Oh, misty eye of the mountain below
Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls
And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke
Keep watching over Durin's son
The day when everything changed for the pretty girl was when she saw the tall, grey mountain which towered over her home town suddenly light a fire. Her sky blue eyes devoured the sight of the flames lighting up the mountain, the sky getting a soft grey colour from the smoke which was lifting from the two small entrances of the side of the mountain. She turned around to her mother, who was holding the basket with the old, almost rotten vegetables, also staring at the mountain. But nevertheless, little girl yelled out to her mother, loud and clear. "I see fire!"
If this is to end in fire
Then we should all burn together
Watch the flames climb high into the night
Calling out father, oh, stand by and we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountain side
Even her breathing seemed heavier, echoing against the cold halls, bouncing back and forth. But she didn't dare to curse out her fear. What if he awakes again?
That would be certain death.
But there it was again. The stone halls of the dwarves rose high, high. The chill seeped into her bones, freezing them, and despite all of that, she kept on going.
Then the gold came into view, making her halt her actions. It sparkled and shone with soft, golden light, making the shadows dance against the ember dark walls.
Her heart stopped just like it had every time her sky blue eyes landed on the shimmering gold. She wasn't nearly as young as she was when she saw this every same mountain burn. No.
She was born and raised in a small town, right under a huge mountain, whose peeks couldn't be seen from the clouds. There was a legend, an old tale, of a dragon, which had banished and burned all the dwarves from the mountain just so he could sleep on all of this gold. Of course, no one believed in those tales, until her father and many other men went on a quest to 'check'. Their checking didn't go so well, because everyone, except her dear father, burned to ashes from the dragon that wasn't too happy to wake up and see men stealing his gold.
So why was she here, doing the same stupid quest like her father, her uncles, her neighbors?
Simple.
Her brother was sick. She loved her brother dearly, so much that she was willing to sneak into the mountain with a dragon sleeping inside just so she could steal his gold, feed and help her brother. They only had each other after all.
If she had that gold, even one tenth of the gold in this room, her brother would be alright. She would be alright.
But she didn't have one million part of that gold, so she had to become the scum that she despised. She had to steal.
For the past few weeks the blonde girl would sneak into the mountain, and steal a coin or two, maybe a small golden cup, or if she saw it, a gem. A fair trade, she told herself, a few coins so she could help her brother when the dragon destroyed her family.
Ever since her father failed that quest, ever since all those men died, her family was constantly attacked by the villagers, shunning them out-of-the-way. So if stealing would help her brother live, the dragon should pay for it.
The dragon wouldn't notice anyway. As the tale said, the halls stretched on for hundreds, and hundreds of miles, each filled with more treasures than the last. So what's a few coins in comparison to that?
She got down on her knees, and picked three coins up, since they had rolled off from the huge pile of gold. The girl straightened up, and placed the few pockets in her pouch, her lips parting in a small, satisfied smile. Great. She and her brother can now have a meal. She could buy the herbs he might need.
They could live another day.
"How dumb must a thief be to always come back to the same spot to steal?"
The voice that echoed through the room made her jump up, and take few steps back, her knees suddenly trembling. The dragon. Who else could it be, but the dragon? No one else knew of this entrance. Only she did, because her father told her about it on his death-bed. But never had she encountered the dragon, nor did she see his scales, or tail.
Seems she will have her chance finally.
"I'm not a thief!" The blonde said in defiance and felt all of her senses yell idiot. Seriously, who goes around and defies a dragon?
That's it. She just might end up like roast beef. Or some other sort of meal for the dragon..
The shadows moved and their was a sound of gold falling to the ground, like a wave, washing over her feet. The girl took a few careful steps back, wondering what were the chances of successfully running away from a dragon.
Probably none.
Even if she did manage to run up the two-mile stairs and run don the mountain, and then down the valley to the village, the monster wouldn't disappear just because she got home. Even worse. What if the dragon follows her to the village and burns them to the ground? That wouldn't be good at all.
Her blue eyes searched for the dragon, and she swallowed heavily as her heart raced way too fast for her liking. What now?
Then she saw it.
