Fool for u

Flying worm with anger issues

It started with a terrible quake.

The walls of the house shook and trembled, the objects dangling from the room clanged against each other and dust rained down to the floor.

What used to be a ten-minute nap for Periwinkle ended as soon as the reverberations started again, and this time they didn't stop. She sat upright from her spot on Bofur's lap, eyes wide and now fully awake, "What's happening?"

Tilda let out a soft and fearful whimper and Tauriel stepped out of the house to see what was coming. Periwinkle opened her arms and instantly Tilda ran to her with Sigrid close on her heels.
"It's alright." She whispered to the girls, "Think about the goblin king's breath, and troll farts, and troll boogers..."

Bofur frowned with a tiny smile, wondering what she was talking about. He was out looking for kingsfoil when she told them stories of their adventure and had no idea how anything she said was relevant to what was happening. Although he had to admit, she had a special touch when it came to children. She'd make a good mother one day.

Mahal, did he just think that?

"We must leave!" Tauriel caught everyone's attention when she rushed into the house.
Periwinkle caressed Tilda's head and had a protective hand wrapped around Sigrid's as she asked, "What did you see? Tell us first."

"Fire." The she-elf replied gravely, "And a shadow in the air heading this way. The dragon has wakened."

"Well then..." The guide sighed and looked down at the girls as calmly as she could, "I've never smelled dragon breath before, but I don't think I want to either. Let's go."

Bofur gathered the few belongings they had while Fili and Oin helped Kili to his feet, much to the young prince's dismay since he claimed he could walk on his own. With Tauriel around it seemed as if his confidence gained a boost despite nearly dying.

"We're not leaving. Not without our father." Bain stated sternly, looking at his sisters who were already throwing on their coats.

"If you stay here, your sisters will die." Tauriel told him rather bluntly, "Is that what your father would want?"

Periwinkle sensed the tension building up and quickly stepped in. Valar knows elves had strange ways of communicating. She placed a hand on Bain shoulder and spoke to him softly, "Bain, while your father is absent you are the man of this house. It is your responsibility to keep your sisters safe, and you can only do that if you come with us. We need to leave before the dragon gets here."

Fortunately, that seemed to work. Bain showed them down the boat underneath the house. They allowed the children and Kili to board first before they joined them. Tauriel sat at the front, holding Kili steady while navigating the way, while Fili and Oin rowed them out into the channels. Periwinkle sat with Tilda in her arms and Bain with Sigrid.

And that's when they saw it.

The dragon.

It flew over Laketown, the force of its wings so strong it ripped the roofs of the buildings clean off. Tilda whimpered again and Periwinkle wrapped her arms around the girl's head to shield her eyes from the fire-breathing beast. Around them, people screamed at the sight of it. Everyone was evacuating the town, and that made the channels rather crowded and hard to row through.
Smaug unleashed his wrath upon Laketown as he breathed a line of fire through the middle of the town. The flames missed their boat but came too close for comfort.

"Bain, Sigrid, come here." Periwinkle beckoned them over as calmly as she could. 

The brother and sister scooted closer to her and Bofur, and together they shielded the children of the heat the flames radiated. And although they were at risk of burning to death, the flames didn't scare her as it should. Fire never has.