At First Sight (Thorinxreader)

Chapter Seventeen

The bowman looked the dwarves over once more before turning and walking back to his barge, "and what makes you think I would help you?"

Everyone continued to let Balin handle the situation as he followed him to the barge, "Those boots have seen better days. As has that coat." Balin noted and pressed him more, "No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed?"

The bowman went about picked up barrels and standing them up next to his barge, either ignoring Balin or choosing to remain silent.

"How many bairns?" Balin asked.

The bowman sighed and gave in, "a boy and two girls."

Balin beamed at him, "and your wife I bet she is a beauty?"

"Aye," said the man, "she was." He spoke sadly and paused for a moment. A pang went through your heart as did it in everyone else's.

Balin tried to apologize, "I didn't mean to-"

Dwalin, his brother, scoffed, "ah come one enough with the niceties."

The bowman took notice of his impatience, "what's your hurry?"

"What's it to you?" Thorin defended immediately.

The bowman nodded and his lips drew a hard line as he looked down at the battered barrels, "I don't know who you are or what business you had with the elves but I don't think it ended well."

You growled at the accusation. Elves?! You hand my run into any elves since Rivendell. The bowman noticed your aggression thankfully Thorin spoke.

"We had no dealings with elves. Elves are the least of our worries. An orc pack is hunting us."

"And why would they being doing that?" The bowman wondered with an accusing eye.

Balin interjected, "we're simple merchants from the Iron Hills. We admit it is strange to see orcs around here. They've been hunting us for days. I beg you, I wager there are ways to enter that town unseen?"

The bowman nodded buying the story for now, he placed a barrel on his barge before reply, "aye, but for that you would need a smuggler."

"For which we would pay double." Balin added seriously.

The bowman had a look of shock on his face and looked over the group again really considering this offer before nodding in agreement.

"You want to be smuggled in? Fine but we do it my way. Deal?" He negotiated.

Balin looked to Thorin who nodded and it was settled. You were going to be smuggled into Lake-Town.

The boat ride in made the air grow increasingly colder. The dwarves were mostly silent or whispering amongst themselves and sorting out payment for the man who'd come to be named Bard. You didn't like him. At any moment he could turn on you all.

Bard narrowly missed hitting a rock.

Gloin roared, "what are you trying to do?! Kill us?"

Bard looked a little mad at that making you growl again, "I was born and bred on these waters master dwarf. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't do it here."

Dwalin mutter to himself and turned around, "I've had enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side. And be done with it."

You looked at Thorin, I am also partial to that, Thorin. I don't trust him.

Balin spoke up from counting the money, "well we don't have to like him, we simply have to pay him."

You couldn't take your eyes off the man. He could try anything.