Rue (A Thorin Oakenshield/Hobbit Fanfiction)

36

The next morning, the Company stood on the dock, swathed in fine clothes and surrounded by the people of Lake-Town. They were preparing their leave for the Lonely Mountain, tossing their supplies onto their barge as the townspeople cheered behind them. Thorin and Bilbo were one of the last to board the barge, but before the former could, the latter pulled him aside.

"You do know we're one short. Where's Bofur?"

"If he's not here, we leave him behind."

"We'll have to, if we're to find the door before nightfall." Balin agreed, shaking his head from his seat in the boat. "We can risk no more delays."

Just as Bilbo started to clamber on the barge, Talia shoved her way through the crowd, towing a very hungover dwarf in her stead. "No, he's here. We're all here."

Fili and Kili exchanged a grin at the lump on Bofur's head, knowing he had probably woken up in a way he did not particularly enjoy. Thorin stepped aside, allowing his nephews and the alcoholic dwarf to board the ship.

"When did you slip away?"

"The second I noticed he wasn't here." Talia responded, smiling softly at her husband. "Which, because your lot fails to notice anything, gave me plenty of time."

Thorin could only grin back as his nephew helped her into the barge, following soon after. Once the dwarves were all aboard their small ship, the trumpets roared to announce the Master. He stepped onto a platform, listening to the cheers of the crowd upon his arrival. Talia could not fathom how such a loathsome character like himself had earned such respect— surely, it was due to the Company's presence.

"Go now, with our good will. And may your return bring fortune to all!"

The townspeople erupted into celebration as the Company set off down the lake, following the trail to their mountain that the sunlight illuminated. Soon, the poor and poverty-stricken Lake-Town was behind them as they drifted across the water. The eerie silence of the emptiness of the lake was unnerving, but they still enjoyed the peace and let the sun's warm glow wake them for the day ahead. Those who had drank the night away surely enjoyed the prospect as well.

"Fun night?" Talia asked Bofur, nudging him playfully. The dwarf let out a grunt in response, making the princes snicker over Talia's other shoulder.

"I'm sure it was, knowing how Master Bofur choses to drink." Kili snickered, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"Was it hard to wake him?"

"Not at all." Talia glanced to Fili before returning her gaze to the dwarf in question. Now, all of the other Company members were engaged in their conversation. "I didn't even have to kick him. By the time I got back to the Master's home, the sun was shining in his eyes, and he was drifting awake from the floor. Then, when he realized that by Durin, that was the time, he smashed his head on the table and roused himself. I only confirmed that his sense of the hour was correct and brought him here."

The dwarves laughed around them, highly amused by the story. His brothers shook his shoulders as they howled, even making Thorin and Balin turn their heads from the front of the ship.

But despite his bad mood, Bofur knew he owed credit where it was due. "Thank you for coming on my behalf, Talia."

She smiled back, wrapping an arm around him and squeezing slightly. "Anytime. I knew you wouldn't want to miss this."

Finally, after a few hours of travel, the dwarves had crossed the lake. They were up and out of the barge in seconds, dragging it onto shore and leaving it behind. As they continued uphill, they finally reached the abandoned city before the mountain. Talia sighed softly at the sight, pausing momentarily to look upon it. If the destruction were written on paper, she was sure she could sketch in the missing parts of each and every building, for she was already doing so in her mind.