Chapter 62: Smaug the Magnificent.

The world was grinding to a mind-numbing halt. Sound and movement bombarded Thorin on every side but he stood rooted to the spot, dread seeping through his veins like ice. The dragon's talons closed around Sara midair, leaving Thorin's waiting arms empty. Her small frame was swallowed up in the dragon's grip and for several eternal heartbeats, Thorin feared she had been crushed. Only Sara's continued shrieks of pain and surprise fought back this growing certainty. Smaug's wings beat the air around them into a veritable gail as he flew higher and higher, Sara clutched in his claws.

"Sara!" screamed Thorin, wrenched from his paralysis. A spear whizzed past and struck the dragon's underbelly but to no avail. The weapon simply ricocheted to the side leaving nary a scratch behind.

"Thorin, get down!" bellowed Dwalin.

"Sara!"

His throat was raw with the force of his shout. He staggered forward but moments later was tackled to the ground by Dwalin as Smaug's tail whistled down from above knocking boulders loose from the mountainside. The rest of the company was forced to take refuge in the tunnel as the entrance was buried in an avalanche of rock and stone.

"Thorin!" cried Sara.

The sheer panic in her voice drove into Thorin's brain like hundreds of jagged nails. He had failed. Again. How many times would it take until he learned? He staggered to his feet, pushing away Dwalin's restraining hands. He had to get to Sara, save her. It was his fault. He never should have let her come, never should have let her out of his sight. He drew Orcrist, but the blade was of no use at this range. The dragon was out of reach and flying away. Anger and desperation bubbled up inside his chest, burning his lungs as he shouted.

"Cowardly worm!"

The dragon's flight paused and after a moment the great beast turned to face him.

"No less a coward who skulks in shadowed tunnels in hopes of an antiquated revenge. And what have you to show for it?"

"Return Sara. Return her to me and I will pursue this venture no longer."

The great lizard laughed deep in his chest, but Thorin's eyes were drawn to his taloned feet where he could see Sara's face. It was a wash of panic and pain as she struggled.

"And why should I care what you do? Your attempt on the mountain is futile. Many years have I been king here and many more shall I remain. Long past the short days of a would-be dwarf prince."

"Return the woman to me!"

"You treasure her more than this mountain?"

"Yes," came his unhesitating reply.

"Then it is fitting that I take her. She is the price for your folly. She is mine."

"You blighted spawn of a snake," bellowed Dwalin, snatching a nearby stone and hurling it at the dragon. It bounced off harmlessly. "Give Sara back or I swear to Mahall I shall dedicate my remaining days to your death!"

"Then your days shall be short indeed," chuckled Smaug. "Still, you have fight. It has been long since I was presented with entertainment. I offer you this little dwarf. Come for her if you dare, but do not wait overlong. Six fat ponies will not quell my hunger long."

"Take me instead of her!" called Thorin.

"I think not," said Smaug smugly. "Why would I trade one when I can have all."

"Swear you will not eat her."

"You have no hope of success, so it matters little. Still, I will try not to eat her before you arrive. I would not want to miss your expression when I do. When you and your companions come for her I shall have a feast of dwarf. All I need do is wait. You will come to me."

With these words Smaug rose higher into the air and wheeled away from them, Sara's screams for help piercing the air.

"Sara!" screamed Thorin, his and Dwalin's voices mingling. The dragon disappeared.

There were shouts for help from the stones behind them and they turned to find Balin struggling to free himself from the crush. Dwalin rushed to aid his brother as a few of the others began to surface. Thorin seized an arm and pulled Bifur clear of the rubble and together the four of them quickly worked to clear the entrance. Thorin's mind raced as he heaved stones aside. His heart was at war with his head. He wanted to go after Sara, immediately, but he needed the others' help. At last, all were free and the door was clear enough to pass through. In point of fact, the secret door was broken to pieces, leaving a gaping hole in the mountainside.

"Is anyone injured?" called Thorin, wanting to quickly assess the company.

