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Now we finally get to see who Nix was talking to ;)

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It was an overcast day. The clouds lazily drifted past the hazy sun whose rays barely touched the earth. A patchwork of shadows and weak sunlight decorated the backside of the Lonely Mountain and there was very little wind.

Gandalf the Grey shielded his eyes with a wrinkled hand and looked up to check the progress of the sun across the sky. From what he could tell it was taking him much longer than he had hoped to make his way up the mountain. While he had every reason to take his time so as to not alert the dragon within the mountain of his presence, he had no desire to be stranded in Smaug's territory when night fell.

He was in the process of returning from a prolonged journey into the Northern Waste. He was more than ready to return to warmer lands with more bountiful food and amiable company. Some could even say he was eager to see some of his Elvish friends again. He still had a long way to travel before that though and the Lonely Mountain was in his way.

It would have been smarter to have taken the much longer route through the Grey Mountains. That way he could have gone along the borders of Rhovanion and stopped at Framsburg for a time before following the Forest River through the territory of the Mirkwood Elves to finally reach Esgaroth.

But no. He was too impatient for that. He took the shorter route by Withered Heath. Surprisingly there were no dragons to be seen. He had known the mighty Fire Drakes had been becoming scarce but he had not been aware that their breeding grounds were so deserted. It concerned him.

While he knew of the whereabouts of a handful of Cold Drakes, the only dragon of fire he was currently positive of the existence and location of was Smaug, the greatest of this age.

With a grunt he used his staff to assist him up several rocks. He just needed to get around this mountain without alerting Smaug and then he could make his way directly to Esgaroth.

Easier said than done.

Magic was able to make his feet lighter and to mask most of his scent, but his progress was still very slow. Maybe he was just pushing himself too hard.

The stones beneath him suddenly shook and he flattened himself against the mountain for balance and camouflage. Had he not been careful enough and woken the dragon inside? Was Smaug stirring of his own accord? He wished he had more cover; something to hide under or behind would make him feel less exposed.

An abrupt flurry of sound, smell, and motion exploded from the mountain above him and he crouched down as the rocks protested the beast's exit.

And what beast was this?

After the wave of heat and smoke had passed, he quickly noticed that it was not Smaug who had left the mountain. It was not a wyvern of red and gold, but a dragon with scales of hard lavender. Had Smaug been vanquished without his knowledge? Had he abandoned his hoard only for this dragon to claim it for itself? Neither theory seemed possible. Gandalf was certain Smaug would never forsake his treasure and this dragon was much smaller than him as well. Surely it was no match for the terrible drake of fire he had observed on several occasions

His eyes squinted as he called upon his memory and knowledge of dragons. He couldn't recall the titles of any purple males...and he knew very little of the females...females! Was that...?

A roar tore through the air. A ebullient roar with what he thought to be a distinctly high, female-like tone to it. He felt himself smile slightly as he admired the graceful flight patterns of the Fire Drake before him. His experience with female dragons was very limited. Most females stayed in Withered Heath, a place he usually avoided out of respect and wariness. Any females living outside that ashen valley were always being jealously guarded by a territorial male. A male he would avoid and warn others away from at all costs.

If this was a female dragon...did that mean Smaug had taken a mate? Or had this female always been here and the stories of Smaug's take-over had somehow neglected to mention it?

Then again...Withered Heath appeared to be abandoned. Had this female come to Smaug for shelter or protection?

Regardless of the reasons for the presence of this new drake, he needed to keep moving. To do so would risk him being seen but to stay still was just as bad.

He brought his staff close, preparing to use a spell of concealment, when the dragon suddenly veered towards him. It was coming straight at him! His heart leaped in fear and he held his staff up in self-defense, "Stay back!"

A hot gust of wind threw him to one side as the mass of purple hovered in the air in front of him before landing on the side of the mountain with a thunderous crash. He struggled to get onto his feet. He needed to defend himself lest he be killed!

"Wizard," a melodic contralto invaded his ears, "Do not try to flee little wizard. There is nothing to fear."

