Chapter 38: Conversations with a dragon

Allie felt herself growing more restless the longer that they spent in the tunnel. It was almost as if they had returned to Mirkwood since they weren't able to see anything at all. Thorin had given them the sign to sit down and get some rest because they couldn't keep moving. They had to know whether or not Smaug had returned after all. All they could do was waiting for the dragon.

"You have to sleep, Allie," she heard Bilbo say quietly. Allie turned her head towards the sound of his voice. The Halfling was sitting beside her and she assumed that he was frowning. The rest of the company had already fallen asleep. "I can almost hear you worrying and it's keeping me awake as well."

"Sorry, but I cannot help it. What if Smaug has found Bombur and Bifur? It's something that I don't want to think about, but they have such a small chance of surviving such an encounter with a dragon! It's worrisome. I simply cannot stop thinking about it," Allie ranted in return.

She felt how Bilbo softly circled his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest. His hands were running through the fiery curls of her hair. "It's perfectly understandable to worry about that, Allie. It's on my mind as well. Still it doesn't solve anything if you remain awake here. You need your sleep," he comforted her.

Allie allowed herself to ease down in his warm embrace, burying her head into his shoulder. Her heart was fluttering because of the reassurance that he was providing her. "Shouldn't you sleep as well?" she asked in return.

"Only if you will," Bilbo replied. "It's going to be fine." He kissed the top of her head and Allie felt drowsiness settling in as he continued to stroke her hair. She was immensely grateful that he was here with her and she didn't want to think about what would've happened if he had stayed behind in the Shire instead of being here with her. As Allie was on the verge of drifting away she quietly heard Bilbo mutter. "Sleep, my Queen."

Allie grumbled in her sleep when she felt someone tenderly stroking her cheeks. This person traced a pattern there and went past her temples, her nose and her lips. Her eyes fluttered open and she was able to see Bilbo staring down at her, a lovesick grin on his face. "What are you doing?" Allie asked quietly.

"I want you to come with me," he said without any explanation. With her brows furrowed Allie grabbed his hand as Bilbo helped her onto her feet. He leaded her through the tunnel, making sure that they wouldn't stand on any sleeping dwarves.

For someone who had never been inside this mountain before Bilbo guided her away from the company, up a few steps and into a smaller tunnel which took them further away. Allie didn't ask any questions. He had taken her to a separate outskirt of the mountain. The sky was painted in a mix of pink and orange. They set down on the ledge as they looked down at the scenery.

From where they were sitting they were able to see the remaining buildings of Dale and Lake-Town in the distance. Allie was searching the sky for any sign of Smaug, but she wasn't able to spot him anywhere. It almost seemed as if the dragon had never gone outside at all, for everything had remained the same as the previous day.

"Do you know if Smaug has returned?" Allie asked Bilbo.

The Halfling bit his lip. "I cannot tell if he did. I know your father well enough that he will sent us back down there to look for Smaug," he replied hesitantly and took a deep breath. "I do hope that he's not down there."

"So do I. I don't look forward to going down there again," she said.

Bilbo took her soft hands in his and played with her slender fingers. "Neither, do I. I would appreciate it if you would stay here with the dwarves and –"

Allie scoffed. "For Aule's sake! I will not let you face Smaug on your own! Don't be daft, Bilbo."

"It's not safe down there, Allie. He could hurt you or even worse," he reasoned with her.

"I don't care," Allie snapped. "You are not going alone. We are going to do this together."

Bilbo paused for a moment, realizing that Allie had made up her mind about aiding him. "You're actually serious," he muttered. Allie only nodded. "Then we will go face Smaug together." He didn't like the sound of Allie going to see the dragon at all. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and she had to stay with the dwarves for that, but she wouldn't listen to his warning. "What will happen if Smaug is dead?"

Allie looked down at their joined hands for a second before gazing back into his eyes. "Then the dwarves from the Blue Mountains will come here and my father will officially be the King of his people," she clarified.

"And you will be their Queen one day?" Bilbo guessed. He saw her eyes widening for a brief second and her lips parting. "Your father told me all about it. Why didn't you ever mention this to me? I thought you could tell me anything."

"Because I never want to be Queen, Bilbo," Allie retorted with tears in her eyes. "That is not who I am. My father will be a great King who our people will love. He is born for this. I am not."

Bilbo gave her a reassuring smile. "Allie, I can totally understand that it will be fearful. I am convinced that the dwarves will love you as well. You would be a wonderful leader and they will listen to you. Still no matter what happens I want you to know that you're my Queen. And I wouldn't change that for the world, no matter what you choose." This was the first time that they had talked about their future together and what might happen after all of this was over.

Allie had no time to say anything more because Bilbo already had his lips on hers. Tenderly she returned the kiss, and she felt Bilbo sighing into it. Allie's hands were a warm weight on his back. He didn't even seem to notice that her lips were slightly chapped from the cold. After a couple of minutes Allie pulled back and couldn't stop the brilliant smile that curled over her lips and Bilbo grinned back at her in return.

"Am I really your Queen?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.