"Nothing we can't live with," answered Oin curtly.

"Then grab your weapons. We are going after Sara." He turned to go down the tunnel.

"Hold on a moment," said Balin, grabbing his arm. "I want her safe just as much as you do, but surely you can't mean to go straight down the tunnel to Smaug's waiting jaws."

"He has Sara, we cannot hesitate!"

"Getting ourselves roasted will not do Sara any good," countered Dwalin. "Normally I would be with ya, all for a direct action, but we need a strategy."

"Precisely," said Balin. "Smaug has the advantage."

"He also has Sara," growled Thorin struggling to keep his voice calm.

"Exactly. We will only get one attempt. We must succeed the first time if we are to save her. We need to keep our heads. Smaug may have the upper hand, but we are not without assets."

"I fail to see anything about the situation as an asset," said Dori. "Smaug is enormous."

"Yet he is not quite so large as the stories have said," countered Airidan, picking debris from his hair. "I had expected him to be much larger."

"Oh aye," said Bofur sarcastically. "Because a dragon the size of several large barns isn't big enough."

"It's still smaller than the tales," said Nori. "Also did Smaug not say he devoured all six of the ponies? The longer we stall him the better our chances for the herbs to work."

"But we can't wait forever," said Thorin impatiently. "His appetite will return."

"Don't underestimate the lass. Sara knows that as well as we do and she will be doing all she can to stall for time," said Dwalin.

"It is most uncomfortable talking to a dragon," said Bilbo. "But if one knows how it is entirely possible to string Smaug along. He's very sure of himself and won't be expecting to be disadvantaged. Still, I'd rather we not wait."

"So he's not as big as we thought and he's drugged," said Gloin. "He's still impervious to attack."

"Not entirely true," said Nori. "Did you not see the bare patch on his chest? We know Smaug can be killed."

"But we don't have a dwarvish wind lance," said Dori. "And even if we did, it would be difficult to get a good shot. Given their size, wind lances are not portable in one's arms."

"Not in one's arms they are not," said Balin pensively. "Yet, my father was building them onto carts that could be pushed."

"Still difficult to aim at a moving target," said Nori.

"Difficult but not impossible," said Dwalin. "We will have to keep him from moving."

"How do you propose we do that?" scoffed Bofur. "Ask him please to hold still while we fire on him?"

"We haven't time to waste bickering," said Thorin, moving toward the tunnel once again.

"No, not down the tunnel," said Dwalin, catching his arm again.

"What other way is there?" argued Thorin, jerking his arm free.

"The front gate of course," said Bilbo, sinking gingerly to perch on a rock. "Smaug came out the front gate so it must be unblocked now. I doubt he stopped to plug it up again."

"Exactly," said Balin. "We can go that way."

"But it will take too long," said Thorin.

"We have had a slower pace of late to accommodate Sara and Bilbo, we need not do so now," said Balin.

"Indeed," said Bilbo, wincing as he shifted his burned legs. "Leave me here. I will only slow you down and I am of little use against a dragon."

It was true they could travel much faster. He and the others could be at the front gate in a matter of hours. Not only that but if they came through that way there would be multiple ways to approach the treasury and rescue Sara. The other's comments and arguments began to fall into place in his mind, mixing with his memories of the layout of Erebor in his youth.

"Very well, Bilbo, you remain here at the tunnel with Airidan. The rest of you come with me"

"I'm going to stay with Bilbo," said Bofur, getting to his feet. "I don't know what you're planning but the three of us can go back down the tunnel and watch for Smaug and Sara. If need be we can try and distract Smaug while you and the others pull Sara out of there."

"Agreed," said Thorin. "But only do so if there is no other option. And by Mahall's hammer stay out of sight."

"Understood," said Airidan and Bofur together.

"Do be careful," urged Bilbo.

"We will Mr. Baggins," assured Thorin. "As careful as it is possible."

