Note: Italics is thoughts, unless specified otherwise i.e flashbacks or visions. / is timeskip
— Time Skip: Morning —
DWALIN'S POV
Dwalin ran his thick fingers through her dark red hair; it was just as soft as he had imagined. A sigh left his lips as his eyes ran over the sleeping lass on his chest. In all his life he never thought that something like this would ever happen to him. His thoughts wandered back to last night.
He had saved her a plate of food, selecting only the best for the woman in their company; which had gotten him a raised eyebrow from his brother. But he just shook it off, playing it as it was his second helping and not him gathering some of the best food for the female in their company. He had also made sure that no one sat beside him, sending growls and glares to anyone who tried.
But when he had seen her walk into the room in that dress, his heart had stopped. Which startled him as it had never happened before. Granted the attire she was wearing was rather well brothel worthy; he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy seeing her in it.
When she had sat beside him, his mind had completely shut down. His hands had gotten all sweaty, and the start of a blush rose on his cheeks. It was like he was a Dwarfling all over again, unable to control his emotions. He did manage to plunk the plate of food in front of her though. Then she had talked to him with her sweet voice; which did not help in bringing him out of his frozen state.
As his Kin was taking in what he had done for the lass he had watched her from the corner of his eye for a while, wanting to say something; yet physically unable, she always had this power of rendering him speechless. He had been debating in his head what to say. So many scenarios had run through his head, most of them not ending well. But one thought, in particular, made him act. Dwalin is many things, but he is not a coward.
So, he had said something. It wasn't anything fancy, nor was it a declaration of affection or anything, but it was enough. Yer look nice. She hadn't yelled at him or called him a perv, or anything nasty; which had relieved him greatly. She had taken it in stride. But then Bofur had also decided to comment on her dress. His suggestive words had made Dwalin's blood boil. The only thing that had stopped him from leaping across the table and strangling the Dwarf was the knowledge that he was Alexa's friend, and that she wouldn't like it if he did.
He had spared many looks at her during dinner. And when they were exchanging battle stories, he had, of course, joined in. Just the attention he had gotten from her had made his chest warm, and nerves skyrocket; he didn't quite know what to think, but he did know that there was something about the woman beside him that confused and intrigued him all at once.
Then Bifur had asked if she could tell a story. At first, Dwalin had been apprehensive and a little nervous towards the idea, as the stories he had heard were never good. He also didn't want the memories of the brothers that tortured the lass coming up either.
Then she had told them a story of her own. Not about the brothers but a mission that started with chasing a bounty hunter. Which led to becoming prisoners in an execution arena, and ended with the battle that began The Clone Wars.
The entire time Dwalin had been on edge, just hearing about the beasts that were sent to kill her made a lump form in his throat. Then she had drawn them. Just the thought of those three gnarly creatures harming her had sent him crazy. His stifling worry had only lessened when she had revealed that she had killed the evilest looking one. Pride had swelled in his chest. She certainly was quite the warrior herself.
A deep sigh left him as he thought about the young lass that Alexa had protected and cared for. He knew that it wasn't his place to ask last night. But as he watched her caress the necklace that she had revealed to of been made by the young lass, he felt like he needed to; as crazy as that sounds.
Of course, like the rest, the Youngling as Alexa had called her, had been murdered during Order Sixty-Six. Unlike the others, he had heard the seven words that fell from her lips in a whisper as he had been close enough to; though he had a sniffling suspicion that the Hobbit had also heard.
Later on, he had watched Alexa leave; her departure going unnoticed by the rest of their companions. He had let her be as he was deep in discussion with his brother and Thorin about their plan for Erebor. After that, he had joined in on the festivities with the company. Alexa at the back of his mind as the ale swirled in his mug. But when he had gone to retire to his chambers, he had heard a loud bang come from within the lass's and instantly thought the worst.
When he had burst into her chamber, he hadn't been anticipating the scene that lay before him. Her movements were so fluid, so precise. It was like a dance; a graceful, deadly dance. In his awe, he had spoken his words startling the young woman who had not sensed his presence.
After she had whacked him with her stick, he had found himself snapping the stick she had been 'practising' with. When she had questioned him, he had confronted her head-on. It was late, very late. She had told him that she was practising. But knowing her, he knew that she must have had another one of her nightmares.
