Chapter IX: Run. And Run Fast.

A/N: This chapter did *not* want to get written at all! Came in fits and starts. I apologize for the choppiness and the long wait. I will probably go back and fix this at a later time. Recognized dialogue comes from either the Professor or Jackson. Thank you Blondiezhere for her help! Enjoy the chapter! SSD

Ashara was stalking down to the Laketown docks in a foul mood. That slimy little nyarro had made several rather offensive suggestions before she knocked him to his backside. She didn't have time to do much more than that.

She'd hissed, "You ever come near me again, I'll castrate you in the slowest and most painful way I can think of. I'm 587 years old, I can get very creative!"

Ashara got into the middle of the boat next to Bilbo. She was going to be much happier once they were on solid ground again.

When they were finally rowing across the lake, another thought entered her mind: "Then again, once we're on the other side, there will be a fire breathing dragon to worry about!"

Once the skiff was tied off, Thorin watched as the others disembarked. Dwalin wasted no time in ditching the cloak he'd been given in Laketown.

Thorin hadn't liked the so-called Master of Laketown. But he knew the type. The best strategy to dealing with the type was play to their ego and they'd bend over backwards for you.

Ashara looked especially happy to off the lake. She looked like she was ready to kiss the ground.

Thorin also suspected there was more than one reason that the she-elf was pleased to be off the water and away from Laketown.

The search for the path to the hidden door was not going well at all.

For all her keen elven eyes could do, Ashara was having difficulty seeing anything out of the ordinary on the rock face. As the dwarves got more and more tense, Bilbo called out, "Over here!"

A smile crossed Thorin's face as he replied, "You have keen eyes Master Baggins."

Once they got to the top, all there was to do was wait for the last light of Durin's Day.

The last light came and went. No one could understand why the keyhole hadn't shown itself. The dwarves had left the ledge.

Ashara stayed up with Bilbo, who was determined to puzzle out the riddle.

She'd never been much at riddles. Even though she was an elf, she lacked the patience to puzzle them out. Ashara supposed that it was from the side of her that came from the race of Men.

They'd all forgotten that there was more than one kind of light in the sky. Moonlight was what showed the keyhole.

Thorin and Balin entered first. Ashara decided to wait for the rest of the dwarves to enter. She felt that it was important.

As she entered, Bilbo asked, "What is that?"

"The Arkenstone," Balin explained.

"That is why you are here," Thorin said in addition.

After Bilbo went down to look for the Arkenstone, the remaining members of the Company went back outside. Balin was watching Thorin like a hawk. Ever since leaving Lake Town, he had not been acting like himself.

Balin really wanted to be wrong about the reason as to why.

When he finished talking with Thorin, Balin looked over the company. They were all milling about, with Dwalin being on guard.

Ashara seemed to be staring out over the lake. Balin didn't want to wake her up if she was using the open eyed sleep.

He was about to reach to shake her awake when the ground itself shook. Ashara was on her feet in moments.

Ori asked, "What was that?"

"That, my lad, was a dragon."

Ashara wondered how Bilbo was doing, since it sounded like Smaug was definitely awake. Bilbo was a smooth talker however, and it was common knowledge that dragons loved to be flattered. The hobbit would likely be able to keep Smaug busy for a good while.

"Come on. We're going in."

They'd come at a good time. Smaug was no longer amused by Bilbo's flattery.

"Flee. Flee. Run for your lives!" Smaug crooned out as he chased them. When he saw Ashara, the dragon called out,

"I smell an elf. It's been such a long time since I've eaten one!"

Ashara snarled back"That won't be changing anytime soon, dragon!"

Thorin barely managed to yank her out of the way of a ball of fire. Ashara brushed herself off a bit saying, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

After running through the maze that were the tunnels of Erebor, they finally managed to get to the forges.

"This plan's not going to work. These furnaces are stone cold, we've no fire hot enough to set them ablaze," Balin called out.

A growl echoed around them, Ashara noticed that Thorin had a gleam in his eyes as he said, "Have we not?" She wasn't sure she was going to like what he had in mind.

"I did not think to see you so easily outwitted! You have grown slow and fat in your dotage... slug!" He was baiting Smaug!

"Take cover!" At Thorin's order Ashara shot towards one of the columns before Smaug let loose.

Smaug's fire breath was more than hot enough to set the forges alight.

Ashara thought, "Not bad!"

"Bombur get those bellows working!" Thorin was in his element. Smaug was busy trying (and succeeding) at smashing the columns.

"Bilbo, up there, pull that lever!" He was doing his best to get Bilbo out of the line of fire.

"Balin can you still make some flashflame?" Ashara was also trying to get out of Smaug's line of sight while helping the other dwarves do the same. She had no desire to get cooked.

"Aye, it'll only take a jiffy," Balin replied as he went off collecting the rest of dwarves.

"We don't have a jiffy," Dwalin muttered as he went off after his brother.

"And what can I do," Ashara asked when she, Thorin, and Bilbo were the last ones left in the room.

"You and I are going to be bait for Smaug."

"Oh goody!"

No sooner had she finished saying that, Smaug broke through the columns. Once he saw the two of them, the fire drake made his way towards them, they both shouted, "BILBO NOW!"

A deluge of water soon hit Smaug, cooling him down before he could cook either of them.

"Nice plan. Can we get out of here before he recovers his ability to breath fire?" Ashara gave Thorin a sidelong glance.

"The plan is to get to the Gallery of the Kings."

"Over here you witless worm!" Thorin called out.

"You..." Smaug sneered.

"I am taking back what you stole!"

"You will take nothing from me, dwarf! I laid low your warriors of old. I instill terror in the hearts of Men! I am King Under the Mountain!" Smaug hissed.

"This is not your kingdom! These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge! Khazâd ai-mênu!"

With that, the parts of the mold fell away to reveal the golden statue. Thorin came away from it via a chain pully.

Smaug was completely hypnotized by the gold. "Maybe this will work," he thought as the statue melted due to not being in the mold long enough, puling Smaug underneath the wave.

Briefly, it seemed that the plan had worked.

"This is too easy!"

As soon as that thought finished, Smaug burst up from under the pool of gold, shouting, "REVENGE?! REVENGE?! I WILL SHOW YOU REVENGE!"

A/N 2: And now, we are done with Desolation of Smaug. The events of BotFA are about to begin. Apologies for the long wait. SSD

Sindarin:

nyarro- rat.

Khuzdul:

Khazâd ai-mênu!- The dwarves are upon you!