"What is your plan?" asked Bifur in dwarvish, as he brushed dirt and rubble from his beard and shoulders.

"I won't know for sure until I see the entrance hall," said Thorin. "Come. We can discuss it as we go."

Sara's heart hammered in her ears as the ground passed below her in a blur. She wasn't sure if it was the speed, the change in altitude, or the fact that breathing was difficult in the dragon's tight grip that made her surroundings blur. Probably all three. Her head was spinning. At first, she struggled, trying to get an arm free, perhaps to go for the dagger she kept at her waist but soon realized it was pointless. Even if she reached the blade it's not as though her knife would do any good against the red and gold scales surrounding her.

Smaug was enormous. His wingspan was at least that of a large passenger plane and she guessed he was far heavier. She had stopped screaming fairly quickly. It's not as though it did any good and it only made her dizzy. Instead, she tried to think of a way to escape the dragon. There would come a time when Smaug would have to release his grip on her, or at the very least alter it. She doubted if his size would allow him to fly inside the mountain. He would be forced to walk through Erebor and that would be awkward with his current grip on her.

She wasn't sure how long they had been flying. Smaug's had her at an odd angle, tilted up toward him but not completely on her back. It was difficult to see anything around the two-and-a-half-foot claws that hemmed her in on all sides. Her mind raced, presenting and discarding ideas at a rapid rate. Fear and anxiety mounted as the invisible clock ticked away, bringing the flight closer to a close. Smaug had told Thorin that he would not eat her right away, but Sara was not sure the dragon's patients would last long if she annoyed him or tried to escape. There was no doubt in her mind that the others would attempt to save her and that thought was both thrilling and terrifying.

She had not been sure what to expect when it came to Smaug but clenched in his grip her hopes of them ever killing him seemed to wither like a forgotten house plant. Then again, she could see the spot on Smaug's left breast that was empty and bare. The gray skin was a dull patch among the red and gold glinting all over his body. But how did one get close enough to attack and how much force would it take to penetrate deep enough to reach his heart. Probably more than she had, and certainly much deeper than her little dagger would reach.

Smaug's words swam to the forefront of her mind. He'd eaten all six ponies and presumably their packs. After all, the dragon would certainly have no trouble fitting an entire pony in his mouth. Smaug would not eat her until he was hungry again and if she was lucky that may just be long enough for their herbs to begin to affect him.

What kinds of symptoms might he experience? Would it be painful? Dangerous. That would only serve to irritate him. Would it confuse and muddle his mind? That might not be so terrible, although with his size she still might wind up squished. Best if the effects were either sudden and deadly or subtle enough that he would not recognize them. She hoped for the latter. It would be a waiting game.

They were losing altitude. She screamed as she was suddenly tossed in the air and caught again, this time facing the ground, her legs dangling. There it was, the front gate of Erebor. The entrance was open save a jumble of large stones and boulders strewn about like enormous rolled dice. Smaug's wings slowed and the ground rushed to meet them. Sara closed her eyes trying to brace for impact. Touchdown. The dragon grunted and stumbled forward slightly. She held her breath, fearing she would be crushed in Smaug's claws, but he caught himself. They were still. Sara cracked her eyes open.

Despite the dragon looming over her, Sara could not help but look around. The front gate, or what was left of it, was flanked by the two enormous stone statues of the past kings of Erebor, or so Thorin had told her a few days prior as they passed by. With Sara still clutched in his front right paw Smaug slid awkwardly inside the front hate.

The ceiling was invisible in the gloom and she could not see the tops of the stone pillars that seemed to rise higher and higher. There was an eerie feeling of being in a dusty hall of mirrors as row upon row of pillows stretched away in all directions. The further inside they went the darker it got until at last Sara could see nothing, simply hold on for the interminable ride. They continued in dark silence moving ever deeper into the mountain. Smaug's grip on her was right and she was positive she would be heavily bruised. Sara's toes were cold and numb and there was a shooting pain in her hip.

