Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.
Now for the fun with Smaug. I loved writing these chapters. Please read, enjoy and review.
'You'll know when you see it.'
The Arkenstone.
It was there. Just a few feet from her. She had finally found it ... and the dragon was also a few feet from her.
What rotten timing.
"Who are you?" Smaug repeated, growing impatient. Marie looked up at him.
"I ... I come from under the hill." It wasn't a lie, or the complete truth. But all the same the answer quipped the dragon's interest.
"Under hill?"
Marie quickly nodded. "And under the hill and over the hill my path has taken me. Through the air I am she who walks unseen and is the guest of eagles."
"Impressive." Smaug dipped his head until his hot breath again brushed her skin. "What else do you claim to be?" He was so close his voice rattled Marie's bones.
"I am ... The Luck Wearer. Riddle Maker and Web Cutter."
"Lovely titles, go on."
"Ba ... Barrel Rider?"
"Barrels? Now that is interesting." Smaug pulled back, his head in the shadows.
'What was so interesting about barrels?'
"And what of your little dwarf friends mmm? Where are they hiding?"
That was unexpected.
Marie did her best to look confused rather than shocked. "Dwarves? I'm ... sorry but I've come across a dwarf in my life. You appear to be wrong."
"Oh I don't think so ... Barrel Rider." Smaug looked away from the hobbit briefly, giving her a chance to get closer to the Arkenstone. But not much "They sent you in here to do their dirty work while they skulk about outside."
"No, truly," Marie bowed her head to the dragon. She was losing favour. "You are mistaken oh Smaug, Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities."
A deep rumble from Smaug's chest filled the air, "You have nice manners, for a thief and a LIAR! I know the smell and taste of dwarf, better than anyone. It is the gold, they are drawn to it like flies to dead flesh." But while Smaug ranted and moved about the treasure, Marie again made another attempt to grab the Arkenstone. Just as it was within her reach, one of Smaug's talons crashed down between her and the jewel. The impact sent the Arkentone rolling down the hill of treasure. Marie groaned and went after it. She had spent so long trying to find the damned thing, she wasn't going to lose it now, dragon or not.
"Did you not think I'd know this day would come!? That a pack of panting dogs would come crawling back to the mountain!?" Smaug called after the fleeing hobbit. He gave chase, his long neck crashing against a weakened pillar. Marie jumped off a steep ledge and into a pile of coins as the pillar cracked and fell. The crash was thunderous and Marie clamped her hands over her ears.
"The King Under the Mountain is dead." Smaug's talon came dangerously close to the frightened woman and she launched herself from her hiding spot. "I took his throne, I ate his people like a wolf among sheep."
Marie could feel the dragon snaking his head above her as she ran. She turned down a stairway Smaug was right before her, with a taunting smirk. With a yelp she forgot the rest of the stairs and jumped the rest of the way, missing his numerous spikes and chipped horns by inches. She could here his terrible chuckle as she kept running.
He was teasing her, making her sweat for his own amusement.
"I kill where I wish, when I wish."
Marie made for an alcove just as the dragon caught up to her. He glided down and landed with a thud on top if the alcove, effectively trapping her inside.
"It's Oakenshield, that filthy dwarvish usurper." He hissed, "He sent you in here for the Arkenstone didn't he?"
Marie looked out of her new hiding spot. 'Where is that jewel?'
"No, I have no idea what you're talking about."
She spotted the jewel just outside the alcove.
"Don't bother denying it I guessed his foul purpose some time ago." Smaug's claw wrapped around a support beam and he pulled himself to the opening. Marie pulled back to avoid his gaze. "But it matters not. Oakenshiled's quest will fail. A darkness is coming. It will spread to every corner of the land."
A familiar sense of dread filled Marie's gut. It was the same as that night she had dreamt of that mysterious ruin and the shadow that lingered in its walls.
A shadow.
Smaug's head moved until it was just behind the beam Marie was hiding. "You are being used, Thief in the Shadows." His voice had taken on a more gentle sound, smooth and dare say it comforting. "You were only ever a means to an end. The coward Oakenshield has weighed the value of your life and found it worth nothing."
Marie wanted to snapped back at him, to tell him that he was wrong. But uncertainty made her tongue heavy. "No ... you're lying" She managed to spit out.
