Chapter Fifty-six: Never Laugh at Live Dragons

Bella raced up the stairs, tugging her skirt loose and then working at the makeshift bandage round her hand. She needed out of the warped world of the ring. She needed to get back to the dwarves as soon as possible.

She screamed as she ran into someone.

"Bella?" Fili asked, desperate.

"Yes," she gasped. "Yes. Just a moment."

Then Fili's hands were with hers tearing through the cloth so she could get the ring off. He caught her as she slumped, relieved to finally leave the world of that accursed ring.

"Are you alright?" Fili asked, holding her tight. "Where's Bilbo?"

"I think so, all things considered," she answered, catching the front of his coat in her fists. "Bilbo wanted me out as soon as possible."

"You were hurt, I felt it," Fili insisted.

"A graze," she said, momentarily sinking into the familiar warmth she'd denied herself for nearly two weeks. "It could have been worse. I won't say how worse until we've survived this night and seen Smaug dead."

Fili nodded against her hair. "Fair enough," he accepted. "Did you see if the beast was missing a scale?"

She shook her head. "Half the time his chest was in shadow, the other half I was too scared out of my head to think about it."

He kissed the top of her head. "Anyone who isn't at least half-scared out of their head while facing a dragon for the first time probably didn't have half their head to begin with. Now, if you feel up to it, let's go get your brother before he lands in a bigger mess."

She took a deep breath and released it. "I think I can do that with you."

Fili twined his fingers with hers and led the way back down.

They hadn't quite reached one of the entrances when Bella heard two familiar voices. "Thorin and Bilbo," she gasped in relief. "They're up ahead." A chill then swept through her as she made out what was being said.

"Did you find the Arkenstone?" Thorin demanded.

"The dragon's coming!" Bilbo said in breathless warning.

"The Arkenstone!" Thorin shouted.

Bella's heart threatened to choke her at the silence that followed.

"Did you find it?" Thorin's voice barely echoed through the halls.

Fili's hand tightened on Bella's half-dragging her forward now. "Something's not right," he said in quiet explanation. "He's already started changing, even at the hidden door."

"No," Bilbo's voice floated to them. "We have to get out."

A sharp clang of metal on stone rang through the air.

Bella darted forward, nearly outpacing Fili in her desperation.

"Thorin." Bilbo's voice was so confused, so scared. They'd just faced a dragon. How could a dwarf, their friend and leader scare him?! "Thorin!"

Bella's eyes widened in horror as they reached the doorway. Thorin held Orcrist to Bilbo's chest, forcing Bilbo to the very edge of the landing behind him. "Thorin!" she screamed.

The dwarf whipped round, emotionless until he registered Fili and Bella staring at him.

"Uncle," Fili said quietly, "what are you thinking? We have a live dragon on the hunt for us. The Arkenstone can wait at least twenty-four hours."

Confusion passed over Thorin's features. "I-I don't know," he murmured. His eyes then shifted to something behind the entrance into the treasury.

Bella could only guess. "We have to get out of here," she said. "If he hasn't seen you—"

"He's seen us," Thorin said stoically.

Bilbo shifted behind Thorin just as Bella and Fili were half-shoved through the door by ten shouting dwarves.

Bella half-groaned. "And then you lot wonder why we consider you idiots."

Smaug's throat and chest glowed with his fire. "You will burn!" he roared.

Bella dragged Fili behind her as she screamed, "Jump!"

The entire Company jumped off the staircase farthest from the dragon just as the flames tried to lick at their heads. After some momentary tumbling and scrambling, a direction was chosen.

"This way!" Dwalin called.

"Come on, Bilbo!" Dori shouted.

Balin grabbed Fili, pulling him and Bella towards a tunnel entrance.

Soon, everyone but Thorin was safely through.

"Bilbo, Bella," Nori said, protectively holding the thrush. "The scale. Girion's scale."

"It's true," Bilbo confirmed, breathing heavily. "Girion managed to remove a scale just over Smaug's heart. Bard can reclaim his family's honor and slay the dragon."

"You hear that, little one?" Nori said to the thrush. "Now, I can't speak or understand your tongue like Thorin or Bard can. So if you understand and can find a way out, fly off and make sure you're not seen by the dragon. If not, wait and we'll let Thorin do the talking."

The thrush trilled and took off into the dark shadows in a steady direction.

"Eru and Mahal, guide that cheeky little bird," Dwalin said.

"You understood him?" Nori asked.

"No, but he just seems like a cheeky thing," Dwalin answered.

Just then Thorin screamed and ran from the tunnel, his outer coat aflame.

