I think I lost track of the days a bit. I started writing this chapter over the weekend but had a resurgence of chronic migraine-like headaches the past few days and didn't make much progress. I had one today, too, but my workload was thankfully light enough to allow me to sleep it off before finishing this chapter. Still, I'm not particularly thrilled with it. The corresponding book chapter ("Fire and Water") was short and not Company-centric, so I played around with it a bit. No Talarin, though. I couldn't think of a reason to get them alone, and I wanted to wrap up the chapter. So I think I failed a bit on the Thorin/OFC bit this time, haha.
Before I get to the review replies, have you all seen the new Desolation of Smaug trailer? Oh my goodness, it's brilliant! And a bit overwhelming in the feels department. I could go on and on about it forever. But it also made me want to rewrite the post-Carrock parts of this story because Peter Jackson's take is better than mine! What's this about Thranduil agreeing to help the dwarves, though?
Btw, if any of you have a tumblr, my blog name is myfandomland.t[um]bler.c[o]m, obviously without the brackets, but this site doesn't allow site addresses in chapters.
So now I can say thank you for your kind words, follows, and favorites. *extra hugs* Because I think we all need them after that trailer, lol.
Mariana Lestrange: Thank you! :)
Just4Me: I'm glad you're nervous about the gold sickness! I hope it'll be as awful as you're expecting. XD I will say this, though; I'm going to use his "I will not jeopardize this quest for the life of one burglar," albeit changed a bit, since obviously their quest is now kind of over. XD I just really liked that moment, with Thorin first barring Bilbo's path, then pointing his sword at his heart.
Lady La-sara: Lol! Monster it is, for it's forever on my mind, even in sleep. I'm overjoyed that you like Talaitha and think those things about her! Means I've succeeded in making her as real as possible. Yeah, I didn't want her to be Mary Sue (though I'm not 100% sure what that is, lol). I wanted her to have flaws, and those are actually the most fun to write. ;) Don't you worry too much about Thorin and his nephews. I can't guarantee nothing bad won't happen to them, but they'll be alright in the end.
Thank you for your review! It definitely made my day when I got it. :)
TheQueenofErynLasgalen: Thank you! :)
Sesshomaru's Babydoll: Two different papers? D: My goodness! What do you study that you write so much, lol?
kaia: Thanks! :) December 13 isn't so far away now!
LianaDare8: Lol, or maybe Talaitha's the antidote. ;)
Disclaimer: Yes, as Lady La-sara commented in her review, if I'd written this book, the ending would have been vastly different. But I didn't, so I only own Talaitha and her horse. But I covet them like Thorin covets the Arkenstone.
Chapter 34: Alive
Had the Company ventured from the mountain sooner, they'd have known that Smaug had been slain by the men of Lake Town, or rather by one man. They'd have seen the dragon-fire rain down upon the thatched roofs and wooden buildings, burning through the structures until they collapsed. They'd have seen the cloud of arrows sail through the air and clatter harmlessly against Smaug's shining, red scales. They'd have seen him swoop low, smashing his tail against the rooftops and plucking up the occasional townsperson. They may have heard the terrified screams, the relentless shouts to keep shooting the dragon. They'd have heard the roars and thunderous wingbeats as Smaug toyed with his prey. And then, amazingly, they'd have heard the ear-splitting shriek as one arrow found the weak spot in the beast's armor. They'd have seen the panicked flailing and subsequent plunge, heard the earth-shaking crash as Smaug fell on Lake Town, demolishing streets of houses. But they'd have neither seen nor heard the resulting tidal wave that threatened to drown half the town, or the chaotic escape attempts. They wouldn't have known that at least a quarter of the people died that night, or that Bard, whose warning Thorin had ignored, was proclaimed a hero. For he'd led the archers against the dragon, had felled the terrible beast.
But the elves of Mirkwood knew, and Thranduil had set off to aid the former Esgaroth residents in their relocation north to Dale. He'd sent his son ahead with a small group of elves to scout the area, partly for potential enemies and partly for Thorin's Company. Bard believed that they'd been killed by the dragon, for why else would he have abandoned them for Lake Town? When Thranduil had learned this, he felt an inexplicable sorrow; he had not wanted their deaths, no matter how much he disliked dwarves. And he certainly had not wanted Talaitha's death.
Legolas bore the news especially hard, though his expression remained stoic, as was wont of his race. Talaitha was the first friend he'd lost to death, for she'd been his first and only non-elf friend. That was why he'd volunteered to lead the scouting party in the hopes of finding the Company alive. His father knew this and allowed it. Thorin would have been surprised to witness such an act of compassion from someone he believed incapable of it.
