Chapter 25

Everything is quiet and dark in Erebor. The only sounds Frêllian can hear, are their own footsteps. Though surprisingly, even the dwarves try their best to move as quietly as possible. There is no arguing, nor loud footsteps.

Frêllian stops at the end of yet another tunnel. Her golden eyes scanning the area as the dwarves stop behind her. Only Thorin and Dwalin stand next to her. Both waiting anxiously for her signal.

But she doesn't give it just yet. Did she hear something just now? She concentrates even harder for any sound. Yes, there it is again! But it is still far away. If they hurry up, they should be able to make it to the other side before Smaug makes his appearance.

Her golden eyes travel over to the stone bridge. Then to the chasm below. Should anyone fall, they will surely fall to their death. So they will have to be quick, but careful. But most of all, quietly!

Slowly she nods. Yet, they should be able to cross the bridge. She mouths the words 'quick but quiet' to Bilbo as she sets foot on the stone brigde.

Thorin is the first, followed by Dwalin and Frêllian. Ever since she has dashed off into the mountain, the bald warrior has refused to let her out of his sight again. Not that it matters at the moment. No, they all have to stick together. Only a handful know the halls of Erebor. If one should be separated, they would surely get lost. And most likely fall into the claws of that damned beast!

Frêllian easily keeps up with the two dwarves in front of her. Moving quietly while keeping a look out for Smaug. She can smell him getting closer. His scent reminding her of rotten eggs.

By now they are about halfway the bridge and Frêllian is getting restless. They are taking too long! She practically feel the hot breath of the dragon where she stands! And out here in the open? Well, they are sitting ducks. And easy prey for a predator like Smaug. And Frêllian doesn't like feeling like prey!

A sudden sound makes her freeze in fear. Something had just fallen on the ground. The impact of the coin hitting the ground making a high clinking sound, making the hairs in her neck stand straight up. There is no way such a noise will go unnoticed by the dragon! Especially not when he is this close

Frightened, she turns around. Making sure not to make a sound. She sees Bilbi frantically check his jacket for any coins, when she hears another coin fall down. And another. And slowly a shadow appears above Bilbo, Gloin and Bofur.

Noticing it as well, everyone starts to look up. Eyes filled with fear as Smaug is crawling just above them. His head moving from side to side in search of the company that is standing below him right now. But to her relieve, he hasn't noticed them. And as she stares at the enormous beast, she notices coins fall from his chest and arms. They must have been embedded there from years of sleeping on gold and gems.

After a moment longer of staring at the dragon, Frêllian turns her head again. Facing her destination as Thorin motions everyone to continue.

Now that Smaug is this close, the crossing to the other side is agonizing. They can't make any sound, yet have to be quick. Still, somehow they all make it.

As soon as they enter another tunnel, Frêllian sighs in relief. That had really been a close call. Her eyes instinctively look for Bilbo. It has become a habbit of her. Always looking out for her friend.

But he is here, he is safe. Their eyes meet and she smiles at him. A gesture he returns. Though his one is weak. Then Dwalin places a hand on her shoulder, whispering they will have to continue.

'The western guardroom is not far from here,' she hears Thorin whisper as Dwalin guides her towards the said dwarf. 'Let's go.'

With Smaug in a different room, they start running again. Thorin leading them through the maze-like kingdom he grew up in. And even if they are running for their lives, and with Frêllian still angry with him for calling her a mut, she still holds admiration for the dwarf for knowing the way. Even after all these years.

For a moment, she feels a pang of jealousy. Jealous of the dwarf to have grown up in a loving home, a beautiful kingdom to roam. But she quickly pushes it away. Reminding herself he too, had been forced to leave his home. Thorin too, has had his fair share of hardship. And he has come out so much stronger!

As they enter another room, she hears Thorin telling them to stay close. She does, walking next to Dwalin. Her hand tightly gripping his arm as she takes in the sight. Her other hand placed over her mouth as she lets out a gasp.

