Vistial quietly sat near the back of the boat, shivering slightly.

"You're shivering. Here." Bard, as Vistial learned was the man's name, pulls off his coat and wraps it around Vistial's shoulders.

"Thank you." Vistail thanks. Bard nods and returns to steering the boat.

"Why is a lady like you traveling with dwarves?" Bard asks.

"They needed a navigator." Vistial replies.

"A navigator?" Bard questions, looking at the girl in confusion, who nods. "Why you? Shouldn't you have stayed home?" Vistial laughs. Clearly, the man didn't fully know who she was.

"I would except that I'm 'Middle Earth's best navigator', or so I've been called." Vistial replies. Bard's eyes widen.

"You're Vistial, aren't you?" The man asks. Vistial nods with a smile. "You're....younger than I had expected." Vistial laughs.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Watch out!" Bofur suddenly shouts from the front of the boat. Bard easily steers around the iceberg.

"What are you trying, to do, drown us?" Thorin demands, glaring at the man.

"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." Bard responds. Thorin returns angrily to the group, who huddle together.

"I'm sorry for my companions' behavior." Vistial says to Bard.

"It's alright. Dwarves are known for their stubbornness." Bard replies.

"You could say that again."

~~~

"Into the barrels, quickly." Bard directs the Company into the barrels, but stops Vistial as she starts to get in.

"There's no need for you to hide. You'll be able to gain entrance." He says. He sits her on the bench. "Keep the hood over your head. Do not speak." Vistial nods, pulling the hood up. She watches as Bard talks to a fisherman, pointing at the barrels. She almost laughs aloud as fish is dumped into the barrels, hiding the illegal cargo.

'I'm so glad I'm not in one of those.' Vistial thinks as Bard starts the barge off again. One of the barrels groan, and Bard kicks it.

"Quiet. We're approaching the tollgate." Bard steers the barge to a stop in front of the Lake-town entrance gate.

"Halt! Goods inspection!" The toll collector appears. "Papers, please! Oh, it's you, Bard."

"Morning, Percy." Bard greets the man.

"Anything to declare?" Percy asks.

"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired and ready for home." Bard replies, handing Percy the papers.

"You and me both." Percy clears Bard for clearance. "There we are. All in order." Suddenly, the papers are ripped out of Percy's hand.

"Not so fast." A man appears, reading the papers. "'Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm.' Only they're not empty, are they, Bard? If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman. Not a fisherman."

"That's none of your business." Bard says quickly, casting a worried glance at Vistial. She raises the hood slightly.

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which makes it my business." The man replies.

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

"These fish are illegal. Empty the barrels over the side." Alfrid finally spots Vistial and makes his way to her. She tries to keep her hood up, but the man rips it off, exposing her face.

"Who...is this?" Alfrid demands, turning to Bard.

"A cousin of mine who came to visit. Took a tumble into the lake." Bard replies quickly. Alfrid looks back at Vistial, then walks back toward Bard.

"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard starts as the soldiers start to dump the fish. It took all of Vistial's willpower to not jump forward and pushes the soldiers away from the barrels.

"That's not my problem." Alfrid says.

"And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake. When the rioting starts...will it be your problem then?" Bard says, getting in Alfrid's face. The man contemplates the question, then raises his hand.

"Stop." Vistial sighs in relief. Alfrid looks at Bard. "Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk. You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last. The Master has his eye on you. You'd do well to remember: We know where you live."

"It's a small town, Alfrid. Everyone knows where everyone lives." Bard replies, steering the barge into Laketown. Once out of earshot, Bard turns to Vistial. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. That was close." She replies.

"Indeed." Bard says. The man steers the boat to a port, tossing the ropes to the port-man. Walking up to a barrel, he kicks it over and Nori falls out of it. He moves toward another, but Dwalin appears.

"Get your hands off me." The dwarf growls. The others appear, wet and smelling of fish. Vistial stifles a laugh, which Kili catches and smiles.

"You didn't see them. They were never here." Bard slips the man a coin. "The fish you can have for nothing. Follow me." The Company follows after Bard. A boy runs up to the group.

"Da! Our house, it's being watched." Bard looks from the boy to the Company.

"Come, quickly." He instructs the dwarves and Bilbo on what to do, but keeps Vistial with him. "You can come with me." Vistial follows Bard and Bain through the streets of Laketown. She notices how some of the people stare at her, and she raises her hood, keeping her head low. She follows Bard to a small house toward the east side of the town. Vistial watches as he throws an apple to two men in a boat before following him into the home. "You can tell the Master I'm done for the day."

"Da!" A little girl appears, hugging Bard. "Where have you been?" She notices Vistial. "Who's that?"

"A friend." Bard replies. Another girl appears, this one older than the first.

"Father! There you are! I was worried." Bard hugs the girl.

"Here, Sigrid." Bard gives the girl the bag that he carried. He turns to Bain. "Bain, get them in." The boy runs down the stairs to the bathroom. He knocks on the wall and Dwalin appears.

"If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off." The dwarf clambers out of the toilet, shoving Bain's hand away. "Get off."

"Up there." Bain points upstairs before turning to help the others.

"Da, why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" Sigrid asks.

"Will they bring us luck?" Vistial laughs at the sight of the others. Here she was, dry and warm, while they stood drenched and smelly. Bard passes out dry clothes.

"They may not be the best fit, but they'll keep you warm." Vistial gratefully takes a blanket, taking off Bard's coat.

"Here." She says, holding it out. He nods, taking it. Kili walks up and sat down next to her with a grunt.

"How's your leg?" Vistial asks, peering at the bandages.

"It's fine. How are you feeling?" He asks. She smiles at him.

"Fine." She looks down. "I was worried about you." She says. Kili smiles at her.

"You should worry about yourself. You can't go anywhere without almost getting hurt." He comments. Vistial laughs, which sends Kili into a blush.

"You took our money. Where are the weapons?" Thorin turns to Bard.

"Wait here." Bard disappears. Vistial stands as he appears again, carrying a large bag and emptying the contents onto the table.

"What is this?" Dwalin asks, holding up a weird contraption.

"Pike hook. Made from an old harpoon." Bard replies.

"And this?" Fili raises another.

"A crowbill, we call it. Fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in hand, I grant, but in defense of your life, these will serve you better than none." Bard replies.

"We paid you for weapons. Iron-forged swords and axes!" Gloin exclaims.

"It's a joke!" Dwalin says, throwing the pike hook back onto the table.

"You won't find better outside the city armory. All iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key." Bard says.

"Thorin, why not take what's on offer and go? I've made do with less. So have you." Balin states. "I say we leave now."

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

"What did you say?" Thorin wheels on the man.

"There are spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait till nightfall." Bard says. Vistial sits down with a sigh, shivering slightly. Kili sits next to her.

"Cold?" He asks. She nods. "Come here."

"You sure?" She asks. Kili nods. She crawls over into his outreached arms and lays against him. He grunts as she lies down. Visital immediately sits back up. "Sorry!"

"No, no, it's fine." He says, gesturing her to come back. Vistial complies, this time lying down gently. She feels her body relax as Kili brushes his fingers through her hair.

"That feel nice?" He whispers into her ear.

"Mmm." She mumbles, eyes already closing. In moments, she was asleep.