Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings.

Author Note: I've decided to keep updating the story. Reviews or not. It's not my fault if none of you like my story. Oh well. Still in the process of writing the second part...then the third and fourth shall come. But don't expect them until the new year. My life is going to become very busy soon. : )

~Raven "Sirens Muse"

Chapter Six: Darkness Gathering

Verity's still scarred and scabbed back ached something terrible when she woke up. She was still wearing the ring and she had a terrible headache. She found she was outside at the edge of the woods, still in her night things and a cloak, laying with her head pillowed on a particularly hard rock. She yanked the ring off and her headache flared up. She moaned. "I must have had it on too long." she realized.

She had to put it on again, there was no other way to get back to her room. Teleri was probably frantic by now though. They would be searching for her. She put the ring back on and tried to stand, only to find that her back was completely shot. She couldn't move. She silently considered her options. Much calmer than she would have expected herself to be. She could either, sit in the silence of invisibility forever and fade away into a wraith, or she could take the ring off, let go of her pride and call for help. She dreaded both options and sat for awhile longer, cursing herself for her stupidity. "I swear I must have some elf in me. Why else would I go outside and gaze at stars?" she muttered wryly.

In the end, she chose the latter of the options. She pulled the ring off, slipped it into her cloak pocket and began calling for help. Luck had never much liked Verity. She was starting to realize this. That or God had something against her. She was starting to doubt Him too. And the Valar...if they really did exist. She called and Calen came to her rescue. Verity hadn't seen Calen since he kissed her and her cheeks flamed red when she saw him running toward her. "Lady Verity! Where have you been? We have been looking everywhere? Why--" he stopped, noticed that she wasn't moving and asked, "What is the matter?"

"I can't move." she said coolly, at his questioning look, she elaborated. "When the goblins captured us, they had great fun in whipping me. My back is covered in scabs and scars. For some insane reason, I came out here last night. I fell asleep and now I can't get up."

Calen looked horrified. "They whipped you?"

She nodded grimly.

Carefully, she felt his arms go around her, he helped her stand, because he didn't want to touch her back. She stood as stiff and straight as a board and leaned into his arms for support. He looked down into her eyes. "I kissed you impulsively the previous day, I ask your permission to kiss you again."

Verity felt frozen. She felt herself nod. Why in Middle Earth are you nodding, fool? Her mind argued.

Calen's lips captured her own in a kiss much longer than the first. The pain fled in the safety of his arms. Verity, much to her chagrin, didn't resist. Calen was the one to pull away. He looked down at her, something strange crossed his eyes that Verity couldn't read for the life of her. He leaned in and kissed her again, a much shorter kiss. "My dear, dear, sweet Lady." he whispered.

"I think I'm in love with you, Lord Calen." she heard herself admitting in a quiet, amused sort of voice.

"Would that be so terrible, dear Lady?"

"No." she said softly. "I don't think it would be."

And ever so carefully, Calen led her back to the hall and into the waiting arms of Teleri who scolded her mistress for leaving the first place. Verity didn't care, for once in her life, she didn't speak. She submitted quietly to the servant girl's administrations. Her mind was elsewhere anyway.

The day the company left to continue their quest for the Lonely Mountain was both a thankful one and a sad one. Verity was thoroughly confused. She loved Calen, yes, but it didn't see...right. She cursed herself at night and thanked herself in the morning. Teleri was quiet the entire last day, but her mistress didn't notice. As she was leaving, that last day, Teleri was gone the entire morning. Verity packed her own things and didn't really comment about her absence. When she was ready to leave she saw the young girl running toward her, her auburn hair flying about her head. She looked in a hurry. "Teleri! What's wrong?"

"I be comin with ye!" she said, standing tall and holding her head high.

Verity smiled widely. "Well young maid of Rohan, do you think you can handle dueling a dragon?"

"I be able to use a sword." the girl said proudly. "And I gots the permission from King Thranduil."

"Well then, Teleri of Rohan, I welcome you into the company of Thorin, King Under the Mountain."

Calen came to her as she was loading her horse. "Well, my Lady Verity, off you go to slay dragons."

She smiled as he leaned and kissed her forehead softly. "Namarie." he whispered.

"Goodbye, my Lord."

Teleri rode behind Verity and the company headed for Lake-town. After a few hours of riding, they saw it! The Lonely Mountain loomed high up into the sky. Verity felt a shudder pass through her and wondered if anyone else felt the same way she did. Did those who would die have any inkling of what they were getting into?

Around evening, after along day of travel, they reached Lake-town. Thorin led that way as they entered the hut. Their entrance caused a scare with the guards, but after convincing them that they would see the master of the town, they were led in. Thorin made a wild proclamation, declaring himself King Under the Mountain. A song picked up around town. The legend of old. They all sat around a table and ate with the master of the town. While she was eating, Verity had the suspicion that she was being watched. She glance to her right and seeing nothing, she glanced to her left. A tall man with hair as black as pitch and a thick, short beard was staring at her. Bard. It has to be. Well thankfully he's here and not appearing out of nowhere. That always did bother me. She quickly promised that she would have a word with the archer before going into the mountain. After dinner, as the men were singing the last of the songs, she went up to Bard. "Master Bard?"

