Emerge the Dragonborn | The Hobbit

Chapter 21 - To The Skies

    "I... I do not understand," Thorin uttered breathlessly, his heart heavy with the weight of the revelations.

    "Indeed, there is no other way to explain it," the Wizard chuckled, a knowing look exchanged between him and Anaynah, still in her Dragon form.
"Thorin, there is much to explain. I will try to the best of my abilities. Many wonders there are in Middle Earth and this is one of the most wondrous of all. This creature that stands before us is the true form of the girl that has been travelling with us the last few months," The Wizard spoke sternly, "She is, what is potentially the last of her kind. A Dovahkin. A breed born with the blood of the great serpents in their veins, having the power to shift between two forms, a most rare race."

    "You mean to tell me that this beast is Anaynah?" The Dwarf spat.
As the Company gazed upon the magnificent creature, uncertainty filled the air. How was it possible?
How was it that this was sweet Anaynah? It was unfathomable. But as they gazed deeper into its eyes, the more they recognised, the more human it appeared. The aura the Dragon radiated was the same warm, loving aura that emitted Anaynah.

    "Yes, Thorin. It is truly Anaynah. So lower your weapons, all of you. For she will bring you no harm."

    The Dragon, now who they learnt was Anaynah, let out a sort of smoke from her nostrils.

   "Witchcraft!" Gloin exclaimed, raising his axe to the air.

    "Sorcery!"

    "Traitor!"

    "Do not be absurd! This is no enchantment!" Gandalf boomed through the clamour.

     "I do not believe it. I saw her! She fell." Their leader argued back.

      "No, uncle," a soft voice emerged from the back of the group. Fili made his way forward through the Dwarves, "She jumped. But then she emerged, can you not see it? It is her."

    The Dragon let out a purr-like sound, a rumble that resonated through the air.

    "Gandalf... how could you keep such a secret from us? How could you allow this Dragon to trick us all?" Thorin's words spilled out, a mix of disbelief and accusation, "I knew, from the very start. All these years you have had us deceived." He pointed to the Dragon in distraught.

    Gandalf, taken aback by the force of Thorin's harsh words, maintained his calm demeanour amidst the brewing tension.

    "Thorin, I understand your anger, but the truth about Anaynah was not mine to reveal," Gandalf asserted, his voice carrying wisdom earned through years his many years of experience.
"From the days of her youth, I have been a witness to her growth, and I assure you, there is no trace of malice in her heart. I trust her with every fibre of my being. She has a crucial role to play in the unfolding of our story before the final chapter is written."
Stepping forward, Gandalf sought to soothe the rising storm within Thorin's heart.

    "Thorin, I understand your scepticism, for Dragons have been our age-old adversaries. Trust me, she understands your history with her kind. But Anaynah, she is not our enemy. She is a Dragonborn, a being of immense power who has willingly chosen to stand beside us, to aid us in our quest. It would be wise for us to heed her call and not let our doubts cloud our judgment."

    Thorin's anger, once a raging inferno, began to flicker and waver, replaced now, by a speck of curiosity and cautious consideration.

    "And how, Gandalf,? How can we truly place our trust in her? Dragons have brought nothing but destruction upon our people. Not just the Dwarves, but all of Middle Earth! The darkness started with them. The tales of their wrath still echo in our minds. Can we simply forget?"
Thorin's rage grew as the harsh words left his lips causing Anaynah to wince, "Why does she hide behind this beast's form, why does she not show her face!"