Not that he brought it up, as it was a rather touchy subject with the lass. Instead, he had just asked why she had left and if the Master's slimy servant had anything to do with it; as he too had not missed the creepy looks the bugger had given her during dinner.
The night had only gotten more interesting as it went on. As the next thing he knew, he was sitting beside her on the bed; his treasured knife in his hands. Honestly, he had no idea how he had managed to stay so calm and collected. Inside he was nervous; his blood had pumped loudly over his ears as if he were about to go into battle.
But it was all for the best as Alexa had admired his craftsmanship, her eyes transfixed on the knife. Pride had swelled in his chest at the lass's impressed tone. At first, she had tried to refuse it, saying that she didn't know how to use it. Though he had assured her that he would teach her, and even had a jab at her lightsaber; which she had not appreciated. But it was all worth it as she had accepted his knife, his gift.
He had found himself teaching her the Khuzadul words engraved on the his-now-her knife. She had picked it up rather quickly and even burst into giggles after imitating a Dwarven command for battle.
It had turned out that she hadn't been yanking his beard when she told him that she had no background with a knife. Stick 'em with the pointy end? Well, at least she wasn't wrong.
He had then spent the next thirty or so minutes teaching her the correct grip for holding the knife, which she had picked up almost as quickly as the Khuzadul. Then he had her stand in her attack position. He had stood behind her, his hands on her curvy hips; correcting her stance.
Just the closeness of her body was intoxicating. He had held back from sniffing her hair, afraid that she would be uncomfortable. He had felt the muscles in her torso contract as he advised her to squat lower. A lump had formed in his throat when her backside had slightly brushed against his groin. It had been then that he had decided to move to her front, correcting her arms.
He had then stepped away from her and asked her to show him her thrust. When she had, he had given her several points on how she could improve her strike. But overall, he was happy with her process, and so, called it a night. Then the unexpected happened. She had asked him to stay with her.
At first, he had thought that he had been imaging things; his breath had stuck in his throat. Granted they had cuddled for many nights while they had been prisoners of the blonde Elven prick. But once they had escaped, he had assumed that what had occurred in the cell was a one-time thing. Oh, how wrong he was, and how glad was he that he was.
After she had fallen asleep in his arms, he had stayed up; just watching her. He had been a warrior since a very young age, so he had never had the time to find someone and settle down. That and Dams only made up one-third of the Dwarven population; and so, he had long since accepted the fact that he would never settle down with anyone.
He, of course, has had a few… Escapades with woman, yes. But that's all they were, a one-night tumble in the sheets and he was fine with that. Now, it felt like something had somewhat shifted.
He had a sneaking suspicion at the beginning of the quest about Alexa. The sole woman of the company, with the quick wit, sarcastic humour, and abilities that could best even him in a fight. But he had remained in denial. Shrugging off the feeling as him not being with a woman for a while, and the knowledge that she was a human. Also, she seemed to have something going on with Thorin, and so he had backed off.
Most Dwarves would settle with their own, some even with Hobbits, but never with man. It would be too cruel to be with someone with such a short life. It wasn't until that night in the dungeons when she had fallen asleep in his arms after crying her heart out that he had begun to suspect. Now holding her in his arms as she laid on his chest, he had no doubt.
Dwalin came out of his thoughts as he felt her stir. His dark blue eyes watched her nose scrunch as she yawned. To him, she was beautiful, even with the bed hair and the drool down her chin. He couldn't believe how lucky he was.
THIRD POV
Light pressure on Alexa's head drew her from her sleep. A yawn left her lips as she rubbed at her eyes. Still half-asleep, her misty eyes glanced at her hand for several seconds.
Squinting through the light, she shifted further into the warmth beneath her. Her eyes gradually focused as she woke up. Curling her fingers, she watched as the digits buried themselves in short, curly hair. Gazing at the hair and the intricate lines beneath her mind slowly filled her in on what had happened last night.
Now wide awake, she lifted her head from Dwalin's bare chest; the pressure on her head leaving as she did. Peering around the well-lit room, she deduced that it was about time to get up. That assumption was quickly backed up by the familiar sounds of Nori and Dori bickering in the next room.
"'ave a good sleep lass?" Dwalin asked, his voice gruff with sleep.
"Hmm…" she yawned, rubbing at her eyes.