"Could… could you put me down for a moment," she finally squeaked out when the discomfort was unbearable. Any longer and she worried about losing her legs. At least it felt that way. Smaug came to a stop.

"Why would I do that?" asked Smaug in a deep growl. To Sara's amazement when the dragon opened his mouth to speak, light glowed from his jaws. "You would only try to escape. I don't much feel like chasing you. Simpler to eat you."

"I couldn't run if I wanted to," she said, her confidence growing with his reply. While his words were not exactly reassuring it was perhaps a good sign that he had not simply ignored her altogether or eaten her. "Your grip is cutting off circulation to my legs."

"You would still try." As he spoke Sara looked around. They were in a wide empty hallway.

"I really wouldn't," she insisted. Perhaps flattery? "Besides my legs and the fact that I can't see a thing unless you talk, I know you would just catch me. You have lived here for over 150 years and I have never seen Erebor before. I would be totally lost. I'm no match for you." Smaug snorted in derision, a glow from his nostrils giving a faint light to their surroundings. "If you won't let me down could you at least loosen your grip a little?"

To her dismay and intense discomfort he tightened his grip, but after several long moments, let her topple onto the cold stone floor.

"You will walk the rest of the way," he said simply, bringing his face near her. "It will be slower but simpler for me." She could feel the heat of his breath like the radiating steam from an oven. His golden eyes were slit like a cat's only much bigger and much more intelligent. "But know this, if you run, I will eat you without hesitation."

"I thought you weren't going to until my friends came for me," she risked as she hastily rubbed life back into her legs. She shifted uncomfortably as the pins and needles began signaling a return of blood flow.

"If they dare come for you, they are very foolish indeed. Now or later, you will be eaten. It makes little difference to me."

"Then why keep me rather than eat me now?"

Smaug pulled back slightly.

"It pleases me to distress the dwarf king," he said simply. "So long as you do not prove a nuisance. It is well you ceased your screaming. I detest all the noise. Now, get up. There is still some distance to cover and I am anxious to return to my gold. You will walk before me."

Sara clambered to her feet, ignoring the intense tingling in her legs, and stepped out in front of Smaug.

"Proceed," he said, pushing her forward none too gently with a claw. She turned and began to jog ahead, relieved to find the way lit it with a constant glow from Smaug's jaws. As nice as it was to be able to see again, it was highly unnerving to have a dragon following her with an open mouth. She pushed the unease to the side. It would do no good now.

They wound their way through halls and cavernous rooms alike, Smaug ever at her back. They had gone about 20 minutes this way when Sara stumbled forward in the dim light and fell, scraping her knees and hands badly. She glanced at the offending stone only to realize it was no stone. She sucked in a breath and drew away instinctively. An empty-eyed skull stared back at her, the bottom jaw missing.

"Get up," rumbled Smaug. "Unless you wish to join them."

Them? The light from his mouth intensified and her heart sank as the rounded shape of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of skulls gleamed back at her from around the room. So many.

"Quite the collection isn't it," said Smaug, letting little plumes of flame shoot from his nostrils. Sara scrambled to her feet, her stomach lurching. "Keep moving."

She turned and hurried forward trying to ignore the shapes in the gloom. It didn't help. Now that she knew what they were, the shapes presented themselves more ready.

"Rather strange is it not for a human woman to be traveling with a company of dwarves?" said Smaug after several more minutes.

"You're not the first to point it out," she said, stiffening as the heat from his breath wafted over her.

"Why were you included?"

"I'm not the only non-dwarf in the company," she pointed out, hoping to steer him away from that line of questioning.

"So I noticed. Last I knew elves and dwarves were at odds with one another."

"You miss things when you take decade-long naps," she said, jumping over a pile of rubble. Thankfully they had left the room of skulls behind. They were in a dilapidated hallway that was barely wide enough to accommodate Smaug's wings even tucked tightly to his back as they were.

"But the elf was not the only stranger. Who was the small one foolish enough to venture into my hall and steal from me? I have never smelled his kind before."

