Chapter 16; Dance:

I just want to tell you all that this first part was inspired by many fan drawings I've seen of Smaug, in which he is robed in red and is adorned in gold. The second part was inspired by the song 'Dancer and the Moon' by Blackmore's Night. It is one of my favorites from this band, and I really do recommend you listen to it as it adds to this chapter, because things will finally start to become a little…steamy and dramatic. I do have this rated M for a reason, it's time I started to deliver, right? As for the third part, I just want to drive you all crazy :P Remember I love you all!

Thanks to all those who faved and followed. Special thanks to Teddy bear 007, DONOVAN94 I repsonded to you guys so you know how brilliant you are. As for the rest, NightlyRownenTree (bless you to eternity), RaptorDaRaptor (your reviews are always spot on and helpful), Zerousy (nose on the mark as usual), SmallLittleCagedBird (btw have I mentioned I love your name?), Maybs, (I love the hype train, I want on!), Celeste-Ominous, (you make me blush), and last but certainly not least, Forgotten Shadow Dwelller, (I am so sorry I was gone for so long, but I am glad I made it up with Human Smaug, and hopefully this chapter will help with that sexual tension). Thank each and everyone of you for reviewing!

Smaug felt sleep leave him, stirring him from a black of dreamless slumber. His consciousness settled back into his body, and he felt that something was wrong. His body did not feel as it should, but as he opened his eyes he knew the reason. He was in his hoard, lying on his back, but the perspective was off. Like a painting with a crooked frame. This was only to be expected, as he was in his humanoid form after all. Smaug did not know quite what had possessed him to sleep like this, as he remembered being in his true form when he settled, but it mattered little. No matter what form he took, he was the Red Dragon. Still, it was a different experience to awake in this form.

Slowly, Smaug made to stretch himself as stood from his bed of coins. He paused as he noticed the restriction of the robes he wore, which cloaked his body in deep red. It was an elvish robe, one of many that Alfrid had found stored away. They had no doubt once been a gift from the Greenwood, but by the layer of dust upon the chest they were found in there was little doubt the dwarves did not care for them. Still, the finer material and robe length agreed better with Smaug, and given his choice of dwarf or elf, he would take the latter. Of course, there would be no reason for such trivial things if he were not in this form, or moreover if it were not for his songbird. Perhaps he could make the task of dressing worthwhile by having her attend to him rather than his pitiful manservant. The notion made him smirk. His songbird pretended otherwise, but the modesty of human females had been ingrained in her, and no doubt that would be proven if he asked such a task of her. The idea was becoming tempting, and Smaug made to search for his songbird.

With no need to patrol his mountain, Smaug fell back into his old ways of having his songbird entertain him, counting his gold, hunting and sleeping at his leisure. He would call it routine but for his taking to his new form. It had become easier to transform between forms, dragon and man, that it hardly required concentration from him anymore. The only inconveniences were the robes and hair. He did not know what was natural for mortal males, but hair at this length was tiresome to the dragon. Chains of gold, bracelets, even rings found their way into the strands and slipped onto his small horns. It hardly mattered to him, as he was quite used to being adorned in jewels, many embedding themselves into his belly, but of course that was not the case with his new form. Glancing down, he inspected his body. He was still accommodating to it, and it was strange to say the least to see himself with claws, scales, or wings. But for his plans for his songbird, it had to be so, at least for a while longer.

How long though? That was a question only his songbird could answer, and he would not allow for her to have much more time. It depended on her relenting in her stubbornness, which while entertaining was delaying the inevitable outcome. But when last he had broached on the subject of changelings, he could still see such matters only caused Raelynne to close herself off from taking any of it to heart. His patience was wearing thin, and it would not be long before he sought to use more persuasive means, but it would do better for the future if he was able to convince his songbird rather than frighten her. She still needed convincing that she was above mortals, but Smaug himself began to wonder to what ends would that accomplish. He knew the truth, did it matter if his songbird did? This question of his own kept him from taking any further measures in convincing his songbird. In the end, he supposed it would not matter, as time would show her all he had said was true. For now he could simply enjoy the new advantage of his form, his right as master. It certainly provided ample entertainment, as did his songbird.

It was morning on the mountain and yet as Smaug made his way to the library his songbird had claimed no light reached into the realm. From his new height it was within his convenience to take other, quicker routes about his kingdom. Though he had adjusted many entrances to accommodate himself before, now he would admit it was much easier. He could however do an eternity without learning what it felt like to use a door the way it was meant to function. He was soon to come across the hall that would lead him to the library when the sound of bare feet on stone caught his attention. The footsteps were shuffling, as if sleepy, and he recognized to who the belonged to. Not long after, Raelynne came into sight, and such a sight she made.

She was beautiful in the mornings, with her hair messed from sleep and her lids lowered in an innocent fashion at least half the time. It was apparent that she had just awoke, rubbing her bleary eyes and still clothed in a white nightgown and dressing robe that reached only to the top of her knees. Despite the chill in the air her skin looked softer and had a fresher glow to it and Smaug knew quite well that under the robe was so much more of it to be seen. His chest rumbled with pleasure to see her wearing the necklace he had given to her, the red and gold matching her crimson hair. He had chosen well, and it prided him to see how it accentuated her beauty. He had put up with her clinging to that old and worthless trinket that not even dwarves would smelt to make wrought iron, and what he had given her was indeed an improvement. It cemented her place as part of his hoard, and moreover she wore it well.

"Going somewhere, my songbird?" Smaug announced his presence. As he expected, his songbird jumped at the sound of his voice and was startled out of her drowsy state. He enjoyed disquieting her, better for her frown of annoyance she tried to hide at his being able to surprise her. She had not expected him to come so early, and on instinct reached to clutch at the opening of her robe.

"Y-yes. The kitchen, master."

Smaug's brow creased, his pleasant mood from before waning.

"Whatever for?"

"Food. I am hungry." Raelynne replied as if the answer was obvious.

"Does not Alfrid deliver it to you?" Smaug harshly asked, his temper rising. That is what he instructed, and his servant knew better than to disobey him when it came to how to treat his songbird. Perhaps he needed his ribs broken again, or perhaps it was time to get a new servant? The man had been quite insufferable for some time, and no doubt there would be far more useful mortals that would not offend his sensibilities. Raelynne's repellent attitude towards the man had always been apparent, especially with what she said next.

"I told him not to anymore. I don't trust rats with my meals."

