Hey people! Chapter 10, I'm surprised you guys are still reading this…..
Any way! Hope you like it! And in case you didn't read the author's notes of the last two chapters I will repeat. TIMELINE IS DIFFERENT! Deal with.
Now. On with the show!
The town was in absolute chaos. Villagers were running around everywhere. To bulky men had grabbed Bard mere seconds after he uttered the fateful words and dragged him off shouting into the din that he was under arrest. It was probably after that moment when all hell broke loose. The people, realising that their main leader had just been arrested started to fall apart. Then the fire came and the Dragon did it's first sweep over Laketown. She and Legolas were now helping all the villagers they could into boats and small floatable vessels, or reuniting little children with their mothers who had lost them in the confusion. Whenever their eyes met an understanding passed between the two. They would be lucky if half of these people made it out alive.
"Where is the town Prison?" She yelled over the din of screaming villagers. Legolas gave her a glare of annoyance then followed by a look that clearly said; Why would I know?
A elderly man tripped and almost fell into the water had \jackie not grabbed the back of the man's dirty and worn shirt. Pulling him back up she set him down without any effort before turning to the next human in need; a child, almost a woman but not quite had been pushed onto the hard ground by a passing person rushing to escape the burning town.
Bard ran up against the barred northern window of his small cell overlooking the water and once more ended up with a throbbing shoulder no closer to lonely mountain sat tauntingly in the distance through the very window he had just ran up against. The men had dragged him away from the elves as soon as he had told them just what was happening outside. They had thrown him into this cell before joining the townspeople below in frantic attempts of escape. He had felt no particular pity when one of their number was pushed into the freezing cold frothing water below. Calling out for help had been useless. No one was in the prison, if they were they were the prisoners themselves. He wondered ruefully what would have happened if the Townmaster had just listened to him. He had told them that dwarves would awaken the dragon but as usual the overgrow bat had been more focused on his own wealth and greed then the wellbeing of the people he was sworn to protect by the oath his family had taken before the legions of Gondor all those hundreds of years ago.
"Help!" He cried out once more. It was more of a natural instinct now rather than believing anyone would actually come.
His cell was descended like a bridge over the main river through Laketown. There were two windows in it, both barred, the only difference was that one faced north to the lonely mountain. The other faced south, toward the far off fens and beyond that Mirkwood. Inside the cell was the bare minimum of things possible. There was a small bed with only two sheets; one over the bed mattress and the other for warmth when one slept, both equally horrible, dirty and hole filled. A chair and a desk sat in the corner but one of the chair legs was missing and the table had groves all over it's hard surface. A torch from beyond the barred door was casting a flickering light into his small room making it seem to come alive with shadows on the walls and firey figures.
A ugly laugh echoed up through the northern window from the river below about twenty yards away the Townmaster and his faithful dog of a man Alfred were cruising slowly southward through Laketown toward the beaches of Mirkwood. On their small boat were all the riches of laketown. Jewels and precious stones, silver coins, fancy cups of diamond and plates of pearl with fine silvery metal utensils glittered among the heaps of gold coins, plates bowls, cups and jewelry. Piles of the treasures were so high it went over their very heads, entire mounds were toppling over into the water because there was no space for them. It made him sick. The townmaster was more concerned with saving his own beastly hide then to help the very people of his town that he was bound to protect by the oath that his family had sworn to protect in front of the captains of Gondor all those years ago. Something he was fairly sure that the elves, two beings not of this kind who could leave whenever they wanted were doing at this very moment.
Moving quickly to the old bed he pulled off both the sheets and began fashioning a rope out of them, ensuring there was a good noose on the end. Then carefully lowering in down out of the southern window and tying the other end around the bars of his prison he waited. It only took a few seconds before the unsuspecting Towmaster had the noose looped around his neck, and a few seconds after that as the boat kept going for it to begin to tug on the bars of his window. After what seemed like eternity for Bard the window finally gave in, launching out of its place in the wall and fell into the water dragging along behind the boat as the townmaster attempted to claw the rope from around his neck.
Dropping down from his cell and into the freezing water he prayed that his son still remembered where he put the black arrow while the elves were away.
Jackie ran toward a falling infant. A mother on one of the many Laketown roofs had dropped a bundle of blankets. Only after a moment did Jackie realise that the bundle of blankets was a crying child. Why the mother was on the roof she had absolutely no clue, humans were weird, they did weird things. All that mattered was catching the baby before it hit the hard ground below. Even with her enhanced abilities she knew she would not make it in time. The infant was falling fast, twenty feet away, fifteen feet away, ten feet away and still falling, meanwhile she was still over fifty yards away. Seven feet away from the ground, six feet away from the ground…. And then the child was caught by none other than the prince of Mirkwood himself.
Barely slowing down as she hurled toward the prince she grabbed the child from his arms and held it tightly against her chest. It was a human male, probably just over two months old.
"Shhhhhhh little one. It's okay now, I have you, shhhhhh." She murmured softly to the crying child. She felt Legolas move behind her back staring at the boy over her shoulder, he was unsettlingly close. She could feel his soft breath tickling her neck, his body heat burning her back.
"Líre- ilya ye joyful, sí líre- ilya o-!
I súre's -esse i vardarianna-car, i súre's -esse i heather;
i elena are -esse lóte, i isil na- -esse losse,
ar calima are i windows -o ló -esse her tirion…
(Elvish:Sing all ye joyful, now sing all together!
