A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. I went to see the new Star Wars movie last night and I was up late processing all that in my brain. Wow. Just wow. Faith restored there. :) Thanks to the new followers! I'm guessing chapter 20 didn't sit well with many of you since no one reviewed. I hope this chapter will make up for it. We're coming into some very difficult stuff and I've already shed copious amounts of tears; I hope it translates into good chapters. Please let me know what you think. I'm already going back and starting to do some tweaking and revising on earlier chapters based on reviews and PMs so please let me know if something doesn't work.
Since Christmas is next Friday and I will be at church pretty much all day Christmas Eve, chapter 22 may not be ready until Sunday. I hope everyone that celebrates has a truly blessed and fantastic Christmas.
As always, the genius is all Tolkien's and PJ's. Only Rhae belongs to me.
The sound of bells ringing in alarm and people screaming filled the air. Some were frantically trying to load what possessions they could into boats. Others simply grabbed their family and ran, hoping to make it to the long bridge that connected the town with the shore before the dragon was upon them. Tauriel and Rhae stood on the balcony, watching the night sky. A huge shadow passed above them and the two females looked at each other grimly before entering the house.
"We have no time. We must leave," the ellath ordered.
Bofur hurried to Kíli's side with Fíli. "Get him up."
"Come on, brother."
"Come on, come on, let's go!" Bofur urged.
"I'm fine, I can walk," Kíli told them, taking a few tentative steps.
"As fast as you can," Tauriel said, heading for the stairs.
"We're not leaving, not without our father," Bain argued. Rhae waved the elf and dwarves down the stairs before turning to the boy.
"If you stay here, your sisters will die. Is that what your father would want?" After a short pause the boy shook his head and followed Tauriel and the dwarves down the stairs.
"Give me your hand," Fíli said to the two girls, helping them onto the unsteady boat.
"Come on," Bofur urged. "We gotta go!" Rhae was a bit surprised at how anxious the usually calm dwarf was, though she supposed the approach of a fire breathing dragon could have that affect.
The ellath was no less eager to get away. "Quickly now. Hurry!" When Kíli was finally aboard they pushed off and began to pole their way down the canal, chunks of ice floating by them. There was a roar of wind rushing at them as Smaug swooped low in a pass over the town. All around them was screaming and chaos. Rhae watched the serpent as he soared high in the sky again then turned and dove for the town, his chest beginning to glow orange. As he reached the outside edge he unleashed his first strike on the helpless citizens, a long trail of fire flashing its way from one side of the town to the other. The screaming intensified though it now contained the wails of agony from those caught in the inferno. Another flash of fire burst through the town, consuming another section of buildings. Tauriel never faltered, keeping their boat moving carefully through the water, though her face betrayed the dismay she was feeling. Smaug flew over them again, another line of fire devouring more of the town. The flames were on both sides of them now, Rhae could feel the heat on her face. It was unlike any heat she'd felt before, searing even from a distance. It seemed anything it touched was turned to ash within a matter of moments. Her heart bled for the people of Lake-Town while she tried not to think about what had happened in the mountain. She wrapped her arms around Tilda who was shaking next to her.
"We are going to be alright," she whispered to the little girl, though she had her doubts at the moment.
"Look out!" Bain yelled. He wasn't quick enough. The front of their small boat slammed into a much larger one, passengers on both yelling at each other to be more careful. Tauriel and Rhae managed to push the two apart without capsizing themselves.
"Move it! Move it! Come on, faster!" a disgustingly familiar voice bellowed. The Ranger looked up into the panicked face of the Master. His barge was loaded down with all manner of gold and treasure. "My gold! My gold!" He continued to cry as a few pieces slipped over the edge, disappearing into the dark water. They didn't hang around to see what the greedy man would do. Rhae would've dearly loved to shove the Master into the lake. Another rush of wind signaled the approach of the dragon, much lower this time. It seemed he was no longer satisfied with hitting the buildings, now targeting the terror stricken citizens as they tried to flee. They were passing under a low footbridge and Tauriel grabbed the edge to keep them hidden until the serpent had risen into the air once again. The children stared at the burning town, tears in their eyes as they watched their home consumed, not knowing if their father was okay.
