The Last One

Chapter 40

"Tomorrow begins the last days of autumn." Thorin whispered hurriedly.

"Durin's Day falls morn after next. We must reach the mountain before then." Balin spoke next.

"And if we do not? If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?" Kili asked unsure.

"Then this quest has been for nothing." Fili hissed. 

The dwarves ended their conversation as Bard returned carrying a package wrapped in cloth. He laid it on the table and unwrapped it to reveal some hand-made weapons.

Thorin picked up one of the weapons looking at it in disgust. 

"What is this?"

"Pike-hook. Made from an old harpoon." Bard informed.

"And this?" Kili raised a brow.

"A crowbill, we call it, fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in hand, I grant, but in defense of your life, these will serve you better than none."

"We paid you for weapons. Iron-forged swords and axes!" Gloin growled.

"It's a joke!" Bofur scoffed tossing the weapon back in the pile, the other dwarves following suit.

"You won't find better outside the city armory. All iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key." Bard said, unaware of the plan the dwarves were hatching in their minds.

"Thorin." Balin called. 

Bard looked up at the mention of Thorin's name, as though he knew it from somewhere.

"Why not take what's been offered and go? I've made do with less; so have you. I say we leave now." Balin tried to reason.

"You're not going anywhere." Bard interrupted. 

"What did you say!?" hissed Dwalin.

"There's spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait till nightfall." Bard demanded.

"He's right." Ruive spoke up. "We cannot risk being seen." 

The dwarves nod in agreement and disperse around the house. Ruive walked, well more limped over to a chair, sliding into the chair hissing in pain. She glanced around to see if anyone was looking before quickly inspecting the bandage. She furrowed her eyebrows when she saw her blood tinged black. Ruive glanced up to see Bard leaving the house in a hurry and Bain stand protectively in front of the door.

She sighed as Bain did his best to stop the dwarves from leaving, but he was severely outnumbered. Ruive pushed to her feet and followed after the dwarves patting Bain on the shoulder on the way out. The dwarves followed Ruive as she led them through the town hiding from the watchmen towards the armory. 

"Shh! Keep it down." Dwalin hissed to the others.

The dwarves formed a stairway that led up to an open window in the armory.

"As soon as we have the weapons, we make straight for the mountain. Go, go, go!" Thorin orders. 

Nori is the first to run up the makeshift dwarf stairs followed by Ruive, Kili, Bilbo, Thorin and a few other dwarves.

The company in the armory began gathering weapons. Ruive held a pile of weapons that Thorin continued to load. She struggled readjusting the load, usually she could easily carry double this, but for some reason the injury to her leg was affecting her more than she thought it should.

"You all right?" Thorin asked with a surprising amount of concern.

"Fine, we should get out of here, the guards may return soon." Ruive warned.