So just have to say that I am still here, and I will have a chapter of the Elf of the Shire up soon. Also, a big thank you to those who have reviewed or expressed an interest. In the meantime, here is a plot bunny that has been raging out of control. I also want to say that I do not in any way own the Hobbit or any works of Tolkien, and am making no profit. Thank you. / I just came back to read this from the beginning. How have you all been able to stand this? I found so many spots where it seems words were missing. That was really jarring. I'm going to have to go through all the chapters now and repost where necessary. So if you get a notice I've updated, sorry. Only one new chapter a day. I just have to fix this.
Long ago, in the Age of Trees, Morgoth created the Great Dragons in secret to rain fire and death upon all who opposed him. Most were male but there were five females as he wanted them to procreate naturally, the same as his other twisted creations.
However Eru saw his work, and saw also that these creatures had the potential to be greater than even Morgoth realized. In sympathy for them and for the rest of His creations he added great gifts: the children of any of these Dragons would have the gift of choice, and be most inclined towards the light.
They would also have the power to heal, though it would come only with true compassion and love for those they would help. With their willingly given blood, they could heal almost any ill, for any save themselves. Few indeed would ever discover this gift, and fewer still make much use of it.
Morgoth, unknowing of Eru's work, finished his count at thirty Dragons. The first of these dragons was Glaurung. He and his mate set about increasing their population with such enthusiasm that the other Dragons called him the Father of Dragons with great amusement, and they used this title so much that even the elves and men heard and called him this also.
The greatest and most malevolent of all the Dragons was Ancalagon the Black. He towered taller than all the rest, and his great wings were so large it was said that he could black out the stars.
Morgoth was very pleased with them, and taught the first few the magic he had given them to make them even more fearsome: the ability to change their shape, to hide and then attack. If they shrunk themselves they only became more fearsome, for the strength of their scales stayed the same over a smaller circumference. They were selfish and greedy and did not share this information with those who came after them. So life went on.
Time passed, and Glaurung continued to increase their population. He and his mate did not give much care to their children, and drove them out as soon as they could hunt for themselves. They did not teach them more than how to hunt, to obey their Master, and how to speak draconian.
As Glaurung's children started to grow to adulthood, Ancalagon himself took a mate at his Master's behest. He chose the largest and fiercest of the 4 remaining females, the only blue in existence. Her name was Ashreth. In time an egg was created.
Ashreth was pleased to welcome a beautiful baby Dragon, blue as her mother but with a lighter blue underbelly and gold and black highlights. While Ancalagon was simply pleased to have another Dragon to serve his Master Ashreth loved her as much as treasure, and hoarded her away from the other Dragons in a cave at the edge of a great mountain range. She brought her mother great happiness, and so Ashreth named her Alassiel, or joy.
As she grew her mother taught her the secret of changing her shape and how to speak, read and write every language she knew. She taught her to hunt, track, and fight as a dragon should. In short, she taught her everything she thought she might need to survive.
As the little dragon grew into a young adult, Ashreth was called away to serve her Master as he started to prepare for war. She was only allowed to come back for a few weeks every year. This left her daughter to learn anything else she needed on her own. It was Alassiel who first discovered Eru's healing gift.
She discovered a strange creature in need of help. Two legged, with strange long fur on its head and pointy ears. Her mother had not yet taught her about Morgoth's enemies, and so she did not recognize him as a threat.
After scaring off the orcs attacking him, she took her own two legged form that her mother had taught her, which was remarkably similar to his own. As she struggled to care for him, he progressively got worse.
After two weeks of fever and delirium, she started begging for any who would listen to help her. She heard a voice in her head, that she felt all the way to her heart. She listened as it described what she needed to do to heal him, and it also explained the limitations to this gift, and that it had been given to all dragons by Eru. She didn't know who that was, but she was grateful.
As the elf healed, his fever broke and his color improved. The angry red of his wounds faded and disappeared. The wounds closed and stopped dripping fluids. She didn't understand, but he had been so close to death that if she hadn't used her gift he would have had no chance and probably wouldn't have lasted the night. Had she used it sooner, the wounds would have healed so quickly they wouldn't even have scarred.
Changing the furs of his bedding for clean ones, she left to get him some water. She was very relieved when she returned and he was awake and aware. She never told him what she had done, for she didn't want to have to explain it. No matter how shocked he was later to have survived after learning of her unlearned care.
As she got to know him, he taught her all the things her mother had not had time to. She learned of elves, men, and dwarves. She also learned of the Valar, Maiar, Morgoth, Dragons, orcs, and goblins. Discovering that Eru Iluvetar was the creator of the entire universe and yet had taken the time to help the Dragons was very humbling. Especially as she had come to the conclusion that it must have been He who spoke to her.
Learning from her elf friend how others saw Dragons, and indeed of all that they had done to the other races was greatly troubling. She had come to greatly care for this kind elf, and she feared he would hate her if he discovered what she was.
When the time came that he was fully healed, he told her he had to return to his people and he urged her to come with him, for he had also come to greatly care for her. She refused, stating she could not leave her home until she could say goodbye to her mother. She did agree to marry him, however. After fulfilling all the marriage rites, he left reluctantly, promising to return soon and perhaps meet her mother. The very thought of what her mother might do to him in such a circumstance caused her great concern.
