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

Thank you for your reviews! I'm so happy you are enjoying it. Keep them coming! x0x0x

Chapter#9: Blinded

Evangeline was positive her heart had stopped when those huge jaws snapped shut a mere two inches from her face, stopping just in time to avoid crushing her. Her heart hammered in her chest as adrenaline rocketed through her veins, eyes wide as he drew back in surprise and rage.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, ELF!" he roared, and she felt her ears ringing.

She didn't move, keeping herself firmly planted in front of the group of Dwarves with her arms held out to keep them behind her. She didn't speak, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes, even as he growled menacingly in her face. Behind her, she could feel hands gripping her tightly, and she knew they were just as terrified as she was. Yet the fatal strike never came. Flaming, angry orbs stared down at her with nothing short of fury, but something had stopped him. Something was holding him back. For the first time, her eyes showed the faint signs of fear when looking at him. He didn't know which made his anger rise more—the fact she was protecting them or that she was afraid of him.

Shaking his head, she emitted a loud sound of frustration, and then all at once he was swiftly stepping over them. They ducked to avoid being hit, and their heads turned as he stalked towards the entrance of the mountain. The Dwarves exchanged confused looks, but Evangeline held up a finger to her lips as a warning for them to keep quiet. Because they had been so preoccupied with fending off the dragon, none of them had noticed they had a little spy. Slowly, Bilbo emerged from where he had been hiding behind the rocks, staring after the dragon with widened eyes. Then, they fell on Evangeline, his brow furrowed in wonder. She stared back at him, her expression unclear.

"What just happened?" asked Ori in a small voice.

"That is exactly what I want to know!" exclaimed Dwalin gruffly.

Turning his head, Thorin looked after Smaug as he disappeared into the mountain, and he was about to go follow the beast, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him short. Looking, he was met with Evangeline's firm gaze.

"Let me handle him," she said mutedly, but her voice was stern.

They watched after her silently as she slowly walked after Smaug. When she disappeared from sight completely, Kili was the first to react by throwing his arms in the air before motioning after her.

"Who is she?"

"And what is she doing with Smaug?" asked Bofur.

Thorin remained silent, his eyes solidly trained on where dragon and Elf had walked. Just days ago they had slain the beast—or so they had thought—reclaiming their homeland at long last. Then came the Elves, and along with them the men of Lake Town lead by Bard, both sides demanding a share of the treasure. Not long after they had declared war had come the Orcs, forcing him to join forces with the others as their mountain once again fell under attack. But had it stopped there? No. Just as they were gaining the upper hand over those abominations—just as they had once again formed a shred of hope—the dragon had come soaring over the trees. It was like a cruel joke. They were back to square one. Overcome with hatred, he felt his breathing quicken as his anger rose. Who was the She-Elf? Why did she appear to have allegiance with Smaug? He did not know, but for that reason alone he despised her.

"Thorin!" Balin called, when he had seen their leader abruptly turn towards the entrance to the mountain. He and the others immediately tried to stop him. "Don't be a fool, Thorin! That beast will not hesitate again! Thorin!"

But there was no holding him back. He had shrugged their hands off him and stubbornly strode ahead, set on his path. Stealthily, he entered the mountain and dove behind one of the large pillars lining the great hall. They were still in the hall, which shined brilliantly with its new golden pavement. Carefully, he edged closer, remaining hidden as he listened. Smaug still looked furious as he towered over the Elven woman standing before him, glowering down at her with a stare that could melt iron.

"You do not have power over me, Elf!" he boomed at her.

"I do not seek to overpower you, Smaug," she replied, and Thorin was amazed at how calm she was.

"You made me look like a fool!"

"Then you shouldn't have attacked! I know you and Thorin have a history, but even you can't deny that you would have done the same thing if you had been in Thorin's position. You took away his home! You killed his people. Can you really not relate to that?"

"Meaning?"

"You are the only one left of your kind! What is the point of hoarding such riches of you do nothing with them? What can you possibly be gaining?"

He released a mocking snort. "Don't tell me you are trying to reach me?"

"Do you never grow bored? Seek a greater purpose?"

