A/N: Oops! Almost forgot to review, sorry! Anyway, many Happy New Years to all you readers and writers and I hope you all have a fantastic year. Yes, I watched the Desolation of Smaug and... well, it was alright half the time. Sad to say I was very disappointed with the few things about this movie. First of all, Beorn. Why did they not extend anything with Beorn? Why? And Mirkwood, shouldn't it shown how miserable the dwarves and hobbit were with the darkness, bugs, and where the flip was the enchanted river that Bombur fell in and forced the dwarves to carry him. Another disappointment was Tauriel. Yes, awesome that they made a badass female character, but did they really turn her into some romantic interest with Legolas acting so obsessed and Kili looking helpless. Lets not forget the fact that Fili is becoming more and more overshadowed by his brother by making Kili the more important dwarf. All in all, I was disappointed with PJ's work in this. They could have cut the subplot with the Legolas/Tauriel/Kili (she could have been like an awesome bro to Legolas) and extended more for Beorn and Mirkwood (and maybe a little of Thranduil's kingdom).
тнє ωуям вяιdε
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beasts be not twisted creatures,
for they hide within the flesh of men,
be wary young virgins who are privy of the world,
do not tread in the dark where men becomes beasts
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cнαρтєя 3
It was, not surprisingly, easy to slip inside the town of Men without suspicion. It probably had to do with the fact that there was someone running around and the guards were giving a chase because the runner happened to be a thief... and most likely because the great red dragon had disguised himself a Man.
There was nothing to be ashamed of when being his true self, but he knew the second he came into plain sight of the town's view as a dragon then mass panic would erupt. As amusing as that would have been for Smaug, it would defeat the purpose of being outside to begin with. Panic was just a troublesome thing and it was just more simple going about in his disguise.
No screaming, no terror, no panic... just bustling, talking, and merry-making.
Men were such funny little things, Smaug often thought when he observed them.
The incognito'd dragon simply stood on the wooden planks of the town that erected from the middle of the large lake, watching and observing quietly the little feeble things that he looked down and devoured in his lifetime. Now that he thought it, it had been quite awhile since he last tasted the flesh of Men...
'I suppose I'll have to do something about that.'
Chuckling lowly to himself so not to rouse anymore suspicion on some nosy-looking people that took in his form, Smaug walked around and inspected the stalls with a critical eyes. Cheap metal trinkets, poorly-crafted pottery, and other awful things amongst the garbage found in each stall he passed by. Truly, Dale had lost all creativity, especially since their sellings fell short when there was no dwarves to help kick-start their business.
'And I wonder why that is?' the dragon smirked to himself as his mind pondered back to the early days of sacking both the Mountain and Dale.
After awhile, he was growing bored. He had seen enough, nothing held much interest to him now, this place was a shallow imitation to what had once been Dale. Laketown was full of disgraced, poor, filthy people that smelled heavily of fish and tar and Smaug could assume the same would say if devoured anyone. The thought brought a little nausea in the hidden beast.
That was that, then, the dragon sniffed with increasing disinterest as he began to head out. He supposed not much had happened in his absence of the last century.
Maybe this whole silly idea of going out and exploring outside the mountain was a complete waste of his time—
"Excuse me!" a small voice snapped from behind him and Smaug knew it was directed towards him.
Was there someone stupid enough to talk to him in such a manner? He may not look like a dragon to the pathetic creature but his clothes and armor should be obvious to the eyes of Men that he stood above them! He wore rich clothes and hard armor, he wasn't anyone to be trifled with! Growling under his breath, he looked back to face the fool that called out to him.
A girl.
And from the looks of it, she was reaching womanhood. She was a small thing, her head barely reached his shoulders. Even as a Man Smaug could easily break her thin neck with his large, pale hands without any real effort. And the dragon was very tempted on crushing her throat and devouring her whole for the girl's stupidity.
And she was staring at him.
'What is that little insect looking at?'
There was nothing wrong with him, obviously. He could have easily passed off as some lord who was coming through the town.
"Well?" he growled, almost conjuring fire to spill past his lips and burn the wench alive.
The girl flushed and started to back away, something of which the dragon was glad to see. "Uh, um, excuse me...!"
And she ran off like a whipped dog with its tail between its legs. Had she continued on with her disrespect then the old dragon would have not hesitated on ending the girl's life. It didn't matter if he was exposed to the Men, in fact, he was very close to taking his true form and laying waste to the pathetic town. With one last heated glare at the girl's retreating back, Smaug turned away and stormed off. Thankfully, the people of this sad excuse of a town were smart enough not to bother with him.
