"Now you must join them, Sigrid!" She ushered Sigrid and Tilda into one of the final boats with the dwarves.
"But what about you?" Sigrid frowned, surprised. "And I can't leave without Bain -"
"I don't know if you can wait any longer -"
There had been chaos and confusion about them in Esgaroth. Some people had even chosen to stay!
But there was no more any of them could do. Certainly most of the women with their children and babies had been ushered into boats with what they could manage to carry.
"Sigrid!"
They were both interrupted by the arrival of Bard.
"Sigrid, listen to me child, take your brother and sister and go," Bard dragged the boy who had attempted to stay and fight around to face him, placing his hands on Bains shoulders. "Listen to me lad; you must look after your sisters. You here me?"
"But Da -"
"No buts! They will have no men to protect them. In fact there are many lasses and babes who will need help," Bard looked out at the water where many boats had taken to, heading for the Greenwood shores.
"Now you listen to Da!" Sigrid gave her father a hug, wiping her eyes quickly. "Come Tilda love..."
The little girl was quick to follow giving her father a hug also, as she openly sobbed still clutching her doll in one hand.
"Da..."
"It's alright sweetheart. I shall find you all soon." Bard hurried them into the boat shooting a stern look at the dwarves waiting patiently. "You help look after them."
But Bard was quick, turning to her and the guards next.
"We are going to destroy the stone bridge which is the only big route into town. It is the largest place the creature could land on," he looked at the two large men that stood close to her. "I am here to tell you that now is the time for you to leave..."
She looked at him surprised.
"You cannot expect me to demand that you stay and fight," he looked at her, feeling pity, for she must have been only a few years older than Sigrid, even if she tried to behave older. Her wildness broke through the facade she presented though, and he wondered what Thorin would make of it in time as he came to truly see what his new bride was like. "Hurry now. I have sent your caravan through already -"
The ground shook again. But this time they could hear a strange chorus of horns in the distance.
"That is father's army!" She smiled at Karan and Amit. "They are here!"
"Still it will not be safe. Go to Mirkwood." Bard shook his head. "That thing will attack -"
"Master Bard, I need to know - what did you say about the arrow? Your son told me the tale of your ancestor and the dragon -"
"The Black arrow it pierced the beasts scales, but did not reach further. There is, since, a weakness, for everywhere else, it is covered in black scales like armour that cannot be penetrated!" Bard clarified ushering them to their horses as men hurried about donning armour and preparing to defend their town. "What will you do? It will come for your men, fire, wind and whipping tail, and it will leave none standing!"
"Not unless we take it down first." She said with determination. They needed to get this information to Arvind and the army.
It might just save them all.
...
The army were assembling their large catapults, canons and other war machinery as they arrived, in the valley of Dale.
Arvind was quick to reach them and equally irate.
"Why have you come here?! You were to go with the group to the foothills. You can hide there -"
"You don't understand brother-"
"No! I understand well. You are incapable to listening to any other. And as a consequence place so many others in trouble!" He snapped at her. "It may now be too late to hide you -"
"Please Arvind! I have important information! The dragon has a weakness!" She quickly explained before he could get angrier. "It has lost a scale where an arrow pieced it long ago! On its chest near its heart!"
Arvind stood silently thinking.
"None can aim so high. Arrows will be useless...but we will have to trap it first." He thought again.
"How were you planning to kill it before?" She asked worried.
"We planned to pour burning tar on the creature. It's scales and wings would stick and it would die."
"Not quickly enough though." She contemplated what an agonising death that would be. Even for such a vicious creature it somehow seemed cruel.
"We are not talking of your pet Jaguar Rajah! This is a ferocious beast. Given a second chance, it will kill you!" Arvind snapped angrily.
"What if it breaks free of your tar? It can breath out fire can it not? Why should hot tar be a problem to it?"
"Well then we shall saw its head off! We have brought several tree saws with us!"
"Through its thick scale?"
"Then what do you suggest, my little cleverclogs?!" Arvind retorted growing more irate by the moment.