As her hands ran down her face, her palms became damp as she neared her mouth. A red tint grew on her cheeks, as she wiped the drool on her sleeve; embarrassment flooding her. Feeling Dwalin's chest move slightly, she averted her eyes to the Dwarf.
Alexa watched as his lips twitched slightly. His chest rumbled beneath her as he tried to hold back his laughter. Noting this, a huff left her lips and she smacked his chest lightly; the action caused him to chuckle. The sound of his deep laughter halted Alexa, being the first time, she had heard him laugh. A grin of her own pulled on her features as she gazed down at the usually stoic Dwarf, a giggle leaving her lips.
"We should get up," she murmured hesitantly after their laughter had died down.
"Aye," Dwalin grunted, reluctantly removing his burly arm from around her waist.
Drawing back the covers, Alexa grudgingly left the warmth of Dwalin's embrace. A breath leaving her as her bare feet came into contact with the cold floor. Releasing a quiet sigh, she padded towards the chest at the foot of the bed, her red hair swaying along her back.
Gripping her tabard, she wormed her arms through their respected holes and tugged it over her head. After smoothing out her tabard, she grabbed her outer tunic and quickly pulled it over her head.
During this, Dwalin had laid in bed watching her change; a small smile on his lips. When she had gone to tie her hair up, the burly Dwarf had finally gotten up. Getting out of the bed, he walked past Alexa and to the bedside table on her side.
After tying her hair up in its usual high ponytail, Alexa had slipped on her socks and boots. Picking up her utility belt, she secured it around her waist before fastening it in place. Tucking some loose ginger strands behind her ear, she grabbed her lightsaber and clipped it onto her belt. Her eyes then wandered to Dwalin, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, the knife he had given to her last night in his hands.
Walking over to him, her green-grey eyes wandered over the still shirtless body of the burly Dwarf, her cheeks heating up as she did so. "Like wha' yer see lass?" he grunted as he felt her gaze on him.
Oh, her cheeks were wayyy past red. Force, she has got to start paying attention! "I-I err. Ah, well I-" she stuttered, fumbling with what to say.
Dwalin watched her, a teasing smirk on his lips as he stood to his full height in front of her. He flexed his biceps none too subtly, causing them to pop out more than usual, and her eyes to snap down to them.
"Ah, well I-I ah. Can-Can't you pu-put on a shir-shirt?" she stuttered, completely flabbergasted with the situation. How the tables have turned.
Just that thought made her scowl, that and Dwalin's smug look. Blasted Dwarf! On reflect Alexa swatted his chest, causing a low growl to come from the Dwarf, her eyebrows rose at the sound. Embarrassed by how the noise had seemed to affect her well nether region she turned her gaze to the ceiling and began to count the individual lines engraved on the wood.
As she was counting, she suddenly felt a tug at her waist. Snapping her gaze down, her eyes widened by how close Dwalin was to her. From his position, she could see the tattoos on his bald head.
"Erm, Dwalin,"
"Aye, lass?"
"What, err. What are you doing?" she asked, her voice slightly pitchy at the end.
"Findin' a place fer ya knife on yer belt," he grunted,
"Oh," she breathed, lifting her arms up and out of the way.
With her arms out of the way, Dwalin held it against several spots on her belt; searching for the best place to put it. Once he had found the perfect spot, he unfastened the leather strap around the sheath. After fumbling with the straps on her belt and a few mumbled curses under his breath, Dwalin was done.
"Tha' should do it, lass," he grunted, staring proudly down at his work.
Dropping her arms, Alexa ran her fingers over the dagger that now lay against her thigh. Holding the sheath with one hand, the other grasped the handle of the knife and pulled it from its confinement. Testing the weight of it in her hand, she threw it a little way up into the air. The blade doing a full three-sixty before landing back in her hand. With a small smile on her lips, she slid the knife back into its sheath.
Feeling eyes on her, she peered up from her hip, and to the Dwarf before her. Who, had not moved since fastening the knife to her belt. Alexa took in the burly Dwarf; his eyes full of more emotion than she had ever seen from him. Dwalin mumbled some words under his breath.
"Sorry, I didn't quite get that. What did you say?" Alexa asked, not quite catching the words.
"I said tha' yer beautiful," he whispered, a red tint forming on the tips of his ears.