Bilbo placed a quick peck against the corner of her mouth. "Yes, you are the Queen of my heart. I will follow you no matter what you choose," he promised.

Allie felt her heart swell in delight at the honesty of his words. "I don't know what I'd without you. I want to focus on the future together, but we have to face a dragon first. I need you back in one piece." She kissed his temple, hoping that this wouldn't be their final private moment together.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Gemez?" Thorin asked doubtfully as he eyed his daughter who was about to go down the tunnel again with Bilbo at her side.

Allie looked up at him. "I have to do this, Khagam. There is no other way of knowing that Smaug is still alive. We will be alright," she tried to reassure him. The frown between his brows told her that he wasn't convinced at all. She kissed his cheek. "We will see each other again. Hold onto that."

She flashed a final smile at the rest of the dwarves and grabbed Bilbo's hand as they headed down the mountain together. With every step that they took Allie felt the pit of anxiety grow inside her stomach, but she paid no attention to it. This wasn't the moment to fearful. She had to be strong.

Bilbo seemed to notice her discomfort and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. The two of them kept walking, their feet barely making any sounds on the stone ground. It didn't take long until they heard the sound of snoring growing louder.

They had reached the doorway of the chamber. Smaug was indeed sleeping on top of the gold. For a few minutes they stood still until they were convinced that the dragon was really sleeping. They quietly crept across the room. Both of them froze on the spot when they caught a sudden thin and piercing ray of red from under the drooping lid of Smaug's left eye. He was only pretending to be asleep!

That meant that Smaug was aware of their presence and was watching the tunnel entrance. There was no way that they could sneak out of here unnoticed. They were trapped in this room with a dragon. At this moment their only relieve was that Bilbo was wearing his Ring.

"Well, thief! I smell you and feel your air. I can even hear your breath. Very curious indeed," said the dragon with a deep baritone voice. It caused a chill to set into Allie's skin. She had never imagined that a dragon's voice could sound like this. "Come this way!" Both of his eyes were open and he was looking in the direction where they were standing. "There is enough treasure."

Allie was stunned and wasn't sure how to reply. Thankfully Bilbo found his voice. "No, I won't," he responded. It was for the best that Smaug didn't know that there were two people inside here. "I didn't come for presents. I merely wished to look at you and see for myself if you truly are as magnificent as the tales say. For I did not believe them, you see."

"And do you now?" asked the dragon. He didn't sound very convinced.

"Yes," Bilbo supplied. "All songs and tales fall utterly short to your magnificence, O Smaug, the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities."

Allie was completely amazed by how Bilbo was addressing the dragon and hoped that Smaug would buy his flattery. It would be for the best if they didn't anger him any further because he would be able to roast them without any effort.

"For a thief and a liar, you surely have nice manners," Smaug said. He let out a soft growl, exposing his gigantic teeth in the process. Allie bit her lip to prevent herself from making a noise. "You seem awfully familiar with my name, but your scent is not known to me. As is that of your companion. Who are you?"

Allie exchanged a fearful look with Bilbo. They had tried to make her presence unknown, but it seemed that Smaug was no fool. Bilbo tried to go along with their plan anyway. "I come from under the hill, and under hills and over hills my paths have led. And through the air, I am he who walks unseen. That's all that I'm telling you."

Smaug let out a deep laugh which caused the cave to rumble. Allie had to steady herself by grabbing Bilbo's shoulder with her other hand so she wouldn't fall over. "I doubt that is true," the dragon said. "If you are to steal my treasures you better tell me your names."

Allie took a deep breath. "Our names are not of any importance," she exclaimed. "We are nobody worth remembering."

"I dare to disagree with that," Smaug responded with a huff. "I wasn't aware that you were a female. I knew your scent was different. I am able to smell the scent of dwarf on you, though it is not as strong as that of the mountain-dwellers."

"Then you are mistaken." Allie tried to control her voice and not to let him hear any fear. He couldn't find out who she was. If the truth about her heritage would be revealed they'd be in great trouble. "There are no dwarves in these mountains. They have fled long ago. Their scent must still linger here."

"I know what I smell," Smaug snapped back. "You'd better stay away from dwarves, Miss. Nothing good ever comes to those who associates themselves with dwarves."

"Says the dragon that killed nearly all of them," Allie muttered in return.

The dragon tilted his head, bearing his fangs a little. "I suppose that you received a fair price for that bracelet and goblet you stole the previous day," he said. "I am convinced that the dwarves are waiting outside, letting the two of you do all of their dirty work for them. Still I doubt that you will make it out of here alive at all."

Bilbo squeezed Allie's hand as he gently moved her to another place in the room so that Smaug didn't know where they were.

"I can follow your scent anywhere," Smaug pointed out. "So it shouldn't matter if you move or not. I know where you are. Do enlighten me about how you intend to steal all of this treasure?" Allie noted that the dragon almost sounded amused. He must've been bored stuck inside this mountain for a hundred years.

"That shouldn't matter," Bilbo responded hastily.

The dragon snorted. "That almost sounds as if you have no plan." And he wasn't wrong. They didn't have a plan in the slightest. They were unprepared.