AN: Whew! I gotta tell you, I was nervous about how close I cut it with finishing this chapter. I nearly had a panic attack when I realized last night it was only half done. But anyways...enjoy! Though this chapter did make me sad. I won't say why.
OOOOO
Bilbo felt fingers toying with the curls of his hair and for a moment he could imagine that it was Thorin. That he was leaning on the Dwarf's warm chest, and Thorin was running his big fingers through his hair. A small smile even touched his lips. But then he heard a sound like a purr, a sound that Thorin would never even try to make. And the reality came crashing back on him. He blinked a few times, clearing the sleep from his eyes, before glancing up.
He was indeed laying on a chest, one that was warm and glowed softly with fire to keep Bilbo from becoming chilled. But it was not Thorin like Bilbo so wished it could be. Smaug looked down at him and purred again, glad to see his pet awake. Bilbo flushed and tried to sit up, only for Smaug's arm to wrap around his shoulders and bring him back down to his chest. Bilbo squeaked a little in surprise and fear but laid still so as not to upset the Dragon.
"Do you need water, pet?" Smaug rumbled and Bilbo nodded. The Dragon did not even bother to let Bilbo go, simply reaching with his free arm to grab the silver pitcher before picking up a golden cup. It looked a lot like the cup Bilbo had stolen, but it had subtle differences. The gems were green instead of red, and there were leaves embossed on the gold instead of runes. Smaug filled it with water before offering it to Bilbo. The Hobbit tried to drink it, but in his awkward position, most of it ended up on Smaug's chest.
"I-I'm s-sorry!" Bilbo gasped, cringing in fear, ready to be struck or killed. Smaug only chuckled and loosed his hold on Bilbo so the Hobbit could sit up to drink. Bilbo watched him carefully as he drank the rest of the water. When the cup was empty, Smaug yanked on the chain of his collar and Bilbo flailed a little as he was pulled back onto the Dragon. Literally, as he inadvertently ended up straddling Smaug to keep from collapsing across his chest. Smaug didn't seem to mind, in fact he made that odd purring noise again.
"You're very small. It's a wonder you survived a quest at all. All Hobbits are your size, you said, except that they are larger in the middle. Which makes me believe that not many of them venture from their home. Why did you?" Smaug demanded, toying with the chain but not pulling on it. Bilbo shifted nervously, not wanting to remain on top of Smaug in such a way, but afraid to try and move.
"I-I come from a more adventurous house, the Tooks. My mother was one. I wanted to go on an adventure, and the Dwarves wanted their home back. I wanted to help them." Bilbo explained, keeping his eyes locked on Smaug's chest. It was still a warm red, heat radiating from beneath his skin, and heating the droplets of water Bilbo had spilled on him. It created a fine steam that Bilbo couldn't help but reach out and let curl around his fingers. Smaug smiled, very slightly, at the action and let his fire heat up more so the stream would rise in thicker bands.
"Did you begin to self injure before or after you left on your little adventure?" Smaug asked in such a blunt tone that Bilbo was a little dumbstruck for a few moments. Smaug rolled his eyes and snatched Bilbo's wrist, which was still playing with steam. He pulled the sleeve of Bilbo's tunic up until he could see every pale, raised scar on the Hobbit's arm. "There are many here, though none of them look particularly old. I would say the oldest would be a year at the most. Given the fact that you live in the west, past the Misty Mountains I would guess, I can only assume it's taken you more than a year to reach the mountain. Thus, I conclude that you began harming yourself after leaving your Shire." Smaug sounded really satisfied with himself, but Bilbo could only gape at him.
"H-How do you know all that?" Bilbo managed to ask, squirming uncomfortably.
"I know many things, little pet. For instance that the Elf in your company has affections for you, but you hold none for him." Bilbo blushed heavily and tried to shrink away from Smaug. In an instant their positions were reversed, and Smaug was crouching over him, so he had no where to go. "A Dragon can smell many things Bilbo. Hormones and bodily chemicals are fairly elementary. The Elf secrets the scents of worry and adoration around you, he even touched you with his rank little hand."