All around them are rotten, dust and cobweb covered corpses. Dwarf corpses. Frellian has seen a lot of dead over the years. And seen bodies decay and burn. She can tell by just looking at a body how much they've suffered. And that saddens her even more. To know these people have slowly died. Their last days spend in terror, dispair. Perhaps even pain. Hunger and thirst slowly driving them mad as they waited.

Feeling her dispair, Dwalin pulls her close. Both his arms wrapping around her body as she starts to tremble. Tears start to well up in her eyes as Dwalin embraces her. She feels so weak, to cry over all of these dwarves. But she can't help but feel sorry for them. That they had to suffer such a horrible death.

'That's it then.' She can feel his voice vibrating through his body as he speaks. 'There is now way out.'

Though Dwalin is trying to comfort her with his warm embrace, he will not sugercoat their situation. Though there is no need for it anyway. For Frêllian has seen the blocked exit before Dwalin had started blocking her view.

They are trapped.

'The last of our kin,' Balin whisperd in sadness. 'They must have come here, hoping beyond hope.' He turns to Thorin before continueing. 'We could try to reach the mines. We might last a few days.'

Last a few days. Not 'we might find a way out'. No, just 'we might last a few days'. So that means there is no other way out. They will either die here, or be killed by Smaug. For luck will not remain on their side should they try and sneak passed that serpent once again.

Frêllian closes her eyes, sucking in a deep breath. She needs to gather herself! She will not die a coward. A ferian never dies a coward!

'No, I will refuse to die like this,' she suddenly says, releasing herself from her father's embrace. 'I am no coward!'

'No one says you are, Frey,' Dwalin whispers softly. 'But let's face…'

'Frêllian is right,' Thorin interrupts him. We will not die cowering, clawing for breath. We make for the forges.'

At first Thorin his plan had earned some doubts. With the others stating they would certainly meet their end. With their said destination being too far away.

But Thorin had explained his plan. With them splitting up as they head towards the forges. He admitted that perhaps some of them might die.

'If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together.'

Even now Frellian is amazed by his speech. Spoken as a true leader. A king. But Dwalin had not been convinced at first. Stating he will not risk the life of his daughter. But after Frêllian had told him she would die either, he had calmed down a bit.

'If I am to die, then let me die on my own terms.'

And now here she is, standing next to the the dwarf princes, as she watches Thorin, Bilbo and Balin run out onto the bridge. Thorin's plan now put to action.

As the three cross the bridge, she can hear Thorin calling out for the other two to follow him. A bold move, for Smaug will surely hear him. But then again, that is the plan.

Right on que, something big falls to the ground and Smaug appears. His voice snarling as he mocks them

'Flee, flee! Run for your lives! There is nowhere to hide.'

Frêllian watches as the serpent-like beast comes at the three. Holding her breath while doing so. But then the beast turns his head towards another sound and Frêllian sighs in relief.

'Behind you,' Dori yells at the dragon, before urging Ori and Bombur to run away.

Smaug lunges towards them, chasing them down the other side of the room. While the first group - consisting of Thorin, Balin and Bilbo - have made it on the other side. See, that is the plan! They all have been paired in different groups, distracting Smaug as the other group makes it to the other side.

'It's almost our turn,' she informs the other two, her now once again blue eyes watching her father cross the bridge.

'Hey you,' he shouts loudly. 'Here!'

Having gained the attention of Smaug, he, nori and Bofur quickly run off the bridge and into a tunnel just before Smaug smashes his claw where they had been standing not too long ago.

'Now,' Fíli says and they cross their own brigde.

Kíli and Frêllian nod, following his lead. With Smaug still distracted, they make it half way across the bridge. But then Frellian notices Smaug has turned his attention towards Gloin and Bifur. Slowly advancing towards the fleeing dwarves.

'Hey you ugly brute!'

Upon hearing her voice, Smaug turns his head to look at her. A sneer on his face as he eyes the two dwarves in front of her. Then his golden meet her blue ones. His sneer remaining, yet his eyes showing a bit of curiousity.

'So Oakenshield thinks a ferian will enhance his chances against me?'

Frellian ushers the two dwarves to hurry up as Smaug quickly makes his way over to them. As long as he won't breathe fire, they should make it to the other side in time!