"You would turn down such riches if they were presented to you?" he challenged.

"Yes, I would!"

He scoffed at her.

"Wealth has never done any good. I have watched it destroy people. Good people! My own kin has suffered for their lust concerning starlight gems."

"Then who better to keep them from fighting over it than me?" he reasoned in a simply voice.

She made an exclamation of disgust.

"Honestly, what did you expect would happen?" he exclaimed.

"I expected you to have some honor!" she shouted. "I did not heal you to take over this mountain!"

Thorin's eyes widened. Smaug turned on her in anger.

"I did not come to this mountain to rescue your thieving friends!" he growled back.

"You stole from them!" she shouted incredulously. "This was their mountain before your greed drove you to take it!"

He released a furious roar, teeth exposing themselves impressively as he shoved her back with his hand. Even then she did not back down.

"Kill me!" she yelled defiantly, as he dangerously loomed over her. Her eyes were fierce. "Kill me! Go on!"

He glowered down at her, but although his eyes promised death, death never came. His jaws did not clamp down on her, nor did he crush her between his claws. Merely, he just glare down at her, silently seething. Thorin watched the baffling display before him in utter disbelief, when Smaug suddenly sniffed in her face and stepped over her, heading deeper into the mountain.

"Smaug!" Rolling over, Evangeline hastily got to her feet, and Thorin was left shaking his head in incredulity as she took off after the dragon. "Smaug!" When he did not address her, anger flashed across her soft features. "Why did you save me from being raped by those Orcs?" she shouted.

He froze. Thorin's eyes grew wide with shock.

"I mean, why even bother?" Evangeline continued forebodingly.

Smaug turned his head to look back at her. Her eyes were cold, but another emotion lingered as well. Hurt. When he did not offer an explanation, she bit her bottom lip and nodded.

"Right. I should have known. I was yours, correct? Your entertainment? No one can kill me but you?"

Suddenly anger flashed in his eyes, and he turned, striding up to her. "Mind your tongue, lamb," he warned her lowly.

Without any warning, her arms dropped from her chest, and she made a swift turn. He was clearly taken off guard, but his surprise quickly turned to anger.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"Somewhere I'm appreciated. Frankly, I'm tired of losing everything for people who could care less about me," she answered coldly.

"STOP!" he snarled after her.

She kept walking without pause nor flinch, never missing a beat. She didn't get far, though, because the next moment he was cutting her off.

"I SAID STOP!" he growled.

"I am not one of your possessions!" she screamed back up at him.

She went to walk once more, but she was stopped by his hand when he held it out in front of her, blocking her path. Her head snapped up to him angrily, but then she paused. Something in his eyes had stopped her.

"If you were a possession, we would not be having this conversation."

Her lips parted the smallest of fractions, and the anger seemed to disappear from her eyes, but before she could say anything he turned away from her. She watched silently as he walked down the great hall, and he climbed up into the large hole in the wall before disappearing from sight. She was left staring after him in silence, still in shock from his response. Because of this, she did not take immediate notice of the Dwarves as they cautiously entered the hall, or how Thorin stepped out from his hiding spot and strode up to her.

"You have doomed us all," he growled heatedly.

She turned to him sharply, and as she registered what he said her eyes grew an angry spark. "Thorin," she greeted curtly.

"You have no right to be here," he spat at her. "You have no right to enter these walls!"

"It was your greed and foolishness alone that triggered that war! Smaug is the very reason you are still alive at this very moment. Had he not carried you to the mountain, you and your nephews would have been mortally wounded!" she fired back at him.

"He is a DRAGON!" he shouted. "A fire-breathing drake who cares of nothing but himself!"

"Then why are you still standing? Why are any of us still standing?" she challenged him. "Why did he fly all this way with me upon his shoulders and only attack Orc scum?"

"I do not know what deal you have struck with the beast, but no good shall come of it! He should be DEAD! The black arrow pierced the beast's heart and left him mortally wounded as he flew to his death!"

"Yes, he did. Would you like to know where he ended up? Not two miles from my home, where I found him bleeding and on the verge of death!"