Alexa's breath stuck in her throat, as everything slowed down. She quickly averted her eyes to her boots, a smile twitching at her lips, as her cheeks turned a light pink.
Dwalin stepped closer to the suddenly shy and timid Alexa, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He reached for her chin, his calloused thumb lightly grasping it as he gently lifted her head.
"Yer know tha' righ'?" Dwalin rumbled, his dwindling confidence building as he saw the blush on her cheeks.
"I-I" she stuttered, force what was this Dwarf doing to her?
Alexa felt her heart beat faster as the Dwarf raised his other hand, brushing the stray strands of hair behind her ear. His dark blue eyes bore into her own. Her cheeks heated as she watched his eyes flicker down to her lips then back to her eyes. Wait, what?!
As if in a trance, her hands ran up his firm abdomen. Before stopping to rest on his burly chest. Her green-grey eyes flickered from Dwalin's eyes to his lips several times. Dwalin cupped her cheek, his thumb tenderly running over the area where her bruise from Thranduil used to be. His hand ran along her jaw before making its way to Alexa's neck, making her lean closer till their chests met. Dwalin's dark eyes studied the woman the entire time, gauging her reaction.
A breath was stuck in Alexa's throat as his face came closer and closer. Not quite knowing if the Dwarf was going slow enough for her to reject his advances or if everything was moving in slow motion. Whatever it was, it didn't matter now as she felt his hand wander into her hair, their faces close enough for her to feel his breath. He smelled of sweat, smoke, and some kind of spice, she didn't quite know what. It was impossible to describe, and at the moment it didn't exactly matter as her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers burying themselves in his thick hair.
Alexa's eyes fluttered closed, as they came closer; feeling Dwalin's breath on her face. She felt his chapped lips brush against her own, when a knock sounded, causing them both to still.
The knock sounded once more, this time louder. "Alexa, it's Bilbo. Are you awake?" the voice of the Hobbit sounded through the door.
A deep sigh escaped Alexa as she unravelled her arms from Dwalin's neck and stepped out of his embrace. Tension grew in the room, as awkwardness settled in; the moment had passed. Alexa could hardly believe it they were about to kiss! And she was okay with that, hell more than okay. It was all very confusing for her. THE MISSION, THE MISSION! REMEMBER THE MISSION!She chastised herself. She could not afford to get distracted, not now.
"Yes, Bilbo I am," Alexa answered, sparing a look at Dwalin who had since moved to stare out the window, muttering curses under his breath. No doubt directed at the Hobbit, and his timing.
Walking away from the Dwarf, she grasped the cold metal of the door handle. Twisting the knob, the door opened with a loud creak. A smirk grew on her face as she stared down at Bilbo, taking in his outfit.
"What's up?" she asked the Hobbit, barely holding back her laughter.
"Well good morning to you too. Anyway, look at the jacket the people of Laketown gave me, it has the most spectacular buttons. Look!" Bilbo told her, pointing to the jacket.
"Ah yes, looks good on you Bilbo," she said, biting her cheek as she looked at the helmet on his head. Don't laugh, don't laugh
"Oh, and have you seen this helmet they gave me? Granted it is heavier than it looks, but it keeps my ears warm," he rambled, pointing at the hat on his head.
"What? No! I did not notice it," she said, trying and failing to not sound sarcastic. A sigh left Bilbo, and his nose twitched.
"I'm sorry Bilbo, but wow. I have no words," she chuckled, shaking her head as she took it all in.
"It is a bit much, I must admit," he huffed, a smile twitching on his lips.
"So, are you ready to go to Erebor? I mean, of course, you are, you're all dressed up! But we-" he rambled, clearly excited to see the home of their companions, but also nervous as it wasn't long now that his job as a 'burglar', the reason he was on this quest in the first place would come into play.
"I'm not going Bilbo," she sighed, looking down at the Hobbit sadly.
"Excuse me?" he squeaked, his jaw slack. She what?
"Not right away anyway," she whispered, not wanting Dwalin to overhear. Multiple questions filled Bilbo's head. But before he could utter a single one another person joined their conversation.
"Ah, Master Baggins, Miss Alexa, have you seen Dwalin? He's not in his chamber, and no one has seen him since last night," A deep voice rumbled.
