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

Mark of the dragon - Part 6 - Bard x Company x Reader

"Balin......what is it.........?" Thorin asked, as the old dwarf came to rejoin the others. Thorin having to call out his name again, as his old friend seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"What.....oh yes........." Balin replied absentmindedly, before looking over at the pair at the back of the barge. His eyes firmly set on the woman.

"Balin. What is it..........?" The would be king enquired once more. Placing his hand on Balin's shoulder; drawing his attention back to him.

"Tha lass.........."

"(Y/n)........." Bilbo interrupted. The others turning to look at the hobbit who had his arms wrapped around himself, doing his best not to freeze to death.

"What.......?" Came Dwalin's usual gruff tone in retort. Bilbo letting out a heavy sigh; hoping that he could say more, while his teeth continued to chatter.

"The lady is called (Y/n) and the man is Bard........."

"How do ya know that........?"

"Ahhh, I asked them......" The hobbit replied, rather more curtly than he normally would. Bilbo too cold to be in the mood for the dwarves' usual lack of manners, at that moment.

"I don't care what they call themselves; especially him. I don't like him......."

"We don't have ta like him; we simply have ta pay him. And as fa tha lass......." Balin said, interrupting his brother.

"I believe that there is something about her.........."

"What.........?" Fili and Kili asked in unison, as they handed over what few coins they had.

"She knew of tha prophecies. Tha ones of the king and tha mortal child. She put them both together; but she certainly knew them. Claimed she was taught them as a child........." Balin explained. The rest of the dwarves looking over the tops of the barrels at her, as she and Bard spoke quietly.

"What are these prophecies you're talking about?" Bilbo asked, as he joined the rest.

"One is a prophecy about the return of tha King under the Mountain." Balin replied, as he looked at Thorin.

"And tha second.......tha second speaks of a child born of mortal men; a child that has upon it tha mark of the dragon, and will aid tha King in reclaiming his home............."

"But how does a child of men get the mark of the dragon...?" The hobbit continued.

"The prophecy came about at tha time Smaug took tha Mountain. When Girion, tha then Lord of Dale was said ta have hit tha dragon; tha arrow he fired, taking with it a scale and making tha beast bleed. Blood that is supposed ta have fallen upon a pregnant woman that was doing her best ta flee Dale. The child in her belly, born with tha blood of tha dragon in its veins. Yet it would only be tha one that was born with tha mark of the beast, that was destined ta aid tha King of carven stone, take back tha Mountain........."

"And you think that (Y/n)...........?" Bilbo asked, pushing himself further up onto his tiptoes and holding to the rim of the barrel in front of him.

"Well, I must confess that I thought it would be an actual child that we would have ta be looking for. But if it is her........."

"But other than the prophecies, what else is there?" Bofur decided to ask, as he managed to take his eyes off the woman in question.

"There is something......but........"

"But what.............?" Thorin enquired. His eyebrow raising as Balin turned to look at him.

"Ya need ta go and speak ta her, lad.........."

"Me...? Why...........?"

"She seems ta be affected by ya whenever ya around her. I am not certain, but I think as it was ya grandfather hordin tha gold that brought Smaug ta tha Mountain in tha first place; there is some strange connection between your line and that of the child. And I think we will see that, if ya talk ta her........." Balin explained. Thorin looking over to Dwalin and then his nephews. Then to the rest of the Company, before nodding his head, rounding the barrels, and making his way to the back of the boat.

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

"Are you really alright........?" Bard queried, as (Y/n) stood to his side; her hand still rubbing at her arm.

"I'm fine. I promise Bard. Its just that these dwarves.......they......they make me a little uncomfortable. There is just something I don't trust about them; and I can't help but feel like something bad is about to happen. But maybe it's just me........" (Y/n) told him, as she did her best to give him a smile, before placing her hand atop his. Bard feeling his heart begin to pound in his chest, as she looked into his eyes. The bargeman knowing that this was probably neither the time nor the place to say anything to her. That the time to tell her that he truly cared about her, and he was hoping that their relationship could become something more; something personal, more intimate, had been before they came upon his passengers. Yet it was just them now. The dwarves at the front of the barge, doing whatever they were doing. So........

"(Y/n), I have something I need to tell you......something that I should have told you a long time ago.........."

"Bard......what..........?"

"I............." A sudden attention grabbing cough making (Y/n) and Bard turn and see one of the grumpier dwarves looking at them. (Y/n) almost screaming out in pain, as he stepped closer. Bard quickly tying off the tiller as she dropped onto the deck and began to pull off her coat. The bargeman doing all he could, as the woman he cared about, clawed at her arm.

"Go away.......get away from her........." Bard warned, as he looked to the dwarf. Thorin stepping back and watching as the woman leaned over the side and plunged her arm into the freezing water. Sounds of her crying, filling the otherwise silent air.

"You get back too..........." Bard warned again, as Balin stepped forward.

"I think I know how ta help tha lass. Please........." Balin told him. The concern evident on Bard's face, as he looked between the dwarf and (Y/n).

"How.........?"

"Get her out of tha water, and put her on tha deck........"

"But the water, its helping.........."

"And this will help more." Balin replied, as he brought Thorin forward.

"Not him.......he's the one that did this.........."

"Aye, and he is tha only one that can stop it. If ya care about her, get ya lass......" Balin continued. Bard musing for a moment, before dragging the protesting (Y/n) out of the water, and holding her down.

"Balin what........?"

"Touch her arm, Thorin. Ya have ta touch her arm........." The pale haired dwarf explained, as he pushed Thorin forward. Bard glaring at the large dwarf as he moved to the woman that was still crying out in pain. Thorin slowly raising his hand and carefully placing it on her arm............