C H A P T E R 29 - T R Y
The elleths feet ran across the boardwalk, her head darting around for any sight of her human companion. It was terrifying to think in mere minutes the town had been burnt and inflamed so much.
In minutes.
Her eyes caught a figure jumping from one roof to another above her, a familiar bow in his hand.
"Bard!"
The figure stopped, staring down in utter shock at the bright haired elleth looking up at him. She had travelled to the mountain! How was she here?
"Bel!" He voice rang out in shock- and somewhat anger, "how are you here?"
"I rode a dragon!" She replied, pointing to the fiery beast burning down the other side of town.
"What?"
Simbelmynë ignored his question, instead asking his own, "the last black arrow, where is it?"
"I don't know, I was imprisoned when Smaug came," he informed her, jumping down to finally be on her level.
"What for?"
"Perhaps we will discuss once the dragon is dead," he proposed, his expression becoming more poignant, "I am still not pleased with you."
The elleth frowned.
"You robbed the armoury and lied about who Thorin was," Bard informed her, grabbing her hand and leading her to the still-standing bell tower.
"I technically did neither of those things," she told him, keeping up with his pace. The further they ran the more she felt a sharp pain in her leg, creeping higher and higher. Not that she was surprised. After falling hundreds of metres off of a dragon- one would expect to be somewhat injured.
"Bel."
"I only helped them find the armoury and I never lied about Thorin," she defended, looking up at him seriously with those large blue eyes, "I only simply forgot to mention it..."
"That is no better,"
"We do not have time for this," she urged, gesturing to the dragon burning the entire place down.
Bard stopped the both of them, staring down at her incredulously, "but you did have time to make it clear we are no longer- before you disappeared with a band of dwarves."
"It is becoming somewhat of a habit, " Simbelmynë shrugged, thinking back to the last time she had done the exact same thing, jogging past him and beginning to climb up the bell tower.
Bard didn't move for a minute, taking in her exact words. "What?" he gaped, rushing after the blonde elf.
Her bright eyes rolled in her head.
"What happened in Mirkwood?"
Her body went stiff at the question, eyes widening. "Do you wish me to explain or kill the dragon?" Mynë quizzed incredulously, utterly dumbfounded how he found now the appropriate time to discuss... that particular topic...
"You and I both know you are capable of both!"
His words only made the blonde move faster up the bell tower. However, unfortunately once you reach the top of something, there really wasn't anywhere else to go. Something Simbelmynë became unfortunately aware of once she reached the top. The bell swung side to side, echoing its loud chime across the city. Once Bard reached the top he glared at the bell, slicing the rope with his blade causing it to stop.
Once more he looked questionably at the elf, knowing there was nowhere left to run.
"Could we please discuss this after we kill the dragon or die?" Simbelmynë wondered, looking out to the bright hues or red and oranges painting the city and continuing to do so.
Reluctantly Bard nodded.
"What is your plan?"
The black haired human shrugged, "I have arrows, we have a target,"
"It will not get through its hide," she warned the obvious, watching on as he prepared his bow and reached for an arrow to notch.
"We have to try," he spoke hopefully, his eye catching Smaug as he roamed closer to them.
"I have my concerns this will not work," Simbelmynë muttered, reaching for the bow on her own back and notching an arrow herself.
"Concerns will not help us now!"
The arrow flew from her bow, flying and hitting the dragon only for it to bounce off. The two made eye contact, Simbelmynë gesturing at the arrow falling as it clearly proved her point, "then what will?"
Bard's eyes looked haunted, even more so at the sound of a small voice calling him behind him.
"Da!"
The bards-man spun on his heel, "Bain!"
"You were supposed to leave,"
"I came to help you,"
"No," Bard replied sadly, his face dropping, "nothing can stop it now."
"These might," the boy spoke, pulling up two large arrows and dropping them onto the floor in front of him. The arrows were larger than most, black and twisted, dangerously sharp. Sharp enough to kill a dragon.
"Bain you are magnificent!" Simbelmynë applauded, bending down to the boy and stroking his cheek with adoration.
"How will we get Smaug's attention?" the human quizzed the elf.
"We attack his pride," she replied with sureness.
"Really?"
Mynë nodded confidently, "it worked before."
Bard turned back to his son who still stood on the ladders ledge, "you must go Bain."
"Quick give me one," the elf interrupted, taking it out of the boys hands.
"You think I will miss?" Bard wondered.
"I said no such thing,"
His eyes rolled back, "you didn't have to,"
"DA!" Just as Bain's panicked screech reached both of their ears, their heads snapped to where he was looking, only to immediately be faced with Smaug's large talons. The talons descended on the bell in the tower, ripping it off. Chunks of wood flew through the air as the structure groaned and tilted over. With his other claw he ripped the entire roof and walls off before flapping away.
Mynë found herself rolling across the ground and left stuck on the edge. Bard got caught on the other side under slats of wood. He took mere seconds to compose himself before jumping to his feet.
"Bain!"
From the side of the tower he heard a yell, rushing over to find the young boy holding on by a hand, his other still grasping the other arrow. As he was pulled up to safety, the elf breathed a sigh of relief.
Taking the other arrow from Bain, he joined the elf, standing, staring at the great firey beast. Smaug had finally landed, staring down at the two in a great stand off.
"Who are you that would stand against me?" the dragon growled lowly, his head swinging back and forth, gaze staring menacingly.
Instead of replying, bard reached for his bow, picking it up only to realise it was broken. Simbelmynë followed his hand, sighting the bow, their wide eyes looking at one another in fear.
"Now that is a pity," Smaug continued to tut, slowly stepping forward, "what will you do now, bowman? Dragon rider? You are forsaken, no help will come."
He was right. What would they do? There was no one. It was the three of them on what remained of the structure and soon they would not be there either. They would be swallowed by the dragons flame together... No.
The elf's feet carried her backwards and away from Bard, her gaze looking up instead. Her bright eyes analysed the bell. The bell was tilted, it's rope still attached and bent underneath. If it were cut the bell would knock forward, and the bell was large enough perhaps...
"Is that your child? You cannot save him from the fire, he will burn..." Smaug continued his threats, booming closer and closer.
His words made her blood boil.
"Tell me retch, how now shall you challenge me? You have nothing left. That's your destiny!"
The bowman's dark eyes attempted to look at the elf beside him for any idea on what to do. Only when he did- she was missing. Instead, climbing up the bell.
"Bel! What are you doing?!" Bard cried, watching as she ascended the last remaining piece of the tower.
Only when she made eye contact with him did he realise her eyes were filled with tears. "I am sorry for my dishonesty," she spoke, finishing her sentence with a gentle smile. The elf pulled out her sword from its sheath, pointing it at her beloved human friend, "return me to Mirkwood, I have a promise to keep."
She didn't mean-
"Bel!"
Simbelmynë stood up straight and cut the bells cord and it fell forward, propelling her through the air. Bel jumped; the arrow aimed at its mark. As the elleth flung her body at the dragon, Smaug's throat emptied itself of flames, firing at the elleth. Her body was smothered in flames as she flew through the air. Bard's eyes widened in terror and fear as the elf left his sight.
But then suddenly his flames stopped and a great howl of pain fell from his throat. Smaug gasped as he felt the arrow go through his chest, the very place that had been struck so many years ago.
The dragon screamed, flapping pathetically and screeching painfully. His gigantic body flapped strangely, flying up into the sky, hundreds of metres above them.
"Da, I can't see Bel!"
Bard's eyes filled with tears as he gazed up at the dragons flying form, but he couldn't see Simbelmynë. No bright white hair, or pale skin or blue eyes.
Simbelmynë was gone.