Bard glanced up in surprise. "How do you know my name?"

"I'm a seer." she said quickly.

"Are you...an elf?"

"No sir, just a woman no little consequence."

A plan had been forming in Verity's mind now for a few days and now was her chance to make it happen. "Myself and the company I am with will be going to kill Smaug the Dragon. After we kill him, you must be king. Tell them the Seer who Slays Dragons predicted this. You will lead an army into battle against the goblins. The Battle of the Five Armies. You must do this!"

Bard looked speechless for a moment, but no one from Middle Earth was ever speechless for long. It must be a law or something. His answer came moments later, "Lady Seer, how can I know to trust you?"

"You can't. If you could then it wouldn't be trust, would it?"

Bard smiled finally. "Wisdom and wit. You are a true seer, My Lady."

"Please remember to do this."

"I will, you have my thanks."

They journeyed to the mountain itself the very next day. At the mouth of a cave, Verity stopped them. "Let me go in with my magic ring." she pleaded. "I will send back word of what I see when I return and then we can plan our attack."

Thorin agreed grudgingly. Only Bilbo seemed very pleased with her suggestion. Teleri barely agreed, hardly wanting her mistress to go off into a dragon's lair. But in the end, Verity convinced her that it was the only way. So slipping on her ring. Verity went in.

It didn't take very long to find the chamber. And when she did, she nearly gasped aloud. Mountains of gold and treasures winked at her from every corner of the room and upon the greatest pile lay...Smaug. Now dragons do have good smell and Smaug smelled Verity immediately. "Well thief," said the great, rumbling voice. "I smell you and I feel your air. I hear your breath. Come along! Help yourself, there is plenty and to spare."

Verity smiled slightly. "I dare not, O Smaug the great and fearsome." said, remembering that one used manners when talking to dragons. "I only came to see if you were as great and terrible as all the song describe you."

"Did you know? Do you find that this is true?"

"Truly! They fall utterly short of reality, O Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of all Calamities." said Verity in awe...and that was not pretend...although she didn't think it hurt any to quote Bilbo's words. The hobbit did have the right idea, after all.

"You have nice manners Lady Thief. You seem familiar with my name, but I don't seem to remember smelling you before. Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?"

"Indeed, it would be my honor to tell you. "I came from a place were realities blend with realities to under hills and over mountains. Through the air I fly and I walk in the shadows unseen."

"So I can well believe...however, the realities do confuse me. But that is hardly a usual name."

"I am the Lady seer, Bane of the Elves and Middle Earth, I am a shadow to the goblins, and I command the love of an Elvenlord. I am friend of bear and eagles, the Keeper of the ring, I see what has been and what will be and what I want to be."

"So you have said, Lady Seer. You intrigue me."

"I am glad, O Smaug. For I have a request that you will find helpful."

The dragon frowned like only a dragon can. "Do tell me."

"There are men that conspire to kill you in Lake-town. One knows your weakness, however, I must find something for the King Under that Mountain and I hate to kill you. You are very intelligent and it would be a great shame."

The dragon snorted fire. "I believe you in the first half, but you cannot have the treasure."

"But O Smaug, I command the power of the One Ring, forged by Sauron in the very depths on Mount Doom. I can help lead the destruction of Middle Earth if I so choose. Not only can I do all that, but I also see your future. Bard the Bowman will loose a black arrow straight into your only unprotected spot and you will fall into the lake...dead."

"Will I now? How do I know this is not just a trick. Let me see your face, O Lady Seer."

Verity had planned this, thankfully and she slipped off her ring. The dragon didn't try to kill her. "Beauty, wisdom, and wit. Lady Seer, I believe I will accept your help on the honor of my fathers before me, I will not kill you."

Verity smiled. "Thank you, O Smaug."

Verity and the dragon spent many hours going over their plans. Around late afternoon, everything was ready. Smaug was taking a nap, dragons seem to sleep a lot...kind of like cats, so Verity looked around the room. Smaug had given her permission to take anything for herself and nothing for anyone else. Everything was most grand and Verity helped herself to a graceful bow and quiver of magic arrows. But what interested her most were the harps. One in particular. It was a magic harp that could grow or shrink. It's largest size was seven feet tall and it's smallest size was two inches tall. She commanded it to the size of a lap harp and began plucking at the strings. Since it was magic, it conformed to the hand that was playing it and if they were trying hard enough to play it, it made beautiful sounds whether they were the right notes or not. She assumed if a master was playing it, it would sound as if heaven had come to earth. She played for awhile, provoking a nice little tune to come out of it. Then she shrunk it to about five inches and placed it carefully in the pack that she always carried. After that little distraction, she sat for hours, simply staring at the ring in her hand. Should U go through with my plan? What should I do? Can I betray my friends...everyone who trusts me for this...little...ring? She argued with herself for hours before finally reaching a shaky decision.