"It has to be a long arrow or spear through the weakness in it's scales. I have seen the black arrow that Bard keeps in his home. He claimed his ancestors Girion used one like this, and it was what broke the scale! Perhaps a second arrow, had he been given the chance may have been all it needed?" She managed, as the ground beneath them shuddered again. It nearly knocked her off her feet, with her brother keeping her steady by grabbing her arm.
"I think it will break free of the mountain soon! Blow out your lights!" Arvind called out to the platoon. And his command appeared to be passed on, as the small lanterns the men brought with them all began to extinguish one by one, until the army of several thousand in their dark red and black armour stood in a sea of black. "There is no time for your escape now! Take her to the back Karan, and keep her out of harm's way!"
Arvind quickly commanded her guards before donning a black helmet.
"Load the slings and have them ready!" Arvind commanded out of the silent blackness. "We have dispatched enough sandworms! Tonight we capture a Firedrake!"
She wanted to give Arvind a hug, and ask him to stay safe for her. But it was too late. He was gone. And a pair of arms picked her up by the waist, carrying her away.
"Please! Karan! Amit! No! We need to get that arrow from Bard!"
"It is too late, princess. The creature will flee the mountain in a rage soon. Those dwarves are not fighters. Prince Thorin, his friend, and his nephews are the only true warriors amongst them, and will make no match for a great wyrm!" Amit spoke calmly as he carried her away. "We keep you safe-"
But they had not even moved a few feet away when the loudest rumbling of all shook them all to the ground. The clatter of armour could be heard in the darkness as the many soldiers attempted to keep their footing.
"Hold your ground!" Arvind shouted from somewhere in the mass. "Load your spears into the large shooters!"
Karan helped Amit pull her to her feet in the darkness. Their horses had somehow bolted away. Her own white mare had been jittery from the time they had reached Esgaroth for some days. She could only hope that the beautiful creature was safe and out of harm's way.
"Load the blocks of ice into the front catapults and await my order!" Arvind commanded clearly.
Another rumble followed, as several more horses nickered out of fear, pawing the ground.
"Hold your ground!"
The three of them were frozen where they stood now. There was nowhere to run. Dale was an expanse of rocky shrubland beneath the slopes of Erebor!
And then without warning, a loud crunching noise, like rock being broken and ground together could be heard.
Far away they could see part of mountain open up in the pale moonlight, and out of it, a giant dark shadow partially covered in gold emerged. The gold glinted and glimmered as it shook off the beast in the moonlight.
It seemed to head for Lake town.
"Arrows first!" Arvind commanded. "Volley!"
The arrows couldnt be seen at night. Like their armour the Rhun warriors had arrows painted in black.
They were narrow and sharp, and the sound of them flying through the air, with an earie low whistle, was the only thing that indicated their release.
The creature released a loud roar, that unsettled the horses and pieced the darkness of the night.
It seemed to flinch for a moment and then turned back to its course for Esgaroth.
"Another volley archers!" Arvind shouted, sending another round of arrows whistling through the air.
The creature shook itself again, clearly irritated, and let out another roar. But it was upon the town within moments. It seemed to stumble, like it tried to land, but simply had no such luck.
And then it shuddered again, apparently pelted by more arrows, presumably from Esgaroth this time.
He was an enormous creature, casting a giant black shadow beneath it in the pale moonlight, as it soared effortlessly through the night sky.
There was something terrifyingly beautiful it, and she stood frozen on the spot as it glided towards the town.
It shuddered again, shaking off more arrows from the men below, it's movement was clear and fixed on them now. Then it hovered, in a very awkward movement, as though trying to land unsuccessfully, only to pull up again.
"It tried the stone bridge. Bard was right!" Karan whispered to Amit, standing close to her. "We must move away from the men-"
But before they could move, to the horror of all watching, it circled around the town and roared. As they watched on, a strange glow illuminated in its chest and long neck, and out shot what could only be described as a fountain of fire!
The town was mostly wood, and old timber for that matter! She had almost certainly expected the buildings to have instantly gone up in flame under such raging heat, but to even the surprise of the beast, none of the rooftops appeared to catch fire!
"What is happening?" Karan asked surprised. "Why is the town still unburnt?"
Enraged further, and shaking off yet another volley of arrows, the creature circled again, bellowing down further streams of fire, repeatedly. But nothing appeared to happen, with exception to a few small fires, which were immediately extinguished by the men scurrying about below.
