-General-
The crying had ceased, and the prayers, now barely whispered, faded into the air. The night, misty like a storm, vanished before the brilliance of the new day. The remnants of battle dissipated; the scorched bodies of the orcs were reduced to ashes, nourishing the prairies, whose vibrant green returned with eager vigor.
At dawn, the three kings sealed the peace. Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm, made a vow of eternal friendship with Thorin Oakenshield, the King under the Mountain, and with Bard, the hero who had led the men of Esgaroth and was now the crowned ruler of Dale.
Under the golden light of the morning, the three races forged their alliance. True to his word, Thorin shared a fourteenth of the treasure with men and elves. Gold and jewels in abundance, more than any kingdom could amass in a hundred years. He also honored his promise to his company.
Of the twelve dwarves who had followed him on his journey, only ten survived to see the restoration of Erebor. To them, glory and recognition were granted, and their names would be forever remembered among their kin.
Aldril and Bilbo received their share, but more valuable than gold was the eternal recognition of the dwarves. The hobbit, whose bravery had so often been questioned, would no longer be called a coward. Now, Bilbo Baggins was a hero among his people and a warrior worthy in the eyes of the dwarves.
Aldril was honored by all the dwarven people, his name echoed through every hall of Erebor. In a solemn act, the dwarves bowed their heads in succession when he arrived at Bombur's funeral, whose body had been recovered. Not only had he earned the respect of the dwarves, but he had been elevated to the status of a hero of Erebor. His name would be immortalized in dwarven history. Aldril had been the architect of the fall of Smaug, the greatest dragon of the Third Age.
His legend would be told in the tales of future generations, songs of praise would be sung in his name, his deeds would resound throughout Middle-earth, just like his great-grandfather, Eärendil, who once cast down the legendary Ancalagon from the sky, robbing him of life after a hard-fought battle.
Aldril, dragon-slayer, hero of the men of Lake-town, now Dale, savior of the sons of Durin, friend to the dwarves, and friend to the elves, who deeply respected him.
-----
At the gates of Erebor, after Bombur's funeral, Aldril, Bilbo, Gandalf, Kili, and Fili were engaged in lively conversation, their talk filled with laughter and warmth.
"Are you sure you don't want more gold, Bilbo?" Kili asked, his smile faltering in disbelief as he eyed the small chest the hobbit carried.
Bilbo, aware of the meaning behind his surprise, merely shrugged. "It's more than I need. Jewels don't call to me," he said before shaking the chest, making its contents jingle. "These silver cutlery pieces are a fair payment."
Fili shook his head before turning to his brother, who was still insisting that Bilbo take more gold. "Leave it be, Kili. You must remember that Bilbo is a simple soul," he added, prompting a nod from the little hobbit.
Finally, Kili sighed and relaxed his shoulders. "Alright," he said before turning his attention to Aldril.
"And you, Aldril? Do you need more gold? Thorin confided in me that he would grant any request you made."
Aldril brought a hand to his chin and repeated with interest, "Any request?" After a brief pause, he continued, "To be honest, I was planning to ask for armor made from Smaug's scales."
Kili tilted his head, processing the idea. "Smaug's scales?" he echoed, rolling the thought over in his mind. Then his eyes widened. "You want armor made from dragon scales!" he exclaimed excitedly.
Aldril chuckled lightly at the dwarf's enthusiasm. "Yes. Smaug lies at the bottom of the lake, a place I can easily reach," he explained. "At the time, I didn't have the chance to take his scales, teeth, or bones. There was urgency, so I left it for later."
His vague explanation even left Gandalf momentarily stunned, his pipe halfway to his lips as he raised an eyebrow at Aldril. Bilbo, on the other hand, looked at him in awe until an idea formed in his mind. With some embarrassment, he asked,
"Hey, Aldril… do you think you could give me one of Smaug's teeth? I'd like to keep it as a memento."
Nodding, Aldril patted Bilbo's shoulder. "Of course, after all, you need proof for when you publish your book," he said, pausing as something came to mind.
"By the way, Bilbo, in Hobbiton… what do they do with a person's belongings if they don't return after a long time?" he asked, abruptly halting the little hobbit's happiness. Bilbo frowned and fell into thought.