"How do you know I don't fancy him?" Bilbo pushed aside his fear to ask the question, genuinely interested by how Smaug could know all of this. The Dragon stooped down to sniff at Bilbo's forehead, where the Hobbit vaguely remembered Legolas touching him when he, Thorin, and Bofur came to visit.
"If you did, your own chemicals would have come forth when he touched you, and I only smell his. But...a little later, after his scent was already on your skin for some time, you began excreting pheromones as well. I assume it was because of one of the two dwarfs who also entered my treasury. But I have to wonder why you would allow yourself to care for one of the Company that called you worthless and a burden." Smaug reminded him, a frown settling on his handsome features. Bilbo blushed and looked away, only for Smaug to put his finger beneath the Hobbit's chin and tilted his face back. "Come now, I deserve a little story don't I? I spared your life, and the lives of those filthy, ungrateful Dwarves." One of Smaug's eyebrows arched and Bilbo shivered. It was true, and he would not risk inciting the Dragon.
"I do not fancy him. He is my friend, that is all. At first, I thought he hated me, and I feared him. I saved his life, just east of the Misty Mountains, and he started to treat me differently. He apologized and he was even...protective. He wanted me to talk to him about my nightmares and he seemed genuinely concerned." Bilbo sighed, thinking back to their journey through Mirkwood. The way Thorin was always keeping his eye on Bilbo, how he looked so regretful about making Bilbo cry at Beorn's, and all the times before.
"After months of abuse, you still became fond of him?" Smaug sneered.
"He is my leader and I am lucky that he is my friend! I do not feel detested and despised for once, so I feel...grateful to him, I suppose. But...he changed in the dungeons of Mirkwood. He looked so happy to see me and then...as soon as he thought Thranduil and Legolas wanted something from the mountain, he turned into someone...much different." Smaug was quiet, and that was scarier than anything. Then the Dragon snarled lightly and leaned in so close that his nose was nearly touching Bilbo's.
"Thorin Oakenshield." The Dragon growled, and Bilbo's heart skipped a few beats. "Your beloved Dwarf...is Thorin Oakenshield." He added, sounding even angrier.
"He is not my beloved! How do you-"
"Oh don't be dull little Bilbo! I remember his stench from so long ago, when I took this mountain. I knew he was here. And the change you are speaking of can only be a result of Gold Madness. I did not think you would be foolish enough to think he could care for you!" He roared, his chest flaring with fire again. Bilbo whimpered and tried to burrow further into the gold beneath him to get away from that heat. "Thorin Oakenshield cares for one thing, and it is in your pocket!" He added with a hiss and Bilbo's heart stopped beating in his chest for what felt like hours. Smaug reached into said pocked and pulled the Arkenstone out to shine in the dim light of the treasury.
"You knew?" Bilbo choked out, surprised he was even still alive.
"Of course I knew. I did not say anything, because I was curious to see if you would give it to Oakenshield or not. When you did not, I decided I did not have to worry about it. But if I were kind, I would destroy it here and now. I am almost tempted to give it to him myself, just to watch his mind bend and collapse under its influence." Smaug said with the utmost disgust for the thing in his hand.
"I thought Dragons adored gems." Bilbo couldn't honestly think of anything better to say. Smaug snorted and rolled his eyes, but then smiled bitterly.
"This gem is nothing but pain and trouble. I would have been rid of it some time ago but I was too lazy to cast it out. Should I Bilbo? Should I destroy it? Or should I deliver it to him, and watch him be reduced to Madness for my own amusement?" Smaug didn't seem to want an answer, which was good because Bilbo's mind was buzzing to furiously for him to even think of providing one. The Dragon lazily ran his thumb over the smooth surface of the beautiful gem, eyes looking far away though they were locked on Bilbo's face. When he seemed to snap out of his trance, the Dragon considered him, and then gem in his hands, before putting the Arkenstone back in Bilbo's pocket. Bilbo's brow scrunched in curiosity and caution.
"I will have nothing to do with it. Give it to your little Dwarf King in Exile if you will. It will be amusing. Or do not, and spare all of your company the pain. As far as I am concerned, the Arkenstone is yours to do with as you please." The Dragon told him. Smaug smiled a little, because that look of confusion was so adorable on Bilbo's face. "But be warned, my pet, the moment I see one of your Dwarves, I will kill them. They are trespassing after all, rude thankless ingrates." Smaug huffed.
