Note: Hi all! Apologies for the delay! Here's Chapter 14!

Chapter XIV

"I need you to protect my children", Bard said. "I promise I will guard them with my life", Eruanna told him without hesitation. He mouthed "Thank you", and ran out the door with his son behind him.

A little while later, the Princess heard Sigrid scream. An orc came onto the scene with two of his companions. "What the hell!?!", Eruanna shouted as she fought them off. "Get down!", Sigrid yelled at Tilda.

Eruanna's dragons burst out from under her cloak and enlarged themselves. The orc stopped dead in his tracks as they unleashed fire on him. Eruanna unsheathed her blade and sliced another orc that came in. An orc followed after and Eruanna went to kill it.

Suddenly, Tauriel swooped in and stabbed the orc in the neck. "What the hell are you doing here?!?", Eruanna shouted.

"An orc pack is here", she said.

"What in the name of-", the Princess snapped back. "Where is my father?"

Just then, Eruanna's father, Legolas, jumped in. "Eruanna!?! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing!", she called. Together the elves killed off the orcs in quick, swift movements. Not a single orc escaped them.

"You killed them all", Bain said in awe.

"There are others. Tauriel, Eruanna", Legolas called to the elleths.

Tauriel and Eruanna looked down at Kili. His breathing was ragged. The poison was certainly taking its toll. Bofur hadn't even come back with the Kingsfoil yet. Eruanna couldn't remember the incantation needed because there was so much going on in her mind. Oin check Kili's wrist.

"We're losing him", he said, anxiously.

"Tauriel. Eruanna", Eruanna's father called again before turning to leave.

Eruanna made her way to the door to look for Bofur but the dwarf turned up in front of her with the Kingsfoil. "I've got it!", he said, holding it up to her with a grin.

Eruanna grabbed it and went inside to give it to Oin but Tauriel took it. "Athelas", she breathed.

"What the hell are you doing!?! Give that to the dwarves!", Eruanna snapped.

"I'm going to save him!", Tauriel said. "I know how. Go and help your father!"

Eruanna usually didn't trust her but she could see Tauriel was serious this time. The Dragoness merely nodded to the group and left to follow her father. Her dragons accompanied her as they always did. Eruanna ran to help her father who was facing off against the lead orc. Legolas drew Orcrist and they advanced on each other. Suddenly two orcs came out of nowhere. Eruanna quickly slit their throats. Legolas looked at her in shock.

"Eruanna!?!", he cried out. "I'm here!", she called to him. She killed the two orcs and they exchanged glances.

"Eruanna, it's dangerous!", he said.

"I've faced worse", Eruanna said and ducked as the lead orc swung his mace at her. They continued fighting him and he pushed Eruanna's father onto the ground.

"Ada, your nose", Eruanna said. His eyes widened and he wiped off the blood, looking at it in horror as if he had never bled before.

"Come on, we must go", he said. She followed him but then suddenly stopped and turned around. "Adar!", Eruanna called. He stopped and looked in Eruanna's direction. They saw a bright orange light.

"Smaug", Legolas realized. "The dragon that took Erebor", Eruanna whispered. "He's here."

"Tauriel", my father said, worriedly. Suddenly, Smaug flew over us and I heard the terrified screams of people. Smaug then lit the town on fire.

"We have to go!", my father shouted. The Prince knew staying for long wasn't worth it, even when Tauriel was gone. "Of course we do! Do you think it would be wise to stay here and burn!?!", Eruanna shot back.

She watched the people of the town pile into boats and spotted Tauriel with the dwarves and children. "Tauriel!", Eruanna shouted. Her father looked and saw them. Eruanna then heard five roars and looked to see her dragons, waiting for her command.

"Tauriel, bring the children and the dwarves here. We're leaving", Eruanna called. Tauriel nodded.

Eruanna knew she was asked to bring down the dragon. The best thing she could do was keep her promise to Bard and keep the children and the dwarves safe. They would use some of the dragons to flee and Eruanna would take her best fighters and deal with the dragon herself.

