Now, we're turning our attention back to Birbo and the dwarves. They did not dare to relax their surveillance all night. Until the next morning, they still did not hear or see any signs of danger. However, the flock of birds continued to increase. Their companions flew over from the south to join them, and the crows that originally lived in the mountains were also circling in the sky.
" Something strange must have happened," Thorin said."The migration period has passed. These birds usually live in the same place. These were frightened birds. In the distance, a large number of vultures and crows were gathering. It seemed that war was about to arrive!”
Birbo pointed ahead and said,"That black bird is here again!"”"It looks like when Smaug broke the wall, he escaped alive. The snails weren't so lucky!"”
Indeed, it was that old black bird. It flew toward them and stopped on a nearby rock. It flapped its wings and chirped for a moment, then tilted its head as if it was listening. Then, it chirped again and tilted its head to listen.
" I think it's trying to tell us something," Balin said."But I don't quite understand the language of this bird. It speaks too fast and is too difficult to understand. Birbo, do you understand?"
"Not very," said Bilbo (in fact, he didn't understand a word at all)."However, this old fellow seems to be very excited.”
"I wish it was just a crow. A big crow!" Ba Lin said.
"I thought you didn't like them! You seemed to hate them when we came.”
"Those are crows! They were very evil, suspicious birds, and very rude. You must not understand the nickname they call us behind our backs. However, the Duwu was different. They used to be very close to Saul's people. They often brought information to us, and we rewarded them with some shiny things so that they could keep them in their nests. They had long lifespans and good memories. Moreover, they would pass on their wisdom to their descendants from generation to generation. When I was a child, I knew many crows. This place used to be called Wuqiu because a wise Duwu couple lived here. Old Kacker and his wife lived on the roof. However, I think these ancient birds must have left.”
Before he could finish, the black bird flew away with a croak.
" Maybe we don't understand what it's saying, but this old bird seems to understand what we're saying,""Pay attention to what will happen next!”
Not long after, the sound of flapping wings came from outside. The black bird flew back, and there was also a rather dejected Du Wu. It was almost completely blind and could barely fly. The hair on its head was also completely bald. It landed clumsily in front of them, flapped its wings slowly, and walked toward Thorin.
"Oh, Thorin, son of Thorne, Balin, son of Fangding," it quacked (Birbo could understand what it was saying because it was speaking in human language instead of bird language)."I am Kark's son, Rock. Kark is dead. He used to have a close relationship with you. It's been 153 years since I hatched, but I haven't forgotten what my father told me. Now, I am the leader of the Duwu in the mountains. We are few in number, but we have not forgotten the ancient kings. My people are all gathered here, because there have been drastic changes in the south. Some of them are good news for you, while others are not. Listen carefully! The birds returned to the valleys and mountains from the south, east, and west because the news of Smaug's death had spread!”
"He's dead! Is he dead?" "Dead!" the dwarves shouted in unison. Then what are we afraid of? These treasures are all ours!" They all jumped up and danced in celebration.
" Yes, dead," Rock said."May this black bird's feathers never fall and witness its death. We can believe what it says. Three nights ago, it saw the dragon being shot down from the sky while fighting the humans of Isgar.”
It took Thorin quite a while to calm the dwarves down and continue listening to Duwu's news. Finally, after it described the entire battle, he continued,"
"Thorin Oakenshield, the time for celebration is over. You can return to the mountain safely, and all the treasures will belong to you. It wasn't just birds that were gathering here. The news of the death of the treasure guardian spread far and fast. The legend of Saul's wealth hadn't been forgotten for many years, and many people still couldn't wait to take the treasure. The elven army had already set off, and the carrion-eating birds were also flying above their heads, hoping to obtain the flesh of the dead as food. The humans by the Long Lake blamed the dwarves for the tragedy they had suffered. They were now suffering heavy casualties, and those who survived were homeless. Smaug had completely razed their towns. Whether you live or die, they want a share of your treasure. You have to rely on your own wisdom to decide what to do next. However, compared to Turin's descendants who once lived here, the 13 dwarves were too few. If you're willing to listen to my advice, please don't trust the mayor of Long Lake Town. Please cooperate with the person who shot down the evil dragon. His name is Bard, a descendant of Girion, and his ancestral home is River Cove Town, which you once had a good relationship with. Dwarves, humans, and elves may have a chance to live in peace again after suffering the evil dragon's poison, but you must distribute your gold generously. I'm done!"
" Thank you," Thorin replied angrily." Please accept our gratitude, son of Kark. We will never forget you and your people." However, as long as we are alive, no one can take any gold from us. If you are willing, please gather information about the nearby area and tell us. At the same time, I also ask you, if there are any young and strong messengers among your kind, please send them to the northern mountain range and the dwarven settlements in the west and east to tell them about the crisis we are facing. However, you must go to the Iron Hills to inform my cousin Dan En. He had many experienced soldiers under his command, and they were also the closest to this place. Ask him to hurry over!"
" I won't criticize whether your actions are right or wrong," Rock Gaga replied,"" But I'm willing to do my best to help you." Then, it slowly flew away.
