The sky was getting brighter and the weather was getting warmer. After a while, the river bypassed a cliff on the left. At the bottom of the cliff, the turbulent currents collided with each other, and many white bubbles appeared. Then, the cliff disappeared, and so did the trees. What Birbo saw was:
The terrain became open, and the water of the river flowed in all directions. Some of it stopped between the islands on both sides and became small lakes. However, there was still a strong main stream that continued to flow downward. In the distance, among the broken clouds, was the lonely mountain that they had been longing for day and night!
The mountain extended northeast all the way to the end of the line of sight. It stood proudly and looked down at the plain in front of it. Lonely Mountain! Birbo had gone through many adventures to see this sight, but he did not like it at all.
At the same time, he listened to the boatmen's conversation and pieced together the current situation from the information they had leaked. He soon realized that he was lucky to be able to see it from afar. After experiencing the pain of being placed under house arrest and the discomfort of his current position (not to mention the dwarves below), he was actually much luckier than he thought. The other party was talking about the nearby trade and communication on the river, because the road from the east to Gloomy Jungle had long been abandoned and no longer used. The humans and wood elves on the long lake had to frequently use the Jungle River as the main road for transportation, and they had to manage the neighboring riverbanks. Ever since the dwarves left the Lonely Mountain, the area had undergone great changes. That era had long become an ancient legend for the people of the present. Even their way of life had changed since Gandalf last met them. The flood and heavy rain made the river to the east even more turbulent, and there were even a few earthquakes in the middle.(Some people thought that this was all caused by the dragon. As they spoke, they nodded in the direction of the lone mountain and threw a curse or two.) The swamps and forests on both sides of the river continued to expand, and the road was covered. Many knights and travelers who tried to find a way through also disappeared into the dense forest. The elven path that Beweng had suggested would only lead to a dead end at the eastern edge of the forest. During this time, the only way to travel north from Gloomy Jungle was through the river, which was still under the strict supervision of the Wood Elves.
Therefore, you also understand that Birbo and the others have actually embarked on the only feasible path. In fact, Gandalf had just heard about the destruction and changes of the road, and was busy with other work (as for what it was, it had nothing to do with this story), preparing to return to find Thorin and his companions. Mr. Baggins, who was shivering on the bucket, might feel better if he knew about this. Unfortunately, Birbo didn't know.
All he knew was that the river seemed to be stretching forward without end. He was very angry, and his nose was cold. Moreover, the closer he got to the mountain, the more he felt that the mountain was frowning at him, as if it was unhappy that he dared to approach it. However, after a while, the river turned south and the mountains became less ferocious. In the afternoon, the two banks turned into rocky terrain, and the river became deeper and more rapid, allowing everyone to quickly sail towards their target.
The sun had already set when the river made a sharp turn to the east, allowing the river in the forest to flow into the lake. At the edge of the lake, there was a steep gate like a cliff, and there were many roofs below. This was Long Lake! Birbo had never thought that other than the sea, there would be any water that looked so vast. In fact, even the other side of the lake seemed very far away. The other end of the tree pointed in the direction of the lone mountain. Even the shore of the lake could not be seen. Birbo had seen the map of this area before, so he knew that the Torrent River flowed down from the mountain and joined hands with the Jungle River to turn this terrain, which might have been a deep valley, into a lake. To the south of the lake, the water from the confluence of the two rivers fell down the waterfall with a thunderous force, flowing to the unknown end. In this quiet evening, they could hear the low roars coming from afar.
Not far from the Jungle River was the strange town that the elves had mentioned. Although there were a few buildings on the shore, it was not built on the shore, but in the middle of the lake. Under the protection of a huge rock, the center of the lake formed a calm area. The wooden bridge led to the center of the lake, and a bustling town was built on the wooden stake. Humans lived here, braving the danger of being attacked by the evil dragons in the distance. These people still relied on the river from the south to make a living by relying on the trade of handcarts across the waterfall. However, in ancient times, when Riverdale in the north was still prosperous, they lived a richer and more comfortable life. There were countless ships on the water. Some were loaded with gold, while others were fully armed warriors. Many of the battles and heroic deeds of the past had now become legends. When the drought came and the lake receded, people could still see the ruins of the old town on the shore.
