Hello once again! I'm surprised I reached my goal so fast so thanks to everyone! Special thanks to likarian, killthepain62 and Else Everdeen for being loyal readers and reviewers! AND please check out killthepain62's fanfiction called Welcome Home, I'm a fan and I recommend it.
Disclaimer: I do not own the hobbit or it's characters, I do however own my own characters and the artwork I put into the series.
Chapter Sixteen: Dragon's Fire
A scream tore Lian from her thoughts, causing her to notice the sudden shadow that flew over the town, large wings spanning over several houses as it passed. She immediately knew what beast was about to lay terror throughout this town and quickly ran back inside the house. "The dragon is attacking!" She bellowed, not wasting time in grabbing her weapons which had been kicked around upon the ground.
"We have to get out of the Lake-Town quickly or else we'll be burnt alive." She scrambled to usher the dwarves and she-elf out of the house as several loud screams pierced the cold night air. The she-elf helped steer the stumbling Kili down the stairs and into the boat bellow as Lian quickly gathered Bard's children.
"Be careful." The she-elf mumbled to Kili, helping the dwarf step into the boat while the rest of them quickly fill in the boat.
The town was chaotic; people were screaming and running around frantically trying to escape the town before the dragon could attack. The lake was clogged with boats, keeping the traffic slow as people try and stamped one another. That was when the first spray of bone charring flames came down upon them, igniting the houses like they were nothing but straw. Screams of pain mix in with the ones of terror, sending a new wave of panic through the town as more flames rain down upon them from the belly of the mighty dragon.
Suddenly they slam into a rather large boat, mounds upon mounds of gold toppling off the boat and Lian saw a rather portly man with a balding head and fur coat atop of the boat. A lankier fellow stood next to him as several others row the boat through, not even caring who they hurt in the process.
Lian steadied Oin upon his stumble, kicking off the larger boat so they could pass by and out of the barricade it caused. Suddenly Bain jumped from the boat, causing his sisters to yell out in protest at their brother's uncanny moment of recklessness.
"Damn it." Lian cursed, handing Fili an ore.
"Steer them out of the town, make towards the shore and go north through the forest. Ya'll find a group of soldiers there, tell them I sent ya." She ordered.
"Where are you going?!" Fili asked, grabbing her arm to keep her from running off.
"I'm going to make sure Bain doesn't get himself killed, I'll meet ya at the campsite." She explained, she knew it was a bit reckless on her part but she couldn't just let the boy run off and possibly die when she could do something about it.
"You'll die." Fili reasoned, trying to keep her from leaving but she took the dwarfs hand firmly and looked him directly in the eyes.
"Then I can die knowing I won't be forgotten. Yer a great man and will become an even better leader, Fili. Keep yer brother and the rest safe." She gave the dwarfs hand one more final squeeze before leaping from the boat in the direction Bain went, faintly hearing Fili's protests over the roaring fire and screams.
She spotted the lad jumping from a boat, an iron arrow clutched in his hand as he raced through the flaming town. Lian followed him quickly, attempting to catch up to him but the boy was quick on his feet and she fell behind.
She was just about to jump over a gap in the boardwalk when a taller watch tower fell over, flames rolling off the structure as it snagged on the house across from her. The building quickly goes up in flames, a woman's scream piercing through the roaring fire along with a babies wail.
Lian felt her heart twist, knowing if she didn't go now that she'd loose Bain's trail but she couldn't just leave them to die either. She had to make a choice.
Taking a deep breath Lian leapt, skidding to a halt right in front of the blazing building and she felt like her metal plates were about to melt right off her. Quickly she charged through the crumpling structure, shielding her face from the flames with her arms.
Once inside the flaming building she quickly patted out a few flames that had caught her clothes, looking around for the child and woman. She didn't see them upon the lower level so she ran up the collapsing stairs, letting out a yelp when she singed the back of her calf in the process.
The woman had to be no older than Lian, with fiery red hair that nearly blended into the surrounding flames. It took her a few minutes to realize that the woman on fire, clutching her baby tightly to her person as she huddled over it protectively.
She tried to rush over but a support beam had fallen in her path, caving in the floor between them as the house began to sag with lack of support. The woman looked up then, big brown eyes meeting hers with fear reflecting in the shining orbs and Lian saw the tears streaking down her face.
