Adventures Of The Powerful, Strong, and Desperate

Chapter 23 Smuggling

Sam

~~~

"You three we're leaving come on!" Thorin shouts cutting Jacob, Bilbo, and my conversation short. Lacy is sitting quietly probably curious why she even came instead of staying with Tauriel.

"We will discuss more later but for now come on," I murmur and turn to follow the company and they stalk Bard back to his barge.

"What makes you think I would help you?" Bard asks while shoving one of the scratched up barrels into the barge.

"Those boots have seen better days, as has that coat," Balin points out. "No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed? How many bairns?"

"A boy and two girls," Bard replies, a fond look on his face. I can tell he loves them very much.

"And your soulmate, I imagine, they're a beauty?" Balin assumes and Bard hesitates.

"Aye, she was." Balins face falls fast.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Oh, come on, come on. Enough with the niceties," Dwalin snaps thoughtlessly.

"What's your hurry?" Bard inquires.

"What's it to you?" Dwalin demands.

"Hey be nice!" Allie scolds.

"I would like to know who you are, and what you were doing in these lands," Bard responds.

"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains, journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills," Balin explains,
lying through his teeth.

"Simple merchants with three halfings-

"Hobbits," Thorin corrects? cutting Bard off. Allie freezes up, a shocked look on her face at his actions. I imagine I look equally surprised and Emily takes this time to jolt awake coughing a bit.

"Two hobbits, one with wings, and two elves, one bleeding out on the ground, so simple merchants you say?"

"We need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin questions a softer expression on his face. It's an evasion of the prodding.

"Please help out a fellow Middle Earth citizen," Allie begs.

"I know where these barrels came from," Bard says.

"Oh Valar Natalie or Grace would have come so in handy with this," I grumble under my breath.

"What of it?" Thorin asks.

"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Lake Town but by lead of the master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland realm. He would see you in irons before risking the wrath of king Thranduil."

We stand stumped by the predicament. How can we convince this man of our intentions.

"Let me try," I volunteer and step forward. "Hi I'm Sam and my elvish power is mind reading. Besides that here the elf bleeding out on the ground is Alex Blackheart!" Bard is taken aback and squints his eyes.

"She can't testify for any of you," Bard says. Thorin sighs and nods at Balin. Bard leaps into his barge and throws the rope thing it to the dock to Balin.

"What about me I'm Lacy a messenger for Elrond," Lacy cuts in.

"I have never heard of you and you don't seem to have any documents with his signature on hand," Bard observers looking over Lacys rumpled appearance and destroyed ball gown.