"Bard said they had been planning for this a long time ago. They even built their town on the lake for this reason," she spoke surprised at how it had apparently worked against such a ferocious attack. "They flooded the rooftops with water, mud and sand from the lake. Everything is too wet to catch fire! And it can't land on the town without falling in the lake, now that the bridge is destroyed..."
The beast seemed further angered.
It circled wider, when Arvind called out in the darkness.
"Front catapult one - south facing. Pull!"
The sound of the catapult being turned could be heard in the dark like a wracheting. Suddenly a large block of ice flew through the air. Its aim was not great but it caught the attention of Smaug.
"Load mudball, make it extra wet. Aim target!" Arvind called out, to the sound of the grinding sound of the machine as it shifted its aim. "Hold... Hold..."
The dragon began to glide closer, it's strange serpentine eyes glowing in the dark.
"Fire mudball two!" Arvind shouted as the dark mass flung through the air - this time the beast only narrowly swerved away. "Ice ball one! Ice ball three! Fire!"
Just as the beast began to muster up its own flame, swooping out of the way of the first ball - it was immediately hit by the second block of ice!
"Nets ready! Reload the catapults!" He shouted. "Archers fire left! Herd it in!"
The volley of arrows whizzed through the air, pelting the surprised creature, which moved to the right.
"Ice ball right four! Ice ball left one!"
But it had little recourse as it was pelted from multiple angles!
"Spears loaded!"
It landed in the valley not far from the men who all stood in darkness.
"Fire spears! And reload!"
A volley of sharp metal spears flew through the air. They sounded vicious as some seemed to pierce some of the scales on it.
Smaug shook its wings dislodging the spears.
"You fools! Fear me for I shall be your ruin!" Its deep rumbling voice growled in the black.
"Nets fire now! And reload!" Arvind cried out in reply. "Front catapults fire!"
The beast tried turning to avoid some of the pelted balls of mud and ice, swinging it's enormous spiky tail like a mace. But it hadn't anticipated the giant nets. Two flung out wrapping themselves around its body and wings from either side.
Smaug shook attempting to shed the nets, but they were weighted with sticky rocks covered in tar.
"Load up! Have the muzzle nets ready! And ropes to spear across!" Arvind shouted.
Smaug roared loudly.
"Shields up!"
Blowing flame, Smaug spun around, but the men had put their shields up now. A few screams echoed through the night where some men had been hurt and several of the catapults that had not been pulled back down had caught fire.
"Muzzle nets now!"
But before either beast or man could truly plan a further move, Arvind had launched several smaller nets which landed around Smaugs head! The stones carried through like slingshot pellets and wrapped themselves around his head.
"Rope!"
The men shuffled around as Smaug flailed, attempting to escape. But they had already harpooned several ropes across the colossal creature and now with its wings and mouth immobilised there was little it could do.
"Tail! Tie down the tail!" Arvind called as it attempted to whip several soldiers, bringing some down that came too close.
There was much shouting as the men hurried around pulling ropes tight and finally bringing the dragon to heel.
"Keep the nets ready! And your spears aimed!" Arvind shouted.
Karan and Amit stopped, as she fought to get free to take a better look.
The great beast lay there, under a mass of nets and rope. It had been forced onto the ground, a large black mass.
"Mistress it may not be safe yet..." Amit spoke quietly following her.
She moved closer, while slowly, the men carried on using chains to tie down the dragon.
Some of the soldiers looked on in fear, still behind their catapults and spear launchers. And others hurried removing those who had been injured from the tail and the flame.
"Stay alert!" Arvind shouted at them all, moving through the platoon in its formation to reach the beast.
She was quick too, moving between the soldiers carrying on gathering arrows and spears to be reused and tending to their machines. In fact, she was quicker than Karan and Amit, weaving through the army light-footed.
She had heard the beast, clearly. It was not some dumb brute. It was an intelligent creature. Perhaps overly confident and arrogant, for having defeated so many, so long ago, and thus failing to recognise the strategy of the Rhun-men or the men of Esgaroth. But perhaps it could be reasoned with, instead of killed.
Arvind was already standing before it, clearly examining it for weakness when she finally arrived before it too.