'I will devour you!'

But before he can leap forward, they have already entered the tunnel. But there is no time to stop. With her heart beating rapidly in her chest, she pushes Fíli and Kíli ahead. She can hear Smaug take a sharp inhale of breath. The room filling with heat as he does so.

'Hide behind those rocks,' she calls out to the two.

She knows what is coming next. She can feel in in her bones! Smaug is getting irritated and irritated animals will strike, hard. And with Smaug being a fire drake, he will use his fire!

And right after they all find shelter, a raging fire blazes above their heads. The heat buring on her skin as Frêllian tries to make her as small as possible. The stench that fills the room as the fire dies out makes her sick to her stomach. A mixture of rotten eggs and smoke filling her nostrils as she checks on the two brothers.

Thank Lüna they are alive!

Without wasting any time, she stands up, following her nose to find the others. Fíli and Kíli following behind. Though it proves to be a difficult task to find the others in the foul scent. Her nose isn't as keen as it had been a while ago and with the heat radiation from the stones and the dragon's scent, clouds her sense of smell even more.

'Which way,' Kíli asks as Frêllian stops at a splitting.

But the ferian ignores him. She needs to concentrate or else she won't be able to pick up anyone. And in here, she doesn't dare to shift into her wolf form. Or perhaps…

She closes her eyes. Ever since she has first reached her alpha state, she has reached it after she became furious. Most of the time because someone she cares for had been in danger. And every time she would calm down, she would return back to normal.

So perhaps, is she should concentrate enough, she will still be able to reach that savage state, without having been angered.

'Frey, there you are, lass.'

Opening her eyes, she sees Dwalin running over to her. Worry in his eyes as he looks at the burned rock around them. But then it turns in relief as she smiles and runs over to him.

Bilbo follows Balin and Thorin as quickly as he can. Not a clue whether or not the others have made it passed Smaug. He hasn't heard any screams of despair or agony, so that should be a good sign, sight?

Suddenly he watches as Balin takes a turn into a tunnel, calling out for both Thorin and Bilbo they have to go that way. Bilbo stops, watching Thorin who has missed the turn. Then at Balin.

'This way, come on,' the dwarf beckons him hurriedly. 'Quickly now!'

'Thorin.'

The dwarf has stopped as well, Bilbo notices in relief. He is about to go back to Balin and Bilbo, when he suddenly stops. His eyes high and Bilbo feels a chill run down his spine.

Eventhough he knows what Thorin is looking at, Bilbo still turns around to face Smaug. The dragon is leering down at them from the end of the hallway and Thorin yells for Bilbo to follow Balin.

'Thorin!'

'Come on!'.

To his horror Thorin doesn't make any movement towards the tunnel as Smaug's chest starts to glow orange. Without warning Balin pulls Bilbo into the tunnel. Just in time too!

A flash or hot air brushes passed them, followd by fire. He vaguely hears Balin calling for him to follow him. That Thorin is alright. His mind wanders to the others for a moment, while Bilbo follows Balin.

As Bilbo rounds a corner, he hears Dwalin call out Thorin's name, followed by chains being pulled. But it is the feminine scream that spurs Bilbo to fasten his pace.

What could have caused Frêllian to scream?

But as they reach the several massive furnaces, he sees Nori and Fíli help Thorin climb onto the ledge they are standing. Frêllian nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly her platinum hair appears from the same ledge Thorin had climbed on and Dwalin quickly helps her on level ground.

'Go, quickly,' she yells at her father and they make their way over to the furnaces as well.

By now all of them have gathered there, Bilbo notices. Much to his relief. So far so good. But now whaf?

'The plan's not going to work,' Dwalin growls in frustration as he eyes the large furnaces. 'These furnaces are stone cold.'

'He's right,' the ferian next to him agrees. 'How will you plan to set them ablaze?'

But Thorin grins at her, saying he has a plan. Then he turns his attention towards the pit he and Frellian had appeared, calling to what Bilbo presumes to be Smaug. Mocking the fire drake.

