Mallyra and Merry both dashed out into the courtyard, to be met with the sight of a now almost ebony black sky which was scattered with the beginning shards of stars, and both Frodo and Pippin looking up into the sky, Pippin looking rather annoyed with Sam.
"I swear, I saw one! Right there on that mountain side!" Pippin cried, throwing his arms into the air in frustration. Sam simply stood tapping his foot,
"So how come non of us saw owt? I mean, Dragons are pretty hard to miss!" he answered, shaking his head slightly. Pippin went to answer, but was interrupted by Aethibryn.
"Please young hobbit, I mean no offence to your eyesight, but my people do not need to hear false claims of a dragon being in our presence." he said quietly, looking to the face of a nearby guard. "Now come! I have ordered a feast for your arrival in my great hall, and it will be ready shortly," he smiled, his thin lips and icy eyes seeming to brighten the mood instantly. At that precise moment, Pippin's stomach growled loudly, causing a deep red blush to crawl across his face. The noise resulted in the rest of the party turning and smiling at him, and Mallyra trying and failing to hold in an insane amount of laughter, which made Pippin's already red cheeks to burn.
Aethibryn lead them all back down the complex passages, telling them how his chefs were some of the finest he'd experienced in his entire life. Mallyra hadn't shown it, but secretly she'd been studying the man's behaviour, trying to figure out if he was really what he let on to be. However, Pippin now noticed her peering at him in an odd manor, him grinning slightly at the face she was pulling in concentration.
"He doesn't seem like he means any harm to me," he said, knocking her out of her thoughts, and startling her.
"w-what?" she asked, her head shooting in Pippin's direction as she tried to figure out what he'd said. "Oh, er.. It's not that I think he's a bad person or anything, it's just he puzzles me, I mean, the way he talks to Lothiri and Aiwendil.. and his fascination with dragons!" she added, gesturing to a coincidentally placed painting of a white, winged reptile which hung on the wall as they walked past. Pippin raised his hand in an attempt to counter her point, but then couldn't think of an equally smart remark.
"Well, Lothiri and Aiwendil seem to trust him, and that's good enough for me!" Pippin grinned, pushing his hand through his curled, brown hair. Mallyra looked up at him and smiled and his innocence. Somehow, she felt herself wanting to be more like Pippin. He always found the bright side to everything, and he didn't seem to be haunted by his past in anyway. He was a carefree spirit, which gave him a more relaxing aura than anyone else she'd met before. Before she knew it, Mallyra was daydreaming again, looking straight ahead and thinking about her past, drowning out the world around her. She only snapped out of it when she realised she was in the main hall again.
The hall looked a lot different when lit with candle light, as the flame light refracted of the shards of glass on the chandelier and made the room seem to glow. Rolled out on the floor was a large patterned carpet, and on that stood many fine tables, each one with seats tucked underneath. A few people were beginning to wander into the hall and take their seats, each one smiling widely at the selection of food in front of them. The party however, were to be seated besides Aethibryn on a great table at the top of the hall. Aethibryn sat in a large chair in the centre, with Lothiri at his left, and Aiwendil on his right. Beside Lothiri sat Merrry, Pippin and Mallyra. Aiwendil welcomed Frodo and Sam to be seated beside him. Aiwendil and Frodo seemed to get along well with eachother, as both preferred their own company, and were well aware of their surroundings. The elf didn't really associate himself with many of the hobbits, but he felt that Frodo was different, he gave out a different feeling to the others. A feeling of importance, but for what, Aiwendil could not figure out.
With the meal underway, the hall burst into a room of life, as people began to laugh, cheer and enjoy the fine food. Every so often, Aethibryn would get up and walk among his people, making sure they were enjoying themselves, and spreading hope as he did so. Merry was smoking pipe weed with Pippin outside the entrance to the great hall, and Sam and Frodo spent the entire time talking Aiwendil about the important historical figures the elf had met in his life.
Mallyra however, had her nose in a book. The book her father had given her. She'd become curious ever since she'd walked into Lothiri's room to see the Silver Dragon tapestry, as well as Aethibryn's apparent obsession with the creatures. She was now reading through the section of the book named: "Chromatic Dragons" or "Bad Dragons" as Pippin had named them.
"Red Dragons,
Red dragons are greedy and covetous, and obsessed with their hoards of treasure. They usually live in warm habitats, such as volcanoes or tropical islands. The red dragon's domain is in the mountain and in the island. They're vain, cunning and terrible.
