The Hobbit: The desolation of Smaug

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit, I only own Nàin.

Chapter 29


Finally, Nàin could see the light from the outside, formed like a square, at the end of yet another hallway. Relief washed over her as she, still deep in thought about what Smaug had said, walked towards the light.

"Nàin!" called Nori, the first one to catch sight of her as she stopped in the doorway.

The rest of the company turned around as well, all of them smiling at her with a relieved look on their faces. Balin looked extra relieved and also flashed her an apologetic look with his eyes which only made Nàin shrug, signaling to him that it was okay that he'd wandered off without her. After all, she wouldn't have found the dagger if he'd waited for him nor would she had heard Smaug's words.

Thorin, however, did not look as happy nor relived like the others. He walked over to her with determined steps while looking at her with anything but a kind expression.

"Thorin, I can explain what happened. I didn't pay attention to where the way back was and-"

"I don't want any excuses. I simply want to know that you're okay," said Thorin before, shockingly, pulling her into a hug.

Nàin didn't return the hug, though. She was still upset about what Thorin's outburst towards her earlier. Plus, she was far too shocked about Thorin hugging her that she could even react at all. As Thorin let go of Nàin again, he had the same relieved expression on his face as the others in the company which made Nàin smile back a small smile.

"I'm fine," said Nàin, nodding her head as she carefully, so as to not be rude, took a step back from Thorin.

Suddenly, a rumbling noise could be heard coming from every direction possible. Everyone looked around themselves with wide eyes while confused looks replaced the relieved looks that they had had on their faces before. Nàin knew exactly what it was as soon as she felt the ground shake.

"Was that an… earthquake?" asked Ori, looking at Nàin for answers which made Nàin feel a slight warmth in her heart that she was looked up to just like Thorin.

"No… that was a dragon," said Nàin, shocking Ori slightly and earning a few looks from the other Dwarves. "I saw him. A few minutes ago. Smaug is awake and very much alive."

"You saw it?" asked Thorin, a strange look coming over his face. "Did you see Bilbo? Has he found the Arkenstone yet?"

"Well, I saw Bilbo. He's alive and well… He was talking to him, to Smaug," said Nàin, looking between Thorin and Balin.

Balin gave a look of amazement and worry while Thorin simply turned around, his eyes looking out over the mountains far off.

Ori walked over to Nàin as everyone remained silent, nobody saying a word as they were deep in their own thoughts about what would happen to Bilbo if something went wrong and what would happen to them. Suddenly, Ori pulled at Nàin's sleeve, making her turn around to where he was looking.

He had been looking through the door at the dark hallway and just as Nàin turned around, the hallway was enlightened by a dark, orange color. They both knew what that meant.

Fire.

"What about Bilbo?" asked Ori as he and Nàin turned back towards Thorin.

"Give him more time," replied Thorin.

"Time to do what? To be killed?" said Balin, probably feeling the same worry about their Hobbit-friend as Nàin and some of the others currently were feeling.

"You're afraid," said Thorin, finally turning around to face Balin.

"Yes. I'm afraid," said Balin, barely recognizing Thorin as he looked him in the eyes. "I fear for you."

Nàin furrowed her brow. What did he mean by that?

"A sickness lies upon that treasure hoard. A sickness which drove your grandfather mad," said Balin.

Nàin realized what Balin was talking about. She had heard stories about Thror and that all the gold and wealth that had been found in the mountain finally had driven him mad. This could be what was going on with Thorin. That the treasure was affecting him which would explain his outburst towards Nàin when she tried to hinder him from going towards the mountain directly instead of waiting for Gandalf.

"I am not my grandfather," said Thorin, looking away from Balin as he said this.

"You're not yourself," said Nàin taking a step forwards, earning a look from Thorin. "That outburst towards me was not you neither was it you who grabbed me so hard that you hurt me. At least, I don't want to believe that that was you."

Thorin glared at Nàin but Nàin held her head up high, looking back into his eyes even though her heartbeat raced with worry as she did.

"The Thorin I know would not do that neither would he hesitate to go-" said Balin but was cut off by Thorin.