"Tell me, what did he promise you? A share of the treasure? As if it was his to give. Or perhaps something more ... personal? A grand throne at his side? A crown of a thousand precious gems to place on your brow? A hollow promise of devotion and love?"
The dragon's words struck hard. No, Thorin made her no such promises, nor would he ever she told herself.
"Your silence is very telling, Barrel Rider. Know this, Oakenshield has room in his heart for one thing only and it will never be you."
Marie shook her head free of the dragon's taunts. It would seem that dragon's could easily enchant with words like in the old stories. 'Just get the stone, get out and away from the beast.' She told herself and ran for the Arkenstone. The ground beneath her feet suddenly rose up and Marie was flying through with air thanks to Smaug's tail, hidden by the gold.
When had he done that? She landed on the end of the slope and rolled across cold stone. What stopped her was her back colliding with an old chest.
"I will not part with a single coin. Not one piece. My armour is iron. My teeth are swords. My claws are spears. My wings are a hurricane. And my breath is death itself!" Smaug roared, opening out his wings until they almost touched the ceiling. The hobbit had the sneaking suspicion that he may have been showing off to himself rather than her, but thanks to his vanity Marie caught sight of a small black hole where a scale should have been on the left side of his chest, just below the wing.
"So the Black Arrow did make its mark." Marie whispered, a small smile on her lips.
"What did you say?" Smaug stopped his preening and growled at her.
Marie righted herself and got to her feet. The Arkenstone was right next to her.
'Third time the charm.'
"I was saying that indeed your reputation does proceed you Smaug the Tyrannical. Truly you have no equal on this earth." She said, glancing briefly at jewel. The dragon, who now balanced between two staircases, glared down at her hard. He had seen her wandering eye.
"I am almost tempted to let you take it, if only to see Oakenshield suffer." He told her.
Marie's chest tightened and looked back at Smaug. He had seen her reaction and knew he had her. "Yes, a delightful sight for you to witness once you'd given to him. Watch it destroy him, watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad." He sneered, enjoying the hobbit's tiny form shaking.
Marie wouldn't let that happen, not to Thorin. He was strong, strong and tough, that she was sure of. But still, if she believed in him, why did she still have a sliver of doubt?
"But ... I think not. I think our little game ends here."
Marie heart quickened as Smaug drew back slightly and the scales across his chest and at the base of his neck began to glow. "So tell me, thief, how do you choose to die?!"
xxxx
"It's been a long while." Nori remarked offhandedly. Bombur and Gloin nodded but said nothing. None of the dwarves had spoken since Balin had returned alone with the assurance that Marie was well on her way into the lower halls.
So the wait began, in relative peace until the ground tremble and what sounded like an explosion echoed though the opened door. The silence that had followed since was painful. The sounds from within the mountain were growing more frequent and louder. Every one of the dwarves knew that the cause of such a ruckus was the dragon. The only question now was, was their little burglar the cause of the dragon's waking.
Thorin tried not to imagine the worst. He stared down at the slope of the mountain, twisting the ring around his left middle finger. He had been questioning his decision of sending Marie down into the mountain to find the Arkenstone.
Yes it had been arranged from the beginning that Marie would act as burglar and retrieve the jewel and she agreed to the terms of the contract, but still, Thorin would never forgive himself if something happened to her ...
No, Thorin couldn't allow to think in that manner. She was a lucky lass. She would find the Arkenstone, return unharmed, the stone would be his and he would claim his rightful place on the throne without dispute. The treasure of the dwarves would be theirs. Everything would be as is should be.
Bifur grunted and huffed in his manner, questioning the well being of the hobbit.
"Should we maybe go down and help her?" Young Ori asked.
"No." Thorin shook his head, "Give her more time."
"To do what? To be killed?" Balin barked. For a dwarf of peaceful terms, Balin was slow to anger, but right now he was on edge. Thorin had rarely seen this side of his old friend, so something must have been wrong.
"You're afraid." He stated. The old dwarf turned to him, white brows close together. "Yes. I am afraid. I fear for you." He said, pointing at Thorin. "A sickness lies upon that treasure. A sickness which drove your grandfather mad."
Thorin gritted his teeth and looked away, "I am not my grandfather."
"You're not yourself. The Thorin I know would not hesitate to go in there and he.."
"I will not risk this quest for ... for one burglar." He hated to say it, but he needed to hear it from his own mouth.
