All I've ever known

45

They all looked up at Thorin expectantly, waiting for him to speak. He took a breath and barked,"Dry your clothes as quickly as you can. You have two minutes." Everyone was silent at first, mostly from disbelief, but they rapidly began to wring out their sopping clothes when they saw the fire in Thorin's eyes.
Bilbo scurried over by Balins side,"That's somewhat rude. He could have at least said a few words in her name." Balin sighed,"Aye lad, he could have. But I doubt he would have been able to control him self from breaking down." The hobbit sat down on a rock and wrung his coat,"What do you mean?" Balin sat down on the rock across from him,"What I mean, is that the poor lad is heartbroken. He did really love her, still does." Bilbo scrunched her eyebrows together,"He had a funny way of showing it." Bofur appeared behind Bilbo,"He did yes, but that's how Thorin shows his love. By masked worry. And of course he's heartbroken, her love for him was all he's ever known really." The three of them sat in silence from then on.
Meanwhile, Ori was sitting at the edge of the bank, pouring out water from his shoe. He felt a presence behind him and turned around. Ori dropped his shoe and held his hands up,"Don't shoot!" Dwalin quickly grabbed a spare axe and was aiming for the bowman, but the bowman was to quick. He fired a perfect shot that knocked the axe clean out of Dwalin's hands. He now pointed another arrow at Dwalin's head,"I would not test your luck again dwarf." Thorin slowly stepped forward to speak, but Balin beat him to it.
Balin smiled,"You're from Laketown if I'm not mistaking?"
The man dropped his aim,"Aye, who are you?" Balin clapped his hands together,"We are just simple merchants, traveling to visit our kin in the Iron Hills." The man looked down and ran his hands along the barrel to his right,"I know where these barrels came from." Dwalin scoffed,"What of it?" The bowman glared,"I don't know what business you had with the elves but I can see it did not end well." Balin began to look nervous,"That aside, this barge wouldn't happen to be able to carry passengers would it?" The man laughed,"The lake master would put you in chains before risking the wrath of King Thranduil. To get across you'd need a smuggler." Balin jumped on the opportunity,"For which we will pay double."
Thorin huffed and the bowman agreed. Balin kept speaking with the bowman while he loaded the barrels,"I suppose the money will go to a new coat?" The man laughed,"This coat has served me greatly. No, the money will go to food." Balin smiled,"Ah, I suppose you must have young ones then hm? How many?" The man smiled,"Two girls and a boy." Balin laughed,"And your wife, she must be a beauty." The man smiled sadly,"Aye. She was." Balin instantly regretted his word,"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" Thorin placed his left hand on Balins shoulder,"He knows you meant no harm."
The man narrowed his eyes,"What of your wife?" He nodded towards the ring on Thorin's finger,"Where is she?" Thorin didn't answer and barked at the group,"Get on the boat. He glared once more at the man before stomping onto the boat himself.