I just want to say thank you to everyone who has followed this story already!
I know that the first chapter was incredibly short,
but I hope that this one (which is slightly longer) will make up for it.
Please review!

~ Rachel


Malonna rushed away from the healing chambers with a wide smile on her pretty face. Her light green eyes flashed with merriment and she greeted everyone she passed with unconcealed joy. Not many took notice, however, because the Lady Malonna had never looked sad or ill after she had married Prince Thorin the year before. Many returned the greetings with a respectful nod and smile.

Picking up her skirts, Malonna proceeded to run to where she had last seen Thorin. He's going to be so happy! she thought to herself. How should I tell him? I could make him guess or I could give subtle hints until he figures it out. Oh, I'm just going to tell him. I could shock him in front of everyone and watch as he gets flustered. He is so adorable when he gets flustered, but he can't stand it when I call him adorable. Well, let's just see how he reacts to the news that he is to be a father!

Malonna was so caught up in her thoughts that it took her a moment to realize something was wrong. The kingdom seemed too quiet. Opening a door to her right, she stepped out on a small balcony that overlooked the town of Dale. A fierce wind picked up as soon as she stepped outside and something inside her became unsettled. Malonna shielded her eyes against the harsh wind and that was when she saw it.

The shadow fell over the land and fire soon followed. The cries of "Dragon!" went up all over the kingdom. Malonna stumbled back inside as Smaug began his deadly assault on the town of Dale below. I must find Thorin!

Malonna ran for all she was worth toward the entrance of the Lonely Mountain. She caught sight of Thorin as he pulled Balin behind a pillar to escape the fiery blast that the dragon aimed at them. Relief filled her when the fire cleared and both were safe. She called to him and Thorin immediately spun in the direction of her voice.

Thorin saw Malonna running toward him and made to move only to have Balin pull him back as they were once again surrounded by dragon-fire. A sickening crack was heard and both Thorin and Malonna glanced up at the archway between them. Stone began to crumble and fall and Thorin watched in horror as his One was cut off from him by enormous piles of rock and stone.

"No!" he cried as he ran to the debris. "Malonna! Please, Malonna!"

Balin wrapped his arms around Thorin and began to drag him away. "I'm sorry, laddie," he said as he pulled Thorin away. "There's nothing you can do for her! You must leave! You cannot remain here. She wouldn't want you to." He continued to drag a screaming Thorin away to safety and on the other side of the collapsed archway, Malonna was standing up from where she had been knocked back from the falling stone.

Malonna wiped dust from her eyes and stared at the unmovable pile of stone in front of her. "I'm trapped," she whispered to herself. Cries of dwarves and dwarrowdams were resonating through the stone halls. A loud crash and roar could be heard in the entire kingdom and slowly the screams began to dwindle. Fear wrapped its icy grip around Malonna's insides as she heard the massive beast moving around inside Erebor.

Malonna put a protective hand on her middle and began to run. She ran to the royal suites and into the room she had shared with Thorin since they were married. She grabbed her old bag and filled it with necessities. She pulled the bag up onto her shoulder and reached for her white birch staff. She reached for something on the bedside table and moved to the door but did not open it. With one final glance at her home, she placed a hand on the doorpost and softly began to mutter an incantation. With a sigh of resignation, she pushed the door open and stepped into the unknown beyond.