It wasn't huge. It wasn't gigantic in proportions, no... It was human sized, walking towards her, or rather coming down from his pile of gold. And when he came into the faint light, she had to bite down on the gasp that threatened to slip past her lips.
It was the most beautiful man she ever saw.
With the most striking violet eyes she ever so, almost hidden under the pale blonde hair of his and the most fair skin she'd take him as a girl. But that defiant look in his eyes, the arrogance with which he moved towards her, made her think otherwise. But as her eyes drifted from his face to his sides, she had to draw in a sharp breath, as if that could help her. From the sides of his head came two, almost spiral horns, each illuminated in dark purple colour, and from his back she could see a long, scale like tail following him, which seemed to twitch, as if somebody touched it, now and then.
"Are you scared, human?" He spat, almost as an insult. As if it was an insult to be a living, breathing human.
Her blue eyes refocused on his face, on that slightly cocky expression as he came closer, and closer to her. But in realty, she had to admit: She wasn't scared. He could have been her age, they seemed to be the same height.. plus his narrow physique didn't seem too threatening.
"Not really..." The blonde responded as her posture straightened, and her blue eyes softened. Who knows? Maybe she didn't understand something. Maybe she really is an idiot. Maybe the dragon died.
"Not really?" His brows furrowed, casting a dark shadow over his handsome face. Weird... Was he upset over something? Had something happened to him? Had she upset him?
"Well, yeah, ya're kinda scary with all that tough-man posture and everything, but ya'r face is kinda girly ya know?" She smiled to him, and shrugged, as she explained her point of view. Maybe he understood better now why she wasn't scared.
The top corner of his lip lifted and a small growl escaped him. "Maybe I should burn you. Show you my true shape. Make you scream and cower in fear from me."
The girl blinked and took a step forward. They were ten steps apart. She wondered how his skin felt to touch, if those horns were real. And he wondered as well. Wondered why she wasn't begging for her life. Why wasn't she asking him to spare her? Why wasn't she scared? She took another step forward.
"If ya really, really wanted to kill me, I'd be dead by now, wouldn't I?"
But it was true. If the man wanted to, he could have killed her the first time she appeared in his home. But no. He stayed in the dark, watching as the weak, slender girl picked up two coins and left few flowers in exchange for them the first time she came around. He still had those flowers, all carefully stashed away with his most beloved treasure of all.
But they wilted, the beautiful colors drifting away into the dark as if the dark decided to consume the only light he had. The only reminder of the real world, the light. He didn't see natural light, felt the sun rays on his skin for decades, and for hundreds years he didn't feel the wind on his skin.
Was that why this little small human entranced him, made him wish for her to be around her for a little bit. But now... Now, he wanted to steal her, steal her like she stole his coins.
Even though she was a mere human she entranced him, made him want to have her. As if she was gold. Her hair did resemble his finest gold, soft threads of it, turning into small locks as they danced around her oval head with her slightly pointed chin. Her eyes were darker than aquamarine, shimmering slightly as the brilliant light fell on them. Her white skin, somewhere a bit darker from where the sun burned her seemed to be silken to touch, but he couldn't dare to touch it.
What if she hates it? Could he force his need, his want on her? He might as well. She was his after all. His thief. And what is she any different from the gold? Sure, she might talk.. But maybe that won't be so bad.
Unless she's annoying.
"Ya don't talk much." She suddenly blurted out, since he was just staring at her with those piercing eyes. She never saw eyes like those... Never before...
"Why should I bother myself with answering to questions of a mere peasant?" He asked, his voice thicker and more edged. He wasn't exactly pleased with seeing such a bold girl. Times surely have changed since he drifted to the cave, hiding from the world.
He wasn't a dragon at first, actually.
"Well, I'm not a peasant! I have a bit of land, mind ya manners, ya know? Well, I used to have land. We had to sold it when m'lil' bror got sick. But everythin' for the family, ri—"
"What plants did you grow?" He asked, interrupting her question. He really didn't care for what she thought. It was annoying after all.
"All sorts of stuff! Anything that could fill up our table or earn us a coin or two."
"Why did you sell it then? Was the ground not good?"
"People burned our crops. Ya know, to punish m'father for what he did." She explained and wrapped her arm around her waist. Was it always this cold in the cave? Surely, she never noticed it before.
