~~~~~~~<>~<3~<>~~~~~~~

     Valadhiel ran through one of the halls, her heart racing as she ran. Not only was it because she was running, however. She turned her head to look behind her and flinched when Smaug rounded the corner, sliding into a wall since he didn't bother to slow down around the bend.

"You think you can outrun me, Vala?" Smaug growled. "You never were able to before!"

"That was back when I was a youngling; what would you know now?" Valadhiel hissed in reply, leaping and flapping her wings to help her get further ahead. She turned around another corner after a moment. She had kept him distracted long enough. The dwarves should have gotten the trap in the Halls Of Kings prepared by this time. She would have set the trap, but she insisted on distracting Smaug. It was safer for her to do so.

"Why help these dwarves, Vala? Do you really want me dead?"

"Of course not, but you leave us with no other choice!" Valadhiel exclaimed, and when she reached the hall of kings, she flew up toward the ceiling, shifted in mid flight, and then she landed on a thick, sturdy beam.

Smaug caught sight of Bilbo and inhaled before he growled. "You thought you could deceive me, Barrel Rider? You have come from Laketown. There is some sort of scheme hatched between these filthy dwarves and those miserable cup trading Lake men. Those sniveling cowards with their longbows and black arrows!" He lowered his voice. "Perhaps it is is time I paid them a visit."

Bilbo's eyes widened. "This isn't their fault! Wait! You cannot go to Laketown!"

"You care about them, do you? Good. You can watch them die." Smaug turned to leave, but he whirled around and roared in pain when he felt someone's sharp jaws clamp on his tail.

Valadhiel had heard what had been said, so she'd shifted back into her dragon form and clamped her jaws onto his tail, then she let go when Thorin shouted at him.

"Here, you witless worm!"

"You!" Smaug growled.

"I am taking back what you stole."

"You would take nothing from me, Dwarf." Smaug said as he stalked towards Thorin. "I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror in the hearts of men." He was now level with Thorin. "I am King under the Mountain."

"This is not your kingdom. These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge." Thorin said before yanked a rope and revealed a gold statue of a Dwarf.

Smaug stared at it, his eyes widening as he beheld it. Valadhiel sensed greed, awe and desire filling his heart. The statue suddenly began to melt down, and Smaug stumbled back, but soon he was beneath the pool of gold.

Thorin smiled victoriously, but it faded when the Great Worm emerged from the gold.

"Ah! Revenge?!" Smaug shouted in pain and anger, his voice booming through the halls. "Revenge?! I will show you revenge!" He ran down the hall, leaving a golden trail behind him.

"Smaug, wait!" Valadhiel called out.

     Smaug continued running towards the wall.

"Smaug!" Valadhiel lowered her ears and looked back at the Dwarves before looking back at Smaug and shouting; "Father!"

     Smaug stopped in his tracks, and everyone's jaws dropped to the floor. All, that is, but Thorin and Bilbo. Smaug turned to look at Valadhiel.

"So, you finally reveal who you really are?" He said in a deep rumbling voice. "It took you long enough."

     Valadhiel took a few steps toward him. "Please, don't do this. The men of Laketown did nothing to you! They don't deserve this!"

     "Did nothing to me? They tried to kill me." Smaug growled.

"Only because you were attacking them for no good reason! Please, come back to me." Valadhiel looked pleadingly into his eyes. "What happened to the loving father I once knew? The father who hated injustice and despised greed?"

Smaug growled. "That Dragon is dead. He died the day your mother did."

     "What does that have to do with anything?! That was the fault of Azog and Night Fury! Dad, they're still out there. We can get our revenge- on them."

     "That is only half of the story. Do you not remember the battle between Dragons and Dwarves? They killed us, and over what!? That stupid rock they call the Arkenstone!"

     Valadhiel remained silent and lowered her head as the Dwarves watched on, not sure what to think of all this. Vala finally spoke up,

     "You're in league with him, aren't you?"

Smaug's lips curled up into an evil draconic grin. "Join us, Vala, and together we will rule Middle-Earth."

     "Do you really believe that? Sauron is using you!"

     Smaug growled and his eyes flashed in anger. "I have heard enough of this. I cannot delay any longer. If you're not with me, then you're my enemy."

     Before anything else could be said, Smaug broke through the wall and took to the sky, shaking all the liquid gold off of him. Valadhiel stepped outside and watched him. Even though he was already far off, the wind carried his words to her ears.

"I am fire; I am... death!"

     Bilbo ran out onto a rock by Vala and watched Smaug for a few seconds before he whispered, "What have we done?"

~<3~<3~<3~

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES

Chapter One: The Death Of Smaug

~<3~<3~<3~

Valadhiel exhaled shakily. "I can't stay here and let this happen. I have to go and help them." She looked at Bilbo. "I am leaving immediately; let the others know I will explain everything to them once all of this is over." She said before she took to the sky.

<3~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~<3

     A large, beautiful Dragon hurriedly flew through the sky to get home to his mate, Deragwyn. His eldest son, Baug, had just informed him that the egg back at his cave had begun to hatch. The cave finally came into view and he began to land, a little too hastily, however, for he crash-landed onto the ledge by the cave's mouth.

