Hey guys! Well, here's the chapter we've been waiting for; the say of Smaug's arrival. I hope Ive done this justice and hope that you enjoy it. . .as much as you can anyway with what happens.
Review responses;
Dragonett8 – I'm glad you like the change and hope you will continue to like this as you keep reading.
Sacking of Erebor
It has been a few weeks since Thorin last wrote and confided in me his worries about his grandfather and the sickness that has come over him, and if I'm honest, I'm also worried for the dwarf King. I remember the last time I was in the mountain and just seeing the change for myself;
My father was returning to Erebor to retrieve the White Gems of Lasgalen, which my father had commissioned the dwarves to make a necklace out of them, in memory of my mother, as she loved the gems most of all. I took the chance to accompany him, any chance I could have to visit Throin, I will take. After being engaged for the past few months, my love for him has only grown in leaps and bounds, the only thing that bothered me was the distance. We were only a few days ride away from the dwarven kingdom, but it's still a few days more than I would like. I count down the days to our wedding and then I can be with him all I like.
Reaching the kingdom a few days later, we are admitted into the throne room and walk up the stairs leading to the walkway that ran towards the throne, where Thror was sitting in all his splendor. I smile as I see Thorin standing to his left. He seems surprised, but happy to see me, his smile wide as he makes eye contact with me. Father and I bow to the King as we reach the throne, he nods his head back to us before raising his hand.
The dwarf that was standing beside Thorin steps forward, a small chest in his hands. Father walks forward as the chest opens to reveal the gems, the necklace laying on top of them. They were beautiful, seeming to emanate a light that could rival the brightest star in the night sky.
I walk forward and stand beside father in time to see his hand reaching out for them. Just as his fingers are about to touch the gems, the dwarf snaps the lid shut. I look up to Throin, catching the look of confusion on his face before he looks to his grandfather and I look to my father.
I see his eyes widen in shock and surprise before all emotion leave his face as he turns to Thror as the dwarf steps back to his position, the chest still in his hands. Father gives a slight incline of his head before he turns and walks away, our guard following. I look to Throin, indecision clear on my face, but knowing I am not yet married, I cannot leave my father's side without his permission, so I have no chance but to follow.
I saw in his eyes that day, I saw the difference in him and when Throin's letter came a few days after explaining his fears and worries about the Dragon Sickness, I instantly put both instances together and realised that he had it that day. Thorin told me that he noticed the sickness begin since receiving the Arkenstone, but that was almost five years ago, and he didn't show any sign of it then.
I wrote a letter back to Thorin, asking for permission for me to visit. I was worried about him and his family and knew I needed to be with him right now. That was sent last week, and I am still waiting for a reply from him.
As I am pacing around my room, just thinking of some way I can help Thorin, I hear a cawing coming from the window. Turning, I smile as I see a black raven standing on the railing of my balcony, a metal tube attached to its leg. After feeding the raven some seeds and nuts, I take the tube and open it to find a letter from Thorin and smile as his reply tells me to come, he will be waiting.
As I begin packing a few things, I suddenly stop and stand upright, my back stiffening. Something doesn't feel right, my senses are going crazy. Going to my balcony, the raven long since gone, I look out to try to find out what is going on. I can hear a loud rumbling in the distance, like thunder, but I cannot pinpoint what it could be.
That's when my door bursts open and I spin around to find Tauriel standing there, a look of panic on her face.
"Caladwen! There's a dragon attacking Erebor!"
My heart instantly drops. "What!?"
"A dragon is attacking Erebor! Your father has already left with his men!"
"He's gone!?"
I immediately run around my room grabbing my weapons, anger burning through me at the thought of my father leaving me behind while a dragon attacks the home of my beloved.
Running out of my room, attaching my weapons as I go, I reach the stables and quickly saddle my horse, Melda, before tearing off out of the forest to catch up with my father.
After a while, I finally see my father and his soldiers in the distance, and hurrying my horse on, I ride past the elves and right towards father who is riding in the front on his elk.
"Adar!"
He halts, holding his right hand up to stop the elves as he turns to me.
"Caladwen, what are you doing out here?" he asks as I stop beside him.
"What do you think I am doing? Tauriel told me about the dragon, why did you not tell me you were leaving?"