"Where are you taking us?", Fili asked. "Away from here", Eruanna said. She looked at the children. "Where is your brother?", Eruanna asked, noticing Bain wasn't there. "He went to help our father take down the dragon", Tilda answered, eyes gleaming with tears. "What!?!", Eruanna exclaimed.

"We can't wait for them", Tauriel said, quietly. "We'll die if we do."

"Climb on a Helegiel and Faroniel and hold on", Eruanna ordered, motioning to the two dragons. Ceveniel, Helegiel, Naurion, Faroniel and Sûlion enlarged themselves. "What if the dragons don't let us?", Kili asked. "They will. It's my order", Eruanna responded. "But Naurion and Sûlion will stay with me, as well as Ceveniel. Helegiel and Faroniel will bear you to safety."

"You cannot-", Legolas began, but his daughter turned to him, a fire in her eyes. "I can. And I will", she responded. "I have to bring down the dragon. If I don't do it, I highly doubt anyone else will. I was brought on this quest to help kill the dragon. I don't break my promises unless I absolutely have to."

"He'll kill you", Legolas countered.

Eruanna stood tall. "Never underestimate an elf father. Especially not one with dragons", she smirked. "There have been many Elven Lords, Elven Ladies, Elvenqueens and Elvenkings... but there is one Dragoness in this world and that title belongs to me. After this day, none shall forget that."

Legolas saw the fire in her eyes and grieved, he knew he could not persuade her otherwise. Faroniel and Helegiel allowed the group to mount them and they took off. Eruanna climbed on Ceveniel. Ceveniel, Naurion and Sûlion jumped into the air with roars that shook the forsaken town.

Smaug turned around and his eyes widened in horror. "No... it cannot be... the Dragoness."

"Yes", Eruanna said with a grin. "I am here to remind you who rules the skies."

"You cannot! You think your dragons can beat me! They are smaller than me! They are younger and naive", the dragon's voice grew menacing as he turned his attention away from the village. Bard and his son, Bain, were on a tower watching the whole thing unfold. Bain had ditched Tauriel and his sisters to retrieve the black arrow his father had entrusted to him and help Bard. Eruanna nodded to them before focusing on Smaug.

"They are", Eruanna conceded. Her dragons were about as big as a mountain but not the size of Smaug. "But there are three of them and one of you."

Naurion and Sûlion struck hard and fast. They released a massive fire storm on Smaug. Usually, he would be resistant to fire but the fire of two elemental dragons combined was too much for Smaug to bear. The dragon of Morgoth roared in agony as his scales began to melt. Urging himself upwards, he roared right back at the dragons, releasing orange flames. However, Naurion and Sûlion avoided the flames and Smaug was met by the flames of Ceveniel.

Smaug reached up and bit one of Ceveniel's back legs, whilst choking on smoke. Ceveniel roared in agony. Eruanna grabbed her bow and an arrow and shot Smaug in the eye. Smaug roared and released Ceveniel, only to be met by the furious wrath of Sûlion who dug into Smaug's chest with his claws, making the fire drake roar in pain.

"Enough of this!", Smaug boomed. He turned his attention to Bard and his son, Bain, on a tower with a black arrow in hand. Bard had made a makeshift bow and used his son's shoulder to steady the black arrow. The fire drake raced towards them. Just then, Bard shot the arrow which hit its mark.

Smaug felt the arrow pierce his chest. Years ago, Girion, Lord of Dale, and ancestor of Bard, had struck him in the exact same spot, knocking off one of his scales. Bard's arrow struck the same place. Roaring in agony, Smaug shot up in the air, gasping for breath. Then all life faded from his eyes and he fell down with a deafening crash.

Bard and Bain fell from the tower as it was destroyed in Smaug's wake. Eruanna and Ceveniel swooped in, catching them both.

"Thank you", Bard gasped out.

"That dragon fight was the best thing I've seen in my life", Bain added.

Naurion and Sûlion followed Ceveniel out of the destruction and traced the scent of their siblings.

"You helped us", Bard said to Eruanna. She smiled back at him. "The hero is you, Bard. For it was not me who shot that arrow."

Bard was left speechless but with newfound respect for the Dragoness.