"D-Do you...never mind." Bilbo flushed and turned his face to the side. Smaug turned it back.
"Do I what?" Smaug asked, obviously curious.
"What is happening to Thorin? Why does he act...strange sometimes? Is that what the Madness does to him? Will he continue to act like that?" Bilbo inquired nervously. Smaug chuckled, reaching down to play with his curls.
"I'm afraid so, little one. And this is just the beginning. He will become completely consumed, looking for that stone. And if he finds it, he will become much like his grandfather. Selfish and possessive and paranoid. He will alienate himself in his greed and become suspicious of even his friends and family. He will be obsessed with the gold and jewels in this mountain, caring more about the treasure than his own life. In many ways, he will be no better than I am." Bilbo shivered at the thought.
"B-But he...when we opened the door...he was so...he was not like that at all. He was gentle and I could feel the heartbeat of the mountain with him. How could that Thorin become someone so...lost?" Bilbo rambled, missing the look that crossed Smaug's face.
"Does he proclaim to care for you?" The Dragon demanded. Bilbo flushed, telling Smaug all he needed to know and more. "He does. He probably even believes he loves you. I do know about Dwarves, my pet. I have an extensive knowledge of all the races. The heartbeat of the mountain is very special to their pathetic race. Something shared only with their family and close friends. And their lovers." Smaug explained, making Bilbo's blush grow fiercer.
"H-He doesn't love me. He can't." Bilbo whispered, more to himself than to Smaug. The Dragon quirked his head curiously, intrigued by Bilbo's denial.
"I wish you were right, but I believe you are not." Smaug murmured before huffing and standing. Bilbo sat up and watched him carefully as he paced. "If that fool thinks he is getting one piece of gold from my mountain, or my pet, he is gravely mistaken. I would rather see that poncy Elf King frolicking through my treasure than Thorin Oakenshield." Smaug snarled. Frankly, Bilbo agreed with him. If the treasure of Erebor was going to change Thorin so much, and in such a frightening way, he never wanted Thorin to enter the mountain again.
"Is there nothing that can be done for him?" Bilbo asked quietly, not really expecting or wanting an answer from Smaug. He was surprised when Smaug snorted a laugh.
"Even if there were a way, Thorin Oakenshield would not be willing to try. He will be claimed by his Madness and be very comfortable with it. And you are lucky that he will not be able to get his hands on you. Even if you are not his courted or his consort, he will still believe you to be rightfully his. And in his Sickness, that will not bode well for you."
"What do you mean?" Bilbo hesitated to ask, but knew he had to.
"I mean that you would essentially become his property, in his messed up head. Property that he can beat on a bad day, bury in gold and jewels on a good day, and fuck any old day he pleases." Bilbo's face showed pure horror for a moment before he quickly directed it down at the ground.
"That's not true. He wouldn't do that to me." Bilbo whispered, and Smaug sneered, reaching down to pull Bilbo's face back up.
"Look at my face, little pet, and tell me that I am lying." He hissed, keeping Bilbo's face directed at his own until tears welled up in his big blue eyes. "If it weren't for me, you would bear the pain of belonging to Thorin Oakenshield. I can guarantee you that, while I am cruel, I am the lesser evil." He added harshly before releasing his face. Bilbo scrambled back a few feet before sagging in on himself, defeat and resignation in his eyes. Smaug softened and approached his pet again, crouching to be eye level with the little thing. "I am doing you a favor, little Hobbit, by keeping you. I will be good to you. Until the moment I kill you. And even then, you will not suffer." Smaug purred, petting Bilbo's curls.
Bilbo said nothing, just tried to keep himself from crying. He did not want to cry. Not then, not ever. But the tears kept building until finally they spilled over and down his cheeks. Smaug made a sound like a whine and sat down rather ungracefully, pulling Bilbo onto his lap. He stroked his fingers through Bilbo's hair as the Hobbit cried, smirking lightly to himself. He could smell Oakenshield, and two other Dwarves, not too far away. He knew they had arrived as he was telling Bilbo about Thorin's Madness, and he knew they could hear Bilbo crying now.