Thorin stopped before the woman and Hobbit, looking expectantly at the pair. The Dwarfs' words made Alexa stiffen. Oh, this is not going to end well, she thought. Dwalin better get dressed quick! Fake stretching, she swiftly peered at a shirtless Dwalin who was quickly tugging on his boots; having heard Thorin.
"Dwalin? No, I don't believe I have seen him. Not since last night anyway. Alexa?" Bilbo asked, directing Thorin's full attention to her.Well shit
"Uh..." she began, holding back the urge to look back into her room at said Dwarf. A dull thud sounded inside her room, making her bite the inside of her cheek.
"What was that?" Thorin asked, Blasted Dwarves! They have super hearing too?!
"Hm?" she asked, faking innocence.
"That noise? What was it?" he repeated,
"What noise?" another bang sounded from within the room, this one louder than before.
"That one," Thorin basically growled, causing Alexa to pull the door closer to her. What in force is Dwalin doing in there? She thought. Does he want to get caught shirtless in my room?
"It's uh rats. Yeah, m-my rooms infested. I wouldn't risk it," she stammered,
Thorin narrowed his eyes slightly, suspicion rising within him as he stepped closer to her. His hand grasped the edge of the door, stopping Alexa from closing the door fully behind her. Alexa stood in front of the door, her body blocking the entry. Not that it would do much, but it's the thought that counts right?
"Step aside Miss Alexa," Thorin spat, his voice coming out strident.
"No, I don't want you going into my room Thorin. Please respect my privacy," she responded, knowing that she could use the force to stop him, but unwilling to use it against him.
Thorin seemed to be backing off, as his hand released the door. Alexa watched with bated breath as he sighed, rubbing his face. "Yes, of course. Forgive me, Alexa,"
But that all changed when he caught a glimpse of the knife that hung from her belt. "Where did you get that? " he asked, his tone raspy as he pointed at the weapon.
Alexa looked down at the weapon at her hip. Brandishing the dagger, she stared at the symbols on the blade and handle, a soft look forming on her face. Bilbo, who was previously standing awkwardly next to Thorin, stepped closer to Alexa curiously; having never seen the specific knife before.
"Oh, I erm, I got it from Dwalin. He gave it to me last night," Alexa said, her eyes never leaving the knife as she passed a curious Bilbo the weapon to hold; all the while missing how Thorin's face grew red, and his hands clenched into fists.
Roughly pushing past a distracted Alexa, Thorin stormed into her room. Just in time to see Dwalin pull the last inch of his tunic down over his stomach. Alexa hurried into the room; her eyes wide as she watched Thorin look from Dwalin to the messy king-sized bed that clearly showed that two people had slept in it. Not picking up on the tension in the room, Bilbo spoke.
"Oh, there you are Dwalin," he murmured, sparing a glance at Alexa, a perplexed expression on his face. Why didn't she say anything?
"You-You slept together?" Thorin gritted through his teeth, his tone making Bilbo deadly silent.
"Uh... Wel-well yo-you see um..." Alexa began, as she tried to figure out what to say to the abruptly angry Dwarf.
"Dwalin?" Thorin growled, glaring at his brother-in-arms.
Alexa frowned at the hostility in Thorin's voice. She knew that sharing a bed with someone that you're not wedded to wasn't 'proper' or whatever. But it wasn't Dwalin's fault, she had asked him to stay; if it was anyone's fault it was hers!
Dwalin nodded in response to Thorin's question; causing the tension in the room to grow thicker. Worried, Alexa swiftly walked to stand in front of Dwalin; not wanting a fight to break out. At the action, Thorin's eyes narrowed into slits and red-hot fury burned within his chest.
"Yes, we slept together Thorin. Slept as in sleep, nothing more," Alexa told him, not quite sure if she had crossed some Dwarven line or something.
"I-I asked him to," she quickly added, defending Dwalin.
"It's true Thorin," Dwalin rumbled behind her,
At their words, Thorin grew redder, his knuckles bone white from clenching his fists so hard. She had asked Dwalin to stay with her and not him?! Seeing this, Alexa immediately assumed that she had committed something as serious as treason in Dwarven law. She stepped away from the fuming prince, bumping into Dwalin's chest as she did.