"Thorin!" echoed round the Company as Dwalin grabbed for the coat even as Thorin rolled.

Thankfully, the dwarf wasn't even singed once the coat was pulled off. "The thrush?"

"Just sent off," Nori confirmed.

"Injuries?"

"Nothing serious," Bella answered. "Unless Bilbo got worse than a scratch after we separated."

"Nothing," Bilbo assured her.

"Come on, then," Thorin said leading the way.

Bella kept a firm grasp on Fili's hand as they raced away from the enraged dragon.


Fili kept close to Bella and Bilbo as they hurried through the many empty halls. For the moment, it seemed that they had lost the dragon. They were all alive. They were all safe.

Up in the lead, Thorin hushed them, quietly bringing them all to a stop before a bridge.

"Would it kill architects to design barriers?" Bella asked.

Fili smiled. "We'll make sure safety measures are put in place as we start rebuilding," he promised.

"We have to survive the dragon first," Gloin pointed out.

"I think we've given him the slip," Dori said.

"No," Dwalin countered, shaking his head. "He's too cunning for that."

"So where to now?" Bilbo asked.

"The western guardroom," Thorin answered. "There may be a way out."

"It's too high," Balin said. "There's no chance that way."

"Wouldn't we have heard of people using that way if it were possible?" Fili asked.

"It's our only chance," Thorin said. "We have to try."

Fili felt Bella squeeze his hand as they all started following Thorin single-file.

It seemed that for the moment, Thorin had forgotten about the Arkenstone, focusing on their survival and potential escape. But Fili couldn't shake what he had seen and heard from his mind. He had been willing to nearly send Bilbo into a potentially injurious if not fatal fall, just because he'd failed to find the stone.

The clang-cling of a coin falling on stone echoed around them.

Fili looked down to see a coin at Bilbo's feet.

The hobbit patted at his coat, as though searching for some fold that it might have come from, may be holding more.

Another coin fell, just as Bella stiffened beside him. Horror and a desire to scream etched her face as she looked upwards.

Fili followed her gaze only to bite his own tongue.

Smaug was hunting them, passing over them without knowing it.

Just out of the corner of his eye, Fili saw his uncle silently gesturing them onward. He kept a tight hold on Bella's hand, half-holding his other towards Bilbo as they silently continued on. It wasn't until they were off the bridge and at least one hallway down before Fili felt he could breathe properly again.


Bella ran. She had no real idea where, merely followed along with Fili after Thorin.

"Stay close," Thorin urged just as he dashed around a corner.

Turning the corner after him, Bella came to a stop. Everyone did. The room was filled with the remains of dwarves. Some looked perfectly preserved beneath the layers of dust and cobwebs. A quiet sob escaped her. So many. In the grey moonlight, filtered through some distant lighting system, and under the dust, it was impossible to tell noble from commoner. All had died here. Bella buried her face in Fili's chest before she could discern ages. She feared spying babes or children among them. She knew that not even the young were spared but . . . she didn't want to see it.

Fili wrapped his arms around her, slowly taking it all in himself. "The dragon caused the exit to collapse," he murmured.

"That's it, then," Dwalin said. "There's no way out."

For the first time, Bella felt the weight of being underground. It wasn't a comforting feeling. She forced her breathing to remain even as the idea of remaining trapped here for the rest of her days shackled her.

"The last of our kin," Balin said solemnly. "They must have come here, hoping beyond hope." A long silence and then, "We could try to reach the Mines. We might last a few days."

Rebellion rose up in Bella. The same rebellion that made her more Took than Baggins. The rebellion that had her dreaming and pursuing adventure. "No," she said quietly.

"Rosa," Fili started.

"No!" she said louder. "I refuse just sit and wait for death as though I'm an old spinster on her deathbed." She straightened and stared the men within her sight down. "We've faced trolls, wargs, orcs, goblins, and Azog himself. We've survived stone giants! So far we've managed to survive a dragon! I certainly don't wish to be known to have faced all of those and then in the end curl up in a hole and die from starvation."

"Well said, Bella," Thorin agreed. "I will not die like this either. Cowering, clawing for breath. We will fight. We have allies outside. Allies waiting for a chance to bring Smaug down. We merely need to ensure the thrush has the time needed to reach our allies."

"Do we have a plan for that then?" Bilbo asked. "Not only to keep him here but then to send him out?"

"Did you give him any indication that we've been to Lake Town?" Thorin asked.

"I almost mentioned barrels," Bilbo said, thinking hard. He glanced at Bella. "Or did I in a momentary lapse?"