It was only the first step of his revenge. He wanted those miserable Dwarves to know the pain that Bilbo had no doubt felt every time they insulted him. He wanted them to see how sad the Hobbit was. And then he would kill them. Individually and after hearing every bad thing they'd said about Bilbo. Once they were all gone, he could correct Bilbo's line of thinking, heal him physically, get what use he could from the Hobbit, and then kill him as well. He didn't want Bilbo to die thinking poorly of himself, after all. That would just be uncalled for.
He still had much to do before that time came though. He had much he wanted to do with Bilbo and learn from Bilbo, and he would begin asking his questions when the Hobbit calmed down. Until then, he was content with knowing he was tormenting Oakenshield and his company enough already. Oh yes. It was quite pleasant.
OOOOO
"I'll kill him. I run a knife right through his throat." Thorin growled, Balin laying his hand on the Dwarf's shoulder. It didn't really work to calm Thorin any, but it made Balin feel like he was doing something. The older Dwarf exchanged glances with his younger brother and they both took one of Thorin's arms.
"Come on lad, nothing to be done right now." Balin sighed, and surprisingly, Thorin let them lead him away. When they had been walking for a bit, and Thorin still had not said anything, Balin decided to keep talking. Maybe it would distract the King a bit. "An idea could be for you to approach Bilbo, like Smaug expects, and have some of the others hiding. So when Smaug comes up behind you, or confronts you, one of the hiding members of the Company can come up behind him and kill him." Balin proposed.
"Or we could just have Kili or the Elf wait at the door, distract the Dragon, and have them shoot an arrow." Dwalin stated, with an eye roll. His older brother had always been the more dramatic one. It was only rarely that he made a better attack plan than Dwalin did.
"Yes, that would be more prudent." Balin admitted, only sounding mildly annoyed. "We should act soon, as we are running out of supplies. We need to send someone back up the outside of the mountain to see if any of the other packs survived. Or perhaps, the old storehouses of the kingdom. They were made to withstand several centuries of neglect, after all." Balin knew he was rambling, in the hope of getting Thorin to participate and stop thinking about Smaug and Bilbo. And he was sure Dwalin and Thorin saw it for what it was as well. But Thorin remained dark and glassy eyed and scowling.
"We'll bring Kili and the Elf down later to see if they have a clear shot." Dwalin proposed, to which Thorin only grunted in reply. The King's thoughts were far from the subject. They were buzzing with the fear in Bilbo's voice. Not fear of Smaug, but rather fear of Gold Sickness. Was the Madness of Durin's line really more frightening than a fire breathing Dragon? Worse, was the Sickness already beginning to take him? It was true, he had been devoting more thoughts to the treasury than previous, but it was only natural for a Dwarf to linger on gold and jewels. And he had every right to think of the Arkenstone, as frequently and as intensely as he pleased!
He would not fall to Gold Sickness, he had already promised himself that. He would show Bilbo that he was just fine! Once that damned Dragon was taken care of, he would show Bilbo exactly how unaffected he was! And Bilbo would be so glad, so relieved! Maybe he would even give Thorin a kiss...
OOOOO
"Have you calmed down my pet?" Smaug asked some time after Bilbo's sobs had died down to sniffles. Bilbo pitifully wiped his nose on his sleeve and nodded somewhat numbly. He always felt so tired after crying. It wasn't so much that his body was exhausted, but his soul was. Everything inside of him was screaming with sorrow and he just wanted to close his eyes and block it out. Apparently Smaug wanted to talk though. "Tell me about your journey. What path did you take to get here?" Smaug prompted, sounding more excited than he probably meant to. Bilbo had to take a few moments before he could get himself to talk. He really just wanted to close his eyes and beg for sleep, but he knew it was a lost cause.
"The Dwarves journeyed from the Blue Mountains to the Shire, where they convinced me to join the quest. It took a few days before we passed out of the Shire, and weeks of walking through the forest and plains before we ended up in Rivendell." Bilbo told him, though his voice lacked bravado. He was usually good at telling stories, but he was not in the mood to put on a show at that particular moment.