"Da!" Bain cried suddenly in alarm.
"DA!" Tilda screamed. Everyone turned, searching for what the two children had spotted amongst the flames.
"There!" the ellath said, pointing to the roof line. Bard was outlined in the orange glow of the burning town, bow in hand as he shot another arrow at the dragon.
"He hit it! He hit the dragon!" Kíli exclaimed.
Tauriel looked doubtful. "No..."
"He did! He hit his mark! I saw!"
"Even if he did, his arrows cannot pierce its hide. I fear nothing will," she replied sorrowfully. The occupants of the boat looked down disconsolately as the she-elf resumed poling the boat down the canal. Rhae pulled Tilda to her again, seeing the despair in her eyes. She took Sigrid's hand and squeezed comfortingly. She knew how it felt to lose one's father.
A sudden movement at their side drew her attention and she looked up, horrified to see Bain leap for a hook hanging over the boat, swinging clear and landing on the dock they were passing. Fíli tried to grab for him but missed.
"What are you doing?" Bofur called.
"Come back! Bain come back!" Fíli yelled desperately. He didn't want anything to happen to these children that had been entrusted to their care.
"Leave him! We cannot go back!" Tauriel stated.
"Bain!" Tilda tried to pull from Rhae's arms but the Ranger held tight. They watched as Bain wove his way towards a cluster of boats, digging around in one, before bolting away towards where they'd seen Bard, something long in his hand.
"The black arrow," Rhae murmured in amazement. She had forgotten all about it in the chaos of the past couple of hours. As they followed the curve of the canal, she lifted her eyes to where Bard was still silhouetted against the burning town, sending up a plea to the Valar that Bain would get to him in time.
The company stood on a boulder strewn overlook, watching in horror as the dragon swooped down upon Lake-Town. When the first blast of flame struck, Bilbo felt like he was going to be sick. They were down there - Fíli and Kíli, Oin and Bofur, Rhae and her unborn child - while he and the rest of the company were helpless onlookers. He could only hope they'd had some warning, giving them the chance to escape.
"Poor souls," Balin muttered with a sad shake of his head. He was next to Thorin as the holocaust unfolded before them. The elderly dwarf glanced at his king to gauge his reaction. The other members of the company were watching him as well, their hearts hurting for him. Ori was openly crying and even Gloín's cheeks were a bit damp. Thorin's face was blank though there was agony in his eyes. He felt numb, helpless as he watched his wife, his One, and their child die. She would've stayed with Kíli and there was no way his nephew would have been able to move quickly enough to escape the flames. His hand clinched until his knuckles turned white as pain shot through his whole being; he struggled to keep from crying out. He swayed a bit and Balin reached out a hand but he waved it off. As he watched those he loved most in the world burn he grasped for all he had left - the mountain. The throne. The gold.
With a last look at the burning town, he turned on his heel and marched back to the mountain. Balin caught the look in his eyes as he left and the dwarf sighed. If Rhae had perished in the inferno they had lost the one thing that could have kept Thorin from succumbing to the gold sickness.
The little boat carrying the dwarves, Bard's children, Rhae, and the she-elf finally cleared the burning town, turning in the direction of the far shore. Some other boats, some of the few that had managed to escape the fire, headed in the same direction, but the going was slow. The heat from the flames was still burning their skin. The girls had their heads in their laps, their shoulders shaking with their sobs. Rhae sat between them, her arms around them both. The dwarves looked at her sadly. She just took a deep breath, trying to process all that had happened that evening, all that had been lost. Until they could reach the mountain there was no way of knowing if Thorin was even alive, though Smaug would surely return once he was finished with Lake-Town. Then there were Bard's children. If their father didn't survive she would take them with her; she'd take them to Rivendell before she headed west to the Blue Mountains and Dis as Thorin had requested. There was no way she could leave two young girls alone.
"Stryker," Tauriel whispered. When the Ranger looked up, the ellath nodded her head back towards the town. They weren't so far away that they couldn't see Bard and Bain at the top of the bell tower, facing the approaching dragon. Smaug was perched on top of the building, slithering his way towards the two, and seemed to be -
"Bloody hell!" she exclaimed, startling the others in the boat. "The damned snake can speak!" Everyone turned to where she was staring.
