Hey peeps! Sorry this chapter has taken a while, I've been ill physically and mentally the past week or so, so have not been in a right state of mind to continue writing, but here we have the finished chapter for Bilbo's and Violet's encounter with Smaug! I hope you enjoy!
Oh, just for an update for I See the Light, I will be continuing with it obviously, but it make be a few days, maybe a week or so until the next chapter is up. I apologise for delaying in the update, but I'm just going to be focusing on this for a few chapters and will be back to I See the Light. Please don't be mad. xx
Review Responses;
Dinosaur Imperial Soldier – Obviously she will feel a sadness as the stories are of the destruction of her grandmother's home, and to finally see it. . .would be a shock for her.
CrystalVixen93 – I'm glad you love this story, and here's the new chapter! Sorry for making you wait!
Smaug
In Bard's house, Kili is laying on a bed, moaning and straining in pain, his face covered in sweat.
"Ah! Ugh! Argh!"
As he continues moaning, Bofur fills a bowl with hot water and rushes to him.
"Can you not do something?" Fili asks Oin, his voice full of fear and panic.
Oin turns to the older brother to reply. "I need herbs, something to bring down his fever."
Bard searches through his bag of medicines. "I have nightshade, feverfew. . ."
"They're no use to me. Do you have any Kingsfoil?"
"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs."
"Pigs? Weed? Right." he then points to Kili. "Don't move."
Bofur then turns and leaves the house in search of the weed.
After volunteering to go into the treasure hall with Bilbo, Balin leads us both through the tunnel and into the interior of the mountain.
"You want us to find a jewel?" I ask him.
Balin nods. "A large white jewel, yes."
"That's it? Only, I imagine there's quite a few down there." Bilbo points out.
"There is only one Arkenstone. You'll know it when you see it."
"Alright."
Balin begins to walk back down the tunnel, but then pauses and turns back to us.
"In truth, lad, lass, I do not know what you will find down there. You needn't go if you don't want to, there's no dishonour in turning back." He then looks to me. "Especially for you, you didn't sign up to do this."
I shake my head along with Bilbo.
"No, Balin, I promised I would do this, and I think I must try."
"Yes, and I promised to help all I could as well."
Balin looks between us both, then begins to chuckle appreciatively.
"It never ceases to amaze me."
"What's that?" Bilbo asks.
"The courage of Hobbits. And Skin-Changers." he adds on while throwing a grin at me, to which I smile back. "Go now with as much luck as you can muster."
We nod at each other, and Bilbo and I proceed down the tunnel while Balin turns back.
"Oh, and Bilbo, Violet. . ." We both look back to the older dwarf. "if there is, in fact, a live dragon down there, don't waken it."
Bilbo looks worried, but nods.
"Erm, Balin, can you do me a favour before we go?"
He nods and I walk over to him and hand him the stone Kili gave me in Mirkwood. Balin looks to the stone and back to me, a shocked and surprised expression on his face as he recognised it.
"How did you?"
"Kili gave it to me in the dungeons. Just as he promised his mother he'd return to her, he's promised to return to me so he can reclaim it."
He looks to the stone and back to me. "Are you and he-?"
"Not officially, but we're hoping to once Erebor is yours again."
Balin smiles before he embraces me. "Well, I'm very happy for you lassie. And do not worry, I will keep the stone and your secret safe."
I pull away and kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Balin."
He smiles and nods as I turn and follow Bilbo. He walks on a few more steps, then turns as if to ask a question, but we see Balin is already disappearing around a corner. I stand beside him and place a hand on his shoulders.
"Are you ready for this, my friend?" I ask him.
He takes a deep breath. "No. . .but let's do it anyway."
I nod and change into my wolf form before we both tiptoe toward Smaug's lair.
Bilbo and I quietly walk through a large doorway and finds ourselves in a massive hall. He whispers out loud.
"Hello?"
He knocks quietly on the wall beside him, but the sound is intensified loudly as it echoes, and he jumps and presses himself against the wall in shock, with me ducking down in the shadows behind him. Seeing no reaction to the noise, we walk out into the hall on an elevated walkway.
"You're not at home. Not at home. Good. Good, good, good. Lucky for us, Violet."
