The Three Women Of Durin

Smaug's Death

Cece stood in the wrecked stone of the Erebor entrance, the company surrounding her as they watched the fuzzy form of Smaug fly towards Laketown. A few seconds later a red burst of light travelled far up into the sky, illuminating the red scales of Smaug. In the dim haze of light, Cece could spot something else flying upwards towards to dragon. She held her breath. The arrow appeared to hit its mark. The company cheered and Cece blew the breath from her lungs and squeezed her eyes shut, we did it.

"Wait, what?" A dwarfish voice called from her side and she snapped her eyes back up to the scene. Horror slapped her and she felt breath leave her body, Smaug was still making his way towards Laketown.

"Did Bard miss?" Someone else called and Cece began to panic. We did not plan for this; how can we kill Smaug now? We have no black arrow, it is lost. Smaug will destroy Laketown, he will destroy them all...Frankie...Rosie...Fili.

"No!" An excited voice suddenly piped up, "Look! He's wobbling!" Cece turned back to the scene, hope spreading like wildfire throughout her chest. And sure enough, Smaug's form was swaying from side to side, unsteady.

"He's going to fall!" Another voice called out. Cece felt a grin break out on her face followed by a frown.

"He's nearing Laketown," She said, "He's too close!" She suddenly cried, realizing what was about to happen she ran forward before a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

A burst of light filled the night as fire erupted from the darkness and hit the first edges of Lake Town. Smaug pulled the fire in one straight line to the other side of Lake Town before Smaug's form clawed upwards, pausing in mid-air and slowly making its descent to the water. Cece cried out as she watched the fire spread in Lake Town, trying with all her might to fight the strong arms holding her.

"No!" She howled into the night, the fire was now spreading in all directions, unmercifully lighting all the wooden homes on fire. "No, no, no," She breathed as the night was filled with the screams and cries of the men and women of Laketown. The men and women she had sworn to protect.

Feeling her legs give out she crumpled like paper, her body starting to shake and sobs escaping from her lips. We could have stopped this...I could have stopped this. One job, one fucking job. She sobbed, her voice straining under such raw emotion. Her cries joined those of Laketown except hers were not of pain or agony, but of premature grief.

Rosie felt the heat before she saw it. Suddenly, the air around her became thicker and harder to breathe, she felt her body begin to sweat and her hair stuck to her neck and forehead. Looking at Legolas she could see that his face was lit up by a warm light as he took down yet another orc. They were now on foot, working as a team to take down as many orcs as they physically could.

Rotating around, Rosie saw the trees were lit up, almost as if the sun was rising, but it was the middle of the night, there were no signs of sun, no signs of daylight. That could only mean one thing.

"Laketown's on fire!" She called at Legolas once their area was cleared, he turned back to her, an unreadable expression on his face. Without saying anything he ran up to a particularly large tree and with agility and speed, climbed to the very top. Rosie gave him a moment to view what was going on before she called up. "What's going on?" A chill of nostalgia running down her sweaty back, this moment being far too similar to that when she looked up at Frankie...Frankie...

"I can see Smaug's form, he is dead," Legolas said, his eyes still fixed on the thrumming of light, Rosie felt slightly more relieved. "Laketown is on fire, as you said," Legolas said, a note of sorrow in his voice as he danced back down the tree. Rosie and Legolas stood in silence for a moment.