Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HOBBIT!
Treasure
The Took and her Dragon
The story of the Took and her Dragon was said to be merely a story among the Elves, Men, and Dwarves of Middle-Earth, after all a Dragon was a fierce and dangerous creature and the Hobbit was just…a Hobbit.
The Hobbits of the Shire on the other hand, knew better.
Her name was Belladonna Took, eldest daughter of Gerontius and Adamanta Took. She had been traveling from her home in hopes of finding an Adventure, instead she found a Dragon.
The sky was dark, thunder boomed from above while lightening threaten to strike the ground below, the rain was cold and heavy; the winds wild and merciless.
What a horrible start to an Adventure.
Grumbling the Hobbit looked about hoping to find some kind of shelter from the storm, eyes squinting she was barely able to make out a cave from the heavy curtain of rain, heart swelling up with joy she ran towards the cave. Upon entering the cave, the Hobbit sighed in relief, pleased at finally getting out of the rain. After slipping her large traveling pack to ground the Hobbit began squeezing the water from her clothes and hair, it didn't help much, just as she was considering stripping and hanging her clothes to dry (she already was imagining her father's horror at the thought of his daughter being naked in a cave while her mother laughed merrily in the background) a low rumble had her freezing.
"And what have we here?"
Slowly she looked over her shoulder, hand slowly reaching for the knife stripped to her side, and came face to snout with a Dragon.
"Oh my"
"And what" the Dragon rumbled with a slight tilt of the head, snout taking a long sniff, "are you?"
"I'm" the Hobbit voice squeaked, she paused to clear her throat and spoke again, "I'm a Hobbit"
The Dragon gave a curious rumbled, "A Hobbit?"
The She-Hobbit nodded, giving a squeak when the Dragon suddenly growled.
"Are you here to steal my hoard then Hobbit?" the Dragon snarled.
The Hobbit blinked, curious she glanced around and finally nodded a small pile of gold off in the corner, turning away from it she looked back at the Dragon with a frown, why would she do a thing like that? She was a Took, not a thief!
"Of course not!" she snapped, offended and startling the Dragon, "I just came here for shelter, in case you haven't noticed it storming out!"
The Dragon tried not to notice, water of any kind and fire-drakes did not mix well.
"Honestly how rude!" she huffed.
The Dragon was taken back by the now grumbling Hobbit before him, he titled his head curious of this creature, suddenly the Hobbit sneezed right on his snout, surprised the Dragon reared back.
"Sorry" the Hobbit sniffed.
Meanwhile the Dragon snarled, how dare this little….rabbit sneeze on him! Him! With a growl the Dragon opened his mouth and closed into the Hobbit to devour her whole…only to be sneezed on again.
"Sorry" The Hobbit said again, before going to her pack to look for her handkerchief.
The Dragon stared at her before deciding he'd eat her later.
After blowing her nose, the Hobbit watched as the Dragon moved closer to his hoard of gold and curled around it, there was a moment of silence as the two stared at each other, a sudden boom of lightening had the Hobbit jumping and looking out at the storm. She frowns at the storm before looking hesitantly at the Dragon.
"Erm, Master Dragon"
"What?" the Dragon asked annoyed
"I know this may be an inconvenience to you, but I was wondering if perhaps I may stay here until the storm passes, then I'll be on my way"
The Dragon gave a curious rumble, "And why should I let you stay here? After you entered my den without permission and you sneezed on me?"
"I apologize once again for sneezing on you, and second it is storming out there, I was looking for shelter not a dragon!"
Once again the Dragon looked startled at the outburst from such a small creature.
"What an interesting thing, this Hobbit" the Dragon thought.
"And calling me a thief, of all the nerve, why I outta box you on the ear….do Dragons even have ears?"
"Yes we do" the Dragon answered, startling the Hobbit out of her thoughts, "and you may stay until the storm passes…away from my gold"
"Of course, of course, thank you very much"
The Dragon snorted before curling further around his gold, watching as the She-Hobbit begin unpacking.