"As you shouldn't. But do you mean to tell me that you have gone against my orders?" His songbird's eyes widened for a moment as she then looked concerned. Despite her witticism and sometimes rash behavior, she was careful not to offend the dragon, particularly after when he first spoke of Changelings. But he had always admired her quick learning to flatter and obey him. Her mouth opened to speak, most likely to give him either an apology or come up with a clever excuse, but he waved it away.

"Never mind, it does not matter. No doubt you more skilled when it comes to preparing meals, being female." He told her as he then gestured toward the direction she had been heading towards before. Knowing that was his permission, the woman went on, unsurprised when Smaug walked alongside.

"Skilled? No. I burn water."

"You were not taught by your mother?" He asked with a crooked grin he knew to be engaging. In truth Smaug did not care to know such trivial details, but knew that simple conversation with her always put her at ease. She was still far too wary of this form than he ever anticipated, but evidence of her slow comfort was plain as she chuckled.

"No. Remember, she had come from a well-to-do family. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, that was left to servants. It was the same when we lived with the merchant. I suppose I learned a little when we lived on the street, but I mostly dedicated myself to learning how to steal and beg. It was far more profitable."

At this, Smaug snarled. At the mention of that part of her life a spike of anger went through his black heart as he recalled all that she had told him some weeks ago. He knew she had suffered in past, as mortals and their ilk tend to do, but that his songbird had endured such disrespect and disgusting treatment was almost beyond his temperament to accept. She, the last of her kind, a race of magic and immortality, spat on and cursed by mere humans. It roused him further to remember how calmly she explained it, how standard it was for her to be treated so by beings unworthy of even her awareness of their existence even in recalling the memories. And her family, Smaug felt almost as much ire for her wretched mother as he did for her step-father. That harridan woman deserved her ill treatment at the hands of her husband if she was so blind to leave her daughter exposed to his attentions. And that such a filthy worm dared to touch and ill-treat her, and worse that Raelynne had complied in order to protect her undeserving loved ones…such thoughts turned Smaug's mind dark with a single wish to leave his mountain and burn her childhood village away. It matters not that she suffered all this in past, as it was always intended that she would come to him and be his, no other's, and Smaug's selfish nature called for retribution for the damage his possession received. If but one coin was missing from his hoard, he would slaughter hundreds, and for his most prized possession…

In the silence that endured while Smaug was retreated into his thoughts, he and Raelynne had arrived at the door that lead to the kitchen. It was a room which Smaug had never been to before, and with a kind of curiosity as Raelynne lead the way he took time to observe it. It was a large room he supposed, no doubt having once been in service of the royal family since they were near what had once been their chambers. Clay ovens and their exhausts lined the whole length of the room, which was twice the length of Smaug's true form, and there was an island that parted it down the middle. Pots and pans hung from chains above them, knives lining the wall connected together by cobwebs. Despite what she had said before, Raelynne appeared to know precisely what she was doing when she walked up to a casket of stone that was as far from the ovens as possible. With a determined huff she moved aside the stone lid, reached inside to pull out a slab of cooked meat from the storage, and then replaced the heavy lid. Interested, Smaug watched her as she flittered about, pulling out a plate for the meat, a bowl of fruit, and a knife and placed all on the edge of the island.

"You have mentioned your skill in thievery before, and seem to be quite proud of it." He spoke for the sake of conversation as Raelynne began to cut an apple. At his observation she started to smirk.

"Well, I was rather good at it, especially when I was small. I once took the sheriff's wedding ring from him when he was reprimanding me for stealing bread. When his wife noticed it was missing, she accused him of having an affair in the village square." She laughed at the memory as if it was as sweet as wine, and this malicious show surprised Smaug.

"Truly, there is no honor among thieves."

Raelynne's smirk grew wider at his comment as she moved on to prepare the cold meat. Smaug could not help but notice it was one of the many rabbits he had caught for her especially to improve her health. It seemed to working, for she looked to have gained weight in all the proper areas.

"Honor's killed thousands of people, hasn't saved a single one. Besides, he used to pester my mother with propositions of money in exchange for whoring herself to him, so the bastard deserved it." The pride with which she spoke was fascinating, but Smaug frowned at the coarseness of her language. He knew she had dressed herself as a man to protect herself during her travels, but that she insisted on speaking like one at times irritated him to no end.

"Your tongue is quite sharp, my pet. Have I not told you to refine your speech?" At his reproaching tone, Raelynne frowned and looked away. She leaned herself against counter top as she thought careful as to what to give him as a reply. Catching the glint of cleverness in her eye, he knew to expect something in the way of a riposte.

"The tongue is an untamable, restless evil full of deadly poison, used both to bless the gods and curse men. Or so my mother used to say."

"You seem to quite admire your mother." Smaug commented, not bothering to hide the distaste in his voice. Raelynne in turn did not hide her realization of what he was intending to say. How quick her temperament could change, from mischievous to scornful. Smaug, while appreciative of her spirit, met her change in countenance with disapproval.

"I do. She was very wise and beautiful, and taught me many things." She spoke in warning, daring him to contradict. Smaug cocked a brow in skepticism.

"Oh, you think it wise that she left herself exposed by taking on a lover without promise of marriage? To have left you defenseless against others' slander?"

In a manner quite in line with her character, Raelynne stiffened in obvious indignity, rather like a cat bristling for a fight. It was quite endearing, but there was a moment in which Smaug believed she would shout at him. He knew she would not dare to be so foolish, and such was confirmed when she turned away from him. She seemed to be reining in her anger, and at the same time conceding. No doubt she knew all he said to be true, and was struggling with it. He remembered her mentioning that her mother was a romantic. No doubt Raelynne had inherited that as well, seeing her profession and passion for tales and music, but she was far more cautious than her mother for having learned the lesson she refused to. She knew what her mother did was foolishness and folly. But Smaug could see that he had once more made his songbird riled. Giving or seeking comfort was not in his nature, but knew how to provide delicate care. Gold after all the most malleable of metals, and to keep its form required attention. It was the same for his little songbird; he knew what would calm her.

"What goes down, but never comes up?" He asked of her as he leaned to take a strip of meat from the bone of the rabbit. The small creature's flesh was surprisingly sweet, something his larger self would never have noticed. His songbird did not answer, but he did not expect her to for a while as she went back to cutting the fruit. When she did speak, her voice was quiet and meek and she did not meet his eyes.

"Rain."

Smaug nodded his approval as he went on. "What goes up but never goes down?"

