𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐒: 𝑺𝑴𝑨𝑼𝑮 | FINISHED

~ch.18: A second prophecy

❤︎
A/n

The dwarves are wrapped in blankets, and their wet things have been laid before the fire to dry. Some of them shiver. Tatsuo walks over to Bilbo and makes her body heat go up. the hobbit looks at her bewildered before smiling thanks to her. "It may not be the best fit, but it'll keep you warm," Bard says, and Tilda passes out blankets, and Bilbo thanks her when he receives one. The young girl offers one to the woman, but she shakes her head. "I don't need it, sweetie. I am myself warm enough" Tilda smiles at the woman. "will you be our new mother? The girl suddenly asks, and Tatsuo chuckles at her bluntness. "no, little child. I will not," she says and glances over at Bard to see him already looking at teh two. "but why not?" Tilda whines, and the woman smiles and crouches down to her eye level. "your father doesn't need anyone expects you and your siblings. He's strong enough" with one last smile, Tatsuo walks away to the window beside thorin.

Thorin looks out a window and sees a wooden tower not far away. Atop the building is a windlass, a giant cross-bow-type weapon with four arms. The dwarf prince looks at it in shock. Tatsuo follows his gaze and sighs. "A Dwarvish Wind-Lance." she hears thorin whisper. bilbo then comes up to them, sipping a hot drink from a mug and looking at the wind-lance. "You look like you've seen a ghost," he says, and Tatsuo looks away. Bilbo notices this, and his brow furrows in concern. This does not go unnoticed by the female, and she contacts the hobbit in his mind. Do not worry about me, young hobbit. the weapon is just something I've never liked, she says, and then her presence is gone. "He has. The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came." Balin says as he walks over to them. Even though Tatsuo doesn't like hearing about her kin being slain, this story seems interesting. She hasn't been outside the cave of the misty mountains since she arrived there for a forever slumber.

Thorin looks sadly away. Tatsuo can read the day in his mind, and she winces softly. It is Smaug attacking the city of Dale. He blows fire, destroying buildings. "The day that Smaug destroyed Dale. Girion, the Lord of the city, rallied his bowman to fire upon the beast." The city is in flames, but a man in armor, Girion, leads a group of archers in shooting at the flying dragon. "But a dragon's hide is tough, tougher than the strongest armor. Only a black arrow, fired from a wind-lance, could have pierced the dragon's hide or the claws of another. but few of those arrows were ever made." Girion runs to a rack holding three long, heavy, black arrows, each made of metal and at least 4 feet long, and grabs one. He turns and loads it into a Dwarvish Wind-Lance, and draws the arrow. He turns the wind-lance, aiming for the dragon. It isn't easy to see the dragon because it is flying swiftly, and the air is full of smoke. Girion fires and the arrow hurtles through the air. It hits the dragon in the chest but bounces harmlessly off.

"His store was running low when Girion made his last stand." So Girion grabs another black arrow into the wind-lance and fires. This arrow, too, finds its mark but bounces off the dragon's chest.

"Had the aim of Men been true that day, much would have been different," Thorin says, and the images in his head vanish. Bard approaches them all, and Tatsuo looks at him. "You speak as if you were there," he says, and thorin crosses his arms. "All dwarves know the tale," he says. suddenly Bain walks up to them, saying, "Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast." a soft snarl leaves Tatsuo's throat at the voice of words, but she keeps quiet. "Hahaha! That's a fairy story, lad. Nothing more." Dwalin says behind the boy. Thorin then strides up to Bard. "You took our money. Where are the weapons?" the bowman looks around before saying, "Wait here." Bard goes down the stairs to the lower part of the house. After looking around to make sure no one is watching, he pulls on a rope hanging off a small boat and pulls up a wrapped package hidden underwater.