"Da?! Bain!" Sigrid cried.
They watched as the beast inched closer, crushing buildings beneath his claws. He seemed to be having a conversation with Bard. While they were close enough to hear Smaug speaking they couldn't make out his words over the roar of the fire. Suddenly the beast lunged quickly at the bell tower and Rhae spotted the flash of the black arrow as Bard released it. She held her breath as she followed its trajectory. Time seemed to slow almost to a crawl as it headed towards Smaug - and then it sunk into his chest up to the feathers! The dragon let out a roar of pain, careening into the bell tower, and Bard and Bain were lost to their view. The force of his movement caused him to roll and slide through the town, destroying everything. His body slammed into some stone remains of ancient Esgaroth, halting his slide. He struggled to fly, beating his wings frantically, and finally managed to lift himself into the air.
"What happened?" Tilda asked.
"Your father hit the dragon," Bofur said in awe. All eyes were turned to the sky, watching as the dragon writhed and wheezed in pain. He didn't make it far. He seemed to hang there for a few seconds, the light in his eyes and the fire in his chest going dark, and then his body plummeted to the ground.
"Hurry!" Tauriel ordered and Fíli and Bofur grabbed the two oars and began paddling away from the town. Smaug's body crashed into the burning buildings, sending a large wave out along the waters of the lake. It hit their boat, rocking it hard, but luckily not capsizing them. There was silence as they stared at the smoke billowing up from the center of the town.
"Is it dead?"
"Yes, Tilda, it is," Rhae told her. "Your father killed the dragon." Everyone in the boat smiled in relief except the two girls.
"Did Da and Bain make it?" the little girl asked. Rhae felt her shoulders slump slightly.
"I do not know but they will find us if they did. We will go to the far shore with everyone else and wait there," she finally replied. She honestly had no idea how the two would've survived the fall from the collapsing bell tower but didn't voice those doubts.
It was early morning before the boat of refugees reached the shore. Survivors were scrambling onto dry land, wreckage washing up among them. There were screams of pain, screams of people looking for family members. Tauriel helped the girls from the boat and then began walking up the shore with them. Rhae and the dwarves lingered by the boat. Lifting her eyes, she saw up and down the shoreline was a writhing mass of chaos. She looked around helplessly as people pulled bodies from the water, sobbed over a lost loved one. Some of the wood that had floated up was still burning, a testament to the unnatural heat of dragon fire.
"We have to start for the mountain," Fíli told her quietly. She nodded though a frown crossed her face. He was right but she hated the thought of leaving the girls alone. "The elf can look after the girls. They will come to no harm while she is with them." Rhae hesitated then called out to Tauriel. The two females conversed quietly for several minutes, Bard's girls watching from one side and the dwarves watching from the other. The ellath nodded and Rhae turned to Sigrid and Tilda.
"You are leaving," the older girl said simply.
She nodded. "I have to. We have to get to the mountain. We have to know if the rest of the company survived." Sigrid seemed to understand but Tilda wrapped her arms around Rhae's waist, asking her not to leave. "I'm afraid I have to. Tauriel is going to stay with you until you find your father."
"What about you? What if...what if your dwarf did not survive the dragon?" Sigrid asked.
"Then I will return to the west, to the Blue Mountains, where Thorin's people and his sister live." She looked at the older girl. "If the worst has happened here, I will take you with me. I will not leave you alone to suffer, to try to survive this harsh winter with no one to protect you." The two looked at her in amazement.
"You would do that for us?"
"Yes, Sigrid, I would." The girl nodded with a slight smile on her face, then put a hand on her younger sister's shoulder.
"Thank you for your help, Stryker, and good luck on the rest of your journey. I hope you find what you're looking for in the mountain."
"As do I." She gave the girls a last look before hurrying back to the water's edge, grabbing a side of the boat to help the dwarves push it back into the lake. Noticing Kíli wasn't with them, she glanced back over her shoulder, spotting him in conversation with the she-elf. Trying to conceal a grin of amusement, she turned back to the boat, only to notice Fíli watching her with a similar look on his face.