"Only if it was after I ran once Smaug sent us flying with his tail," Bella said.

Bilbo nodded. "Then it was indeed after you ran and once I spied the missing scale, I let slip Girion as I was half-dizzy from a knock to the head."

"Hopefully that will be enough to send him off that way when the time comes," Thorin said. "In the meantime, we make for the forges."

"He'll see us, sure as death," Dwalin said.

"That's what we're counting on," Thorin said. "But we can't make it too obvious. We'll split up."

"Thorin," Balin said, "we'll never make it."

"Some of us might," Thorin said. "We lead him to the forges. We'll use Grandfather's gold and statue mold. If we're fortunate, we'll kill the dragon. If not, we've at least bought time for our allies."

Fili grimly nodded. "Agreed."

"Balin, Bilbo, with me," Thorin said. "Dori, Ori, Bombur, and, Bofur, you four together. Dwalin, Fili, Bella, and Nori. Finally, Gloin, Oin, and Bifur." He drew a deep breath. "If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together."

Bella braced herself. This would either work or end very badly.


Bilbo ran after Thorin, Balin just behind them. Those who hunted dragons were mad. Or at least half so. Certainly no sane or sensible person would willingly take on a dragon. But then, who was he to say? He'd riddled the thing before joining the hunt. What did that say of him?

He shook his head. "I'm a Baggins of Bag End," he muttered to himself. "I don't go running off into the blue. And what do I do? I scamper off after my sister to join a baker's dozen of dwarves on the most insane venture. Not even including the dragon at the end. I have no clue what Mother would say about us at this point."

"Are you sure she wouldn't be scolding you for risking your neck?" Balin asked.

"Oh, I'm sure that she would be joining Father in that," Bilbo answered. "But Mother was born a Took, actually went a few adventures with Gandalf before she had Bella and me. Father would be the worrier, urging us to stick closer to home, to avoid such things as trolls and goblins. Mother would encourage us on our plans for exploring the world beyond the Shire. No, it's just the whole extent of this venture that I am not sure of her reaction to." He half-laughed. "I can hardly believe that I am doing this. Baiting a dragon."

"Says he who charged into a dozen orcs with barely any sword training," Thorin tossed back.

"Oh, don't speak too loudly," Bilbo pointed, "he who believed he could take on Azog astride his white warg single-handedly."

"And what of your sister?" Thorin shot back.

"She attacked his warg, not Azog himself," Bilbo returned. "Frankly a somewhat more sensible target. Get rid of the mount and then your opponent is on the ground same as you. He also had the high ground on you when you attacked. Isn't there a rule concerning that?"

Balin chuckled. "Dwalin should have chided you on that, Thorin," Balin said.

"Don't start scolding me about opponents with the higher ground," Thorin said, sounding as though he was rolling his eyes. "Our current one can fly."

"Oh, don't worry, we won't get after you about that," Bilbo answered. "We'll simply scold you for going after a dragon. Period."

"Balin, what is that saying about fools and who follow them?" Thorin asked.

"'Who's the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?'" Balin quoted in answer. "I fear that puts the whole lot of us in a rather sorry spot at this rate."

"This way," Thorin said, darting through a doorway.

Bilbo rolled his eyes at the open bridge. "I really think that Bella may have had a point about the lack of railings."

Before either dwarf could answer, a great sound rumbled through the expansive, criss-crossed hollow. "Flee, flee!" Smaug taunted, coming out from some distant shadows. "Run for your lives!"

Bilbo froze between the two dwarves, a small part of his mind wondering why one tended to stop when told to run.

"There is nowhere to hide," Smaug said, winding his way to them.

"Behind you!" Dori shouted, causing Smaug to whip round to his group. "Come on!"

As Smaug started chasing after them, Thorin grabbed Bilbo's arm to start running again. The last Bilbo heard before they disappeared into the halls was Dwalin's voice somewhere beyond even Dori. Bilbo could only pray that Bella stayed safe.


Bella's heart was in her throat as she followed after Dwalin and Nori. Fili ran behind her. Gone were the furtive footsteps from earlier. Now they were willing to make as much noise as possible. Something that was fighting against her entire nature as a hobbit.

Her throat squeezed shut as they caught sight of the dragon.

Dwalin shouted, "Hey you! Here!"

"Sure your furnace hasn't cooled from disuse!" Fili challenged.

Smaug roared as he attacked.

Bella screamed as she and Dwalin dragged Fili behind them, barely escaping into a hallway and finding cover before a river of fire gushed through the narrow opening.

Smaug was just barely distracted by their fourth group.