"And you're not likely to again," said Sara not exactly wanting to tell Smaug about Bilbo's origins. The last thing she wanted was to send him in the direction of Hobbiton.

"Why not?"

"His kind doesn't normally leave home for adventures," she panted. She had been half jogging half running for some time now, wanting to keep the pace lest Smaug step on her, but her lungs were beginning to burn. This was not always easy as the light from Smaug's mouth was not a steady glow and would dim from time to time.

"My friend is unique in that aspect," she continued after catching her breath. "If not for Gandalf pushing him out the door, he would probably still be reading in his garden."

"Stop there," commanded Smaug, bringing her to a sudden halt. She peered into their dim surroundings but could only see more blackness before her.

"Why did we..."

Smog blew out a brilliant plume of flame into the air high above their heads. Her stomach lurched and gasping she took several hasty steps backward till she was directly beneath Smaug. A canyon stretched out from either side directly in front of her. It was so far across she could not see the other side. The hallway just emptied into seeming nothingness. No railing or anything to signify the ground dripping out from under her. A few dozen paces to her left was a thin arch spanning the dark expanse.

"You will cross here," rumbled Smaug.

"Excuse me?" she squeaked.

"You will cross on the bridge."

"What bridge?" she asked incredulously.

"There," said Smaug, pointing at the thin arch with a claw.

"That's not a bridge." She took a few steps closer to examine it. "It can't be more than a foot wide most of the way across and it's at least a few hundred long."

"Nevertheless, you will cross here."

"I can't even see the other side."

"Cross or I shall be done with you," he said, pushing her toward the edge with a claw.

"Give me more light," she insisted, hesitantly putting a foot on the bridge. Smaug settled himself like a great cat behind her and let his jaws hang open to illuminate the area, his big golden eyes watching her. She stood frozen at the edge trying to get her heart to start. Behind her, Smaug's tail twitched from side to side.

"You're sure there's not another way across?" she asked. "You could carry me."

Smaug's low growl was enough to jump-start her heart and urge her out onto the bridge. The world seemed to zero in on her feet or rather the gaping blackness to either side of them. She couldn't see the bottom. She swallowed but her tongue was dry and seemed to gag her. She could... She could do this. The bridge was wide enough. 12 inches. It was just like walking down a narrow sidewalk. A cakewalk. A deadly cakewalk that could potentially end in a terrifying drop and a very sudden stop. She paused.

"Go on Sara," rumbled the dragon behind her, his voice raising little hairs on the back of her neck. She froze. "Why do you hesitate?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Your friends were so kind as to shout it when I snatched you out of the air," he said with a chuckle that somehow managed to sound both gravely and sickly sweet at the same time. "Very careless of them. Your little friend had more sense than to reveal his name. Now cross the bridge. I grow impatient with your stalling."

She reluctantly returned her attention to the bridge, carefully setting one foot in front of the other and trying to distract herself as she focused her eyes further out on the bridge. Step by perilous steps she moved further out into the gaping blackness. The glow from Smaug's mouth grew dimmer and dimmer until at last, she could go no further without risking a misplaced foot. She stopped, her arms held out to either side as she squinted ahead. It was no good, it was too dark.

"Why do you stop? Continue."

"I can't see," she called, her words echoing back at her.

"Nevertheless, you will continue."

"I can't see," she insisted, not budging. "If I go forward I will fall."

"Then you fall, what do I care."

"Then I don't exactly have a reason to keep going, do I," she countered. This was not good. She hated being up here with nothing to hang onto, just standing here on a narrow bridge over a bottomless pit.

"Then you clearly don't need light."

All at once the small amount of light she had been relying on vanished completely plunging her into an all-encompassing pitch. Her heart attempted to crawl up out of her throat as her world reeled without sensory input from her eyes. Her mind insisted that her eyes were open yet she could see nothing. She drew in a shallow breath which seemed to be about all she could manage with the invisible rubber band squeezing her chest. Her head spun and she felt off-balance. She was going to fall. The darkness was pressing in on all sides, pushing her. She tried to remain upright but there was a sickening lurch as she felt her foot slide off the bridge.