"Good luck explaining that one to your uncle," she told him quietly with a laugh. He simply shook his head then called out to his brother.
"Kíli, come on. We're leaving!"
They watched as he spoke to the elf a moment longer before placing something in her hand and finally running to the boat. He splashed through the water and vaulted over the side as they slid free of the shore, keeping his eyes locked on Tauriel as long as possible.
"Alright then. Let's get a move on," Bofur said cheerily, paddling at the water with a shovel he'd found in the wreckage. Fíli and Kíli took the oars and they slowly left the survivors of Lake-Town behind. They weren't sure how long it would take them to get to the mountain. First they had to cross the lake and then make the hike to the Front Gate. The company had originally figured it would take around a week. Rhae hoped it wouldn't take the five of them longer than that. They had been separated long enough.
The trip across the water was smooth and quiet, the air full of the smell of smoke. The group in the boat were too exhausted to engage in much conversation, overwhelmed by what they'd just gone through and what was still ahead. It was right before sunset when the boat once again scraped along the gravel of a shoreline. Camp was quickly set up for the night. They ate sparingly from the few supplies they'd managed to save before rushing from Bard's house. Bofur overrode Rhae when she said she'd take watch that night.
"You need the rest more than the rest of us." She let him have his way though she made it clear things would be different the next night.
They made good time the next day, covering several miles. She'd been concerned about Kíli's leg but he didn't even have a limp. Oin checked it occasionally, marveling at the wonder of elvish healing. After a dinner of some dried fruit Oin, Kíli, and Bofur drifted off to sleep quickly, leaving Rhae and Fíli staring into the flames of their small fire.
"Copper for your thoughts?"
She looked at him in surprise, having been so lost in her thoughts she'd forgotten he was there. "Just remembering and worrying."
"Interesting combination."
She chuckled. "This just reminds me of the beginning of our journey, those nights around the campfires. All that's missing is Bombur's stew. Things still seemed so...simple then. I'd return to those times if I could."
"I suppose the reality of what we were facing hadn't set in yet, at least for most of us. We only had a vague idea that we had to deal with a dragon if we made it to the mountain. I don't think we ever really thought about what we were going to do once we got here."
"There's so much uncertainty now. I'm worried about what we'll find in the mountain."
"We can only hope the company has been able to help him fight the dragon sickness," he replied quietly, understanding Rhae's unspoken concern.
"And if they didn't - didn't survive," she stumbled over the words. "What will you do?"
"What do you mean?"
"It would be your throne if they didn't make it, Fíli." He jerked in surprise, a frown under his mustache.
"The child you carry is now Thorin's heir -"
"And many, many long years away from being of an age to assume such a role." She could see the thought playing on his face. It hurt for her to imagine such things but the words had to be said. "You must prepare yourself and we will just hope for the best." They were silent for several more moments.
"The two of you are such a cheerful bunch," a voice piped up from the other side of the fire.
"By the fire late at night is when I do my best brooding," Rhae said with a chuckle. Bofur sat up with a smile.
"Well it does wonders for a dwarf's slumber."
"Sorry about that," Fíli told him, not sounding a bit sorry in the least. Bofur pulled his small flute from a pocket in his coat and began playing a gentle, soothing tune. Before long Rhae felt herself nodding off, her mind finally quieting enough to allow her some sleep. The dwarf smiled over the edge of his instrument, glad his plan to get her to rest had worked.
Dawn broke over the edge of the horizon early to find the small group already on their feet, packing up their small camp, eager to get on their way. Rhae could feel the eyes of the dwarves on her as she fastened her sword at her waist and looked at them with a brow raised in question.
"The four of you obviously have something you want to say."
"We were just noticing how, ah, how different your hair looks this morning," Bofur told her, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"Yes, quite different," Kíli chuckled. Fíli didn't say a word but she could see his mustache twitching slightly as he tried to hold in a laugh. She frowned, reaching up to run her hands along her hair, only to find that someone had managed to weave twigs into the long braid down her back. From what she felt under her fingertips, she could imagine that she looked rather like a porcupine. She fought to hold back the laugh that wanted to escape her lips.