Bella slapped Fili's shoulder. "Don't laugh at live dragons!" she scolded. "We were nearly roasted alive thanks to that quip."

"Very foolhardy," Dwalin agreed.

"Sorry," Fili said. "I guess I didn't think it through."

"Just don't do it again, laddie," Nori said. "Now, to the forges."

"Aye," Dwalin agreed. "This way."

Bella scurried after him, Fili beside her and Nori behind. She could only pray that this would work.


Kili absently cleaned his blade as he listened to the unnatural stillness.

An hour or so ago, the earth had quaked. Smaller rumbles had followed for a few minutes. But now, everything had fallen into stillness, the stillness of a hunt.

Tilda clutched her ragdoll, silent tears slipping down her cheeks as her breaths came in stilted gasps.

Tauriel held the girl close, holding tight even as she warily turned her head about the hastily repaired house. She was searching for any reason they may have to run.

Sigrid sank down next to the elf, wrapping her arms around Tauriel when the elf hugged Sigrid's shoulders.

Bain sat beside Kili, his eyes trained on the door as he sat tense.

Legolas and Bard had left minutes before the sun disappeared behind the trees. They needed to be in position for if the dragon came from the mountain.

The children were as tense as bowstrings. Kili and Tauriel were battle-ready tense. But they may be forced to wait for hours yet.

Kili slowly started humming. At first he wasn't sure what tune really, but finally he settled on one. A song of when Durin first roamed Arda and established Moria as his kingdom. He sang softly, just loud enough to be heard, but not so loud that Tauriel would miss something in the distance.

Bain slowly eased, relaxing against Kili just a little. Tilda started to breathe easier, her eyes losing some of their fear. Sigrid turned her head towards him, her hold on Tauriel relaxing.

Tauriel met his eyes, the slightest smile touching her lips. Then as his song ended, she started singing herself, a soft, gentle song about someone or something called Nimrodel.

Kili smiled as he listened and waited, silently praying to Eru, Mahal, and any other Valar willing to listen that he, his kin, and their friends survived this night.


Legolas perched on the edge of a rooftop. He and Bard had been on high alert ever since the first rumbles of the dragon. Even now, his elven ears could catch the faint echoes of the dragon's roars. He prayed that it meant the dwarves and hobbits still lived.

Something much closer caught his attention. The Master of Lake Town, Alfrid, and a couple guards were approaching the Master's residence. The Master and his second in particular appeared to be sneaking through the town.

The elf rolled his eyes. "Why does the Master and his entourage sneak through Lake Town as though they were thieves in the night?" he called to them.

The Master and Alfrid jumped while the guards gave Legolas tired nods or half-waves of acknowledgement.

Legolas nodded in return before raising an eyebrow at the two leaders of Lake Town. "Well?"

"It is of no importance," the Master blustered.

"Then I'm sure it is something that can wait a day or so more," Legolas said, straightening and walking along the roof edge. "It is Durin's Day, the day the dwarves were waiting to enter the mountain on. Even now the lake trembles in fear of the awakened dragon. It is not safe nor wise to be in Lake Town this night."

"Yet there you perch," Alfrid sneered.

Legolas raised another eyebrow. Were the sons of men so dense? "I volunteered to aid in the slaying of the beast. What is your purpose?"

"Procuring some irreplaceable valuables," Alfrid returned.

"Are they heirlooms?" Legolas asked. "Antiquities of ages past? Something that lives and breathes?"

"No," a guard answered before the other two started their reasoning and excuses.

"Then they are not as irreplaceable as you claim," Legolas said. "They can wait until the dragon is slain before being retrieved."

The Master blustered and Alfrid simpered.

"Anything that you yourself can retrieve, retrieve," Bard's voice cut in. "But allow your men to return to their families."

The two miserly, powermongers glowered at the bowman as the guards smiled and slipped away.

Bard leveled a hard look on the two men. "Go retrieve what your cold, lonely hearts desire, but don't endanger others as bait for the dragon."

With similar scowls, the Master and Alfrid scampered into the Master's townhouse.

Legolas shook his head. "Risking their lives for trinkets that neither warm nor comfort."

"Every race has a few like that," Bard said. "I just count myself grateful that I need not call them kin."

Legolas sighed as he turned with Bard to walk along the rickety way, man below and elf above. "I fear my father may be one," he confessed. "He is fond of white jewels and silver. There is one such treasure that he has desired since shortly before the fall of Erebor. A necklace of white jewels like starlight. He doesn't speak much of them, but some say the refusal of the dwarves to accept his payment played into his decision that wretched day."