"I will not risk this quest for the life of one burglar," said Thorin, looking away from Nàin again.

"Bilbo," said Balin. "His name is Bilbo."

Thorin looked back at Balin, then at Nàin and then at the rest of his company. The unknown look in his eyes that made him feel like someone else but Thorin disappeared for a moment as he looked back at Nàin.

"Bilbo," he said, nodding his head before the unknown look appeared in his eyes again. "Let's go."

..::**::..

Running through the hallways with determined steps, the company followed Thorin with their hands on their weapons, ready to grab them if anything happened. After a while - Nàin already lost again though this time she had the rest of the company to rely on - they arrived at another pair of stairs that led down to the treasure which Smaug was guarding.

Thorin walked down the stairs and stopped as he reached a lookout point. The rest of the company stayed in the hallway, watching as Thorin looked out over the treasure with a desire that almost scared some of the Dwarves. Suddenly, they watched as Thorin turned towards the stairs and started talking to someone.

That someone soon came into vision of the rest of the company. Bilbo was talking to Thorin, out of breath and looking quite frightened. They couldn't hear exactly what they were saying in the beginning until Thorin raised his voice at Bilbo, making Nàin tense up.

"Did you find the Arkenstone?" asked Thorin, with a raised voice.

"The dragon's coming," replied Bilbo, trying to catch his breath again.

"The Arkenstone!" said Thorin again, his voice deep and serious.

For a moment Bilbo simply looked at Thorin, seeing the darkness that seemed to roam in his mind he remembered something that Smaug had said to him about what the Arkenstone could do to Thorin.

"…if only to see Oakenshield suffer. Watch it destroy him… watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad!"

"Did you find it?" asked Thorin, his voice hushed again as he looked at Bilbo almost as if he was looking at a traitor.

"No. We have to get out," said Bilbo before trying to walk to the rest of the company.

However, Thorin put his sword in front of Bilbo, hindering him from walking any further. Slowly, he let his sword push against Bilbo so that he backed up, looking at Thorin with a shocked expression. In the background, Dwalin and Nori held Nàin in place in the hallway as she tried to get to Bilbo and Thorin, a worried look on her face.

"Thorin?" said Bilbo as Thorin redirected his sword so that it was pointing at Bilbo. "Thorin!"

They stared at each other, Thorin slowly forcing Bilbo to back up further. However, the sound of heavy footsteps made them both turn their heads to the left. Nàin stopped struggling as she too heard and felt the footsteps approaching.

Smaug was walking towards them, with a grin on his face and his glowing yellow eyes on Thorin.

The rest of the company all ran towards Thorin and Bilbo placing themselves in front of them. Nàin took out her daggers that she'd gotten from Lake Town, the daggers being bigger than the one she'd found during her wandering about in the hallways, while the others all took out their axes and swords.

"You will burn!" called Smaug as he started running towards them.

The whole company quickly jumped off the ledge facing away from Smaug and into the gold, gliding down it as Smaug started spitting fire towards them.

Dropping both her daggers, Nàin started running along with the others away from Smaug who still was after them. They ran towards a doorway which Nàin did not know where it led. During them running towards the doorway, Nàin had accidentally stumbled and fallen on her stomach. With panicked movements, Nàin had started to get up just as Smaug reached the lookout where they had been standing only seconds ago. He started preparing to spit even more fire when Nàin stumbled again, this time slipping on the golden coins. A small cry left Nàin as she noticed the others already being inside the hallway while she tried to stand up again, hands trembling and not daring to look behind her.

A pair of strong hands suddenly caught her as she stumbled again. Thorin had run back out only for her. He picked her up and threw her over his own shoulder, angering Nàin slightly. However, the anger soon disappeared as Thorin started running inside the hallway, allowing Nàin to see Smaug as he spit fire all over the place where she and Thorin had just been standing.

Thorin put Nàin back down almost as soon as they had entered the hallway. This only resulted in the fire licking Thorin's back and making his coat catch fire. He ran past Nàin and into the chamber while taking of his coat quickly, accidentally falling down on his knees in the process. Nàin followed him with her hands over her mouth, afraid that Thorin had been injured only because he had helped her.

