A Thousand Miles[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Twenty Three]

The man still had his arrow pointed at the woman. He had seen everything. When the eagle landed among the trees, then changing into her human form. She swallowed, her eyes narrowed, glaring at the man. Alyndra could hear the dwarves climbing onto the rocks. The man took his chance when she looked away for just a second and tied her wrists together. " What are you doing?!" She questioned as he pulled her along to his barge, with her struggling. " Let me go!" She hissed at him, but he ignored her and tied her to his boat when he heard the chattering of the dwarves and he looked at her and held his bow up as he climbed over the rocks. "Don't hurt them." She begged.

The skin-changer pulled at the rope trying to get loose, but his knots were too tight. " Do it again and your dead." The man threatened. The woman listened to the conversation. She couldn't see the man and she hoped the dwarves wouldn't try anything stupid.

" Excuse me, but your from Lake-town if I'm not mistaken." Balin spoke up. He could see only part of the barge but not the woman tied to it. " That barge over there. It wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?" The bowman lowered his bow and started walking back over to his barge, the dwarves followed behind and Thorin eyes widen when he saw the woman tied up.

" Alyndra?" Thorin spoke under his breath. The dwarf started to walk over to her when the bowman raised his arrow at him, making him stop. "Please, she's with us. Let her go!" Thorin demanded, the man lowered his bow, looking at the woman and then the dark haired dwarf.

" You know this girl?" The bowman asked. Thorin nodded. The man walked over, using his smaller knife, he cut the rope that was tied around both her wrist. She got up and ran over to the dwarves. Thorin pushed her behind him, still glaring at the man.

" Are you alright?" Thorin asked her and she nodded.

" What makes you think I would help you?" The bowman questioned as he began loading the barrows onto his barge.

" Those boots have seen better days. As has that coat." Balin stated, trying to reason with the man to let them come aboard with him. " Uh, no doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. " The dwarf added, with a chuckle. " How many Bairns?"

" A boy and two girls." The man finally answered.

" And your wife, I imagine she's a beauty." Balin continued on. The man stood with his back to them and the woman watched as he let out a sigh.

" Aye. She was." The elder dwarf's face fell. Alyndra felt sorry for the man, having to have memories being remembered that he had probably buried deep within him.

" I'm sorry. I didn't mean to---" Balin muttered feeling terrible.

" Oh, come on, come on. Enough of the niceties." Dwalin bickered behind Thorin and Alyndra. The woman turned around and glared at the dwarf, Thorin had to grab her hand just to keep her from going at him.

"What's your hurry?" The bowman snapped back. No longer in a nice mood.

" What's it to you?" Dwalin barked back.

" I would like to know who you are and what you are doing in these lands." The man demanded.

" We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains. Journeying to see out kin in the Iron Hills." Balin insisted and the mans attention then turned to the woman.

" Simple merchants you say? And her? What is she?"

" She is not your concern." Thorin grumbled as he stepped towards the man. We need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" The bowman started looking at the barrels, seeing the damaged they had received from the brutal ambush they had just escaped from.

" I know where these barrels came from."

" What of it?" Thorin muttered.

" I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Lake-town but by leave of the master." The bowman explained. " All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He would see you in irons before risking the wrath of king Thranduil. " The man stated as he tossed the rope at Balin.

" Offer him more." Thorin hissed at the elder dwarf.

" I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen." Balin challenged the man.

" Aye." The bowman agreed, his interest peaked. " But for that you would need a smuggler."

" For which we would pay double." Balin proclaimed and the man looked him. He thought about it for a few minutes but agreed the dwarves and the woman could come aboard with him. He would get them across as long as they kept their end of the bargain. Thorin kept the woman close to him, not letting her hand go as they boarded the barge and the dwarves and hobbit went to the far end. Alyndra was sure the orcs would be catching up to them soon if they didn't leave now. The bowman untied the last bit of rope and the barge began to move and they were now floating across the water getting closer to their destination.