"Save my baby!" She screamed; desperation dripping in her voice and Lian suddenly didn't care about her fear of heights or that the woman's side of the building was slowly collapsing, bound to fall in the water any second now.
With a yell Lian jumped, colliding with the burning floor and she clenched her teeth as she slid down the sloped floor towards the woman and child. The momentum of her body wouldn't be able to stop considering the entire outer wall to the house had fallen off on this side, making way for a sheer drop into the water.
Lian made to grab for the woman but the woman quickly stepped out of the way, handing her the bundle she'd been so desperately protecting. Her eyes meet the woman's for a slip second, the once fearful look now full of relief, relief that her baby had been saved.
Before she can even try and grab the woman again her foot met the edge of the house, causing her to divert all her attention to pushing off the flaming building and into the solid one across from them. She clutched the bundle safely to her chest, curling around it as she collided with the outside of the other house, grunting when she bounced off the side and landed on the board walk below.
Lian gasped, trying to regain air in her lungs from the collision as she rolled to her knees; the burning house she had just jumped from falling into the lake then, spraying water everywhere.
She panted, watching the ruins sink to the bottom of the lake along with the mother of the baby she held now. The child had grown silent in the midst of everything, concerning her that maybe the child had gotten hurt but once she looked down she saw the child was fine.
Two blue eyes stared up at her, reflecting the flames that surrounded them while a mop of curly red locks adored its head. The child was beautiful and Lian knew it would grow up to be quite attractive to the opposite sexes eye.
Quickly she snapped out of it, hastily pulling the sash around her waist off and wrapping it around the child as a makeshift sling. She hastily ran back the way she came; knowing that she'd have no way of tracking Bain down even if she wanted to. May fate be with the boy.
Smaug continued his assault on the town, thundering voice rumbling the whole lake if felt like as she ran, making way for the bridge connecting the town to the main land.
Relief flooded her when she saw the bridge still intact, hurriedly running with the child safely tucked close to her breast, breathing coming out labored as she pushed on. Once she reached the main land she turned, watching the dragon stand in the red glow of the burning town, forever engraving it's terror in her heart. Turning she made for her father's campsite, hoping the rest managed to get there safely.
Several minutes passed of her wandering through the dark of the forest, a few times running face first into trees and she was beginning to grow increasingly worried. The child's cheeks had grown cold to the touch, the harsh winds easily cut through her sash and the thin blanket surrounding the child.
Panic crept up on her, worried that the infant might be in the midst of catching pneumonia but eventually she saw the glow of a fire and the mummer of voices in the distance; causing her great relief. She quickened her pace and within minutes she broke through the tree line, catching the many eyes of the people residing within.
"Lian!" Fili cried, relieved to see her actually alive and she's sure Kili would have been too if he had actually been conscious at the moment.
She doesn't waste time in greetings though, rushing past her companions and to the campfire; taking a quick seat on an open log closest to the fire.
"Give me a blanket." She called, quickly removing her shoulder plates in order to remove her thick coat; sliding the semi-warm fabric over the child. The cold air sent a chill through her flesh, wearing nothing but her wool sweater but she cared not for her own comfort at the moment.
"What is that?" Bofur asked, peering over her shoulder along with several others as she's handed a thick wool blanket from a guard by the name of Trelkin.
"What does it look like?" She mused, relieved to see the rosy color once more adoring the infants round cheeks.
"Why in the world did you grab one of those?" Oin recoiled, having caught a look at one of the child's crystal blue orbs and scrunching his nose.
"I was trying to catch up to Bain but a watch tower fell in my path and I lost him but I heard a scream from the house it fell on, a woman was burning alive in order to protect her child." Lian paused, looking down at said child to feel her heart tug or understanding and sympathy for it, they'd both never meet their mothers due to the cruel fate of the world.
"The woman begged me to save the child and though I tried to save her too; she refused and only wanted me to make it out with her baby. Sadly her sacrifice saved us, she was already on fire and I wouldn't have been able to jump carrying her and the child."
"That makes the child an orphan?" Fili asked.
"I didn't see a man alive nor dead." She explained, cradling the child to her breast in a motherly manner. Was it selfish of her to wish the child to be an orphan so she could keep it? She felt connected to it and already she could see herself raising the child as her own and happily so. She knew that it would be unfair though if they did indeed have a living father to take care of them.