Raelynne let loose a sigh, and rolled up her sleeves as she finally began to eat the meal of cold meat and fruit she had prepared for herself and Smaug was welcoming himself to. She glanced at him only briefly, but it allowed him to see the small smile that played at the corner of her lips.

"One's age."

His songbird's mood slowly recovered from the barb Smaug had delivered. He simply could not stand her blatant worship of her mortal mother, and had to correct her disillusion. But Raelynne was far better company when she was in a light mood, which thankfully increased as she ate. Smaug tried to keep his mind on enjoying the cooked meat, a treat he himself rarely bothered with, but it was difficult with his songbird. She insisted that he answer some new riddles she had made, and demanded that he in turn did not hold back in his. But then on top of that she had kept licking her lips through breakfast because of the liquid from the ripened fruit she would get on them. His attention was held captive every time she hummed in content pleasure at the good breakfast and then there was a moment when she had started to lick her fingers…how females couldn't notice the subtle lures that played alongside food he had no notion. Her lips were soft and swollen now from eating and he was sure that she would probably taste sweet from the fruit. He had never before taken an interest in the vegetation the lower beings loved for their saccharinity, but in accompaniment with her skin, he was certain he could find some appeal.

He watched to see her looking down at her plate like she had forgotten he was even still there, dipping her finger into the leftover juice in a gesture that he was sure she had probably done a thousand times without any thought whatsoever. She brought the syrup that clung to her skin up to her mouth and quickly sucked it before it could run down to her hand. Smaug fell completely still next to her as he watched this. A growl worked its way into the back of his throat to watch her chest heave with a pleased sigh, the ruby necklace straining at the motion. His attentions turned to the jewels around her neck, and it worked to bring him out of his thoughts. He was not fool, he knew what he was thinking, what he was desiring, but it took him until now to realize how encompassing such idle urges had become. He could feel the effect and response of her presence upon him. Smaug's pride came forth in that moment, causing him to feel shame for such debase instincts. His songbird was female, but she was not of his kind. His actions were that of a deeper intent then merely taking pleasure in her presence and talents. Giving her a part of his hoard, sharing a meal he had provided, how could such instincts be caused by a female that was not of his own noble race? His own ignorance surprised him, and his entire countenance changed so suddenly, as if he had just ripped off a mask.

In that moment, Raelynne reached to remove the plates of remaining fruit and meat, her breaking fast done with. Seeing his meal being taken away, Smaug snarled and reached for her hand. It was known of predators that it never played well for any creature to try and take their prey away from them. This, and his self-anger, gave Smaug enough excuse to grab his songbird roughly, and he sneered in delight to see her winch and gasp in pain. She, the source of his irritation, struggled against him, trying to pull away when he nearly dragged her onto the counter between them.

"You fear my touch, songbird? Is it because you still think of me as a man?" He hissed lowly, and watched as Raelynne continued her struggles as subtly as she could, admirably refraining from using her free hand to pry his away, not wanting to anger him further. She was quite confused and stuttered to answer.

"N-no. I'm not afraid of your touch, but–"

"So then you do not fear me?" Smaug cut off the lie she dare give him. Her fear was quite evident, he could taste it as it began to course through her veins. She could always be reduced to this simpering state, a pathetic girl who clung to the notion of humanity. She may be the last of her kind as he, but her race was lesser, weaker. They relied on tricks and magic, and while the dragons implemented these, they knew to rely on their own strength and power. After all the changelings blended blood with mortals, tainting themselves. His songbird had perhaps several generations of humans for ancestors, which made it something of a miracle that her better half still existed so strongly in such filth for him to have ever noticed. She herself was a lowly thief, an entertainer that needed the applause to feel validated and more easily believed herself to be human than something far more worthy of his time. This is what had held his instincts so that not even he knew the intent? Impossible, and yet, it was to his own shame and shame alone such had happened.

"I fear my master, whatever his form, for he is the same." Raelynne answered him finally, tiring so desperately to keep herself calm. Her separate blue and green eyes were wide with fright, and he could see her trying to calculate for what was her best course of action to placate him. His grip was quite strong, and with just a fraction more of force he would no doubt crush her wrist. The idea pleased him, though he knew his songbird to be undeserving of such treatment. She did so try her best to please him these days, and in many ways she did. Smaug however felt tricked, as if she had simply been trying to whittle her way towards making him weak with unwelcomed sentiment. Ridiculous notion of course, but he now despised her ability please him so easily, to flatter his pride. It was never easy to win a dragon's favor, but his songbird had found a way, and the reality of such was near shameful. He would admit to nothing of course. What turmoil stirred in his head had been brought on by his recognition of his new instincts towards her, but he was too proud to speak on the suspicion that he was correct. He guessed for a time he wanted his songbird for more than just her music that came with her title. She spoke sharply to him, with thought-out and inventive answers that at times could surprise him. He knew she withheld more challenge and he was continuously intrigued to push her further passed those limits set between servant and master, though always ready with a warning when she went too far. It seemed he looked for excuses to corner her and force her to speak, on her past, on her humanity, just to see how much she could take and how well she could resist lashing back. She had been a welcomed distraction to his many centuries alone, and maybe even craved for. The idea should have had him scrubbing his face with contempt, but even now he could not bring himself to regret his new-found obsession.

"How very pragmatic of you to say." He answered, loosening his grip till Raelynne let out a relieved whimper. She did not give him any further pleasure by pleading, but merely met his hardened eyes as calmly as she could manage. In truth, she wasn't as submissive or manipulative as the females of his race, who would coy and purr to mate with him, the strongest and wealthiest of the males, and that was part of the attraction he supposed. She did possess a sharp tongue and sharp mind, though often kept both at bay for fear of his response. And despite his earlier thoughts, he had to concede that she was beautiful, with hair of fire and skin of alabaster. She was the last of her kind, a rare jewel he felt no qualms in placing amongst his most prized of possessions, and she had the knack for amusing him. This preyed upon him, him and his isolation as the last of his own noble race.

Smaug then calmed, quite suddenly.