"Quickly go back to the mountains!" " We don't have much time!" Thorin shouted.”
"There's not enough food!" Birbo had always been practical in this regard. Moreover, he felt that this adventure had ended the moment the dragon died. He would rather give up the reward he deserved in exchange for a peaceful ending. However, he was wrong. This adventure was not over yet!
"Quickly go back into the mountain!" The dwarves pretended not to hear what he said and only shouted loudly. Therefore, he followed the crowd back.
※※※
Since you already know about the changes in the situation, you will understand that the dwarves still have a few days to prepare. They carefully investigated the entire cave. As they expected, the only exit was the main door. All the other entrances (except for the secret door) had been sealed and destroyed by Smaug. Therefore, they began to work day and night, strengthening the fortifications at the front gate and rebuilding the road at the gate. They found many tools used by ancient miners and stonemasons in the cave. Dwarves were very good at such work.
While they worked hard, Du Wu kept bringing new news. Through this method, they found out that the Elven King had brought the troops to the lake, giving them some time to catch their breath. Fortunately, they also heard that three ponies had escaped Smaug's pursuit and were now running around the banks of the River Run, not far from the supplies they had left behind. Therefore, while the others were working hard to build, Philip and Kili, under Duwu's lead, found the pony and brought back as many supplies as possible.
Another four days passed. By then, they already knew that the allied forces of humans and elves had begun to advance toward the mountains. However, their morale was even higher because, as long as they were properly distributed, they already had food that could last them for several weeks. Most of these were human rations. They were already tired of eating them. However, on the battlefield, rations were better than nothing. At this moment, the gate was already sealed by a high wall made of square rocks. The wall was thick and high, and it would be a nightmare for the attacking party. There were many holes in the wall that allowed them to shoot arrows, but there was no entrance. They used ladders to climb in and out, and ropes to carry goods. There was an arched exit at the bottom of the wall, allowing the spring water to flow out. Thorin had also deliberately changed the course of the river, allowing the spring water to form a small lake by the wall before flowing into the waterfall. Now, if one did not swim and crossed a narrow path close to the mountain wall, it was impossible to approach the high wall. The ponies that they had found before were led to the vicinity of the old bridge. After unloading all the supplies, they drove the ponies away, hoping that they would return to their owners on their own.
※※※
Then, one night, many fires suddenly lit up near the ruins of River Cove Town.
"They are already here!" "Their camp is very large. This troop must have come along the river under the cover of the night and the forest.”
That night, the dwarves could hardly sleep. When it was still dawn, they found a group of people approaching. They watched from behind the wall as the people entered the valley and slowly climbed up. They could clearly tell that there were fully armed human and elf archers among them. Not long after, the front of the team climbed over the group of falling rocks and arrived near the waterfall. When they saw the new city walls and the new city walls, they were naturally shocked.
As they stood there and pointed, Thorin said,""Who are you?" He shouted in a vigorous voice,"You came to Thorin, the son of Thorne, the palace of the King under the Mountain, fully armed, looking like you were about to start a war. What do you want?”
The other party did not answer. Some of them turned around and left. The others followed after carefully sizing up the defense in front of them. The army's camp was moved to the flat ground between the mountains that day. Their conversations and songs echoed between the rock walls, which was something they had not done for many days. The elves 'harps and sweet songs were mixed in with the human voices. The beautiful music drifted towards them, and even the air seemed to warm up. They could vaguely smell the fragrance of flowers blooming in the forest.
Birbo really wanted to leave this dark and gloomy fortress and join the feasting and dancing by the campfire. Some of the younger dwarves were also shaken. They muttered that they hoped that things would not turn out this way and that they could receive these people as friends. Thorin's expression turned ugly.
Thus, the dwarves took out the harps and musical instruments they found in the treasure mountain and played their own music to appease everyone. But their song was not an elven song, but more like the one they sang in Bilbo's hobbit cave.
Beneath the dark towering mountains,
The King had finally returned home!
His enemy is dead, the dragon is dead,
After that, all the enemies would fall like this.
The sword was sharp and the spear was sharp.
Arrows flew fast and guards were tight.
Seeking gold, bold;
Dwarves were no longer pitied.
The ancient dwarves were skilled in magic,
The iron hammer danced in the air, its voice loud and clear,
Deep in the dark underground,
The empty hall was noisy.
Hanging on the silver necklace
Rushing starlight, on the crown
The golden silk was wrapped in dragon flames, and the strings of the zither fluttered.
The notes of the harp flowed with a beautiful song.
The throne at the foot of the mountain had been liberated!
O lost brethren, let's return together!
Come quickly! Come quickly! Crossing the wilderness without rest!
Kings of the same race need to be supported together.
Calling through the cold mountains,
Quickly return to the ancient cave!
The king was waiting at the gate.
The ground was filled with gemstones and the gold was in bags.
The King finally returned home.
Under the dark towering mountain range.
The terrible dragon is dead,
After that, all the enemies would fall like this!