Squeezing her eyes shut she dropped to the bridge, straddling the walkway with both arms and legs, hugging it. She couldn't quite reach around it. Her cheek pressed against the cold stone returning some sense of place to her as her lips let it fly a string of words that would have raised Thorin's eyebrow. Once her head had stopped swimming she dared to lift it and look around. It did no good. There was nothing to see, not a single speck of light anywhere. There was a low chuckling from behind her… or was that to the left? She could not be certain. All she knew for sure was that there was solid tangible albeit a cold bridge beneath her but all around was seeming nothingness.

Smaug's mirth echoed throughout the chamber making it impossible to tell where he was. Stars, how she hated this. Heights were one thing, and dark was another, but this… this was just cruel. Her mounting fear and panic were gradually being eaten away by a far more acidic emotion. Hate. She hated this dragon. He was responsible for all the skeletons she passed in the halls. So many lives had been ruined because of his lust for gold. But she found that even with all the stories about him she had heard and the damage she knew him to be responsible for she had not been able to muster any true hate for him until now. No longer. Stuck there in the dark hanging over a precipice with his laughter echoing all around her she began to truly hate him. At last, it grew quiet again.

"You did not fall," came the dragon's voice from all around her. Despite his talking, there was no light. Drat him, he must be able to control that too. "How curious you are. But how long can you cling there I wonder?"

She didn't answer as her mind ground back into action. She had no intention of staying here for him to laugh at and torment. She began to scoot along the bridge like an inchworm, bit by careful bit making her way to the far edge. She was not staying suspended out here any longer than she had to.

"Not only curious but tenacious as well. I can see why you'd be a traveling companion to the dwarves, still, I can't have you escaping. Tell me your name and I will give you light."

"You already know my name," she said, still scooting forward.

"Your true name," he corrected. She hated how much she wanted light. Whatever. He could have her name. She doubted he could do anything with it to harm her.

"I grew up being called Sara Miller and only recently found out that my name at birth was Sigyn."

"How very cooperative of you Sigrid Sara Miller."

"I gave you my name, now give me light," she shot back to the dark. About 30 feet directly in front of her she could see the sudden glow of golden cat eyes. The glow was not enough to give light only to draw her attention.

"Stand-up," came the syrupy dragon voice.

"Give me more light," she countered, gritting her teeth. The eyes blinked and then vanished. After several empty seconds, light poured from Smaug's jaws.

"Now stand up."

Cautiously, Sara rose to her feet, ready to drop back down should the light vanish again. She had been right. They were at the far end of the bridge. There sat Smaug waiting for her to venture near. She inched forward, not happy that he was blocking her way off the bridge.

"Look at me, Sigrid Sara Miller."

"I can hardly look elsewhere," she shot. "And my name is Sara Miller. I have never gone by Sigrid." Smaug's golden eyes appeared above the glow from his mouth. It was weird how he could just switch them off and on.

"Very well Sara Miller," crooned Smaug, his voice more syrupy than ever. His eyes blazed brighter. "I want you to jump. Jump from this bridge into the abyss below."

"You must think I'm crazy."

"Jump Sara Miller!" he commanded with more force.

"I'm not jumping. Eat me if you want but I'm not jumping to my death." Smaug growled, the noise sending goosebumps over Sara's back and making her retreat a step.

"So, a curious, tenacious, liar is what you are."

"I'm getting really sick of people calling me a liar," she said, fear and irritation fighting for dominance in her mind. "I haven't lied to you… yet."

"Yet?" replied Smaug with a snort. "You claim not to have lied to me when I know for a fact you have. You did not tell me your true name. If you had… you would have jumped when commanded."

"Ah the old give you my name ploy," she said. "I thought that only worked with fairies. Well so much the better for me, but Sara Miller is my name and Sigyn is my birth name. Any other name I don't know about."

