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

The merchant - Part 5 - Bard x Reader

"Is this it...........?" (Y/n) asked, as she and the Master looked at the ragtag group of men that were dressed in a mix of armours that the half-elf presumed had been scavenged from the rubble of the old, desolated city. Her gaze turning to Bard who sheepishly nodded.

(Y/n), as she had asked, had been allowed to sell her wares at the market for the next two days; making back not only the coin that she had spent on the goods, but a tidy amount more. So, it was now her time to stand by what she had promised and try and make the men that currently guarded the city, into some kind of fighting force. Though, that may prove to be harder than she might have thought.

They numbered little more than fifty men; and men that were not necessarily all at the peak of life. The merchant sure that one or two had barely left their mothers teat, and others that may have had experience, appeared as though they should have their feet up in front of a fire, enjoying their later years. Yet she knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Better to see what these men could do, before she understood the full scope of what lay before her.

It was obvious that her antics in the marketplace that first day, had spread through the men; them muttering to one another as they sent furtive glances her way. Though she was sure that the Gondorian quiver and elven bow and sword, that was now strapped to her hip, were causing further intrigue.

"You have a very.........interesting bunch here, Captain Iwar." (Y/n) said, as the older man came to join her and Bard. The peredhel sure that she saw him smile slightly, before he turned his attention to his men; barking out an order that sent them all to stand to some type of attention.

"They may not be pretty, but they are loyal.........."

"I did not question their loyalty to either you, the Master, nor to this city, Captain. What concerns me, and why the Master has asked me to remain here, are their abilities with the bows and blades that they carry." (Y/n) explained, before she stepped forward, all eyes now on her.

"You may all be wondering why I am stood before you; a woman with no connection to you, your people, or this city. Someone that does not know of the hardships you faced in Esgaroth, of the breath of the dragon, nor of the battle that occurred on the plain before the dwarven mountain. But do not be fooled into thinking that I know nothing of hardships, that I know nothing of battle, death........loss. I was raised to fight by my father, a man of the Gondorian army; a man that I proudly stood alongside for years in that army, serving the white city; fighting for the white city, its people and those I called my comrades. And now, I am here to do the same with you. You may be small in number, but that does not mean that you cannot be mighty. That does not mean that you cannot be a force to be reckoned with; and with my help, with my training, I intend to make you just that. I intend to make whatever enemies; whatever evils may come to these lands again in the future; tremble at the notion of fighting the army of Dale. So, stand with me, and I will stand with you..........." The peredhel called out, as she walked to and fro in front of the men. The scene going eerily quiet for a moment as she stopped. Bard and Iwar looking at one another, before a cheer went up. (Y/n) finding herself breathing a sigh of relief, as what she had said, appeared to have connected with the man before her. But now it meant that she had to come through with her promises.

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

"You know what you are doing.........." (Y/n) turning to find Bard making his way towards her.

It had been a long first day; she had found that she had a limited number of archers, so that would need to be fixed; but she had been pleasantly surprised by the skills of some of the men. Skills that she could have them pass on to others and would mean that she could concentrate her efforts on the abilities which were lacking.

"As I told your men this morning, I was trained by my father to be a soldier, to fight along side of him, from the time I was old enough to carry a sword." (Y/n) replied, as she made sure that her hat was still firmly in place, before removing her sword and pushing it under the cover of her wagon to join her bow and quiver.

"And what of your mother.....? I cannot imagine.........."

"My mother had no choice in the matter........." The half-elf quickly retorted. Her words coming out harsher than she had intended, as the Master leaned against the cart. The mention of the mother that had abandoned her not long after her birth, always a sore spot for (Y/n).

"She..........she died, not long after I was born. I was raised by my father and taken under the wing of those he served with. And when I was old enough to stand by them, I did; remaining with them until my father passed away." (Y/n) continued. Her voice slightly calmer now, as she made her way over to Kaspier.

Bard could tell that there was so much more to the woman in front of him, than met the eye. Admitting that she had served in the army of the white city, certainly explained the quiver and arrows; yet it did not explain the elven bow, nor the elegant elven sword that she wielded with such grace. Bard not having seen such a fighting style as the one she had shown the men, since the forces of the elven king had come from Mirkwood. And given the shot that she had made that had initially brough her to Iwar's attention, he couldn't help but think that perhaps the blood of men was not the only blood that made its way through her veins. That, and hat that she wore, which she had spent all day making sure had not moved, conspicuously covered her ears. Yet mortal or elf, it did not matter; for, for whatever she was, there was no denying that she was beautiful. That she possessed a visage that could capture any man's attention. And despite himself, she had certainly captured his.

"Join my family and I for dinner this evening........." Bard suddenly said, causing (Y/n) to look at him.

"Iwar says that you sleep in your wagon. That you hunt after you finished in the market for the day. I thought that given the day that you have had......perhaps you would prefer to not have to go out and catch your food." The Master explained, as he took a step closer to her. (Y/n) glaring at Kaspier, as he nudged her closer to the man; the peredhel sighing, having to admit that the notion of not having to cook for herself, did sound nice. And she also had a feeling that Kaspier was not going to let her say no.

"That is kind of you, Master. Please, lead on............."