Not At Home:
"Are we just going to let Bilbo get eaten by Smaug or are we going to go and save him?" I asked after Thorin had been staring over the cliff for a while.
"He needs more time" Thorin replied shortly.
I snorted and stood up. "Well, I'm going in there. Feel free to join me and we can save our friend together!" I spat in Thorin's direction as I made my way past Bombur.
"What good will you do?" Thorin asked as he turned towards me. "You're injured and you're a human woman! You barely even have the right to be on this quest".
My mouth fell open at Thorin's words. "I joined this quest to save my family!" I growled. "I would do anything for those I care about, be they family or friends!" I looked down at Thorin and narrowed my eyes. "There was a time I thought you were the same. I see now I was wrong" I shook my head and started walking towards the door. "In case you have forgotten, Bilbo saved you from Azog once. He stood up to the greatest terror he'd ever seen and did he back away? No, he did not" I glared back at Thorin. "Yes Smaug destroyed your home and killed many of your people, but if left alive who's to say he won't turn his attention west, to Ered Luin and Lady Dis?" With a condescending glance at Thorin, I stalked into the mountain.
I walked blindly down the corridor until I reached the end. I leant against the wall and tried to calm down. I heard footsteps behind me and I turned to see Thorin striding out of the gloom. He stopped next to me and appeared to be trying to speak.
"Have you come to apologise?" I asked curtly.
Thorin glowered and looked at the floor.
"I accept your apology" I said stiffly.
"Hmph" Thorin replied as a burst of fire sailed past the opening to the halls.
"Bilbo!" I cried rushing out onto a raised platform. I gasped at the amount of gold stretching out before me. Enormous piles of coins, gems, jewels and chalices filled the gigantic chamber almost to the ceiling. How on this good earth was Bilbo supposed to find one gem in all this? Thorin soon joined me and he stood wide eyed at the edge of the platform; chest heaving as though he'd just sprinted a hundred leagues. Bilbo suddenly ran up the steps from a lower level and almost ran into me.
"Bilbo!" I exclaimed with immense relief.
"You're alive!" Thorin said looking Bilbo up and down.
"Not for much longer!: Bilbo replied breathlessly.
"Did you find the Arkenstone?" Thorin demanded.
"The dragon's coming!" Bilbo exclaimed.
"The Arkenstone!" Thorin pressed again "did you find it?"
"No. We have to get out" Bilbo said moving to step past Thorin.
Thorin swung his sword out and blocked Bilbo's movement.
"Thorin? What are you doing?" I asked as the dwarf placed the tip of his sword against Bilbo's chest and started pushing him backwards.
"Thorin. Thorin!" Bilbo said fearfully.
I heard a sound to the left and my stomach twisted as the massive form of Smaug emerged from the far side of a treasure mound. "Thorin! The dragon!"
The rest of the dwarves rushed into view and placed themselves in front of us. Dwalin in front of Thorin, Dori in front of Bilbo and Bombur and Bifur in front of me.
"You will burn!" Smaug roared as he leapt towards us. His mouth opened and a sheet of flame burst forth.
We all leapt into the depths of a treasure hill, flung ourselves into another tunnel and started running.
"Come on, Bilbo!" Dori called pushing the hobbit forwards.
Bifur nudged me to go quicker as a blast of fire followed us into the tunnel. Once clear we turned around to find Thorin's coat was on fire. He fell to the floor and rolled over to put the flames out.
"Come on" he called leading us into another chamber.
The sounds of the dragon faded away and the mountain grew eerily quiet. We walked as quietly as we could as we emerged from a tunnel and found ourselves approaching a bridge over an immense chasm.
"Shh. Shh" Thorin whispered.
"We've given him the slip" Dori whispered triumphantly.
"No, he's too cunning for that" Dwalin replied.
"Where to now?" Bilbo asked.
"The western guardroom" Thorin replied. "There may be a way out".
"It's too high" Balin said. "There's no chance that way".
"It's our only chance" Thorin replied. "We have to try".
We started creeping across the bridge, as quietly as we could. Suddenly a coin fell on stone in front of Bilbo and myself. We all froze and Bilbo patted his pockets as if the coin may have fallen from his clothes. Another coin fell and we looked up to find Smaug's enormous body crawling above us. Thorin motioned for us to keep moving and we quickly but quietly carried on. Thorin lead the way through the depths of Erebor. I was amazed by how big the mountain kingdom actually was.
"Stay close" Thorin said as we emerged in what I understood was the guardroom Thorin had mentioned.
The ground was covered with the long-dead remains of dwarf men, women and children. The exit was blocked by large stones and debris.
"That's it then" Dwalin said. "There's no way out".
"The last of our kin" Balin said sadly. "They must have come here, hoping beyond hope. We could try to reach the mines. We might last a few days".
"No. I will not die like this" Thorin said gruffly. "Cowering, clawing for breath. We make for the forges".
"He'll see us, sure as death" Dwalin replied.
"Not if we split up" Thorin said with a glint in his eyes.
"Thorin, we'll never make it" Balin replied.
