The Skin-Changer's Daughter (Hobbit Fanfic)

Laketown

"Watch out!" Yelled Bofur as we manoeuvred past a ruin.
"What are you trying to do?" Spat Thorin "Drown us?"
"I was born and bread on these waters master dwarf," said the man, whom I now knew to be called Bard "If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." I listened no more to their conversation, and Dwalin's request to throw him overboard, but insteadwent to the helm to talk to Bard.
"Master Bargeman," I said politely. Bard nodded to me. I sat on the side of the barge and looked at him.
"You're an elf, aren't you?" Bard asked.
"Half-Elf," I corrected. Bard nodded.
"I thought elves and dwarves hated each other?" He said.
"They said the same of Elves and Skin-Changers but here I am," I chuckled.
"Ah, you're a Skin-Changer. Little Tilda will like you," said Bard, looking out into the distance.
"Most elves and dwarves hate each other," I continued "But there are always exceptions to the rules." I gazed at Thorin, who was discussing paying Bard with the other dwarves. Bard followed my gaze and then glanced back at me, frowning. He shook his head, as if trying to dislodge the thought from his mind. Aleron came and sat next to me.
"You all right up here, Eleana?" She asked.
"I'm fine," I lied, even though I was freezing cold and bone tired. Aleron nodded to me and Bard before going back to join the others. They were all looking at something. I turned to see a great outline of a mountain through the fog. Bard started forward.
"Give me the money," he urged.
"We will give you the money when we receive our provisions," said Thorin.
"If you value your freedom you will give it to me now," reasoned Bard "There are guards up ahead." I locked my gaze on Thorin from where I was sat, hoping he would see sense quickly.
"Fine," sighed Thorin. Balin gave Bard the money, which he quickly pocketed.
"Get in the barrels," ordered Thorin. I got up from my place, finding that I was shaking. Bard was walking back to the helm and noticed me shivering. He looked me up and down before taking off his coat and offering it to me.
"Thank you," I said gratefully. Bard smiled briefly at me before going back to the helm.
"Eleana," called Thorin. I went over to him. I could see Thorin looked a little worried.
"Don't worry Thorin," I said "I know where my loyalties lie." I leant forward and kissed the dwarf on the cheek before clambering into a barrel. Thorin smiled thankfully before climbing into a barrel himself.
~{<>}~
I could hear the others communicating in hushed voices. I couldn't hear what they were saying. The next thing I knew, there were fish being poured over my head.
Oh great, I thought to myself. I heard Thorin curse quietly in dwarvish from the barrel next to him.
"Fish, it had to be fish," groaned Aleron from somewhere on my left. The barge began to move again. I heard someone let out a groan.
"Quiet!" Urged Bard, kicking one of the barrels "We're approaching the toll gate."
~{<>}~
The barge began to slow, I could hear bard talking to someone. A few moments, footsteps were crossing the barge and a couple of barrels behind me were being scraped along the timbers.
Oh Valar, what in the name of Durin is happening? I cursed inwardly.
"Stop," came a sneering voice.
Thank Valar for that, I thought. The barge began to move off again.
"It's a small town, Alfred," I heard Bard say "Everyone knows where everyone lives."
~{<>}~
I felt my barrel tip over until I found myself on the floor amongst a cascade of fish. Bard gave me a hand up. I took off his coat and handed it back to him.
"Sorry, it's probably a little fishy now," I apologised. Bard took it back and swung it about his shoulders.
"It's fine," he said, extracting a fish from the right hand pocket. All the dwarves were hauling themselves out of the barrels as Bard turned to a nearby man, who was staring at them is disbelief.
"You never saw them, they were never here," he said to the man, pressing a coin into his hand "The fish you can have for nothing." All the dwarves had got off the barge and were waiting for direction from Bard.
"Follow me," he urged. We began to weave through the mass of basket and boxes that littered the ground. Suddenly, a curly haired lad came running up to Bard.
"Da!" He said "Our house, it's being watched." Thorin suddenly looked very concerned. Bard thought for a moment before directing us on the route we were to take. He and the boy were to distract the spies while we made our way around and came up through an opening in the floor just next to Bard's house. We had to be careful. Lord knows what would happen if we were to be caught...