The song made Thorin very happy. He smiled again, looking very excited. He also began to calculate the distance to the Iron Hills, as well as how long it would take for Dane to reach the lone mountain after he received the news and set off immediately. But Birbo's mood was getting lower and lower. The content of the song and conversation made him feel very uneasy. Everyone seemed to be ready to fight.
The next morning, a group of spearmen crossed the river and walked to the valley. They held the green flag of the Elf King and the blue flag of the Long Lake and walked all the way to the high wall.
Sorin asked them again in a vigorous voice,""Who is it that is armed to the teeth and has come to Thorin, the son of Thorne, to declare war in front of the king's gate?”This time, he got the answer.
A tall, black-haired man walked forward. His face was gloomy as he shouted,"Hello, Thorin! Why did you lock yourself in the door like a desperate bandit? We are not enemies with you, and we are glad to see that you are still alive. We didn't expect anyone to survive when we came here, but since there are people guarding this place, it's time for us to have a meeting and discuss with each other.”
"Who are you? What do you want to discuss?”
" I'm Bard. I shot the dragon to death and freed your treasure. Does this have nothing to do with you? Besides that, I am also the son of the King of the Vale, Girion. Part of your treasure was stolen by Smaug from my ancestors. We are hard
Doesn't Dao have the right to discuss this matter with you? Not only that, in the last battle, Smaug also destroyed Isgar on the long lake. I can be considered a subordinate of his mayor. I can ask you on his behalf if you have considered the tragedy that his people have suffered. They lent you a helping hand when you were hungry and cold. So far, you have only repaid them with disasters and deaths. Although I know that you didn't do it on purpose.”
Even if the person who spoke was a little arrogant and pessimistic, this was indeed a rather dignified truth. Birbo thought that Sorin would immediately admit that what he said made sense. Of course, he knew that no one would remember that he was the one who discovered the dragon's weakness. His foresight was quite correct. Everyone had indeed forgotten about this matter, but he had neglected the attraction of the dragon's treasure to everyone and the impact on the dwarves 'minds. In the past few days, Thorin had been in a treasure trove. Although most of his energy was spent on finding his family's precious diamond and he did not care about other crafts, his desire had still risen to a new high.
" You put your most selfish reason in the last and most important position," Thorin replied,""No one is qualified to share the treasures of our race, because Smaug also took their lives and homes. The treasure didn't belong to it, and it shouldn't be used to make up for the damage it had caused. When the time comes, the assistance and goods given to us by the people of Long Lake Town will be converted into gold and returned to them. However, no one can force us to give up a single cent. As long as you still have a large number of troops in front of my house, I will treat you as enemies and thieves. I can't help but wonder what kind of compensation you'll give our people if you find us killed when you arrive.”
" That's a good question," Bard said."But you are not dead, and we are not bandits. Moreover, you should repay the kindness of others. Now that you have become rich people, you should repay those kind-hearted people who helped you when you were poor. Besides, you still haven't responded to my other requests.”
"I've already said before that when my front door is filled with soldiers, I won't negotiate. Especially those people of the Elf King. I still remember how they treated us badly. They had no right to participate in this debate. If you don't leave now, I'm afraid you'll have to taste our bows and arrows! If you want to negotiate with me again, drive the elven army back to their forest first, then put down your weapons and come find me.”
"The Elven King is my ally. When my compatriots were homeless, although we only had friendship before and did not owe each other any favors, he still extended a helping hand.”" We're willing to give you time to take back what you said," Bard replied." Think about it before we come back!”Then, he walked back to the camp.
A few hours later, the flag bearer returned. The trumpeter blew the horn.
" In the name of Iska and the forest," someone read out,"" We declare to Thorin Oakenshield, the self-proclaimed King of the Mountain, that we hope that he will consider the conditions he has previously proposed. Otherwise, he will be seen as an enemy of the allied forces. At the very least, he should give one-twelfth of the treasure to Bard, the heir of Girion and the dragon slayer. Bard himself would use the treasure to repay all the allies who had helped Iska. In addition, if Thorin wished to be respected by the nearby residents like his ancestors, he should also give part of the treasure to the humans of the Long Lake to make up for the harm they had suffered.”
Thorin immediately picked up the horned bow and shot an arrow at the reader. The arrow whizzed into his shield and trembled slightly.
" Since this is your answer," he shouted in response,""We will surround this mountain range. Unless you are willing to lay down your weapons and negotiate, you cannot leave this place. We won't use weapons against you, so just let you guard the gold. If you're willing, I hope that can be your food!”
The messenger quickly left, leaving the dwarf to carefully consider the current situation. Sorin became very gloomy. Even if the others knew that he had made a mistake, they did not dare to speak out. Moreover, most people seemed to have the same thoughts as him, except for Fat Pombo, Philip, and Kili. Of course, Birbo completely disagreed with this way of handling things. He had had enough of staying in the mountains and being trapped in a situation that he did not like.
"This place is filled with the stench of evil dragons!”"It makes me want to throw up," he muttered. Recently, even the dry food seemed to be stuck in my throat and I couldn't swallow it at all.”
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。