I reforged the glory of the magic ring in Middle-earth

Chapter 100 Changhu Town

Sure enough, at Bard's request, Thranduil did not make too much trouble for the dwarves' request to leave the territory.

Although he still said a few insults to Thorin and the dwarves.

Thranduil leaned on the antler throne, tapping the armrests with his slender fingers, his silver-gray eyes examining the people below, his silver hair flowing on his shoulders like moonlight.

He asked Bud, "I'd like to hear how you're going to get through the Long Lake Town guards' inspection with these short, thick guys who can't even hide their beards properly?"

Bard placed one hand on his chest and bowed, his tone calm as usual: "I plan to have Thorin Oakenshield and his people pretend to be a timber merchant caravan, and Tanes and his companions will register as accompanying mercenary guards and enter the customs."

"That's a feasible plan."

Thranduil leaned against the throne, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

He continued, "After all, you were in charge of half of the fleets traveling between the Woodland Kingdom and Long Lake Town over the years. However..."

Thranduil changed the subject: "However, I know something about the mayor of Lake-town. I'm afraid ordinary caravans won't be enough to feed him and his parasites, right?"

Bard maintained his polite manner. "So I venture to ask King Thranduil to allocate some of the fine wines the elves drink. If you could also give me some fruit from the Golden Tree Territory, that would be even better. The twenty cases of special honey wine that were shipped to Lake Town last month are said to be well stored in the cellar of the mayor's mansion."

Thranduil sneered. "If it were you, I could even give it to you for free, considering your ancestor Girion's relationship with me. But you want me to give these things away for free to these dwarves who insult me ​​in their hearts? Don't even think about it. I allow them to leave my territory, which is already the greatest kindness I can offer. Bard, son of Girion, you better find a way out on your own."

However, although the Elf King said this, his eyes fell on Tanes.

Fruit from the Golden Tree Territory?

Well, Thranduil did say before that the fruits in my territory are very popular outside. The elves of the Woodland Kingdom often buy these fruits from the humans in Long Lake Town at high prices.

Looking at his eyes, could it be that he wants me to give him some fruits from the Golden Tree Territory?

Tanes felt a little toothache. It was not that he didn't want to give it, but he really didn't have any money on him at the moment.

He was quite puzzled as to why Thranduil was so obsessed with the fruit of the golden tree. Could it be so delicious?

If it was just a delicious fruit, Thranduil would not have behaved like this.

But the fruit from the Golden Tree Territory contained a hint of strange golden energy, which made Thranduil curious.

After eating the fruits, Thranduil could clearly feel that the burn on his cheek that had never healed was gradually recovering.

At this time, Tanes also thought that Thranduil might be interested in the golden blessing contained in the fruit, and felt that he should take the initiative to say something.

However, Thranduil's eyes were always on him, which made Bard notice this and look over curiously.

Bard didn't know why Thranduil looked at Tanes, but he didn't say anything, just waited quietly.

Tanes thought for a moment and then said, "King Thranduil, I would like to make a deal with you as the Lord of the Golden Tree."

Thranduil nodded immediately: "What kind of deal?"

You're really waiting for me to speak.

Tanes complained silently in his heart before he said, "A pendant. I want to use it to exchange for what Bard mentioned, and its value far exceeds what you gave. But I am willing to use it to make friends with you, as a symbol of our friendship."

Then, a pure gold amulet pendant in the shape of a water drop appeared in Tanes' hand. The pendant was engraved with hands catching golden dew drops and a holy grail pattern.

Thranduil stood up directly from the antler throne and took a few quick steps to Tanes.

"You are willing to trade this treasure to me? In a sense, it is more valuable than the Arken gem that the dwarves are looking for." Thranduil immediately felt that the pendant was unusual, and his tone was even a little surprised.

Tanes nodded without saying anything.

Anyway, he has several of these pendants, and they are not very useful in daily battles.

But since Thranduil thought it was very precious, Tanes felt that he didn't need to explain too much.

And if Thranduil had other opinions, Tanes was ready to let him know that the bards' descriptions of him were not exaggerated.

"Then I also swear that the Lord from the Golden Tree, the powerful and generous wizard Tanes, will always be a friend of the Woodland Kingdom and a good friend of me, Thranduil!"

