Disalcimer: The Hobbit and its characters belong to J. R. R. Tolkien.

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Chapter#2: The Worst Is Over

He wasn't sure what to think as he watched her walk to where the spear was lodged in his chest in order to examine it. Perhaps he had heard her wrong, his fading consciousness having begun to play tricks with his mind. Perhaps, even, the She-Elf herself was merely an image his hazy brain had created, taunting him with the shred of hope he now found himself clinging to. This woman was hardly able to stand at eyelevel with him, and yet she claimed capable of saving his life. Either she was some sort of sorceress, or he was losing his wits.

"I know you doubt me."

His eyes shifted to her as she spoke.

"I know you think very little of me," she continued. "And I know, that if it were a different day, you would have killed me by now without much of a thought." She looked over her shoulder at him. "And yet here we are. It matters not what you think of me, because when it all comes down to it I am the one thing standing between you and certain death."

He was silent save for a disdainful snort, but she saw passed it. His eyes were what gave him away. Just by looking into their depths, she could tell he had lost hope before she had even arrived, but a small spark of that hope had returned when she had claimed she could save him. She could see the thought of dying frightened him, and she took pity on him. It seemed even the most perilous of beasts could feel helpless when faced with a force that was beyond their power, and amidst the harsh glare he was sending her she could see it. A cry for help, although faint. It was not in her nature to ignore the silent plea. She walked up to his head once again, eyes calm and giving off a sense of reassurance as she lifted her hand to place it on his cheek.

"Know I will require your full trust. I realize you do not know me in the slightest, but what I am about to do… it is essential you do exactly as I say."

He eyed her long and hard. "What will you do?" he asked reluctantly.

"First I will remove the arrow. It will be painful, but I have good hands. As long as you remain still, it will be a clean removal. If you should struggle against me, the tip may very well tear into your heart. Once the arrow is out, I will have to reach into the wound and plant this inside you." She held up the bundle from the wagon and peeled back the cloth to reveal a shimmering blue stone. It was about the size of an orange, and it appeared to almost glow in the dim lighting. He eyed the jewel curiously, and for a moment he felt the greed settle in, but before he could marvel for long the cloth was thrown back over the gem.

"Your heart has been pierced, and without my help you will not survive the night," she continued, regaining his attention. "This stone will prevent you from bleeding out, but nothing more. However, your heart will have to heal itself, and you will have to allow it." Her eyes were firm, but they still maintained a gentleness he couldn't understand for the life of him. There was an undeniable air of authority about her, and although he wasn't sure why, he trusted her word. What choice did he have other than to put faith her? He could feel it. He was fading fast, and if he didn't allow her to touch him he would surely die.

With that last thought, he inhaled one last painful breath and blew it out through his nostrils in a defeated sigh. "Fine."

She nodded. "I'm warning you… this will not be pleasant. I need you to do your absolute best to remain still. The slightest error could mean death for you."

With that, she walked over to the arrow. He shifted his head a bit so he could watch her, and he fought not to move away when she reached up. Her hands curled around the harsh weapon, and his entire body tensed as he felt it move slightly within him, his eyes squeezing shut as he prepared himself for the pain that was to come.

"Here we go. Three… two… one." With one firm, smooth yank, the arrow was ripped from his body, and as expected he released a roar of pain . "Stay still," she instructed him firmly, having to raise her voice so he would hear her over his loud bellow. Panting, he saw her remove the glowing blue stone, and she placed a hand near his wound. "Lower your body down for me," she directed him, keeping her voice calm. Although he wanted to strike her for the pain she had caused him, he knew now was no time, and he did as she ordered so she could reach his wound. Once more she counted down from three, and if he had thought the pain of the arrow had been horrible, he was nowhere near prepared for the agony that was yet to come.

Smaug was first aware of her reaching into the wound, but the burning agony that followed knocked the air clean out of him. The horse reared and whinnied wildly as the roars echoed throughout the cave, the only thing keeping it from running off with the entire wagon being the rope that tied it to one of the rock formations. Smaug's body had given a harsh jerk against the pain, and in result he heard the woman snap at him in alarm.

"Be still, Smaug! You mustn't pull away!"

His claws dug deep marks into the cave's floor as they clawed and dragged for something to grip onto. His whipped to the side, and it slammed into the cave's walls, causing them to vibrate violently and crack. A few pebbles and pieces of rock fell from the ceiling, but the woman at his side seemed not to notice. Her focus was set entirely on her task. Finally, after what seemed like hours to Smaug, she withdrew her arm, the stone no longer in her grasp. Her arm was slick with his blood, but she paid it no mind as she rushed back over to the wagon where the bucket of leaves sat. They had been crushed into a paste, and he barely had time to catch his breath before she began to spread the pasty leaves onto his wound. The juices from the plants stung and irritated the open nerves, but he said nothing in complaint. She had begun to utter soft reassurances, her voice quiet, calm, and soothing. It had become apparent she was some sort of healer, as she chanted something in what he assumed to be an Elvish language while pressing the leaves into the tender flesh.

"Steady, Smaug," she said, as he shifted uncomfortably. "The worst is over. Just focus on breathing now. Breathe..."