It was a female. A female with a heavy voice. A voice that made him want to relax and let down his guard. But he was privy to the ways of dragon spells and he wouldn't let himself be taken unprepared for anything.

"Tell me wizard, why are you on my mountain?"

His mouth became a thin line as he refused the impulse to answer her immediately and without thought. He shifted his footing and leaned on his staff, tilting his hat respectfully towards the scales blocking his way and being mindful not to meet the creature's eyes, "I beg your pardon lady dragon. I did not realize this mountain was no longer under the dominion of Smaug the Golden."

"Oh, but it is little wizard," her rancid breath poured over him as he tried not to cough, "Smaug still rules this territory. He is alive and terrible to behold," her voice hissed, "His rests on his gold now. Eager to defend his lands from any who dare threaten him."

He nodded at the thinly veiled threat, "Oh indeed. However I do find myself surprised he has allowed another dragon to share in his wealth."

The female shifted her weight with a smug sounding hum, leaning her head down to eye him, "As his mate I share in everything under him."

"Aaah, what a lucky drake is he!" he bowed his head so as to not meet her gaze, "To be bonded with a lovely female such as yourself. Graceful as well! You were a joy to behold while in flight."

He smiled slightly at her please thrumming, "I am well known for my elegance in the air."

"To no surprise of mine," he chanced a look up and just barely missed her direct gaze, "And might I say that your scales are of a most beautiful color. Truly unique among your kind."

"Indeed, my scales are quite distinctive," one of her clawed hands reached over and swiftly plucked his hat off his head before he could stop her. One of his hands made an instinctive grab for it anyways but she had already lifted it far above him with a terrible grin upon her face, "Such a grey little creature you are wizard. You bore my eyes with your lack of color."

He cleared his throat before replying, "What better way to keep myself from being snatched away by a dragon?"

Her teeth gleamed as her head tilted back, her laughter shaking the mountain. Gandalf grimaced and hung unto the nearest stable rock. So far so good. She wasn't being outright hostile towards him and she was accepting his compliments. Making her laugh was also good. How was he going to get her to leave him be though? What if she informed Smaug that he was here? He doubted her mate would be so forgiving of his trespass…

"Though grey you may be, at least you be not dull," the female continued to chortle, "Tell me of your business here wizard and I may allow you to live."

"Ah, well," he grunted and decided it would be wisest to stick with the facts, "I have been traveling up north for quite a few years now and I am merely heading back home."

Her head lowered down again, her voice tenderly caressing his ears, "And where is home to you wizard?"

"I am a wanderer mostly," he willed himself not to fall under her spell, though he saw no harm in telling her the truth to her questions so far, "I am currently on my way to Esgaroth."

"I see," she almost sounded disappointed, "You speak truthfully wizard."

He nodded with a smile, "I mean no harm. I-"

A deafening roar suddenly shook the entirety of the mountain, causing Gandalf to cry out as he lost his balance and fell to the side. As he did he felt his body abruptly get caught, pulled up a good few meters, then pinned to the mountain's side. Claws clutched him as the roar faded and he found himself unable to look away as a large reptilian eye fixed itself upon him.

He quickly closed his eyes. There was a brief silence before he heard her take in a breath then release a piercing cry. His ears rung in pain until his eyes watered behind their closed lids. Was she telling Smaug that he was here? Where was his staff?!

"Wizard," her voice took on a calming tone, "Give me a reason not to kill you as my mate would desire."

"Lady dragon, I-"

"You have no gold, no jewels to tempt me with…" she blew smoke onto him that he couldn't see because of his closed eyes, causing him to cough loudly as she mused, "And I have no reason to keep you for entertainment."

"Please, most enchanting one," he grunted, "Release me and allow me to tell you why I am of more use to you alive than dead."

"I will not release you. Nor will I return this."

Something hard and wooden lightly smacked him on the head.

"You must look at me little wizard. Look at me and then give me your reasons."

Feeling resigned, Gandalf slowly opened his eyes to be met with the large orb of the female...only one orb? He caught a fleeting glance of her closed left eye, which did not look normal, before her right eye pressed up to him, encompassing his vision.