Then a claw appears, followed by a head and body. The golden eyes of Smaug burn with hatred as he looks at Thorin. Snarling in anger. But Thorin still continues his taunting.

'You have grown slow and fat in your dotage,' Thorin continues. 'Slug.'

Suddenly Smaug snarls again and moves closer, before rear his neck and his chest starts to glow bright orange. Bilbo hears Thorin shout for them to take cover, which Bilbo quickly does.

With his back pressed against a pillar, he sees fire passing him. With big eyes Bilbo watches as the flames reach the furnaces, while he yells in pain. Without the flames even touching him, the heat of it is unbearable. Though he is not the only one. He hears the others yell as well, from the heat, pain and pressure.

'I can't believe it,' the small hobbit mumbles as the fire stops. 'It worked. It actually worked!'

Slowly fire comes out of the bottoms of the furnaces, as they start to glow. As Bilbo stares at them in wonder, he vaguely hears a growl, before an hand reaches out for him.

'No time to stare in wonder, little rabbit,' he hears Frêllians voice come from over the rumbling furnaces. 'We have to go!'

With that she pushes him gently. Urging him to run. Thorin is shouting commands to the others as Smaug begins battering his head against the pillars. The gaps between them too small for the dragon to fit. Still, as strong as they are, Bilbo watches in horror as they slowly start to bend under the weight of the dragon.

'Bilbo, up there! On my mark, pull that lever.'

Frêllian nudges him towards the said spot, while she moves to Dwalin's side. He can barely hear her say they don't have much time, before she runs off with Balin and some of the others.

'Wait for the signal, wait for the signal,' Bilbo whispers to himself as Smaug continues his slamming. 'I am not a rabbit. I am a hare! I can defend my self. I am a hare!'

Finally Smaug breaks through. The beast looking around with a growl. His eyes spotting Bilbo first and the hobbit climbs up some more steps. With a low growl Smauh advances Bilbo. His head raised to look at Bilbo. But before he reaches him, his head is turned ro the side at the sight of Thorin.

'Now,' the dwarf orders and Bilbo jumps up to pull the lever.

Huge jets of water burst out of the behind Bilbo, slamming into Smaug, knocking the drsgon off balance. The large beast slams into a furnace by the force as he tries to fight the water.

Roaring in rage, Smaug flaps his wings in vain as he starts thrashing about madly. Suddenly a watermill begins turning some gears, and Bilbo watched in amazement. But it doesn't last for long. He needs to remind himself they are fighting a dragon right now and that he a sitting duck where he is standing.

Upon realisation, the hobbit begins to climb down again.

Suddenly he can see flashes of blue light to his right and he dares to look down. There, Balin, Frêllian, Ori and Dori are throwing flashflame bombs at Smaug. Though in vain, for the dragon still stalks towards Thorin.

Then tons of rocks fall on Smaug, making him fall to the ground while roaring in anger.

By now, Bilbo has reached the ground. His eyes lingering on the dragon for a moment, before looking for Frêllian. But before he can spot her, he hears Thorin yell for him to run. To his horror Smaug has gotren up again. His golden eyes on Bilbo as he snarls.

With Smaug hot ob his tail, Bilbo runs through a doorway and into a massive hall. All around him are banners hanging on thecwalls, hundreds of feet tall. But he has no time to admire, for Smaug has jumped through the wall.

As the small hobbit tries to flee to falling rocks, he gets trapped underneath a banner that has fallen. And as he tries to get up, he hears Smaug speak. His voice full of anger as he does so. Telling him he knows they have come from Laketown and that they have planned it all together.

'Perhaps it is time I paid them a visis.'

Breathing out an 'oh no!', Bilbo scrambles from underneath the banner as he yells at the dragon. Stating this was not their fault. Which only amuses Smaug. He smirks at Bilbo that he cares, mocking him with a smirk on his ugly snout.

'Good,' the great beast concludes as he turns away from the hobbit. 'Then you can watch them suffer!'

'Here, you witless worm,' the voice of Thorin booms through the air, forcing Smaug to turn his attention towards the dwarf in anger.