"Why would you tell me so freely if you suspected it would give me power over you?" he asked skeptically. "Unless you did indeed lie."

"An educated gamble," she said, crouching down. Standing still in one pace was throwing her off balance and she was not eager to approach Smaug.

"What do you mean?"

"I know something you don't," she said, straddling the bridge again. "The Valar put a block on my mind to prevent outside influence. I assumed that included you trying to bewitch me. After all, Saruman couldn't do it."

"Now I know for sure you lie. What interest would the Valar have in you."

"That's too long a story to tell on a bridge in the dark. But go ahead by all means try to bewitch me."

"It would be a waste of my time," huffed Smaug, sounding annoyed. "I have a much simpler way to accomplish my goal."

With this Sara once again plunged into darkness. She had been expecting it and was grateful she was sitting. She listened, waiting for a hint of Smaug's intentions. It was silent for many long moments. Sara scooted forward like an inchworm again. Ether Smaug would eat her or he wouldn't but she was done with the stupid mind game.

She marveled at how quickly the terror of Smaug had worn off. In truth, she was more afraid of falling. Was it simply the result of all the company's crazy misadventures? Or was Smaug too large for life? As large, menacing, and intelligent as Smaug was he still didn't make her want to turn inside out the way the giant spiders had. They still gave her the heebie-jeebies just to think about.

It came out of nowhere, a large scaly tail, or so she thought. It brushed along her left side nudging her with its weight. She instantly lay on her belly once again hugging the bridge. She froze, waiting for what she didn't know. It came again, this time from the right like a smooth but powerful caress pushing her to the side, almost knocking her off the bridge.

"Stop it," she spat into the dark. He chuckled but no other response came. He nudged her from the right, sending her scrambling for purchase. She was so close to the end of the bridge. Regaining her balance she scooted quickly, closing the gap between herself and the edge. She must be nearly there. As if to confirm this knowledge Smaug's golden eyes reappeared like glowing orbs in front of her. She froze. Hot breath wafted over her.

"Going somewhere Sara Miller," came his amused rumble. She didn't get to respond because at that moment his tail returned to her left. It was no suggestive caress but an intentional swipe that sent her careening into the abyss below.

The scream ripped from her mingling with Smaug's laughter. Air rushed past her as she plummeted into the black, her hair whipping about her crazily. Her hands scrabbled for something, anything to hold on to. Nothing. There was a brilliant plume of fire overhead and Smaug lept from the cliff, diving after her. Surely she would hit the ground any moment now. Just as she was positive she could stand it no longer, powerful talons closed around her carrying her off into the dark depths of the mountain.

Thorin ran a rough hand over the stone column beside him as he took in the grand entrance hall of Erebor. His childhood had been spent playing in this very hall with Dis and Frerin. Memories rose unbidden, choking his throat with regret and loss. His eyes stung as he took in the desolation of Smaug. A skeleton blanketed in dust. Small. No more than a child. A life ended before it had begun. So much loss that day. So many gone.

"We found one that is still functional in the lower halls," said Dwalin, approaching on his left, the light from his torch casting its warm glow over the would-be grave. "Nori and Dori are bringing it up."

Thorin cleared his throat, blinking back the moisture in his eyes before turning to face him. Sara. They were here to retrieve Sara. Retrieve Sara and put an end to Smaug. Rescue and revenge. He could give them a proper resting place when the mountain was his once again. When the dragon was dead at his feet.

"Well done."

"Do you think it will work?" asked Dwalin. "Did you find enough chain?"

He took the torch from Dwalin and picked his way around the rubble of the smashed front doors, careful not to disturb any remains. The chain and pulley system that once opened and closed the enormous stone doors so effortlessly was a mangled mess but the metal links blinked dully from amid the debris and dust.

