Bard has never been in a war before. He's a bargeman, a smuggler at worst, not a warrior. But because of some dwarf king's stubbornness, he and all his fishermen neighbors have to fight.

And he only has til dawn to steel himself.

His children are sleeping with the rest of them, but he's staring out into the distance between the Kingdom of Erebor and Dale. The green grass and rocky mountain await him in the morning.

He runs a hand over his face. How did this even happen? You slay one dragon and suddenly people believe you're a king. But he's no king. He's just tired.