"Had you already begun self injuring by that time?" Smaug questioned, and strangely Bilbo did not care that it was such a blunt question.
"I began cutting almost two weeks before we reached Rivendell." Bilbo paused to see if he would comment, but Smaug only frowned and laid his head sideways so his cheek rested on Bilbo's curls. "After Rivendell we started to cross over the Misty Mountains. We camped in a cave where the floor retracted as we slept and we were plunged into Goblin Town." Surprisingly, Smaug made a noise of disgust at this. Bilbo tried to peek up at him, but couldn't quite manage it with their position.
"Nasty, disgusting, ugly creatures. I avoid them at all cost." Smaug sneered, shifting so Bilbo was tucked in closer to him. Bilbo got the feeling he was being used as a cuddling object, but he supposed it could be worse.
"I thought all the dark creatures of Middle Earth got along." Bilbo murmured hesitantly. He didn't want to insult Smaug, but he was curious. Smaug snorted, rolling his eyes.
"As if I could 'get along' with those sniveling insignificant little wastes of space. I would rather enjoy setting them all aflame. The wargs too. They're an insult to the dark forces of our world." Smaug sounded quite poetic as he talked, actually. Bilbo felt himself smile, and then frowned because it was such an unfamiliar feeling. He hadn't smiled in...so long. Smaug watched Bilbo's actions, and his emotions which flickered across his open face, before sighing. "Why do you hesitate to smile my little pet? I hardly ever aim to please by joking, but when I do, I like for my efforts to be rewarded."
"It's just...hard for me to smile..." Bilbo replied, looking anywhere but the Dragon. Smaug huffed, frowning.
"I imagine you smiled a lot, before your journey. You have smile lines, though not as many as I would think would be normal for a Hobbit, living in safety and happiness." Smaug had stated a fact and his opinion, but within them Bilbo could sense a question. Why did Bilbo stop smiling once on the journey? And why didn't he smile much before the journey either.
"The journey was stressful...and the Dwarves didn't like me. Of course I did not smile. But...when I lived in the Shire...I did not smile as often as the other Hobbits. I am a bit of a rare case, in my community. I am an only child who lost both parents before even reaching my maturity. I did not have very many friends, and I did not like my extended family very well. So I did not have much cause to smile, like the other Hobbits." Bilbo admitted. Smaug rumbled something in his strange language before curling further around Bilbo.
"Was it because of your lack of satisfaction with life in the Shire that you left on your journey?"
"Oh, I was very satisfied with my life. I had no desire to leave. But...I wasn't happy. I was hoping that an adventure, one of such noble intent at that, would make me happy. And that I would return to the Shire with lots of stories for the little fauntlings and a sense of self satisfaction. And you can see how well that worked out for me." Bilbo whispered the last sentence, flushing a little.
"And now that you have been on your adventure, and suffered for it, would you still want to go back to the Shire?" Of course, Smaug had no plans of letting Bilbo go, but he was curious. Would the Hobbit really survive returning to his home, after so much had happened to him. Bilbo sniffled miserably and shook his head. Smaug hummed to himself, reaching up to tangle his hand in Bilbo's curls. He admitted to himself that he adored the golden curls. He loved playing with them, and Bilbo always seemed a little more relaxed when he did.
"And where did you think you would go, after the journey's end, if not to your home? Would you stay here, in Erebor, with your pathetic Dwarves and their Gold Man King? Or maybe you intended to return to the Elf's home. He would like that." Smaug suggested, but Bilbo only shook his head again.
"There was a Man we stayed with, before going through Mirkwood. He was kind and he cared about me, he did not hate me for my cutting. I wanted to stay with him. I was set on it, in fact. I suppose I'll never see him again now." Bilbo felt his heart aching in his chest. He'd never see Beorn again, or Elrond. He'd never see Rivendell or the Shire, anything again. Just this treasury and Smaug. He wasn't sure how long he would last. He did not pretend to assume it would be a long time. If his mind did not give out soon, then it would be Smaug who got bored of him and killed him. Either way, he had accepted that fact. He'd never leave. And as much as it hurt to think about, it was the truth. As if he could hear Bilbo's thoughts, Smaug whined lightly.
