Author's Note: I own nothing.
33 From Afar
The youngest dwarves in Erebor heard the commotion the dragon was making from afar and arrived in the Gallery of Kings just in time to see the dragon barrel past them, not red as he had been before but gleaming golden and dripping, steaming and screaming. Kili pulled an arrow but they were on the wrong side of the dragon. The sound of rending rock echoed through the halls and across the steaming molten gold Ori spotted Bella running full pelt after the dragon Bofur hot on her heels. They followed, making it out in time to see the dragon make its first pass over Lake Town. Fire plumed on the lake and Bella began to sob. Kili's bow dropped from leadened fingers. Despite the distance between them and Lake Town he swore he could hear the screams and panic, the ringing of the bell. The dragon's roars did echo back to Erebor as the town burned.
It took a few moments for the others to emerge from the mountain. Cries of despair echoed from several of them but Dwalin, Balin, Thorin and Bifur watched on in silent horror. This was something they had seen before. Ori sat down on the rocks here and began to cry. Dori pulled him into a hug, eyes still fixed on the rampaging dragon. None of them could tear their eyes away from the desolation Smaug left in his wake. Bella's knees gave out and Thorin barely caught her as she continued to sob.
"What have we done." It was a whispered litany, repeated over and over as if the answer would change or somehow stem the flow of destruction they had unleashed. Fire and death reigned as the moon began to set. Then a scream louder than any of the ones they'd heard yet echoed across the valley, a shriek that had them all clapping hands to their ears. The dragon rose into the air and for a moment Bella thought he was preparing another attack but something was dripping from Smaug's chest. And then he fell, dropping out of the sky like a rock dropped from a great height. As he hit the water steam plumed, rising into the air to mingle with the smoke from the still burning town. A rumble echoed through the valley and then silence fell. All of them stared at the foaming lake, waiting for the dragon to resurface. But as the bank of fog spread the water made no move.
"It fell." Fili said staring at the place where the dragon had vanished beneath the water. Another moment passed.
"It fell screaming, can it be?" Oin asked looking around at the others.
"That was a death scream if I've ever heard one." Bifur said rubbing his ears. Still the lake remained placid. A few more minutes passed.
"Even a dragon cannot hold its breath this long. If it has not resurfaced by now…" Gloin said shaking his head. Balin was the one who snapped into action.
"We do not know if the dragon is truly dead. We'll set a watch. Not here, it's too out in the open. Come on." He led the company back inside, and up a long stairway to a doorway. It was set into the mountain and lead out to a run down rookery. The top of it was open, there was a guard post further down the cliff. Looking down the cliff Bella found it was sheer and unclimbable unless one could cling to flat rock. The door had been blocked up when they reached it but with some effort and a few hammers Dwalin found they managed to clear it.
"This is Ravenhill, the old rookery where the ravens of Erebor were kept. We'll set a watch here you can see most of the valley." Balin said turning to Thorin who nodded.
"Some of us should head back to the secret door and collect our supplies. Bombur, Bifur, Bofur you'll take that task. Bella, Kili, Ori you have the sharpest eyes of us. You three stay here, as out of sight as you can. If anything moves one of you comes for the rest of us. The rest of you with me, we'll take a look at the front gate, see if it can at least be shored up and slow the dragon down. Bella sat down on a rock, bloodshot eyes fixed to the smoldering remains of Lake Town. Thorin took her hand and squeezed it. She nodded slightly eyes fixed on where Smaug had fallen. Kili sat down next to her Ori taking up a seat on her other side. The others headed back into the mountain. It was hours before the smoke and fog began to clear, the sun had risen and Kili had begun to lean on the wall and hum a song in Khuzdul. Ori shook his head scrubbing at his eyes.
"What's the Shire like?" Kili asked suddenly and Bella nearly jumped. She sniffled.
"What do you mean?" She asked, her voice hoarse from tears.
"I've only ever lived in times like these, death and famine and battles. What's it like to live somewhere that isn't, that all the time." Kili asked sounding a bit bitter. Bella nodded slightly looking back out over the lake.
"Green. It's the first word that comes to mind when I think of the Shire. Even with winter coming on." She said and found that speaking of home was easy, easier than it should have been here watching for death on the horizon, with the Arkenstone heavy in her pocket. "Some of us have rooms in our house or sheds we move our favorite plants into during winter. I have a little room in the back of Bag End, it's where I keep my tomatoes. I swear if Drogo hasn't pulled those inside by now I am going to haunt him for the rest of his life." She said with a laugh that wasn't quite happy.
"I remember those tomatoes they were rather good." Kili said with a bitter chuckle.
"Prize winners actually. Can't help but wonder if I'll be able to grow them here. Hardly a place on a cliff side for a garden." She said a bit wistfully. Neither of them had taken their eyes off the lake, nor brought up the fact that Ori was still crying. They all jumped when a large raven landed near Ori and began to croak.
"Dead!" They stared at the bird. "Dead!" It squawked again. It made a noise like the tearing of paper. It must have been clearing its throat because it spoke much more clearly. "Word of Smaug. The Dragon is dead!" It cried. Bella spoke, not taking her eyes off this sudden messenger.
"Kili go get your uncle, now!" She was surprisingly calm in her demand but Kili was already on his feet rushing back into the mountain as several other ravens landed and took up the call. The dragon was dead.