Blackfoot

Chapter 22

Selene's first reaction wasn't to look up for the dragon, instead her focus suddenly shifted to Thorin, only to find herself confused.

Thorin was there, except there was something wrong, something was different about him and she couldn't pinpoint what.

She still felt relief hit him once he realised she was okay, but it didn't last long, as if he was too strongly conflicted between two emotions.

A whine left her involuntarily.

Tilda looked up at her.  "I really want to go home now."

Selene dragged herself back to the moment, looking at the frightened girl in her arms.  "I don't think we will have that option little one."

Sure enough, the dragon roared once again above them.

"He plans to destroy the town."  Selene breathed, watching as the beast soared overhead.

The bell started to ring.

It made Selene's head hurt, an extra ringing in her ears she didn't need.

"We need to go."  Selene said quickly and started to run.

But Tilda squirmed in her arms.  "What about Sigrid and Bain and Da!  We can't just leave them!"

Selene was forced to put her down for a moment, crouching in front of her and cupping her cheeks.  "Listen to me Tilda, if I could get you all out safely, I would, but the dragon is close-"

As if on cue, Smaug unleashed a fiery breath on a distant part of the town, screams filling the air.  Tears poured down Tilda's face.

"Look at me!"  Selene said quickly.  "My friends are with your family, they will get them out, okay?  You have to trust me.  I need to get you to safety."

Tilda doesn't seem to know how to respond to this so Selene pulls her into a hug.

"Please trust me."  She begged.  "Holds onto me, close your eyes and don't let go."

Her heart hammering, Selene waited until the small girls arms wrapped tightly around her neck, her face burying against her.  Selene held her close and started to run.

Dragon fire erupted in front of her,  Selene stopping ans turning her back on the flames to protect Tilda,  before running again, leaping across several boats to get to another path.

People were screaming.

Memories burned before Selene's eyes and she almost buckled with a desperate growl.  Now was hardly the time.

Working through the pain, she kept moving, leaping again just as Smaug took out the path behind them.

Tilda was shaking in her arms and Selene held the child tightly, fear making her heart beat too fast.

Pain gripped her again and this time she did buckle, sliding down just as the dragon took out the building above.

Selene still didn't count herself lucky.

Looking up, the paths around were in flame, the water alight with an angry, orange glow.

Her gaze moved to the rooftops.

"Tilda, I want you to hold on tight okay?"  She said, the child's arms tightening.

Once again forcing down the pain, Selene ran and leapt, making it clean onto the roof.  She paused briefly to get her balance before she started to run.

She made out a boat in the water, Fili, Kili and the others all carefully inside, working through the flame lit waters.

Her momentary relief almost meant she was caught off guard.