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Alenia leaned over the edge of the boat, the spray of the water hitting her outstretched hand. The bargeman, whose name she had learned was Bard, stood a few feet away, steering the boat through the icy waters of the lake.

"Watch out!" Bofur yelled, as a large stone foundation appeared out of the fog that hung in the air.

Bard, however, didn't miss a beat, and swiftly steered around the rock formation causing to Alenia to laugh softly at the look on the dwarves' face as they passed very close to the stone.

"What are you trying to do, drown us?" Thorin snarled at the bargeman.

"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." Bard said, as Alenia wandered over to the rest of the group, and joined Kili, who was sitting on the railing.

"Oh I have enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him." Dwalin said quietly, glaring over at Bard.

"Ohh, Bard, his name's Bard." Bilbo snapped at the frustrated dwarf.

"How do you know?" Bofur retorted.

"Uh, we asked him." Alenia said, smirking slightly. "Just because you dwarves have the manners of fruit flies, doesn't mean Bilbo and I need to be dragged down with you."

"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him." Dwalin grumbled, while Kili slapped Alenia's arm at the fruit fly comment.

"We do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him. Come on now, lads, turn out your pockets." Balin said.

The members of the company threw down coins.

"You gonna add anything princess?" Kili muttered in Alenia's ear.

"Don't look at me." Alenia snorted, shaking her head with a wry smile. "The elves stole all my money. Not that I had much to begin with anyway."

"How do we know he won't betray us?" Dwalin whispered to Thorin, within earshot of Alenia.

"We don't." Thorin muttered in response.

Alenia, leaning into the prince and his warrior, said, "He wouldn't. Look at him." She discreetly gestured to the man poling them through the water. "He's just a father trying to make the world a better place for his kids."

"And you think that includes getting Erebor back?" Thorin asked.

"I think that includes booting Smaug out on his scaly behind. Preferably that of his carcass." Alenia said. "I doubt living in the shadow of a dragon's home does much for the property prices around here."

Dwalin snorted, causing Alenia to raise an eyebrow in amusement.

"There's, um, just a problem: we're ten coins short." Balin said suddenly.

"Gloin. Come on. Give us what you have." Thorin said.

"Don't look to me. I have been bled dry by this venture! And what have I seen for my investment? Naught but misery and grief and-" The red-headed dwarf's chatter was cut off as the fog cleared, the blanket lifting to reveal a single, solitary peak, almost glowing in the far off sunlight.

"Erebor." Alenia breathed in awe.

"Bless my beard. Take it. Take all of it." Gloin stammered, placing a pouch of coins on the table.

Bilbo coughed and jerked his head in the direction of the approaching bargeman.

"The money, quick, give it to me." Bard said, reaching a hand out.

"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin said, his voice low, threatening.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." Bard replied cooly.

Alenia gave Thorin a look. He gave her a look right back. Alenia widened her eyes and jutted her head at the pile of coins. He sighed. She smirked.

"Into the barrels." Bard instructed.

The dwarves moved back towards the cluster of wooden containers, and as the rest of the Company clambered into their respective barrels, Kili and Fili helped Alenia into her own.

Or at least tried to.

The half-elf would sooner have died then admit how much her leg actually hurt. Would sooner have died then slow the Company down by being weak. So she waved off the help, and put on a neutral face, careful to not show the pain she was in, before sliding down to sit in her barrel.

The rest of the dwarves had just disappeared from sight, when the boat slowed, carefully pulling up at the dock.

Boots clunked on wood, as Bard hopped off the boat and walked towards a man, and began speaking with him.

"What's he doing?" Bofur asked.

"He's talking to someone." Bilbo said. "And he's...pointing right at us!"

A dwarf muttered a curse from somewhere nearby.

"Now they're shaking hands." Bilbo reported worriedly.

"What?" Thorin asked, furious.

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

"He wouldn't." Alenia protested.

"He did." Thorin growled.

Alenia opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off as slippery, scaly fish were tipped into her barrel, filling it to the brim.

After the other barrels were filled, the boat creaked as they began moving again.

"It stinks." A dwarf complained, their voice muffled by the fish.

"Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." Bard said, kicking a barrel nearby to shut up the grumblings.

"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers, please." A voice yelled out. "Oh, it's you, Bard."

"Morning, Percy." Bard said in greeting.

"Anything to declare?" The man, Percy, asked.

"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready for home." The bargeman replied.

"You and me both." Percy chuckled.

Footsteps faded away, before returning after a few seconds. "Here we are. All in order."

A rustling of papers sounded, before a nasally voice rang out. "Not so fast."

"Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only, they're not empty, are they, Bard?" The voice asked. "If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman."

"That's none of your business." Bard said.

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which makes it my business." The voice said, it's nasalliness grating through Alenia's ears. By the Valar, she could picture the man in all of his greasiness.

"Oh come on, Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat!" Bard protested.

Ah, Alfrid. Ugh. His name even sounded weasley.

"These fish are illegal." Alenia held her breath in fear. "Empty the barrels over the side."

"You heard him. Into the canal. Come on, get a move on." A soldier ordered.

Alenia's barrel tipped, fish beginning to slide out. She ducked her head, making herself as small as possible, praying that they would stop dumping before she was revealed.

"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard said.

Please let this work. Alenia thought.

"That's not my problem." Alfrid said, most likely sneering.

"And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?" The bargeman said, just as Alenia could feel the cold air beginning to hit the tips of her pointed ears through the remaining fish.

A few second ticked by, before Alfrid said suddenly, "Stop."

Alenia's barrel rolled on it's lip before settling again on the deck of the boat, the fish sliding to cover the half-elf again. She let loose a quiet sigh of relief.

"Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk?" Alfrid taunted. "You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last."

"Raise the gate!" Percy yelled, as footsteps faded away from the boat again.

"The Master has his eye on you; you'd do well to remember. We know where you live." Alfrid yelled out as the boat moved away from the wooden deck.

"It's a small town, Alfrid; everyone knows where everyone lives." Bard shouted back, before they entered Laketown.

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a/n:

yo this chapter is dedicated to carolstanvers-

girlie you crack me up like there's no tmrw (and i love ur username haha)

thx for all the support on this <33

and sorry this chapter is so short, this is all i had time for

- ash xx