Most of the humans had no memory of this, but some people still sang songs about the king of the dwarves in the mountains. They were songs about Saul, Thorne, and the people of Turin when they were the masters of the country. The lyrics also described the arrival of the dragon and the destruction of Riverdale. Some of the songs claimed that Saul and Thorne would return one day, that gold would flow from the mountains, and that the earth would be enveloped in new laughter and songs. However, this beautiful legend had no effect on their hard work.
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When the raft appeared, there were many small boats in the town. People came to greet the people who were rowing the raft. Then, they threw out ropes and paddled hard, pulling the raft out of the current and stopping it in the small bay of Long Lake Town. It was parked not far from the bridge. Soon, the people from the south would come to retrieve these barrels, fill them with goods, and send them back to the home of the Wood Elves. At the same time, the bucket would be left there for the boatmen and elves to go to the town to drink and have fun.
If they knew what happened on the shore after night fell, they would definitely be quite surprised. Birbo cut open a bucket and pushed it ashore. After the barrel was opened, a miserable looking dwarf walked out. His beard was covered with straw, and not only that, his body was sore and bruised, and he almost did not have the strength to walk to the shore and lie down. He looked tired and hungry, like a stray dog that had not been fed for a week. This was Thorin, but you could only guess from his gold necklace, his sky-blue hood covered in black marks, and his tattered silver tassels. It was a long time before he managed to treat the hobbits with more courtesy.
"Are you dead or alive?" Birbo asked rather rudely. He might have forgotten that he had at least eaten one more meal than the dwarves and had the chance to move his limbs and breathe freely. "Have you escaped from prison? If you want to eat, if you want to go on with your stupid adventure-may I remind you, that's your adventure, not mine! Then quickly move your arms, massage your legs, and help me release the others!”
Thorin understood, of course, so after a few more wails, he got up and helped the hobbit as much as he could. In this dark knee-high lake, it was quite difficult to find the right bucket. They knocked and hit, and in the end, only six dwarves still had the strength to respond. When they were rescued, they all sat on the shore and wailed in grief. It was difficult for them to feel the joy of regaining their freedom, let alone thank Birbo.
Dwarin and Balin were in the worst condition, and it was useless to ask them for help. Beaver and Boffo were in a better condition, but they were lying on the ground and refusing to fight. As for Kili and Philip, they were relatively young and were stuffed into smaller buckets with more straw. Therefore, they were more or less smiling. They did not have as many bruises, and their numb limbs recovered quickly.
"I hope I never smell an apple again!”Philip said," My bucket is full of that smell. Besides, you can't move at the same time. You're starving. Now, no matter what it is, I can eat it for hours, except for apples!”
With the help of Philip and Kili, Thorin and Birbo finally found all their companions and rescued them. Poor Fat Uncle Pang had either fallen asleep or fainted. Dori, Nori, Ou Li, Ou Yin, and Gloin all drank a lot of water and looked half dead. One by one, they were carried to the shore and laid there to rest.
"Wow! We're finally here!" Thorin said,"I think we should thank Mr. Baggins and the stars. I think he deserves it, but I privately hope he can arrange a more comfortable journey. Even so, Mr. Baggins, we owe you once more. After we have eaten and drunk our fill, I believe we will be even more grateful to you. What should we do next?"
" I suggest we go to Laketown," Birbo said."What else can we do?"
Indeed, there was no other choice. So Thorin, Philip, Kili, and Birbo walked along the riverbank to the bridge. There were guards at the bridgehead, but they were actually quite lax because it had been a long time since they had a chance to show their skills. Other than the occasional dispute over transportation fees, they were actually allies with the wood elves. Other humans lived far away. Some young people in the town did not believe that there was a dragon in the mountains at all. They even laughed at the old guys who claimed to have seen the dragon fly when they were young. No wonder the guards were so busy warming themselves by the fire and drinking wine in the hut that they did not hear the dwarves coming ashore and the four of them approaching. When they saw Thorin Oakenshield walk through the door, the guards were even more shocked.
