Daughter of The Darkness

Chapter 45

Bilbo watched in horror as the huge winged beast flew towards the location of his friends. All he could do was hope that someone would notice the gap in Smaug's armour and shoot straight. The dragon roared again as he neared the town and screams arose from the wooden houses that, in an instant, were ablaze as golden jets of deathly flame consumed the very essence of Laketown.

The dwarves glanced at one another, knowing that they still had comrades there. What would become of them if they could not escape? Thorin stood, eyes transfixed on the scene but his mind far away in the horde of gold inside Erebor.

"Get to the boats, quick!" shouted Elfreda, picking up a few bundles of food and other supplies before bolting down the stairs to the small fishing boat outside. There was no time to lose, the silhouette of a huge dragon was getting closer by the second. "Hurry now," Tauriel called as she stepped outside. The elf glanced at the dragon then down toward Elfreda who's eyes were wide with fear and determination. The rest of the dwarves and the children scurried out next and all clambered into the boat.
"Where's your horse, Elfreda?" asked Tilda quietly. Elfreda turned to the post where she had tied Kasper to find torn rope and no horse. Elfreda cursed inside her head, she could not leave her friend to the flames.
"Tauriel," she commanded "you are now in charge of these people, care and look after them, no one gets hurt."
Elfreda stepped out of the boat
"You can't leave us, you'll die," called Fili "Smaug will burn you alive,"
She turned and looked at all of the escapees on the boat. She wanted to run with them, but Kasper was out there and afraid so she had to stay.
"Dragon fire does not scare me," she lied "get to safety and I will find you,"

Elfreda did not have any time to waste, so she pushed the boat off of its dock and into the stream of the river. Fili tried to jump out but Tauriel pushed him back down with glance towards Elfreda. In thanks, Elfreda placed her hand upon her chest and bowed her head before running into the rows of houses.

Fire spewed over head but Elfreda rolled underneath as she bolted over barrels and under bridges. People ran everywhere and Elfreda directed them to swim towards the shore. Heart in her throat, Elfreda could not shout for her steed, her voice would be drowned out by the fire which roared as Smaug flew over head.

Kasper was trapped behind a fallen log. He desperate called made her panic even more. Tying a rope around the branch, then tying the other end around her waist she heaved the braising wood enough so he could escape.
"You need to get out of here," she whispered into his muzzle, a gentle hand running down the crest of his neck. She mounted his bare back and trotted out of the flames towards the bridge.

As they escaped the flames, the ground shook and as Elfreda turned to see, she gasped in horror as Smaug landed on Laketown. She followed the dragons gaze, Elfreda spotted Bard, stood on the clock tower, his bow shattered and Bain who stood behind him.
"No!" she shouted leaping off Kasper's back and landing silently on the floor "go, get to shore!" she ordered Kasper and he left her in the fire. Elfreda ran towards the centre of Laketown.

A building collapsed in front of her as a giant clawed foot crushed a building as Smaug clambered towards Bard. Elfreda dived, rolling in evasion of the falling timber. She had experienced the terror of Smaug before- and almost been crushed by the same talons.
"Is that your child?" cooed Smaug. Elfreda looked up, Bain was there too, his young body frozen as they stared down the huge dragon.

"You cannot save him. He will burn!" Bard had had enough. He grabbed the remnants of his broken bow and jammed the ends into the side of the tower.
"Stay still son," Bard reassured Bain as the black arrow was set on his son's shoulders. Bain shook slightly, his back turned to Smaug. That was when Bard spotted it, the gaping hole in Smaug's chest. He had a chance to kill this beast.

Remaining steadily ahead of the dragon's front paw, Elfreda was nearing the tower. She kept one eye on the path in front and the other at her friend who was facing this formidable foe.

Bard had lined the arrow to the exact place. He waited for the perfect moment. As Smaug raised his head, Bard loosened the last arrow.

It seemed to fly slowly through the air, not making a sound. Elfreda watched it glide until it hit its mark. Smaug's eyes widened as he gasped. He crashed into the tower, sending the archers tumbling to the floor. The dragon stumbled along the town and launched himself into the air howling. Smaug drew his final breath high into the air and collapsed to the town once more.

Falling debris shattered around Elfreda as she weaved in and out of destroyed houses. Her lungs were struggling to find oxygen, the fire had burned it as if she was running through the pits of hell itself. She reached the outskirts of Laketown, her freedom a finger touch away, but the wing of the beast caught her cape. Elfreda screamed as the claw dragged her grappling body head first onto a braising plank. Then her unconscious form sank deep into the cold, lifeless water.

Many survivors dragged themselves to the shore. Some carried the bodies of their loved ones and others cried. Their home had been burned to ashes at the bottom of the lake. They had nothing.

The dwarves and Tauriel made it ashore, their boat one of the few that had escaped virtually unharmed. They called for her, shouted her name but no one had heard of her so could not help. Panic arose in the dwarves' heart as the searched from one end of the beach to the other for Elfreda. Yet her cheerful smile and glittering sea blue eyes were no where to be seen. For the time that they looked, the world seemed dark as if the only light had been doused by the black waters. Then on the shore line, they saw the riderless dappled blue horse crying out into the water. Their hearts sank even more.

From the safety of Erebor, the dwarves watched on. Then when the sound of screaming stopped they saw the horror which had just occurred. They had no words, no explanation of the occurrence, all they could do was look and pray that their friends had made it out alive.