Shortly after her elf left, Morgoth discovered that Glaurung's children were starting to trade with dwarves, offering their services for gold. He was extremely angry, and captured one to question. He discovered the gifts Eru had given all dragon children of Choice and Healing.
He was enraged that his plans for hundreds of Dragon shock troops were thus undone and he roared to Ancalagon to destroy all of the abominations. He gathered all of the remaining Dragons and ordered that all dragons not of his creation were to be forbidden, and slaughtered wherever and whenever they were discovered. Never again was a dragon allowed to have children.
Miles away, Alassiel prepared for the return of her mother, and finished writing all she had learned in the golden books she had created over the years. She especially made sure to include her experiences with the voice of Eru, and the discovery of the gifts He had given the Dragon children.
Ashreth bowed to her Master, yet left as soon as she was dismissed to try to get to her child first to warn her. She was devastated to discover that she was too late. She found her beautiful daughter dead, sprawled in front of their home scales wet with her own blood.
Throwing her great head back, she roared her grief, uncaring of all who might hear. Mourning greatly, she decided to bury her in their cave. Upon entering, she was astonished to discover a beautiful blue egg.
She changed her form and headed straight to where she knew she would find answers.
She had helped her child create these books, gathering the information for her and even writing paper versions for her to transfer into her golden books. There were three of them, created from thin sheets of gold with both of their shed scales as a binding.
One spoke of all her child had learned of the races and cultures of the world, their languages and history. The next held the maps of the world and all the cities and dragon hoards known. It also contained all the information on geography and general conditions that she had been able to share.
The last was all they knew of Dragons: their language and history, as well as how they grew and developed and really any stories she'd shared with her of her hatching and youth. The last part of this book was her daughter's journal and private thoughts on all she learned. It was this one that she felt held the answer she needed.
It did. It spoke of the handsome young elf she had fallen in love with: Glorfindel.
Ashreth wasn't sure whether to be furious he had dared to fall for her daughter, or happy her daughter had at least that much of happiness. Looking at the egg once again, she knew that it would not be safe with her. The most she could offer it was death.
She determined to find this elf. Knowing or not, he had a child. He might not care for the fact that his wife had been a Dragon, but he might care for the dragonling anyway. It was a chance.
First, however, she would finish this book with all the lore she thought her grandchild should know, including Morgoth's latest decree and why he'd made it.
She named every Dragon and what had happened to it, or if it still lived. She spoke of her own life and her own hoard, hidden in an adjoining cave. She even took the time to share her grief, and how much she cared for the young one.
She gave it a name. She didn't know if it would be male or female, so she took care with it: Luin Leuthil, or blue gem. As she looked over everything one last time a few days later to make sure she had everything, she heard a noise at the entrance.
With dread and a horrible suspicion in her heart, she looked one last time at the body of her daughter and the egg of her grandchild to be, and placed the egg under an enchantment. If she could not return for a long while, it would be safe until love and warmth woke it.
She hoped she was wrong, and would be back soon, but felt she should leave it here until she could take a quick look around. As soon as she exited the cave, she heard a horrible hissing voice.
Ancalagon was sitting over the entrance waiting for her. Over the course of their short conversation it became obvious he didn't know of the egg and just thought she was being overly sentimental of their daughter. He reminded her that it was their Masters command.
As she listened, she felt there was something off about him. He was looking at her strangely, and seemed to be a little more tense than she thought he should be. She shortly learned what it was as he attacked.
As she looked at him with betrayed eyes, he paused his next attack, perhaps feeling that he owed her an explanation. She was horrified as he shared his reason: Morgoth had ordered him to destroy the remaining females in secret, so that there would never be a dragon that could be used against him.
That was the closest to an apology she got. She fought her mate with everything she had, but he was too strong for her. In a last act of desperation, she collapsed the entrance to the caves, preventing Ancalagon from discovering their grandchild.
As he wiped the blood from his muzzle, Ancalagon regretted a little. His Master came first and he would never doubt that, but he decided to let Ashreth have her last wish. He would leave her hoard and their daughter buried. With one last glance at her body, he left to return to Morgoth's side.
So time moved on. Glaurung was killed by Turin Turambar. Other Dragons were killed in battle, or by fights among themselves. They did not realize that all those that died were those who were the first dragons, the ones that had been taught to shift their shape. By the time the great War of Wrath came, Ancalagon was the last remaining with that knowledge.
By the end of the War even he was dead, killed by Earendil, and much of the land was sunk into the sea.
Few Dragons remained. Those that were left had settled in the North near the Grey Mountains, driving all the elves, dwarves, and men away. Knowledge of Dragons and their creation gradually dwindled to 'large fire breathing creatures that hoard treasure and live a long time'.
The remaining few dragons died over time. One, named Scatha, took his hoard from the few men and dwarves remaining near the North. He was killed by a man, Fram, who upset the dwarves with his arrogance and refusal to hear their claims. The dwarves ended up killing Fram and taking the treasure.
Many years later, the world was changed, and made round. Miraculously, a small cave in the mountains survived.
Finally, all of the Great Dragons were dead, save one. Smaug, a red and gold dragon and one of the last to be created, heard of a great hoard of gold and a gold sick dwarf king in a lonely mountain and determined to make the gold his. Killing and running off the dwarves, he gained possession of the gold and the mountain. Thus it stood.