"What did you think of Fili's account?" Bard asked, referencing to Fili's revelation of the Elvenking's half-proposed deal.

"Fili was within his rights to refuse my father's offer," Legolas answered. "Father did not reveal his intentions to hold up to half the Company in Mirkwood until the deal was fulfilled. Especially considering the story the Company did their best to hold, it was not right of my father to make such demands."

Bard looked up, catching Legolas's eyes. "What would you have proposed?"

"I would like to think that I would have heard them out and not imprisoned them in the first place," Legolas answered. "At least not for more than a night. They were clearly half-starved and only desiring to pass through safely."

"And the dragon?" Bard asked.

Legolas sighed. "I would have cautioned them, and if they had revealed they had been guests of Elrond, I would have accepted that if they didn't listen to the wisest of the Firstborn, they wouldn't heed me, a woodland elf."

Bard smiled up at him. "I believe my little girl will be in good hands, whether you be guardian or her heart's song."

Legolas slightly smiled, nodding in grateful acknowledgement.

A twitter of a thrush caught his ear. "I believe our messenger approaches." A few minutes more and the little bird reached them.

It settled on Bard's outstretched hand. The tired bird twittered and whistled as Legolas leaped down.

Bard gave the bird his full attention, not unlike an elf. Finally, he gently smiled, running light fingers over the brown feathers. "Thank you, little one. Now, catch your breath and then escape to the woods. I fear you won't find refuge here this night."

A final trill and then the bird flew into the night.

"What word from the mountain?" Legolas asked.

"Everyone still lives," Bard answered. "At least when it was sent off. More importantly for us," a wide smile burst across his features, "Girion struck true. Girion's scale is gone. Just over the beast's heart."

"That is great news indeed," Legolas agreed. "Now, we must be ready. I trust they bought the bird time, but there is no telling just how long."

"Just as they wouldn't know when the bird would reach us," Bard said. "Final decisions on our perches?"

"The windlance would be a good choice," Legolas said. "Or even the bell tower. But either could be prime targets for the dragon."

Bard nodded. "Let us be ready at the windlance," he said. "If it should survive the first pass, we'll mount our attack from there. If not, we'll race to the bell tower."

"Agreed," Legolas said. He followed Bard to get in position. He silently prayed that they could destroy the dragon before anyone else suffered.


Bella charged after Dwalin and Nori with Fili beside her.

"We're almost there," Dwalin tossed over his shoulder.

Balin's voice came from ahead, but his words were garbled.

But Bilbo's call wasn't. "Thorin!"

Dwalin shook his head. "Idiot probably forgot where the entrance from that side was," he said with a grin.

"So the fact that he got lost in the Shire twice is not that unusual," Bella guessed.

"Not really," Dwalin answered.

"Rumor has it," Fili added, "before he earned the title Oakenshield, he had another unofficial title."

A lumbering, echoing tread came from ahead of them. Faint echoes of voices just before a burst of bright flame appeared from the bottom of the stairs before them.

"Thorin!" Dwalin cried.

The four of them flew down the stairs just in time to see the great tail of Smaug disappear down into a mine shaft.

"Uncle!" Fili shouted, leaping off the remaining steps.

Dwalin was just a step behind, reaching the edge of the pit. "Thorin!" he called. He brought his axe down on some mechanism holding a chain. A large iron bucket started flying down.

"What's—" Bella started.

"Thorin's on a miner's chair," Nori explained. "The old chairs and buckets were connected so that the miners could more easily come up after working for hours."

"You mean that he essentially has to race a dragon back up the shaft?!" Bella asked.

The pulley frame at the edge creaked, bending. The moorings ripped out.

"No! Thorin!" Bella screamed.

Nori ran forward. "Did the idiot grab another chair?" he shouted.

"Yes," Fili called. "That one." He pointed to another mechanism.

Nori brought his axe down on the machine. Dusty gears whirred at a high pitch as the metal cord flew through the pulleys. Then from the pit, a low roar.

"Uncle!" Fili shouted.

"Get back," Dwalin ordered. "Bella, get him back."

Bella grabbed his arm, half-dragging him away from the pit.

The light was just appearing as Thorin came over the edge. Nori grabbed hold of him as the flames exploded upward. "Go! Go!" Thorin shouted.

Bella ran alongside Fili as they ducked through some arches. The rest of the Company was there, except for Gloin, Oin, and Bifur. She prayed that they were alright even as they observed the darkened array before them. Giant vats, at least as large as some of the rundown houses of Lake Town, stood over shallow pits. Everything else stood in deep shadows that Bella's eyes couldn't pierce.

