DL1

Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR or anything else you recognise. And you can probably assume that I don't own anything you don't recognise either

A/N: Hi XD welcome back to my wonderful world… in this intense time of stress and exams and dying under the fact that I already have two stories to write and one that im meant to be re-writing and have done nothing to it, I decided to re-write this. Yes. Logic. I know. :P anyway here we go. Now I have my plotline sorted and characters built and ya know… all of that… I'm going to sort out all my personal issues with this story :P anyway :P welcome to new readers and old and I hope you enjoy XD

Chapter 1

MANY YEARS AGO (before the events of LOTR)

The puny elves and men marched on me in all their 'glory'. Their glimmering greeny gold helms shimmered in the sunlight and I have to admit that it looked pretty awesome… but not as darkly epic as my army of evil.

I grinned in the secluded darkness of my helmet as a swarm of orcs advanced on the pretty gold people. The battle had begun. The fires of Orodruin smoked and bubbled behind me as I advanced on the leaders of the Last Alliance.

I swung my mace and elves and men went flying like skittles… or dominoes. A man charged at me as I completed my swing and I quickly reversed the direction of my mace to smash him against a rock. His skull made a satisfying crunching sound as his head made contact with that very conveniently placed stone.

Then another weasely guy with greasy black hair and an ugly face started screaming at me and went to pick up a sword lying on the ground so I smashed it with my feet and advanced on him, smiling to myself. Then he swung the jagged hilt of that blade…

I leapt into consciousness, refusing to relive that moment, the moment of my defeat. I distracted myself by seeping to the surface of Middle-earth to check on the construction of my tower.

My construction team is made up of six… no, five orcs (the sixth may have had a slight incident with the Nazgul).

"Master, we need more of us. The tower will never be finished without backup." One of the orcs shuffled towards where I manifested myself as a black blob, looking a lot like some rock had recently redesigned his face.

His pitiful voice irritated me so I emitted a strange slightly strangled growl of frustration and blew up his head. As the blood rained down around his body the other orcs turned to watch me in horror.

One of them gulped nervously. "He was our only architect… We can't complete construction without him…"

"Brainless idiots, what part of 'I have eternity and do not want to attract any attention' do you not understand!" I was getting impatient with their idioticness.

What did I care if the tower took ages. I had to constantly put up with their whinging and whining about it. It wasn't like they were going to die before it was built either.

The headless body caught the corner of my vision. If they stopped annoying me that was.

Maybe I should recall the nazgul and get them to do a bit of manual labour… you never know, it might be good for them. Apparently its meant to be character building or something… not that I've ever tried building a tower to see. I prefer making weapons. Or chains for my enemies.

"Master?" A familiar voice floated over my shoulder and I twizzled to find Khamul, my favourite nazgul, staring at the headless body with raised eyebrows.

"He was whining about needing more help." I shrugged nonchalantly. Wasn't my fault he was too stupid to know when to stop.

Just to clarify, before you think its weird that a blob can shrug, due to our Ring connection, the Nazgul and I see each other like ghosts. Not actually having a physical form but the remnants of one. It was fun. We could have entire conversations by just changing our expressions and no one else would know.

"I think you need a holiday. To put things into perspective." Khamul suggested, still slightly entranced with that body.

"What's wrong with my perspective." I growled. I would blow his head up soon. What was he trying to insinuate?

"I only meant that that maybe you need to take a break from tower building, see the world a little. Now you have the time and strength to do so." At my unconvinced expression he added, "You can also do some reconnaissance on your enemies." Now that was more like it.

"Good thinking Khamul!" Valar I loved that Nazgul. Always full of such bright ideas.

I had a very nice holiday, full of extortion and the subtle torment of my enemies. I had got carried away and spent several hundred years running around happily. But now was time to go back to business. My nazgul had reminded me of other goings on in the world. They had found a very deluded hobbit who claimed that her grandson could disappear into thin air… which was the effect my Ring has on mortals.

I've sent my nazgul to investigate it. Hopefully I'll get my Ring and then dominate the world like a boss.

But now, down to business. Some interesting things have been happening down in my favourite part of the world and they could just work in my favour. First I needed a base.

I floated over the top of Dol Goldur inspecting the ruins with glee. Those blasted elves hadn't moved back in yet, meaning I only had to install some nazgul and some orcs and it would be mine once again. Not that it ever hadn't been mine… no one had occupied since me, so therefore it still belonged to me. Even if the elves claimed it was in their territory. Not like they cared enough to put anyone here. I'm going to be able to move in quite happily.

I emitted an evil chuckle which echoed through the ruined towers. Now for my plans to be set in motion. I caught an air current heading in the direction of my target, smiling to myself.

"Oh Smaug, come out come out wherever you are!" My gleeful voice echoed through the dark, damp cave which the descendant of Glaurung called home. 'I have a job for you.'

"A job, Sauron… oh but you are not my master." Smaug's voice echoed through the cave, coming from every direction. "So why would I do something for you."

I knew exactly what would make this dragon do exactly what I want. "You will be rewarded… with GOLD!" There was a clinking of pebbles and I knew that I had got his attention. "How much gold…," Smaug's scaly head snaked out of tunnel and stared at me with glowing red eyes.