No doubt this quick change in his demeanor gave little comfort to his songbird, who had decided to still herself and wait for him to release her fully rather than slip away. Smaug himself was once more lost in thought as something that had never occurred to him before wound its way into his mind. Yes, she did do her best to please him, her mind witty and her body tempting despite the difference between them. Her kind was highly adaptable, proven by their ability to change shape, mate with beings outside their race, and balance themselves between air and earth as dragons did between sky and fire. Immortal, beautiful, shrewd, adaptable, with a spark of ferocity. The blood of a changeling was still quite strong within her, and though her relation to humans disgusted him, she was worthy, as far as last resorts go. He had called it design that she should find her way to him, would it not then be design to put such an impossible chance to use? She was his possession, why then could he not possess her in every way? His instincts sought to do so, but his reason saw that there was a practicality to it that would be most beneficial. She was here for him, there could be no other reason that such luck would have occurred otherwise. They were the last of their kinds, but as Smaug now began planning, perhaps it would not have to remain so…

Leaning forward, Smaug brought himself closer to Raelynne. She had calmed considerably, knowing that his change in behavior meant no harm would come to her, but she was still very cautious and confused. With his free hand, he plunged his fingers into her crimson hair. Twisting and playing with the soft strands, he saw Raelynne stiffen at the intimate contact. She looked as if she is trying her hardest not to move away. He leered at the expected reaction.

"Unfortunately, I doubt your sincerity my dear songbird. You must prove yourself."

Raelynne blinked, but otherwise kept her composure.

"What? How?"

Without her consent, he pulled her around the counter that separated them. He did so till she was a hairsbreadth away from having her body pressed flushed against his. She seemed to know what he had planned, but still was uncertain when he guided her captured hand to his face. Resting her palm against his cheek, he watched her flinch in surprise. He let her hand go, but held her eyes with the command that she not remove herself from him yet. Green and blue swirled with confusion, but did not protest. Smaug freed his other hand from her hair, leaving whatever happened next to his songbird, which clearly made her only more uncomfortable. Smaug decided to give her direction.

"See? There is no need to fear your master, songbird." He purred darkly. The conditions that applied to his statement were left unsaid, but it was not necessary. She knew not to cross him, run from him, disobey him, therefore she had nothing to fear. He would in fact, he would make her aware of the honor she was to have. Slowly, of course, for she was quite a skittish thing, and would require more delicacy than the females he had dealt with before. She would need to trust him if what he had planned was to work smoothly. Certainly he could force her, but once you take something you spend your entire lifetime trying to keep it, he of all beings knew that. No, it would be better for her to give. There was plenty of time, and would make for an interesting game till she was prepared. He wondered if it just might be the most amusement he had in years.

Smaug was dragged out of his thoughts however when Raelynne, much to his shock and amusement, moved her hand. She stroked the side of his face with a tenderness he had never known, even entangling her fingers into his hair as he did before. His chest swelled at her acceptance and willingness, but then all to quickly Raelynne pulled away from him. She was smiling, laughter pouring out of her like a birdsong, which under the circumstances he deemed highly unfitting.

"And what is so humorous, dear songbird?" He frowned, a growl of warning rumbling from him that she would scoff at him. His songbird did not mind him however, as she opened up her hand to reveal a golden ring. It must have been caught in his hair or on his horns, and he was rather surprised that he did not notice her slip it off of him. She herself looked quite pleased, and gave him a brilliant smirk of self-satisfaction.

"I still got it." She said with a wink.

~:o:0:o:~

Raelynne was confused. As days became weeks, the feeling only grew. She did her best to weather it, for she was nothing if flexible. But its source disturbed her, for it had been the one constant she had depended on. The dragon himself. Certainly, there had been changes when he took the form of a human, and with that she was still hesitant to casually accept. But now the dragon had done it again, this time with his actions.

In the dim light of the candelabras she had lit, Raelynne stood waist deep in heated, perfumed water. The bathing room was quiet except for her occasional motions to wash herself, but mostly she stood still, thinking. The past few weeks had been close to torment. The morning the dragon had accompanied her to the kitchen changed something, but she did not know what. It had started normal enough, as normal as anything between them could be. But she had crossed some invisible line when he suddenly became angry with her, but she had seen no logical reason for his sudden change in demeanor. She had done nothing wrong, and yet unjustly he had bruised her wrist, which only just healed. His words and actions frightened her, though she tried and failed to hide it. It seemed for a moment he took pleasure in that, and her hate for him grew unbounded. Every day that passed, he only proved more and more what an ugly beast he was. But in the next moment, when he had her touch his face…that's when the change occurred. She had managed to play it off with a jest, taking a ring from the tangles of his hair and horns, and had caused him to laugh at her skill for snatching. He stated he was impressed, as it was no small feat to take gold from a dragon, but she was certain he did not like the depth of her talent when he ordered her to refrain from using it ever again.

But from then on, Raelynne's days grew strange, or stranger. It was as if the dragon was testing her, or playing some sort of game with rules that were for only him to know and her to discover. It frustrated her to no end as suddenly the dragon's manner changed. He was…he…she could not bring herself to say it, it was so unnatural. He was almost kind.

The word left a bitter taste in Raelynne's mouth to apply it to the dragon, but it was true enough.

It started slow, as slow as the first wave of a fast rising tide. He spoke the same to her, taunting and harrying, still demanded her obedience, respect, and best performances, but there were little things, things that in her normal life would have gone unnoticed or unappreciated by Raelynne. Firstly, Smaug had Alfrid, for once proving useful, bring her a chest full of elven dresses for her to wear. They were easy enough to find, being stored in the same place Smaug had gotten his robes from, and despite how obvious it was the dwarves had wished nothing to do with them, Raelynne believed that they were the most beautiful clothes she had ever seen. Long sleeves, flowing hems, embroidered delicately, rich with silk and other such wealthy material she had not seen in many years. Every color dress seemed to be present, from dark greens to deep blues, and one there was one that was so white it was nearly see-through. That one Raelynne had decided to never wear, but it was such a joy to have clothes that fit her again. But Raelynne was not dazzled enough by the dresses to forget who had sent for them. Smaug even went so far as to compliment her appearance, especially when she had worn one whose color ran darker than blood. But he had never before dictated what she wore, outside of the trousers' incident, and till then never cared for the quality of clothes she had. It only served to make Raelynne suspicious that he would now, and so suddenly.

