Woodland Realm

Melody POV

A few days have passed since Tiberius left with his legions and I worry for him every day and felt uneasy. I touched the golden leaf attached to my tiara which was said to be with me when father found me saying that the leaf has special origins and powers which even he doesn't know, It's hard to believe that my father who has been alive since the first age lacks the knowledge to identify this golden leaf.

Touching the leaf I closed my eyes and feel it as it tries to tell me something, I see visions of Tiberius dying while battling a dragon and a man in black clothing. I see him dying screaming my name as the dragon tear him to pieces. I opened my eyes and finally made my decision to run away.

"I must go to him."

In the middle of the night, I sneaked my way through the guards as I leave the city undetected, as one of the best blade dancers in our realm I easily managed to sneak my way out of the city without alerting anyone. I run through the dark forest as I go to the place where Tiberius mentioned they would be going.

"I'm coming please be safe"

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Lake Town

Outside the town that is surrounded by water, the townspeople can be seen running in panic as they ran and paddle their boats towards the gate as they see a marching army with large shields with an eagle painted on it. The army can be seen marching in the only bridge towards the town. The town bells can be heard ringing as the gates were closed and the walls we're manned as they prepared to defend the town from the unknown army that was marching towards them.

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Tiberius POV

I looked at the town coldly as my envoy run towards it to send a message for trade while intimidating them with the legions, if it weren't for the town only having one entrance where my army can enter in the solid ground I would have sacked the town or better yet conquered it. I don't have any ships to use nor the time to siege the town as the legions only have one week worth of rations left.

After leaving woodland I became more irritable and short-tempered as I wanted to quickly finish my pact with Thorin and establish myself in middle earth with the wealth I will get from the mountain. After having a foothold I will go back to woodland and ask for Melody's hand in marriage.

I've been dreaming of Melody while I heard whispers in the background, though weaker than before it's still annoying me and made it hard to enjoy my dream. I felt like something dark growing within me the only thing that can calm my mind is my happy memories with Melody, her voice as she laughed and her gentle personality as she listened to my worries of responsibility during our time together.

I slapped myself as I focused what's more important, I am a prince of Rome and my legions are counting on me to lead them back home. I looked towards the gate to see Thorin and some men of Dale going out. Bombur ran towards Thorin and hugged him when they approached.

Thorin smiled as he approached me: "It took you longer than I expected, we were just about to leave the next day"

"Bombur has amnesia and bad at directions while you took the only map, it took us a while to find the path towards here."

Thorin introduced me to the man beside him named Bard a bargeman and archer who helped them smuggled inside the town. He said that they were ambushed by orcs injuring Kili when they were escaping the elves, they had to go to the town to get medicine but the guards refused to let them in. If it were not for Bard helping them Kili would have died from his injury.

They were soon discovered when one of the town guards accidentally saw them when he entered Bard's house to hire him for a job. They were brought to the mayor and Thorin told about their quest and our legions arrival while also promising them wealth from the mountain. The greedy mayor agreed and the dwarves were preparing to leave the next day because of us being late.

Thorin explained to me they know of a secret entrance we can sneak into, we will scout the mountain first before marching the legions to battle Smaug.

"I and some of my Praetorians will join you, I will leave Garen in charge of preparations to battle the dragon."

I marched the legions back as we make camp near the bridge, Thorin followed me with the mayor of lake town to my tent as we discussed buying provisions for the legions. The mayor was so happy to have business again from the outside after a long time and easily agreed to our price.

The next day we prepared to leave the town, coming along with me is Darius and twenty Praetorian guards, Kili was left in the town to recuperate while his brother stayed with him. We ride on the boats that the mayor provided for us as we paddle our way through the lake and to the large mountain from the distance hoping our operation would be a success.

Three hours later we arrived on the mountain where the secret entrance should be, but as we observed our surroundings we couldn't find the door that was stated by Thorin. We spent the entire afternoon scouring the place with no success. As the sun falls down my men and the dwarves give up as they go down the mountain with dejected expressions, Thorin told me we should just go to the main entrance with the entire army and force it open.

As I was about to go down I heard Bilbo shouting that he found the keyhole that can be only found when moonlight shines upon it. Rushing back we see a keyhole on the wall, Thorin inserts a key and pushed it open.

We entered the tunnels with torches to light our way and separate as we scout around the area, we saw a large furnace and cauldrons with hardened gold inside it where they used to melt their metals. We saw skeletons of dead dwarves who either starved to death or killed while fighting. We saw the throne room where an incomplete giant stone statue of a dwarf can be seen.

"My grandfather ordered that hollowed statue to be built, gold was supposed to be poured within it to make a golden statue."

I looked at Thorin impressed by how rich they were in gold, as we continued to update the old map that Thorin gave us we heard Bilbo screaming. We run to the direction of his voice and see a golden light from the distance, as we got closer we see a dragon chasing a hobbit in a big cave full of gold and precious treasures.

We were stunned by the sight but snapped out of it when we see the dragon breathed fire at Bilbo who was hiding behind a stone pillar.

"Javelins!" I shouted as I see the melting pillar.