Bilbo, at the top of a staircase, suddenly stops walking and his mouth hangs open in shock. Turning to see what he's looking at, my mouth also drops in shock. In front of us we see mountains of gold, jewels, weapons, cups, and all sorts of treasure piled dozens of feet high all throughout the immensely massive hall. This task just got difficult.
Bilbo climbs down the stairs and carefully begins to walk atop the treasure. He tries to be quiet, but the coins and jewels beneath his feet make a lot of noise. Following him onto the coins, I wince with every step as I feel the gold fall as jingle against one another. Bolbo pokes around, looking for the Arkenstone, picking up random jewels. I also dig around, not not to jostle too much with my big paws. Finding a large white jewel, I pick it up in my mouth and nudge Bilbo's side to show him.
"What's that?"
He takes the jewel and shakes it before continuing to examine it from every angle; deciding that it's not the Arkenstone, he carelessly throws it aside, then jumps when it clatters and makes a lot of noise.
"Sushh, sushh."
I try not to giggle at this as we continue to look around.
"Arkenstone, Arkenstone. . .a large, white jewel. Very helpful. How are we supposed to do this, Violet?"
I nuzzle my head under his hand, trying to give him a little comfort before we move on.
After quite some time, we manage to climb up a mountain of gold, near to a large black pillar. Bilbo picks up a golden cup, which starts a small avalanche of coins. We both freeze as we look up and see the coins falling to reveal one of Smaug's eyes, which is thankfully shut. Bilbo and I immediately jump behind the pillar in fright. The jingle from the coins finally end and all is eerily silent, it seems as though Smaug is still asleep.
Suddenly, Smaug snorts, and the treasure around his nose falls away, revealing it. Bilbo, panting, waves his hand for us to move back and we slowly try to make our way down the pile of gold, but we stop short when we realize that Smaug's body is buried in a large circle around where we are standing, as the gold all along Smaug's body begins to ripple as he awakens.
I watch as Bilbo takes a few steps, then pauses and kneels as I hear Smaug beginning to raise his head. I suddenly see Bilbo run and dive behind a pile of gold and know that Smaug's eye is now open.
Hearing the gold jingle more, I take this chance to bury myself in a large mound of gold just as the dragon fully raises. I manage to make a small hole so that I can what is happening. My mouth drops and I almost gasp out loud as I see the huge, red reptile. Smaug raises his head and sniffs the air. He is sniffing us out.
"Well, thieves, I smell you. I hear your breaths. I feel your airs. Where are you both?"
As Smaug says this, he walks past me, his huge clawed foot coming within inches of me, his head moving back and forth around the place to look for where we are. I just hope and pray that Bilbo is well hidden.
It's then I hear the sound of falling coins, but not from Smaug. Peeking through, I see the coins falling further down, Smaug following rapidly. While he is distracted by the falling coins and the sound of his own feet moving, I jump out of my hiding place and hide behind another pillar, close to where he is standing
"Come now, don't be shy. Step into the light. Mmm, there is something about you, something you carry. Something made of gold, but far more. . .PRECIOUSSSSS."
My ears prick up at this. Precious. . .that is what the creature Gollum kept saying; "My precious is lost!" "HE STOLE IT!" So, Bilbo really did steal something from the creature.
"There you are, thief in the shadows."
Popping my head around at Smaug's voice, my blood runs cold as the dragons head is uncomfortably close to Bilbo. Letting out a growl I run forward, causing both of them to look to me as I jump in front of my friend, growling and snarling at the reptile, my hackles raised and ear flat against my head. Smaug pulls his head back in surprise for a moment before he lets out a deep chuckle.
"You have brought a scrawny pup for protection? How. . .cute. As if a little wolf would be a threat against me. Unless it is another thief!"
"We did not come to steal from you, O Smaug the Unassessably Wealthy." Bilbo steps in, taking Smaug's attention of me. "I merely wanted to gaze upon your magnificence, to see if you really were as great as the old tales say. I did not believe them." Bilbo's voice becomes uncomfortably higher at the end.
Hearing this, Smaug stomps several yards away and draws himself up so his entire body is visible to us. He is a massive dragon with two back legs and two front legs, two massive, bat-like wings with claws, and both his neck and tail are incredibly long and red in colour.
"And, do you now?!"
"Truly, the tales and songs fall utterly short of your enormity, O Smaug the Stupendous."
"Do you think flattery will keep you and your pet alive?"
