𝑊𝑎𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠

The next day came be Adalinda was walking in the halls of Erebor talking to the hobbit; she got to know the name was Bilbo, Bilbo Baggins. They became good friends fast. Right now, the princess was sitting with Bilbo, and he showed her the Arkenstone he had gotten when Smaug was threatening him. She didn't like the stone at all and never had. She told him that he shouldn't give it to Throin nor show him. Bilbo said that he would try and keep it from the young king.

Suddenly a sound caught their ears, and Thorin came rushing in. He shouted at Bilbo, who quickly hid the Arkenstone in his pocket. "What is that?!" He sneered. Bilbo stood up while Adalinda just sat and kept quiet, but Bilbo knew she was there right behind him. "I-ts it's- nothing," he said. But Throin didn't believe him and demanded he should show him his hands. Bilbo gave in and did.

Even the princess where surprised when she saw that in Bilbo's hand was a tiny acorn. "I picked it up in Beorn's garden. So I'm going to plant in my garden, in bag end," Bilbo said. Adalinda smiled softly and stood up, placing a hand on the hobbit's shoulder. "That's a fine little one." Throin smiled too. But he said instead of praising it; he said, "that's a poor price to take back to bag end" Bilbo shrugged and said, "one day it'll grow. And every time I look at it, I'll remember how lucky I was to get back home alive" Adalinda patted Bilbo's shoulder.

The hobbit was bout to say something but got cut off when Dwalin came up to them. "Throin there are refugees from lake town. They're streaming into Dale," he said, and Thorin's face darkened. "Call everyone to the gate," he said and walked away, calling "to the gate!"

♚

Once they were at the gate, adalinda could hear the sound of hooves. She followed the sound and saw Bard ride towards them on a horse. he stopped just before the moat and called up to Thorin. "Hail Thorin, son of Thrain! We are glad to find you alive beyond hope." adalinda smiled at the sight of the man. but Thorin just answered coldly, "Why do come to the gates of the king under the mountain armed for war?" Bard responded, "Why does the king under the mountain fence himself in? Like a robber in his hole." the princess is suddenly shown behind some dwarves, and she frowns. The bowman wouldn't do her anything. "why did you do that?" she whispered to Thorin, who ignored her. he instead answered Bard.

"Perhaps it is because I am expecting to be robbed." adalinda could hear Bard's sigh of annoyance. "My lord - We have not come to rob you but to seek a fair settlement. Will you do not speak with me?" he said, and the shifter had a feeling that this wasn't going to end well. Thorin didn't say anything, only nodded at Bard, then walked down the stairs. Adalinda followed along with the rest of the dwarves. they stood behind Thorin as he talked with Bard through a hole built into the blockade. "I'm listening." the young dwarf king said softly, and Bard told him his words. "On behalf of the people of Laketown, I ask that you honor your pledge. A share of the treasure so that they might rebuild their lives," he said. adalinda felt the greed inside thorin spring to life as he answered, "I will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door." the princess rolled her eyes softly, and luckily throin cant see her.

"That armed host will attack this mountain if we do not come to terms," Bard says. thorin scoffs. "Your threats do not sway me," he says, and adalinda grows angrier. the dwarves who stand beside her notice her change in posture, and Kili whispers to her, "what's wrong, Linda?" the princess's anger cools down a bit as she turns her head and looks down at the young dwarf prince. "nothing, Kili." she says softly and turns back to Thorin who is still talking to Bard. "What if your conscience? Does it not tell you our cause is?! My people offered you help. And in return, you brought upon them only ruin and death!" Bard sneers eagerly. "When did the men of Laketown come to our aid but for the promise of rich reward?!" Throin snaps back, and you have to contain your anger to not lash out at the young king.