Might be because she ran off every time she was down there. Caves weren't really a homey place, all dark and with minimal light. The gold made the same shimmering sound as he approached her again, his fingers drifting over to touch her skin, but he stopped, pulling them away.
"How did that make you feel like, thief?" He asked as his lips tugged in a cold, ruthless smirk. "Did it make you fear my flames? All fire is dragon's fire, but no fire burns like mine. You were terrified weren't you? As the flames rose high, and high, consuming all your hard work, turning it to mere ashes, ashes that are worth nothing!"
"It made me angry." She replied instead. "Fire isn't bad, really. It warms those who are cold and gives them some comfort. It isn't as bad as you might think it is. Maybe you just have a bad idea of it, but fire is something that isn't all bad. Sure, it destroyed m' crops, but wasn't it the people who did that, not the fire, hm?"
He blinked, completely astonished. "You're weird."
"Why thanks! I enjoy making people rethink things. Makes them interesting, right?"
"Not really. You're perhaps just stupid so you think differently."
"Well that ain't all bad… right?" She muttered and scratched the back of her neck, as she turned on her heel. "I better think about it at home, ahah…" She said as she started to walk. Well, this is called running away.
He might have been asleep for decades now, but he knew what running away was. He ran away a lot by himself too. Running away was always simple, always the easy thing to do. Perhaps that's why they seemed to understand each other more or less.
"You're not going anywhere thief. You have to repay your debt." He said coldly and dragged her back into the room, his eyes narrowing. His fingernails were like claws, digging into her skin. She winced, stumbling back into the room, her clumsy steps echoing through the cold, huge cave.
"D-debt? Oi, three coins a-ain't that bad!" She said in protest and frowned slightly as she shivered slightly. Oh, gods help her. This was scary and it seemed too unreal.
"More like nine coins, one ruby, and an emerald shard." He corrected her, making the little girl wince and take a shy step away.
"I n-need it." She explained. "M-my bror.. He's sick and the medicine…it ain't free. And nobody wants to trade with me... S-so… Please..." She whimpered quietly, her eyes wide.
"What's wrong with him?" He simply asked.
"He... He's pale. Coughing lots, it sounds really painful. He has sweat all over him, and he's... He's in pain. He needs my help..." She simply explained, before looking down.
"I'd r-repay ya, whoever ya are... If you let me go..."
"I'm the dragon of this cave, you silly little girl." He growled at her, his claws going into her skin, making her wince and try to edge away. "And you will repay me, alright. I love every coin, every cup, every object, every gem in this place. They are mine, and mine alone. I don't want someone's filthy hands all over it."
"I-I understand that, but... But ya have so much... And it could help m'bror... please..." She pleaded, feeling ridiculous for asking that. Why does she have to plead something from such a terrible... horrible monster? She had the right to get to live, to have something for her. This dragon took too much from her anyway.
"Why would I care for a mere human life?" His words sounded like a snarl as he towered over her.
"Because a mere human's life could make a difference!" She yelled back, suddenly feeling rage raise in her. It wasn't fair, she refused this. "Because a mere human life can make music, bring people joy. Sure, we might not be perfect... But we still feel!"
That took him aback, making him stare at her intensively. She's... she's crazy. "You're..."
"I'm human." She responded and smiled for him, softly, gently. "Fire doesn't scare me. I can tame fire, even though it could kill me."
He stared at her, and released her hand from his grip. He simply had to have her. She was his new treasure. And he will have her.
"You're repaying your debt here, little thief."
Calling out father, oh,
Stand by and we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountain side high
It was months now that she was here. The lack of sunlight made her skin paler than ever before, her eyes seemingly gleaming in the golden light. His eyes would watch her move around, watch her play with gems and coins, her fingers weak. She didn't move much from the place he made for her, on the cold stone of the cave.
"Are you sad, little thief?" He asked her suddenly, as he moved over to her, his long, violet robes dragging over the cold, dusty floor. Not that it mattered; he could exchange it with a flick of his fingers.