A red dragon can be identified by it's long wings and two long horns. They have a long, forked tongue, and can breathe fire. The presence of a red dragon can be felt by the smell of smoke and sulphur."
"Green Dragons,
The green dragon is a belligerent creature and master of intrigue and backbiting . They are cruel. This dragon prefers forests, the older and darker the forest, the better. Instead of being overly aggressive, they devise elaborate schemes to gain power or the high ground over their prey with as little effort as possible. This dragon is a master with words, and is more likely to talk in lies than any other.
A green dragon can be identified by vibrant emerald scales, as well as a face full of hornlets. It's neck is long, with it's front limbs being bigger than the back, giving the beast and hunched like posture. You will smell as green dragon before you see it, as not only does it reak of decaying plant matter, but the acid the beast spits produces a metallic and painful tang in the back of the throat."
Mallyra swallowed a little, looking down at the pages of her book. What was she really up against if Vasuka did rise from his grave and used these dragons against her. She was a hobbit of 3 ft 4.
Lothiri noticed her uneasiness, and shuffled across the seat next to Mallyra.
"You shouldn't read about the Chromatic Dragons, after all Vasuka's council is all but destroyed." The elf smiled. But Mallyra's faced simply shriveled in confusion.
"Vasuka's council?" she questioned, looking a little horrified as she said it. Lothiri chuckled to herself,
"I thought you'd have read that book quite a few times by now?" she laughed to herself. "Never mind, I shall explain." the elf continued, drawing in Mallyra's attention. "Vasuka's council was his group of closest and most loyal Chromatic Dragons. The most feared of their time. A Blue Dragon named Elurka, a Red Dragon named Smaug, a Green Dragon named Glasin and a White Dragon Raena all obeying the mighty Black Dragon Vasuka. Together, they caused chaos throughout middle earth, until Etani rose to power and imprisoned Vasuka in his single tear. After that, the four other dragon fled, each spreading across middle earth never to be heard of again. Until recently." Lothiri smiled a little. Mallyra felt a lump in her throat.
"Recently?" she breathed, completely mesmerised by Lothit's story. The Elf nodded,
"You've heard of Bilbo's adventure?" She asked, The hobbit nodded so quickly her head migth have rolled off her shoulders. "The dragon Smaug attacked Erebor many many years ago, leaving the nearby cities in Thorin Oakenshield's company, the dragon was slain, thus killing one of the members of Vasuka's council." She finished her story in hushed tones, laughing to herself at Mallyra's facial expression, which was that of excitement and shock.
***************
Merry and Pippin were both sat on the stairs outside the great hall, staring into the deep black sky. Both had their pipes in hand, chuckling to themselves about how they'd never appreciated pipe weed so much before hand. Pippin breathed in through his pipe slowly, before gently exhaling and blowing the white smoke from his slightly open lips.
"I miss home.." he suddenly admitted, making Merry frown in his direction.
"What's bought this mood on?" his friend chuckled, poking his friend in the arm with his pipe. Pippin himself laughed, and then they both continued to look up into the sky,
"I tell you, what I'd give to be back at the green dragon, my feet up and a cold ale in my hand.. Aye that'd be good right now.." Pippin breathed. But Merry didn't appear to hear him, he was still staring up into the sky. Yet a moment later, Merry mumbled quietly,
"green dragon.."
Pippin frowned a little, peering at his friend. "Yes, that's what I said.." he chuckled a bit, shrugging it off. But Merry then jumped to his feet, pulling Pippin up with him and still looking at the dark sky and pointing,
"No, a real Green Dragon is heading straight for us!" his friend yelled, pushing Pippin into the great hall. The sudden re-entrance of the hobbits made all the room's attention turn to the door. Aethibryn immediately stood up from where he was seated, his eyes fixed upon the hobbits.
"Tell your people to get to safety, now! There's a Green dragon circling your city." Merry cried across the room, shoving Pippin further into the hall and running towards Aethibryn. The lord's face was a picture of horror.
"What?!" he questioned, drawing a great iron sword from it's sheath. But Merry was already advising people on how and where to go.
"Get into the secluded courtyard and hide as best you can, if you can find a way out then proceed and tell the other," he instructed. By this time, Lothiri, Aiwendil, Mallyra and Aethibryn were at the doors of the hall looking out over the village. Mallyra stood against the door, her heart in her throat. A dragon had found her, and a Green Dragon at that. It was coming for her because Vasuka knew of her quest to find Etani. Her hands were now beginning to shake a little, as she cautiosly looked up into the sky. To her horror, she saw the undeniable silhouette of the beast remarkably close to the village walls. Within seconds there was a loud crash, and the wall was knocked to the ground as if it had been made of paper.