Bilbo caught her forearm. Assurance that so far they had managed to survive.

"The plan's not going to work," Dwalin declared. "These furnaces are stone cold."

"He's right," Balin said. "We've no fire hot enough to set them ablaze."

Bella shivered at the chill that caught her off guard when she caught the gleam in Thorin's eyes.

"Have we not?" he asked.

"Thorin Oakenshield," Bella half-growled, "what are you thinking?"

"Uncle, if you are thinking what I think you're thinking," Fili said with a grin, "it just might work."

Thorin smirked.

"What are you talking about, lad?" Dori asked.

"Be ready to take cover," Nori answered.

Thorin was already walking over to the great pillars they had run through. "I did not look to see you so easily outwitted!" he shouted as one of Smaug's claw appeared.

"Don't laugh at live dragons!" Bella whisper-shouted. Honestly it was more for her own benefit, seeing as to how she was the only one with half a mind of self-preservation.

Fili pulled her towards another of the pillars as Thorin continued his taunts.

"You have grown slow and fat in your dotage," a pause as Smaug snarled before Thorin pounded in the final nail, "slug."

Fili already had his back pressed to the wide post, his arms wrapped round Bella when Thorin ordered, "Take cover. Go!"

There was just barely enough time for everyone to race for their own pillar before the firestorm roared around them. A muffled cry escaped Bella as the flames licked round either side of her, the heat burning her skin. Silence as the cooler air soothed the burns. Then muffled explosions as the furnaces caught. First the one directly in front of them, and shortly thereafter, apparently following some ancient track of fuel, another and another caught, until all the furnaces were burning bright and hot.

A great crash of metal screaming above them jerked a scream from Bella. The pillars were actually part of a giant, metal gate. A gate that Smaug was now determined to break through.

"Bombur!" Thorin shouted. "Get those bellows working. Go!"

"Alright!" Bombur called back, running. Soon, some of the flames glowed blue.

More groans of metal as it bent and strained under Smaug's assault.

"Bilbo! Bella!"

Bella hurried forward with her brother.

Thorin pointed up between the great vats, half-way up the wall, surrounded by dry water wheels. "Up there," he said, "on my mark, pull that lever."

Bella ran after her brother, the stone already starting to heat under her feet. As they started mounting the stairs, up towards the gaping mouths of lean, bearded faces, the great metal gate gave way and Smaug came in, glowing like an overheated stove.

"I agree with your sentiment, Bella," Bilbo said. "Don't laugh at a live dragon."

"The Durins are mad," Bella declared. "The entire lot of them. Fili should thank Eru, Mahal, and the rest of the Valar that I've come to love him so much I can overlook it."

"At least it appears that madness only comes out when faced by a dragon," Bilbo said, rounding a final landing.

"And I can potentially curb Fili's madness before it takes root whenever we are facing orcs," Bella said. She groaned as she saw the lever. "And that is just out of reach."

"Marvelous," Bilbo said. He turned. "And Smaug is coming this way. Get in position. We'll have to hop up and time it so that we don't crash into each other."

Bella nodded, keeping a wary eye on the dragon as he came closer. But just as it appeared that he would continue through the heat unhindered, he turned, locking his eyes on another figure: Thorin.

"Now!" Thorin shouted.

"Up!" Bilbo cried.

Bella jumped with her brother. They latched onto the handle. For a brief second, her full weight jerked through her arms to her shoulders. Quickly followed by the lever stiffly but steadily coming down until the twins were half-sitting, half-laying on the platform. On either side water shot out of carven mouths like a broken dam. She turned her head just in time to see the rivers slam into Smaug. A sharp, squealing hiss sounded through the air before Smaug scrambled away in temporary defeat.

The water calmed, catching the waterwheels and started to turn them. Bella caught sight of various mining cars moving as cables started moving. "Looks like this place is in full operation," she said, scrambling to her feet.

"I just suspect it usually has more than twelve dwarves and two hobbits running it," Bilbo said, getting up as well. "And no dragons." He turned. "He's already coming back from licking his wounds."

Bella dragged him back from the edge. "I don't want you getting squashed if he considers our perch a good handhold."

A flash of blue light exploded against Smaug's chest. After a second flash, Bella turned to see Fili, Ori, and Dori throwing . . . something at the dragon.

"Are those little bombs?" Bilbo asked.

"Looks like it," Bella answered. She grimaced. "If we were seriously hoping to defeat him and not just buy time, I'd say that we would be better off trying to figure out how to douse him with ice cold water instead of molten gold. It's getting hotter than an oven in here and neither the heat nor the bombs are affecting him in the slightest."