I floated over to his head and breathed in his ear "More gold than you could dream of." Smaug jumped at my close proximity and I let out an ominous chuckle to unnerve him. This is unbelievably fun.

"Where is this mountain of gold you speak of… for that is what it must be if its more than I could dream of."

"Erebor!" My voice bounced off the cave walls as Smaug stared at me incredulously.

"Erebor… That is too much for one dragon to take on alone."

"Not if he has the support of a certain Dark Lord." The silence was deadly as the cogs turned in Smaug's head, considering my offer. I could almost feel the victory in my hand… all I needed was one little yes.

As the time stretched on into the darkness, I grew bored watching the great golden dragon lie and think. "It appears time has eroded you Smaug. Once you would have jumped at the chance to win a mountain of gold. And this time I offer you my assistance. Has the fire of Glaurung left you my old friend?" I taunted Smaug, with excellent results.

He roared and flames flickered in the base of his nostrils "Time has no effect on Smaug, the greatest dragon left in Middle-earth. I accept your offer, but first I wish to know what YOU gain from ME getting a mountain of gold."

I couldn't help but add in my mind 'the only dragon left in middle earth'. But that was of no matter. Smaug was in the palm of my hand.

"Its not the gold I care about. I want those dwarves homeless. I want them wandering, torn to pieces where they cannot unite against me. All you have to do Smaug, is get the mountain and keep the mountain" I left several barely veiled threats lying under those words. Smaug would get the point. He had one job, and he'd better not fail. If he did... it could get messy. In a lot of ways.

This is it. Time for those dwarves to die. Smaug opened his mouth and let loose a deadly torrent of flames upon the people of Dale.

I smirked at their expressions of horror and disbelief as towers were toppled with a flick of Smaug's paw. The crunching and screaming as huge blocks of stone smashed anyone below was music to my ears.

A huge clanging turned the screams to sobs, as the warning bell was toppled hundreds of feet to the ground below, cracking the cobblestones and shaking the foundations of the houses.

Smaug let out a terrible roar and soared over the Long lake. He was a magnificent sight. His scales gleamed, moving soundlessly over each other as he flew. I parted from him and moved off to put the next part of my plan into action. As much as I loved watching the destruction, I needed to actually get Smaug to succeed.

The elf army was moving at a tremendous speed to aid their dwarvish allies. That's what I was here to stop.

Their leader, the King Thranduil, sat atop a mighty stag whose huge antlers towered into the sky. I was content to follow them until the time was right to prevent them from lending aid to the dwarves.

I floated above them analysing their numbers. Should I attack, which would be fun… or just turn them around. Hmmm… choices, choices…. At that moment Thranduil and his army reached the edge of the cliff.

The devastation below was incredible… the pine covered slopes of the mountain were ablaze, like a giant bonfire. The faint echoes of Smaug's roaring emerged from a hole where the smashed wreckage of once impenetrable oak doors lay.

I could just see a red tail slipping through that door. It was now or never for the elves to move. Thranduil was already hesitating.

As the elves gazed at the destruction I crept into Thranduil's mind and whispered "They will all die, every single brave elf warrior standing behind you will fall if you lead them against the might of Smaug. It is better to live and let the dwarves die, than to needlessly lead your people to death."

There was little resistance to my encouragement, for relations between dwarves and elves had been weak for many thousands of years.

So I retreated and the King Thranduil continued to gaze at the burning mountain, but now his expression was that of regret rather than determination, and I knew that I had succeeded.

The Lonely Mountain shook as Smaug swallowed the last of the dwarvish resistance and made himself comfy in his new bed of gold. Thranduil took one last, long look at the survivors who were fleeing their homes, and turned away, back to his forest.

As he left and his army turned around I gave in to my inner desires and grabbed an unlucky elf who was catapulted off the cliff. Ah the hilarity as he fell screaming to his death. That image was going to keep me entertained for a long, long while.

After all remnants of the dwarves had left I slipped into the mountain to meet Smaug. I travelled through halls were the burnt and blackened remains of dwarves lay under pieces of huge, masterfully crafted masonry.

For some reason it made me slightly annoyed… did that dragon really have to be so destructive. Dwarf halls ARE masterpieces after all.

Then I rounded the corner and came upon Smaug lounging in his new bed. Gold as far as the eye could see, and a whole lot more that I couldn't. But not only gold, but every type of jewel imaginable and the most wonderful mithril armour.

Now I wish I said I had wanted some of the gold… I sighed and turned to where the great red dragon was lying. His scales were dulled by dried blood, his stomach was a huge mound, and Smaug was… asleep.

Gorged on dwarvish flesh and content with his new home, the 'great' dragon had let down his guard before he even knew whether everyone was one. Well of course they were but… Anyway the short of it is, I left him there. Now he had to stay in the mountain forever, or until I needed him again. I doubted he would find that a challenge somehow.

A/N Hope you liked this new and improved version (at least I'd hope its improved... i added loads of words) please review :) even if its just a smiley or a sad face :P anyways, I hope you enjoyed! and come back for more if you did! :)