It was bright violet...with flecks of green that seemed to pulse with life...it was beautiful…it was pressing upon his will with great force...wanting to comb through his mind for information...but he could easily evade her attempts.

"Well now, not so little after all wizard," the claws tightened around him, "You may actually be a challenge to read."

"There is no need for that," he gasped for breath, "I can offer you something you don't have in exchange for safe passage through these lands."

"Oh?" the eye stared unblinkingly, the black pupil expanding slightly in interest, "What do you offer me?"

"Let me examine your left eye and I will tell you."

The eye finally blinked as she reared her head back, a look of mistrust on her face, "What could you do for my dead eye?"

"Let me examine it and I will tell you what I can do for it."

She seemed unsure as she shot a look up the mountain in an almost guilty fashion. Then she brought her head down, baring her left eye to him. He frowned as he inspected it. The lid had shrunken into the socket so he doubted an actual eye was still present behind the lid. He would need a closer look.

"If you may, most enchanting of dragoness's," he began, "Could you relinquish your hold on me just enough for me to touch your eye?"

Silence...then her claws drew away from him completely. He couldn't believe his luck. She was trusting him enough to release him and to leave an obvious weakness of hers before him. If he were a different wizard he could easily use this opportunity to mortally wound her.

But he had no reason to and he was genuinely curious as to the state of her eye.

Drawing upon his magic, he placed his hand on the wrinkled lid while murmuring several short spells. He hesitated in trying any stronger enchantments as one could never predict how magic would affect a dragon, but the smaller ones worked normally this time...revealing that while what was left of her eye was nothing but a rotten stub, there had been recent bleeding. In fact, as he studied the outside of her eye, he saw traces of her black dragon's blood that had dried in between her delicate facial scales.

"Lady dragon," he kept his hand on her, "Can you tell me what was the cause of this injury?"

She growled and he could feel the vibration of it through his hand, "A black arrow lodged itself into my eye."

"Ah, I understand," he scratched his head, "And when was this?"

"During the Massacre of Withered Heath."

Massacre? Oh yes, when some armies of dwarves and man had invaded Withered Heath out of self-defense against the growing number of dragons. It had been an invasion he was not involved in since the elves had disapproved of such an attack and he had been inclined to agree with them. Naught but death had resulted from the invasion and it had caused the remaining dragons to become twice as hostile to all other races. Roads that had passed Withered Heath that used to be relatively safe and unbothered by dragons suddenly became a war zone. Any towns, villages, and cities that could be spotted by a flying dragon from within Withered Heath's borders were attacked, looted, and destroyed. Even the elves had to defend themselves against such attacks when they moved northward. If he remembered things correctly, Smaug was one of the main dragons that took part in attacking the elves…

"A black arrow is a cruel weapon," he murmured for her sake. He had little sympathy for her. Though it was highly unlikely that she had ever taken part in direct hostilities against other races, she was still a dragon that wouldn't think twice before killing him. Though female, she was just as much of a bloodthirsty predator as Smaug was legend to be. He could see it in her grin when she had teased him and heard it in her voice as she spoke.

"My hatchlings were murdered then…"

Gandalf paused a moment in his thoughts. There was true heartbreak in her voice. Cautiously, he asked, "How many hatchlings did you lose?"

"Three," he could see the muscles in her throat constrict at the emotion in her words, "I only found the body of my daughter. My sons were not to be found...their bodies could not be recognized among the dead."

He sighed as he heart ached in compassion for her loss. Compassion. For a dragon. This was new to him. He was used to hearing of the horrors dealt to the races dragons felt to be below them. He was accustomed to having to assist people who had suffered at the fire and claws of a dragon. He had fought against lesser dragons several times in the past in order to protect those they preyed upon. Now here was this female speaking as a mother who had lost her children and here he was feeling empathy towards her and wanting to help her.

"I am most aggrieved for your loss lady dragon," he stated honestly, "That invasion should never have happened."

His hand vibrated again, though this time not from a growl but from a low purr, "Your words are...appreciated wizard."