"A bargain was struck!" Bard exclaimed, but ignorantly Thorin scoffs at it. "A bargain? What choice did we have to barter our birthright for blankets and food? To ransom our future in exchange for our freedom? Do you call that a fair trade? So tell me, Bard the bowman," Thorin says but pauses as he feels something at the back of his head. He gulps as he hears an angry intake of breath. He sees that Bard's eyes are widening, so with a deep breath, he turns and sees adalinda standing just inches from him, growling. Her eyes blazed in anger. "think before you speak, Thorin. The man of the lake is right. You gave his kin nothing more than an inferno in payment for their hospitality. Even I would have given them something better. Now think your words carefully, or you will have not only them against you in the battle." she sneered, her fangs nearly nicking him.

With the last growl, the princess moved from throin, shifted to a giant eagle, and flew over the gate, heading for Thranduil and his tent. Bard looked after her but soon turned to Thorin to see him breathing hard, looking pained. Her words must have hit him more than anyone thought. The other dwarves were also shaken up, biløbo too. They had never seen their princess so angry before. She nearly snapped at Thorin. But, instead, the young dwarf king clams himself and moves away from the hole. Bard waits patiently but frowns as the king shouts, "Be gone, ere arrow fly!" the bowman grunts angerly and hits the stone wall before going to his horse and mounts it, riding back to the town.

♚

"And why have you come, princess?" Thranduil asked gently as Adinda landed in her great eagle form in his tent. Thranduil didn't know it was the princess; he just had a feeling it was her. The great white eagle chirped and a bright light emitted from her, and after a second or so, princess adalinda stood there. Her brows were furrowed, and her face screamed anger.

The elf king stood up and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into his cold blue eyes, and her anger disappeared. "King Thranduil, it is good to see you again," she said, and Thranduil smiled at her, a rare one. He led her to a chair which she sat down. He then gave her a cup of water since he knew that the princess didn't drink nor like wine. "Now wanna tell me why you suddenly came here?" Thranduil said calmly as he sat down on his throne across from adalinda.

With a deep breath, she started to tell him how Throin had refused to give the people of lake town their rightful claim and how she almost snapped at him. Thranduil listed the whole time, not once interrupting. When the shifter talked, the elf king had a cold expression. "It is expected from dwarves, my dear princess. Why don't you join us?" He said. His offer got adalinda to widen her eyes. She was mad at Throin, but she couldn't betray him. He was her friend, after all.

"I... will have to think bout it," she said, uncertain. Thranduil nodded. "I fully understand, your highness. I shall offer you a place to rest" the king stood, and adalinda followed. Thranduil called an outside guard and told him to find a place for Adalinda. Then, with a bow, the guard led the princess to another tent not far from the city of Dale.

The princess thanked the guard, went inside her tent, and changed her clothes using her magic and sleepwear. After that, the princess went to sleep, thinking bout the battle that would take place in a few days

♚

The following day adalinda woke up to the sound of a guard calling her. "your highness, your presence is requested in king Thranduil's tent," the guard said and went out once adalinda had excused him. Stretching, the princess changed to her fight wear and went out of her tent and teleported to Thranduil's. in there she saw Gandalf, an old friend of her and Bard talking with Thranduil. Gandalf was the first to notice her. he bowed lightly and smiled warmly at her. "ah princess adalinda, its good to see you again," he said, and the princess smiled and brought the gray wizard in for a hug. "its good to see you too, Mithrandir" she said and pulled away from the hug. Gandalf turned then to talk further with Thranduil.

"You must set aside your petty grievances with the dwarves. War is coming! The cesspits of Dol Guldur have been emptied. You're ALL in mortal danger!" Gandalf says, and adalidna grows worried. "What are you talking about?" Bard ask, and Thranduil answers simply, "I can see you know nothing of wizards. They are like winter thunder on a wild wind rolling in from a distance, breaking hard in alarm. But sometimes a storm is just a storm." the princess grows irritated by the elf king's reply and speaks up "no Gandalf is not lying. he wouldn't." Thranduil glances at adalinda before Gandalf gains his attention again. "Not this time. Armies of orcs are on the move. And these are fighters! They have been bred for war. Our enemy has summoned his full strength." he says. The princess grows pale as she knows who mithrandir means.