Thorin's eyes darkened as he watched Dwalin step in front of Alexa, his arm moving to shield her abdomen as he took up a protective stance. "You should get ready; we are leaving shortly. Dwalin," Thorin ordered as he unclenched his fists. Letting them hang at his sides; a scowl on his face.
He promptly turned, his long raven hair whipping his cheek as he did; and strode out of the room. Releasing a sigh, and sparing one last look at Alexa, Dwalin curtly followed after his King, leaving Bilbo and Alexa alone.
"Well, that was unexpected," Bilbo remarked, gaining a dry huff from Alexa.
/
Alexa kept her eyes downcast as she walked with the company through the townsfolk to the docks. A worry line was present on her forehead as she had yet to tell the Dwarves that she was staying behind.
"You do know we're one short. Where's Bofur?" Bilbo asked,
"If he's not here, we leave him behind," Thorin replied, leading the company through the small lane the crowd had formed.
"We'll have to. If we're to find the door before nightfall, we can risk no more delays," Balin stated,
Alexa watched as Nori, Dori, and Oin stepped onto the boat that would take them to Erebor. All of them dressed in armour with some wearing those strange pointy helmets. She stood near the back of the company, passing the weapons and supplies to Bifur who gave it to Gloin and so on.
Kili went to follow his brother onto the boat when an arm stopped him. "Not you. We must travel at speed. You will only slow us down," Thorin told him as he passed the supplies to those on board the boat.
"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you," Kili smiled weakly, believing his uncle was messing with him.
"Not now," Thorin muttered, shaking his head.
Kili's smile dropped as he realised that his uncle wasn't joking. "I'm going to be there when that door is opened. When we first look upon the Halls of our Fathers, Thorin," Kili stated a passionate tone in his voice.
"Kili, stay here. Rest. Join us when your healed," Thorin hushed, cupping his nephews head softly before turning to the others on the boat.
"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded," Oin sighed, climbing out of the boat to join Kili.
Fili watched the scene between his brother and uncle unfold, a frown on his face; walking the few feet to Thorin he spoke. "Uncle. We grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You cannot take that away from him!" Fili affirmed, staring intently at Thorin trying to make him see sense.
"Fili," Kili piped up as he brushed off Oin's hands.
"I will carry him if I must!" the blonde Dwarf prince insisted, not backing down.
"One day you will be King and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one Dwarf. Not even my own Kin," Thorin told him, his tone uncharacteristically calm and collected as he spoke of such things.
Alexa now stood beside one of the guards of Laketown, watching the whole thing unravel. She watched as Fili made to step off the boat, past Thorin, and towards his injured brother.
"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the company," Thorin murmured, holding his nephews' arm firmly; stopping him from going any further.
"I belong with my brother," Fili scoffed, breaking from his uncles hold to join his little brother.
"Al, come on," Nori called from the boat, puzzled as to why she remained standing on the dock. Well, it's now or never, she thought.
"I am also staying behind," Alexa sighed, her words stunning all those in the boat bar Bilbo.
"What?" Nori muttered; his eyebrows raised in shock.
"It is the will of the force," she told them, purposely avoiding looking at Dwalin. The mission, remember the mission.
"Yer can't stay, lass. We need ya," Gloin grunted, gaining noises of agreement from most of those on the small boat.
"Thorin?" Balin asked, when they all grew silent, waiting for their leader's word.
"So be it," he growled not giving it a second thought, his eyes growing darker the longer he stared at the woman.
At his words, Alexa nodded and stepped away from the boat. While the rest of them all looked shocked at their King, though no one dared say a word. Alexa then spared one last look at all of them; her eyes ran over her companions, a small smile present on her lips. Her eyes then ran over Dwalin's hulking form; he couldn't even look at her. Releasing a sigh, she turned away from the boat and walked over to Oin and Fili who was crouched over a sickly looking Kili.
Four townsfolk dressed in strange frock held up their own weirdly shaped instrument and blew into them. The sound of trumpets and cheers erupted around the area, as the company started paddling downstream to the mountain.
"Go now with our goodwill and good wishes. And may your return bring good fortune to all!" the Master's grating voice sounded. Sparing a glance back at the company, Alexa sent a sad smile to Bilbo, who was staring at her.
BILBO'S POV
Bilbo sighed as he stared back at Alexa, he didn't quite understand why she had decided against coming. 'It is the will of the force,'. What in Yavanna did that mean?Did she know something they didn't?Averting his gaze, he waved to the cheering crowd, a polite smile on his face.
