Gandalf set up a noise barrier, so that nobody in the vicinity heard how twelve dwarves hit with their pickaxes to the rock. Alyssae and Thranduin crunched the stone to powder. It was a heavy and boring job, but it was something they could do outside, where their lungs were not filled with dust and the sun shone upon them.
"I'm glad you took my words to the heart," Thranduin spoke. He looked up from the purple stone, which became smaller and smaller under the weight of the moving piece of sandstone.
Alyssae smiled watery, although she could hardly imagine it really made him happy. She knew she would not have spoken such kind words if Thorin had been together with another woman.
"I hope you will find someone you can be with as well. I just hope it won't take any more centuries."
In his eyes a glazed gleam reflected, which made her sad. "Don't worry about me."
He sounded as if he had already accepted that he would spend the rest of his life on his own, grieving about his lover who had decided to give herself another future than that with a handsome elf prince, with a heart so pure it would bleach all the gold of Erebor.
He spread her fingers across her hand. "Don't feel loaded, Alyssae. I will never regret my search for you, nor that I have given the dwarf prince his life back. You two are a paragon of love - a love that will rise above the understanding of many."
A tear shone in the corner of her eye. "I hope so," she whispered. "I hope they will accept us."
"Those who do not accept you, aren't worth your attention," Thranduin's answer sounded. "There are more than enough souls you need to take care of."
Alyssae nodded, hoping she would one day be just as wise as Thranduin. He would be a great leader. One she would follow blindly. He was totally different from his selfish, resentful uncle. He was touched by the grief of those who were beaten by life and he would never disgrace anyone.
At the end of the next evening it was time to go. They believed they had gathered more than enough powder to poison the dragon. For hours both magicians had bowed over their creation, whispering malicious charms to it.
Alyssae would spread the dust, but since it was more than she could carry, Thranduin would go with her.
Four large pans they had filled to the edge with the poisonous powder, which they would put around the dragon. Two of them Alyssae carried between her arms and upper body, hoping she could fulfill the task without stumbling.
Even though she had entered Smaug's dominion once before, her heart beat in her throat - so heavy she was afraid it would awake the dragon.
This time she was glad Thranduin was with her, so that she could fall back to somebody if something went wrong, even though she was convinced she could do this.
In silence they went into the corridor. Alyssae did not wear the ring and she felt very naked, although it was so dark the dragon wouldn't be able to see her anyway. Yet that would change when Smaug opened his mighty jaws, making the room bathe in a stunning fire. Alyssae hoped with all her heart she would never have to face his terror. The stories she had heard about him, were more than enough.
The two elves waited until their eyes got used to the nerve-racking darkness. Alyssae concentrated on her surroundings: the cold breeze that blew, the mumbling of the dwarves outside the walls and the fluttering of invisible wings - bats. She sniffed up the musty atmosphere, humid and containing the traces of long perished bodies. Dwarf bodies.
A shiver crept down her spine and she nudged Thranduin with her shoulder, where after they both started to walk to the great hall. Following their hearing they stepped towards the dragon. Their footsteps were almost inaudible, as if they floated on an invisible cloud.
They put down the pans in a large rectangular. Alyssae swallowed when she felt a slight vibration beneath her feet, but she didn't know if the dragon had moved or that she was teased by a delusion, created by her fear.
With shivering knees she turned around after she had put down the pans. Her eyes flashed nervously around, but she did not know where Thranduin was. He should light the pots.
Again the ground quavered and this time the gold started to glide down. In panic Alyssae bit her nails. Had she done something wrong? And where was Thranduin?
Fear overpowered her and she stepped backwards, although she had no idea where the danger dwelt. She stumbled on an object, but when she fell and felt the object move, she knew something was terribly wrong. This was not an object.
The beast was awake.