Chapter 6

That evening, Bilbo woke up breathing hard and with the terrible feeling that time was running out. He had dreamed of Drogo; he was enclosed in a room where a pale light illuminated his bruised face, a face that had been the victim of cruel hits. He looked so weak and vulnerable that Bilbo reached out to a hand to touch him and shouted his name. Then his mind was filled with the desperate expression of Primula and Frodo's lonely eyes. Therefore, when he waked up realized that there was no time to think about himself; he had to do something soon. However, what he had to do would make him to sacrifice some things and when he told Eric his resolution he was not surprised that he react with concern.

'No, Bilbo, you cannot begin to look for Drogo in Dol Guldur yourself,' he said. 'It's crazy; you do not even know what you may find. Besides, who assures you that you will find him? You don't even know that side of the city...'

'I know, I know!' he interrupted, desperate. He had joined hands and felt his own nails began to scratch his skin; he was too nervous. He felt a warm sensation began to climb up his neck to his cheeks. That's why I thought... I could ask for help'

'You know he's going to ask for something in return,' said Eric.

Bilbo nodded.

'And when will you tell him that?'

'When he arrives the bar' the human replied. Although he would not change his decision and was ready to do everything for Drogo, part of him wanted to have one more day and that Smaug did not come that night.

'And tell me' Eric began, after a while, unable to control his curiosity, 'what exactly did Thorin told you the other night?'

Bilbo flushed again.

'Nothing,' he replied, as he began to fill a glass with beer, a beer that no one had asked for.

'I know you enough to know that you're hiding something from me' Eric said, 'and I know Thorin Oakenshield well enough to know that he went with you to your department because he wanted to tell you something. He behaved in a very strange way the other night and I suspect it's because of you...'

'No, of course not,' Bilbo insisted, trying to have something to distract himself, but customers who were in the bar had drinks and none of them seemed to want nothing more.

Eric approached him and saw him in the eye. Suddenly his expression grew more worried than before.

'Oh, no... tell me that it's not... He didn't do it, did he?'

'I do not know what you're talking about.'

'Tell me it's not true, Bilbo... You know the problems you have?'

The boy looking at him, confused. Although he felt that Eric was closer to the truth.

'Tell me he did not offer you to be your... He will not reclaim you, will he?

Bilbo froze, his lips sprouted no reply, but his face turned red and Eric did not need an answer to know he was right.

'What happens to him?' said Eric, this time talking to himself' Does he want to make Smaug get mad?' Starting a war?'

'But I did not accept his help, I will not accept it,' said Bilbo, as if he had to apologize.

'Well, maybe it's not so bad if Thorin does not know about your deal with Smaug' Eric continued. 'I think he will go crazy if he knows you're going to live in Dol Guldur, but if he finds that Smaug...'

Bilbo frowned.

'You still don't know what he is going to ask me in change.'

Eric rolled his eyes.

'It's not that hard to guess...'

Bilbo shook his head, trying not to think about it, but he couldn't. Not even the noise or the arrival of new customers to the bar managed to distract him.

Although he tried to control himself, his nerves grew as the hours passed. He was watching the entrance to the other part of the city so intently that he almost drops the glass, which he had been cleaning for a long time without realizing it, when Kili approached him and greeted him.

'Sorry!' the hunter apologized immediately. 'I did not mean to scare you.'

'It's nothing,' said Bilbo, 'It's just that I wasn't paying attention, that's all. What are you doing here?'

'I promised I would go back' replied Kili. Bilbo thought he saw Eric rolling his eyes.

'I really like you, Kili, don't misunderstand me' Eric said, 'but you should stop to show so "friendly" with Bilbo, you know that's not well seen here. Moreover, it would be better if you don't look at him like that...'

Kili blushed and turned to Eric, frowned.

'I do not look at him in any special way... I just want to be friendly.'

'Leave him alone, Eric. Kili is my friend,' said Bilbo, remembering the first time he had seen a fight between two skin-changers and the hunter had tried to calm him down.

'You never had been so "friendly" with a human before,' said Eric, ignoring what Bilbo said.

'That's not true...'

'What about Drogo? You never tried to start a conversation with him.'

'Who is Drogo?' Kili asked, confused.

'Exactly' Eric said, after a sigh of resignation. 'But anyway... I need to ask you something... Your uncle doesn't have intentions of coming here you, does he?'

Kili shook his head, looked quite relieved at the change of topic.

'No, he is trying to resolve conflicts that arose between northern hunters... But he asked me to tell you something, Bilbo.'

The human turned to the hunter.

'He wants to know if you thought about what he said last night' reported Kili.

Bilbo flushed.

'Yes... that is, tell him... that I appreciate his offer, but I can't accept it. But he should not worry about me, I'll be fine.'

'And you tell him from me that if he want to avoid problems, it is better to stay away from Bilbo' said Eric.

However, Kili did not seem to have heard .

'What did Thorin said? He didn't want to tell me,' said Kili.

