Different Sense

Different Sense: 42

Down on a boat, Bard tended to his nets. The boat gave gentle rocks from the motion of him shifting about. The sounds of screams quickly washed away the tranquillity which he felt. Looking up and dropping his nets back into the water he looked on at the thing he had feared for years.

Smaug the Terrible of the Lonely Mountain was awake, and raging down the mountain. Anything and everything which was in his path was set alight. 

Narrowing his eyes he could see small shapes running and shifting. It didn't take much of a guess as to who those were, Bard had a very, very, good idea.

Hearing a whistle he looked behind him.

Lothiriel stood watching. “I need your help, Bard.” Bard took up his oar and paddled back to shore. Once he got to shore he looked down at the woman beside him. Lothiriel had long since abandoned the cloak and shirt she was previously wearing. She simply stood in a leather waistcoat which stopped just below her ribs, her scuffed up boots had her trousers tucked into them. Looking up, Bard's eyes skimmed over the many great numbers of nymphs who were training their weapons in Smaug's direction.

All of them wore different types of armour, some not at all. Lothiriel was one of the ones who was without armour, but there were at least a hundred who were dressed like this too. There was also paint adorning their skin.

Apart from the blue spiralled tattoo which etched her skin and coiled down her arm from her collar bone to her middle finger. She also had a blue of the same colour painted on her. Shouting his orders, Bard had noticed how she was the only one who adorned the colour blue.

Lothiriel's amber eyes, which had been painted too, a blue line travelled horizontally across her face precisely over her eyes, rolled up to look at him.

“We will take our lead from you.”

“Set up your ranks there,” Bard instructed, Lothiriel shouted something in a language Bard did not understand, but he watched as the nymphs effortlessly shifted.

Lothiriel stood beside him, taking in a deep breath she raised a bow, just like he did. “Ever fought a dragon before, Bard?”

“You?” He asked not answering her question.

“Never.” She smiled and looked up at him. “First time for everything, right?”

 ----

Thorin ran down the side of the mountain, he was trying to keep Fili and Kili in his sight. If one strayed out of his peripheral vision he had to fight all the urges in the world to not look back. He had to trust them that they were fine, they were following closely behind, and more importantly; they had not fallen victim to Smaug.

Gandalf was leading and directing their every move, Thorin was grateful for this, his mind was too much of a jumble and he was more than willing to follow the wizard at the moment.

They were quickly approaching Lake Town, they'd disappear briefly into some foliage only to reappear seconds later. What confronted them was Bard and his rows of brave men, and Lothiriel and her apparent army, all aiming weapons in Smaug's direction.

Smaug crashed through the trees, uprooting them in the process, his golden eyes looked over the people gathered.

“Fire!” Bard shouted, and with efficiency a shower of arrows flew through the air and towards Smaug. The group quickly rushed past them as the first volley of arrows went off. Smaug got briefly slowed down only for Bard to give another order to fire. The arrows bounced off of Smaug's scaled armour, he charged at them as he laughed loudly.

“Fire!” Bard shouted again, and another stream of arrows flew in the sky, but like the last attack it was pointless. “Scatter!” And so they did, Smaug had drawn to close and everyone disbanded. The rows of men and nymphs ran and hid in whatever shelter they could find.

Thorin and his group did the same, he grabbed Fili and Kili and dragged them underneath a cart to use for shelter. Kili did try to aim and fire arrows, but they just had no effect on the mighty dragon.

Every so often some brave person would leap from their hiding place and make a run for it. They would try and attack the dragon in any way possible, some made their full run and attempt in attack. But there were many who didn't.

Gandalf attempted to attack a couple of times, he stood before the dragon, as Smaug would release fire and aim it straight for him. As a counter, Gandalf tried to redirect it back but it would merely have the result of a puff of smoke. This smoke would get blown away as Smaug sauntered through it grinning his terrible toothy smile. There were times where Gandalf tried to attack and was almost squashed by one of Smaug's feet. It seemed that the dragon was going to great lengths to squash the wizard.

Gandalf did his usual trick and disappeared before anything could happen. Thorin had decided that right then, here and now, was his turn. He crawled slowly out from the cart, he stood with his sword at the ready. He was about to take a step forward when a hand clasped around his ankle and wouldn't let go.

“No, Uncle!” Kili exclaimed. “We must wait, please!” He looked up at him with wide eyes, Fili was by his side, but Thorin merely looked at them plainly.

“Stay there.” With that said he walked out and looked up just as Smaug's great eyes spotted him.

“Thorin Oakenshield,” Smaug said bitterly with a hiss, he sneered revealing his sharp teeth. “There were rumours of your return. I could hear them spread throughout the mountainside. You took so long though, that I thought that the people who started the rumours were liars!” Smaug said dramatically, then turned serious, his golden eyes narrowing. “But here you are.” He spat, lowering his head to Thorin's level. Thorin looked over the armour which encased the dragon, he could spy the gaps and weak spots. Slowly, he inched his hand and pulled out a dagger. Thrusting it forward in a throw the dagger narrowly missed one of those gaps.

“Aim for the left chest!” Thorin shouted, he made a run for the kill only Smaug had other ideas. He swung a clawed paw and Thorin was flung as far away from his target as possible.

“Wakey, wakey,” a voice said from above. Thorin's eyes snapped open, he shot up and looked at Lothiriel. She sat crouched and much like Kili and everyone else, was shooting arrow after arrow at the advised weak spot.

The arrows kept coming, there was no stop to them and it seemed they were starting to irritate the great dragon. Bard stepped forwards from beside Lothiriel, Thorin hadn't even noticed he was standing there. He must have hit his head from Smaug's attack.

“Bard!” Lothiriel shouted as the man rushed out with a few of his men. All of them were aiming at the spot which Thorin had pointed out.

Around them the town burned, terrified calls echoed through the buildings. Thorin could see every member of his company were well and hiding. He stood and walked past her.

“Thorin!” She exclaimed and darted after him, he glanced down at her. “You have a plan?” She smirked while twirling an arrow in her fingers. “I can see it, what is it?”

“Come,” he gripped onto her arm and pulled her over to where Dori and Bilbo were sheltering, although as soon as they spotted them two they ran out and joined them.

“Bilbo, when Smaug turns you must stab his tail. I am hoping he does a repeat of earlier on. Lothiriel, do anything to distract him for Bilbo.”

She clapped her hands together. “Bait, lovely.” She nodded agreeing though.

“When he rears up, it will give us a chance to shoot him. He has no armour on either side of his chest. If we shoot there enough times, he will surely die. Go and wait for my signal.”