Her vision was knocked a little as a guard ran past mallyra, knocking her to the ground. After a moment of darkness, the hobbit stood up again, and she was now on the mud track at the bottom of the stairs infront of the great hall. She held her breath. The smell was just as the book had described, a gut wrenching order of decaying foliage and buring acid like you get at the back of your throat. She clambered to her feet slowly, as she now felt like she was being looked at. And she was right to do so. Looking up slowly, Mallyra watched as the beginning of a large snout poked it's way out of the shadows. It continued into the light, the rest of the creatures body becoming more visible as it did so. After a moment more had passed, Mallyra felt herself being unable to move. Infront of her stood a bright emerald dragon, it's scales tinging orange with the flame light. It had a thin, elongated snout, and gleaming yellow eyes which were burried in it's skull. The dragon had a line of small hornlets and frills running from the tip of it's snout to the rims of it's eyes and then continuing down it's long, slender neck. The rest of it's body was as rigid and definded as it's facial features. Long forearms, shorter legs, hunched body and mighty wings curled close to it's back. The beast reered it's head, and let out an almost deafening cry, which seemed to shake the very foundations of the earth beneath them.
Before she could move, the dragon fixed it's sight upon the hobbit, lowering it's head down to her level so it's eyes could bury into hers. Mallyra heard Pippin scream her name, but it sounded faint, like he was a great distance away. The dragon snorted, blowing Mallyra's hair back wildly. She winced at the smell, and then watched as the beast began to smile. As it did, many rows of serrated teeth became visible, as well as a long forked tongue. But it wasn't the teeth with raised Mallyra's heart rate. As the beast lips parted, a yellow-green liquid poured from the gaps between in it's teeth, which made a violent hissing noise as it hit the ground. The acid continued to hit the floor, causing small clouds of smoke to rise as the liquid dissolved through the earth.
"Missss Flintwater?" The beast hissed, it's serpent like voice causing Mallyra's skin to crawl. She took a deep breath, before slowly exhaling.
"W-who wants to know?" She stammered, trying to keep her cool and not show fear to the beast in front of her. The dragon appeared to chuckle at her as it swung it's head back once more, causing Mallyra to frown hard at it, as if she was offended by it.
"I do. I have been ssssent here to put a sssstop to your to your little quesssst. I, halfling, am the Great Glassssin of Vassssuka'ssss counccccil." He bellowed, whipping his tail around in unison with his head, asserting his dominance.
"You will do no such thing!" Lothiri cried, stepping down onto the steps of the great hall, and drawing the dragon's attention from the girl. The elf had her bow drawn, her white tipped arrows already pointing directly towards the dragon's eye sockets. Glasin sneered.
"Shut your mouth, she elf!" he commanded, "I would eat your kin with pleasure, so I won't hesitate to make a meal of you now." a cruel smile making it's way across his lips and letting more acid escape from them. Lothiri gritted her teeth, but Aiwendil was the one who stood forward. He'd drawn his ivory sword, and now stood with his chest out to the dragon, a burning look in his eye.
"Helt sahrot bii, fah hi kriist us Etani ahrk Uryté!" The elf boomed, his mighty voice echoing. The dragon's head shot back, a look of fear, surprise and pure filth crossing his face.
"You?!" he snarled, thrashing about once more. "I will not let you desssstroy him! I will end thissss quesssst, and I sssshall do it now." the dragon dug his claws into the ground, before swinging his head around towards when Mallyra was frozen to the spot. "Your filth will not rid thissss world of my kind. Not now, not ever!" Glasin gritted his teeth, the flow of acid dribbling down his jaw. Mallyra looked into the dragon's burning yellow eyes, almost hypnotised. However, she was snapped back into reality by Aiwendil calling her name. She shot her head in his direction, to see he was throwing his sword to her. It hit the floor with a sharp clang, and Mallyra scrambled towards it. Glasin had now reered hsi head once more, looking down on the hobbit at his feet. Mallyra only just managed to lift the hilt of the sword to the height of her hips, and she watched in horror as Glasin began to lick his acidic lips.
"You will die a glorioussss death, halfling." he whispered, before his head shot forward, his gaping jaws opened wide. To Mallyra, time seemed to slow down. With one short breath, Mallyra closed her eyes and put every ounce of strength behind the hilt of the sword.
Lothiri gasped, Pippin cried out, Glasin drew close and Mallyra swung.