     "Are you alright?" Deragwyn asked with a low, draconic chuckle.

     "Yeah." The dragon answered, wincing when he put pressure on his right foreleg. "I'm fine."

     "You seem nervous."

     "He is." Baug, who had just entered, said with a grin.

"I am not."

     "For goodness sake, Smaug!" Deragwyn said with a laugh. "It's an egg!"

     "With a living being inside of it." Smaug retorted. "Besides, what if we didn't keep the egg warm enough, or what if our daughter is born with a defect?"

"Smaug, it'll be fine!" Deragwyn assured him, getting up and giving him a lick on the cheek.

"Uh, hello?" Baug said. "I'm right here!"

     Smaug whirled his head toward the egg when he heard it cracking even more. He walked over to it and laid down beside it. Deragywn laid down beside both him and the egg, and Baug stood off to the side as they all watched the egg hatch.

     After what seemed like forever, the youngling broke through the shell and its little head popped through. She opened her eyes, her third eyelids slowly sliding back and she looked up at the two Dragons in front of her. The hatchling looked back down at the egg and lifted a leg to climb out of the shell. She began to fall, but Smaug quickly extended his winged arm and caught his daughter before she could fall.

     "Her wings and arms are separate; just like yours." He said to his mate.

     "So, is she going to be able to skin-change like you used to be able to, Mother?" Baug asked.

"I do not know." Deragwyn answered. "I hope not. I do not want her to know that she is a Skin-Changer, or an Elf."

     "Why not?"

     "Because of Night Fury and Azog." Smaug said, gazing at his little girl. "If she doesn't know who she is, then perhaps they won't either."

     "What are you going to name her?" Baug asked.

Smaug and Deragwyn looked at each other, minds linked, then back at their son.

"Valadhiel."

~<3~<3~<3~

     Smaug was in the cave taking a nap. Valadhiel, being a youngling, was a lot of work and needed to be fed often. He and Deragwyn took turns catching fish, and Baug sometimes helped; whenever he was home, that is.

     He opened his eyes when Valadhiel began making noise. It sounded like a chirping sort of roar, a young Dragon's way of letting the parent know it was hungry. Smaug raised his head and let out a sound that could be called a type of trill, a noise often made to let the youngling know they heard their call. Valadhiel made her way over to him.

"Hey, Vala." He said softly. "Mother will be home soon."

Valadhiel reached Smaug and let out a purr-like noise as she curled up in a ball by his shoulder. Soon she was asleep. Smaug smiled as he laid his head down and he, too, fell asleep.

~<3~<3~<3~

"Daddy!" Vala screamed.

"Vala!" Smaug yelled.

Smaug had come home to his cave, only to find Dwarves. Baug had been killed trying to defend his little sister, and his mate was cornered. He crash-landed into the cave, swiping the Dwarves with his tail. Many fell over the ledge to their deaths.

     He looked at his daughter and mate when he heard a cry. A Dwarf had pricked his daughter's underbelly with his sword and drew blood. Smaug let out an ear-deafening roar of fury and breathed a stream of fire at every Dwarf in the cave. The flames were so hot that they died instantly. He and Deragwyn rushed to Vala's side to make sure she was alright.

Later that night, Smaug smiled to himself as he realized; Vala's first word was 'Daddy'.

<3~~~~~~~End Of Flashback~~~~~~~<3

     Tears pricked at Valadhiel's eyes as she remembered those things. He had been such a loving and kind father. So caring. But he was gone now, and nothing she could do could change that. By the time she reached Laketown, Smaug had destroyed some of it, people were evacuating, and Bard was making his way to a tall building with a bow and a black arrow.

Valadhiel's eyes widened when she realized that Bard's son was still in the area. She swooped down and picked the boy up right as Smaug was asking if that was his son, and saying that he would burn. "Father! Stop this!" She shouted at him after she got Bain to safety.

"Valadhiel, get out of my way!" Smaug spat.

Bard looked at the other dragon, at first panicked, but the panic was replaced with confusion after he heard Smaug call her Valadhiel. Valadhiel- the shape shifter? This beast was her father?

"You're better than this!" Valadhiel shouted desperately. "If you continue, then you will be no better than those dwarves who tried to harm me all those years ago! Break free from Sauron's poison! Don't allow him to continue to poison your mind!"

Smaug looked at Valadhiel, then he growled slightly. "It is too late for me, Vala." He murmured, and he turned to the bowman, charging at him, but he left his weak spot open.

"Father!"

Bard released the black arrow, hitting the dragon's weak spot, and the dragon screamed in pain before flapping his wings and flying over the water. By the time he got into the sky above the water, the life drained from him, and he crashed into the depths of the lake, sending large waves over the remaining buildings, quenching the nearby flames.

Valadhiel placed a hand on her chest and breathed shakily, falling to her knees as she looked at the water.

'It is better off this way, Vala. I'm... sorry...'

Upon hearing the familiar voice in her head, Valadhiel couldn't hold back her tears. All this time. All this pain. Only for it all to end in even more pain. The life of an immortal was no blessing- it was a curse.

~~~~~~~<>~<3~<>~~~~~~~