The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings one shots and Imagines Book II

The voice - Part 4 - Bard x Reader

"Fool of a dwarf. Get back in your barrel........." A strange voice came from the mist that surrounded Kili, as he dangled over his barrel. His eyes growing wider still, as an orc arrow seemed to be caught by whatever owned the glowing red eyes. The young prince finding himself dropped, headfirst, back into his barrel, before his, and those of the others, suddenly rushed through the now open gate. None present, dwarf, elf, nor orc, sure what to think, as the casks continued on their way, and the dark mist simply went back to killing those that had invaded the elven kingdom.

                                                                  >>--------------------------------<<

She could leave........killing all those orcs and saving the dark-haired dwarf, had, in her mind at least, been payment enough for the hobbit and the old dwarf releasing her from her confines.....wasn't it? Yet she could sense that wherever this strange little company went, evil would follow; and the lure of this evil, of more food, was too much for her to ignore. So, she followed the river until it came to a large lake that was scattered here and there with chunks of ice. Her eyes scanning the scene, and a smile coming to her lips, as she saw a long, low barge with a pale furled sail that was slowly making its way through the water. The stench of orc drifting behind it, as it cut through the water. And so, she made her way to it; her own smoky form mixing with the mist that hung heavily over the lake.

                                                                  >>-----------------------------------<<

She hung around the mast, ignoring the mutterings of the dwarves that were back in the barrels, and eyeing the man that steered the barge, as he spoke to another on a dock. The stench of fish hanging heavily in the air. She had bled men dry, before. Men had always been easy to corrupt by wickedness, and that wickedness would taint their blood; and once it had, they would become her victims just like any orc, goblin or troll. But this one.......this one, he did not smell of evil; though she could sense a certain mischievous delight, when fish were dumped into the dwarf filled barrels. The men all turning and looking out into the mist, as she found herself laughing at the sight. The fish muffled grumbles, the funniest thing that she had heard in a very long time.

Finally, they continued on their way. The man giving one of the barrels a quick kick, as the barge drifted closer and closer to a dark, ramshackle town that sat atop the water that she knew to be Esgaroth. The town, certainly nothing like it had been the last time that she had seen it; but she had to presume that many things wouldn't be.

When she was not in her current vaporous form, she could often be mistaken for a daughter of men; well, sometimes. And this had allowed her to pass through city, town and village without much concern; one of those settlements being Esgaroth. Though when she had, it had been much smaller, more like a group of settlements, not one large town; and it had been far livelier, it, a hub for trade in the area. Yet as they began to move between the buildings, it became increasingly clear that that was no longer the case.

"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers please..........." A voice called out, as the barge slowed.

"Oh, its you Bard......."

"Morning, Percy........."

"Anything to declare...........?"

"Nothing, other than I am cold and tired and ready for home." The bargeman called back, as he jumped onto the docks and handed the other man a piece of paper.

"You and me both." The other man replied, before stepping inside and coming back out a moment later.

"There we are. All in order............."

"Not, so, fast..........." Another......well, man, interrupted. Her eyes focusing on him as he took the paper for the hand of the one called Percy.

Even from her position atop the mast, she could smell him; even over the barrels of dead fish, she could detect his odour, and it was terrible. And in her opinion, he was odious; and that came from a creature that drained the black blood from orcs.

"Consignment of empty barrels, from the Woodland realm. Only......they're not empty........." The dark clad creature continued, as he looked at the barge.

"Are they, Bard.........? If I recall correctly, you are licensed as a bargeman; not a fisherman..........." One of the fish being removed from the top of a dwarf filled casks, as he spoke.

Normally she would not care for the disagreements between mortals. Their lives of no real consequence to her; but part of her, despite herself, did still think she owed something to the halfling and old dwarf. And there was also the notion that where these dwarves were, her food would follow. So, as the bargeman and the smelly creature continued to talk, she floated down towards one of the shadows of the buildings; her form becoming solid. A black, figure-hugging dress wrapping itself around her, before she stepped out in time to see that men in some kind of armour had made their way onto the barge and were about to tip the fish over the side.

"Help me, please..........." She gasped, as she limped her way over to the little toad. The men on the boat stopping and looking at her, as she got closer. The toad catching her, as she fell into his arms.

"What..........?"

"I was attacked. They hurt me.......look........" She continued, as she raised her skirt just enough so that the toad and the soldiers could see enough of her leg to draw all their attention to her.

"It was so terrible, what am I to do? Where are all the strong, brave, handsome men that are willing to protect a lady in need.........?" Tears pricking at her eyes, as she moved her lips closer to those of the toad. Sure, that she could feel the bile rise in her throat, as he flashed his browning teeth.

"You are lucky, this time Bard. You might have the favour of the people, but it won't last. Take ya fish, I have better things to concern myself with........." The toad continued, as he helped her sit on the step, and the guards climbed out of the barge. The bargeman's brows furrowing, as she winked at him. The unusual lady smiling, as Percy called out for the gate to be raised. Bard quickly jumping back onto his boat and steering it through the now raised gate. Alfred continuing to call out to him, before he straightened down his robe, and turned back to speak to the lady.

"Now my.........." His eyes growing wider, as she was now nowhere to be seen.