Bain ran down the back steps to the outhouse to get the dwarves. He made sure that no one was watching before he knocked on the wooden wall of the toilet four times. Dwalin's head poked out of the top; he did not look happy.

"If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off." Dwalin threatened as he lifted the toilet seat up. Bain walked forward to offer his hand but Dwalin smacked it aside. "Get off." Dwalin muttered as he clambered out of the toilet.

"Up there." Bain said, pointing to the house.

Dwalin walked past him and up the stairs. Next out of the toilet was a scared looking Bilbo who took Bain's offered hand. Sigrid watched from the top of the stairs as the dwarves began to walk in.

"Da, why are there dwarves coming out of our toilet?" Sigrid asked.

"Will they bring us luck?" Tilda asked as Amara moved to stand next to her.

After they had all managed to get out of the toilet, they sat round the fire drying off as Bard handed them dry clothes.

"They may not be the best fit, but they'll keep you warm." Bard said.

"Oh, thank you." Bilbo said as Tilda offered him some clothes.

Sigrid walked over to Amara and offered her a coat.

"No, thank you, I am fine." Amara smiled.

Thorin had made his way over to the window and was looking around with interest. "The Dwarfish Wind-Lance." Thorin murmured.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Bilbo said walking up behind Thorin with Balin.

"He has. The last time we saw such a weapon the city was on fire. It was a day the dragon came. The day that Smaug destroyed Dale." Balin said gravely, remembering the way the fire had spread through the city. "Girion, the lord of the city, rallied his bowmen to fire upon the beast. But a dragon's hide is tough, tougher than the strongest armour. Only a Black Arrow fired from a wind-lance could have pierced the dragon's hide. And few of those arrows were ever made. The store was running low when Girion made his last stand." Balin said solemnly.

"If the aim of men had been true that day, much would've been different." Thorin said shaking his head.

"You speak as if you were there." Bard said walking over to the dwarves.

"All Dwarves know the tale." Thorin said quickly.

"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened his scale under the left wing, one more shot and he would've killed the beast." Bain said excitedly.

"That's a fairy story, lad. Nothing more." Dwalin said with a chuckle.

"You took our money. Where are the weapons?" Thorin said walking up to Bard.

"Wait here." Bard said before turning and walking down the stairs again. He looked around before stepping into a small long boat. He looked around again before quickly untying a rope and pulling a long bag from in the water. He slung it over his shoulder and walked back upstairs.

"Tomorrow begins the last days of autumn." Thorin said. He, Balin, Kili, Fili and Amara were stood in a circle away from everyone else, talking quietly.

"Durin's Day falls the morning after next. We must reach the mountain before then." Balin said.

"And if we do not? If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?" Kili asked.

"Then this quest has been for nothing." Amara told him.

At that moment Bard walked back in with a bag over his shoulder. He put it on the table and began to unroll the material. Inside there were various handmade weapons.

"What is this?" Thorin asked, picking up one of the weapons.

"Pike hook. Made from an old harpoon." Bard told him.

"And this?" Kili asked, holding up some kind of hammer.

"A crow bill, we call it. Fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in a hand, I grant. But in defence of your life, these will serve you better than none." Bard told them.

"We paid for weapons. Iron forged swords and axes!" Gloin said.

Amara sighed, there no way of pleasing dwarves.

"It's a joke!" Bofur exclaimed as all the dwarves put the weapons back on the table.

"You won't find better outside the city armoury. All iron forged weapons are held there under lock and key." Bard told them.

"Thorin, why not take what's on offer and go. I've made do with less, so have you." Balin said trying to convince Thorin before addressing the company. "I say we leave now."

"You're not going anywhere." Bard said.

All the dwarves looked outraged.

"What did you say?" Dwalin asked.

"There are spies watching this house in probably every dock and wharf in the town. We must wait till nightfall." Bard said the company looked to Amara for conformation.

"He is not lying." She told them.

The dwarves reluctantly sat down. Kili tried to hide the pain coming from his leg, Amara noticed. She walked over and sat next to him.

"Amara, I'm fine." He said through gritted teeth.

"No, you are not. Let me help you. You've been struck with a Morgul shaft." She told him.

"Then if what you told me in Mirkwood was true, I am beyond the help of Oin." He muttered.

"Yes, but I could go..." She started but he cut her off.

"You cannot go back to Mirkwood. The king would have you thrown in the dungeons." He said. Amara started to protest but he stopped her. "I kept quiet about your wound; now please keep quiet about mine." He asked.

She sighed but reluctantly agreed and looked up as Bard walked outside and began pacing.

"Thorin." He muttered to himself wondering where he had heard that name. His eyes went wide as he looked to the lonely mountain in recognition.

Bain opened the door and stuck his head out. "Da?" He asked.

Bard walked up to his son. "Don't let them leave." He said before walking off.

Bard ran through the town and into a small shop filled with antiques and other trinkets.

"Hello, Bard. What are you after?" The shop keeper inquired as he ran in.

"There was a tapestry. An old one. Where's it gone?" Bard asked as he began searching.

"What tapestry are you talking about?" The shop keeper asked.

Bard carried on searching and found what he was looking for.

"This one." Bard said as he opened the tapestry which showed the line of Durin. As he looked at the tapestry he heard the town's people talking about the dwarves.

"They were dwarves I tell you. Appeared out of nowhere. Full beards, fierce eyes. I've never seen the like." The women who had dropped the plant pot on the soldiers head said.

"What are dwarves doing in these parts?" One man who was making nets with another man asked.

"It's the prophecy." Another man who was sat in a boat said.

"Prophecy?" The first man asked.

"Prophecy of Durin's folk." The man in the boat said.

"A prophecy?" Bard muttered as he found Thorin's name on the tapestry. He began to realise what the company were trying to do.

"Prophecy." He muttered again trying to remember it.

"The old tales have come true." Someone said outside.

"Vast halls of treasure!" Another said.

"Can it really be true? Has the Lord of Silver Fountains returned?" A woman said and Bard over heard.

"The Lord of Silver Fountains. The King of Carven Stone. The King beneath the Mountain shall come into his own." Bard said as he started to run back to his house as he remembered the end of the prophecy.

And the bells shall ring in gladness at the Mountain King's return. But all shall fade in sadness. And the lake will shine and burn.

Bard reached his house and ran through the door. He found the dwarves and Bilbo missing, Amara was helping the girls she turned round as Bard entered.

"Da! I tried to stop them." Bain said walking over to his father.

"How long have they been gone?" Bard asked.

Bain shrugged and Bard turned to Amara.

"When were you going to tell us you planned on entering the mountain?" He exclaimed.