She felt a warm hand touch her shoulder, causing her to look up into the tender eyes of her father. She felt the wear and tear of her journey suddenly weigh on her, making her feel so tired plus emotional though she dare not let it show.
Standing she was taken into her father's warm embrace, still clutching the child close to her person as she felt a moment of vulnerability. She wished it was Thorin holding her, that he was the one comforting her and holding her together.
Stepping back, she sucked it up; deeming now to not be the time to weep or show weakness in front of others.
"I'm sorry I couldn't return with yer brother." Lian said to Sigrid and Tilda, knowing the girls must be terrified on what state they'd find their brother and father in; if they'd find them at all that is.
"At least you saved someone." Sigrid smiled sadly, trying to think positive despite the situation and Lian walked over to the young lass.
"Don't lose hope when there is still even the slightest to hold on to." She reassured her before holding out the child in her arms to Sigrid.
"Can ya please take care of the child for me? I don't believe it'll be safe with me at the moment." Sigrid took the child with a nod, gently rocking it while Tilda tried to peer up at the infant. The young lass certainly looked more suited holding a child than Lian did and this sent a pang of envy through her.
"Smaug is still alive, we need to post look outs along the shores in case he decides to burn the forest down too." Lian explained, shrugging her coat back over her person while facing the rest of the group.
"We won't be able to make it out of the forest if he does." Fili reasoned.
"Let us move everyone to Dale, I'm sure that there are underground caverns to hide amongst under its ruins." Her father suggested.
"We can move everyone to Dale but we'll still have at least two people to watch Smaug's movements. I'm sure the rest of Lake-Town will be taking refuge there after the attack so we can help them with the wounded." She said, not leaving much room for any other suggestions.
"We move towards the ruins of Dale, let the women and injured ride the horses." Her father called out.
Lian paused before she moved to prepare, seeing the she-elf gently picking up the unconscious Kili with a certain amount of affection. There was indeed something between the elf and dwarf, Lian couldn't be sure if she was amused by the relationship or worried. Kili was a prince to an ancient dwarven kingdom and she worried on how his kin would react to his choice of a lover but then again, who were they to judge? Life is too precious to be wasted on the opinions of others.
She turned away, finding it rude to spy on the pair and moved towards her father to discuss their course of travel.
"It would be best to travel close to the lake, we'll at least have a chance in the water and the lookout won't have to travel far to inform us on the dragons course of action." She explained, hastily fastening her shoulder plates back in place; securing both her weapons to a new strap she grabbed from the weapons bag they carried.
"It'll take the rest of the night to reach Dale." He explained and she gave him a curt nod, wanting to reach safety as soon as possible.
"I'll take up one of the look outs." She offered, keen in watching the dragon that had started it all, the reason she met the dwarves and had to go through so much just to be here. All so they could destroy the dragon that took their home and killed thousands of their kin.
"I rather you stay within my line of sight." He started but she quickly cut him off.
"I won't be but half a mile away from ya, don't worry so much." She reassured him.
"Luke, take up the second lookout." Her father called towards the said man, Lian not being able to help but cringe at his choice of person. She wasn't even aware that he had come along until now and cursed her father to the deepest pits of a hell for calling upon him; he knew how she felt about him.
"Thanks a lot." She grumbled but her father ignored her complaint as the bulky brunette joined them, towering over her by a foot or so.
"Keep low and keep safe." Her father cautioned them, mounting his horse as the company began to move along through the forest in a neat line.
"Come on." She grunted, striding off towards the shore and silently praying she somehow lost the man in the dark. Luck was not on her side though as Luke began to walk beside her, far too close for her own comfort.
"Ya know…ya gave us all quite a scare when ya didn't come back." He started, his voice setting her nerves on edge immediately. His voice wasn't unappealing, his accent actually making it even more attractive nor where his looks horrible, in fact he was quite handsome and was often sot after by the young lasses back home. Lian however had never been impressed, the man was far too arrogant and his ego was nearly as big as his brawn. She had once felt an inkling of sympathy for him when his mother died of a severe fever one winter but now, not so much.
"Aye, so I've been told." She answered in a clipped tone.
"Ya should have just stayed home, that way ya wouldn't have felt obligated to help these dwarves out." He huffed; obviously displeased that she had gone off to join the prideful group of dwarves.