"You're so sad, my little pet. But I will not be bad to you. I will feed you and keep you warm and we will have many engaging conversations." Smaug promised, laying his head on Bilbo's curls again. "You're such a good, sweet little pet. I'm going to keep you for as long as I can." He purred, and Bilbo shivered. "My pet. My adorable little Hobbit."
OOOOO
The sun was setting when Balin and Dwalin went to Kili and Legolas to propose their idea. Both archers readily accepted their proposition and the four debated when the best time to go down to the treasury would be. Balin turned to ask Thorin and it was only then that they realized the Dwarf King was no where to be seen. It was Dwalin who stated what they were all thinking.
"He's gone to the treasury again." The bald warrior muttered.
"He's going to ruin the whole plan!" Legolas snapped, and no one argued with him, per say. Some of them shifted, some looked annoyed, but Bofur was not the only one who nodded his agreement. "We have to go now, before he gets Bilbo killed!" Legolas could not in fact care less about Thorin's health, but if the Dwarf King got Bilbo hurt...it would not be Smaug who killed the idiotic imbecile.
"Let's go." Balin agreed, beginning to lead the other three back down the passage. The other Dwarves exchanged glances, debating whether they should stay there or go with them. Fili was the first to go after them, quickly jumping up so he wouldn't loose sight of his brother. Bofur hesitatingly trailed after the elder prince and was followed closely by his brothers. Ori began to walk after them as well, and of course Nori and Dori would not be letting him without them. Gloin and Oin brought up the rear of the group, more curious to see the Dragon die than to see any showdown between Smaug and Thorin.
Dwalin stuck his head out of the tunnel first, and glanced around for any immediate sight of Thorin, or the Dragon. He did spy Smaug, and Bilbo wrapped up firmly in his long pale limbs, but he could not see Thorin anywhere.
"That's Smaug?" Kili whispered from behind him. Dwalin pushed the smaller Dwarf back before turning to the others.
"I don't see Thorin. We'll proceed with our plan, but be watchful for the dumb ass." He commanded, then gestured for the company to stay back while he and Balin went about creating a distraction.
Across the way, hidden in a dark corner, Thorin kept his blazing blue eyes on Bilbo. The Hobbit looked resigned, if not depressed, in the Dragon's arm's. And he looked so small, so fragile. Thorin wanted him, in that moment, more than ever. He wanted to protect Bilbo, but a darker part of him wanted to ruin Bilbo. Make sure everyone knew who the Hobbit belonged to. Not the Dragon, not the Elf, but him! Bilbo was his! Thorin briefly glanced at the tunnel entrance, spotting the others, but he hardly even took them in. Bilbo, his Bilbo, was so close, yet so far away. Thorin wanted him back.
"You may as well come out." Smaug drawled, his impressive voice carrying all through the treasury. Bilbo looked up at the Dragon in confusion, for his proclamation was so sudden and apparently nonsensical. Thorin wasn't sure if Smaug was talking to him, or to the others, but he took the initiative and stepped out into the light. As he moved, Bilbo's eyes were drawn to him, and his eyes lit up for all of a minute before they darkened. "Thorin Oakenshield." Smaug sneered, tauntingly beginning to stroke his hand through Bilbo's hair.
"Smaug." Thorin growled in reply, eyes narrowed in a glare of pure detest.
"I wondered when you would show your face again. Looking for the Arkenstone?" Smaug questioned lazily, his hand moving down to stroke the back of Bilbo's neck, and play with the collar surrounding the Hobbit's pale throat.
"Not this time." Thorin snarled, wanting to break that hand. Smaug only chuckled, picking Bilbo up as he stood. The Hobbit gasped and clung to the Dragon, out of instinct, Thorin knew, but it still made his blood boil. Smaug put Bilbo down so he was sitting up against the pillar he was chained to and he petted Bilbo's curls for another few moments before straightening to his full height.
"Here for my pet then." Smaug stated, quirking his head to the side, daring Thorin to approach him. And of course, Thorin answered his challenge, starting to stalk forward.