Perhaps this female was different from the other dragons he had had dealings with. His mind quickly brought forth several ideas. From his journey up north he had found a growing weakness in the world he couldn't explain. Then, on his way back to more familiar lands, he became aware of a darkness he couldn't quite name...but his suspicions were roused and he was already planning for the worst. To have the allegiance of one dragon would be quite useful...and to have that one dragon convince her mate to join in such an allegiance would be a great advantage over any enemy.

Smiling slightly, he bowed his head in respect and she added, "What have you discovered about my eye?"

He licked his dry lips and replied, "I have found that it has been bleeding recently. Care to explain why?"

"I do not know why," she huffed, "But it will leak blood on occasion."

"When did it start doing this?"

"After I first came here five months ago."

"Hmm…" he frowned in thought, "I do not have the ability to heal this wound, for I suspect there is more to it than I can see. However I can seek the counsel of a friend of mine who is the best healer in all of Middle-Earth. I am sure he could give me clarity on the matter."

"How kind of you to offer," she angled her head so that her working eye could see him, "But how could I trust that you would return?"

"You could keep my hat," he joked good-naturedly, "I would have to return for that."

Her scaled mouth curled up in a smile, "Perhaps I will keep both your hat and your staff."

"I may not be able to agree to that lady dragon."

"You do not have a choice wizard."

Clearing his throat grumpily, he beckoned to her, "Let me try another spell before anything is decided."

She brought her head back down and he slid his hand along the rim of her lid, "You might feel some pain but it'll show me if there is an open wound behind-"

She suddenly jerked back with a bark of pain that echoed to the sky, covering her eye with her claws, "It stabbed me!"

"Please calm yourself dragoness!" he put up both his hands in a gesture of surrender, "It was just the spell! You must still have an open-"

A roar came from within the mountain again. A roar of fury and dark hatred.

Gandalf felt his heart race as he could hear and feel the footfalls of Smaug making his way through the mountain, probably assuming something had attacked his mate. The female shook her head as though to rid it of a fly and seemed to calm as he had asked. As the stone around him began to shudder more and more violently she snorted and quickly pinned him to the mountain's side with her claws again, sounding amused as she purred, "I will protect you from his wrath little wizard."

He nodded then flinched as one of her wings stretched over him like a giant, purple tent. She really was protecting him…how odd for a dragon.

There was another deafening roar, a loud crunch, and the sound of falling rocks to announce Smaug's exit of the mountain. He could hear the clap of his wings as he flew through the air before everything shook as he landed on the side of the mountain as his mate had.

Gandalf was now trapped between two dragons. Oh joy.

Smaug's breathing was hard and he growled with every intake of air as his voice thundered, "What harmed you?"

"I am unharmed beloved," the female cooed, "But I have found something of interest to me."

There was an agitated snort, "I heard your pain."

"That was just the spell."

"What spell?"

"The one cast by the wizard I caught."

"Wizard?" Smaug's voice softened into a dangerous hiss, "A wizard in my lands?"

"Yes strong one, but you mustn't kill this one. He has promised to heal my eye."

Smaug was silent for several tense moments before he growled, "Move aside your wing."

Her wing slowly folded, revealing the monstrous form of Smaug. Gandalf kept his face neutral as the wyvern bared his teeth at him in a threatening snarl, "What did you inflict on my mate trespasser?"

"I was examining her eye by her permission," Gandalf stated, "The spell I used was to reveal any internal wounds. By her reaction there is at least one behind her eye and that would explain why she has been bleeding from it."

Smaug seemed to scowl as he glanced at his mate in an accusing way. She snorted lightly and purred, "He is kind and his soul is of fire like ours."

"His is not like ours," the wyvern sniffed, "His is a fire that kindles. A fire that people can draw close to without real harm. Ours is a fire that consumes and destroys. No one can come near us without feeling pain."

She raised an eye-ridge, "He still has no choice but to assist me."

"It was not wise to share your trouble with a wizard," Smaug muttered before turning his glare back on him, "You claim to have the ability to heal her? What would this entail?"