"Normally, it's not common for things like this to happen, but generally, the possessions of the missing are auctioned off before the whole town..."
Like lightning striking a tree, Bilbo's serenity shattered, giving way to disbelief and fear.
"My things!" he exclaimed in horror. "I've been away too long… Those bastards will raffle off my belongings if I don't return in time!"
He looked at everyone present and, after a hurried bow, took his leave.
"It was a pleasure going on this expedition with you. You will always be welcome at Bag End," he said as he adjusted his backpack and secured a small chest onto the side of a pony, a gift from the dwarves.
Then, turning to Aldril, Bilbo voiced the question on everyone's mind.
"Aldril, what will you do next? If you have no place to stay, you can come with me and live in Hobbiton. No doubt, you could relax there," he added enthusiastically as he spoke of his home.
Aldril nodded in gratitude and turned his gaze toward the horizon, where the setting sun gleamed magnificently.
"I appreciate the invitation, Bilbo, but I plan to travel across Middle-earth. There are many out there who need help," he replied, the sun's glow striking his back, further emphasizing his strong presence. "I will follow my mother's path and embark on an adventure."
This time, before Bilbo could respond, Gandalf spoke.
"You must be careful, Aldril. There are many dangers out there that not even the bravest would dare to face." His gray eyes reflected his wisdom. "You are strong, I know, but even so, you must be cautious," he added solemnly.
"I will, you have my word," Aldril said with determination. "Besides, I won't be leaving immediately. Lady Thalwen has asked for my help in cleansing the dark magic from Mirkwood."
"Anguirel and Anglachel…" murmured Gandalf, prompting a nod from Aldril.
"That's right, my swords will be of great use. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up purifying Mirkwood in a few years," he added with a relaxed smile, slightly easing the wizard's concern. Gandalf sighed and nodded.
Satisfied that he had eased their worries, Aldril turned to Bilbo.
"Rest assured, I will visit you in the Shire, and when I do, I will bring you one of Smaug's teeth. I might even bring more souvenirs from my travels," he said with a slight smile.
Bilbo, visibly pleased, nodded enthusiastically.
Finally, without further ado, Bilbo looked at Gandalf, who met his gaze with his usual enigmatic expression.
"I will accompany you to the Shire," declared the wizard. "After that, our paths must part. There is much to do and many roads to walk..."
"Very well." With a smile, Bilbo agilely mounted his pony, a stark contrast to the first time he had struggled to get on. "Remember to visit me. You will always be welcome at Bag End."
With that, he urged his pony forward, followed by Gandalf, who mounted his horse.
"Something tells me we will meet again…" the wizard remarked in his usual mysterious tone. Then, with a courteous gesture, he raised his hat in farewell.
And so, Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey departed, bid farewell by Kili, Fili, and Aldril, who waved as they watched them fade into the distance.
With a melancholic sigh at the parting, Aldril looked at Kili and Fili.
"Then, could you deliver my request to Thorin? I'm going to retrieve Smaug's body," he said.
"Of course, I'm sure all the blacksmiths will be more than thrilled," Fili added.
"They will!" Kili said, the more enthusiastic brother. "This will be the first time a suit of armor is forged from a dragon's scales!"
"In that case, I'll go for the body. I won't take long," Aldril said, mounting Shadow Star, who allowed him to do so with ease. With a slight movement, the steed stomped the ground, kicking up dirt as he accelerated forward.
"I still can't get used to that horse," Kili murmured.
Shaking his head, Fili patted his brother's shoulder. "It's useless trying to make sense of those two," he said. "Come on, we need to inform Thorin."
----
Aldril remained silent, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Just moments ago, he had patiently waited on a hill. The wind rose, gently stirring his hair, and with a thought, a golden helmet that reflected the sunlight appeared in his hand.
The Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin.
An ancient helm associated with the Húrin family, and most of all, a helm once worn by Aldril's father, Túrin Turambar. The touch of such a beautiful piece sent a vibration through him, as if the helm recognized his blood.
"Then... why do I feel your call?"
***
Filty orcs!! I'm back!
"[email protected]/Mrnevercry"