'You,' he snarls as he squints his eyes in anger at Thorin.

'I am taking back what you stole.'

Smaug doesn't look too impressed as he slowly stalks towards Thorin. Telling him he will do no such thing. Reminding the dwarf of what Smaug has done to his people.

'I am kong under the mountain,' the reptile finishes, his head leveling Thorin and Bilbo watches on from the adjoining hall. His eyes big in fright of what Smaug might do now that Thorin has nowhere to go.

'This is not your kingdom,' Thorin reminds him, his hand gripping firmly around the metal chain. 'These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold and we will habe our revenge!"

This seems to anger Smaug as his chest and neck start to glow with fire. But just as he is about to open his mouth, Thorin yells something in Khuzdul, yanking on the chain while doing so.

Smaug rears his head back in confusion as the ston statue on which Thorin stood moments ago, falls to the ground. Upon seeing the massive golden statue, Bilbo realises all the liquid gold had poored into the stone mold of a dwarf king. But then he realises all that gold can't be solid yet. And if that thing melts, he'll be bathing in hot liquid gold.

'Time to take your leave, Bilbo,' a voice suddenly says from behind him and he looks up to see Frêllian smiling at him.

'Fre-'

'No time, no up you go.'

She helps him up and quickly guides him to higher ground as Smaug watches all the gold in desire. A sudden roar makes Bilbo turn around in fear. His movement so fast an clumsy, he might have fallen if Frêllian hadn't hold on to him.

Just as he suspected, the golden statue has collapsed and is now knocking down an angry Smaug as he tries to escape the wave if gold. But fails. He lets out one final roar, before he is drowned by the gold.

'You think he's…'

He doesn't dare say the words. Afraid he might jinx it. But Frêllian understands as she smiles at him. A smile that does not reach her eyes, he notices.

'I hope so,' she mumbles as her gaze returns to were Smaug went under. 'I really hope so.'

But then the golden surface explodes as Smaug leaps out. His entire body covered in gold as he screams out in anger or pain. Or perhaps both?

'Ahhh,' he screams as he makes his way through the lake of gold. 'Revenge? Revenge! I will show you revenge!'

Frêllian lets out a gasp as Smaug passes them by. Her grip on Bilbo's arm tightening, probably leaving a bruise. But Bilbo doesn't care about a bruised arm as the fire drake runs into the hall clumsily, before breaking through the great doors

As Smaug takes flight, Bilbo quickly runs to the destroyed gates, followed by Frellian. But Smaug is already on his way to Esgaroth. All the gold on his body now slowly falling down as he flies on. As the others make their way over as well, all Bilbo can say is;

'What have we done?'

A/N

And here is chapter 25, the second movie has officially ended. Only one movie to go, and perhaps, if Frey is to surive, some more after that. Who knows?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even if it is a bit dragged out at the end. And if course I want to thank all my new followers, those who have added this story to their favourites. And of course my reviewers.

KillaD; Is the speech of the ferien based on German? I can translate it with the little German that I speak. Why yes, it is. It is based of thw Dutch language (my own), the Frisian language (a language within a province I used to live) and the German language. And in some cases those three are alike.

Arrowlan; I have recently found this story and I have to say, I just love it. I can't wait to see what Frêllian is capable of. As for Fíli and Frêllian, I like the chemistry brewing, as Fíli knows as the first heir he will have much responsibility as will Frêllian if she chooses to lead her people. Can't wait to see the path she takes, Dwalin and Frêllian's relationship is one of the many things I love about this story. For not seeing one another for years they have formed a close bond. Dwalin not wanting to give her up quite yet is so sweet, she is his crown jewel, all in all I think you have a great, no... amazing story going. Keep up the great work. Thank you. I like the idea of a caring Dwalin. For he is not only a hardened warrior, but also a dwarf who has lost everything. And now that he has his daughter back, I don't think he will allow anyone to take her from him again. But then there is the whole ordeal of her own people, so only time will tell which she will choose. Her people whom she does not really care for, nor knows. Or the dwarves she has grown to love? Or will she abandon everything and return back to the Shire with her hobbit friend?