"As I was explaining to your lovely mate," Gandalf explained, "I lack the ability to heal her myself. However I can go seek counsel from a very good friend of mine who is also known as the best healer in Middle-Earth and find a way to heal her of her wound."

Smaug's eyes narrowed in deep distrust.

"I will do this in exchange for safe passage to Esgaroth."

His nostrils flared and rage bloomed in his fiery eyes, "If I gave you safe passage through my territory, you would never return and then boast of how you outwitted Smaug the Magnificent!"

"Golden one," his mate spoke soothingly, her head sliding under his in an affectionate gesture Gandalf witnessed with interest and some awe, "I have already taken his staff and his hat. He will be forced to return for them."

"I will not allow him to escape so that he may boast of how he kept his pathetic life!"

"Terrible one," she cooed, "No one could ever question your power."

"Any fool can!"

"But this wizard is no fool. He fears you just as he should and he treated me as he should," she added, "What if he can heal me? Would you not desire for my eye to no longer trouble me?"

Smaug scowled at the sky as his mate spoke, but Gandalf could see his scaled features softening. Interesting.

"My precious one," Smaug rumbled, "It does not appeal to me to have you touched and enchanted by a wizard."

"But if he could heal me…?"

He loudly blew out a puff of smoke, "Then I will consider it."

The female released an odd trilling sound and roughly nuzzled her face under Smaug's head. The giant male seemed to relax slightly and swiftly nuzzled her in return.

Gandalf couldn't deny the obvious fondness the two shared for each other. His idea for having them as allies in future conflicts suddenly seemed very possible.

Then Smaug's eyes stared down at him as his female continued to nuzzle him. Those eyes were hard, suspicious, hostile. He gazed back, looking for all the world like a simple old man. A shame his outside appearance couldn't hide his true power from dragons.

"Dearest one," the female suddenly stiffened, "Where is our-"

"It is taken care of," Smaug quickly replied, "If you desire, you may go and tend to it now."

"I shall," she released Gandalf from her claws and snapped, "Scream if he tries to eat you," she glared at Smaug, "I will not have this wizard harmed. Take him to a safe area on your borders and let him go. He will come back for his belongings."

In a fluid motion she took flight then disappeared into the mountain, his staff and hat clutched in her claws.

Smaug stared after her for a few tense moments before bellowing in outrage, "She presumes to tell me whom I can or can't kill?! She commands me to carry this vermin through my own territory like a pack mule?!"

The dragon unfurled his wings and pushed himself off the mountain, the resulting wind making any loose rocks fly about. Gandalf brought up his arms as Smaug's foot came rushing for him…then he was jerked into the air, gripped tightly in the dragon's claws as he flew up and over the mountain.

Bursts of fire and smoke came from Smaug's mouth as he continued to snarl and rant about 'his female ordering him to do stupid things' and 'the arrogance of females'. Gandalf could hardly believe his luck. Smaug the Magnificent was letting him go free...and all because his mate had told him to. He wondered if female dragons usually had so much power over their males.

Gandalf watched as they passed over the ruins of Dale. The remains of the once beautiful, life-filled city filling him with remorse and reminding him of whose foot he was trapped in. He would have to be careful or else Smaug may decide not let him go free after all. What he needed was a plan to bargain his way out of anything.

Snapping his teeth to make a sound like the crack of lightening, Smaug abruptly dived down. Gandalf closed his eyes and braced himself as the ground rushed towards him. With an upwards jerk at the last moment, Smaug adjusted his position then landed, unceremoniously dropping Gandalf onto the ground.

Brushing himself off, Gandalf got to his feet and said in as friendly a way as he could muster, "Since your mate has taken my staff and my treasured hat, would you like my clothes to take as a pledge as well?"

"Do not tempt me wizard," Smaug's mouth curled and his voice was heavy with disgust, "Your pledges mean nothing to me."

Gandalf cleared his throat, "Regardless, I will be returning for what is rightfully mine after I obtain the wise counsel of my elven friend."

"There is no need for that."

"No need?" Gandalf raised an eyebrow and met the dragon's eyes, "I was under the impression that your mate needed to be healed."