"By the way I'm Belladonna Took" she said turning back to the Dragon, and giving a curtsy "at your service"
"Smaug, at yours"
Belladonna did not leave after the storm let up, she stayed and Smaug let her.
A friendship had blossomed during the storm, one that in later years will be talked about until the end of time, and when it came time for Belladonna to leave, Smaug went with her (it took a long time to convince the Dragon to bury his gold and leave it until later, years later Belladonna will realized it was because her friend was young that the pull of hoarding was not so great yet), together the two had many adventures. Fighting Orcs and Bandits, discovering lost worlds and treasure ("No, Smaug, we are not taking the Statue with us! Don't you pout at me!"), meeting friends of all kinds (I doubt he saw anything, so don't eat him! And no I am not having you guard me every time I take a bath!).
Oh, they had grand times!
Soon stories about the two spread around Middle- Earth, about a young Hobbit taming a ferocious Dragon ("Until a thorn gets stuck in your paw, then you turn into a babe, oh don't growl"), traveling the lands on its back ("You are not light, ow!"). Many races scoffed at the thought of a Hobbit doing anything of the such (other races didn't even know what a Hobbit was), Hobbits just shook their heads mumbling about Tooks, while a particular grey wizard chuckled merrily.
Soon, like all stories it came to an end.
Belladonna started to miss home, her family, friends, and practically one Hobbit by the name of Bungo Baggins, Smaug on the other hand could feel his nature stir, the desire to find and hoard gold growing every day. And so they parted ways, it was a sorrowful parting and each vowed to remember their years together fondly, and they did.
16 years later
Belladonna hummed as she rocked her little Bilbo to sleep, today was a lovely day. The sun was shining, birds singing and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, a perfect day for a picnic by the river.
"Bungo would never let us so close to the river, my little Bilbo"
The little Hobbit blinked up at his mother before smiling, Belladonna gave a smile back, but it didn't reach her eyes.
Nowadays her smiles were false, ever since that night.
A giggle had her looking down to see Bilbo crawling off towards the Butterfly that had landed on their basket. She watched her son reach for the beautiful insect; the moment small hands touched the delicate wings the butterfly flew off into the air. Belladonna watched it go with longing before looking back at her son who seemed confused as to where the butterfly went.
"Alright lunchtime!" she said with forced cheer.
It was nearing sunset when she heard a familiar and dearly missed sound.
It was a noise like a hurricane coming down from the north the trees creaked and cracked, creating high and dry wind. A large familiar shaped shadow blocked the sun and circled around them, before a large dragon landed next to her.
"Hello old friend" Belladonna greeted with a smile.
"I'm not old" Smaug grumbled.
"But you have grown" Belladonna said, an amused smile appearing when the Dragon puffed out his chest in pride.
He indeed had grown, no longer was he the just out of Hatchlinghood Dragon she had traveled with years ago, his red-golden scales shined with the light of the sun, mighty wings folded against him, his long mighty tail swayed contently behind him. Talons and teeth no doubt sharp as swords, and twice as deadly.
Yes, he was truly a magnificent Dragon.
"It's been a long time, my friend"
"Sixteen years" Smaug said.
"Missed me have you?" Belladonna teased lightly, grabbing Bilbo when the babe started for the water.
"You think very highly for yourself" Smaug rumbled, as his body curled around the She-Hobbit and picnic blanket, "and what in the world is this?" he then asked, snout moving close to sniff at the little Hobbit.
Bilbo giggled.
"I've learned from the best" the She-Hobbit smirked remembering the times Smuag's arrogance and slight vanity (his vanity would have probably grown more if it wasn't for Belladonna and her iron skillet) got them in a lot of trouble, "and this little bubbly joy is Bilbo, my son"
Smaug gave a curious rumble and gently nudge at the child in its mother's arm, the child squealed happily before a small little hand place itself on the scaly snout, the Dragon's eyes widen for moment before he pulled back.
"He has your eyes, and you're mate's fur coloring I'm assuming"
"…Yes"
Smaug paused, studying her for a moment, "You have a sadness about you, it has linger for some time"
Belladonna said nothing merely held her sleepy son closer to her.
