Heart Of Gold [Book 1]

Prologue - Smaug Has Come

Prologue - Smaug Has Come

The northern wind was blowing strongly through the narrow streets of Dale. The young girl began to walk faster, although she knew not of what she was afraid. Yet she felt an ache inside her, making her heart beat faster, and her feet shuffle more quickly across the stone. As she made it out of the city, she could see the pine trees blowing on the mountainside, and the guards bustling around over the large gate. Then a strange calmness took over the valley, and nought could be heard but the whistling of the wind.

The ache she'd felt bloomed again in the pit of her belly as she heard a familiar voice shout from ahead. "Dragon!"

Her movements were brought to a halt by the freezing of the blood in her veins, and she felt the roar of the terrible beast before she actually heard it. She shut her eyes as if trying to rouse herself from the terrible nightmare she found herself in. But when she opened her eyes, the gates of Erebor were riddled in flames. This was no dream; it was the reality.

She heard screams of terror all behind her and she slowly turned around, only to see an enormous dragon destroy the city. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run, but she was stuck there as she looked at the dragon burning and destroying everything in its path. Finally, she mustered all her courage to run the last stretch of path that led her to the gates but was stopped by the dragon getting closer and closer to it. Dania decided to hide behind a rock on the side and prayed to Mahal that everything would be alright. She heard more screams and roars, this time coming from inside the mountain. She was breathing heavily as she closed my ears and crawled in a ball and waited for everything to be over. She wanted her family, she wanted her father. Oh, how she hoped they were alright!

Seconds that seemed like hours passed and she slowly turned around and peeked her head over the rock. She saw many dwarves come rushing out of the mountain. She stood up when she saw her father running beside Thorin.

"Father!" Dania shouted as she ran faster towards him. He looked around, relief evident in his eyes as he saw his only daughter. Alive and unarmed by the dragon's fury. He opened his arms, and she jumped into his comforting embrace, tears spilling from her eyes. She couldn't believe he was alright, she was so relieved!

"Where is your mother?" He asked his daughter and both their smiles fainted immediately. She looked up at him with a confused look. "I thought she was with you..."

"No, father. She stayed in with grandmother. She sent me by myself to go to the market..." The young girl told him and looked around, but she couldn't find them. "Father! They are still inside! We have to go get them!" She shouted but he just looked at her with sad eyes. Understanding that he would not go inside to go get them, She started to run towards the gates but was stopped by two strong arms wrapping themselves around her waist.

"You cannot go inside. It is too late." Prince Thorin's deep voice told her but she tried to get out of his grip. She could not leave them there.

"Let me go!" She screamed but he would not let go. Her father took her in his arms and she looked at Erebor in flames as she cried and tried to get out of her father's hold on her. The terrible and unforgiving truth settling in her young mind. Her mother was gone, along with everything she had ever known.