Hopeless Wanderer (Hobbit Fanfic Story)

Chapter 29: Into Laketown

We soon approached the town gate that Bard mentioned. Hopefully this goes as smoothly as planned.

"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers please!" A much older man stepped out. "Oh, it's you, Bard."

"Morning, Percy." Bard greeted.

The man named Percy then looked at Thingol, Kyra, Nanor, and I. He smiled at us and greeted us.

"Morning." The four of us said.

"Anything to declare?" Percy then asked.

"Nothing. But I am cold and tired, and ready for home." Bard replied.

"You and me both." Percy said as Bard handed him a paper.

He didn't even ask us where we came from or why we wished to see Laketown. It seemed a little too easy. Percy then stamped the paper and extended it out towards Bard.

"There we are, all in order."

"Not so fast." A rather ugly man with black clothing and rotten yellow teeth approached beside Percy with a few others behind him.

The man had snatched the paper that Percy had and commenced to read it.

"Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland realm." The man stated. "Only they're not empty. Are they, Bard? If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman. Not..."

He then grabbed a fish from a barrel to reveal Bombur's eye, which made me tense up. The man turned back to Bard. "...a fisherman. And who are these four?"

"We are simple merchants from Gondor." I lied. "We merely wished to visit our distant cousin, Bard."

The man narrowed his eyes. "Distant cousin? Since when did you have such beautiful cousins like these two."

He then took a step towards Kyra and me, however Nanor and Thingol stepped in, preventing the man from coming any closer.

"My two cousins that you mentioned are not available, they're both happily married." Bard retorted. "And as for the fish, it's none of your business."

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which makes it my business." The man replied with a cold expression.

"Oh, come on, Alfrid. Have a heart, people need to eat." Bard tried to reason with him.

"These fish are illegal." The man named Alfrid said as he threw the fish that he held in the water. "Empty the barrels over the side."

My heart dropped down to my stomach at his words. They're going to find the dwarves and we're going to get caught.

"You heard him, in the canal." One of the guards said. "Come on. Get a move on."

The guards then grabbed the barrels and began to dump the fish overboard. I glanced over at Bard with a worried look. I mouthed him the words, "Do something, there's something you can say that'll make him listen to you."

"People in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard reminded him.

"That's not my problem." Alfrid waved it off.

"And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake? When the rioting starts?" Bard insisted. "Will it be your problem then?"

Alfrid reluctantly raised his arm. "Stop."