Bilbo winced. "Not even that one to his face."

Just then, one of the conveyor cables, full of rocks came crashing down on Smaug.

Bella looked up to see the three missing dwarves sitting in the moving mining cars. "Looks as though everyone is alright now."

"Down!" Bilbo threw her down as a mining car flew over their heads, crashing into the stonework and destroying the lever.

The dragon thrashed about, more dangerous than before in his blind rage, tangled in hundreds if not thousands of feet of cable and iron mining cars.

Bella barely caught sight of molten gold flowing from the vats through little trenches. More shouts and cries echoed among Smaug's raging roars and flailing.

"Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings!" Thorin shouted.

Bella got to her feet a second time. "Whoa." She got up too fast. The heat made her lightheaded. "That's not good."

"Bella!" Bilbo grabbed her just the entire platform swayed beneath them. "We have to get down!"

Bella nodded. "Right," she said. "Let's go."

Before they took two steps, the entire structure shuddered before toppling down. Bella and Bilbo screamed as they fell. Bella ducked her head as Bilbo wrapped himself around her. "Oof." Bella tumbled from his arms as they both rolled.

"Bilbo?"

"Survive," he groaned.

A snarl made Bella jerk her head up. Smaug glared directly at them.

"Keep going, Bilbo!" Thorin shouted distantly. "Bella, run!"

Bella followed her brother as Bilbo scrambled to his feet and started running away from Smaug. By some miracle the path was clear.

Bilbo snagged her arm as their feet hit a decline. They slid and tumbled down, Smaug only a short distance behind them.

Bella's heart sat in her throat as they ran, not quite sure where they were going but hoping that they were going in the right direction. Then they ran into an echoing, cavernous room with pillars and hung with dusty banners. The chill was a welcome relief after the extreme heat of the furnaces. There was hardly time for Bella to look back at the empty passage behind them when pillars exploded above them.

Bella dashed forward to avoid the stone work, but also falling towards her and Bilbo were three giant banners and their deadly rods. She stumbled and dropped under the heavy fabric as Smaug roared his fury and displeasure.

"You think you could deceive me, Riddle-maker," Smaug demanded.

Bella stomach crawled to where Bilbo peeked out from under the banner's edge.

"You have come from Laketown," Smaug declared. "There is, is some sort of scheme hatched between these filthy dwarves and those miserable cup-trading Lake men. Those sniveling cowards with their longbows and black arrows!"

Bella clenched her fists. Men were not cowards for using weapons when bare hands proved useless. But, there was a healthy fear of the black arrows.

"Perhaps," Smaug mused, "it is time I paid them a visit."

Bella drew a deep breath. Time to play their part, to ensure that Smaug wouldn't suspect a thing. "No," she gasped, scrambling to her feet as the dragon turned.

"This isn't their fault!" Bilbo shouted joining her race toward the dragon. "Wait!"

"You cannot go to Laketown," Bella said. "Please!"

Smaug stopped, sweeping his great, long neck round to them even as they continued running. "You care about them, do you?" he crooned. "Good."

Bella nearly stumbled to a stop, a step ahead of her brother. Good? What did he mean?

"Then you can watch them die," Smaug declared.

Bella trembled as Smaug turned round to continue his paranoid rampage. Had they done enough to protect the townspeople? Would Bard be able to shoot Smaug down? Had the thrush had enough time to deliver their message?

"Here," Thorin shouted, "you witless worm!"

Smaug whirled round to the other end of the hall as Bella and Bilbo raced towards the central row of pillars. "You," he growled.

As the dragon started stalking towards the large mass, Thorin declared, "I am taking back what you stole."

"You would take nothing from me, Dwarf," Smaug countered. "I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror in the hearts of men. I am King under the Mountain."

Bella half-huddled behind a pillar, fearful as she only saw Thorin and none of the rest of the Company. Were they alright? Was Fili?

"This is not your kingdom," Thorin declared, practically standing nose to nose, glaring straight into the dragon's eyes. "These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge. Now!" With that final word in Khuzdul, the hall resounded with metallic clangs and the crash of boulders. Thorin cried out as he swung about on a chain.

A moment later, a giant golden statue of Thror glowed with residual heat. Bella stared in open-mouthed awe. The whole of the Shire couldn't have held that gold. She blinked when she spied warping. Then one of the eyes exploded into liquid gold. Of course. It would have needed days if not weeks or months to set properly. There was just barely enough time for a layer to cool and hold the intended shape. The whole statue started to warp and fold in on itself.