"It will become all the rage in the mountain and all the dwarrowdams will strive to replicate it," she told them loftily, though the sparkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement. The dwarves laughed, especially Bofur who was thrilled to see her eyes sparkling again and to hear her laugh. He knew the weight she felt on her shoulders. To their delight, she left her hair as it was, not removing the twigs until a day and a half later, reminding them constantly that she would be setting a new fashion. Their pace was steady and they traveled longer into the nights. Occasionally Rhae would look back the way they had come, watching the still smoldering ruins of Lake-Town far beneath them, and hoped that Sigrid and Tilda had found Bard and Bain. She didn't look behind very often, keeping her focus on what lay ahead. Fíli seemed to come into his own on their journey, leading them onward, encouraging when their steps faltered, keeping a close eye on his brother and making sure she was okay. She felt a surge of pride for the prince; if only Thorin could see him.
Their meager supplies dwindled. While they were able to refill their water skins there was no way to replenish their food. The land they trekked through was barren and gray, not a hint of life to be seen.
"It was not always like this," Oin spoke up. "All this land, all the land around Erebor and Dale was green and fertile, teeming with wildlife."
"What happened?" Kíli wondered aloud.
"Smaug happened, laddie." Rhae could see the concern cross the princes' faces at the healer's words. After all these years and still nothing grew. They came upon the ruins of Dale after dark on the fourth day, deciding to camp for the night, and make for the Front Gate early the next day. The darkness hid the devastation around them but it was revealed in all its horrible glory in the light of morning. Though eager to get to the mountain, they all just ambled through the ruined streets of the city.
"It was a beautiful and prosperous city, always full of merchants," Oin told them. "Dwarves from the mountain would set up stalls in the streets, selling their crafts to all." They halted in the middle of what had been a small town square, the charred remains of a children's carousel in front of them. For some reason this upset Rhae worse than anything they'd yet seen and she urged her companions on, wanting to get away from the grim reminder of so many young lives cut tragically short.
It didn't take them long to cover the three miles between Dale and the Front Gate of Erebor. Rhae could see how magnificent and imposing it would have been to all entering the mountain. But now? All the chatting and singing ceased as they stood facing the destruction before them, shock and fear on their faces. The remains of the gate were scattered all over, thrown a great distance when Smaug had smashed through to attack Lake-Town. A huge, gaping hole loomed above them. After a moment they shook off their trepidation and sprinted into the mountain.
"Hello!" Bofur called. "Bombur? Bifur? Anybody?" They ran through the halls, looking for any sign of their kin. Even in their haste, and despite the piles of rubble and cobwebs, Rhae was able to take in some of the magnificence that was Erebor. It was massive, the high columns carved in intricate detail. The marble of the walls still beautiful. It truly was the greatest of all the dwarf kingdoms in Middle Earth. As they started down a staircase, determined to start searching the lower halls, a voice echoed behind them.
"Wait! Wait!"
"It's Bilbo! He's alive!" Oin exclaimed.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" The hobbit cried, hurrying down a smaller set of stairs, coming up to them, out of breath and panting. "You need to leave. We all need to leave."
They looked at him in confusion. "We only just got here," Bofur replied, voicing their thoughts.
"I have tried talking to him but he won't listen."
"What do you mean, laddie?" Oin asked the hobbit.
"Thorin!" The word reverberated off the walls around them. He lowered his voice. "Thorin. Thorin. He's been down there for days. He doesn't sleep. He barely eats. He's not been himself, not at all. It's this - it's this place. I think a sickness lies on it." His words caused Rhae to go cold. While Bilbo was talking she noticed Fíli looking past him and down, his face wrinkling in consternation.
Kíli stared at the hobbit. "Sickness? What kind of sickness?" His brother wasn't listening and walked past the group, hurrying down more stairs, going further into the bowels of the mountain, leaving Bilbo and the others to follow him.
The hobbit tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen, continuing on as a golden light began to light the walls ahead of them. They rounded a corner and came to an abrupt halt. They stared in awe at what was before them. Gold. Rolling hills of gold, gems, and treasure as far as the eye could see. There were flames burning in braziers but the gold gave off its own glow. Rhae was speechless; she'd never imagined the treasure trove of Erebor was anything like this. It was overwhelming.