"I did not want you to get involved." he replies as he rides on, the elves following.
I ride beside him. "Not get involved? That dragon is attacking the home of my beloved. I need to be there for Thorin."
He says nothing more as we ride on.
After what feels like years, we finally reach the mountain, father halting his elk on top of a hill beside the Kingdom. I gasp in sorrow and horror as I see the city of Dale burning and in ruins, fire engulfing the city. Looking to Erebor, fire burning the ground as well as burning the entrance, smoke and fire coming from within.
Hundreds of dwarrows, dams and dwarflings running from within. I scan the survivors, hoping to see Thorin, his family and my friends make It out. It's then I breathe a sigh of relief as I see Thorin staggering out, his father in his arms. Passing the older dwarf to another as he helps others to escape, before spotting us. I see him smile in relief as he waves to us.
"HELP US!"
I turn to my father, waiting for him to give the order to go down, but I frown as he hesitates. Why is he hesitating? We need to help them! Looking to Thorin, I see him also frowning in confusion. Our eyes meet for a moment before I turn back to father in time for him to look away, turning his elk and riding away from the mountain, the elves following.
"Adar! What are you doing!?" I ask in shock and surprise.
I look back to Thorin before turning my horse and riding after father, stopping her in front of his elk to stop him, which he does.
"Father, what are you doing? We have to help them!"
"We do not have to do anything. I warned Thror of what his greed would bring, of what would become of them, but he would not listen. And now he is paying the price."
"And you're just going to let his people suffer because of it!?"
"His people are not my concern. He should have thought about them long before."
"But, they'll die!"
"Yes, they will die. Today, tomorrow, one year hence, a hundred years from now - what does it matter? They are mortal. Now come, it is time we were leaving."
He moves his elk around me, reaching out to take my horses reins. I quickly move her out of the way of his reach, staring at my father in disbelief. This is not my father, he is not the elf I know. My father, although he can be rough around the edges, he is the kindest and most compassionate elf I know – apart from Legolas that is – how could he just turn away from those in need?
Still hearing the screams of those affected by the dragon, I now know where my path leads and it is with the dwarves, with my beloved Thorin, I will not let them down. I narrow my eyes towards my father.
"You might not care for the lives of the dwarves, but I do!"
And with that, I kick my horse in the sides, sending her charging back to the hill, dodging out of the way of the elves after father orders them to stop me.
Melda soon leaps off the edge of the hill, stumbling slightly as she hits the ground and slides down the rest of the way until she stops on level ground. I pat her neck as she rests a moment, giving me a chance to look back towards the hill, luckily my father nor the other elves came to drag me back. I do not regret my decision in any way, my heart is now and forever with Thorin.
I tap Melda's side to get her to walk forward, my gaze moving towards Erebor and the now sealed gate. I can only pray that everyone has made it out alright. . .closing my eyes, I pray for anyone that might be trapped inside, hoping that they do not suffer too much.
I turn Melda and get her to gallop towards Dale and we ride through the now eerily silent city. I look around at the destruction, not able to see far because of the smoke, but I still see the bodied of men, women and children, both of menfolk and dwarves. I pray for their safe passage to the halls of their ancestors before riding on ahead, leaving the city of Dale behind.
It does not take me too long before I catch up to the fleeing dwarves, startling some as they did not expect to see me riding past. I stop as I look for Thorin, calling out his name.
"Caladwen!"
Turning ahead, I breath a sigh of relief as I see Dwalin making his way towards me. Dismounting, I take Melda's reins as I meet him, each of us gripping each others arms.
"I'm relieved to see you safe, my friend." I say to him.
"Aye. Thorin told us he saw you leaving with your father."
I shake my head. "I wasn't going to leave, not now. Where is he?"
He nods ahead and leads the way, me following with Melda. After a moments walking, we find Thorin with his family and Balin.
"Thorin!" Dwalin calls out.
Looking up, he seems to do a double take as he sees me walking beside his friend.
"Caladwen. . ."He breathes out as he rushes over.
I pick up my pace and we embrace one another each holding the other tightly.
"Oh Caladwen. . .I feared you wouldn't return." Thorin says as he holds me close.
"I would never leave you Thorin, not now."
We soon pull away and he kisses me before we make our way to his family.
