter

Entering Lake-Town

"Watch out!" Bofur's voice echoed.

At some point I must have fallen asleep, but Bofur's shout woke me right up. There was a crick in my neck and we were still on the barge. How big was this lake?

I stretched lazily. Kili and Fili were huddled to my side, probably seeking the heat. Some of the other dwarves looked on in envy, their teeth clattering of the cold. I felt as toasty as ever. However, I was in fact hungry and in need of a toilet. But it would have to wait. There was no chance in hell that I would pee over the side of the barge while everyone could hear it.

"What are you trying to do, drown us?" Thorin's deep voice caught my attention. He was standing by the barrels, staring mistrustingly at Bard.

But Bard wouldn't dare. If he tried it, I would turn into my dragon form and scare the shit out of him, maybe even step on his foot.

"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf." - "If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." Bard replied nonchalantly, his eyes flickering to me before returning to the water. Damn right, he ought to watch himself. I had half a thought to correct him, because Thorin was a king, but couldn't remember whether that was something we were supposed to keep secret, so I stayed silent.

"Oh, I've had enough of this lippy Lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with it." Dwalin murmured.

"And then what? You'll steer the barge?" I asked. I didn't like the guy either, but he served a purpose.

Dwalin sighed.

"Oh, Bard. His name's Bard." Bilbo replied, ever the middleman.

"How do you know?" Bofur asked Bilbo.

"Well, I asked him." Bilbo had manners, I'd give him that. The fact that none of the dwarves had asked was kind of funny though.

"I don't care what he calls himself. I don't like him." Dwalin grumbled.

"We do not have to like him. We simply have to pay him." Balin argued.

"With what money?" I turned towards Balin. Most of us only had half of our clothing.

Balin began patting his pockets, pulling out the odd coin here and there. "Turn out your pockets." He said to the rest of us. Well, my clothes didn't even have any pockets and I doubted Beorn and I had much money between us.

"How do we know he won't betray us?" Dwalin asked.

Now this was my job. "I'll eat him if he does." I replied cheerfully, sending Bard a wink, knowing that he'd heard me. He visibly blanched.

Thorin sent me a horrified look. "You can't just eat people, Arien."

I shrugged. "I mean, I don't want it to come to that, me being a vegetarian and all-"

"A what?" Fili quipped.

"It means she doesn't eat meat." Bilbo explained.

Everyone's heads whipped in my direction, and there were some horrified gasps. I was surprised Bilbo even knew what it had meant. Hobbit and dwarven cuisine were rarely without meat. The only race in Middle Earth I knew to stay away from eating animals were elves. But I had to wonder whether me being a dragon would conflict with me being a vegetarian? Like, could I get iron deficiency or something? Did doctors in this universe even know to check for things like that? Did they have doctors here?

"No matter whether you eat meat or not, you cannot eat people that help us." Thorin said finally, after a moment of silence.

"So we pay them." Kili said, as if this whole situation was no big deal.