Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Maranda had basically come to the end of the line. She didn't actually have a plan to get out of this. She considered feeding the Arkenstone to Smaug and telling everyone he ate it, but she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to convince Smaug to devour such a gem. She considered just destroying it with a quick blow from her Strength but that would enrage both Smaug and Thorin, and that, that was a bad idea. If she just left it in the gold one of the Dwarves would eventually find it and that would make everything worse, plus how do you escape a dragon like that? She realized, about an hour too late, she had no idea what she was doing with her life.

All these possibilities occurred to her in a matter of seconds. But she could see no way out of this that wouldn't make her and Thorin enemies. She sighed and closed her eyes. If it meant she could save him...She looked around. There were dozens of little jewels all over the ground. She picked one up and span it between her fingers lightly. She glanced at Smaug. The only way out of this was to feed him the stone and sink him in the Long Lake. She started whistling softly and Smaug's eyes opened lazily.

"Hello," she cooed affectionately. He wiggled slightly and she laughed. She balanced the tiny stone she had picked up on her chin. She held still, balancing it.

"What are you doing?" Samug said softly. She took away the stone and smiled.

"Just a game. Me and my brothers used to play it with acorns all the time. It's my favorite game, would you like to try?" Smaug nodded eagerly and raised his head with Maranda on it. "We'll use this, alright?" she waved the Arkenstone and he nodded slightly. "Alright, tilt your head back," she warned and she took flight as he pointed his snout at the cavern ceiling. She placed the Arkenstone on his lips long ways and it tilted. "Hold still, Smaug!" she said loudly and he froze. She placed it carefully and it rested on his lips. She took in a deep breath and grabbed one of her feathers. She pulled and bit her cheek to stop for screaming. She took a moment to gather her breathe.

"Okay, I'm going to see just how long you can hold it, alright? Okay. One, two..." she kept counting and held the feather of one of his nostrils very carefully, so he wouldn't see. "Four-" She took in a deep breathe. "Five." After that four things happened very fast.

1) She released the feather which Smaug inhaled.

2) Smaug sneezed and the Arkenstone flew into his mouth.

3) Maranda flew as fast as she could towards the exit.

4) And Thorin and Company ran into the room.

Maranda collided roughly with Thorin who caught her and pulled her to the ground, her wings still flapping wildly.

"We should definitely run. He's going to be angry and I think when dragon's sneeze they breathe fire. Run!" she shouted and shoved them all out. She was about to follow when she heard Smaug come crashing towards her. She span and was snatched up and then she was being carried.

"Smaug, let me go!" she cried out.

"Dwarves in my mountain!" he raged and roared. "We'll see about that. Stay here," he snapped and dropped her into a room, shoving a mound of treasure in front of it. She was trapped. She raged and kicked at a jewel the size of her head. She grunted in pain and and rubbed her foot. Then froze. She picked it up, forcing Strength from her magic supply. She needed to eat to replenish it, but she had strength enough for this. She took in a deep breathe and threw it at the wall. The went through the wall, leaving a huge hole in the stone. She beamed and climbed through.

It took longer than she would have liked, much longer, but at least she was out. She took flight at once, heading for the forges. That would have been Thorin's first instinct. By the time she got there Smaug had already caved in the wall. She flew into the Hall of Kings in time for the golden statue to burst apart.

"NO!" she screamed as Smaug was buried. She shot to Thorin's side who was grinning wildly. "Thorin what have you done?" she breathed and he smiled at her.

"Defeated the dragon," he said firmly as the gold stopped moving.

"Fire cannot kill a dragon," Maranda snarled and Smaug leapt up and roared in rage.

"Revenge!" he cried out.

"NOT DEAD," Maranda shouted at Thorin who was gaping after the monster. She yanked Thorin from his chain and dropped him on the ground. She flew after him, landing beside Bilbo long enough to drag him to his feet.

"Keep Thorin away from the treasury. Bard and I shall deal with the dragon," she warned and ran down the hall, taking off after the Dragon. She ran through a list of plans, but everything ended with her dead and Smaug killing everyone, except relying on Bard. So she flew. She had no hope of beating him there. As she drew closer she watched as the whole city went up in flames. She spiraled over head and spotted Bard climbing the watchtower. She dove and landed next to him.

"Mara!"

"Bard, we need to kill it. Do you have the-"

"Black arrow?" Bain said, climbing up behind his father. Bard beamed at his son and Maranda sighed in relief.

"I'll distract him, you get up there. Is everyone out?" she asked.

"Yes. Even your Dwarf and Elf friends."

"Elves?" she said seriously.

"Yes two. Orcs attacked my house during evacuation. They saved the Dwarves and my family," he said. "I thought you would know."

"I did, I just wanted to check. It's good that Tauriel came. I sort of promised Kili she would," she laughed awkwardly and flew towards Smaug. "DRAGON!" she shouted and he spun to face her.

"Ah, my Fairy has come to see my triumph," he said and filled the sky with fire.

"Stop it you're wasting your breath," snapped Maranda and Smaug's jaw closed in surprise. "A dragon, really. You're not as impressive as you think. A murderer. A child. A slug," she snapped and Smaug blinked. Then shook, then whined. Maranda blinked. Was Smaug crying? Yes, but not for long. He roared.

"Traitor! Liar! Falsifier!" he roared and charged her. She flew as fast as she could, hearing the roar of fire and and claw behind her.

"Bard!" she shouted as the Bowman aimed over his son's shoulder. He looked to Bain who held perfectly still and Bard shouted out a blink before he released the arrow. Maranda flew straight and then dropped from the sky like a stone, praying Bard wouldn't miss. The arrow found it's mark. She heard a great cry of pain and spread her wings, riding on the heatwaves of fire beneath her and started to climb, wings flapping furiously. "Come on, a little more," she hissed through her teeth as Smaug slowed, miles above Lake Town. He twisted as she came level with his head. His eyes watched her carefully, filled with sadness.

"Why?" he said softly, which was actually more of a loud snarl. Maranda glared at him, her hand glowing blue, not just surrounded by an aura, truly glowing a burning blue, not like the sky, but like his eyes. The eyes that gave her strength.

"Because desolation must end," she snarled and her fist connected with the tip of his nose, his skull crashing in on itself and carrying with it a spell, a disease that spread through the dragon's body, trapping the Arkenstone inside of the beast at the bottom of the Long Lake for ever and always. The dragon was dead before he hit the water. Maranda gasped for air and slowly drifted down. The water was a writhing mess of bubbles and waves. She could see Bard and Bain clutching to the top of the tower.

As the water stilled she alighted in the tower with Bain and Bard. They all sat, collapsed and silent, panting and then Bain let out a blast of laughter. Bard smiled and tugged his son to his side. Maranda giggled and covered her eyes. Then there was relief and laughter. Because Smaug was dead.