Unfortunately, Smaug didn't get too far. Growling under his breath, the disguised dragon found himself facing a fat man, his belly barely tucked from his belt and wearing rather richer clothes than those around him. Accompanying the rotund man was rat-like man dressed in dark robes, and Smaug did not hide the unimpressed look when he gazed upon the Master of Laketown and his little lapdog...
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I was dragging on the say, which was very unlike me because I was always ready to do my job as Lady Hilda intended for me... but after yesterday, my mind was always wandering elsewhere. Always falling on the one thing I refused to expel; the stranger at the market stalls.
The tall man in the black leather and red armor almost ran over my tiny frame, I felt rather foolish for calling out in anger when I ignored that the man was tall and broad-shouldered that he could crush me without any real effort. It didn't help that I kept thinking about his penetrative eyes that sought for my very soul and his voice that resonated against my bosom. The whole memory from the short, brief meeting made me shiver, and I wasn't sure if it was from delight or worry.
"Ingrid! Pay attention or you'll prick a finger!"
I sat up straight and focused on the skirt in my lap, murmuring an apology to my mistress.
"What on earth is the matter with you? Are you caught up with fever, girl?" the older woman demanded, assessing me carefully with a hint of concern on hear wrinkled but beautiful features.
"I-it's nothing, Lady Hilda. Just lost in thought."
"Well find it! I'm about having done with your silly daydreams!"
"Yes, Lady Hilda."
"Good," the older woman turned away to focus on her own work. "We'll be seeing the Master again."
"So soon?" I asked, a bit taken aback.
Lady Hilda liked to keep to a certain schedule and routine, only visiting the Master's home once a week to show off the silks and clothes she had made so far in our little shop.
"The Master wished for my mine and a few others to present themselves before a guest."
"A guest...?" I was intrigued. It was very rare that anyone passed through Laketown.
"Yes. Some man who hails from North. Or so he says."
Finally getting work done after shoving my personal thoughts out of my head, I hurried with my skirt before Lady Hilda announced it was time to leave for the Master's home. Gathering the finest cloth that could fit into my awaiting arms, I followed after the older woman. Laketown was quite old, the wood squeaking with warnings of giving away under the weight of people having walked across it for so long, but if you truly lived in a place like this your whole life then there was ways to get around without slipping into the waters below.
I almost tripped over my feet with Master's two pugs scrambled past my legs into the awaiting open doors where there was promise of food and a warm bed waiting for them. Watching the dogs made me angry, for those little pets were treated far more better than the rest of us. We entered the semi-crowded halls of the Master's abode and I huffed in frustration to see we were in the back of some long line of other stall keepers that had things to present to the mysterious guest. Unbelievable, I didn't want to hold these heavy cloths for too long, my arms were starting to hurt.
Lady Hilda shared my frustrations (but not for the same reason) as she stared at the long line. The woman then ushered me forward past the line and towards the front, others looking at us with protest and irritation and beginning to follow our lead. Ahead I see Alfrid at the front, trying to keep things in order and quickly paling when he saw the crowds from the backing moving to the forefront.
"Back in line, you lot!" the hunched-over man demanded, but was easily ignored as Hilda snuffed him with his own hat she stole from the top of his head.
As there had moments when I was aggravated with my mistress, there were often times I loved her for her audacity.
"Ah, my most favored seamstress. Come and meet my guest..."
I was left behind by the older woman as I was trapped within the mob of curious onlookers that wanted a glimpse at the stranger from the North, the land of unforgiving ice and death. Not much was heard from such a place. The heavy cloths in my arms were starting to take a toll and I was tempted to just crouch on the floor and rest for a bit, but then Lady Hilda was surely cuff me for my unladylike like manners.
"Blasted girl! Ingrid!" I winced from hearing Lady Hilda screech at the top of her lungs. "Where are you, you silly girl?"
"Coming!" I replied as I pushed past the crowds and gathered the cloths closer to me, slightly obscuring my vision as I pushed past the many bodies blocking me.
"Hurry up!"
"I would if there was an opening, my lady!" I couldn't help but snap back in reply.
"Move out of the way!" Alfrid demanded, having gained his composure after recovering from my mistress' assault.
I finally reached to the front and I stopped short when I caught sight of the Master's guest that had caused a commotion in the once quiet Laketown.
He never looked more beautiful with the dying sun shining its last rays through the window, giving him an illuminating look that made him seem like truly was an Elf. His dark hair glowed with auburn and his eyes much brighter in the side of the light, golden hues that pinned me to where I stood.
"Who are you?" the words escaped me before I could stop them, and I ignored the gasp from my mistress behind me.
His answer burned me at my very core.
"Draco."