Calm The Fire

13

"Uncle has told you of everything already, hasn't he?"

"Yes, there is no point in lying on the matter." Náriel hung her head over the sheer honesty he had. "You know he will not permit you to stay in contact with this dwarf, right?"

"He has a name." Náriel said while looking at Legolas with a sidewards look. The absolute disdain both had towards dwarfs, it both baffled and annoyed her; the endless struggle of trying to understand was tiring.

"It matters not, not really." Legolas said and narrowed his own eyes at her. "You are needed here, your attention cannot be elsewhere, Náriel."

"Rest assured my attention is here, and solely here."

"I don't believe you."

"That's because I was lying." Náriel smiled and leaned back in her chair.

Legolas relented and smiled at her, "Tell me of Dale, father would not say much, he said that you had visited it more times."

"Only if you tell me what's going on between you and Tauriel, I've never felt such an awkward atmosphere before." Náriel said while eyeing her cousin up, Legolas rolled his eyes slowly and sighed.

"It is a fair exchange, I suppose." He said with a nod, Náriel grinned and turned her chair to look at him. She then recounted what Dale was like, and what the people who inhabited the strange little homes were like. She gave descriptions of the streets, of the market stalls, and what the shops there sold. All the while Legolas sat and listened and nodded every so often, from over her shoulder he briefly saw Thranduil walk past and regard them coolly before disappearing back down the corridor.

—

The day the dragon came was like any other. Market stalls within Dale were lining the streets; the owners called out and chatted to each other, or to people that passed that they knew. None of them had any idea of what was slowly travelling on the wind, splitting clouds apart and blocking out the light as it made its way steadily closer.

The sun was shining brightly only to suddenly get eclipsed. The sudden disappearance of the sun caused the people to look up in wonder. They wanted to know what the cause of the sudden darkness was. The last thing any of them expected was the rain of fire, ash and smoke which enveloped them all. The market stalls caught ablaze and those who were nearby recoiled in horror, shielding their faces from the bright flames and the thick smoke which arose.

People fled, running wildly, children screamed with fright. More fire rained down on them, the being wanted to make sure that all had been destroyed and not a lot remained that was standing in one piece. Bearing down on Dale one last time, the large winged shadow passed by fully and made its way speedily towards Erebor. The being didn't cast a look back as its tail whipped sharply behind it, making a cracking sound like a whip in the air.

A Fire-drake from the North had arrived, Smaug, and many would remember his name. If they did not know of him, they would know his name and of the deeds he had done. The guards which stood on the thick stone walls of Erebor saw the oncoming winged shadow and turned to call out its arrival. Bar the doors, though they were so easily cast away. Stone which took so long to build up and shape were discarded and broken and smashed into small pieces in no time.

There was nothing that was going to stop Smaug from getting into the Mountain. No amount of brick, stone, or defending dwarves was going to get in his way. He was coming in, whether they wanted it or not. His form crashed through the halls, his feet and claws ripping up the corridors as he went. The debris from his arrival went hurtling around the space. Some collided with escaping figures, some crashed into the walls and destroyed them further. Letting out a deafening roar, Smaug barely registered a small band of dwarves which managed to escape his eyes and his clutches.