Sure enough, Thranduil let out a rare hearty laugh, and even in the shocked eyes of the other elven guards, he took the initiative to step forward and gently hugged Tanes.

Bard was also shocked. He remembered that elves would not have physical contact even with their blood relatives.

What precious gift did Tanes give to Thranduil?
Although Bud wanted to know very much, he was smart enough not to ask.

Thorin's face looked a little bad. He knew that Thranduil showed his happiness in this way. Tanes must have taken out something extraordinary, otherwise it would be impossible to impress the Elf King.

When he thought about how much money Tanis had spent on him, he hated Thranduil even more from the bottom of his heart, and at the same time he blamed himself for always asking Tanis for help.

Thorin raised his hand and gently patted Tanes on the back. When Tanes looked at him, he spoke in a low voice, but with a sincere and firm attitude, "As for this pendant, I will compensate you with the corresponding money. You have done enough for me, and you must accept this money."

After he finished speaking, he left without waiting for Tanes to say anything.

Because Thorin felt that Thranduil's laughter was too harsh.

After Bard obtained what he needed, he quickly disguised Thorin and his dwarves as a dwarven caravan heading for the Iron Hills.

Tanes and Bernal also changed their equipment. After all, the armor they were wearing was obviously not something that normal mercenaries could afford.

Now they were both dressed like wandering knights, which at least did not look out of place in this disguised caravan.

As for Millicent and Egon, they do not need to change their equipment.

Millicent's clothes were not fancy, and were consistent with her appearance of being on the go.

As for Aegon, he was dressed in armor scraps picked up from the battlefield. Even the people of Lake Town wouldn't believe him if he said he was a sellsword. And Bilbo, because of his height, was dressed up by Bard to look like a dwarf.

Led by Bard, Tanes, Thorin and the others arrived outside of Long Lake Town when the first ray of sunlight rose.

"It's like a lonely city on the water struggling to survive in the cold and loneliness." Bofur muttered to himself as he looked at the outline of Long Lake Town.

The other dwarves nodded in agreement, believing that Bofur was right.

Tanes narrowed his eyes and looked towards Long Lake Town.

It was like a rusty bronze armor, floating heavily on the dark lake, reflecting the lead-gray clouds in the sky and the iron-blue silhouette of the lonely mountain in the distance.

Changhu Town seemed to be made up of countless crooked wooden piles, which pierced the lake bottom like the rotten ribs of a giant, supporting the uneven wooden buildings.

These houses, soaked in time, are like inverted fangs, biting into the spider-web-like pier layer by layer.

The faded canvas billowed in the cold wind, the wet ropes drooped like nooses on a gallows, and every wooden board groaned under the heavy burden in the frost and fog.

The narrow alleys were filled with the stench of fish and rotten wood. Occasionally, a hunched figure wrapped in an oilcloth cloak flashed by, the sound of footsteps swallowed up silently by the humid air.

Cold lake water seeped out from the cracks in the stone bricks of the town center square, and sparks from the blacksmith shop splashed and hissed in the stagnant water.

The fishmonger's stall was piled high with salmon that shone with an eerie silver luster, their scales reflecting the halo of the dim oil lamplight in the tavern.

There are always a few ghostly fishing boats moored at the pier, with their sails patched up like a beggar's ragged clothes.

But the most eye-catching thing is the mayor's pointed-roof mansion, with its cedar exterior painted with crude gold paint and stained glass windows emitting a greedy glimmer of light in the twilight. It is the only building that looks very gorgeous and is also the tallest house in Long Lake Town.

And beneath the lake, countless rotten beams and pillars stretched towards the sky like the hands of a drowned person.

Women used frozen fingers to weave fishing nets, and children passed on terrifying nursery rhymes about evil dragons under the thin ice-covered eaves.

But smoke still rises from the crooked chimneys, and fishermen still cast their nets in the morning mist, as if this floating city will never sink.

"It's hard for me to imagine that people can still live in a place like this." Groin muttered and commented.

Bombur touched his fat belly and said, "I'm more curious about the people inside. What do they eat?"

