As quickly as I could, I helped Tilda and Sigrid collect some of their things, which they didn't want to leave without. Someone had long since rung the alarm bell and many of the people were already on the water to leave while they could. I glanced sideways at Kili, who was being helped off the kitchen table by his brother. Unconsciously I had to grin, I would never have thought it possible that he could return my feelings. And yet my happiness was overshadowed by a terrible fact. Smaug had come, several times I had seen him circling over the city. He just hadn't attacked yet because he was feasting on the fear he was spreading.
"We will not leave without our father." Bain looked at me determinedly.
I just shook my head "If you stay here, your sisters will die." I took two bundles in my hand "Would your father want that?" I saw him struggle but then he shook his head and followed me out onto the jetty. I helped Tilda into the boat, Kili lay at the bow of the boat, Fili right next to her, Bofur sat at the stern of the boat. Bain and Sigrid jumped elegantly into the boat, I followed them, a little more carefully, but no less quickly. For I could see more and more out of the corner of my eye, the gigantic figure of Smaug circling over the city. I took a paddle in my hand and, together with Fili and Bofur, began to move the boat onto the waterway. Smaug growled, he had had enough of waiting. His belly glowed and he spat fire at flies over a strip of the city. The screams of the people were almost unbearable, if a second ago it was almost completely dark, now it was as bright as day. I dipped my paddle into the water again when our boat suddenly collided with something. I widened my eyes in horror and we just managed to keep the boat from capsizing. I looked in disgust at the mayor and Alfred, who were standing on a huge boat with loads of gold on the cargo area. This surface would have had enough space for at least a dozen people, but the two of them preferred to save themselves and their gold.
Again Smaug took a deep breath and rained fire down on the city. This time it raced straight at us. I quickly put the oar on my side, stretched out my hands and held back the fire. The fire hovered in the air, I smissed my hands down and the fire went out as it hit the ice water. We paddled on, people were swimming all around in the water, people who had fled from the fire. Some had already managed to escape to the open lake. But many more were still in the town, desperately trying to survive, just like us. The alarm bell was still ringing, through all the smoke I could make out a silluette shooting a bow and arrow at the dragon. "That can't be....." I muttered, squinting my eyes.
Now the children had also spotted their father "Father!" they all three shouted after him.
But he couldn't hear them, he kept shooting his arrows, even though it was futile, for the only arrow in all Middle Earth that could penetrate a dragon's armour Bain had hidden somewhere. It was probably long since at the bottom of the lake and lost forever.
"Hit!" cried Kili suddenly.
But that couldn't possibly be "No, it's impossible." a flame from a burning house enveloped my face.
Kili contorted his head to see the Smaug "But he hit the dragon, I saw it!"
I bit my lip "Nothing can penetrate his skin."
I caught Bain's gaze, who was lying on a canoe. Just in time I grabbed him by the arm to stop him jumping out of the boat "What are you doing?" I snapped at him, I certainly wasn't going to let the boy throw himself into the middle of danger.
Bain pointed to the canoe that was gently bobbing on the waves under the statue of the mayor "That's where the black arrow is hidden. "
I looked with renewed hope at the boat and then at Bard. The man who was the only one trying to stop the dragon, and who would no doubt die in this futile attempt. I made a decision, for I would not allow these three children to lose their father today. Assessing, I looked around and spotted a rope hanging on a beam. I stood up, ignoring the shouts of the dwarves, grabbed the rope and swung myself across the water to the jetty where the boat was moored. Feverishly I rummaged through the nets until I got the arrow out and pulled it out of them.
"Leona" I heard Kili shout "What are you doing?" they had stopped the boat and were waiting for me.
I made a hand gesture "Go, get the children out of here." I looked towards the bell tower "I'll catch up with you!" I shouted to drown out the shouting and pleading of the people.
For a brief moment they hesitated "Go now, I'll be right back with you." Bofur was the first to dip his paddle back into the water. The boat drove away, but I didn't even notice how it reached the open lake. I ran at top speed towards the bell tower.
It was a miracle that the bell tower was still standing, houses were on fire all around it. I climbed up the rungs, "Bard!" I looked for the man. He was lying in a corner, blood dripping down his forehead and he was clinging to the parapet.
"What are you doing here?" he looked at me in surprise, but then his eyes fell on the arrow in my hand "Where did you get that?"
"You need to get out of here." I helped him up "I will take care of Smaug."
Bard struggled with himself "I'm not just going to run away without a fight."
I grabbed him by the shoulders "Your children can't lose their father." I looked at him urgently, there was nothing worse than growing up without parents, I knew that "So go!"
Bard nodded "I wish you all the luck you can get." he stumbled down the rung ladder.
I took a deep breath, Smaug was twenty yards away from me and in the process of burning down two houses. "Hey you fat dragon, over here!" I roared. Smaug's head whirled around. He came towards me, running over roofs of houses, some of which gave way under him. I had to swallow, razor sharp teeth flashed out, madness glittered in his eyes, his fire could not harm me, but his teeth and claws were as deadly to me as to anyone else.
"Who dares stand against me!" he hissed.
I waved the black arrow "I dare!"
Smaug laughed "You cannot escape the fire, you will burn!" his belly glowed and a wave of fire came rushing towards me. I just let it pour over me. When it had died out I grinned slightly at the astonished yet confused look on the face of the fire snake in front of me "My turn!" in sync I pulled my hands from my waist over my head and let a wall of fire rush towards the dragon's eyes. For I had found something, a weakness, in his armoured body a scale was missing. While Smaug was still blinded, I leapt from the bell tower. I raced towards the dragon, my target right in front of me. With a yell, I drove the tip of the arrow as hard as I could into the scaleless spot. Smaug roared and raged through some wooden houses. With all the strength I could muster, I clung to the arrow. In his death throes, Smaug flew into the air, his blows limp and powerless. His eyes went out, his fire went out. I had done it, I had killed Smaug. However, I had not taken something into account, Smaug's limp body crashed over the lake. The wind brought tears to my eyes. I stood wide-legged on Smaug and pulled the arrow out of his body with a jerk, who knew what it might be used for again. I stowed the arrow on my back and prepared to jump off. Just before Smaug hit the surface of the water, I jumped.
The cold water surrounded me, I needed a moment to find my bearings. Then I flailed my feet and arms to get back to the surface. I surfaced with a start and struggled not to sink again. The flaming maritime city was behind me. A few hundred metres away, was the shore where the survivors of the lake town had gathered and set up an improvised camp. I spat out some water and swam towards the shore.