The Elf, the Hobbit and the Dwarf - Book 1 NEW VERSION

The Desolation of Smaug

Míriel came to a halt with her horse without even consulting with Legolas. He noticed her stopping and turned around and did the same to his horse. He rode up to her, worried because of the expression on her face in the dark. Míriel was listening and what she was hearing made her more afraid than she had even been in her life. Slowly she turned around so that she was facing the Lonely Mountain yet again and from afar she could see a copper-red beast getting closer and closer to the small Lake-town.

It was Smaug, the fire-breathing dragon from the North, who had come for the people of Lake-town. This meant that Thorin Oakenshield and his company had fulfilled their mission and entered Erebor, but there they had done the worst thing that they could have done. They had awoken the dragon and now it was spreading terror to the very unknowing people of Lake-town.

The seconds it flew felt like days and Míriel could do nothing more than to watch as it took a deep breath and breathed fire over the wooden city, quickly turning it to a city of flames and ashes. Thorin, Balin, even Gandalf had been wrong to think that there was a chance of success. Elrond and Legolas had spoken truly when he had tried to advise Gandalf against marching to the mountain for the only thing that they had caused was fire and destruction upon innocent people.

"What have we done?" Míriel said and her voice would barely carry her words. If she had never set the Dwarves free, perhaps none of this would have ever happened. It was her fault; she had brought shadows over Lake-town.

"This is what was predicted," Legolas said quietly and rode forward to Míriel. "This is why the Dwarves should have never left their home. The Lord of Silver Fountains, the King of Carven Stone, the King Beneath the Mountain, shall come into his own. And the bells shall ring in gladness, at the Mountain King's return. But all shall fail in sadness, and the Lake will shine and burn."

"I should have listened to you," Míriel whispered as tears were forming in her eyes.

"It isn't your fault, Míriel," Legolas said and grabbed her hand carefully. "You were only trying to help."

"I regret that now," she said.

The screams would haunt Míriel's mind forever as she sat upon the horse saddle quiet as a shadow.

"Legolas, we must help them," Míriel whispered to him. "Please, they are dying."

He glanced at Míriel and saw her teary eyes, which would have been enough to convince him that there was something more important to do than to follow Bolg, the leader Orc.

"Yes," Legolas said and nodded. "Let us go back then."

"We need to find Tauriel and the Dwarves," Míriel said as she realised that they were still in there. Her dear friends could have been trapped in the house, surrounded by fire.

"There is no need," Legolas said. "I trust in Tauriel, she would have gotten them out already. We will find them on the other side of the lake, I promise you."

And then, all of a sudden, the huge dragon Smaug suddenly stopped flying as if something had hit it. Míriel could see the black arrow in his stomach, the only arrow made that could penetrate the dragon's thick skin. Smaug turned from his copper-red to grey and as he fell a trail of dust was seen behind him. His body met the water with a large plunge, and he sank into the water like a large rock. Never was he seen again for finally, Smaug the Terrible was dead.

Legolas started riding back toward the town and Míriel was quick to follow. They rode away from the wailing flames as rain had begun to fall from the sky. The city was now empty of living people for they had all taken refuge across the lake on a shore. Those who were still in the town had died, and it was horrible to see them helplessly at the ground or floating in the water.