"He is not your pet." Thorin hissed, hardly even realizing he was putting emphasis on the wrong word. "You will pay for everything you've done, wyrm! For all those you killed, for the loss of our home! Your days of tyranny are over!" Smaug sighed, looking bored.
"Dull. Though, I do believe you've just proved a point for me." Smaug glanced down at Bilbo, who was looking at Thorin with the most hurt expression on his face. Thorin froze when he saw it, thinking back to what he could have said. When the answer came to him, all traces of anger for Smaug dropped and he just looked ashamed.
"Bilbo...I didn't mean it like that...I swear..." Thorin sounded more pleading than promising. Bilbo stared at him for another moment before quickly looking away. Smaug's smirk only got bigger. "Bilbo..." Thorin moaned mournfully.
"Drop the act Oakenshield. Little Bilbo knows all about what you are and what you will become. In the past he's been the greatest danger to himself. But we both know that's not true now. You know it would be better for him to remain with me, a Dragon, than with you." Smaug sneered, crouching to stroke Bilbo's suddenly wet cheeks.
"I would never hurt him! You've filled his head with lies and deception and made him fear me, and you will die for that!" Thorin bellowed. He pulled Orcrist from it's sheath, but before he could take a step, there was the sound of an arrow being released. Before Smaug could even turn, the arrow struck his back, though only the head made it into his thick skin. The Dragon roared in a mixture of pain and anger and he reached back to yank the offending weapon out of his thick hide. His blazing gold eyes turned to the tunnel, where Kili was standing with wide eyes. He had made the hit...but the arrow...it hadn't done barely anything! The most it had done was bring Smaug's black blood to the surface.
Bilbo squealed in fear and ducked his head down into his knees, which were pressed to his chest, as the Dragon began to change form. Smaug took his wyrm form, which towered impenetrably over them. He looked around at them all before his gaze fell on Bilbo. With one slice of his talon, the chain connecting Bilbo's collar to the pillar snapped and then he was surrounded by Smaug's warm claw.
"I suggest you say whatever you must say now, little pet, for your company will all be dead within minutes." Smaug sneered, and Bilbo whimpered, holding desperately to Smaug's hand, lest the Dragon should try to drop him. His wide eyes flickered around at the few Dwarves he could see, and a great fear for their lives temporarily overshadowed his fear of being dropped.
"P-Please Smaug...please don't kill them!" Bilbo begged, though he knew it was a futile attempt. The Dragon only rolled his eyes, before turning his face towards Thorin.
"You can be the first to die." Smaug's great belly began to glow with fire and Bilbo locked eyes with Thorin for just one moment before he was suddenly falling. A thunder roar echoed all around the room, shaking the very foundations of Erebor. It was riddled with anger, and with pain. Bilbo hardly heard it over his own shriek of fear. He felt like he fell for an eternity before he met with the unforgiving golden ground. Instantly aches and sharp pains spread through his whole body, though he did not think anything was broken.
Another crash of thunder distracted him from his pain, and he looked up in time to see a second arrow lodging itself into Smaug's chest, right where a single missing scale left a weak point. Bilbo looked around, catching sight of Legolas not too far away. The Elf narrowed his eyes and determinedly fired a third arrow, which found it's mark as surely as the first two. This one pushed even further, and Smaug shrieked with pain and rage. Legolas fired a fourth and final arrow, which broke all the way through to Smaug's heart. With a terrible explosion gold coins, Smaug fell, his face landing mere feet from Bilbo. The light was slowly dimming in his eyes, but they set on Bilbo regardless.
"Do not forget...my pet...what I have told you. Save yourself...little Hobbit..." With that, the Great Wyrm closed his eyes and exhaled one last heavy breath before life left him. In the wake of the Dragon's death, there was silence. Pure, deafening silence. No one moved, least of all Bilbo, who could only stare numbly, mouth still opened in a silent scream, at the dead beast. Legolas broke the still by running to Bilbo, sliding a little on the golden hills before surrounding the shaking Hobbit with his arms.