"I don't feel obligated to do anything, I'm here on my own free will, mind ya." Already had she grown cross with the lad, seconds away from snapping off on him like she usually always did. He always knew how to get on her nerves and she only wished that he would have been one of the many things that were left home.
"I'm just saying, dwarves? Come on, ya could have thought of a better reason to stay away from me." That was the last straw.
"Ya think I actually came on this adventure to get away from ya?! How self-absorbed could ya possibly get?! Yer mistaken if ya think that I'll ever marry an arrogant jackass like ya!" She bellowed.
"Oh but dear, we're already arranged for marriage, it seems like yer time with the dwarves made ya forget that." Luke chuckled, leaning over her shorter self but she only scoffed at his attempt to make her uncomfortable.
"And if I marry another?" She challenged and his grey eyes narrowed, setting a scowl upon his handsome features.
"Yer father has already given my yer hand in marriage." He growled, grabbing her wrist but she jerked it away sharply.
"Ya lie, my father is no fool. My hand is my own to give, filth." She hissed, a snarl threatening to rip from the back of her throat. She felt vile just being around the man, maybe it was because of his attempts to be romantic or maybe it was the fact that her heart was held by another, either way she didn't want to be around him any longer.
He glared down at her for a moment before relaxing, an arrogant smirk once more taking its usual place on his face. "Don't tell me ya've fallen for one of the dwarves." He mocked and this made her freeze, cold rage beginning to boil in her stomach.
"Oh dear, it seems ya have." He let out a puzzled laugh, coming to stand behind her trembling form; leaning in to breathe into her ear.
"I wonder how he'd react if I told him of all the passionate nights we spent together."
Lian spun around, ready to clock the lad but he grabbed her wrist, already predicting her move from previous attacks she'd made on him.
"I never did such a thing!" She roared, completely livid that he would make up such an outright lie.
"He doesn't know that though." Luke laughed, a look of smug victory on his face, assuming he'd won and had some sort of black mail to hold over her head. Looking down she gritted her teeth, shoulders shaking and he leaned in closer, thinking she was shaking with sorrow and defeat. Sadly for him she brought her head forward, slamming into his nose and causing him to yell out in pain as blood gushed down his face within seconds.
"Ya think that's supposed to scare me!? To hell with ya! I'll never marry ya, I'll never care for ya and I'll never love ya!" She spat out before stomping away.
She could hear his curses but she ignored it, enraged by his overall existence, somehow in the middle of everything he'd found the time to piss her off and bring up a subject she'd all but forgotten in the last few months. She wanted to strangle him and be done with the whole issue, though not like it was that much of a problem. She'd never agreed to let him have her hand in marriage.
Finally she reached the shore to see the red glow of Lake-Town in the distance. Smaug had landed in the middle of the inferno, catching her attention for it looked as if he were speaking to something or someone. In a sudden lunge, Smaug took off; he spiraled into the air over the town with a roar that seemed to shake the very core of the earth. Shocked, she watched as the best fell into the great lake with another roar, disappearing within the waters, dead.
She'd just gotten there and he'd died, just like that the dragon that had tormented so many just fell out of the sky like a fly. She couldn't believe it, it sent her into an awe like trance but she quickly snapped out of it.
The dragon's dead. Smaug has fallen.
Relief blossoms inside her and she let out a laugh, turning to race towards the rest of the group and within minutes she saw them trotting along in the forest, only the moon shining down upon them.
"Smaug is dead! He's dead!" She called, panting as she came to a stop in front of them, excitement buzzing through her like electricity.
"I saw it with my own eyes!" She breathed.
The dwarves look at one another before a cheer suddenly broke out as they hug and laughed with one another, Fili even came over to spin her in a bear hug. She laughed breathlessly, joy rolling off her as they celebrate
"How did it die?" Bofur asked and she only shook her head.
"I don't know, it just fell from the sky like it was struck with something." She sair and they leave it at that, not dwelling in the details.
"We'll still have to head to Dale to help the people of Lake-Town." Lian called out, eyes twinkling in joy and with that they continue on their way to the ruins of Dale.
She barely noticed when Luke returned, too busy joining the dwarves in their almost drunken like singing of cheer; echoing throughout the forest as they moved along to their destination, only the moon lighting their way to their temporary safe haven.
How Lian and the Dwarves are feeling:ヽ(´ー`)人(´w｀)人(`Д´)人(`o)ノ
Kili: *¬*