My Own Star In The Sky

Chapter 22: The town on a lake

Dakota's POV:

"Halt! Goods inspection!" I heard someone shout. "Papers, please! Oh, it's you Bard!" "Morning Percy." Bard said to the man. "Anything to declare?" the man Bard called Percy asked. "Nothing. But that I'm cold and tired and ready for home." Bard replied. "There we are! All in order." Percy said. Another voice joined the men. "Not so fast. Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only they're not empty, are they Bard?" I could feel Thorin getting more tensed. "If I recall correctly you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman." The man said. "That's none of your business." Bard retorted. "Wrong, it's the Masters business, which makes it my business." "Oh come on Alfrid have a heart. People need to eat!" Bard tried. "These fish are illegal!" The man said and I heard water splash. "Empty the barrels over the side." The man commanded. A third voice joined. "You heard him, in the canal. Come one, get a move on!" I felt all my muscles contract as I heard feet walk across the barge. 

"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard said trying to stop the men from finding us. "That's not my problem." Alfrid said. Whoever he was, he clearly didn't have a heart, Bard was right. "And when the people hear that the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?" Bard asked. "Stop!" Alfrid said. The sound of the feet faded away. "Raise the gate!" Percy shouted and I heard a rusty gate open. "The master has his eye on you. You'd do well to remember, we know where you live." Alfrid threatened. "It's a small town Alfrid. Everyone knows where everyone lives." Bard replied and I chuckled.

A little later I heard Bard pushing over the barrels. "Get your hands off me." Dwalin snapped. Thorin pushed away some of the fish so we could stand up. He climbed out of the barrel and without asking he picked me up and tilted me out. I saw Bard talking to a man and he gave him a coin. Bard started walking. "Follow me and stay close." We did as he asked and we followed him through Lake-Town. "What is this place?" Bilbo asked. "This master Baggins is the world of men." Thorin replied as he grabbed my hand and made sure I stayed close. "Keep your heads down and keep moving." Bard said. A guard saw us and told us to stop. "Come on move." Thorin said. We ran through the market we were in. Another guard blocked the path and I bumped into Thorin and Dwalin ran into me. Not really nice being crushed by two big, strong and heavy dwarves. "Go back!" Thorin shouted. The guards almost attacked us but the dwarves knocked them out. One grabbed me from behind but I hit his stomach with my elbow and quickly turned around. The guard fell to his knees in pain and I kicked his head causing him to fall down completely knocked out. 

We hid the bodies from the guards and hid behind wooden pillars or anything else that we could hide behind. A bigger group with guards arrived and the people quickly resumed their jobs. "What's going on here?" A man, who I thought to be the chief, asked. He had the same voice as one of the men that commanded to push over the barrels. "Stay where you are! Nobody leaves!" he said. The man talked to Bard but I was too far away to hear what they were saying. He pushed Bard aside but the townspeople made sure the bodies weren't visible. The chief and Bard were pretty close to me now and I made myself so small as possible. "Braga your wife would look lovely in this." I heard Bard say. "What do you know of my wife?" Braga asked. "I know her as well as any man in this town." Bard said and Braga angrily walked away. I sighed in relief. We continued sneaking through the town when a boy around the age of 15 walked towards us. "Da our house, it's being watched!" He said to Bard. "What now?" I asked. "Into the water. You'll have to swim." Bard said and he led us to the water. 

"I was just starting to get dry and now I have to swim again?" I complained to Thorin. He sighed. "I know but how else are you going to get into that house?" I sighed in defeat. We jumped into the water and swam to where Bard's house was.