"Your mate…he has passed on"
"Know it all" the Hobbit said softly.
A long snout gentle nudged her cheek, a soft rumbling sound almost like a purr erupted from the large body. A large wing lifted and covered the She-Hobbit when she curled up against him.
"It was the beginning of Winter" Belladonna said, voice as distant and hollow, " I had just given birth to Bilbo in the end of Fall, Bungo was so happy to have a son" she smiled, "you should have seen him, poor Hamfast nearly had a heart attack when he came out shouting like a loon."
Smaug said not a word, even after all these years he still knew when his dear friend just needed a willing ear.
"We were so happy…then the lake froze over, and they c-came, ….Bungo tried his best to protect us…and…."
Belladonna broke off in a sob, burying her face against the Dragon's skin, Smug gave a comforting rumble nuzzling the Hobbit.
"Sorry" Belladonna sniffed when her tears finally stopped, and here she had thought all her tears had dried up.
"I've had worse"
Belladonna gave a watery smile before her attention was taken when her son began to fuss, with his friend busy the Dragon studied her, she was much thinner and paler since the last he saw her, and though she had recently finished crying he could tell she had not slept well.
He doubted it was because of her offspring.
All in all she looked as though the wind could blow her away at any moment, nothing at all like the Hobbit who once face-down a Pack of Orcs with only an iron skillet and butter knife.
"Come with me" Smaug suddenly said.
Belladonna blinked, then blinked again, "…I beg your pardon?" she then said, as she rocked her son back to sleep.
"Come with me" Smaug repeated.
"Come where?"
"To the East, or perhaps the South, if I remember correctly Rohan is lovely this time of year"
"If I remember correctly, the last time we were in Rohan we were getting shot at" the Hobbit said with amused fondness.
"Not Rohan then"
Belladonna giggled, and it was first light-hearted sound he had heard from her since arriving.
"Why so sudden" Belladonna then asked.
"I think you need another adventure, just one more"
"I can't just go running off, I have Bilbo now"
"It will not be like our usual adventures"
The Hobbit stared at her dear friend, eyes widening when she realized what he meant by coming with him.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because I am selfish"
Belladonna felt her eyes swell up with tears once again, for she knew what that answer meant, having learnt it's true meaning long ago.
When she and Smaug had finished dancing with the clouds above and they're laughter having been carried away with the wind. The two would be curled up together wherever they had landed, whispering to each other about everything and nothing at all, then just as sleep would take them Belladonna would ask, "Why did you come with me? Why do you stay?" and without even a pause Smaug would answer "Because I am selfish".
Every night, she asked the same question and every night he would give the same answer.
"Because I am selfish"
She at that time never knew what it meant, and it had bothered her through they're time together, it was only after their last adventure, and they were standing across from each other at the border of the Shire saying their goodbyes that she finally knew.
"Why did you come with me?" she had asked for the last time, "why did you stay?"
Without a pause Smaug had answer, "Because I am selfish"
And as she watched her friend fly away, tears clouded her eyes for she finally realized what her friend was saying.
"Because I am selfish" really meant "Because I love you".
"My dear Smaug" she whispered tears rolling down her eyes.
"Will you come?" the Dragon asked softly, "will you and Bilbo come with me on one more adventure?"
Belladonna smiled.
That night the Hobbits of the Shire were awoken from their sleep by wings clapping like thunder, they jumped out of bed and rushed to their doors, flinging them open and running out all without even putting on a robe! Once outside they were met with such an amazing and remarkable sight that many fainted on the spot!
It was a Dragon, its mighty wings lifting it into the sky, and in its back was Belladonna.
"Belladonna! Belladonna!" cried her neighbor Hamfast, "what are doing!? Where are you going!?"
"We're going over on an adventure!" Belladonna replied, "isn't that right Bilbo" she then said to her son strapped to her back.
Bilbo shrieked with laughter.
"I leave Bag Ends to you Hamfast, take care of it for me!"
Then with a mighty roar and laughter the three headed off into the night sky for one more adventure.
Review Please!