That however, was not the end of it. Smaug had told her that he would not take her outside of the mountain, saying she had a talent for landing herself in trouble. But instead he showed her the way to Erebor's gates. It took quite a journey to reach them, but when they arrived, Smaug led her up to the ramparts that rested over the great city's entrance. It was high, able to look over the tall ruins of the city of Dale before them and Laketown so far in the distance. The view of the land and forest left her speechless for quite some time, the sun and wind a pure delight. The day was cold, and Raelynne was sad to see the signs of summer coming to an end. It had been the beginning of spring when she had first arrived, so that put her time with the dragon to nearly half a year. Half a year of her life trapped in this wretched place. The dragon did not notice or care for her saddened expression as he explained that she could visit this part of the kingdom whenever she wished, the threat of what he would do to her should she try to escape not needing to be said. He would surely track her down before she could ever make it past Dale. She might have expressed gratitude or thanks to him for this stretch of false freedom, but not even she could not bring herself to act in that moment. She visited the gates regularly from that day on however, though each time she was forced back inside by the coming cold felt like a self-punishment. It was cruel to herself to look out over what she could not yet have. Perhaps that had been the dragon's intent in showing her the way, to punish her for crimes she had no knowledge of. But his strange acts continued when he caught a stag for her to enjoy, ordered Alfrid to find a fur cloak to fight off the cold, let her wander at will, all while remaining his ever charming and contemptible self.

It would not surprise me if he should soon give me flowers and sweets like some page boy in love. What is that serpent up to? Is he planning on coxing me into believing I am what he says? A changeling? It will take more than some dresses, but far be it from me to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if that horse is a dragon instead…

Raelynne slapped at the water. This was so confusing. She was supposed to be charming the dragon, not the other way around. It was as if it was no longer just she who was looking to lure him into trusting her, but reverse. It seemed foolish to think, but that was all that she could come up with to explain. No, this all was her own delusion. The dragon, despite these new lavish gifts, did not act differently. She would continue to act in the manner that pleased him, and should he bring up the topic of changelings she would just nod and agree. It was best for her after if she went along with his delusions, but she was adamant not to budge on that point. As for all these new gifts and treats, well, she will not fall for his tricks, he would fall for hers!

"I told you that I would be expecting you to entertain. Why are you not in the library?"

Raelynne tensed to hear a voice speak from behind her. She had not heard anyone come in, and was shocked at not only finding herself no longer alone, but naked in front of unwelcomed company. She did the only thing she could think to do.

"Aiee!" She shrieked as she plunged her body into the water. She sunk into the murky bath up to her neck, but reached to cover her chest just the same. With herself covered, she then turned to glance behind to see who had intruded upon her privacy. If it was Alfrid, she would kill him. If it was–

"Smaug?!" Raelynne yelped, eyes going wide to see the dragon in his human form standing near the rim of her bath, his dark robes pooled around him. He winched at the sound of her voice, frowning in displeasure.

"Curb your screaming. Your voice carries too well here."

"What are you doing here, master? You've never…you've…" Raelynne tried to keep her voice as calm and collected as she could, but she could feel a blush of indignation come over her. What she meant to say was that he never intruded upon her like this. Surely he knew what she as doing here? Or did that not matter to him? She sighed to herself; of course it would not matter to him, evident by what he said next.

"You were late. Quite ill manners you have songbird, making your master come to fetch you."

"You could have sent Alfrid." She told him exasperatedly. He tilted his head to one side noncommittedly.

"Oh, would you prefer him here in my stead?"

"I am just pointing out you that you did not need have bothered with troubling yourself." The way she spoke, she made it clear that it was she that was being bothered and troubled and she could have cared less for him. This of course was a mistake and no doubt tested whatever new limits Smaug had been allowing for. But Raelynne was humiliated and naked, two states she did not enjoy others seeing her in. Smaug did not sympathize as he glared down at her in warning.

"Tell me, do you find the hot water's effects so soothing that it addles your mind?"

"Well, it is very relaxing to the volatile mind. You should try it master."

At her words, Smaug raised an impassive brow at her. Raelynne's blush deepened and she had to look away. "I mean sometime when I am not."

She glanced towards her clothes longingly. The dress she had chosen to wear this morning was a low cut, deep emerald green with a golden belt, but right now Raelynne could not care if it was a burlap sack, she would be glad to slip on anything at this point if it was within reach. She could grab the drying cloth, but that was inconveniently on floor by Smaug. There had to be a way to get him to leave. His gaze was becoming unbearable. He had stated her modesty meant little to him, but surely he realized how uncomfortable he was making her with his blatant scrutiny as he watched her, almost as if he was analyzing her body. She started to shiver, though not of the cold.

"Is there something you need from me, master?" She finally asked, unable to take his silence and staring.

"Where is the necklace I gave you?"

Raelynne blinked in surprise. The dragon sounded quite irate, as if he had woken on the wrong side of his coin bed. She nodded her head towards her folded gown.

"By my clothes. I did not wish to get it wet."

"It was forged by the previous masters of this mountain, water would do it no harm." The dragon scoffed angrily, "You are to wear what I have given you at all times."

"Of course." Raelynne agreed. Why it mattered to Smaug that she wear the necklace he had given her while she bathed was beyond her reasoning. It was ridiculous to wear jewelry while bathing like she was some decadent queen. Not to mention inconvenient to the purpose of getting clean. In the silence that lingered, Raelynne began to squirm from the torment of Smaug's presence. Had he not said all he came to say? Why did he not leave already?

"Anything else?"

"Yes. You are to sing for me."

Raelynne nodded.

"Very well. Allow me a moment to dry myself in private and–"

"No, now."

Raelynne turned further to face Smaug, meeting his hellfire eyes. He looked quite serious, and so she waited for him to turn and leave. He must have eaten something foul, he looked positively seething. With a dragon in a sour mood she would have to dress quickly and think of something to sing to him that would calm him down, though sometimes there could be no helping Smaug's mood no matter what she did. But when Smaug did not budge an inch from where he stood, a horrible weight sank in Raelynne's stomach.

"Now? With you here?" She asked in pure dread. The dragon cast her a glare.

"Is that a problem, songbird?"

To say the least you foul, evil, pigheaded, awful, disgusting, conceited, ghastly, vile, abhorrent, indolent, abominable, bilious, uncouth, wicked, despicable, sinister snake!

"Yes, for me." Raelynne spoke with all her control, masking her rising fury, "I wish you would at least respect my privacy, master."

The dragon huffed at such a notion. "What privacy you are allowed is mine to give. You have nothing."

Raelynne flinched in indignity. She had endured plenty from the dragon, but never had her pride been so affronted. She did not know what she expected from him of course, but she never before had reason to suspect she would be made to suffer this humiliation at her expense. She hugged her chest tighter as an unwelcomed memory came to the front of her mind. A time when she was young, alone, and Doangeld had…

"No."

Smaug's expression hardened at her bold tone.