It seemed to sniff the air, and rapidly adjusted it's great head under the various nets, and shackles it was held down by, it's giant snake-like eyes fixing on her immediately.
"What are you doing here?!" Arvind hissed at her, but she seemed to be dead to his words, unable to look away from those amber eyes.
"A virgin...AND a Princess... How delightful..." Smaug growled through its muzzled mouth. "I shall have my prize when I am free..."
"You will only find death here, unless you decide on another course of action..." She answered it, her heart beating out of her chest, but still inexplicably drawn to it all the same.
The dragon sniffed the air again.
"I smell something on you...the scent of another beast..." Smaug hissed.
"Do not converse with it sister!" Arvind warned again before addressing the dragon. "If you wish for parley, then converse with me! For I am the Master and Lord here! It is I that shall decide your fate!"
"You reek of death!" Smaug growled under its breath. "But you will not find it so easy to slay me...my scale is the thickest armour, my claws the sharpest swords. I have seen your kind before... You are no master to me!"
It turned its head towards her again.
"But SHE is different... I see that she is already most fascinated by me!" The dragon snarled. "It is her that I will discourse with..."
Arvind marched over to her, lifting his helmet, annoyance all over her face.
"This is not a lost beast, which you can tame Shobha!"
"But it might be bargained with. We have defeated it, fair and square. Perhaps it will respect that -"
"Or perhaps it will kill us all if we try to set it free."
"Just let me speak with it, one last time - please?" She begged her brother, clutching at his gloves hand.
Arvind hated it. He hates placing her anywhere near this creature. In fact he had hated the first time he had seen her, frozen in the path of a sandworm, still only a child, before he had scooped her away to safety. This moment reminded him too much of that day!
He didn't even trust Rajah, secretly hoping Thorin would decline permission to have the creature anywhere near the mountain.
But at the same time, he had a fondness for his sister and her bravery. And so begrudgingly he moved out of her way.
Slowly, she took a step closer.
Smaug, now very curious, jerked harder so he could move his large head closer to her, and sniffed the air again. It made the many chains and ropes groan under the strain.
"More rope! More chain!" Arvind yelled. "Keep still, or we will kill you!"
Suddenly Smaug strained hard against its restraints. But try as it might, the rocks onto which the rope and chains were shackled could not be budged.
"Aim your spears!"
"Wait please!" She shouted, forcing Arvind to halt his command with an outstretched hand, as she ran in front of it. "Do you wish to die? Are you so vain or just stupid?"
The beast growled at her and then settled down.
"These shackles cannot hold me forever..."
"Yes and before then you will be killed. Most painfully I suspect... They have rid Rhun of Sandworms. Ruthlessly so. And they will probably kill you piecemeal!" She tried to reason.
Smaug sniffed the air around her again.
"Your beast... Where is it?"
"It is being brought to join me..."
Smaugs eyes widened as it looked carefully at her face.
"You cannot bear to be parted from it!" Smaug snarled. "Perhaps when I free myself, I might keep you as MY pet!"
"I doubt you will see freedom from the way you speak. Are you really so unable to leave here and never come back?!"
"Very well, how do you suppose they will kill me?"
"I am not an expert, but they used to catch, spear and then saw the worms. They had large, sharp spikes on their bodies, and thick skin. But our tree saws are sharper. It was likely an agonising end being cut to pieces while still alive," she finished. "If I had to guess, I would say that they would start by tearing holes in your wings, they look the weakest, and then perhaps even saw them off altogether, before slowly pulling your scales off your neck. Then finally using the saw to sever your head. Given what a large beast you are, and how thick your bones must be, I would say that it is likely to be a very long, slow and bloody process..."
Smaug appeared to be listening quietly for a moment.
"You have watched us dispatch a sandworm then, sister." Arvind commented proudly. He had been the first to kill one. Their blood was a strange putrid colour, and smelled equally foul. He still recollected how he had emerged covered in the blood of the beast, and had smelled of it for days afterwards despite bathing four times a day!
"You are not some ravenous, dimwitted ground dweller! You are the great Smaug! Perhaps the last of your kind?" She sighed. "And you are right about one thing, I love creatures both great and small. I would rather not see a rare and intelligent one such as yourself be destroyed..."
