Concerning Hobbits

The dragon opened it’s mighty jaws and blew forth a cloud fire brighter than the light of day. Pansy, Bilbo and company jumped from the stairs sliding down a hill of gold to a doorway. “this way!” Dwalin called out “come on Bilbo!” Ori said Guiding Bilbo ahead of him. Pansy struggled to her to her feet in the slippery gold piles, and without the use of her right arm at that. “come on” Thorin called snatching her up by the other arm he all but flung her through the door. The dragons fire filled the Treasure hoard it’s embers nearly burning them as they ran through the small hall.

Pansy slid to the stop and turned around as Thorin rolled in behind her, cloak blazing with flames Dwalin and Balin rushed to help him slid it off, as he got free of it, Nori’s canteen of water burst open the water flying to douse the burning coat. Pansy squinted, if it really was her doing that, she had wished her reactions could have actually been on time to be useful. “come on!” Thorin called leading the back through the maze that seemed to be Erebor.

It had finally seemed they had lost him. The halls were silent, not but there scuffling feet could be heard. Pansy peered over the side of the walkway, the drop off seemed to go down forever. “could you not have built railings?” Pansy asked “this can’t be-” Thorin held his hand out to her as she went to pass him “shh sh sh, quiet,” he hushed her, walking to the archway in the corridor he slowly with caution peeked around it and looked both ways before slinking back behind the hall. “maybe we gave it the slip” Dori whispered, Bilbo came to Pansy’s and she gave him a tired sigh “no, he is to cunning for that” Dwalin said, Bilbo looked all around quickly “so where to now?” he asked. “the western Cavern,”said Thorin turning to his party “ There may be a way out” he whispered. “we’re too high, there is not chance that way” Balin said, Pansy stepped past Thorin and looked up at the many flights and levels of the mountain Thorin pulled her back into the cover of the archway and looked back to Balin “it’s our only chance” he said. Pansy shook Thorin’s hand free of her and walked back to Bilbo. Thorin eyed her up and down,she couldn’t still be upset, he did, after all, go back for Bilbo.

“we have to try” He said taking his eyes away from her, he checked the path ahead once more before signaling for the group to follow him. It was strangely still in these halls, a cold stark feeling had settled within them. Yet Pansy found herself sweating profusely as it had felt like mid-summer, at high noon. She chalked it up to it being Smaug, for the fire he spewed and the heat of his body. Slowly they headed across the long bridgeway. All of them looking about so no one would miss the dragon. Blades pointed. “Come on” Thorin urged them, a single coin fell from the sky and landed with a loud clang. They each froze, and looked down. Bilbo checked his pockets, and Pansy rubbed her head as another fell atop it. The party looked up to see the dragon crawling over the bridges above them. Pansy covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming as she saw his sheer size. The coins of gold fell from the gaps in the large scales of his belly.

Not taking his eyes off the Dragon Thorin held out his hand and curled his fingers back silently telling them to come and move forward.

They made it unseen to the Western Cavern, “stay close!” Thorin ordered as they ran into the entryway. But turning around he came to a halt. Pansy ran into Bombur who gawked at the sight before him and she fell to the ground landing next to something large and gray. Turning her head she saw it was a chard, perfectly preserved remains of a dwarf woman and her infant child. Pansy’s mouth fell open and she quickly crawled away but bumped into another ash body causing her to fall into a pile losing her form. But her beautiful dress though covered in dust, cobwebs and ash fell to the ground still holding together. Pansy scrambled to her feet and mindlessly walked while looking around her. Bodies, bodies were everywhere piled on top of one another like a haystack. She walked right into Thorin, who rather than looking at the pathway out with had caved in, was looking down upon the dead,= women and children, horror forever stuck on their chard faces. Pansy’s body trembled, she could never imagine what pain it had to have been, even if a short death, to be burned by dragon fire. To have looked upon your children as they burned in your arms with no way out, no way to fight. Lives, lives that never had a chance to be. And yet they all looked so beautiful beyond the horrified faces, like craven stone.

“the last of our kin” Balin breathed,Pansy looked up to Thorin and timidly grabbed his arm, holding hit with both her hands, slowly she wrapped her arms around it, and hugged his arm. His eyes stuck to them, the bodies. She wondered if any of the faces were ones he knew, friends, family, lovers anything, or could he even tell as death had changed them. “they must have come here, hoping beyond hope” Balin added looking over them. There had to be at the very least 30 adult bodies, children? Pansy didn’t want to know and wouldn’t dare to count. “we can try to reach the Mines”Balin said his voice sounding defeated,”we might last a few days” he added Pansy looked at him fearfully “f-few days? Are we?” she looked to Bilbo, Dwalin, and Thorin “are we going to die down here?” She asked but no one would answer her.