"Who are you? What do you want?" They immediately jumped up and reached for their weapons.
"I am Thorin, son of Thor, son of Thorne, King of the Mountain!”said the dwarf loudly. Although his clothes were tattered, his aura was still convincing. His waist and neck were adorned with glittering gold, and his eyes were dark and deep. "I'm back. I wish to meet your mayor!”
For a moment, everyone became very excited. Some of the more stupid guys immediately ran out of the house, as if they thought that gold would soon flow out of the mountains and the lake would immediately turn golden. The captain of the guards walked over.
"Who are these people?" he asked, pointing at Philip, Kili, and Birbo.
" They are my nephews," Thorin replied,""Philip and Kili are the people of Dooling, and Mr. Baggins is our companion from the West.”
"If you are here for peace, please put down your weapons!”the captain said.
" We have no weapons at all," Thorin replied. This was also true. Their knives had all been taken away by the wood elves. Even the Beast Bite Sword was no exception. Birbo's short sword was hidden in his sleeve as usual, and he didn't plan to say anything. "Just like the prophecy, the people who come to visit you don't need weapons. We can't make enemies with so many people. Bring us to your leader!"
" He's eating," the captain said.
"Then all the more reason for you to bring us to him!”Philip was getting impatient with all this. "We are hungry and tired after experiencing so many hardships. Hurry up and bring us there. Don't waste any more time talking. Otherwise, if your leader finds out, you'll have to take full responsibility.”
" Then follow me." The captain led six of his men and escorted them across the bridge and the town gate to the market. This was a quiet water surface surrounded by the town. There were many tall houses built nearby, and many stairs leading to the water in the middle. Noisy sounds and warm flames came from one of the big houses. They passed through the gate and blinked at the sight of the crowd inside.
"I am Thor's son, Thorne's son, Thorin, King of the Mountain! I'm back!" Before the captain could speak, Thorin shouted at the top of his lungs.
Everyone jumped up. The mayor almost fell off his chair. However, the elves who were most surprised were the ones who came over on the raft. They squeezed to the mayor's table and said urgently,"
"These are the prisoners who escaped from our king. The Dwarven fugitives who are harassing our compatriots and sneaking around in the forest will not have any good intentions!”
"Is this true?" The mayor asked. In fact, the mayor himself felt that this statement was more true. Even if there really was a king under the mountain, it was hard for him to associate the person in front of him with him.
" Before we returned to our homeland, we were indeed imprisoned by the Elven Kingdom for no reason," Thorin replied."However, no prison or imprisonment can stop the prophecy from being fulfilled. Moreover, this town was not within the Wood Elves 'sphere of influence. I want to see the human mayor of Long Lake Town, not the boatman under the Elven King's jurisdiction.”
The mayor hesitated and looked at the two groups uneasily. The Elf King had considerable power in this area, and the mayor did not want to anger him rashly. Since he had climbed to this position by being meticulous and calculating, he did not care much about ancient legends. However, it was different for others. Therefore, this matter was quickly settled. The news spread like wildfire through the town, people shouting excitedly inside and outside the big houses, and there was the sound of hurried footsteps everywhere. Some of them began to sing the song about the return of the king under the mountain. The fact that it was Saul's great-grandson, not Saul himself, did not bother them at all. The others started singing, and the lyrics echoed on the lake.
The king under the mountains,
King of carved stone,
Lord of the silver fountain,
He was finally back!
The crown will rise again,
The harp will be rebuilt,
His hall shall be tidied up,
The song of joy never ends!
The trees on the mountain would be reborn.
The sun shines on the green grass;
Wealth is like a fountain
There was no lack of gold in the river.
The river will be full of laughter
The lake will be full of hope,
There is no need to fear sorrow and sorrow,
Leave it all to King Yamashita!
They continued to sing like this. There were many lyrics that I won't repeat here. In addition to the people's singing, there were also the sounds of many instruments playing. In fact, even the oldest grandfather in the town had never seen such a scene. The wood elves also began to have doubts, and even fear, worried that the king had made a big mistake. Of course, they did not know that Thorin had escaped. As for the mayor, he was very good at changing the direction of the wind. He knew that there was no other way except to cater to everyone's expectations and pretend to treat Thorin as the person he claimed to be. At least, this was the only way for the time being. So he gave him his seat, and Philip and Kili sat next to him, and even Bilbo got a place at the head table; Since the song did not mention his appearance at all, everyone asked him about it.
