Sunlight, Afterglow, Nightsky and Snowfield

Chapter 9 - Laketown

Balin tried to reason with the human archer. He offered him to take us with his boat over the lake for a fee. Thorin also asked for weapons and supplies.

I saw the archer was still looking very reluctant. I stepped at the front and said: "Please, help us!"

The archer looked me in my eyes: "Who are you?"

"I am a human, originally from Gondor!" I answered.

"From Gondor ... do you happen to know Lucille Fawley?", he asked.

I jumped. "That was my mother!"

"She was an old friend of mine!" He said and then he was silent. After a moment, he spoke again: "We'll, let's get these barrels on my ship and all of you into them. But don't you even think of pulling tricks on me!"

That way he transported us on his ship. After some time he stopped and talked to another human, indicating at the barrels. First we thought, that he had betrayed us, but he just made an agreement to fill the barrels with some cargo – I guessed he wanted to make a more trustworthy impression with this, when crossing the lake; we would more likely to be suspicious with empty barrels on a ship. Unfortunately, the "cargo" consisted of nothing but fish. Very stinky fish. I had a lot of trouble to remain calm in my barrel.

The mood became very tense, when we heard talking someone to the human archer – from what we learned his name was Bard – and asking him why he transported barrels full of fish, even though according to the delivery note the barrels should have been empty. The other wanted Bard to empty the barrels, but Bard could barely save the day as he drew attention to the fact that they were not in the position to throw away food. After some time, the boat came into a halt. We descended our barrels and found ourselves in front of a hidden landing stage.

I looked around and asked myself at once, why I considered the Woodland Realm to be gloomy – compared to this place the Elven home in Mirkwood was like a funfair. The houses seemed to be old and they were battered, like the floes drifting on the lake. The people all around us looked poor and wore sad expressions on their faces. The only pleasant sight was the Lonely Mountain on the horizon, nearer than ever.

"I need to take you in my home unnoticed!" Bard looked at me. "I will put a rope around you and take you in through a trapdoor in my house. And the others –"

He revealed his plan and I couldn't say which one of the others had the most furious face. But they had no other choice but to enter Bard's house via the toilet.

I let Bard drag me in, but unfortunately the rope ripped and I fell into the house.

I heard a girl asking: "Da, why are dwarves coming out of our toilet? Will they bring us luck?" And she pointed at me. "And that one – she fell from the skies, like a fairy!"

The "fairy" pulled wood debris out of her hair and dusted off her clothes and looked around.

A little girl with a blonde plait looked at me, beaming. Another girl, who seemed only a few years younger than me, was eyeing us. There was a boy as well, who bore the same strength in his eyes as his father.

Bard provided us with crowbars, morning stars and fishing hooks – this was his idea of "weapons". The dwarves got angry, as they expected real weapons for their money.

"I can't give you anything better!" Bard said. "The only real weapons you will get are at the blacksmith's and they are strictly supervised. Our major doesn't want the people of Laketown to have weapons!"

Thus, Thorin had the idea to break into the blacksmith's at night, to steal their weapons and then to make our way towards Erebor. We didn't have any time left.

A few of us stood their guards, while the others broke in. I helped them with a silencing spell, so that they remained unheard. Then, I noticed something very strange ...

Kili, who was holding the weapons they wanted to carry out, was sweating and his face was pale. This was odd ... Was this the after-effect of his wound?

Kili needed to step down the staircase and to get out, but he was too weak. He slipped, fell and couldn't hold the weapons anymore, which dropped with a deafening noise. Even my silencing spell was not enough for this.

We couldn't escape anymore and soon, we were surrounded by the guards. They brought us to the mayor of Laketown. First, he was reluctant to let us go, but Thorin spoke to the people and promised them a share of the treasure of Erebor if they let us pass. I saw greed shining in the mayor's eyes, as he agreed. Bard, however, was displeased. He recognized Thorin as the dwarf prince and feared, that Thorin would bring them nothing but death. Thus, he left with a very furious expression on his face.

On the next day, Bilbo and the dwarves had been provided with armour and together, we made our way towards the ships, which would bring us to Erebor – accompanied by fanfares and the cheers from the people of Laketown.

"Where's Bofur?" Bilbo asked.

"If he is not here, we leave him behind!", said Thorin.

"We have no other choice. We need to reach Erebor on time!", added Balin.

Kili was last in line. As he wanted to step into the ship, Thorin held him back. "Not you! We must travel at speed, you will slow us down!"

Kili looked at him as though he didn't believe what he had heard. "What are you talking about, I'm coming with you!"

After Thorin still refused, Kili said: "I'm going to be there when that door's opened. When we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin..."

But Thorin answered: "Kili, stay here. Join us when you're healed!"

I knew it wasn't easy for Thorin. I knew how bad he felt on leaving his nephew behind. I knew how he suffered by making such a decision. But it didn't stop me to be angry with him.

"Kili IS healed!" I answered.

Thorin was eyeing me with a piercing stare. "Then, can you please tell me, why the hell is he sweating so much? Why the heck is he still pale and weak?"

I stepped out of the boat. "Then I'm going to stay with him!"

"Remember your contract!" Thorin said. "You agreed to accompany us to Erebor!"

"I agreed to get all of you through this unharmed!" I answered. "And now, I'm going to make sure of this. As a white mage, it is my duty to heal the wounded!"

"I stay with the lad! My duty lies with the wounded!" Oin said and Fili refused to board the ship as well, as he preferred to stay with his brother.

Hence, we had no other choice but to watch our comrades setting sail. Then, Bofur appeared. He looked devastated when he noticed, that the ship was gone, but when he saw us, he was relieved. At the next moment, Kili's legs got too weak and he broke down.

I felt his forehead and suddenly, I felt hot and cold at once and my insides began to squirm. Kili had a fever. He was trembling and sweating and his face had the colour of chalk. I looked down and saw that his trousers were red at the place his wound had been. My panic slowly rose and I rolled up the leg of his trousers. I closed my eyes and bit my lip so hard it was bleeding. The wound was open again.

"Aurora, what's this? What's wrong with him?", Fili asked.

I had the impression I felt the same way as Kili – feverish and hot. I even started to sweat. I felt as though I would faint any moment. Since I was completely unfamiliar to this kind of wound.

"I don't know, Fili ... I don't know ..." I answered. "It was the first time I'd seen anything like it!"