"What do you propose... Princess?" He hissed. His tone was mocking, as if he was merely humouring her.
"Fly away. Leave and never come back. Menfolk are more destructive than ever. Their machines can destroy much more than you could possibly imagine. You have been resting for too long...fifty years is a lifetime. And Menfolk have learned more and grown bolder..."
And then he flared his nostrils to inhale her again, as she stood closer.
"I have missed the smell of a virgin..." He grumbled. "They would sacrifice virgins to me where I came from in the north...but I have never had a Princess. I would keep you instead of devouring you..."
Her heart raced at his comment further.
"You are mistaken! My sister has just been claimed. Last night was her first night in their marriage bed..."
Smaug inhaled the air near her deeply.
"My senses suggest otherwise...and yet...there is another scent on you indeed..." And then he snorted in disgust. "Thorin, son of Thrain! He is the one that has claimed you?!"
Smaug began to thrash in attempt to free himself. It was then that the small weakness amongst his scales became clearly visible.
"It cannot be! Your scent is still so pure!" Smaug flailed beneath his tethering, angry. "Defiled by such a lowly one! He has snuck into the mountain, and left you here unguarded, while he seeks his treasure?!"
The dragon seemed to find a new hatred within him.
"I should kill him and be done with it!" Smaug roared through his net. He clawed at the ground, and pulled at his shackles until several ropes snapped and the metal groaned under the strain. "And then I shall be back for you! I shall destroy all these lands and lay waste to all until you are offered to me!"
He roared again, pulling at the restraints, as several metal links in the heavy chains failed.
Arvind pushed her aside, as the dragon attempted to reach out to snatch her, one clawed hand scraping its way out from beneath the nets.
"Spears!" Arvind shouted falling to the ground.
The spearmen were quick, several long missiles firing through the night.
Smaug let out a piercing screech as it tore through half the restraints, as several spears lodged themselves into his scales.
One wing now free, it began to beat. The wind from it sent more men flying, as if caught in a stormy gale.
Karan and Amit, grabbed her, as a grasping claw tried to claim it's prize. The down beat of the wing, made it hard for them to move, as they tried dragging her out of harm's way.
"Let this teach you, who your true master is, 'beast-slayer'!" Smaug roared as he pulled at the final of his tethers.
And then another painful screech from the beast could be heard. A mixture of surprise and pain in its tone, as it tore away from the chains, it's limbs cutting through the net in places. But it's face was still muzzled by two nets, making it claw furiously as these.
And then it let out another cry. This time taking into the air, grasping a few men in its way and letting go.
As it pulled away, she could see a long spear, sticking out of its chest, where the scale had fallen away.
And then as it pulled up into the sky, in the pale moonlight, the ornate handle of a long shiny sabre glinted beside the spear!
She knew that sword anywhere! It was Arvinds!
Crawling onto her feet, she looked around as the men rushed around chaotically firing arrows at the beast and shooting several mudballs at it as it rose away.
"Arvind! Arvind!" She screamed. Looking around the men as they ran about trying to gather their shields, expecting the dragon to return. "Arvind!"
But she couldn't hear him anywhere.
And Smaug rose into the sky. His movements were not entirely coordinated. He shook his head attempting to free himself to no avail.
And then flew towards Laketown. His flight path was lower than she had seen last, his limbs flailing terribly, as it tore a path through several buildings, before returning back towards the army.
Amit attempted to catch her amidst the chaos but she was running through the crowds of soldiers looking for her brother.
"Arvind! Please?! Where are you?!"
"My lady! No!"
She could hear Karan behind her.
Smaug was near, dropping low, she expected it to grab more of them and throw them against the slopes of the mountain. Perhaps it would be worse. Perhaps the sharp claws would cleave through them first!
She stood watching as the dragon neared them.
It was so low, that one could not imagine it's landing would be safe. But it didn't matter to her now.
Arvind was probably dead. And it was her fault. All she was left with was a horrible husband.
She remained there watching the great dark mass approach.
Then finally she shut her eyes, expecting the worst, for surely that thing would land on her or eat her soon.
All she could hope for now, was a quick death...