"Bilbo are you okay?" Legolas demanded, cupping the Hobbit's face, trying to get Bilbo to look at him. Bilbo couldn't seem to drag his eyes away from Smaug though. He...he didn't understand. Smaug was dead...it had all happened so quickly. Only two minutes previous, Smaug had been in the form of a Man, petting his hair contentedly. And now he was dead. Lifeless and probably cold. He had always had a very warm body temperature. Bilbo thought I was wrong for a Dragon to even be cold. Even in death.
"He's in shock." Oin observed, being the second person to reach Bilbo. The others were making their way closer, but it was a large room, and it was difficult to transverse the golden hills. "Bilbo, look at me." Oin tried to help by standing between Bilbo and the Dragon, but the Hobbit just continued to stare through the Dwarf, the image of Smaug's dead body still very clear in his mind. "Someone bring me water!" Oin snapped.
"There." Bilbo murmured, surprising them. Keeping his eyes locked forward, Bilbo pointed to a silver pitcher that lay a few feet away. "That's water. He went and got some for me. He wanted to take care of me." Bilbo added in a frighteningly blank voice. Kili snatched up the silver pitcher as he ran past it, handing it to Oin before collapsing to his knees beside Bilbo.
"Everybody back up, give him space!" Oin demanded of the gradually increasing crowd. Begrudgingly they listened, only Legolas remaining. Bilbo was situated between his legs, the Hobbit's back leaning against Legolas' chest. The Elf wondered worriedly if without his support Bilbo would just collapse. "Here Bilbo...take a drink." Oin said soothingly, bringing the silver pitcher to Bilbo's lips. The Hobbit did as he was told, but his eyes remained distant and wide, shocked.
He wished Smaug hadn't died, he realized with a start. The Dragon had been kind to him. He had fed him and given him water, and shown genuine interest in him. A Dragon had been kinder to him than any of the Dwarves had been, at least during the beginning of the journey. Yes, Smaug was still a Dragon and a beast, but he wasn't as cruel as everyone always made him sound. In fact, he was quite...kind. Kind enough to spare, and heal Bilbo. Kind enough to be blunt with the Hobbit. Kind enough to offer a quick, painless death, after an untold amount of time. But all of that was gone now. Smaug, Last of the Great Dragons, was gone.
"There's nothing I can do until he's calmed down. Lay him down, elevate his legs, and I'll see about finding him a blanket." Oin finally advised. Legolas did as the healer said, knowing that Oin was speaking the truth. After he was finished fussing over Bilbo, he realized something.
Thorin had not been amongst the Dwarves crowding around the shocked Hobbit. In fact, Legolas had not seen the Dwarf since Smaug had been about to roast him. Looking around now, Legolas caught sight of the Dwarf King on a different hill of mountain, looking around stoically, eyes seeking something in particular. It made the Elf's blood boil in his veins. Thorin, who had proclaimed to be so concerned for Bilbo, straightaway abandoned the Hobbit for the gold in the mountain as soon as Bilbo was out of immediate danger. He didn't even stop to check if Bilbo had broken any bones, or if the fall had left him unconscious.
Legolas growled, his anger almost overpowering. As soon as Bilbo was better, Legolas vowed to take the Hobbit away. Out of this mountain, and back to Mirkwood. He was not going to let Bilbo stay and fall prey to the King Under the Mountain. Even if Bilbo begged and pleaded him. It was better that Bilbo leave. Legolas knew it, and he was sure that Balin did as well. The elder Dwarf was also looking at Thorin now. And though he had a carefully guarded look on his face, Legolas could read concern and disappointment in his eyes.
Bilbo would not be staying in the Lonely Mountain. Not for one moment longer than was necessary. And Thorin Oakenshield would never put his dirty Dwarf hands on the Hobbit. Legolas swore it to every star in the sky.
OOOOO
AN: You guys are seriously so lucky that I couldn't sleep last night, otherwise I would not have finished this chapter. That being said, I'm not promising that I'll have the next chapter ready by next Friday. I thought I could stay ahead, but writers block has been kicking my fat ass. I will try my absolute hardest to complete and post the next chapter on time, but please, don't come for me with torches and pitchforks if I don't. Thanks for reading this chapter, and feel free to comment or ask questions. They always make me feel warm and fuzzy inside!