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"Maybe we should go down there," Nori suggested. "To see what happened."
Dori smacked his arm. "Isn't it obvious?"
"I don't want to see their burnt bodies," Ori said quietly with a shudder, remembering the charred bones of their kin in Erebor.
"Me neither," Kili said, brown eyes fixed on the black smoke to the south.
Nori didn't press the matter, for he, too, had thought back to the skeletons. They all had, and Talaitha, who'd treated several severe burn victims, was especially grim as the face of Bard and his infant son flashed in her mind.
A somber silence descended upon the lookout post, broken only by the ocassional chirps of birds. They sat like that for hours, unsure about what to do next. Thorin reckoned if the dragon was truly dead, he could begin rebuilding Erebor. But the more likely scenario-in his mind, at least-was that the dragon had not been defeated and was due to return at any moment. If his Company were caught in the open, they'd stand no chance. So they'd wait until they knew for sure Smaug's fate.
He looked at Talaitha beside him and noticed her contemplative expression. She was idly twirling a copper curl around her finger, when she suddenly grinned. He quirked an eyebrow at her, but she ignored him, addressing Óin instead.
"What was it you said about birds returning to the mountain?" she asked. The partly-deaf dwarf cocked his head and beckoned her closer. She repeated her question, more loudly this time.
"Ah, the birds," smiled Óin. "The birds shall return to the mountain either when Smaug slumbers or when he's dead."
"The birds are here," said Bofur, grinning.
Bilbo stood at the entrance and peered up at the sky. "And Smaug's definitely not slumbering now."
"So that must mean he's dead!" Kili said excitedly. "Talaitha, you're brilliant. I'd kiss you if I knew Uncle wouldn't cut out my tongue."
Thorin glared at his nephew, but even he could not suppress his joy-cautious, though it was-at the increasingly real possibility that Lake Town's men had actually managed to kill Smaug. In his happiness, he allowed himself to take Talaitha's hand and kiss her knuckles, not caring that his kin had seen the affectionate gesture. If Smaug was well and truly dead, his dwarves would be seeing more such gestures. Or so he hoped.
"So can we leave this place?" Dori asked. "We might start fixing up Erebor."
Before Thorin could reply, a blond head peered inside the shelter. Talaitha released Thorin's hand and ran towards the tall figure.
"Legolas!" she exclaimed, glad to see him. "What are you doing here?"
The elf prince smiled fondly and crouched to her height. "Searching for you, actually," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I am overjoyed to find you alive." He looked at Bilbo and the dwarves, his gaze meeting Thorin's suspicious one. "All of you."
"Your king finally decided to send us aid?" Thorin questioned gruffly and with no small amount of scorn.
The elf's cerulean eyes sparkled with mirth. "Not you," he replied. "The people of Esgaroth, for they accomplished what you could not."
Thorin's expression grew thunderous, and he'd have advanced on Legolas had Balin not placed his hand on his elbow. Only the elf had seen the near-imperceptible motion, but he didn't comment on it. He'd taunted the dwarf king enough for today.
"How are they?" Talaitha asked, concerned. She glanced warily at Thorin, but he remained where he was.
"Most survived," Legolas replied. "But the casualties are nevertheless high for such a small population. Many women and children died when their houses burned and collapsed."
Her heart clenched in fear. "And Bard?"
The elf smiled. "Bard and his sons are well," he said, walking inside the lookout post. "It was he who slew the dragon. They call him Bard the Bowman now, and he has replaced the disagreeable Master as his people's leader."
The dwarves seemed pleased with the latter news, but Thorin was more interested in Bard's accomplishment. "Smaug is really dead?"
Legolas nodded. "The body remains in Esgaroth, if you wish to see it."
"You said you were helping the inhabitants of Lake Town," said Talaitha, glancing at the smoke in the distance. "Helping them with what?"
Thorin crossed his arms and waited for the elf's answer, though he knew already what it would be. From Balin wary glance at him, the old dwarf did, too.
"To move up to Dale."
Thorin noticed that everyone's, including the elves', gaze turned to him, but if they'd expected an angry reaction, they were disappointed. He merely quirked a brow and said drily, "Well, I suppose with the threat gone, Thranduil is generous."
Legolas quirked his own brow in response, then beckoned his elves to him, instructing a few of them to return to his father with news of the Company's survival and the rest to join their kin in relocating Lake Town's inhabitants.
He turned back to Thorin. "Now I wish to hear your tale."