“no” Thorin said walking further into the room closer tho the bodies. Pansy watched him with pity, he was back to his old self again, if nothing else would make him see things clearly it was the suffering of his people. “I will not die like this” He said looking over the fallen dwarves. “cowering, clawing for breath” he turned around sharply and Looked over the companies faces. “we make for the forges” He said, “he will see us” said Balin, “sure as death” Dwalin added in “not if we split up” Thorin said. “sp-split up?” she looked around at everyone, “are you mad? There’s safety in numbers you know” She said. “not for them” Ori said sadly nodding at the bodies. Pansy fell silent. “Thorin, we’ll never make it” Balin pleaded. “some of us might” Thorin said he, in turn, looked every one of them in the eyes one by one “lead him to the forges, we kill the dragon” his said. Pansy drew in a deep breath, she could not see how they could do it, but, he had lead them this far, all of them and they were all still alive. “if this is to end in fire” said Thorin his eyes fell on Pansy “then well will all burn together” he said. Pansy exhaled a shaky breath and closed her eyes, she could feel the mountain moan and groan, and she felt him there, Aule. Pansy opened her eyes and gave a slight nod.

They ran through the bridge halls,”flee, flee run for your lives!” Smaug called out finally spotting Bilbo, Thorin, and Balin he mocked them. The company slid to a stop. “death is coming there is not where to hide” He growled. “we are behind you!” Ori called out “raaaah!” Dori yelled. Ori, Dori, and Bombur were on a separate pathway. Smaug turned and growled at them, puffing hot air from his nose. He made chase for them and the other ran. “hey you!” Dwalin roared out with Pansy and Nori at his sides. Smaug growled in annoyance and turned to pursue them. Dwalin nudged Nori and the three of them took off running, the dragon was fast and they just barely escaped as his large paw landed inches from them. “here!” Gloin called “here!” Bifur echoed on yet a different path, Smuag turned his gaze again. Pansy panted and tried to catch her breath behind a stone wall “come lass no time to stop now!” Dwalin called as Nori gave her a push to get going.

The Dragon somehow had found them. Pansy exhausted lagged behind a great deal more than usual. “come Pansy!” Nori called “I-I am trying!” she called. Smaug’s great head stuck between the pillars and turned to look at her. “run! Pansy take the right Corridor!” Dwalin called out “Over here,you withering snake!” Nori called out tossing a rock at Smaug. He looked away and Pansy darted down the Corridor. “but I don’t know where it is I am going!” she screamed. Turned to look behind her she saw a bright orange light “no!” she could Nori scream. “oh shhh-” Pansy breathed running faster though her lungs ached. “ahead there is a door” Aule told her, “go through it!” He advised, Pansy ran and turned sliding through the door “keep running!” Aule shouted as the flames poured in after her. A bit of her hair danced in flames, Pansy yelped and shook her head, patting it trying to put them out. Her yelp echoed through the halls.

Balin ran through a side door “this way!” he called. Pansy’s yelp faintly echoed in the air. Bilbo and Thorin and stopped and looked at each other. “she was with Dwalin” Thorin said Looking up and and Bilbo spotted the Dragon, as Smaug entered in Pansy ran out from a door farther down the hall, closer to the Dragon. “Pansy No!” Thorin called out to her. She looked up and met Smaug’s amber eyes. “oh!” she gasped running back into the corridor. “go with Balin!” Thorin ordered to Bilbo as he ran towards a ledge, Smaug puffed out his chest and blew fire down the wide open hall. Thorin jumping off the edge grabbed onto a chain.