"Not really." She mumbled simply, and lifted a small diamond sharp up to the light, watching it reflect, and glimmer softly. "I mean I sort of am sad. I miss m'bror, and the outside, but ya're not so bad if ya forget that ya can snort fire out of ya'r nostrils whenever ya get pissy."
"Watch your mouth." He grumbled and watched her as she sat with her back to the cold wall, her fingers toying with the small fragment of diamond.
"Ja, ja, Mr. Dragon." She replied, before she lifted her heavy blue eyes to meet his violet ones. Her lips parted in a small smile, revealing her soft length of white teeth. She was pretty no doubt about it. But she was a crude one, all rough around on the edges. What a weird child.
He raised an eyebrow, almost in boredom.
"Who knows little dragon?" She said and looked back to her diamond. "Maybe I really am sad."
He crouched down in front of her, watching her with interested violet eyes. "You don't know what sadness is." He simply stated.
"And ya do?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. "Ya spent ya'r life in a golden cave. Ya burned a lot of people just because ya could."
"They disturbed me. We went through this, little thief. I refuse to go through it again." He simply replied, his tone cold.
"Okay, then, enlighten me. How could a might ya dragon like ya know what's sadness?" She simply asked and dropped her hands in her lap, as she watched him with interested, soft eyes.
And if we should die tonight
We should all die together
Raise a glass of wine for the last time
"I was not always a dragon." He simply started, months later, when he agreed to tell her. Of course he refused to tell her. He refused simply because he didn't want someone to have a bit of him. Memories are a dear part of him, always taking a good, big chunk of all of you. They are essentially who you are and what makes them who are them. Giving something precious to someone means ultimate trust, doesn't it? And he couldn't trust a thief.
But after months around her, around that silly girl, who sang around, played with the gold, and slept like a log, he had to care. She was a lot. She was special. He had to care for the little girl. She simply did that to him, going under his skin, taking all of his emotions for hers. Such a weird child...
"Once, I was a child. A sick child. My father left my mother after she stopped being his interest. But she was a nice woman, I suppose, my mother that is. She didn't throw me away, and instead, she raised me, keeping me a secret from everyone else. She taught me how to be a good person. I still listen to some of her advice. But, I didn't repay her properly. I grew sick, and there was little doubt I could survive. So she spoke to a wizard, begged him to give me life, to make me live for a long, long time.. And she paid the price with her life.
The wizard, you see, he decided to make sure I lived. So he turned me into a dragon, but... I wanted magic, needed it. So I learnt it, did my best to grow into an admirable young man. The only problems were this horns and my tail. But I didn't think it would matter when I went to present myself to my father. I thought being smart, and being a good person mattered more than what you looked like. I thought... I thought wrong."
His fists curled, and he looked down, his eyes hiding the fury behind them. "He sent me away with arrows, fire and fury. He wanted to kill me off because I was a dragon. He didn't care about anything. Anything. That's when I realized… Humans are horrible people, and all of them should burn, burn. They should feel my rage, because… I..." He couldn't phrase another word, but he didn't have to, as the little girl embraced him close to herself, her face burying in his neck. "It's alright. I understand." She mumbled quietly, as her fingers went down his back. He had such tougher skin than anyone else...
And for once she did understand. Both were castaways, paying for the sins they never committed. One returned his pain in fire and fury, the other took it out on herself, suffering silently.
Maybe two chipped souls could be perfect together.
Calling out father, oh,
Prepare as we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on
The mountain side
"..I want to go home." She said suddenly, one day. He was showing her the instruments hidden deep in the cavern. They were old and rusty, but they were still working nevertheless. And he wanted to amuse her, at least a little bit. His fingers twitched, and curled over the strings, as if he wanted to crush it but couldn't.
"What do you lack here that you could have outside?" He said coldly, as he placed it away, turning back to her.
"Air. Fresh air. Sunlight. Wind. My brother. I need... I need to see my brother." She simply replied, her fear completely, gone by then. They were simply too close, too... personal. He knew everything about her, and she knew everything about him. Where he was chipped.
"…" he turned his eyes away. He wanted to say no, to have her only for himself, and not share her with anyone and just be together with her. Perhaps tell her how he felt. What he wanted to have with her. But now..? if she just wanted to go home, what was the point, if there ever was any point to start with?