Balin gave him an incredulous look. "A burglar." He lowered his voice so only Thorin could hear. "After everything that lass has done for this company, is that all she really is to you?"
Before Thorin could even think of how to answer that, a great roar came from the mountain, fuelled by anger. The light of dragon fire illuminated the hidden passage. The dwarves stood as one and watched the golden light flood the way.
Every past thought and reservation Thorin had suddenly left him empty but one thing. Wordlessly he moved to the door, grabbing a long sword without breaking stride. Someone called after him, but he did not stop and headed into the passage.
xxxx
In a darkened corridor, an out of breath Marie collapsed against the wall, pulling off the gold ring. Smaug was still roaring in the great hall and heat poured out of the doorways from his fire. Once Marie caught her breath she made for the stairs aimlessly. Sting thumped against her thigh as she leapt up them, bounding over two at a time.
She had no clue where she was going but as far as she knew it anywhere away from an angry dragon was a good thing.
Smaug had not been pleased with her sudden disappearance when he made to eat her in one fell swoop and in response he unleashed a firestorm into the hall. The hairs on Marie's toes and the ends of some of her curls were singed by the heat of the dragon fire. After a few minutes she came realise she had been running around the same square corridor. She turned left and up more stairs, lost for air again. The stairs led up to an open junction. Marie didn't like the idea of being out in the open and almost turned around, but she spotted someone standing out on the ledge.
It was Thorin, his back to her as he stared out over the ledge with a long sword in hand. Relief gave her enough strength to make it all the way up.
"Thorin." Marie called, but he did not hear her. He remained still, gazing out at the treasure. "Thorin!"
The dwarf turned. "You're alive."
"Only just. We have to go." Marie wheezed and hunched over.
"Did you find it? The Arkenstone?"
"Thorin, the dragon is ..."
"The Arkenstone."
Something in Thorin's voice raised an alarm. Marie glance up at the dwarf. He didn't ... look right. The lines bout his eyes were too tight for one thing, and he looked like iron coiled so tightly it would snap. "Did you find it?" He asked, but it sounded more of a threat.
Marie swallowed hard and headed to the exit. "No. Now we need to get out of ... here." A firm hand caught her wrist
'What?'
She tried to take a step away from Thorin but his grip tightened and forced her to stop resisting. "What are you ... ?"
Thorin glared at her, almost accusingly. The sword in his other hand looked poised to cut her to ribbons as Thorin forced her back to the edge, trapping her between the twenty foot drop and the sword.
"Alright enough now, you're ... you're hurting me." Marie said, trying to be firm, but the hand around her wrist only continued to squeeze. Any tighter and he would have been able to snap the bone. Thorin's eyes were no longer blue as the sky, but dark, like the colour of amber, staring at her as if she was a stranger. Marie was afraid. Afraid that the dwarf before her was not Thorin. "Stop, please." She outright whimpered. "Thorin."
Something must have snapped back into place, because Thorin's fingers loosened, confusion settling on his face as he glanced between the petrified hobbit and her trembling arm still in his grasp.
What had just happened?
They didn't have very long to figure it out, since a growling sound caught both of them off guard. Thorin looked over Marie's head, his jaw setting hard. The hobbit followed he gaze and turned in time to see Smaug crawling over the treasure.
Thorin immediately went into a battle stance at the sight of his old foe. Smaug in turn hissed and licked his teeth, eager to taste dwarf flesh again.
"AAAGGGGGHH!" The rest of the dwarves came barreling through a doorway armed and ready. But they all may have reconsidered such a rash decision when they saw the fast approaching dragon.
"You will all burn!" Smaug launched himself towards the company, fire dancing on his tongue.
"Come lads! Down here!" Balin called and the dwarves and Marie jumped off the ledge. They skidded off the gold and into a tunnel before the fire could reach them.
"Run, run, run lads."
"Come on Marie."
"What did you do lass? Poke him in the eye?"
"I didn't do anything!" Marie cried out as another burst of flames entered the tunnel. The company sped up until they came to what looked like an old kitchen. Thorin was the last in and was shaking off his over coat, half of which was on fire. He dropped to the floor and acted as if nothing had happened. "Come on." He ordered and took point. Marie could still hear the roar of dragon fire from above and she began to wonder if any of them were to make it out of the mountain alive.