"Maybe it's the fishy fish that were fished out from the bottom of the lake, or maybe it's some green seaweed that has an unknown smell." Bofur replied, causing Bombur to look disgusted.

Bard heard the dwarves' words and said calmly, "But we not only live here, but have lived here for generations. As for food, as long as we don't starve to death, that's all."

Then he moored the boat in the shadow of the old pier wreckage, and the ice three fingers above the water made a tiny cracking sound.

He lowered his voice and said, "Okay, keep your voices down. There are guards not far ahead. The mayor is offering a reward of twenty silver coins for my head. We'll stop here."

Thorin also murmured, "It sounds like your daughters are worth more than you? After all, they are worth a Black Arrow and ten gold pieces."

Bud nodded as a matter of course: "Of course, my sweetheart is priceless."

The dwarf's breath condensed into white mist in the cold air. Kili was about to speak when Fili elbowed him in the ribs.

In the distance came the dull thud of iron boots stepping across the pier, and the torches of the Changhu Town guards swayed in the morning mist like bloodshot eyeballs.

"Remember, you are a caravan delivering fruit and mead to the Iron Hills. I've already told you the location of my home. The Black Arrow is on the beam above my dining table."

Bard cut the boat's rope with his dagger and watched them step onto the floating rotten wood and board the pier. The rotten planks groaned like they were dying under the soles of the dwarves' boots.

Only when the figures of Tanes, Thorin and other dwarves were completely obscured by the fog did he bend down and adjust the anchor.

As Bud wrapped the rope around the pile for the last time, he heard the creaking sound of boots stepping on wooden boards behind him. His heart jumped suddenly, and when he turned around, his right hand was already on the short blade at his waist.

However, he only saw an old man in a gray robe standing at the end of the pier, the red light of his pipe outlining his weathered face in the morning light.

"This weather, where even the pike are frozen, is perfect for shipping some special cargo."

The old man took off his pointed hat, nodded slightly, and spoke gently. The white mist and smoke rings he exhaled rose up in a tangled mass as he spoke.

Bud did not let his guard down. He looked cautiously at the old man who suddenly appeared and asked, "Are you going to take a boat?"

Gandalf said with a smile, "Oh, that's all right. I am an old man who has just come down from the giant eagle, and the cold wind has frozen my bones. I don't want to suffer this again if you put me on your boat that can't protect me from the wind and rain. Besides, it's not on my way."

Then Gandalf said meaningfully, "I heard that even though the dwarves of the Iron Hills don't get along with the elves of Mirkwood, the dwarves of the Iron Hills still speak highly of the elves' mead."

He took a few steps seemingly casually, and his position was just right to see the guards changing shifts at the town entrance.

Bard knocked on the empty wooden box with his red knuckles and replied incoherently, "That seems to be the case. That's why I need to prepare to leave for the Woodland Kingdom just now. Otherwise, the elves won't open the door for me at night."

As he spoke, he rubbed the planks of the boat with the soles of his shoes, seemingly unintentionally, but in fact he was wiping away the wet footprints left by Thorin and the others on the planks.

Gandalf sighed as he faced the wary Bard. He revealed the ceremonial straight sword hanging from his waist from his gray robe and said, "If you truly knew the people you just sent away, then you would certainly be familiar with this sword. The golden dewdrop mark on it is unique. In fact, I am not your enemy, ferryman. Perhaps you have heard of my name, Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey."

Bard frowned, then relaxed - the dewdrop mark on the hilt was exactly the same as the dewdrop pendant that Tanes gave to Thranduil yesterday.

Only after hearing the old man's name did Bard feel relieved. "I did hear this name last night when the dwarves were chattering and telling stories."

Then he looked at Gandalf suspiciously: "But I remember the dwarves said that Gandalf was a very rude, rude and stubborn old man who couldn't even cook. You don't look like him."

Gandalf's good mood disappeared without a trace the moment he heard the word "dwarf".

He maintained a proper smile and said to Bard, "Thank you for letting me know what I am like in the minds of the dwarves."

　PS: The pendant can slowly restore health. The moment Thranduil got the pendant, he felt the burn on his cheek recovering, so he hugged Tanes gently in excitement.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)