"I'll be back. I promise." She said and reached over, touching his fingers gently, carefully.
"Be careful what you promise, little thief. I will come to check on you if you're late." He simply said, and pulled his fingers away. She will come back, he told himself. She wouldn't leave him, not after everything he told her.
And maybe then, maybe then he will have her for his own, finally. Maybe then he will have the courage to tell her that he simply loves her, loves her so much that his heart hurts.
"I will. I… I will be back." She promised and leaned down, kissing his forehead, before she turned around and ran for the exit.
Desolation comes upon the sky.
She was taking far too long. Far, far too long. It must have been hours since she left, and he couldn't stand a minute. Not another minute.
So he donned his cloak, enchanted with hiding spells, and went out of the cave. The sunlight struck him, his skin wincing at contact. But he couldn't care, as he strode downstairs to the village in the far distance. It was a small, grey city, and he ran down as the hill went down. Ah, just a little bit more. Maybe he will see the sunlight reflect in her golden hair, see it glimmer upon her skin… How do her eyes look in the sunlight?
And I see fire
Hollowing souls
I see fire
Blood in the breeze
And I hope that you remember me
It took him a bit to find her in the city, but he found his little thief nevertheless, the sweet little girl surrounded by the men of the village. It didn't seem pretty.
"You're a witch!" They yelled at her.
"A witch, witch, just like your brother! Your whole family is full of witchcraft!
" How cold only your father live the fire, and how can you live with the dragon?!"
"Dragons only love whores and witches!"
"Maybe you're both, huh whore?" They screamed at her. The little girl took a step back, completely unaware that her dragon was watching her, but he was in a deep trance as he watched her in the sunlight, from the dark alley he was in.
Her hair glimmered in the sunlight, truly, more beautiful than any gold. Her eyes were just like the sky, soft, warm, wide... Oh, how does her skin feel in this warmth?
"I am not! I'm a normal person like all of ya here!" She yelled at them, but one of the men pushed her back making her stumble, and whimper.
They were just enraged, enraged that she had the right to live with a dragon, and live to tell the tale. Maybe telling that she was living with a dragon wasn't the smartest idea possible.
Maybe their rage was too much to take. Maybe she was too pretty for them not to harm. Maybe she was someone they could rage over, harm, to see someone suffer instead of him. So one man raised his sword, and she was too frozen to react.
He spent his life burning people, piercing their skin with his claws or teeth. He also never paid any heed to human wars, their weapons, and their ways of killing one another. He never cared for any of that.
That's why the sound of a sword going through the flesh that he caressed, slicing it apart to remove every touch he gave her, tearing the skin that he kissed was completely new. And he wished it had stayed like that.
She opened her moth ever so slightly, a weak, broken sound escaping her as the sword was pulled out of her, the blood dripping down the rusty blade. His eyes widened and he immediately pushed off his invisibility cloak. If she sees him she will run to him. He'd heal her. He'd punish them. He'd take her to safety. Back to his cave. He would nurse her back to good health. She would spend many more years with him.
He'd be happy.
Her knees gave in, making her fall on them, then on her side. Her body was twitching as the crimson blood pooled around her, and her killer faces were reflected on it. Her blue eyes darted around until she caught sight of him in that small alley. Her lips stretched in a tiny smile, as her twitching got lesser, smaller, fainter, and he could merely stare as all life dripped out of her, as the blood that once went through her heart, left it.
The heart that once loved him.
The heart that once loved a dragon, a monster. She loved him, oh so horribly. And now her heart, her big heart which could house a thousand people, is still, cold. Lifeless. And no magic will ever make it beat again.
He screamed.
It was the first time he screamed for anyone, because of any pain. He screamed because of his stupid, little thief.
But as the initial pain subsided, fury seeped in. The pure rage, fueled with agony and despair, made the long lost dragon show. The monster was out. The dragon will make them pay for taking his treasure away. And their payment will be in fire and smoke.
The moment he was seen, his long, violet body, glimmering in the sunlight, screams started to echo, people started to scramble and run away from the blood crazy dragon. He started to spew fire, his wings stretched making the houses around him fall like as if they were made from straw. They fell apart and crumbled, like mere debris. He ran after the humans, making them fall under his curled claws, claws that were never meant to hurt his precious little human.
