𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐒: 𝑺𝑴𝑨𝑼𝑮 | FINISHED

~ch. 28: elves in Dale

❤︎
A/n

Tauriel and Legolas stride through the Laketown camp. "You saw something out there," Tauriel said, turning to the elf prince and making him stop. "The orc I pursued out of Laketown - I know who he is. Bolg - a spawn of Azog the Defiler. A warg pack was waiting for him on the outskirts of Esgaroth. They fled into the north. These orcs were different from the others. They wore a mark I had not seen for a long time. The mark of Gundabad." Legolas explained, and the she elf's eyes widened.

"Gundabad?" she breathed. "An orc-stronghold in the far north of the Misty Mountains." An elf from Mirkwood rides up on a horse and addresses Legolas. "My Lord Legolas, I bring word from your Father." He says, and Legolas nods to him. "You are to return to him immediately." The elf continues, and Legolas starts to walk toward the guard. Legolas gestures for Tauriel to follow him but stops short as the guard says, "My Lord, Tauriel is banished." Legolas's eyes widened. "Banished?" He echos. Both he and Tauriel are surprised.

"You may tell my father: If there is no place for Tauriel, there is no place for me," Rhe elf prince says, looking cold at the guard. Tauriel sighs and says softly to the elven prince. They're both unaware of those eyes that are wyzhcikg them. She feels terrible for Tauriel being banchied from her own home. "Yes, he is my King. But he does not command my heart." Legolas answers Tauriel and turns, and walks away from the elven messenger. "I ride north. Will you come with me?" He calls to Tauriel, who jogs up to him.

"To where?"

"To Gundabad." Legolas sneers, and they ride out of the Laketown camp on Legolas's horse. The townspeople, carrying their possessions and stretchers with their sick and injured, begin the long trek around the lake and toward the Mountain with Tatsuo following them in her giant eagle form.

♡

In Erebor, Thorin gazes upon the throne over which the Arkenstone had been inlaid before it was lost. He speaks to Balin, Dwalin, and Bilbo, behind him. "It is here in these halls - I know it." thorin muttered, and dwalin spoke up, worried for his King. "We have searched and searched...." 

"Not well enough!" thorin snaps, and Balin says calmy but cautiously. "Do you doubt the loyalty of anyone here?" Thorin turns and slowly walks toward Balin and Dwalin. "The Arkenstone is the birthright of our people." the white-headed dwarf continues. "It is the King's Jewel." thorin starts, but then he suddenly shouts, "AM I NOT THE KING?!" he turns, and as he does, Balin, Dwalin, and Bilbo look uneasy. "Know this - If anyone should find it and withhold it from me, I will be avenged," he mutters and slinks away. Bilbo looks very disgruntled. Do not worry, Bilbo. I will not let the dwarf hurt you, the calm voice of Tatsuo resonated in his head, and his worries ceased slightly. He then slinks away from the throne room and down the halls. He suddenly hears sobbing and goes into a room, finding Balin in a quiet corner, breathing deeply as if he had been weeping. Bilbo titles his head, concerned. 

"Dragon-sickness - I've seen it before. That look. That terrible need. It is a fierce and jealous love, Bilbo. It sent his grandfather mad, " Balin says, excpalming why thorin is so unstable. "Balin, if-if Thorin...had the Arkenstone..." Bilbo says, slightly cocks his head, and Balin looks surprised, understanding Bilbo's implication. What are you doing little halfing? Tetsuo's voice echoes, but then she chuckles. I think it'll be wise not to give any more clues, little one. she then disappears. "That stone crowns all. The summit of this great wealth is bestowing power upon he who bears it. Will it stay his madness? No, lad; I fear it would make it worse. So perhaps it should remain lost." Balin says, answering Bilbo's words without him having to tell them. Balin raises his eyebrows at Bilbo.