His body continued to lower and rise with each quick, short pant, his breaths having once again grown shallow as he fought to regain control of his breathing. His lungs ached, and his entire body felt as if it were bathing in acid. Beside him, the woman had at last finished tending to his chest, and she was now standing under and examining his torn wing with careful eyes. It should be treated, but she did not have the proper materials to tend to that particular injury, having only packed what she needed to treat his heart. That was okay. She could wait a day and return with some sealant. As for right now, Smaug needed time to rest. Poor brute. It was almost depressing how his muscles trembled and quivered from pain and exhaustion, causing his entire body to shake subtly like a shivers. Other than that, he was completely limp, eyes closed as he breathed deeply. His nostrils were flared, taking in as much air as they could, while his injured heart slowed back down to a regular beat. Despite the agony he had gone through that night, luck was clearly on his side. She had not told him so, but she had known there was a fair chance he wouldn't have survived what she had done. It was a fifty, fifty shot, but he had managed to withstand the strain. In result, however, it had taken a terrible toll on his already exhausted body, leaving him motionless and withdrawn into himself on the cave floor. So, she let him be and went to wash off her hands in arms, which were covered in blood and paste from the leaves. Then she started a fire with the wood she had brought, allowing him to rest and recover his strength. She would camp there for the night, not feeling at all comfortable with leaving him alone.

Hours later, dawn was approaching. The sun would begin to show itself over the horizon within the next couple of hours. She sat leaned against Smaug's neck, having not allowed herself the privilege of sleep. He had not moved a single inch since she had treated him, and it was starting to concern her a bit. At the very least, he should have been able to keep his eyes open, but he appeared just as, if not more weak than he had been before. She feared the arrow had been lodged deeper than they had estimated. Every half hour she would arouse him to ensure he did not fall into too deep of a sleep, having explained to his irritated grumbles that the heart slows when asleep, and he needed to remain awake just for that night. He was barely able to keep his eyelids halfway up, and his breathing was shallow. Her worry had grown steadily over the course of the fifth hour, and at one point she had stood up and walked up to his chest to listen to his heartbeat. It was a slow, steady beat, but it was a bit too sluggish for her liking. Having made the decision some time ago, she walked back to his head and placed her hand on the softer flesh below his chin, which she had discovered he could feel more than her hands on his scales. The golden orbs opened at her touch, and the slit black pupil shifted to her. He could see it in her eyes that she was not at ease.

"Don't speak. I'm going to get you help. Don't try moving while I'm gone."

His gaze followed her as she jumped onto the horse bareback and set out from the cave at a full gallop. She rode swiftly into the forest, not pausing for any obstacle, directing the large Shire to leap clear over anything in their path. It took her nearly an hour to reach the waterhole, which was located deep into the forest, hidden by thick willows that loomed over and around the area. She dismounted her horse and stepped into the clearing, where her eyes searched silently for a moment. After a moment of seeing no sign, she closed her eyes and opened her mind.

Please. I need your help.

She kept her eyes closed, until after a few minutes she was finally rewarded with the sound of footsteps. From the thick willows, a stunningly beautiful white unicorn emerged from behind the rocks, the horn atop its head glinting with a mystical shine. Her coat was sleek as white silk, eyes a striking crystal blue. Its hooves clotted softly against the ground as it walked around the pond's bank to where she stood. Unicorns were extremely private creatures, but she had taken the chance of leaving Smaug to find the creatures for their healing powers. Holding her hand out, she waited, and after a moment the creature dipped its head and allowed her to touch its muzzle. Once again luck proved to be on her side. It was not often she had encountered the magnificent horses, and this would be the first time she ever requested anything from them that included them leaving their forest. But she needed to try. Her eyes met the horse's crystal orbs, silently pleading.

I need your help.

"Smaug?" She leapt off her horse and tied him to the rock once more before rushing over to the dragon. His eyes were closed, and his breathing had grown dangerously shallow. "Smaug, wake up. Wake up!" She shoved his head as best she could with his immense weight, but she was able to rouse him. Slowly, his golden eyes blinked open, and she didn't like how they looked at her. Just by looking at his eyes she could tell he was losing the battle. "Please." She turned to the unicorn, which had entered the cave a moment after her. "He's dying."

Smaug's eyes rolled towards who she was talking to, and he appeared to perk up at seeing the unicorn standing at the cave's mouth. So that was where she had run off to. The majestic horse walked around the woman and cautiously approached his wound.

"She is here to help," she reassured him.

Bowing her head, the angelic horse touched her horn to his wound ever so lightly, and then it began to glow a light blue. Before her eyes, the great dragon's breathing began to even out, returning back to a more healthy pace. His eyes regained a little more life, and they watched as the unicorn approached the She-Elf after withdrawing its horn. He stared silently, watching as she held her palm out under the creature's muzzle in thanks. It was a sight to behold, even to him. Anyone who knew anything about unicorns knew how rare they were, and how a sighting was even rarer. And yet here this woman was, bringing one back to the cave with her. It seemed she was full of surprises. Once the unicorn had taken back to the forest, she approached him again, smiling softly.

"You'll be find now as long as you cooperate with me until you are fully healed.

A low, almost guttural sound emitted from his throat. "You have alliance with the unicorns?" he asked with quiet curiosity.

"They're very private, guarded creatures. Luck was on your side tonight, Smaug. I was not sure I would be able to track one down… never mind convince one of them to help you."

He stared at her for a long time. Wonder lingered in his fiery orbs.

"What is your name, little lamb?" he asked her inquisitively.

Her eyes remained locked with his. "Evangeline."

Reviews will encourage me to continue with the story. I love reading your opinion and feedback! I'm open for ideas and advice. Sorry if Smaug has been a bit OOC, but he will be back to mostly his old self in the next chapter! Thank you for reading. :)