Pansy waited for the Dragon to pass before running out. She ran after it, seeing it dive down the drop off after him. Dwalin appeared from another door ahead of her, “Thorin!” he called standing at the edge. He waked a large piece of machinery that was responsible for the chain falling farther down the drop. He jammed and the chains clanked to a halt, a metal mining cart fell and the chain started to move back up. “hold on!” Dwalin called. Pansy leaned over the edge and watched her eyes darting over the chaos of the dragon flailing around in the small area and Thorin clinging to the chain as it raced back up. Smaug getting his bearings opened his mouth and clasped onto the chain stopping it. “no!” Pansy called as Smaug tugged and pulled free the machinery from where it had been bolted into the stone, it fell down the drop and Thorin with it. He landed standing on the tip of the dragon’s mouth. Pansy’s jaw dropped, closing her mouth she lunged forward but Dwalin grasped her “you’ve lost you mind! He’ll burn you both!” Dwalin called pulling her back. “but he’ll eat him! He’s on his mouth all he has to do is open it!” Pansy said. There was a loud crash, Pansy and Dwalin turned to see Nori bashing more of the same machinery with his axe, they too fell down the drop. Thorin jumped from t he dragon’s mouth as he opened his jaws ready to spew fire, and grabbed onto yet another chain. The machinery fell and knocked the dragon in the head.

Nori hit another one, and it started to pull Thorin’s chain back up at an alarming speed. Hearing the noise, Pansy, Bilbo and Dwalin ran help him. As he came up a plume of fire did as well “Thorin!” Nori called out running to them. The three caught him and pulled him up. “Go! Go!” Thorin order pushing them ahead of him taking a last glance at the rushing fire.

They had outrun the dragon and made it to the forges. Pansy stopped bent over panting, her hand gripped her chest as her lungs burned dying for air. Thorin exhaled as he came to a stop behind her and took a large gulp on air. He rested his hand on the arch of her back and rubbed it as if to say well done. Pansy turned to him and gave a shaking smile. “the plan's not gonna work, these furnaces are stone cold!”Dwalin said “he is right there is no fire hot enough to set them ablaze” Balin said, Pansy stood up straight and held her back she looked at the large furnaces, still huffing and puffing. She swallowed trying to help her dry mouth and throat and licked her chapped cracking lips it felt like her whole body was falling apart. “this is too much for only a half nights sleep in nearly two days!” she thought. “have we not?” Thorin asked turning around slowly with a hint of a smile. Pansy turned her attention to him from where she stood behind Balin, Thorin walked to the Metal pillars of a large gate, leaning out of them “I did not look to see you so easily outwitted!” Thorin shouted. Pale became pale “oh no” she looked from Thorin to the furnaces “oh no, no” she breathed running to him grabbing his arm she tugged it and shook her head “no! This is-” her voice faded as Smaug’s claw popped into view climbing up the side of the cavern. Thorin turned his head back around shouting “You have grown slow!” Pansy gulped as the Dragon hissed in anger. “and fat in your dotage ” Thorin added, Smaug turned his head and glared down at Thorin. “slug” Thorin hissed back. He looked back at his company and smiled. Pansy thought him mad, “go!” he called to them snatching Pansy by the arm he pulled her to him as he hid behind the large pillar. The others each hide behind one as well.

Smaug puffed forth a wide, large string of fire. Pansy hid her face in Thorin’s chest and his arms crossed around her waist were nearly crushing her as he held her close. Her skin felt singed on her bare arms and calves. Though the fire did not touch her, its heat was immense. The fire within minutes blew out, Thorin smiled and gave a light chuckle in delight as his plan had worked. Pansy still found him mad, she looked up at him in not believing how he could laugh at such a time. Following his gaze her eyes landed on the furnaces which after a short pause fired up with dragon flame. They darted away from the Gate, as one furnace lit another, and that one another, until all for were glow with fire. The dwarves with gathered around Thorin. “Bombur! Get those bellow working!” call called and Bombur took off, running and jumping to a large chain it rode it down to the Bellow.

The gate creaked and shrieked as Smaug pressed his large body against it trying to break it down. Pansy watched him chewing her lip, it was not going to last too long. “Bilbo!” Thorin called. Bilbo tore his eyes away from the gate at Pansy’s side and went to Thorin “up there!” Thorin said pointing to a ledge behind them “on my mark you pull the lever!” He ordered. Bilbo looked up the ledge and spotted a lever, seemed simple enough. Pansy ran back a few paces as the Dragon rammed his head against the gate it bucked and a pillar snapped in half. She ran and hid behind Balin and Dwalin. Who stood ready and waiting for orders behind Thorin who was looking at the Dragon. “Balin?” Thorin asked backing up to him “can you still make some flash flame?” He asked.Balin stammered looking at the Dragon “A-Aye it will only take a jiffy!” he said running off. “come on!” Balin said grabbing Dori. Dwalin looked at the gate and more pillars cracked “we don’t have a jiffy” He said barely above a whisper. Pansy looked from him to the dragon in fear, she had never seen Dwalin look afraid, not the whole journey, but he looked so now. “Pansy come!” Thorin called out, hesitating and taking a last look she went to him “you stay close” he said Pansy nodded and both turned to look as the Dragon burst through the broken gate.