"Why show his hand now?" Thranduil asks. "Because we forced him! We forced him when the company of Thorin Oakenshield set out to reclaim their homeland. The dwarves were never meant to reach Erebor; Azog the Defiler was sent to kill them. His master seeks control of the mountain. Not just for the treasure within, but for where it lies, its strategic position." Gandalf answers. adalinda grows paler, and Bard notices this. "you okay, princess?" he asks softly to her, and she turns her blue eyes to him and nods. Gandalf's words get their attention again. This is the gateway to reclaiming the lands of Angmar in the north. If that fell kingdom should rise again, Rivendell, Lothlorien, the Shire, even Gondor itself will fall!" the wizard says.

adalinda tightens her fist in anger and fear. "These orc armies you speak of, Mithrandir - Where are they?" Thranduil asks, but Gandalf is unable to answer.

"will you stay, Mithrandir ?" adalinda ask her old friend as the two of them walk around in the city of Dale, catching up. "yeah, I will, princess," the gray wizard says kindly. the young princess smiles at him. "I've missed your company, wizard," she sighs and hugs him. Gandalf hugs her back, happy to be with her once again. "and I you, my dear" together, they retreat to their tents for the night. adalinda decides to contact Smaug through their mind link. "Smaug?" a while of silence meets her, but then the familiar profound voice answers. "yes, my queen?" adalinda smiles to herself. "how are you doing all alone?" she chukles. Smaug chukles also says back, "Oh, I'm boring out of my mind, my queen! when will you come home again?! I cannot bear another day without you!" the princess chuckles at his dramatic side.

"I'll be back soon, Smaug. As soon as the battle is over," she says. "you're going to a battle?" the fire drake asks, adalidna hums. "yeah, it's about the lonely mountain. I'm fighting for the good ones" now it's Smaug's turn to him. "okay, be careful though, my queen" adalinda smiles and closes the link, laying down on her bed. She's fast asleep.

♚

The following day, Adalinda, Thranduil, and Bard rode to the gate of the mountain, stopping right before the moat where Bard had prevented those days ago. Throin and the dwarves of the company stood upon the gate ridge, and as the trio neared them, an arrow struck the ground right before Thranduil's steed's feet. The two royals and the bowman stopped in surprise and looked up to the source of the hand to see Throin standing there with his bow drawn.

"I'll put the next between your eyes!" He threatened Thranduil, who only tilted his head with a slight smirk. Adalinda glanced behind her as the elves whipped out their bows mocked with arrows. The company dwarves yelped and ducked—everyone but Throin who's stood there. An expression of fear echoed in his face, but he didn't back down. Thranduil gave adalinda a small and quick glance, which she caught and raised a hand, and immediately the elves took their bows away.

Thranduil then speaks up, his voice clear with authority And coldness. "We have come to tell you that the payment of your debt has been offered..." he paused and once again glanced at the princess, who gave him a slight nod once she caught his eyes. "And been accepted" this got Throin and the other dwarves to frown. They hadn't offered the elf king anything, so what could it be?

Throin voiced his thoughts. "What price? We have you nothing. You have nothing," he said. Adalinda looked at Bard, who got her hint, and he said, "we have this," and then he took the Arkenstone from his jacket. Yeah, you heard right: the Arkenstone. Bilbo had come with it the night before and offered it to Thranduil. He had said that maybe Throin would consider the war and give the people of lake town and Thranduil their rightful claim for the stone.

He nor adalinda wanted the different races to fight. But they were wrong. Throin didn't even believe it was the Arkenstone before Bilbo came out of the shadows and told him it was. Adalinda had to fight the urge to shift right there and then attack Throin. She had done it before, and she nearly killed him. She doesn't want that, nor to gain more enemies. But the last straw was when Throin was bout to throw the poor hobbit from the ramparts. The princess gave a furious snarl that caught everyone's attention. Even Thranduil looked scared to see his friend angry.

Throin had stopped to throw Bilbo when he heard his friend's snarl. He looked at her to see her sitting at the horse, her eyes glowing and her face screaming pure anger. Gandalf had also talked, but the snarl for adalinda had drowned out the gray wizard's words. "Let him fo immediately, Throin Oakenshield, for your good. There's no use nor any reward in turning on a friend now. War is coming, and it's not to these three armies to fight. Give him to me, and you'll have mercy," Adalinda said, her voice deep and full of anger. But she held her calm, luckily.