Bilbo dragged her behind the safety of their pillar as Smaug roared in anger.

Bella gasped as hot gold splashed the foot of the pillars and the floor.

After a moment all was quiet. Bella peeked out. The depression in the floor was filled with gold. No sign of the dragon. Might it have actually worked?

Smaug burst forth, screaming.

Bella cried out, jumping back.

"Revenge?!" Smaug raged, charging out. "Revenge! I will show you revenge!"

Bella raced after him, no hope of stopping him, but needing to see what would happen.


Bard turned to the mountain as Legolas whirled round. "It's coming," he whispered.

"To the windlance," Legolas said.

Bard ran down the boardwalk, and climbed the tower.

"Is it high enough?" Legolas asked, worried.

"I don't know," Bard confessed. "If not, we'll run to the bell tower." He pointed to the structure that towered over the town.


Kili forced himself to breathe evenly.

Bain clutched his arm.

Tilda whimpered as she held to Tauriel's waist.

Sigrid pressed her face to Tauriel's shoulder as silent tears fell.

Tauriel just held them as real fear entered her eyes. "Douse the light," she said.

Kili nodded as Bain moved with him to extinguish the lanterns and lamp. While they had repaired the shack, they hadn't really had opportunity to ensure everything had been sealed tight against any light showing. The final light down, Kili led Bain to the center of the room. "Everyone come on in," he said.

Tauriel guided the girls to join them as they huddled together on the floor.

"Everything will be fine," Kili said, even as he tried to forget the ferocity of that final roar of rage. "Your da and Legolas will slay that dragon and return before daybreak to brag about how easy it was." He just barely made out Tauriel's weak smile.

"Kili's right," she said. "It will all be over soon." She slowly whispered, a sweet, gentle chant that brought peace to trembling hearts.


Legolas paused as he hung from the final level of the windlance tower. "A fell voice is on the air," he said.

Bard knelt just above him. "Is it the dragon?"

Legolas nodded as terror shivered into his heart.

"What does it say?" Bard asked.

The elvenprince breathed deep before stoically revealing what he heard. "'I am fire. I am . . .,'" he swallowed, "'Death!'"


Bella scrambled up the worn boulders, Fili and Bilbo not far behind her. She caught herself on what remained of some destroyed pillar as Bilbo half-stumbled onto a jutting ledge. She heaved for breath as the ominous shape of the dragon shrank into the distance.

As soon as Fili touched her shoulder, Bella turned and burrowed into his arms. They had done all they could, but had it been enough? Worse, had they enraged Smaug too much?

Bilbo voiced what she felt, broken and despairingly, "What have we done?"


Author's Note: And this is where the film was absolutely heartless and left us to hang. And since I had suspected that I would take awhile to get to part three anyway, I had determined that I wouldn't be so cruel as to do that to my readers. So, we have one more chapter before we bid them all goodbye.

Hope you enjoyed how I decided to weave in Smaug's iconic line without having to write from his point of view. I was not in the mood to try getting into vile, evil dragon's head.

I wanted to show a little more bonding between Bard and Legolas, since while I have implied quite a bit, I haven't actually shown it. Hopefully in the sequel I can allow myself more moments like that.

The chapter name and Bella's repeated phrase comes from the book, a scolding that Bilbo gave himself if I recall correctly. I hope I managed to capture the chase and battle in the furnace chamber sufficiently. There was honestly a lot going on, and trying to figure out exactly what Bella would have been in line to see and witness within the madness. So, apologies if a little lame, but for the most part, it's like it was in the movie. Just add Fili helping Balin with the "flash-flame" bombs.

And there may be someone who decides to break their silence to tell me, "There is no way Balin could have known that quote. It was first said by Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: A New Hope." Yeah, I figured that out when I searched it out, because like Thorin, I only vaguely recalled it. But hey, fools and people who follow fools are not exclusive to a galaxy far, far away. Just imagine that someone, possibly an exasperated elf traveling with dwarves (or a grumpy dwarf traveling with elves), spouted a very similar line and it got passed down into a common saying. Just like the phrase, "Escape goblins just to be attacked by wolves," reportedly became a common phrase after the events of The Hobbit. So there, if you wish to remain silent, you may.

Although, I would like to hear from you. Any theories about how the showdown between Smaug and the Heir of Girion will go down? Will the Master and Alfrid survive like in the book? Or shall I off them like the film? Will the townsfolk be safe enough? Or will they still suffer dragon fire? Or just simply thoughts on this chapter and what happened.

End of next chapter will include final thoughts on what may potentially happen in regards to other stories if you are interested. But, until then, hope you enjoyed.