The Gathering Storm. The Hobbit fanfic. A Thorin Oakenshield love story.

Chapter 21: Smaug.

Taryn would never forget the day Smaug came to Erebor. She had ran away from her father and Mirkwood. She had been living in Erebor for a month and was betrothed to be marry Thorin. He had given her a beautiful gold ring with an emerald stone that once belonged to his mother Princess Freya.

Taryn was also able to get silver elven betrothal rings made for them from her uncle Lord Elrond. She wore that ring on her right index finger. She wore her Dwarven betrothal ring on her left ring finger. Then she wore the ring from her parents on her right middle finger.

The day Smaug attacked was just a regular day. Taryn had spent most of her morning at the water garden her favorite spot, drawing in her sketchbook. She also worked in her garden that Thorin had given her planting new vegetables. When Taryn and Thorin had been separated by her going home they communicated by writing each other.

Taryn would also send him drawings she had done and poems she wrote for him. Part of Dwarf courting was hair braiding and giving the consort jewelry. But for elves it was writing poems or songs for the other. She never stopped writing him even when the letters to her stopped coming.

She knew though it wasn't him who stopped writing her. It was her father withholding the letters from her. To try and cut off their conmunication. But it did not work because Taryn had gotten fed up with her father's ways and ran away from home.

So on the day Smaug came, Taryn was in the garden under her favorite tree. She was drawing the water garden's pond. The fish were swimming around, the flowers had bloomed, and the ducks/geese were chatting and eating the pieces of bread Taryn was throwing for them.

The flowers and trees in the garden looked and smelled amazing. They were all so beautiful. The day was perfect, not too warm but not too cold, just perfect. There was a light breeze making Taryn long white blonde hair blow. She had it down today and half braided back in a delicate fishtail braid done by Thorin.

Suddenly the sky grew dark and ominous. Taryn looked up at the sky and sighed as she furrowed her eyebrows in anger. This would not do for drawing and was ruining her perfect day.

Then she heard it the dragon. She heard him before she even saw him because of her enhanced hearing. She gasped as she stood up off of the bench. She could hear the dragon attacking the town of Dale. She could hear the people yelling out for help. She could smell the burning smell of ruined homes and flesh. She quickly turned her head and saw the huge dragon. A fire drake from the north most likely. She knew Thorin's grandfather's love for his gold had brought the dragon here.

She could feel tears forming in her eyes as she wondered where was Thorin. She quickly shut her sketchbook and headed towards the mountain. Now any smart person would run away from where the dragon would be going next. But she needed to find Thorin.

She ran past many dwarves yelling and screaming as they ran out of the mountain. All she noticed was that none of them were Thorin or the rest of the Royal family. As she made her way inside she found Dís all by herself. Dís was crying and clutching one of her baby dolls.

"Where is Thorin? Where is your brothers and father?" Taryn asked the young princess.

Dís just shook her head as she did not know and could not talk due to all the crying. Taryn quickly scooped the young dwarf into her arms and quickly ran back out of the mountain to get Dís to safety.

The princess clutched at Taryn's side as she laid her head on Taryn's shoulder. Dís was terrified and Taryn could feel her shaking.

"It is going to be okay Dís. We will find one of your brothers or your father," she said to her soon to be sister-in-law. She just wanted to calm the poor girl down.