"Are you defying me, my songbird?"

She shook her head, unafraid to meet his gaze. "I will do as you say…but first you must turn yourself around."

"Why?" The dragon smirked wickedly then, "It matters little to me that you are bare. I am not a mortal man that will be made weak at the sight of your flesh."

The dragon had a point she supposed. He was a dragon after all, and not like a human male. She was not beautiful or tempting to him, not in the way she was to men. In turn then, it probably should not bother her as it did for him to see her. But no, that was not the reason for her embarrassment or refusal. This was a matter of pride, of a line she would not let him cross. She recognized this as a punishment, for what she did not know, but regardless it was certainly unreasonable. He owned her by force, but her body was still hers to control. And while he may be her master, ownership went both ways. It was time to see how well she held his favor, and if she could start to bend his will towards her own. This, while desperate, was an opportunity to do so.

"Well, I am a mortal woman, and it is only natural for me to shield myself."

"You are not a mortal–"

"Mortal, changeling, it doesn't matter because I am still a woman in the end." She interrupted him sternly. Smaug's eyes became bottomless with his rising anger and his whole demeanor had gone very still. This was probably a first for him, a lesser creature interrupting him. His eyes were full of threats and black deeds as he stared down at her from his spot towering above her. Raelynne realized it was not yet time for her to be able to flat out deny him. Quickly, she changed tactics and softened her gaze.

"Please, Smaug?" She asked, working up her shyness to her advantage as she pouted. She had to be careful not to seem mocking, and so thought to barter with him, "What if I danced for you today? As well as sing?"

At the promise of a dance Smaug's anger appeared to diminish somewhat. It had been a trick she had been saving for some time now. She had not yet willingly danced for him, his one experience being when he punished her for trying to escape. That was less of a dance and more of a flounder, but he only had himself to blame. That she was to offer willingly a new form of entertainment to him was no doubt a temptation for Smaug, who craved a great variety of performances. His anger seemed too far gone however, as he then snarled towards her.

"You will do whatever I demand of you."

Raelynne signed. It was hopeless. Her color deepened at the thought of her impending humiliation. Her own anger and hate for the dragon coiled within her, and she began to shake with the force of it. But she stilled when, slowly but surely, Smaug looked away from her. He did not turn, but his gaze was averted, casually inspecting his clothes and claws. Raelynne did not know if this was his complying with her request, or simply becoming bored. She decided not to question it. Without the effect of his eyes upon her, she found herself able to move to grab her drying cloth. Quickly she distanced herself to the other side of the bath, and exited. Immediately she wrapped herself, patting herself to quickly dry. Her hair was in a bun at the top of her head in order to keep dry, so she freed it. In this moment her blush wildly painted her cheeks as she tried not to care as Smaug seemed not to. He did not even pay her the least attention, instead picking off a piece of lint from his robe. For disliking human fashion, he certainly took care of his appearance. There was not even a single hair of his out of place. Perhaps he brushed it?

The thought made Raelynne chuckle, and she proceeded to dress herself, mindful to keep herself covered as best she could. She had tested new limits and would no doubt break new ground with her dance for him. Already she began to scheme what song she would use as she knotted the last ties of her bodice and slipped on her necklace. Fully dressed, she breathed easier, and rotated to face Smaug. Seeing her turn, he glanced towards her impassively.

"I am done." She smiled. Smaug's eyes traced her up and down, as if he needed to confirm what she had just said. He did not say anything however, but turned to walk away. Raelynne made to follow him, but his pace was difficult to keep up with. He still seemed to be in a cross temper despite her compliance. It would need to be a very special song then if she was to change his mood. In a short time they were in her library, but Smaug did not halt till he was at her divan. Without a care he reclined himself upon it, completely at his leisure as he impatiently waited for her to begin. Raelynne kept back another sigh, this time annoyed. He was like a wild sea, brewing one moment, calm the next. But this was not the time to reflect on such, she had to pick her poison, or rather instrument.

She walked over to her table, wondering which would be best. Inspiration came to her when she saw her tambourine. Of her collection it was her newest instrument, and she rarely ever used it. It was a circle of wood embedded with chimes around the border, with a tight skin drum over the middle. She had decorated it with long ribbons so that when she danced with it, it would add to her movements. It had been a gift, in lieu of pay when she had traveled with a troupe of eastern gypsies and had performed with them while they went through several towns. Many people scorned them as evil and heartless thieves, but Raelynne admired the gypsies. They knew how to have fun and work up a crowd. She accompanied their women in their performances, and had learned not only better pickpocketing techniques from them, but also a new kind of dance. It was nothing like she had ever done before, and rarely repeated since first learning it. It was…well, even for her it was somewhat scandalous. To preform it alone in front of a crowd, especially a crowd of men, was dangerous, as it was known to be somewhat provocative and induce moral scorn. But with just Smaug it would be harmless, and she had been wanting to preform it for some time, if to make certain she still knew how. It was her favorite form of dance, and to have a safe audience to preform it for was too tempting to resist.

The matter settled, Raelynne picked up her tambourine and kicked off her shoes. Being too angry with Smaug still for humiliating her, she decided that she would view this as practice, and shut her eyes. It was a technique she implemented to improve her balance and knowledge of a routine, and here served to cut out the source of her irritation. Her usual flutter of nerves was worse than normal, no doubt out of memory for what had occurred the last time she had danced. But she would not let the dragon ruin this for her however, and so she began.

She started slow, imagining the pluck of strings and beats of drums. Coming into stance, she spaced herself in the middle of the large rug that was before the dying fire she had forgotten to feed. Immediately her mood started to improve. Dancing, to her, was like turning back the clock, traveling and returning to a previous life full of joy and simplicity. She embraced the music in her mind and let the dance take control as she started to move. She found herself in a different world, forgetting where she was and who with. She needed this as badly as she needed to breathe. She began to shake and strike her tambourine and sing.

Here in the twilight,under the moonlight
I feel your hungry eyes.
Drums in the distance, echoes of madness
Around the firelight.
In the heartbeat of the night!

Her entire being moved with a purposeful clarity as she began to walk her impromptu stage. With each stride she made, her memory recalled precisely what was next in the dance and eagerly tensed. The lines of her body twisted and moved with base instinct. Under proper instruction, women could know the works their hips could accomplish with the right swish and sway with confidence and control, and Raelynne employed these expertly as the eastern women had taught her. It was not an innocent dance, said to make men stumble, but she loved it for how natural it felt for her to move in such a way. The contours of her body obeyed the routine she had learned, and yet moved of its own accord. Her body twisted in the serpentine motions as she implemented her arms, legs, hips, and chest to compel the grace she was uniting with seduction.

