I See Fire

Deep in the lowest dungeons of Mirkwood, far beneath the river, behind bars made of Diamonds, hidden in the mist of the underground falls, was a girl. Chained and shackled to the cold stone walls, she lay on a pelt of Warg furs and lay mildly clothed in chain-male. her coal grey eyes gazed upon the small pond placed within her large cell. She drew circles in the stone with her claw like fingernails. These were how her days were usually spent, in a cell the size of two huts, with everything an animal would need. But she was no animal. A pebble bounced across her cell and she cast her eyes upward. “Lord Thranduil wishes to take company with you” A fair, brown haired elf guard called out. The girl turned her back to him by rolling over “I do not wish his company” Her words were dull and dry. “You are to wear this” the Guard spoke un-fazed, and wiped his brow free of the humid sweat before dropping a gown through the bars. “he will be here in a few moments, Be ready” The guard added before taking his leave. Hot air flared out of the Girls nostrils in irritation and she clawed at the stone wall. “company he says, Amusement is what it really is” She grumbled pushing herself up from her bed of pelts and over to the bars. she stopped in front of the dress, picking it up, she shook it free of the dust and dirt. “I hate green things” she muttered looking over the finely crafted silk garment.

Dressed, the girl waited on her pelts, her eyes transfixed on the figure nearing her cell, “Ah Beorwen, you dressed this time” Thranduil called out silently clapping as he stood before the bars. The Girl, Beorwen snarled, “don’t protest so much, it must feel better against your skin, than that barbaric chainmale” He mused, to this she snarled more. “I think you have forgotten Elfling” Thranduil’s eyes squinted at her slight insult “I. am. Barbaric.” Beorwen hissed, lunging forward in a blink she had transformed into a golden, web-winged dragon, she was not as big as most of them, yet her leap still shook the cavern. Thranduil took a single step back, and Beorwen rumbled a deep Draconic laugh, as smoke floated from her maw. “If you think you can frighten me, you’ve been mistaken” Thranduil stated indignantly “you are no real dragon, not but a skin changer, who can take on a dragon form,” Thranduil said pacing before the bars. Beorwen growled deeply and thrust her large head as close to the bars as possible “Beornling...not Skin Changer” she growled “and no I may not be a true dragon, but enough of one to destroy the likes of you” she rubbled. Thranduil lowered his head and glared at her as she took human form once more “isn’t that why I’m behind these bars?” she hummed in amusement, mockingly so she tilted her head “Is that not why you surround me in damp misty air and cold walls” she gave a bitter smile. wrapping her hands around the bars she leaned on them “You fear me, King of the woodland realm, yes you fear me” She said in a low whisper, eyes like coal smoldering. “the dragon fire” she added even softer she reached out and caressed the side of his face gently, a amused smirk on her face as he flinched and closed his eyes.

Silence took over the dimly lit caverns and the rushing water of the falls echoes off the moist walls. Hollow white noise, and the endless chirping of crickets. Beorwen went to pull her hand away from Thranduil’s cheek , yet as her finger tips went to part away his hand grasped her’s firmly holding it close to his face, and then in front of his face. Beorwen watched him as he gazed at her hand with little expression. rubbing the back of her hand roughly with his thumb, it almost hurt. “what is your business with me” Beorwen asked unnerved. “why have you come? do you not know it is a better place in here with out you” she grumbled. Thranduil smiled darkly and played with her finger tips “I though we had you declawed” He mused Beorwen leered “You can’t do that with Beornling they grow back” she stated dryly as she rolled her eyes. “well thats fortunate, because you have a job to do” he sighed a slightly arrogant air in his voice. “what job?” Beorwen asked walking over to the pond in her entrapment she rinsed her hand clean of his touch. “Orcs are coming closer and closer to our borders.” Thranduil said in annoyance, Beorwen could not hide her amusement at this tone “we need to send them a message not to tred any closer” He turned to face her “unless you do not wish to see the outside” he added.

Beorwen flexed her hands and cocked her head, refusing to look at him “It must be” he paused and put on false pity “So, very hard, for a creature who can take to the skies to be contained with stone” He added, Beorwen growled and smoke exited from her nose, “The Golden flag, that is what you have been called by the men of the west, soaring through the skies your wings, and webbing fluttering like a flag caught in the wind loosed from it’s post” Thranduil took the same soft degrading tone she had with him moments ago, more smoke poured from her nose “Gleaming like fire under the setting sun, like gold under the risen sun.” Thranduil went on. Beorwen had had enough, bounding to turn around she changed forms again and roared at the elf king, if she could fire would have rushed from her core and out of her maw but all that came was white smoke. Thranduil smirked “poor simple thing, don’t you just wish” he said basking in her irritation “Oh you don’t know the half of it!” she roared. Thranduil please with his self turned sharply his light long locks whipping Beorwen in the face, she went to bite at them, but he had already move out of her reach. “you will be harnessed and muzzled and lead to the gates” He called back to her “try and escape, and you will die” He sang. Beorwen huffed hot air pouring from her mouth as she turned around angrily, her dragon eyes gazing hatefully at the stone wall as she leaded her head against it. closing her eyes she let out a low anguished bellow.

Harnessed and Chained, Beorwen the dragon was lead through the dense woods, her dignity lost as upon her back, clad in elven armor, sat Thranduil. Even as degrading as it was, Beorwen was glad to feel outdoor air against her body, the feel of leaves and brush between her toes. her body could move around freely without her wings hitting the walls, her head hitting the ceiling or her tail having to coil around her body. Because of this she allowed them to lead her without protest. Soon the small Party of the King and his archers, made it to the opening, the main gate, which lay before a open meadow. coming steadily towards them was a small troop of Orcs. Thranduil glared at them, “let this be a warning you take back to your masters” He called out as they rushed towards them, Legolas, Thranduil’s son, un buckled Beorwen’s muzzle and it fell free. her eyes widened as she looked to him, he nodded firmly. her eyes flicked with fire, and drawing in a deep breath the pushed the heat form her core. Deep within her body she felt a spark, like she was coming alive again, a Great force pushed it’s way from her core to her throat and out of her mouth dance for glowing embers of orange, red, and bright yellow, in a stream that fanned out and covered the Orcs like a wave. the fire scorched the mountain dwelling creatures, singed their wolves but spared the grass, and the trees. Thranduil’s eyes never left the Orcs was they screeched in pain, he looked to his son, who aimed his bow at the sky, the archers followed suite and a volley of arrows rained down upon the Orcs. “you have been warned, stay out of my lands” Thranduil called out, Beorwen drew back her head and bellowed a loud roar, her head to the sky she spit forth a pillar of fire from her mouth to the clouds. The Orcs snarled and fled.

Beorwen lowered her head and watched them go, a bit sad. if they had stayed if they had faught back her time out in the open would have been much longer. as the archers turned to re-enter the gate, she stood and gazed at the open plains longing. She wanted to run, bound across the open valley, and with a great leap take to the skies, and dive through the clouds. Beorwen lowered her head and groaned as Thranduil pulled at her reigns and she was re-muzzled. Legolas grabbed onto her muzzle and lead her back into the gates. Beorwen faught the pull to get one last look at the free outside world, the green grass, the blue sky, and the sun. she sighed and smoke exited her nose, it was back to the caves, for who knew how long.