However, Thorin wasn't injured. Instead he stood up, not looking back at Nàin or his coat and simply said "Come on," before quickly walking past the company further into the mountain, ignoring Smaug's roars behind them.

..::**::..

It was quiet in the mountain. Barely anything could be heard except for the draft hitting against the stone pillars and bridges. Nàin found Erebor amazingly beautiful, but couldn't really enjoy what it looked like just yet since she and the company were still being chased by a dragon. Even though Smaug didn't know where they were, they were still quiet and careful as they slowly made their way towards a stone bridge with no cover over or anything. Meaning that if they walked over it, they would be able to be seen by Smaug if he was to come here.

Thorin stopped the company right before the bridge, hushing them as he did.

"Has he lost track of us?" whispered Nàin as she stood close to Bilbo who was looking around himself frantically, hoping that Smaug wouldn't appear anywhere close by.

"No… he's too cunning for that," said Dwalin, eyeing Nàin with a suspicious and serious look.

"Where to now?" asked Bilbo in a hushed voice.

"The western guardroom," said Thorin, looking back at his company. "There may be a way out."

"It's too high," whispered Balin from the back of the company. "There's no chance that way!"

"It's our only chance!" whispered Thorin back, looking at Nàin and Bilbo before turning his head towards the bridge again. "We have to try."

With slow and careful steps, so as to not make any sounds, the company started to make their way over the bridge. Thorin walked in the lead, looking around the giant hall in case he saw a glimpse of Smaug. The others were walking behind him in a huddle. Some had their weapons drawn while other simply walked with their eyes wide open, barely daring to breathe.

The company suddenly came to a halt when the sound of a coin falling on the stone bridge echoed through the hall. Thorin turned around and looked at Bilbo who was looking at the coin that had fallen right in front of him with wide eyes. He quickly started searching his own coat to see where the coin had fallen from but stopped when a shadow suddenly was cast over the company.

More coins fell down, one landing on Nàin's head, as the company looked up in search of what was creating the shadow. They all widened their eyes and held their breaths as they saw the great stomach of Smaug. He was above them, searching for them. Luckily he hadn't looked down to see them standing there, defenseless.

Thorin signaled for the company to keep on walking which they did, carefully and silently while keeping an eye on Smaug who continued to pass over them.

As they reached the next cover, they all sighed a relieved sigh before continuing the walk towards the western guardroom.

..::**::..

In Lake Town, Fili was sitting next to Kili who was laying on a table, breathing deeply. Tauriel had just healed Kili and helped them fight against the Orcs that had tried to kill the Dwarves. For some reason they had retreated soon after they'd started the attack. Though, that hadn't been something that Fili had thought about when it happened. He had been too busy with worrying over his brother who had been in agony and pain. Tauriel had saved him. Healed him with the healing powers that only Elves possess.

Something during Tauriel's healing had made Fili worry even more than he already was worrying. Though not for his brother. But for Nàin. He had, along with Oin and Bofur, heard a noise and felt a soft rumble go through the ground. He knew what had caused that rumble.

The dragon.

Kili, who slowly felt his strength come back to him, glanced over at Tauriel who was standing at the window, looking out over the Lonely Mountain. He wanted to say something to her, but couldn't. Instead, he looked over at his brother who had his head hanging down while a serious look was on his face. In his hands, Kili saw the small bracelet that Nàin had given to Fili before leaving.

"I'm sure she's alright," said Kili with a weak voice.

Fili looked up at his brother, quickly. His serious look didn't go away from his face and in his eyes, Kili could see the faint sparkle of complete and utter panic.

"Thorin's with her. And so is the rest of the company. She's a tough lady," said Kili, forming a small smile on his lips.

After a minute of silence in which Kili and Fili simply looked at each other, Fili looked away from his brother and forced up a smile on his own lips. "I know. It's just that…"

A grim look appeared on Fili's face and Kili raised his head, slightly. "Just… what?"

"Nothing. Rest. You need to rest before we do anything else," said Fili, a soft smile on his lips as he put a hand on his brother's shoulder which made him lay his head down again.

I should never had let her go.


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