Hey, hey, hey!
Till the break of day
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Hey, hey, hey!
Dance the whole night through.
Nothing gets between
The dancer and the moon!

As the routine became more complex, Raelynne opened her eyes. With her mood so improved, Smaug did not matter anymore. He was behind her, still lounging on the divan. She saw how the dying fire bathed everything in pink and red light, embers smoldering desperately. It had been so long since she had felt a peace like this, almost as if she was reclaiming something lost. Her body strained against invisible binds as she changed the tempo. Leaning heavily backwards in a position most unorthodox, she looked towards Smaug to gauge his reaction. She stilled as gasp to see his face looking quite fierce, and he was scrutinizing her blatantly. His eyes raked over her body, becoming intense in their stare. A feeling spread over Raelynne then, a touch of white fire running through her veins. When she managed to catch his eyes with her own, she intently held them as she continued.

Follow me closely, arms wrapped around me,
Life is a sweet, sweet wine.
Glittering gold as stories unfold,
Those secrets are lost in time
To the heartbeat of the night!

The tempo shifted again as she struck at her tambourine with new fever as she repeated the chorus. Her limbs tangled expertly, her legs breaking into piercing leaps and kicks, the hem of her dress flowing after the motions like green leaves caught in a wind. And all the while she held Smaug's eyes, breaking contact to spin only to capture them again and again. There was something in them, a black thing she could not recognize as his usual malicious or scorn. An endless depth of smoke and darkness. Approval? Praise? Hunger? Did he like this dance she was giving him? She had no way to tell, but the feeling of white hot continued to spread in her as she crouched low, bending back till her body curved like a taunt bow as the dance dictated. She felt free in her wild motions, and moved cleanly with passion, like fresh water. His careful attention and study of her left her feeling intoxicated, as if she had never been more desired in her life. It was a senseless feeling, perhaps a dangerous one, and her breath became strained as it grew.

Master of fate how you captivate me,
Filling my one desire.
Two of a kind with one state of mind,
You've set my whole world on fire!

In the heartbeat of the night!

And with that, the dance stopped, the song at its end. Raelynne finished kneeling before the divan, dress splayed about her. She was panting and felt beads of sweat on her brow. Her bath from before had been made pointless as she felt the heat of her exhausting exercise, her skin flushed. Her heart was beating unrestraint for her efforts, prolonging the rush she felt. But she could not make herself regret it, not even as she continued to look at Smaug. Something in him had changed, he was no longer angry or irritated with her, but she still could not identify what had taken its place. But she took it in as if it were better than a roar of applause. Despite everything, the dragon was her greatest audience, giving her such raw emotion till she could feel his praise. But something other than pride for her well performance drifted in her, something just as unidentifiable as Smaug's new expression. Something dark, and covetous.

He leaned forward then, a roguish grin spreading to show his sharpened teeth. His voice came as a deep, and sinuous whisper.

"Beautiful…"

~:o:0:o:~

"I heard you the first time worm." Raelynne sneered at Alfrid. The man was being insufferable, but that was hardly a change from the normal. Everyday his caterpillar like brow seemed to grow only woolier, and with luck would cover the whole of his face soon. The rat of a manservant paid no heed to her words.

"You hear me, but do you listen? No. Smaug wishes for you to wait here. And no wondering off." He repeated the message from their master. Alfrid took every word from the dragon as law, and it appeared there would be no shirking his responsibility. The dragon had grown tired of Raelynne's tendency for being late to perform for him, and so pestered her by sending Alfrid to hound after her. This day the dragon had gone hunting, and expected her to await him in the treasure hoard upon his return. She could understand not being late, but forced to be early with a rat for company? The dragon was clearly punishing her. Since the incident at the bath yesterday, he acted as if she had wronged him somehow, though she still did not know what she had done. Perhaps she took things too far in her demands for self-respect? Yes, no doubt. The dragon would not let her even have that much dignity to her, claiming that she had nothing for her own. He could think that all he wanted, but her thoughts were certainly her own, and right now they were concentrated on hating the little man before her.

"Is your brain as thin as your hair? I said I heard you, and I'll obey. Just get out of my sight before I get sick. Oh, too late." Alfrid flinched at her smirk and jest. The man shook with fury. Raelynne felt no fear of him. After he had last tried to assault her, to which she taught him a proper lesson, he had not tried anything more than mere threats and insults. Besides, to see a bruise upon his songbird that he himself did not place would not go over well with Smaug. He liked her pristine for his cruelty alone.

"Mark my words, you little bitch. I will make you pay."

Raelynne laughed at the dark glare the rat man was giving her. "Try it, and I will break your nose again, and Smaug will gut you."

Alfrid then smirked, putting up a false show of confidence to the truth Raelynne spoke. He knew very well he could not lay a hand upon her, lest he wished for his remaining unbroken ribs to remain unbroken. But he would not let that be the last of it, and made to deliver one last barb.

"You think you hold so much sway over him? He will tire of you one day."

The young woman scoffed. She did not deny that it would very well happen that one day, soon or in distant future, the dragon would no longer find her as entertaining. He had said that she had nothing to fear from him, and till then she had never believed him to tell a lie, but that most certainly was the first of many no doubt. It did not matter that she was the last of her kind in his mind, a prized possession. She was not immortal, she would not appear the same in ten years, twenty. But no matter how it was put, for now she was the favored of the two.

"Not before the day he tires of you. How can a rodent compare to a bird?"

That seemed to have done it. Alfrid was livid with anger, and with a sharp turn marched away from her, muttering curses. Raelynne however was feeling quite smug, and slowly began to walk the edge of the hoard. It had been some time since she had last been left alone in the trove without the dragon. She recalled the exact spot in which she had awoken to her new nightmare, the day she first met Smaug. Odd how nostalgic she felt for that day, nearly half a year ago. How changed she was, for better or worse she hoped to never know. She strode past the spot determinedly. While she was here she might as well put her time to use and explore. Despite it going exactly against what Alfrid told her, she wanted to wander to see if she could discover another way out. She would not be to foolish to try and escape, no, that would be hopeless, but it would do her no harm to know the labyrinth that was Erebor better. Just because the dragon did favor her didn't mean that Alfrid was wrong in saying the dragon would tire of her. If that ever became the case, or she crossed too far one day in testing his limits, she would be better assured of a chance of survival if she had a means of quick exit. Course, none of that would be necessary if she could do away with him before he did away with her.

