Bard of Laketown

Part Forty-Five

PART FORTY-FIVE

AREYA'S POV

I will not let myself be hurt by this. I knew it was coming. But then why does my heart hurt so much? I turn to look at Bard. His dark eyes are fixed on Daneya's body, his elbows resting on his knees.

I let out a breath and keep rowing, trying to think of anything that can lift this dark mist off of my mind. Archery with Tauriel and Legolas, talking to Fili and Kili, running through the forest, swimming in the river that runs by the palace.

My breathing comes a little easier, and I straighten my back. When I look up again, Bard is staring at me, his eyes expressionless. I smile self-consciously, but he does not look away. "What do you want, Bargeman?" My voice sounds exhausted.

He leans back, the corners of his mouth lifting up slightly. "I want to know... Why did you kill my wife?" His voice breaks and he weeps without any shame, his hands over his face. The lines by his eyes are more pronounced, his shoulders are shaking.

It hurts me that he still thinks I did it.

I clench my hands tighter around the oars, ignoring the sting of the blisters all over my fingers and palms. "I hope that you can believe me someday."

He grunts and bites the inside of his cheek. Falling in love with this man was the stupidest thing I have ever done. I should have stayed with Thranduil. I may not love him now, but I suppose more time with him would make me forget Bard. If I was lucky.

FILI'S POV

The sun is beginning to set. Kili and I are staring into the fire, the sparks snapping and crackling. "We should just leave tomorrow morning," Kili says in a bored voice.

"We can't. I already told Areya we'd wait for her. And after letting her go off with that woman, I just- something felt wrong somehow." I pick calluses off my finger.

Kili leans forward on his elbows, his eyes twinkling. "Do you love her?"

"Of course not." I laugh quietly, but something's in the back of my mind. Do I love her? Or is it just a friendship?

"We need to leave, though. Uncle will not be pleased if we miss the reclaiming of Erebor."

"Have we not already?" A scream sounds from outside and we run to the door.

One of the townspeople stand frozen in terror, her eyes staring at a fiery shape in the sky.

"By my beard..." I say. "It's Smaug."

AREYA'S POV

The now-familiar lights of Esgaroth glint in the distance, and the metal chains around my heart loosen a bit.

Until I see the fire eating up the rickety houses, and the massive shape of a dragon.

The blood drains from Bard's face and he grabs the oars from my stiff hands. His muscular arms begin rowing faster than I was, and the boat rocks in the water. "I am the Bowman," he mutters. "It is my duty to kill the dragon."

"Where is the Black Arrow?"

"In the top of the tower in the town square." He bites on his lip until small drops of blood appear on it. We're close enough for me to smell the smoke, and we both start coughing.

Bard ties the boat to a post in a hurried knot, and we start running. "I'll get your children." I grab his arm.

He hesitates, but then nods. I turn off around the corner and he continues on to the square.

Planks and shingles from the roof drop to the dock in a burning pile, making holes in the platforms. I manage to jump over them, but a few people are not so lucky, and they go plunging into the icy waters.

I finally reach Bard's house and rip open the burning door. Smoke pours out and I hear whimpering from the corner. I take a deep breath and step inside, searching frantically for the children. My foot stubs into a leg, or arm, and I bend down and pick up the body.

When I carry it outside, I find that the child in my arms is Tilda, gasping and coughing, a horrible rasping noise. The door breaks down, and I jump out of the way.

Fili and Kili come out, carrying Sigrid and Bain. "Areya? I didn't expect you back so soon." Fili smiles at me.

"Our trip got cut a little short."

"We need to get out of here." Kili shoulders his way in front of us, drops of sweat pooling on his forehead. Ash is streaked across their faces and arms. I take one look towards the tower and see Bard's distant figure standing in the top.

"Fine." I adjust my arms around Tilda and we run towards Erebor. As we pass the tower, I stop for a minute and watch as the dragon swoops in to kill Bard. But there is nothing for me to do about it, as I don't have the Black Arrow.

I turn away, tears pricking at my eyes. I can't tell if they're from the smoke, or the sadness that is descending upon me once again.