They screamed, cried, cursed him, begged, pleaded, but he had no ears for those monsters. As if they weren't guilty. But they were. They destroyed his most precious treasure.
Burn.
They will all burn.
He got up in the air, spewing fire over houses, people, animals. Everything. He didn't care if her brother burned along with the people. He should have saved his sister. The wonderful sister that gave up her freedom for him. He should have saved her.
Burn.
They will all burn.
And he didn't stop until every man, woman, dog, child, cat, pig, ship, every house, no matter the size had to burn. Because they destroyed his most precious treasure, his most valued gem. She was his heart, and by killing her they killed him.
And as smoke and fire rose to the sky, he went back to the spot where she was. Where she was gone... Where she left. Where she left the world where he could still see her, here her, maybe even dare to touch her.
There, on that same spot, he saw someone dragging her away from the roaring, red flames.
He landed in front of them, snarling at the tall boy with wild blonde hair who was dragging her out. "D-don't kill me. I j-just... I want to bury my sister." He said, his voice trembling. He was exactly like she described him, the sweet little boy who would get scared by the end of the story.
His violet eyes focused on her, on the night blue dress he got for her, from the depths of the caves, on her soft blonde hair that still shone from the sun and the fire around her, on her cream like skin, and on the crimson over her chest.
"Let her go." He growled at the boy, as he moved closer to them, one of his paws, just beside her body. And the boy did, just as he was told. He had let her body drop on the ground, her limp body sprawling over the floor. He moved over to her, gently nudging her face with the tip of his nose. But she didn't react.
Wake up, he wanted to beg of her.
He gently took her in his claws, lifting her back to the mountain, to the cave of their home. Where they would be safe, and together.
He held her gently, safely, as the breeze blew over them, lifting her hair up slightly. He glanced at the burning dot behind them, the screams ever so faint as they moved from them, leaving them to suffer like they deserved to.
Once inside their cave, he laid her down on the pile of gold, her hair flowing over the coins and gems. Once again, he nudged her gently, a tiny whimper escaping him.
Wake up...
Once more he reacted with rage. His tail, body, claws, roars, everything smashed against the cave, the halls, everything started to crumble over them after a little bit, as if an earthquake happened.
His violet eyes watched the gold, his resting place... the thing that drew his little thief to him.
If he could, he'd give up all of this gold, all of this treasure for just one of those days when she watched him with those kind, warm eyes, making him feel complete. He just wanted to tell her what she meant to him. Who she was to him. What a perfect person she was.
He wanted to make her laugh, make her smile. He wanted to feel her fingers against his skin, feel her move, feel her breathe.
He wanted to her foul mouth run again, the sweetness mixed with those awkward words of hers.
He wanted to be loved by her, just for a one more day.
The dark stones were falling, loudly all around them. The gold rattled, and fell all around them. She was still so beautiful, even in death her face was white like stone, her frame seemingly small in this state he was in. But the crimson stain over her chest was a clear sign that she will never wake up again.
His sweet little human.
One stone fall on her arm, crushing and breaking it, electing a furious roar from the dragon. With his nose, he kicked it away. For once he will protect her.
Forever.
He curled up around her, his tail going around her, one of his wings protecting her from the falling stones. He gently laid his head over his paws, watching her under the small crook of his wing.
Why isn't she laughing? He liked her laugh. It was soft, warm. It made his heartache lessen. Why isn't she looking at him with those amazing blue eyes? He liked her eyes. Showing her whole soul in them…
Dragons can't cry. They aren't made to cry to show empathy or pain. But she deserved someone to cry over her, to scream their agony out, to make the cruel gods who punished her by placing her here, in this place, in this age... to make them suffer, just how he was suffering right now.
That's why, in a blink of an eye, he turned to human, hugging her close, hiding his pain ridden face in her soft, sweet hair.
"I love you." He whispered as the stones fell all around them.
"I love you." He mumbled as tears fell on her face.
"I love you."
That's when the stones crushed them into eternal sleep in the absolute darkness settling over them like a thick blanket.
The two chipped souls were never fixed.