"She is fine," Smaug spoke sharply, "There is no reason for you to return to tend to her."

"I see," Gandalf sighed, "But should her internal bleeding become too severe-"

"You are free to go wizard!" Smaug cut him off with a snarl, "But you are not free to return!"

"As you wish," he bowed his head, "Then I will take my leave."

Gandalf shook out the stubborn dust still clinging to his robes and turned his back on the dragon. He was within an easy distance from Laketown so he headed in that direction. As he walked he felt disappointed that he couldn't have used his situation more to his advantage. Having a couple dragons on his side would have been quite an interesting development and would have put some parts of his mind at ease. He was also rather upset over the loss of his staff. He could make a new one though and at least he hadn't had to fight off an angry dragon. He also didn't have to walk so far to reach his goal now. He was actually coming out of this on top, though he already missed his hat. Perhaps he could buy another when he was-

"Wizard!"

Donning a mildly confused expression, he turned back to where Smaug was still standing. The drake seemed at odds with himself; his back arched and his tail swaying as though he wanted to pounce but couldn't bring himself to. The reptilian head looked away from him with a scowl then turned back, "How long would it take you to return with your counsel wizard?"

Gandalf restrained his hope and mumbled to himself as he calculated the length of time it would take to travel, "Let me see now...if the weather was favorable and nothing too unexpected happened along the way, around five months."

Smaug frowned and impatiently asked, "Where are you travelling to?"

"I will be going west to Rivendell," Gandalf answered cautiously.

"And that is where your friend resides?"

"Yes."

"Five months..." Smaug glared into the west as though he could see Rivendell from where he stood. His eyes burned with whatever thoughts were brewing within him...Gandalf wished he could tell what the dragon was thinking.

"Hmph," the dragon finally sighed and looked back at Gandalf, "Very well. I will expect you back in exactly five months."

Gandalf nodded, "Shall I meet you here or-"

"Firstly you must know the entirety of my mate's afflictions," Smaug interrupted with authority, "I believe the bleeding of her eye to be connected to the release of her negative emotions. Whenever she experiences anger, grief, or fear, her eye will bleed and she claims that to never have happened in the past."

"She also had a very difficult laying," he continued, "There was blood and she lost consciousness afterwards."

Gandalf frowned, both at this new information and the fact that Smaug was reproducing so near several populations, "So you two have eggs now?"

Smaug's eyes suddenly became guarded and his voice quieted to a menacing hiss on the wind, "Your only concern is the condition of my mate. Nothing else."

"Of course," Gandalf cleared his throat, "Did anything else happen?"

"Nothing else is necessary for you to know," he stretched open his great maw, took in a breath, and released a short burst of flame to one side. Gandalf shielded his face from the intense heat. Even though it wasn't directed at him, he could still feel his eyebrows sizzling.

Smaug closed his mouth, heavy smoke dribbling from it like grey saliva, "In exactly five months I will meet you at this spot," he gestured to the large black smudge of scorched dirt, "If you are not here at the appointed time, I will come and fetch you."

He didn't say it like it was a threat, but the idea of Smaug coming to 'fetch' him should he be late was not an appealing one.

"I will be punctual, oh mighty Smaug," Gandalf bowed low, "If you permit it, I will now be on my way."

The dragon huffed dismissively and walked past him with all the dignity of a king, "You may leave."

Gandalf straightened and watched as Smaug the Magnificent patrolled his borders with a confident stride. He truly was a creature worthy of legend.

Rubbing his hands together, Gandalf decided to skip Laketown and head straight to Mirkwood. He only had so much time given to him and one could never quite tell how long or short a journey could take. Five months...he could make it to Lord Elrond and back in five months.

I hope you all enjoyed!

Thanks to my Beta who's much better at Gandalf than me and helped me to make it through this chapter!

So please remember to review! Your reviews make me write faster!

Let me know what you thought of Gandalf, his journey, his conversation with Nix, how he dealt with things in general, Smaug's reactions, Smaug's 'change of heart', and the agreement?

Excited yet?! I am :3