I feel a little insulted by the word 'pet', but I don't make any movement to make him think otherwise. Right now, I need to act like a tamed animal.
"No- no, no."
"No, indeed. You seem familiar with my name, but I don't remember smelling your kind before. Wolf, yes. But not you. Who are you, and where do you come from, may I ask?"
Smaug snakes his head closer to Bilbo as he asks this. As Bilbo hesitates, I look back to see his attention on something else. Following his gaze, buried under a layer of coins, I see it. A white gem that seems to glow with an unnatural light, as well as white, it seems to glow with a mixture of blues, pinks and purples. I immediately know it to be the Arkenston and can see why Thorin is desperate to get his hands on the jewel. It is truly a wonder.
"I- I come from under the hill."
"Underhill?"
Bilbo nods, and sneaks another peek at the Arkenstone. It is not far away from him.
"And under hills and over hills our path has led. And, and, through the air. I am he who walks unseen."
"Impressive. What else do you claim to be?"
Smaug snakes his head forward until his teeth are inches from our faces. As Smaug exhales, Bilbo grimaces at his breath, waving a hand in front of him. He should count himself lucky. My sense of smell is forty times greater than his. I'm ready to throw up the small amount of lunch we had earlier.
"I am. . .luck-wearer. Riddle-maker."
"Lovely titles; go on."
"Barrel-rider."
"Barrels? Now that is interesting." he stomps away a little before turning back to us. "And what about your little dwarf friends? Where are they hiding?"
Oh-no. . .he knows.
Bilbo tries to play dumb as I see his face turn to confusion. "Dw- Dwarves? No, no, no dwarves here. You've got that all wrong."
"Oh, I don't think so, barrel-rider. They sent you in here to do their dirty work while they skulk about outside."
"Truly, you are mistaken, O Smaug, Chiefest and Greatest of calamities."
"You have nice manners...for a thief and a liar! I know the smell and taste of dwarf. No one better. Your little wolf reeks of it."
My thoughts instantly go to Kili as, apart from the embrace from Balin, is the only dwarf I have come close to holding. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bilbo inching towards the Arkenstone.
"It is the gold! They are drawn to treasure like flies to dead flesh."
As Smaug stomps about, his claws knock the Arkenstone away from where it had been, and Bilbo gasps, while I inwardly panic. The Arkenstone bounces down the mountain, and Bilbo runs after it, with me chasing after him.
"Did you think I did not know this day would come, when a pack of canting dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain?!"
Bilbo trips and slides down the gold. Smaug follows after him, knocking over as massive stone pillar in his rage.
As the pillar falls, its reverberations sound throughout the mountain. Even the dwarves sitting in the clearing above the secret stairs hear it and stand up, all of them looking around in fear.
"Was that an earthquake?" Dori asks.
"That, my lad. . .was a dragon." Balin replies.
Thorin looks worried.
The reverberation reaches as far as Laketown; in Bard's house, everyone looks up at the sound, and dust falls from the ceiling. Kili is still moaning in pain.
Sigrid turns to her father. "Da?"
"It's coming from the mountain." Bain says as he looks out of the window.
Fili leaves Kili's side and approaches Bard.
"You should leave us. Take your children; get out of here."
Bard turns to the heir. "And go where? There is nowhere to go."
"Are we going to die, Da?" Tilda asks, on the verge of tears.
"No, darling."
"The dragon, it's going to kill us."
Bard looks at his children worriedly for a moment, then reaches up and pulls a black arrow, the last of the three that Girion had in Dale, from where it had been hidden as a drying rack for plants. His children look at the arrow in shock, as do the dwarves.
"Not if I kill it first."
"The King under the mountain is dead. I took his throne."
As Smaug is looking for us, the both of us burst out of a pile of gold right from beneath Smaug's claw. We run down a staircase, and leap off the side as Smaug's head swings at us.
"I ate his people like a wolf among sheep."
As the Arkenstone bounces rapidly down the mountain of gold, we slide rapidly after it with Smaug in pursuit.
"I kill where I wish, when I wish. My armour is iron."
The Arkenstone, Bilbo and I slide under a covered stone structure; looking back, I see Smaug open his wings and glide down to land atop the structure we are under.
"No blade can pierce me!"
The dwarves in the clearing on the mountain see an orange glow from the mountain coming through the door.
"What about Bilbo and Violet?" Ori asks, worrying for the two.