"Gold," a serpent like voice whispered, the word echoing in the vast cavern. She shivered at the sound. "Gold beyond measure. Beyond sorrow, beyond grief." Movement caught their eye and they spotted Thorin walking slowly through the mounds of coins as if in a trance. It took a moment but he finally noticed the four dwarves, hobbit, and female on the landing above him. Rhae uttered a small gasp when he raised his eyes to them and she swayed slightly. Elrond's worries, Thorin's own fears, Bilbo's warning mere moments before all shrieked through her head. She was too late. She shook her head slightly, trying to deny what was in front of her. Fíli glanced at her in disbelief.
"Behold the great treasure hoard of Thror," Thorin's voice continued and Rhae watched the disbelief change to horror on Fíli's face. She gripped his arm to steady them both. With a lightning quick movement Thorin reached down, picked something off the pile, and hurled it with perfect aim at them. Fíli caught it easily.
"Welcome my sister-sons." His gaze slid to Rhae. "Welcome my queen." He held out his arms. "To the Kingdom of Erebor." He gazed up at them with gleaming eyes then turned, hands clasped behind his back, and disappeared behind a pillar, never saying another word.
Rhae felt rooted to the spot, a chill overtaking her. Bofur looked at her sadly. There was no denying the truth - Thorin had fallen. Bilbo bowed his head a moment as the newcomers took in the situation.
"Come. The rest of the company is this way." They followed the hobbit in silence. She felt as if the weight of the mountain was on her shoulders. She had promised him she would stay by him and help him fight the darkness. But in her absence, an absence he had insisted on, she had lost him. Was it even possible to bring someone back from the clutches of dragon sickness? She wished Gandalf had not left them.
"Balin!" Bofur called as they walked into what was possibly some kind of council chamber in better days. The elderly dwarf was seated at a long table, Dwalin by his side, and the two looked up in shock. Dwalin ran over, gripping Bofur in a tight embrace as Nori called out and ran down a few steps to hug Kíli. Bombur and the rest of the company rushed in from one side and there were several moments of hugs and greetings. Both groups had been sure the other had perished and so it was a joyous reunion.
"Wait, where's Rhae?" Ori asked, his voice panicked, freezing everyone where they stood. They all turned and noticed she hadn't moved from the doorway. She simply stood there watching them, her face a blank. Balin, however, recognized the despair in her eyes and his heart ached for her.
"You have seen -?" he asked quietly, looking at Fíli.
"Aye."
He looked back at her. It seemed like she could crumble at any moment. Surviving the dragon's attack, the long trek to the mountain, and then discovering Thorin in his madness, baring all that in her condition - he was amazed at the strength she possessed to hold herself together.
"Rhaella, my dear, come, rest." He put an arm around her and helped her to a chair. "You lads as well." She did as she was told, too numb to really register what was being said. The members of the company that had been in the mountain scurried around to bring water and food to the newcomers, questions flying from both sides. Those that had been left behind in Lake-Town wanted to know what had occurred with the dragon and those that had come first to Erebor wanted to know about their escape and the death of the beast. Rhae was silent. She couldn't find the strength to contribute anything to the conversation. All she could think about was Thorin and the fact that she had lost him. The one thing she had promised to do, stay by his side and help him fight the dragon sickness, she had failed at. Exhaustion came crashing down on her and she swayed slightly in her seat.
"Come with me," Balin said gently at her side, putting a hand under her elbow to help her to her feet. "We have been sleeping back here. We've started clearing out some of the chambers but the search for the Arkenstone has taken up much of our time." She only nodded miserably, letting the dwarf lead her to a room where there were bedrolls arranged around a large fireplace. He pulled several blankets from a pile by the door and spread them out for her. She thanked him and laid down gratefully, curling on her side while pulling her cloak around her. Balin watched her sadly for a few moments before heading back to the rest of the dwarves. Rhae lay staring into the flames for awhile before her fatigue finally pushed her eyes closed, the image of Thorin's dark, glazed stare burned into her memory.
Revised/Edited April 2016