Throin let Bilbo go, who hurried with the help of the other dwarves to the rope he had used to get down the day before. Adalinda jumped out of her horse, opening her arms to Bilbo, who immediately ran into them, needing something or someone to call him down. "Shh, you're alright little one. Don't worry," Adalinda whispered, wrapping her long arms aorund the hobbit who hugged her waist. Then with one fluid motion, Adalinda grabbed Bilbo gently and swung them both on her horse, landing gracefully in the saddle with Bilbo in front of her.

The grace from the princess was breathtaking. Suddenly, Bard talked, getting adalinda to look up at Throin. "Are we resolved? The stone for what is promised us?" He said. Thorin didn't answer. Suddenly a black raven landed in front of him and cawed. The two of them stared at each other before bard once again spoke. "What's your desiccation? Will you have peace or war?" Bard's face darkened as he said those words.

He didn't want to fight with the dwarves of the riches In the mountain, but if he had for his people, he would. He glanced at the princess beside him. She was looking in the distance as if she had heard something. "I will have war," Throin said and looked in the same direction as adalinda. Soon over the ridge could be seen an army of dwarves. Lord Dain was leading it riding in a warping. Adalinda sighed once she saw the army.

♚

The battle started as soon as the orc arrived. Adalinda was flying aorund in her dragon form, spewing deadly flames on the dark army. The orcs didn't know what hit them. Roaring the princess sends another wave of fire at the orcs, leaving them to burn in her flames. Thranduil and the elves initially attacked her, but after Gandalf told them that the dragon wouldn't attack them, they let her be. And together, they fought against the armies from Dol Guldur. The military of Gunda bad was the next.

The battle raged the whole day, and towards the evening, Adalinda landed in the gate yard of Dale and killed those orcs who came near her. Thranduil then came riding in on his elk, also killing orcs. But suddenly, a group of arrows was fired and hit his steed, killing it. The elf king rolled off but stopped as he was grabbed if the ground by a giant claw. Black gentle talons were wrapped aorund his frame as he lifted to a face of burning eyes.

"You okay, my king?" The deep voice of the dragon asked. Thranduil nodded, staring with wide eyes. A chukle erupted from the dragon, and she sat down the bewildered king on the ground again, and just as one orc where bout to attack him, she killed them with a swipe of her claws. "I'll always have your back, Mellon nin," she said and lifted to the air, flying towards Dale, spewing flames and killing orcs who roamed the streets.

She even saved bard's children from a troll who was bout to kill them. She picked them in her claws, took their father in her tail, and moved them away from the now again burning town. "Here, you'll be safe," she said and let them down gently before flying away.

♚

A powerful gust of wind and a deadly growl interrupted azog as he was bout to kill Throin. He didn't even see what it was before he got swooped by some black claws, then bitten his head off, and his corpse dropped. Adalinda swiped back to Thorin to make sure he wasn't hurt. "You saved me," he stated with a wary breath. The princess chuckled and nudged the dwarf king with her snout.

"Of course, you're my best friend. I couldn't let you die. Now get on my back, and we'll find your newfes," she said, and Throin reluctantly crawled on her back and seated between two of her long spikes, holding on to the first one as she took to the air. They found the brothers soon, and adalinda swooped them in her claws, casting them into the air and diving under them, so they landed securely on her back. Her spikes stood once again upon her back to hold on to.

Soon the battle was won, and the line of Durin alive. Adalinda smiled as she landed in front of the gates of Erebor, and Throin and his nephews got off her back. "You can turn back, adalinda," Gandalf said friendly as he touched her snout. With a rumble, the dragon shrunk and instead stood the princess there clad in her white gown once again. "All hail the princess adalinda of arda!" A man suddenly called, and the people of lake town cheered as for the dwarves.... Well, they did too.

—————-
Chap up:)

I will make more chapters, don't worry. And soon I'll begin with lotr. I hope you like it:)

-Saph

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say"
—J.R.R. Tolkien