Soon, the other dwarves were carried in and joined the party. All of them had received the best treatment and care, and were given ample rest. Thorin and his companions were even given a large house for them to recuperate in, and many boatmen obeyed his orders. Many people gathered outside and sang all day long. As long as a dwarf showed his nose, he would immediately cheer enthusiastically.
Some of the songs were very old, but some had just been released. They also described the death of the evil dragon and its treasures flowing into Laketown from the river. These songs were the mayor's idea, and the dwarves were not happy to hear them. However, their lives were still quite satisfactory at this time, and everyone quickly recovered their previous energetic appearance. In fact, within a week, they had fully recovered and were wearing bright clothes again. Their footsteps revealed pride. Thorin seemed to have recovered his kingdom, and the evil dragon Smaug had long been chopped into pieces.
After that, the dwarves became more and more fond of the hobbits. They no longer complained or grumbled. They would toast him every time they drank. They would call him brother and respect his words and deeds. This was good because he was not in a good mood. He had not forgotten the image of the mountain range and the evil dragon. Moreover, he had also experienced a bad cold. He sneezed and coughed for three whole days before he was able to go out to meet guests. Even after that, his speech was limited to " Thank you for your help."
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At this time, the wood elves had already brought the goods up the river. There was a considerable commotion in the king's palace. No one knew what happened to the captain of the guards and the chief steward. Of course, when the dwarves were still in Laketown, they did not mention the key or the bucket. Birbo was also very careful not to let anyone know the secret of invisibility. However, I think most people can still guess it. Mr. Baggins 'role was still quite mysterious in the eyes of outsiders. Anyway, the king already knew the dwarves 'mission, so he said to himself,"
"Excellent! Let's wait and see! Without my permission, they can forget about transporting the treasure through Gloomy Jungle. Anyway, I don't think much of them. These people deserve it!”All in all, he did not believe that the dwarves had any chance of winning against an evil dragon like Smaug. He also suspected that these people might use some sneaky methods. This proved that he was a very smart elf, at least much smarter than the humans in the town. Actually, he wasn't right. We'll know in the end. He had sent spies to lay an ambush near the lake and even ordered his subordinates to take the risk to approach the mountains and wait for the situation to change.
Ten days later, Thorin began to consider leaving. Although the fervor in the town was still ongoing, it was also time for him to seize the opportunity. If the enthusiasm cooled down, it would be too late. Therefore, he talked to the mayor and the elders in detail, saying that he and his companions would have to go to the lone mountain soon.
This was the first time that the mayor was surprised, even afraid. He finally believed that Thorin was really a descendant of the ancient king. He had never thought that the dwarves would really take the risk to approach Smaug. He only thought that they were scammers who would soon be exposed. He was wrong! Thorin was really the descendant of the King under the Mountain. In order to take revenge and fight for their own interests, the dwarves had always been willing to pay any price.
However, the mayor did not want to keep them. It was expensive to raise them, and as long as they stayed here for another day, the town would have another day of holidays, and there would be a reason to continue partying. "Let them bother Smaug and see how he treats them!”He thought. "Of course, the great Son of Thor, Son of Thorne, Thorin!”He finally replied," You must find what belongs to you. The time of the prophecy has come. We will do our best to help you. I believe that after you take back the kingdom, you will treat us generously.”
On a certain day in late autumn, accompanied by the cold wind and fallen leaves, three large ships left Laketown. The dwarf, Mr. Baggins, and the boatman were on board, while the rest of the space was filled with supplies. The horses and ponies were led to the designated meeting place in advance and handed over to them at that time. The mayor and the elders bid them farewell from the steps to the lake, and people sang them off in the streets and at the windows. The white oars were rowing as they headed north along the lake, embarking on the final phase of their adventure. The only one who was unhappy from beginning to end was Birbo.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]