AN: I will not be updating my story until at least Friday August 11th due to athletic training. Sorry about the wait!

Chapter Fifty-Two

"I would speak with you, Dragon," Thranduil said.

The Elf King's daughter gave him an odd look before glancing to the dragon beside her.

"Alone," he added in a slightly apologetic tone.

"Be nice, Ada," (Father) Mirilas said lightly, kissing her father on the cheek before walking away from the two.

"You two are close," the Elf King observed in a colder tone, betraying the reluctance he felt for continuing to allow the dragon near his daughter.

"Yes, and it shall continue," Smaug said with a sly look at the Elf King.

"You believe that decision is yours to make?" Thranduil asked coldly.

"Not entirely, but you will not like the consequences if I leave," Smaug replied, his tone matching the frost of the elf's.

"Explain," Thranduil demanded.

"The others only left because I have laid claim to her," Smaug revealed.

"And for that I thank you, but what does that have to do with remaining near my daughter?"

"If any dragon were to come looking for the Dragon Jewel and find her alone, she would be forfeit," Smaug revealed with a pleased smirk.

The coloured drained from the Elf King's face. There was no getting rid of this annoyance that called himself a dragon. Did he plan to take his daughter from him? "Are you looking for a new lair?"

Smaug's smirk widened into a grin. He pretended to look speculative as he said, "I have a place or two in mind..."

Thranduil nearly bristled in anger. This dragon meant for his daughter to live in a cave?!

"Be at peace, Elf King. I intend to allow her some say in where we settle," Smaug said, ending his charade.

"Why?" Thranduil asked, knowing that Smaug was, by nature, more selfish than to allow Mirilas to decide where the she and the dragon were to live.

Smaug considered his next words carefully. This was his mate's father. Among dragons, such a meeting was a rarity. Apparently, this was much more common among two-leggers. Should he tell this Elf King the nature of his relationship with his elf? Would he try to separate them? No. This elf knew now that without him, his daughter would be on her way North against her will. No. He would accept the nature of their relationship. He had no choice.

"She is my mate," Smaug answered.

"Explain," Thranduil said in the most frigid tone the dragon had yet heard from this elf.

"She is the Dragon Jewel, but regardless of that...I would not be parted from her..." Smaug said. He knew not how else he could make this elf understand the nature of his regard for his daughter.

Thranduil was beyond simply annoyed that yet another male was showing an interest in his daughter. There had been that dragon when she was but an elfling, then Elrond's twins when his children had visited Imladris. After that, some of the guard had vied for her attention; they had paid dearly for their interest. After that, Thorin Oakenshield had stumbled into their lives and immediately become a nuisance. Then, there was that man of Esgaroth Bard, though he seemed to understand that there was no hope of her returning his regard. At least, one of them knew their place. And now, here was another dragon, this one saying that she was his mate. Being Mirilas's father had certainly never been boring.

As if sensing the Elf King's anger, Smaug said in a more warning tone, "As long as I live, she is mine. And, I will protect my mate!"

Thranduil's head tilted to the side as he studied the dragon. This wa certainly a new side to Smaug. While he had made his intent to claim Mirilas quite clear from the beginning, he had not spokenof her so protectively or so affectionately before. It was rather astonishing that a dragon known so well for his greed and for his cruelty could act like this with his daughter of all people.


"Thorin!" Gandalf called before striding into the Dwarf King's quarters inside the Mountain.

"Thranduil's army will march for the Woodland Realm tomorrow. Even now, they pack camp in Dale," Gandalf supplied, hoping that this would ease the dwarf's suspicious mind. With the elves gone, the dwarves could begin to settle into their old home without groundlessly fearing an elven incursion.

Thorin was indeed glad that Thranduil was taking his host back to their forested home. However, he suspected that a certain elleth would be accompanying them. "Where will his daughter go?" Thorin asked, failing utterly to conceal the earnest in which he asked this question.

"I would assume that she would accompany her father home," Gandalf said with a frown. Thorin had been acting very strangely since the wizard had returned to the Company, and from what he could gather Mirilas was the reason for it. He had thought that his preoccupation‒ or was it a fixation?‒ with the elf princess would have faded or ended now that he had his homeland, but it had, if anything, grown stronger. He knew that Thorin, who was of the same line as Thror, could be afflicted with the same gold madness that had claimed his grandfather, but this was a curious form for gold sickness to take. Mirilas was an elf, a member of the race that Thorin hated with such passion. Why did he desire her so fiercely?

Meanwhile, Thorin sat grumbling under his breath, trying to think of some way to keep her in the Mountain. If she did not leave, he could have more chances with her. She could learn to love him as he already loved her. He could see her every day, never be parted. But, how was he to accomplish this?

"Thorin, this is a foolish venture. You want what you cannot have," Gandalf warned Thorin when he recognized the greedy glint returning to the dwarf's eyes.

But I love her! Thorin protested mentally. He could not yet muster the strength to say these words to any save himself or the elleth in question. "Why can I not have?!" Thorin roared.

"Thorin, so long as Smaug is alive, you will never have her. The dragon will see to that," Gandalf warned him. He had seen the way Smaug had looked at Mirilas. There was no hope of separating them now, particularly not in Thorin's case.

Thorin paused, considering the wizard's words. Smaug was keeping Mirilas from him. If Smaug was dead, there would be no one to keep Mirilas from him. He could kill Smaug and take Mirilas for himself!

As if reading Thorin's mind, Gandalf spotted the ponderous look on Thorin's face and warned him, "Do not try to kill that dragon, Thorin Oakenshield. He is what stands between Mirilas and the Northern Wastes." Gandalf realized then just how ironic his statement was. The wizard had sought out Thorin specifically to urge him to kill Smaug out of fear for the dragon's use in the war that would come. Now, here he stood, warning Thorin not to kill Smaug for fear that there would be no protection for Mirilas. She would then be used in the war to come, and she could cause more damage than any one dragon.