"I'm not positive," he admitted, scuffing a boot over a large link in the chain. "It's difficult to gauge the dragon's strength but we have to try. I only hope the poison has taken effect by now. We shall have to trust in the strength of the halls of our fathers."

"And what of Sara?" They stood watching the others move rock and debris around trying to free the thick chain.

"We get her away from Smaug at all costs." His fingers wrapped involuntarily around the bone hilt of Orcrist.

"Aye, at all costs," agreed Dwalin.

"Someone is coming," called Ori from the empty doorway, a hand held up to shadow his face from the setting sun. In moments Thorin was at his side squinting into the light. "I can't quite tell who it is. A man by the looks of it."

"It'll be Bard," said Dwalin, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why do you say that?" asked Ori.

"Who else would it be? No other has reason to approach the mountain while Smaug still lives."

Unfortunately, Thorin was inclined to agree with this line of reasoning and he was suddenly very aware that Bard was Sara's father. Did he know of Sara's plight? At length, the figure crested the rise and came into clear view. Bard. Alone. By now the others of the company had gathered.

"Hail and welcome to the mountain," called Balin. But Bard did not answer, did not stop his approach. "What news of Dale?" tried Balin again.

There was a firm set to Bard's jaw that Thorin was all too familiar with. Bard was not here for gossip or news. He knew. Bard suddenly broke into an all-out run straight for them. Strait for him. Thorin braced himself for a tirade. He deserved it. He had failed. He was not disappointed. Bard fairly flung himself at Thorin and were it not for Dwalin catching his arm the man would have landed a heavy blow.

"You were supposed to keep her safe," spat Bard, struggling against Dwalin. "I trusted you to keep her safe, not offer her up as a distraction or sacrifice."

"We have done no such thing," said Gloin, affronted. "Sara is one of the company."

"There is not a dwarf here who would hesitate to protect Sara," said Ori. "The worm came out of nowhere and carried her off before any of us could stop him."

"I trusted you with her," said Bard, his voice cracking as his eyes bore holes through Thorin.

"How did you become aware that Smaug had Sara?" asked Balin, assuming his role as mediator.

"I saw it," said Bard, yanking his arm free from Dwalin who stood ready to grab him again. "We could hear the dragons roaring even under the city. We waited many hours, but when all was silent I came out to see for myself if the dragon was dead. Instead, I see Smaug flying overhead with my eldest daughter in his talons. What have you done!"

"Smaug has done," countered Gloin. "Not us."

"What are you going to do?" pressed Bard.

"Get her back," said Thorin simply. He wished he felt as confident as his words implied.

"And exactly how do you plan to do that? She was taken by a Dragon!"

"With that," said Thorin, pointing to the pile of thick chain they had rescued from the rubble.

"You plan to rescue my daughter from a dragon and all you have is a bit of chain?" said Bard. "You're all mad."

"Perhaps," interjected Balin. "But with a bit of luck and ingenuity your daughter will be with us again soon and Smaug will be dead."

"Who is to say that she still lives," said Bard, his voice hollow and defeated. "I thought for all this time she was dead and not that I have found her she may be."

"Smaug wants us to try and rescue her," said Dwalin. "He won't eat her until we come to him. He fancies us a meal on a platter."

"And you are just planning to go to him?" asked Bard.

"What Smaug is unaware of is that all six ponies he ate were drugged," said Balin.

"And he did eat all six," said Ori, shuddering. "He told us himself. The longer he waits for us the weaker he will become."

"But Sara…" began Bard.

"Your daughter is a smart lass," said Dwalin. "She will be finding her own way out if I know her."

"She will be alright," assured Balin. Thorin wished he were as sure.

"We will get her back," he said. Bard turned tired eyes on him, watching him silently for what felt like an eternity.

"Tell me this inane plan. I'm going to help get my daughter back."

"Sara will not be happy to know you were involved in this business," said Thorin. "She sought to keep you from it on purpose."

"Well, I'm far from thrilled she was carried off. She is my daughter. She will have to live with the disappointment. Now, tell me your plan."