Breath of Life

Chapter 8

We soon approached the City of Esgaroth and for another time, the poor dwarves had to hid into barrels again. I closed them all and secured, that no dwarf would be visible. Bard, the name of our smuggler, tapped me on my shoulder. "And what is it with you? Where do I hide you, the barrels are full of dwarves..." I cut him off. "Close your eyes and think of your son." he looked at me in shock. "What...?" - "Do as I told you." He closed immediately his eyes and I put my both hands on both his temples. After a while I shift-shaped into his son. "Now you can open your eyes, Bard." He opened it and immediately he startled. "Bain... wha... how...?" I giggled. "It's me silly, Merenwen in the form of your son Bain. Like that you can pass without suspicion." He looked at me with wide eyes.

"What kind of sorcery is that?" - "It's one of my powers I possess or I could say, I am cursed with that..." I lowered my head and looked at my hands. "They all react in fright when I show them my power. Sometimes I think I'm cursed. And most of all the time I'm alone." He seemed to catch himself again and look at me with sympathy. He put a hand on my shoulder. "For my part, I think it's amazing and I would love to see more tricks, when we have the time." He smiled warmly at me.

"Now we have to act normal. There is the guard. Stay here and be quiet." I know, the last part was directed to the dwarves inside the barrels. "I will talk to them and then, when hopefully everything's alright, we can pass and I will you provide as good as I can your weapons." Grumps and groans were to hear from the barrels. "Now quiet!" Bard hissed one last time and went from the boat. 

"Merenwen, can you see something?" Balin whispered to me. "Yes, he's talking to the guard." I replied. "And now he's pointing at us." - "What?" Dwalin replied incredolous. "I knew, we can't trust him!" Dwalin shouted and I shushed him to be quiet. Then the guard opened the lid of the barrels and without looking down, they filled them with dead fishes. I had to hold back laughters. Poor dwarves! And they stinked! When the guards walked away, Bard came back to the ship. "I told you, I will find a way." He grinned. I could hear Dwalin murmur something, I think it wasn't a compliment at all. Old grumpy dwarf.

We decided, that it's safer to climb up the toilet, because nobody would see us. Bard told us where to go and soon we all popped out, to the surprise of the kids of Bard, from the toilet. The son of him wanted to help Dwalin out but he refused. "If you tell this anyone, I will kill you." He threatened the laddie. I rolled my eyes. I climbed right before Fili. "Hmm.. nice view." He chuckled from behind me. I just rolled my eyes and I stepped in full purpose on his hand. "Ouch." Fili moaned. "It was a compliment." He whined. I somehow blushed at his compliment. Fortunately he couldn't see my face. "Next time it will be your face." I looked down at him with a glare. He just pulled his pouty lip out and looked at me with puppy eyes. I groaned in desperation and continued to climb out of the toilet.

I climbed out and helped Fili and Kili and the others. When it went to help Thorin he hesitated to give me his hand to pull him out and then sighed with annoyance in his eyes and gave me finally his hand to help him. He stood and glared at me. "Thank you." Ah, the dwarf could finally speak to me and say Thank you. I grinned my million dollar smile at him "You're welcome, Mr. Oakenshield." He then walked past me to the others without glancing at me. "Now, where are the weapons you promised us?" Thorin locked his eyes with Bard. I could see a dangerous sparkle in Thorin's eyes. "Here." He layed a bunch of 'weapons' on the table with a blanket wrapped around it. 

The dwarves immediately unwrapped it. "But these are not real weapons!" Dwalin exclaimed holding a rake. The dwarves shouted in a mess. There laid rakes, hayforks, axes and everything a farmer would need to cultivate their fields. "I think, Master Bard did the possible to help us, don't you think? Show a bit more gratitude, he risked his life to smuggle us in here. And a rake is better than to have no weapons." I put in. They all grew quite and Balin nodded. "I think the lass is right, we should be grateful and bring our thanks to Master Bard." Thorin just nodded his head towards Bard to show his gratitude. What a douche, I thought.

"Unfortunately the weapons of the guards are all locked in a safe cellar with guards watching. It's impossible to pass unseen by them." Bard said more to me than to the dwarves. I nodded. "Thank you Bard, you really helped us and risked your and that of your children. There's not more to ask from you." I put a hand on Bard's shoulder and smiled sweetly at him. "You have a brave and good soul. Never let the dark overtake it." He smiled. "You have a good soul too, Merenwen."

Fili's POV

I turned around from the mess, my fellows made, to see that Merenwen had laid a hand on the shoulder of Bard and smiling sweetly at him. I felt a jolt in the pit of my stomach. What was this feeling? I never had it in my life. I then approached them. "Master Bard, I wanted to thank you for your help, you have to know, even if they don't show it properly, we all are very thankful." I nodded. I really was thankful, so my brother could lay on a bed and rest his injured leg. And on the other side, I did see that Bard and Merenwen grew fond of each other. I didn't fancy it at all. Was I jealous? I am not Kili who falls in love with the first elf maid who saves his life!

"Thank you, I appreciate it." He nodded. "Now I have to make sure, nobody would find out about you. It's very difficult to hide a bunch of dwarves." He chuckled and went away leaving me and Merenwen alone. She looked down on me and gave me a fainting sweet smile. "That was very polite, blondie." I shook my head. "You don't know nothing uf us. We can be polite and very charming, m'lady." She smiled even wider and said to me "this point goes to you." Then we were interrupted by a small figure who was holding her hand. It was Bilbo. She kneeled for him. "Are you alright, Merenwen?" He asked in worry. "Yes I am, now that you are safe with us." She gave him a sweet smile and a hug. It was somewhat cute how Bilbo tried to hug her back. "Don't worry, my fellow, I will protect you. That is my promise to you." She tousled him his hair and I could see he was flattered and had rosy cheeks. "Now I have to look after the poor Kili." And with that she turned to the chamber, where Kili was.