"Some of us might" Thorin answered. "Lead him to the forges. We kill the dragon! If this is to end in fire, then we shall all burn together!"
We organised ourselves into small groups and prepared ourselves. Thorin, Balin and Bilbo headed off to the south.
"This way!" Thorin yelled.
"Flee, flee! Run for your lives!" Smaug roared. "There is nowhere to hide".
"Behind you!" Dori yelled. Ori, Bombur and myself joined him just as Smaug lunged towards us. "Come on!" Dori called, shoving Ori in front of him.
From behind us I heard Dwalin shout out. "Hey you! Here!"
I risked a glance and saw the dragon turn towards Dwalin and Nori, who had to quickly duck into a tunnel. Smaug then sent a stream of fire after Gloin and Bifur as they ran across another bridge and into yet another tunnel.
"I hope you know the way to the forges" I said breathlessly as we hid in a small room.
"Don't worry lass, I know where I'm going" Dori replied before leading the way further into the mountain.
Dori was right, we were soon standing in front of massive furnaces which I estimated to be ten yards tall!
"The plan's not going to work" Dwalin said after he and Thorin appeared. "These furnaces are stone cold".
"He's right" Balin agreed. "We've no fire hot enough to set them ablaze".
"Have we not?" Thorin said turning to face the direction he'd come. "I did not look to see you so easily outwitted!" he yelled.
Smaug's claws emerged from a deep pit. Followed by the rest of his enormous bulk.
"You have grown slow and fat in your dotage" Thorin taunted. "Slug!"
Smaug snarled and his chest started glowing.
"Take cover. Go!" Thorin ordered.
We rushed to hide behind latticework pillars as Smaug unleashed a wall of flame. The heat was unbearable! I felt sure I was going to be roasted alive. The flame soon stopped and the furnaces started glowing. Thorin lead us away from the pillars and started directing us.
"Bombur! Get those bellows working. Go!" he called.
Bombur ran forwards and leapt onto an enormous chain next to a forge. Under his weight, the chain moved and he came to rest on the handle of an immense set of bellows. Smaug started hauling himself against the pillars and they were starting to crumble.
"Bilbo! Up there, on my mark, pull that lever" Thorin said as he pointed to a long lever set in stone, high above the forges.
"Balin, can you still make some flash-flame?" Thorin asked Balin as we ran towards the forges.
"Aye" Balin replied. "It'll only take a jiffy". Balin indicated Dori, Ori and myself to join him and started towards a nearby room.
"We haven't got a jiffy" Dwalin replied as Smaug broke down more of the latticework.
...
"Now!" Thorin yelled a few moments later.
I heard the grinding of gears before Smaug started roaring. "What's going on out there?" I asked as I poured sulphur into small pots.
"Smaug has just been doused in water" Balin replied topping up the pots with small rocks. "Come on, let's go".
We emerged from the room and saw Smaug was advancing towards Thorin.
"Aim for his head" Balin called launching one of the pots towards the dragon.
After throwing all our flash-flames, and seeing it do nothing, we ducked for cover as the dragon made his way closer. We met Thorin as he tugged on a large chain.
"Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings!" he said as gold flowed into channels in the floor.
Ducking under Smaug's flailing body, caused by cables surrounding the dragon, Thorin headed off and grabbed a wheelbarrow. Smaug's tail crashed into the stone Bilbo was standing on, causing it to crumble.
"Keep going, Bilbo! Run!" Thorin yelled.
"Come on" Balin called leading the rest of us towards the gallery.
Once in the gallery, I was amazed to see a large stone structure wrapped with chains. "What's that?" I asked as the dwarves grabbed hold of the chains.
"Just wait and see, lass" Dwalin replied gripping his chain hard.
"Here, you witless worm!" Thorin yelled from atop the structure.
"You!" Smaug snarled.
"I am taking back what you stole" Thorin announced.
"You will take nothing from me dwarf" Smaug growled. "I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror into the hearts of men. I am King under the Mountain!"
"This is not your kingdom" Thorin replied. "These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge!".
At a call from Thorin, the dwarves pulled hard on their chains. The stone fell away to reveal a large gold statue of a dwarf king. Smaug looked at it hungrily and craned his neck closer. The statue suddenly started collapsing, surprising Smaug and myself. The force knocked him over and quickly covered his body.
"Did it work?" I asked gripping the edge of the platform we were standing on.
The words were barely out of my mouth when the surface of the gold rippled and Smaug exploded from within it.
"Revenge?! Revenge?! I will show you revenge!" Smaug roared as he scrabbled across the marble floor towards the door.
Bilbo and I ran out of the destroyed gates and saw Smaug flying in the direction of Lake Town!
"Bofur! My family!" I scrambled over the rock until I was a few feet in front of Bilbo. "Oin! Fili! Kili! No, they're going to die!"
"What have we done?!" Bilbo mumbled.
-x-
A/N: and so ends the Desolation of Smaug. The final instalment will be along as soon as I get my hands on the dvd and or transcript. In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts. Good, bad or otherwise.
Until next time,
Gaubdukhima gagin yakulib Mahal!
(may we meet again with the grace of Mahal!)