The Last One

Chapter 14

"Fool!" Ruive hissed at herself. 

She should have killed Smaug when she had the chance, but she let her emotions cloud her judgement, and now her people are paying the price. The journey from Greenwood to Dagnir was three days, but on a horse like Dragul it was only a little under two. Right now time was precious, from what she had read of her ancestor from whom she inherited her dragon sight from visions happen about two days before their events take place. Thankful her weapons, specifically her bow, were already with her at the time she prayed desperately to Mahal and the Valinor that she would make it in time.

Ruive and Dragul had been riding hard for over a day and the horse showed no signs of stopping yet. It was like he could feel Ruive's anxiety and desperation and that spurred him on faster. Ruive was doing her best to not assume the worst, she clinged to hope that she would make it in time. How wrong she was. The smelling of burning whipped around her nose, and the faint sound of screaming coursed through the wind growing louder with every mile Ruive closed in. When Ruive burst through the forest line, she saw before her, her worst fears imaginable. The kingdom of Dagnir was ablaze with gold and orange flames, the houses outside the castle walls were burnt to ash, she could hear the sound of men, women, and children screaming in pain, the sound of dragon roaring above, the beating of his wings, and the burnt bodies of the people she swore to protect, the people she had failed. A sight that would haunt her forever.

Ruive spurred Dragul towards the castle heading for the armoury, if she was going to fight a dragon she needed black arrows. Dragul leaped over the flames that blocked the castle entrance. For such a young dragon, Smaug was clever and cunning, he had surrounded the kingdom in flames and burned the tower defences. Dagnir was defenceless against Smaug, aside from a few surviving warriors attempting to wound or better yet kill the dragon. But what good were spears and wooden arrows against even a young dragon? None. Ruive slid off Dragul and burst through the armoury doors, much of the weapons had been taken but in the farthest corner on the wall were three black arrows. Three chances to save her kingdom, three chances she was going to take. Pushing her way through fallen shelves and other debris. She was about halfway across the room when a wooden beam crashed through the roof burning bright with fire, Ruive turned to protect face from splintering wood. The beam having caused much of the room to catch fire making the task of getting the arrows much harder. 

Ruive took a few strides back giving her some run up room. She took a deep breath and ran at the beam stepping and launching herself off a fallen stool. She landed quite gracefully despite the circumstances, the momentum carrying her forward to the wall were the black arrows hung. Heat burnt through her calf, she looked down to see the burn in her pants much like the one she had on her shoulder from her last dragon encounter. But she pushed her pain aside, her people were dying, a little burn was the least of her concerns right now. Ruive place two of the arrows in her quiver and clutched the other tightly in her hand.

Outside in the stone courtyard, the few warriors that remained, including the king and queen did their best to defend what was left of their kingdom all thinking the same three words 'Where is Ruive?' 

"Father! Mother!" A voice called, a voice that restored hope in their hearts, Ruive had come.

"Ruive, thank Mahal you are alright, we knew you'd come." Tauren embraced her daughter quickly before refocusing on the situation at hand.

"Where is Tauriel?" 

Ruive's first concern was her family's well being, and the lack of red hair made her stomach churn.

"She's in the castle getting the people out. Is there anyway out?" 

Vana looked to her daughter for good news that there was a way for the helpless to escape the dragon's wrath.