The wind's in the tree-top, the wind's in the heather;
The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,
And bright are the windows of Night in her tower…)" Legolas began, his melodic voice sang softly. The child's cries slowly began to stop.
"Lilt- ilya ye joyful, sí lilt- ilya o-!
Macsa na- i salque, ar let tál n- ve quesse!
I tuine na- telepse, i shadows are fleeting;
Merrime na- lótesse-lú, ar merrime our omentie.
(Elvish: Dance all ye joyful, now dance all together!
Soft is the grass, and let foot be like feather!
The river is silver, the shadows are fleeting;
Merry is May-time, and merry our meeting.)" She continued, Legolas remained silent
while she sang the next part of the well known elvish lullaby.
"Líre- emme sí softlime, ar dreams let us lán- him!
Súre him -esse lóre ar tar let us lende him!
I wanderer sleepeth. Sí macsa n- his quesset!
Lullabime! Lullabime! Alder ar tasarë!
Sigh lala tare pine, till i súre -o i morn!
Lant- isil! Móre n- i nór!
Hush! Hush! Oak, ash, ar nasse!
Hushed n- ilya nen, till ára na- at kamba!
(Elvish: Sing we now softly, and dreams let us weave him!
Wind him in slumber and there let us leave him!
The wanderer sleepeth. Now soft be his pillow!
Lullaby! Lullaby! Alder and Willow!
Sigh no more Pine, till the wind of the morn!
Fall Moon! Dark be the land!
Hush! Hush! Oak, Ash, and Thorn!
Hushed be all water, till dawn is at hand!)" They sang, finishing the final part together. Legolas still had not moved from his place behind her back and Jackie rocked the now sleeping infant in her arms. For that one moment she forgot that a dragon was attacking her and the people of this rundown village, instead she was off in some far away place in this exact position. And everything would be right in the world.
Bard and his son ran to the hiding place where Bain had hid the black arrow among the boats. Grabbing the giant arrow Bard began to move toward the tower of the bowman. As if the Dragon could sense that he was in danger he aimed a burst of red hot flame at the archer tower, burning it to crisp before their eyes. Spinning in a full circle Bard looked for the nearest tower that could substitute. The town bell tower stood almost in the middle of the burning village tall and strong as if nothing was wrong. An idea began to form in his mind. Then he began to sprint.
When he reached the top of the bell tower the dragon made another swoop over the town, burning almost everything in his wake. A thud from behind turned his attention away from Smaug to see his son.
"Bain! What are you doing! Why didn't you leave!" He yelled. "You were supposed to leave." He said in a much weaker and more tired tone of voice, at the same time pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
"I came to help you da!" His son said softly, only his head and arms sticking out from the trap door.
"Bain, you go back." Bard said, wielding the black arrow "You get out of here now."
Bain looked over his father's head. The dragon was coming around once more. It had seen Bard now and was flying directly at the bell tower. "Da!"
Smaug ripped off the top of the Bell tower, obviously not his intent but he came dangerously close. The great beast flew away about two full wing beats before dropping the building and continuing his reign of terror of the town, preparing to go on another loop around. Bain, who had managed to pull himself into a standing position on the top of the tower before the dragon hit, was dangling dangerously by one arm over the fiery remains of laketown below.
"Bain!"
"Da!"
Pulling his son up to the safety of the burning tower he glared at the young boy. "You- you-"
"You need my help Da." Bain finished cooly, staring his father straight in the eye.
Bard wondered when his young, innocent son had turned into this headstrong little monster.
"Fine." He growled as Smaug came around once more.
Pulling the lonely black arrow from inside his tunic he stared at for a few seconds before turning to Bain. Pulling his son to the southern side of the Bell Tower he hoped that the child would forgive him. If we survive this that is. He thought morbidly.
"Do you trust me son?" When he received a small frightened nod he continued. "Stand very still son." He murmured. Loading the arrow over his son's shoulder, using the string from the bow that he always wore on his back he took his aim on the dreaded dragon.
"Nothing can help you know. I will burn your puny village to the ground and track down any little humans who escape. YOU WILL BURN!" Bard heard Smaug yell in the distance. The beast was now flying straight for them, his yellow, snake like eyes glaring at the puny human that dared defy him. The reddish scales of his huge hide glinting in the fire that littered on almost every building in the town. Slowly Smaug opened his giant jaws in preparation to either torch the two humans or eat them in one bite.
"Don't look behind you son."He said in the calmest voice he could muster. "Keep your eyes on mine."
Drawing the giant Arrow taunt over Bain shoulder he took aim.
"Your attempts are futile, I will crush you." The dragon roared again.
"Eyes on me son." Bard repeated. Before letting go of the arrow that rested on his son's shoulder.
The arrow flew straight and true, turning over and over in the air. Bard watched as the arrow hit it's mark: The loose scale on the dragon's chest. Smaud stared at the black shaft of an arrow protruding from his chest for a few nerve racking seconds before falling to the ground with a thud.
"We did it son." He whispered before repeating it again. "WE DID IT SON!" He yelled, pulling the poor boy into his arms. "We did it."
So? Please tell me what you think!
I am sorry it took me an extra week to update again, even on such a small chapter. I seem to be falling behind a lot lately.
I might not update for a while, I need to get my head wrapped around the next few chapters. Only the battle of the Five armies left people! You see originally I was considering continuing this into Lord of the Rings but now… tell me what you think. Should I continue it into LotR or stop at The Hobbit?