Once they had docked at the shore, Thorin had instructed them to leave anything that wasn't essential behind on the boat. So, sadly, Bilbo had to forgo his helmet. Moving from the shore and towards the mountain, Bilbo took in the sight before him. The land was a barren wasteland, littered with boulders and dead trees.
"What is this place?" he muttered aloud,
"It was once the city of Dale. Now it is a ruin. The desolation of Smaug," Balin replied, a wistful tone in his voice as he briefly got lost in the past.
"The sun will soon reach midday. We must find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets. This way!" Thorin yelled, leading the company.
Bilbo looked around the area, a memory coming to the forefront of his mind. "Wait. Is this the overlook? Gandalf said to meet him here. On no account were we to-" Bilbo piped up, only to be interrupted by Thorin.
"Do you see him? We have no time to wait upon the Wizard. We're on our own. Come!" Thorin told Bilbo, patting the Hobbit on his shoulder before continuing towards Erebor.
They had made it. They were finally at Erebor. Well outside mind you, but here nonetheless. Though they had yet to find the hidden door, so here they were searching the landscape for anything that could lead them to it.
"Anything?" Thorin yelled,
"Nothing!" Dwalin shouted back,
"If the map is true then the hidden door lies directly above us," Thorin said as he stared at the map in his hands.
Wandering around, Bilbo looked up one of the massive Dwarven statues, that's when he saw it. "Up here!" he called, pointing towards the intricate cut in the Dwarven statue.
"You have keen eyes, Master Baggins," Thorin breathed a wide smile on his face, showcasing his teeth.
It took a while, and goodness knows how many steps but they had finally made it, the remaining company stood on a ledge cut into the mountain. Thorin had said some words, holding the key in his meaty fingers with a grin on his face.
Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy; it proved to be impossible to find the keyhole and the emotions of the Dwarves only got graver as it got darker. It wasn't long before Thorin grew desperate, ordering Dwalin, Gloin, and Bifur to break down the wall. Which did nothing but blunt and break their weapons; Balin had stopped them, informing them that the door could not be opened by force. Then the light of the sun had disappeared as night descended.
Bilbo's heartstrings tugged painfully as he watched the Dwarves, he had been travelling with for a little over a year give up. Their grim expressions as they walked away would stay with him for as long as he lived. But the worst was Thorin, who with unshed tears in his eyes dropped the treasured key of his predecessors.
Unable to give up after all they went through, Bilbo remained behind thinking over the riddle that was scribed on the map. Then it hit him, moonlight! Calling the Dwarves back, he searched for the key, and almost kicked it off the ledge. Fortunately, Thorin had stomped on the leather binding before it could.
Emotions were running high as Thorin opened the door. Bilbo hung back as the Dwarves went into their ancestral home for the first time in one-hundred and seventy-one years or ever. Then his role as the burglar had come into play.
So, the dragon Smaug wasn't dead, and he was quite the talker. What the dragon had said about the Arkenstone and what it would do to Thorin had scared Bilbo. But he was not so quick to believe the dragon, he knew Thorin, and with that, he slipped the ring on, snatched the stone and tucked it into his jacket.
Thank goodness for that ring he found in the Goblin tunnels otherwise, he surely would have been incinerated like Bofur had joked back in his home in Bagg-end.
Then Thorin had come in. At first, he had been happy to see the Dwarf, as he wasn't sure he would survive the wrath of the dragon. But then, as his friend's eyes darkened and his insistence to know if he had the Arkenstone or not grew; he suddenly understood what Alexa had meant back in the Masters home about Thorin acting off.
Next thing Bilbo knew, he, Thorin, and the others were running for their lives from Smaug who was committed to incinerating them all.
They had ended up in a small room surrounded by rotted corpses of Dwarfs. It was a horrific scene, and as Bilbo looked over their bodies, he finally came to terms with the fact that he may never see his garden again.
Thorin had then spoken inspiring words: If this is to end in fire, then we'll all burn together ; Bilbo liked the sentiment but if it were at all possible, he'd like to leave Erebor in the state he was in when he entered the mountain.
Following Thorin's plan, they split up into small groups and led Smaug to the forges. Bilbo was running with Balin and Thorin when Thorin had been cut off by dragon fire. Thankfully his friend had managed to jump down a mine shaft and get away from the flames.