Xxxx
It had been a nerve wracking experience trying to making it through the mountain without alerting Smaug to their position. One slight tap with the end of an axe or the shuffle of a pebble would echo throughout the barren halls.
Marie looked over the window ledge on the closed over bridge they were sneaking across and felt her stomach drop.
It was a long down.
She bumped into the back of Bombur and saw that they had stopped. The bridge led out into the open, meaning they would be exposed.
The silence however gave some indication that they may have out foxed Smaug.
"Perhaps we've given him the slip." Dori whispered. But Dwalin didn't seem that optimistic. "No, he's too cunning for that." Marie had to agree with warrior. Smaug may have been waiting just above the opening to snatch them up one by one.
Thorin finally spoke after what seemed to be hours of silence from him. "We'll head for the western caverns, there may still be a way out there."
"It's too high up."
"It's our only chance Balin."
Slowly and with utmost care, the company walked out into the open, keeping all eyes peeled. The bridge was narrower than before and Marie could feel her balance wavering. The rush she had experienced in fleeing Smaug was slowing down, pulling all of Marie's strength with it. If she was not careful she would topple over the side.
She placed her mind else where to steady her legs and found herself crossing over the old hidden bridge near Brandywine Hall. The technique worked and washed away her nerves and she let the memory consume her thought of a summer night chasing fireflies over the bridge, without a thought for the rushing water beneath her.
'Tink.'
Marie snapped out of her reminiscences and froze on the spot, as did all the dwarves. Marie looked at her feet and saw a single piece of gold next to her foot. Had it slipped out of the folds of her coat? She quickly padded herself down. No it hadn't come from her.
'Please don't let it be ...' But as more coins started to hit the stone, it was clear where they were coming from. Marie and the dwarves looked up and Smaug was passing over head, climbing through the bridges and hooking his claws into the walls. Marie again spotted the small black hole in his chest. Should one get the right opportunity and a sharp enough weapon, they could get the dragon right in the heart.
Such musings would not help them at the moment and the company made it across the bridge in one piece, while Smaug slunk deeper into the mountain in search of them.
"Up the top, go." Thorin led them to a spiral stairway and literally pushed the dwarves up the first step. But when he got Marie, she flinched away from his touch. When they made it to the top, the dwarves huddled together to wait for Thorin and Balin. Marie stood apart from the group as her mind went back to before, the feeling of Thorin's deadly grip still fresh on her skin.
"You alright Marie?"
"Mm?"
Nori placed a hand on her shoulder, "Did you hurt your hand or something?" Marie hadn't noticed that she had been clutching her wrist. "I ... fell. Just a little sore." Nori gave the hobbit's shoulder a light squeeze.
They were now deep in the passages inaccessible to Smaug and with any luck nearer to their freedom. The darkness that engulfed the tunnels was suffocating, and there was a smell of decay in the air. Marie hated to think what would be the source of the stench.
"This way. It's not far." Thorin said and ran down a narrow corridor, the company hot on his heels. But with a sharp turn to the right, the fleeing dwarves and hobbit came to a halt. They had made it to where the exit they had hoped for would be, only to find half the wall caved in on it. But the most heart wrenching sight was the piles of bodies gathered around the doorway.
"That's it then." Dwalin muttered, "There's no way out."
Marie walked slowly through the frozen company. Men, woman and children, still clinging to their mother's skirts, long since dead and mummified in this makeshift tomb. Marie covered her mouth with her hand, mortified and saddened by the site.
"The last of our kin." She heard Balin mutter. "They must have come here, hoping for an escape."
The dwarves around Marie dropped their heads mournfully. Marie too closed her eyes in respect.
What a cruel way for one's life to end.
"We can still make it to the mines. Might last a few days."
"No."
Marie opened her tired eyes. Thorin now stood in the centre of the room, surrounded by his fallen kin,
"I will not die like this. Cowering. Clawing for breath." He turned slowly, "We'll make for the forges."
"He'll see us, sure as death." Dwalin said.
"Not if we split up."
"Thorin, we'll never make it."
"Some of us might. Those of us that don't will be avenged." Thorin had regained his spark of iron clad bravery that stirred the loyalty of his men. "We lure him to the forges and we kill the beast." All the dwarves stood a little taller, instilled with the courage of their king.
"If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together."