"Is it true?" he asked suddenly, voice sharp.

She blinked. "Is what true?"

"Did you spare the beast's life? Did you use your healing abilities to save him?" His voice had grown dangerously low.

She said nothing at first, and off to the side the other Dwarves exchanged glances. A smaller, much shorter man stood amongst them as well, whom Evangeline had not noticed before. It had been after a brief glance at his feet that she realized he was a Hobbit. He remained silent as he watched them with large, cautious eyes.

"Answer me!" Thorin boomed, causing her eyes to shift back to him sharply.

"Yes," she answered evenly.

At a speed shockingly fast for the stockier Dwarf, he suddenly shot forward, and before she could react he was striking her to the ground. Quick as lightning, the Dwarves were on him, pulling him back by his arms and waist.

"Thorin!" Balin snapped. "What had gotten into you?!"

"TRAITOR!" Thorin roared at her, his eyes bright with rage. "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?! YOU HAVE DOOMED US ALL! You think he will not attempt to reclaim the mountain and kill the others? Tell me, what words did he charm you with? What promises did he bestow? A fair amount of the treasure, perhaps? YOU ARE AN ELVEN FOOL!"

Evangeline merely glared up at him with ice cold eyes as he yelled at her, her face hard while the others attempted to hold back their furious leader. Then suddenly, they were all alerted to a thunderous roar. The first thing they were aware of was the sound of concrete being slammed into, and then their heads abruptly snapped up towards the large hole in the wall behind Evangeline. Smaug came plowing through the next second, and the Dwarves hastily backed away in alarm. They watched as he slowly slunk down from the wall, eyeing them with a predatory gaze, and then he looked down at Evangeline. A frown fell across his features when he saw her on the floor. She stared up at him with wide eyes, and it was then something caught his eye. Eyes narrowing, he leaned in closer, ignoring her confused expression as he studied a small mark on her cheek. His gaze lingered there for a moment, before they shifted over to the Dwarves, and his scowl deepened when he saw they were holding back Thorin, whose frown was just as prominent. That was when it clicked, and it must have shown in his eyes because fear flashed over theirs.

"Smaug, don't!" Evangeline cried, having also seen the rage that flared in his gaze.

But her words fell on deaf ears, and she was powerless as he burst forward. The Dwarves were helpless as they were blown backwards, Thorin having been caught beneath Smaug's hand like a mouse. Evangeline scrambled to her feet as the dragon gradually increased the pressure of his hand until Thorin was gasping beneath him, writhing in a desperate attempt to free himself. She ran up to his front in a panic, waving her arms to gain his attention.

"Smaug, leave him be! I'm fine—"

"I spared your life for one reason only, Dwarf," Smaug sneered, ignoring her completely. "Call it paying off a debt. But I think I can find another way." Rumbling deep in his throat, he slowly leaned closer so he was a menacing few inches from Thorin's face. "Now that I think of it… I don't know what I was thinking allowing you to live."

"SMAUG!" Evangeline shrieked in terror as he opened his jaws wide.

"THORIN!" Dwalin yelled in panic.

Thorin's eyes flew wide as he stared down Smaug's throat, but then something happened that none of them would ever forget. Without any warning, a bright light had flooded the room, and they all threw their arms up to shield their eyes with shouts as it grew with intensity to the point everything had gone completely white. Evangeline, too, had turned away as the brightness caused her eyes to water. Smaug's jaws had shut abruptly, eyes also squeezing shut against the blinding light, and before they knew it they were being swallowed.

Thorin had felt Smaug's hand lift off him, and he quickly rolled away despite the pain he felt in his stomach and ribs from being pressed into the gold-paved floor. There was the sound of a heavy weight hitting the floor, and they were knocked off their feet when it caused the ground to shake. Evangeline managed to grab hold of one of the pillars, holding fast. Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the light began to die down. Cautiously, one by one, they lowered their shields from their eyes, peeking around for the source of the bizarre disturbance. Then, one by one, they all froze, all their eyes trained on the ground a few feet in front of Thorin. Evangeline stared, forest green eyes having widened as her lips slowly parted.

"Oh my God…"