Raelynne snorted. It was beginning to become clear to her that, as much as she hoped, planned, hated…it was impossible. How could she do it? From all her reading and stories, all she could determine was that Smaug could be harmed with the Black Arrow, but how could that possibly help her if she had no way of finding a Black Arrow? If what she read is true, then there are supposed to be no more in existence, the last used on the Red Dragon. Her only true hope was to find the scar where the last had marked him and hope that her simple dagger could do the rest. She doubted she could just ever ask him where he had been struck, which would be suicide, so then she would have to find it. As dragon or man, maybe it was possible, probably easier with him as man, as all she would need to do would be to get close, get him to disrobe somehow…

Stopping on the height of a mound of gold, Raelynne felt a heat spread across her cheeks. The thought of how was quite obvious if Smaug was a true human, or moreover man. It would only be all too easy if that was the case, but the thought left her feeling quite embarrassed. She pushed on, walking over the next hill of gold. But that was not how it was. Smaug was a dragon. An ancient beast she was planning to kill, if even that was possible as man or dragon. It seemed to her using magic to maintain his human like appearance took energy, he only capable of it for a few short hours. Why did he not stay a dragon then? Raelynne would much preferred that. He made sense as a dragon, as she knew what to expect. This new form, it, well, she did not know how to be around him, even after so many weeks. Had he been just an ordinary man, she could run circles around him, manipulate him and steal him blind. As a dragon she knew to give him his respect, her reverence, and obedience. But again, this new form, she did not know how to treat it. He wasn't a human, not a man, so she should not react to him as such. Even so, there was something different about the dragon of late. The gifts, the attention, the way he looked at her after she danced for him…if he was a man she would know what to call this change of behavior. If he was a man perhaps she would then know what she had felt in that moment, breathless and exhilarated, a rush of something that still beat within her every time she thought of how he watched her so intently, adorningly. The feeling, it was new, and a part of her wanted it again, and she hated herself for it. But he wasn't man, he wasn't and to compare him to a human was impossible, and so she was best leaving her emotions unidentified. She could not afford any weaknesses, even if she did not feel weak for such thoughts, but felt exhilarated–

Raelynne put a hand to her eyes, something blinding from the corner. In her thoughts she had wandered to a part she had not been, and with it came something quite strange. Shielding her eyes, she got closer. It was a remote part of the hoard, one she had passed over time and time again but never thought significant. That thought made her laugh, a mound of gold and jewels becoming insignificant. How the thief in her still itched to stash her own little hoard, sewing pockets into her dress and storing jewels in her boots. Old tricks, but it brought a smile to her face. As to what blinded her, she was quite curious, and made her way over.

A space had been cleared to the ground, coins bedded around a stone pedestal. There was something upon it, hidden beneath a dark cloth but despite such still shone brightly. What light it could possibly be catching down here in the dark was unimaginable. The light almost seemed to be coming from whatever was under the cloth itself, as if it were alive. Curiosity had Raelynne wrapped around its finger as she strode closer. The object beneath the cloth was oval in shape, and as she had guessed, from it shone a strange light, one that almost seemed to be reaching out to be touched. Raelynne felt her instinct for self-preservation come up, but it was shoved down by her greedy curiosity. What would be so valuable that Smaug would hide it all the way over here, even go so far as to give it a place of honor? Slowly, cautiously, she gripped the cloth, then pulled it away.

It was a stone to crown all. White and gleaming, it shone out with a beauty she had never known. She had heard of stones called opal that shone with all the colors of the jewels combined, but to say such as an injustice to the beauty before her. The stone burned with every color under the sun, a hard diamond that held within it all possibilities of darkness and light. It was a globe with a thousand cut faces, shining like silver in firelight, like water in sun, like snow under stars…it was perfect.

Something fierce and jealous took her, and Raelynne found her hand stretching out towards the stone. It was so beautiful, no wonder the dragon honored it. She had never seen anything so glorious in all her life. The first flower of spring, the first song she ever learned, the day her sister came into the world, this rivaled all. It was large, large enough to fill the space of her palm generously, and she wished to feel it's cool face against her skin. She wanted to clutch it, to take it, keep it. Smaug had said she was a part of his hoard, why, he would let her keep it if she asked. No, no he wouldn't. He would not give it to her, him, a greedy beast hiding it away under a cloth in a desolate corner, where its beauty went hidden but for him. No she would find it a better place, a place where it could be appreciated, admired, loved–

The moment Raelynne's finger brushed faintly against the cold stone, something merged at the contact. It flooded within her, filling her up like an empty shell. It took her longer to realize what it was that was consuming her, but when she first began to scream she knew all too well. Pain. It had a naivety that she had never felt before, as if she was feeling for the first time a purge of sin that knew no end or limit. Its savage, bitter cuts went to her bones, gripping her mind with freezing claws. Her heart constricted in its wake as if not sure if it should go on beating. She wanted to feel a light to shatter herself against, to break this endless ache. Her voice was becoming lost, raw, and now it was all she could do to breathe. She could not break away, something beckoned her not to. A voice? Hers? No, a man's. Whose? She could not tell, but he was speaking her name. The sound of him calling followed her down into a darkness she never known...

I would like to announce that this story will now be on hiatus for a while!...haha, got you! Just kidding, I wouldn't do that. I said I wouldn't do it. Put the swords down, put it – ah!

Alright, bad joke is bad, but yeah, cliff ending. Silly Raelynne, thinking it was safe to dance for Smaug. Silly, silly girl. Far as I can tell, Raelynne's got some unresolved conflicts with her inner-self, and she is beginning to doubt if she can bring herself to kill the dragon. And Smaug, that sneaky dragon seems to be planning something for our poor Raelynne. I would like to make it obvious by stating that Smaug is not in love with Raelynne as of yet, but definitely has some lusty feelings! ^/^

And though people have commended me for writing a slow story/romance, I would like to know if anyone thinks this is too soon for Smaug or if anyone is OOC, just my usual self-doubts. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I had writing it! Oh, and for those wondering, I will be explaining more about changelings in the next chapter.

In our next adventure, Smaug discovers his songbird unconscious and sick, forcing him to tend to her. Raelynne battles madness, remembers her father, discovers a lost part of her past, and deals with an overbearing dragon.