тнє нєαℓєя[тнσяιи σαкєиѕнιєℓ∂]

Chapter Twenty Eight - The Forsaken Town On A Lake

Hours had gone by since the company climbed onto the barge. The Dwarves immediately kept their distance from the man, sitting at the front of the barge. Maura shook her head at her companion's incapability of thanking the man, for allowing them to come onto his watercraft. If it weren't for him. The company would more then likely have been slaughtered by now.

The healer went up to the man personally to thank him for allowing herself, and her other companions onto the barge. It was then, she learned that Bard, was his name and he gave her a small smile at her surprising politeness for a Dwarf. The two of them began a conversation. The bowman smirked to himself when she would deflect certain questioned he would ask, about the Dwarves. Maura knew well enough how protective Thorin was of this quest and it wasn't her place to divulge any of that information; including who they were. The woman was about to rejoin the others when he spoke again. " Are they hurting you?" he asked. The question caught her off guard, stopping her in her tracks and turned around to look at him.

"No...no none of them would ever hurt me." She assured, glancing at the Dwarves over in the far corner.

"Then how did you get the mark on your face? And what happened to you're neck?" He asked in concern, yet he was being serious at the same time.

One of the half-breed's hand instantly went to her neck injury. It's been months since that terrifying night but it was still just as difficult to talk about it and especially to someone she barely knew. The man watched her hesitation. "I rather, not talk about it."

Thorin was quietly speaking with Dwalin, while the rest of his men tried to stay warm, which was incredibly difficult in their drenched clothing and the day was only getting colder. The prince was looking among the company, when he noticed one member appeared to be missing. He turned to his left and saw the healer, speaking with the bowman. This didn't sit well with the Dwarf and it made his insides boil even more. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, it was this man. Thorin watched as the half-breed began scratching at her neck injury, which he noticed she only did when she was being asked something she didn't want to answer. "Maura." Thorin called. The woman turned in his direction to see him waving her over and without saying another word, the healer walked back over to her companions. She half expected Thorin to demand what she had been saying to this man, but it was the complete opposite. "Are you alright?" The woman looked at him in a bit of a shock. She couldn't understand where all this sudden worry for her came from. For the longest time she assumed it was out of guilt for what happened to her, but now she wasn't sure anymore.

"I'm fine..."Maura answered quickly, giving him a reassuring smile. " You're not mad I was talking to him?" She dared to ask.

"Maura, I trust you. It's him I don't trust." Thorin told her.

"I want you to know, that I didn't say anything about any of you or this quest."

"Maura, I trust you." He assured her. Before any more could be said, they heard the distress voice of Bofur shouting as they hit thick fog.

"Watch out!"

The company all looked in the direction they were heading to see they had entered a rocky area. Nearly hitting one of the tall jagged slab of rock, the company grabbed onto whatever was near them. Maura instinctively, without even realizing it, grabbed hold of Thorin's clothing. The healer, thinking they were about to crash. The sudden movement, startled the prince as he looked down beside him to see how close she was to him. It wasn't until now, that it made him feel awkward whenever she was near him. Bard steered the barge around the rock formations perfectly and the company was able to let out the breath they were holding in. Maura could feel eyes on her and sure enough she looked up to see Thorin looking at her with those intense blue eyes and she realized she was still clutching his clothing and let's go, feeling slightly embarrassed and the prince felt a smirk tug at his lips when he saw the color that filled her cheeks. Thorin narrowed his eyes and glared over the woman's head, at the man. " What are you trying to do, drown us?" he hissed.