Extra Company

Chapter 23

I sat beside Kili, who has so far refused to leave my side. The entire lake was coated in fog, the air growing colder by the minute. Ruins and small icebergs laid on our path, the barge man weaving the ship through them. I crossed my arms, struggling to keep the heat in as I began to shiver lightly, watching as Balin began stacking coins onto a small crate, counting them as he goes.

I secretly wished it was just a little warmer, I hate the cold, especially in this form where I had hardly any fur. Cold water I can handle, but cold air is a totally different story. I rub my hands together, wishing I didn't leave my cloak behind.

"Watch out!" I hear Bofur scream, pointing to a sort of brick column that formed just as we got close to it. The bargeman turned the ship away from the column calmly, moving around the old stone structure before the ship could hit it.

Thorin turned to stare up at the bargeman, "What are you trying to do? Drown us?" He spoke in a low tone.

"I was born and bred on these waters, master dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." The bargeman spoke in the same tone, slightly agitated by the way Thorin talked to him, which I couldn't blame him for, I would be too. He didn't have to agree to help after all, even if he was getting paid.

"Oh, I've had enough of this lippy lakeman." I hear Dwalin grumbled under his breath, causing me to roll my eyes, slowly growing agitated. "I say we throw him over the side and be done with it."

"Bard. His name's Bard." Bilbo put in, his arms tightly crossed to his chest, looking over at Dwalin.

"How do you know?" Bofur questioned.

"Uh, I asked him." Bilbo answered, looking up towards the sky before looking back to the dwarf.

"I don't care what he calls himself." Dwalin spoke, pushing away from the crates to walk over to where most of the company sat by Balin. "I don't like him." I've had enough of dwarves at this point, now I know why Gandalf so willingly ran off before the whole thing with the trolls.

I stood up with a huff, about to walk away till Kili reached up, grabbing my wrist. "Where are you going?" He asked, his tone holding confusion.

"To sit beside Bard." I answer, looking down at him calmly, before snatching my wrist out of his grip as I walk over towards the bargeman with Bilbo following right behind me, seeming to be done with the dwarves as well.

"Be careful." Thorin warned, glancing over towards me before looking over at Bard.

"I have no need to be careful, he isn't going to harm me." I say as I walked past him, walking over to sit down a small ways away from Bard, Bilbo looking out towards the lake before one of the dwarves called Bilbo, causing him to let out a small groan before walking away towards them.

I rubbed my arms, Bard seeming to notice as he slipped off his jacket, walking over handing it to me, "Here, you can use my jacket."

I looked up at him, "I don't want to trouble you, plus you need it as much as me." I say, glancing down at the jacket in his hands before looking back up at him, before gesturing to my wounds.

He shook his head, "It won't be any trouble. I hate to see a lady shuffering out in this weather." He spoke as he draped his coat over my shoulders. "Besides, the weather doesn't bother me as much anymore anyway." He added as he walked back over to steer the barge, keeping it steady as it moved in between two large boulders.

I then looked towards the dwarves before looking at him as I pulled the ends of the jacket closer to my body, bundling myself up like as if I had a blanket. "They mean well ... really." I say, gaining his attention. "They just don't trust others easily. Believe me ... I know full well." I offer him a smile, looking up at him softly.