Honour For Bastards

Chapter 25 - Greed and Charity

Laire wiped the blood from her hands, the last of the injured were patched up as best they could given the circumstances. She moved back through the people where she found Bard who spoke to Percy, "Do want you can, Percy."

Laire arrived at Bard's side, "The wounded are patched as best I can given what we have, but we need more water." she said as she looked around bleakly. 

"The children, the wounded and the women come first." Bard advised Percy. He turned and walked up a set of stone stairs as Laire fell into step behind him, and passed Alfrid who had long since fallen asleep.  "Morning, Alfrid. What news from the night watch?"

Alfrid startled awake, "All quiet, sire, I must report. Nothing gets past me." He said quickly, he sent a curious gaze towards the Ranger but refrained from asking question.

"Except an army of elves, it would seem."

Bard and Laire surveyed the courtyard where an army from Mirkwood stood at attention. The Ranger cringed, she left Erebor to escape one arrogant and greedy King and another had fallen right at her feet. Bard walked down the stone steps as Laire fell in-step behind him. In a flurry of elegant movements the soldiers parted way as the two cautiously walked past. Behind his army in all his conceited glory, was King Thranduil astride his elk. Laire wished she could have disappeared with the wind. She managed to slip past the Elven King in Mirkwood, their reunion would be far from pleasant considering he would have her executed on the spot. But this wasn't Mirkwood, and Thranduil would not come all this way just to have her head, there were bigger things at play here. 

"My lord Thranduil; we did not look to see you here." Bard acknowledged.

Thranduil turned his head to a wooden cart the rolled into the ruins of the history, "I heard you needed aid."

The wagon was filled with food, water, and other supplies. The people of Laketown had emerged slowly and their joy grew with their relief as the realisation of their salvation sank in. Bard gazed around at the almost surreal moment. They were saved.

"You have saved us! I do not how to thank you."

"I wouldna be so quick to sing yer praise, Bard. Thranduil is not known for his charity." Laire warned as she stepped out from behind him.

Thranduil's eyes narrowed menacingly on the red-head, "You are bold to show your face to me, Ranger." 

Laire could practically feel the sting of the vemon from his words, but her face was stone. "Funny, isna it? How 'ere in the ruins of Dale, beyond the reaches of yer kingdom, yer laws have no sway. It must be killin' ye inside knowin' that ye cannae touch me 'ere."

Bard watched anxiously between the two as ice formed between their stare down. As much as it infuriated the Elven King, Dale was beyond his boarders and his orders against the Ranger had no sway. But perhaps he could use her presence to his favour.

Thranduil's lips pulled into a tight line that matched his posture, "You were lucky to slip past without my knowledge before, I doubt your luck will save you next time." With one last glare towards the Ranger, Thranduil readdressed Bard who'd been watching silently. "But Laire is right, Your gratitude is misplaced. I did not come on your behalf." There was a coldness in the King's voice that made Laire and Bard tense, "I came to reclaim something of mine."

Laire frowned as she recalled the gems Legolas told her of, the very jewels that caused the rift between the races in the first place. The jewels had been in his family for generations, and belonged to his late mother. The theft of the jewels may have been what started the feud, but the greed and bitterness of both sides drove it to pure hatred. 

Thranduil rallied his army and turned them towards the road to Erebor whose walls were now shored up by rubble and stone. Bard and Laire raced after him in an anxious and desperate attempt to stop him.

"Wait! Please, wait! You would go to war over a handful of gems?" argued Bard.

"The heirlooms of my people are not lightly forsaken." Thranduil sneered.

"And what of the lives of those Dwarves in Erebor? Of your soldiers? You'd spill their blood for those jewels?" Laire demanded.

Thranduil merely brushed her aside and urged his elk forward. 

"We are allies in this. My people also have a claim upon the riches in that mountain! Let me speak with Thorin!" Bard pleaded.

This caught Thranduil's attention, "You would try to reason with a dwarf?"

"To avoid war? Yes!" Bard affirmed.

The Elven King paused and contemplated for a moment, the words of both circled in his mind. If the Dwarves agreed, he and the people of Laketown would get what was there's without blood shed. But if they refused, then with Bard and his people as allies their numbers would surely draw a surrender from the Dwarves. 

"Very well, reason with them if you must. But do not hold to hope that Thorin Oakenshield will keep to his word." 

Bard and Laire heaved a sigh of relief as Thranduil dismissed his army. But they were now faced with another challenge, Thorin Oakenshield.