'He... he wanted... he told me he offered me his protection,' said Bilbo, after a while of babbling. Eric raised his eyebrows at him, but the human chose to ignore him.

'You should accept it, Bilbo' Kili said. 'I can... we can protect you. You do not have to belong to Smaug...'

'No, I already told Bilbo, it is better not risk provoking Smaug' said Eric. 'In case you don't remember, he is the leader of the skin-changers because he is the only one who can transform into a dragon. He is the most powerful skin-changer. And I do not think you or Thorin can...'

But when Kili was about to protest, Bilbo interrupted him; the conversation was making him too nervous.

'Are you sure about this?' Eric asked, after Kili was gone.

'Yes,' said Bilbo. 'I thought I could tell him today, but it seems that Smaug decided not to show up here...'

The young man did not realize he'd said that out loud and a skin-changer was listening.

'Do you want to talk to Smaug?' He asked. 'I can find him if that's what you want.'

'What?' Bilbo looked at him with an expression between shock and confusion.

'Normally we do not do that,' he continued, as he rose from his chair, 'but I'm sure lord Smaug will not mind if it's you who wants to see him...'

'No, wait! You don't have to!' exclaimed, as he looked at him walk away.

'What, Bilbo?' asked Eric. It's not what you wanted to do?'

'Yes, but...'

'Or is that because you regret it?'

'No,' said Bilbo, feeling his heart beating fast. He tried to think of Drogo. That was the only option he had to find him soon.

It had been two hours before Smaug came to Noctem. And in those two hours Bilbo's nerves had increased. He had no idea what the skin-changer could ask him in return to find his friend, but he knew that whatever he asked it would change his life drastically.

Trying to breathe quietly and forgetting the fact that the presence of Smaug caused his pulse race, Bilbo approached him.

'Did you want to see me?' asked Smaug, smiling. His deep voice made the human shiver. He felt insignificant, small and vulnerable when the skin-changer leaned closer.

He nodded, feeling unable to utter a word.

'Me too' said Smaug, taking Bilbo's face in his hands. As always happened, the contact of the skin-changer's lips on his made him forget everything. He did not hesitate to close his eyes and kiss him back.

'I've been wondering, Bilbo' he said as he kissed the human's neck, 'if the skin that is hidden under your clothes is so soft and sweet as the skin of your hands, your lips or your neck...'

Bilbo moaned at his words and feel that Smaug's hands clung to his waist and his body moved closer to him.

'Or is it softer?' Smaug smiled and licked Bilbo's neck, causing the human shiver. 'Tell me... that skin has ever been touched by someone else? Tell me I'll be the only one who will have the honor to test it...'

Bilbo felt his breathing became heavy and his heart racing again, as if it was going to explode inside his chest. His mind was filled with Smaug's presence that he could not think clearly.

So he took a step back.

'I want to ask you for something,' he said, before Smaug came closer again.

'I told you before, I'll give you whatever you want' he replied, kissing one of his hands.

'A few months ago... one of my friends were lost in Dol Guldur, well, I do not know exactly what happened to him, but I have to find him. Please help me find him.'

Suddenly, Smaug had become a little tense. Bilbo thought he had made a mistake in asking that.

'Is he a human?'

'Yes, he's very important to me.'

Smaug frowned.

'How important?'

'Very much, he is my cousin's husband also has a son, Frodo. I need to find him for them, they are desperate...'

Suddenly the face of Smaug changed drastically, it was as if a shadow had disappeared from his face.

'Your cousin's husband?'

'Yes. I'm sure he is in Dol Guldur. I know I can find him if you let me in.

Smaug took one of his hands.

'There are very dangerous places in there for someone like you,' he said. 'But I promise I will look for you. And I'll find him.'

Bilbo smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Smaug was surprised, but then he leaned over and grabbed his waist.

'But you should know by now that everything in this city has a price...'

'I know. What do you want in return?' Bilbo asked, trying to sound calm.

'Since I saw you, Bilbo, I wish so many things' Smaug said, kissing his neck. 'I do not want to scare you, I want to be patient... I want your body, your soul and your heart. But do not worry, that's not what I'm going to ask you' he added, when he felt the little human shuddered in his arms.

'Smaug...'

The skin-changer kissed his lips tenderly.

'I'll begin to look for your friend, but you have to come to live with me.'

Bilbo's heart lurched. In that moment he answer nothing.

'You don't have to sleep in my room,' he said, 'you can stay in the room that I prepared for you.'

Bilbo tilted his head and looked at him into his eyes.

'Did you have a room for me?'

Smaug smiled and stroked his hair.

'I thought it would be easier for you that way.'

The young man closed his eyes and felt the skin-changer kissed him on the forehead. He knew he had to accept, he was determined. However, before answering, Smaug spoke again.

'But... when I find your friend everything will change.'

'What do you mean?' Bilbo asked nervously.

'When I find him, you will have to become my consort, then you'll be mine and you'll sleep in my bed...'

Smaug arms clung more strongly to his waist.

'Do you accept my terms, Bilbo?'