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-your POV-
I walk into the mountain, my ears picking up the sounds of a voice. Deep and menacing it is—a dragon. I take a deep breath as I let myself shift into my silver dragon form. The word of Smaug gets closer as I walk. "The King under the mountain is dead. I took his throne." I hear sounds of coins risking and moving aorund. I try tint to make a sound as I crawl closer.
-a/n pov-
The two males have still not noticed Silveria's presence. Smaug is looking for Bilbo, and Bilbo burst out of a pile of gold beneath Smaug's claw. Bilbo runs down a staircase and leaps off the side as Smaug's head swings at him. "I ate his people like a wolf among sheep," Smaug says. As the Arkenstone bounces rapidly down the mountain of gold, Bilbo slides rapidly after it with Smaug in pursuit. "I kill where I wish when I wish. My armor is iron." He floats. The Arkenstone and Bilbo slide under a covered stone structure; Smaug opens his wings and glides down to land atop the system. "No blade can pierce me!" He then notices the other presence.
He turns. Even Bilbo has noticed her now. She is as he remembers her, giant, head high, eyes of blue dragon fire, scales of silver. It wings like a hurricane. Strong legs where muscles move under her skin. An absolute beast, a real dragón. "So this is Smaug, the mountain king. Thought you bigger." She says and crawls closer. Bilbo is frozen, his mind unable to decide if he should run to her or stay where he is.
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In Laketown, Bard and Bain sneak through the town. Bard is holding the arrow. Bard looks around a corner to check whether all is clear. "Alright," Bard says. "A black arrow? Why did you never tell me?" His son questions. "Because you did not need to know." They duck behind a wall as soldiers pass by. Bard puts his arm on Bain's shoulder and indicates the tower with the dwarvish wind-lance on top. "Listen to me carefully: I need you to distract the guards. Once I'm at the top of the tower, I'll set the arrow to the bow." He says to his son. Just then, Braga and the other soldiers, sent to find Bard, see him.
"There he is! Bard! After him!" He calls. "Quickly! Down there! Go!" Bard says, and Bard and Bain run from the soldiers. "Stop him!" Bard and Bain run through shop and docks, knocking over various items in their way. The soldiers follow, yelling, "Stop him!" The shopkeepers yell angrily at both parties. When they have put some distance in front of the guards, Bard stops Bain and hands him the black arrow. "Bain! Bain. Please keep it safe. Don't let anyone find it. I'll deal with them." Bard says. "I won't leave you!" Bain exclaims. "Go!" Bard orders. As Bain runs off, Bard turns and faces Braga, who has just caught up to him.
"Braga." He states. "You are under arrest," Braga says. "On what charge?" Bard ask. "Any charge the Master chooses," Braga says. Bard turns and sees that he is surrounded. He then turns back and suddenly punches Braga in the face, then hits his way through the soldiers and runs with the soldiers in pursuit. Bain, seeing the soldiers chase his father, jumps into a boat and hides the arrow beneath some ropes and fishing gear. Bard runs through the town; he leaps across a channel using boats as stepping stones. He uses his momentum to cause the last boat to slide several feet across the water until he can step onto the opposite bank. A soldier trying to follow his slips and falls out of a boat into the water. Bard runs down an alley, but a foot is suddenly stuck out of a doorway, and Bard trips over it, falling into a woodpile. As he sits up, dazed, Alfrid steps forward, followed by the Master. As Bard struggles to get up, the Master lifts a wooden pole and hits Bard in the head with it, knocking him out.
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The dwarves in the clearing on the mountain see an orange glow from the hill coming through the door. "What about Bilbo?" Ori asks. "Give him more time," Thorin says. Balin looks in disbelief at their king. "Trying to do what? To be killed?" He says. Thorin faces him. "You're afraid." He says. Balin pauses for a moment, then steps up to Thorin. "Yes, I'm afraid. I fear for YOU. A sickness lies upon that treasure hoard, a sickness that drove your grandfather mad." Balin says. "I am not my grandfather," Thorin says. "You're not yourself. The Thorin I know would not hesitate to go in there-" "I will not risk this quest for the life of one burglar." Balin looks at Thorin disgustedly.
Thorin looks contemplatively out into the night.
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Smaug is searching for Bilbo, hiding under the stone structure, but before taking the halfing, Bilbo is lifted by Silveria, who holds him in her claw. Smaug continues to talk to Bilbo even tho Silveria listens to every word. He glances at her from time as she moves away with Bilbo. "It's Oakenshield. That filthy dwarvish usurper! He sent you in here for the Arkenstone, didn't he?" He says. Smaug circles around the structure; he and Silveria see the Arkenstone at the other end of the design.
Silveria lets Bilbo down and moves in front of Smaug, blocking his view of the halfing. "No, no, no. I don't know what you're talking about." Bilbo says behind her. Bilbo starts to sneak over to the Arkenstone but is forced to hide behind a pillar as Smaug looks beneath the structure. Silveria pushes Smaug gently away from Bilbo. Smaug scowl at her briefly. "Don't bother denying it. I guessed his illegal purpose some time ago. But it matters not. Oakenshield's quest will fail. The darkness is coming; it will spread to every corner of the land." At Smaugs words, Silveria freezes, and Smaug uses this to his advantage.
He pounces on Silveria and pins her down. She stares unfazed into his golden eyes with her own. Smaug gets lost in them for a minute before he snorts, lifts himself from her, and steps away from her.