Thyri, Daughter of Thrain, Dragonslayer (Book 2)

Laketown (part. 1)

The man paddles the dwarves and Bilbo across the lake in his barge. It is very foggy, and the barge pushes aside ice floes. Suddenly, large stone formations appear out of the fog. Bofur shouts "Watch out !" The man expertly poles the barge between the rock formations, which turn out to be ancient ruins. Thorin asks "What are you trying to do, drown us ?"

The man tells him "I was born and bred on ​these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." Thyri, sitting next to him, says "Ouch, that was harsh to say that, my friend." The man smiles "I thought you were a loner. I never thought that you like being in a company of male dwarves and a halfling." Thyri says "Well, I didn't see my brother and my cousins for years. I thought that it could be great to see him." The man asks "How's your arm ?" She says "Better now. Thanks to Lord Elrond. What about you, how's the kids ?" Dwalin whispers as he looks at Thyri who is still talking to the man "Oh I have enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him." Bilbo answer him slightly angrily "Ohh, Bard, his name's Bard." Bofur asks "How do you know ?" Bilbo says "Uh, I asked him." Thyri giggles at how Bilbo answered Bofur. Dwalin whispers to Thorin "I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him." Balin says "We do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him. Come on now, lads, turn out your pockets." The dwarves begin pulling out their money and valuables. Balin asks "Thyri ?" She pulls out her money "Here take all of it." Balin smiles "I see that you're still generous, lass." Thyri smiles back "You know me, Balin." Dwalin whispers to Thorin "How do we know he won't betray us ?" Thorin whispers "We don't." Thyri, who is next to them, whispers "Can you two just trust him ? Or I'll be forced to drown you both here." The two dwarves look at the princess in shock. Dwalin chuckles "You didn't change this attitude a bit, little lass." Thorin chuckles too. Thyri rolls her eyes and went next to Bard. Balin counts the money "There's, um, just a problem : we're ten coins short." Thyri looks at Gloin "Gloin." The Company looks at her and Thorin says "Come on. Give us what you have." Gloin tells them "Don't look to me. I have been bled dry by this venture ! And what have I seen for my investment ? Naught but misery and grief and-" Gloin stops talking when he realizes that all the others have slowly stood up and are looking at something in the distance. As the fog thins, we see the Lonely Mountain. Gloin says "Bless my beard​. Take it. Take all of it." Gloin hands Balin a sack of coins he had secretly withheld before. Bilbo coughs and gestures his head toward Bard, who is approaching the dwarves on their end of the barge "The money, quick, give it to me." Thorin replies "We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Bard tells them "If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." The dwarves turn and see the rooftops of Laketown in the distance.