When they had finally arrived at the forges, it was revealed that they were stone cold and therefore unable to function. Though with one snarky comment from Thorin towards the dragon, it had fixed that problem right up. Unfortunately, Smaug was now incredibly pissed. Honestly, the situation could not possibly get any worse.
From there Thorin had instructed Bilbo to pull a bar on his command. His hairy feet padded along as he ran up towards the lever Thorin had pointed at. A lump had grown in his throat as he watched Thorin hurl snide comments at Smaug, causing the dragon to break through the metal barrier in rage.
On Thorin's call, he had jumped and tugged on the lever. The action releasing water onto Smaug; efficiently quenching the fire in his belly. Then Bilbo had run for his life, the pissed-off dragon not far behind. The Hobbit had then found himself in a large room, with emblems with Dwarven symbols draping from the stone walls.
A roar sounded behind him, turning around a gasp left his lips as the dragon crashed through the stone wall of the large room. Quickly, he turned and ran from Smaug. Next thing he knew, it was dark. As one of the three banners that had previously hung over the entrance, he ran through fell over him; having been ripped off by the dragon.
"You think you could deceive me barrel rider?" Smaug spat, leaping over the fallen banners.
Lifting the fabric slowly, Bilbo peered up at the furious firedrake. He listened to the dragon mutter about the Dwarves and Laketown. When he heard him say that he was going to 'pay them a visit' he leapt to his feet.
"This isn't their fault. Wait! You cannot go to Laketown!" he shouted as he strode towards Smaug with purpose. At his words, the dragon paused and turned back to face him.
"You care about them. Do you? Good. Then you can watch them die!" Smaug hissed, mere meters from him. A horrified look grew on Bilbo's features as he watched as the dragon veered and headed towards the front entrance of Erebor.
"Here! You witless worm!" Thorin taunted, causing Smaug to still, his beady eyes narrowing. He turned to face Thorin, a dangerous flare in his eyes.
"You," he growled,
"I am taking back what you stole," Thorin affirmed, as Smaug moved almost lazily towards the uncrowned Dwarf King. Scampering away, Bilbo ran to the side of the room and hid behind one of several pillars.
"You take nothing from me, Dwarf. I laid low your warriors of old. I instil terror in the hearts of men. I am King under The Mountain," Smaug growled, standing to his full height over the Dwarf; showcasing his power.
"This is not your Kingdom! These are Dwarf lands, this is Dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge," Thorin replied, his voice strong and posture unyielding as he stared into the face of the beast that had stolen his homeland all those years ago.
Bilbo watched with bated breath as Smaug stood straighter as if preparing to blow his dragon fire upon Thorin and the other Dwarves. As if knowing this, Thorin grabbed onto a rope above his head and shouted several words that Bilbo did not quite understand.
Bilbo then watched as Thorin and the others yanked the bolts off a massive mould, unveiling a golden statue of a Dwarf underneath. Smaug, enraptured with it, treaded closer, an enthralled look in his beady eyes. What came next, Bilbo would never forget.
Shortly after the new statue was revealed, the molten liquid exploded from its minute form; sending boiling golden waves to the floor and Smaug's legs. Roars of agony and horror left the dragon as he tried to escape it, regardless of his efforts he was soon overcome by the golden waves and was covered entirely.
The sight of the rippling molten liquid swallowing Smaug brought a smile to the Dwarves faces. But Bilbo watched on, an uneasy feeling settling within him like It wasn't over quite yet. And he was right.
Not too long after being pulled in by its golden clutches, Smaug broke through the surface of the shiny liquid with a roar. Anger rolled off the dragon in waves as he leapt across the hall of hot molten liquid. Cries of pain escaping him as the gold stuck to his entire body.
"Ahh! Revenge?! Revenge?! I will show you revenge! " he screeched, as he ran down the hall, crashed through the entrance, and flew into the night.
Now, Bilbo lay on his tummy against a piece of debris from Smaug's escape, a horrified expression on his face. He watched as the dragon known as Smaug flew towards a defenceless Laketown. What had they done?
AUTHORS NOTE: Not to worry, there will be one more chapter for the Desolation of Smaug. This one in Alexa's POV and what happens there. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