He and Pansy backed up slowly as Smaug looked over everyone with hate, his chest puffing out as fire gathered within it. Balin, Dori, and Nori worked quickly at mixing and gathering what was needing for the flash fire. Pansy turned her eyes to Bilbo who scurried up the steps to the lever. She turned to Thorin, “what does it do?” she asked “you will see” he said, Pansy did a double take as the dragon was headed for Bilbo. She tugged on Thorin’s arm “I know” he said pulling her with him as he ran towards them. Smaug stopped just short of the ledge, and turned his head, his gaze heavy on Thorin. “now!” He shouted and Bilbo jumped up using his whole body to pull the massive lever down. Instantly water poured out of huge square spouts in the mouth of dwarven head carved in the mountain wall. Pansy smiled as the water splashed out into a large water wheel, but all that pent-up water dosed the dragon as he opened his mouth to fire off dousing him. Pansy laughed in relief and looked up at Thorin with a large grin. Hot steam surrounded them as the water hit the flame and Smaug's heated body. The dragon slipped about on the water, hissing and wheezing as his flame was put out.

Water-powered, the forges came alive transport carts began to move on their suspended chains. Most of them full of large chunks of raw gold. The room was filled with the pale orange light of the furnace fires. Bombur billowing the flames, made them grow and the room get even brighter still. The dragon rumbled drawing Thorin and Pansy’s attention as slowly he crawled towards them. Pansy looked at the water at her feet and then back up to the dragon. “focus” Aule voiced himself again. Pansy inhaled and exhaled before with a face full of determination stepped in front of Thorin. He looked down at her and then up to the Dragon. Pansy looked down at the water and held out her able hand to it. The water swayed slightly and sloshed about. She looked up to her side to see the water turning in the large stone water mill and then to Smaug. Licking her lip she focused hard on the mill and the water inside it. “come on move, do something” she thought as she tried hard to will the water to move for her.

A white spark like lightning flashed, Dori was tossing flash fire at Smaug but he seemed unfazed. Thorin backed up “Pansy” he said slowly seeing how she wasn’t moving “move” he urged her. Closing her eyes Pansy exhaled and imagined herself behind a wall of water. Splashing and bubbling filled her ears and as she opened her eyes, the water wall she imaged had started to form before her, now as tall as the Dragon’s head. Smaug watched with water in surprise as the wall grew taller and taller. Pansy finally backed up a smiled on her face. “what kind of devilry?” Thorin muttered Pansy giggled “I did it” she said quietly and laughed some more “I did it!” she cheered jumping up into the air. “you?” Thorin asked, Bifur and Gloin cut the chains of the Transport carts that hung above Smaug as he watched the growing wall, the heavy charts knocked him in the head and wrapped around his neck and body the only problem was Bifur and Gloin were still sitting in them.

Pansy’s wall fell and Thorin ran for a chain, pulling it he released the melted gold from its holdings and it poured down the stone funnels. Pansy watched the liquid gold flow, it shimmered and danced reflectively with firelight. She found herself stuck gazing at how beautiful it was. She was brought back with Bifur and Gloin’s screams as Smaug tossed them about trying to free himself. Pansy reached her hand out to the water and then made a sweeping motion. The water created a wave and sailed across the floor. “jump!” she called to them, without a second though they did so, Pansy’s wave caught them and lowered them to the ground. The heat of the room had them dry again in seconds and they ran to Dwalin, Nori, and Thorin. “lead him to the gallery of the kings!” Thorin called running off. He grabbed a wheel barrel and ran back past them, weaving under and around the Dragon’s flailing tail. “where are you going!” Pansy yelled after him, she watched as he threw the barrel into the golden river and hopped into it riding. “come lass, come, we must hurry” Dwalin said while pushing Pansy along as she looked back, her eyes scanning the area.”but Bilbo! And what about Thorin!” she asked letting him lead her “no time and Thorin knows what he is doing!” Balin said rushing past them. Pansy took a final glance and followed the dwarves.