♡

The Laketowners walk into the ruins of Dale. They stare around at the ruins, including many charred and burned bodies. Tatsuo lands beside Bard, shifting into her human form. "Come on, keep moving," Bard calls to his people. suddenly Alfrid calls, startling the pointy-eared woman, and she scowls up at the man. "SIRE! Sire! " Bard looks up at the little man after quickly glancing over at Tatsuo. Alfird is on one of the city walls. Bard joins him, as does Tatsuo. "Look, sire, the braziers are lit," Alfird says and glances at the woman, his eyes growing a little fearful after her threats in teh town. Her eyes are cool and cold as she looks back at him calmly. she then moves her gaze to where the bard is looking and sees iant braziers full of fire at the gates of Erebor. she smiles, glad that her company survived even though she knew it before. "So, the company of Thorin Oakenshield survived." she hears Bard say, and she nods. "Survived? You mean there's a bunch of dwarves in there with all that gold?" aflrid says, and Tatsuo glares at him. "gold is not an important little man." alfrid glances at her, but then bard says, "she's right. It would be best if you didn't worry, Alfrid. There's gold enough in that mountain for all."

bard and Tatsuo walk away, and Bard calls to the people. "Make camp here tonight. Find what shelter you can. Get some fires going. Alfrid, you take the night watch." As Alfrid looks sourly at Bard and stomps off, Tatsuo walks to Bard. "arent you going to join them? After all, they are your company," he says, turning to look at the woman. She shrugs. "yes, they are. But thorin is sick. I can't be there without almost burning his face off now. Don't worry, bowman; I'm wonderful staying with mortals," she says and walks off. Bard looks after her looking thoughtful. She's one particular woman, he thought and walked after her. 

♡

Within the walls of Erebor, the dwarves work to block up the entrance that Smaug broke through. They carry rocks both by hand and with the help of various pulleys and other machines. "I want this fortress made safe by sunup. This mountain was hard-won - I will not see it retaken." Thorin says, then his nephew speaks up, dropping his wheelbarrow and making all the dwarves look at him. "The people of Laketown have nothing. They came to us in need. They have lost everything. We lost Tatsuo if she's dead." thorin looks at him and says, "Do not tell me what they have lost. I know well enough their hardship. Those who have lived through Dragonfire should rejoice. They have much to be grateful for. And as for the woman, she would've returned to us if she cared about us. Instead, she traded us for that fire-breathing bastard. And he's dead. So either she has left or died with him," his eyes cold at the thought of their female companion being the creature he hated the most. 

How could she betray me like that? not telling me her secret. Yes, I understand why she would keep it a secret from others but for us? We're like family in tis. And she turned her back, his thoughts spat, and he turned to the dwarves again, calling gout, "More stone! BRING MORE STONE TO THE GATE!" meanwhile, Bilbo looked on in despair. Two things are the reason. 1. he knows that Tatsuo isn't dead and its axis. If that thorin and the other dwarves would find that out, they would personally slaughter her. Plus, Smaug could come any time and retake the moutan. Two. He's afraid that thorin will find out about him having the stone. 

Later it's night in Dale, and the people sit around as the healthy tend to the wounded. Infants can be heard crying. "Bard, we don't have enough." ¨Percy calls to their new leader. Tatsuo is nowhere to be seen. she's probably finding her residence for the night. "Do want you can, Percy," Bard says and walks over to where Alfrid had been standing guard. Alfrid was napping, and he woke up as Bard spoke. "Morning, Alfrid. What news from the night watch?" he then sees Tatsuo beside the man in a wolf form. She looks up and him and sticks out her tongue. She stands, and his eyes widen as he considers her size. She's about his height to stare right into his eyes. "well, hello, bard," she smiles a toothy smile—Alfrid, who now has notified the giant wolf, yelps and moves away. Tatsuo doesn't even spare the man a glance. alfrid collects himself and says to bard, trying to ignore the wolf, "All quiet, sire, I must report. Nothing gets past me." bard walks outside and stops, the wolf by his side. 

"Except an army of elves, it would seem."

♡