"Give them more time." Thorin answers.
"Time to do what? To be killed?" Balin asks, frustration lining his voice.
Thorin to the older Fundin. "You're afraid."
Balin pauses for a moment, slightly taken aback, then steps up to Thorin.
"Yes, I'm afraid. I fear for YOU. A sickness lies upon that treasure hoard, a sickness that drove your grandfather mad."
Thorin turns back to look in the distance. "I am not my grandfather."
"You're not yourself. The Thorin I know would not hesitate to go in there-"
"I will not risk this quest for the life of one burglar. . .or lowly skin-changer."
Balin looks at Thorin in disgust.
"Bilbo. His name is Bilbo. And hers is Violet, who is in no way a lowly skin-changer, don't forget all she has done for us, for this quest."
Thorin looks contemplatively out into the night as Balin turns away.
Smaug is searching for Bilbo and I, who are hiding under the stone structure.
"It's Oakenshield. That filthy dwarvish usurper! He sent you in here for the Arkenstone, didn't he?"
Smaug circles around the structure; Bilbo and I, hiding beneath it, see the Arkenstone at the other end of the structure.
"No, no, no. I don't know what you're talking about."
Bilbo starts to sneak over to the Arkenstone, me right behind, but we're forced to hide behind a pillar as Smaug looks beneath the structure.
"Don't bother denying it. I guessed his foul purpose some time ago. But it matters not. Oakenshield's quest will fail. The darkness is coming, it will spread to every corner of the land. You have been used, thief in the shadows. You were only ever a means to an end. The coward Oakenshield has weighed the value of your life and that of your pet and have found them worth nothing."
I nuzzle my head into Bilbo. Thorin's not like that. . .is he? Thorin wouldn't find our lives worth nothing. . .would he?
Bilbo rubs his hand on my head as he shakes his head. "No. No. No, you're lying!"
"What did he promise you? A share of the treasure? As if it was his to give. I will not part with a single coin. Not one piece of it."
Bilbo, hearing that Smaug is on top of the structure, seeks the Arkenstone lying a few feet away from the structure and makes a run for it. Smaug sees him and whips his tail, sending Bilbo, the Arkenstone, and gold flying. Bilbo tumbles and lands against a pillar.
"Bilbo!" I cry out, which comes out as a bark as I run along the gold, dodging Smaug's feet as I go.
Reaching the hobbit, I nuzzle against him, making sure he's alright before helping him up as Smaug comes closer.
"My teeth are swords! My claws are spears! My wings are a hurricane!"
As Smaug displays his wings, I notice a scale missing on the left side of Smaug's chest. I suddenly remember what Bain had said in Bard's house, just a couple days before;
"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast."
The boy was telling the truth. . .
"So it is true. The black arrow found its mark." Bilbo mutters, also noticing the same thing.
Smaug, whips his head around, looking more angry than a dragon can. "What did you say?"
"Uh, uh, I was just saying your reputation precedes you, oh Smaug the tyrannical. Truly, you have no equal on this earth."
As Bilbo speaks, he and I slowly back up. We're standing in a bare, open spot, and Smaug face us. As he finishes speaking, Bilbo looks down and sees the Arkenstone lying just a few feet from us, and he gazes at it. I also look to it. If we're careful, we can get it now and run before Smaug can get us.
"I am almost tempted to let you take it, if only to see Oakenshield suffer, watch it destroy him, watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad."
Bilbo and Smaug face off; I hear Bilbo panting next to me. Then Smaug begins to rear his head.
"But I think not. I think our little game ends here. So tell me, thief, how do you choose to die?"
Smaug's chest glows with a light from inside, and Smaug's head streaks forward, jaws open, to eat Bilbo.
"Violet, run!" Bilbo shouts before he puts a ring on his finger and suddenly disappears.
I jump back in surprise, just missing the snapping of Smaug's jaws as it close on an empty space. Angrily, he raises his head again, and the glow from his chest travels up his neck; I turn and run just as I hear his roar and feel the heat of the fire coming close. I dive behind a mound of coins, only to howl in pain as the fire catch my hind legs. Landing with a thud, I quickly hide under the coins as I hear Smaug fly over me, feeling the heat of the fire he bellows out as he destroys pillars.
Woo! And so it begins! Please stay tuned for the next chapter! Leave all your lovely reviews xx