"Cal!" Dis cries as she runs over.
I instantly lift her into my arms when she reaches me and hold her close, allowing her to sob into my shoulder.
"Dis. . .I'm relieved to know you are safe."
"A dragon. . .a dragon came and took our home. . ."
"Shh. I know. I know. You're safe now."
Her sobs soon turn to sniffles as she calms, but has no indication of wanting to be put down, so I decide to keep holding her as I embrace Frerin, relieved that he, Dis, Thorin and the others are alright.
The next few days go by slowly as I try to help the dwarves in anyway that I can. Without any supplies, the dwarves won't last much longer, so it's decided that I will take Thorin and Thrain into Greenwood and talk with my father, asking him for help. Thror was against the idea from the start, not wanting to receive help from my people as they did nothing to help them, but we pursuaded him that we needed to try before more of his people died.
The three of us, as well as a couple of guards, ride through the forest towards the Kingdom where we're stopped by some of the elven guard.
"Caladwen? You're alright!" My brother exclaims as he breaks from the soldiers and rushes over.
I dismount and embrace him. "I'm fine, Legolas. We need to speak to father."
Legolas looks between me and the dwarves as they dismount from their ponies.
"All of you?" I nod. He seems to hesitate for a few moments. "Alright. . .just be warned. . .he's extremely angry with you."
I just nod, expecting him to be angry, as we follow him. As we walk, Thorin takes my hand.
"You knew your father would be angry if you came after us, why did you do it?" he asks me quietly.
I look to him. "Do you really need to ask that question? I told you before, I'm not going to leave you."
He smiles as he gives my hand a quick squeeze. Soon enough, we reach the stairs where my father's throne sits and he is sitting in it at the top of the stairs. We stand at the bottom, looking up at him.
"Ah, so the traitor has returned?" he sneers in my direction.
I don't let his tone faze me as I step forward. "I did what I thought to be right, father. I'm not here to cause an argument with you, we need help, they need help."
Thrain steps forward at this and bows low to him. "King Thranduil, I am at your mercy. My people need help; we need food, blankets, medicine. I beg of your help."
"And why should I help you? Help those who have recently done me wrong? Who have withheld something that rightfully belongs to me?"
I know instantly he is talking about the White Gems from a few weeks ago.
"I can only apologise for that, it should not have happened. But, our people need help, please help us."
Father looks to Thrain, and he looks to be in thought, hopefully he will help the dwarves. But that hope is soon squashed.
"I will not help. I warned Thror of what would become of his greed, what dangers he would attract, and yet he would not listen. I do not see it as my responsibility to clear up the mess he has made."
"But many of them will do if we don't help them!" I exclaim, horrified that my father will do nothing to help them.
"You already know my thoughts on this, Caladwen. I will not go out of my way to help those who have robbed from me."
I just stare at him in disbelief before turning to Thorin and Thrain. "Come, we will find someone to help us."
"You are not leaving with them, Caladwen." father saus as I turn to follow the dwarves out.
"I'm not going to stay here while the people I love are out there struggling to survive."
"I am your father and you will do as I say!"
"If it means keeping them safe, then I will not. You cannot and will not stop me."
"Oh, can I not?"
He then raises his hand and I realise too late he orders two of his guards to detain me.
"No! Let me go!"
"Caladwen!" I hear Throin call.
Looking up, I see guards have also grabbed hold of him, others keeping Thrain and the other dwarves away.
"Guards, lead these dwarves out of Greenwood and make sure they stay away."
The dwarves are then led out, Thorin being dragged as he is kicking and screaming. I am also struggling with the guards who have me, desperate to get to Thorin. I lock eyes with Thorin before he is away from my sight. My father is talking, but I hear nothing he says before I am lead away back to my room.
As soon as I am in my room, I collapse on my bed and cry as I feel my heart break. My father has just delivered to me his biggest betrayal; keeping me away from my beloved, my friends and my family. Keeping me from those who I love, those who are without a home and struggling to survive. For the first time in my life, I find myself praying to Aule to keep Thorin, his family and his people safe and I pray that one day, just maybe, our paths will cross once again.
Well, there it is. What will happen for our coule now. Keep reading to find out what. Please drop me a review if you enjoyed it!