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The company was not happy that they had had to ask help from the bargeman, but it was what they needed to do to continue the quest so they did it. They sat, shivering in the barrels, trying not to gag at the smell of fish as it reeked out of the fish all around them. Some of their barrels had holes in them, and they could clearly see that the bargeman took a few coins out of the bag they had given them. Then, he stood right next to the edge of the boat, and he lowered his hand down into the water. When he lifted his hand, the coins were gone.
After what felt like forever, Bard released them from the barrels. Kili was looking around, and he could swear he saw something silvery flash in the water, but it was gone before he could get a better look at it. The others stood on the wood, cold, smelling of fish, and complaining. What came next wasn't pleasant either. They had to swim under the house and climb up from the toilet. Most of the dwarves had already jumped into the cold water, complaining as they went. They had disappeared from sight, and the next dwarves were making their way into the water.
Bilbo stayed to be one of the last, he wasn't a very good swimmer and he didn't want the others to have to wait for him to reach the hole. The water was freezing cold, it numbed his arms and legs, and it tugged him by his clothing. Bilbo struggled to breathe as the cold water felt like it was crushing his lungs. He fought to reach the hole, but his arms didn't seem to do what he wanted them to. They were too numb, and he was so tired. He fought to keep his head above the water, and he tried to reach the hatch at the same time. When panic was starting to set into him and he was preparing to yell for help, something underwater, pushed him forward and straight under the hole. He yelped, and startled, he looked around but couldn't see anything, except for a silvery figure that lingered near him underwater for a moment before it was gone in a blink of an eye.
- -
He had gotten a blanket around him, and he was sipping hot tea from a mug. Fili and Kili were muttering something next to him, and he stilled his movements to hear what they were speaking of.
"I'm not making this up! I saw something silvery in the water but when I went to watch it more, it was gone." Kili's tone was frantic, and Fili's answer was filled with sarcasm as he answered.
"Sure, Kili. I am not falling for one of your stories again." With that, Fili stood up, and joined his uncle, leaving a miserable-looking Kili behind. Bilbo stood up, holding tightly into his blanket, and sat down next to Kili.
"You saw something down there too?" Kili's eyes lit up at Bilbo's question.
"I did! Something silvery, but it was just a flash." Bilbo nodded.
"I saw a similar thing, except I think whatever it was pushed me towards the hole where we had to climb up." Kili watched Bilbo for a moment and fixed his blankets better into his shoulders.
"What do you think it is?" Bilbo shrugged and an old story his mother used to tell him returned to him.
"My mother told me of naiads, people who live underwater and have tails of fish, but I didn't think they actually existed." Bilbo had loved the story when he was younger, he had spent weeks looking through every pond and lake near Hobbiton for nyads.
Tilda skips up to her father and tugs at his jacket to get his attention. When he makes a sound to let the girl know he is listening.
"Da, I'm going down to play with Y/N." Bard doesn't turn around but gestures toward a plate of on the table.
"Go but be careful, the boards can be slippery. And take the berries with you, she might be hungry." Tilda nodded happily and hurried down the stairs. The dwarves looked at Bard, who smiled when he noticed their eyes on him but didn't elaborate on the situation. Not until Kili opened his mouth
"Where is she going?" Bilbo could see Bard suppress a smile.
"To play with Y/N, as she said." He continues whatever he is doing on the stove, but there is no way the dwarves are satisfied with the answer he just gave.
"There is no way out of the house there, she cannot meet a friend there." At this, Bard lets out a laugh.
"Sure she can. Y/N is just a little different." Bard turns around and sees every dwarf staring at him and he sighs.
"Y/N's a young nyad and she prefers staying close to my house rather than her pod. They are not exactly nice to her."
"And what of the coins," Dwalin demands to know, and Bard turns to him.
"The nyads require payment for safe passage into the city. If you don't pay, they will flip your ship upside down. They use the money to buy food and other goods from the city folk, so it's a good arrangement for us as well. The dwarves nod slowly, not extremely interested in these nyads, but Bilbo is intrigued. He slips away from the company and down the stairs, after Tilda.
Bilbo focused on keeping his steps quiet, and he sneaked down the stairs slowly, minding his steps in the stairs. As he reached the bottom, she could hear Tilda talking to something, but he couldn't hear what. He slowly sneaked forward and heard her laughing and speaking with someone, and now he could hear what he was saying.
"Y/N, don't cheat!" There was a short silence after her words before she spoke again.
"If you don't cheat how you can be soo good in this game? We just started yesterday?" Suddenly, the board under Bilbo's foot creaks, and a quiet splash sounds. He freezes but decides to step forward, from behind the stack of boxes.
"Mister Bilbo, what are you doing here?" Tilda tilts her head, her voice filled with suprise.
"Please, just Biblo is just fine. I am sorry to sneak up like this but I wanted to spend some time away from the dwarves. They are a good company but sometimes they can be a bit much." Tilda lets out a small laugh, taps the side of the dock, and speaks toward the water.
"It's fine Y/N, he won't hurt you." Bilbo frowns but his eyebrows soon shoot up in suprise as he sees the head and shoulders of a young woman surface from under the water.
She looks wary and keeps a close eye on Bilbo as she swims next to the deck and leans her arms against it softly.
"Bilbo, this is Y/N. She is one of the nyads living in this lake, but she prefers spending time here rather than with her pod. They're mean to her, and da makes sure she gets something to eat every day." Bilbo stares at the young woman. Her skin has a greenish tint to it, as does her hair, and her ears are pointed, even more than his or even the elves'. She is wearing a torn-up green shirt, and as Bilbo steps closer, he sees the tail she has, covered in green scales that have a silvery tint to them. The realization hits him.
"It was you." Y/N tilts her head, Tilda frowns, and Bilbo hurries to explain.
"You were the one that helped me get out of the lake." At this, the young nyad smiles, and nods.
"Thank you. I don't think I would have made it unless you hadn't helped." Y/N shakes her head and gestures with her hands that it was not a big thing. Bilbo glances at Tilda, who verifies what he suspects.
"Y/N can't talk above the water. But when she is underwater she can, and you have never heard anyone sing as beautifully as she does." Tilda gushes, and Y/N blushes, gesturing toward the game.
"Okay, let's continue. But don't cheat this time." Bilbo decides to stay for a moment longer and he is happy to see the two gettings along so well. Y/N is clearly older than Tilda but he could see how much she liked spending time with the younger girl.
- -
It was only moments before they were meant to leave, and Bilbo hurried down the stairs of Bard's house and into the dock. He hesitantly knocked on the edge of the wood, not sure if Y/N would show up. She did, but she was clearly surprised to see Bilbo there instead of Tilda. She tilted her head, questioning what he was doing there. Bilbo reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small charm, a small diamond that hung from a delicate chain. He handed it to the nyad, who looked at it and then at Bilbo with confused eyes.
"I just wanted to say thank you for saving me. I am not a strong swimmer and I wouldn't have made it without your help. You didn't have to help me but you did anyway. So, thank you." The woman shook her head and tried to hand the charm back, but Bilbo stood up.
"You keep it." Y/N stared at him for a moment before smiling.
"Maybe we'll see some time again." Bilbo gave her a short bow, and she waved her hand before she dove back into the water. The last thing Bilbo saw of her was her glittering green fin.