Daughter Of Dragons: A Hobbit Fanfiction

The Bowman's Family

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"Bless my beard." Gloin breathed when the fantastic sight came into view.

Bard turned to the dwarves. "The money, quick, give it to me."

"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin replied.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say."

Thorin looked at Valadhiel, who gave a nod in response. They may not have known this man at all, but Valadhiel was typically a fairly good judge of character, so knew someone wasn't trustworthy moments after meeting them.

"Hide in the barrels." Bard then told them, gesturing to the barrels before he began paddling toward the dock.

The dwarves and Bilbo all got into a barrel, and Valadhiel, still in her wolf form, sat down next to Bard. Hopefully no one would suspect her, though she didn't see why anyone would. Dogs were man's best friend after all.

Soon, Bard docked his barge and walked up to someone before he began talking to him. Valadhiel watched him and listened in, glancing back at Dwalin when he asked what he was doing.

"He's talking to someone." Bilbo replied quietly, watching Bard as he spoke. His eyes widened when Bard pointed right at them. "And he's... pointing right at us!"

Thorin, hiding in a barrel, resisted the urge to peel over the top of it. He wouldn't want to give away their location, though he had a bad feeling that this man might be doing just that.

"Now they're shaking hands." Bilbo informed them after a moment.

"What?" Thorin said.

"That villain! He's selling us out!" Dwalin growled.

"Calm down, I can hear every word being spoken." Valadhiel harshly whispered to them, keeping her snout as still as possible. "Prepare to smell like fish."

"Smell like fish? What do you-"

"Sh!" Valadhiel looked up when the two men walked over and wagged her tail, barking a couple of times at the man before quieting when Bard patted the top of her head and told her to calm down. She watched as fish was poured into each barrel, resisting the urge to laugh.

"Oh, great." Dwalin muttered once he was sure that the man was gone.

Bard kicked the barrel that the dwarf was in. "Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate."

"Halt!" The gatekeeper said, not looking up to see who it was. "Goods inspection. Papers, please." He then looked up before he continued. "Oh, it's you, Bard. And you brought a friend with you, I see."

"Morning, Percy."

"Anything to declare?"

"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready to go home." Bard replied, handing papers over to the gatekeeper.

"You and me both. Here we are. All in order." Percy said, patting Valadhiel on the top of her head before holding the papers out for Bard.

"Not so fast." Another man, who had soldiers with him, said. He walked over to them, took the papers from Percy, and read them before he looked at the barge. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm, only, they're not empty. Are they, Bard? If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman."

Valadhiel had wagged her tail when Percy patted the top of her head, then she looked at the other man that had walked over and immediately pinned her ears back. She sensed trouble from this guy. When the man picked up a fish, she growled at him loudly, then yelped when she was kicked in the ribs by him.