[Child of the 7th Age]

Elanor had leaned against the gate and was watching her father and uncle load the last of the grain onto the carts when she suddenly saw the door from the stables burst open and a familiar figure scurry into the courtyard. A harried Daisy, barely gulping back tears, immediately flew to her mother's lap and quickly shared the story of how she and Eric had heard someone cry and gone to investigate on their own since everyone else was busy. Even before her mother could reprimand her, Daisy went on to describe what they had seen and how King Girion's daughter was trapped underneath the beam, with the fire in the roof of the stables beginning to spread.

Her father and the others in the family were quick to respond. "Stay here with Eli!" Arinn pleaded with Willow. "The rest of us will rescue the children and bring them here."

Willow stubbornly shook her head. "Say what you will, Arinn Millwind, but I'll not have the family separated, not at a time like this. Who knows if you'll be able to get back with this creature attacking and the fire running out of control? Live or die, we'll stay together as a family.

Seeing that he could not dissuade her, Arinn went over and retrieved a heavy metal bar that stood upright against the fence as he thought they might need it. He beckoned the others to hurry through the stable door; little Daisy took the lead with Eli running beside her. The fire had not yet reached this far down in the stables but everywhere the smoke and noxious fumes lay heavy on the air, stinging their eyes and making it difficult to breath.

Within a few moments, the families had arrived at the portion of the stables that Daisy had described for them. Eric was kneeling on the floor, trying to comfort the girl who was still penned beneath the beam. Her brother and sister had retreated to the far end of the stall and were using heavy blankets to smother the sparks that fell onto the floor from the roof. If these sparks were to catch hold, they would spread the fire directly to the spot where their sister now lay. Using the great metal bar they had brought along, Arinn and Uncle Rhysdan worked together and pushed with all their might until the heavy wooden timber moved slowly off the child's leg. Esmerelda bent down and cradled the girl to her lap, pulling her leg out from under the beam and lifting her up in her arms.

"Is this Layla" whispered Esmerelda, for she knew the names of the King's children.

"Aye, maam," her brother responded. "And I am Garth and this is my sister Lisel."

Arinn hastily interrupted, "We need to leave now. The fire is spreading. We must return to the wagons and go to your parents. But I am afraid we must find another way out."

Elanor gazed in the direction that her father had pointed: the route they had taken from the courtyard into the stables was no longer passable. A sheet of fire had leapt down from the roof and was now spreading its ravages along the wooden walls and extending into the stalls that had formerly housed the animals. Long tongues of flame shot out into the corridor, engulfing everything in sight and making it totally impossible for the families to turn back and retrace their steps.

"Come!" gestured Garth. "There's another way out. I think we can skirt around the fire."

The families quickly regrouped and began sprinting along behind Garth and Lisel . Garth led them left, then right, up and down a number of passages, keeping to the edge of the stables where the clouds of smoke were not so thick. Just as they reached the far end of the stable, the two children gave a concerted yelp and began running towards the door.

"Father, father," Lisel cried. "Enid was hurt, trapped under a beam, but these nice people rescued her."

A quick glance at his daughter's weary face and limp body told much of the story. He reached out to embrace Arinn and his wife, and then directed his attention to each of the others in turn . "I am greatly in your debt. On this day of horrors, my wife and I feared never to see our children again. We have been looking and almost gave up hope." They all glanced over at the woman who appeared suddenly in the doorway. The Queen had an obvious expression of relief on her face, going over to retrieve her daughter from Willow.

"To the horses now, all of you," urged Girion. He glanced directly at Arinn. "You and the Whitfield family as well. It is the least I can do to help. The horses are yours, as my gift. Ride together to Long Lake where things will be safer."

"But you, father," Garth cried. "Ride with us."

"In a while, I will join you. But now I must stay and organize what defenses we can, to make sure that all the citizens of Dale get out."

With that, the group hurried to the stable door and thrust it open, but before anyone advanced more than a step into the street, a giant bolt of lightning and fury whirred and spun in circles over their heads. Smaug, master of Erebor, halted in mid-air and glared down imperiously at the men and women emerging from the stables. Somehow he sensed that this one Man represented all the citizens of the town and that he had the audacity to call himself ruler of Dale. He and the others with him would pay.....

Girion rushed to the front of the group and drew his sword, brandishing it over his head. Looking back at his family and the others, he barked out an order, "Out of here now....to the horses, all of you."

The others hurried to obey Girion's command, but Arinn tugged at his cap and remained behind, "With all respects, sir, I will stay and fight." Then he glanced back at his family. "Rhysdan, take the women and children down to Long Lake. Keep them all safe. I will join you after we finish." Willow began to shake her head in disagreement, but Arinn went over and placed a hand warmly about his wife's waist, whispering something in her ear. She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. Then she gave a gave a nod to Rhysdan that they could continue on. The whole entourage --the horses bearing the King's children and wife, and the rest of the Whitfield and Millwood families, now mounted on the horses the King had given them--left the enclosure and trundled southward down the lane.

Girion sighed in resignation and beckoned with his hand to Arinn, indicating he should join him. With that final gesture, the king turned waving his sword to confront the wyrm. The beast, already bellowing his triumph and rage over the city, turned a somersault and plunged towards Girion and Arinn as a bevy of armed guards appeared out of nowhere to fight by the side of their sovereign. One offered Arinn a sword and pike and a metal helm to put on his head and a chain link coat to strap to his shoulders.

Girion stepped forward to confront the beast, issuing a challenge of his own, "Smaug, thou cowardly wyrm, who art so base to attack innocent folk with no warning, feel the bite of my sword and spear. For I swear that I will put my mark on your evil hide and that I or others of my blood will bring you to your death. Go back now, go back to the shadows."

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Regin Hardhammer's post

Eric was mounted on the pony behind his mother, holding tightly onto her cloak. The dragon didn't look much different than the last time he'd seen him. He still looked as big and mean as when he'd attacked Eric in the woods. Part of him wished that he could be standing beside King Girion and his father and strike a blow against such a cruel beast. But he had to admit that another part of him was very happy to be mounted on a horse and riding in the opposite direction.

Still, there was one thing that bothered him. He leaned forward and tugged on his mother's sleeve to ask a question. "Mother, is father going to be alright? Will he be there when we get to Long Lake?"

His mother sighed and looked up, fixing her eyes on the sky as she watched the great winged beast catapult through the air. Then she glanced back over her shoulder and smiled at her son. "Your father has promised to do his best to help the King, but also to be careful. He has good common sense, and I believe he'll do just that. So if he's not caught up with us by the time we get to Long Lake, I expect he'll be coming soon after that."

"I hope so," Eric responded, his voice full of worry as the horses trotted out of the courtyard. Behind them, Eric could hear loud noises of combat amd the clash of swords and spears against the dragon's thick leather hide. He cetainly hoped his mother was right.