Smaug's Only Living Treasure

Chapter 5: A Living Treasure

        I wake up to the sound of wind blowing on water and find myself curled up by Smaug's side. The glow from him instantly wakes me up and I lift myself up from the floor. Noticing that the heat around him is too hot for morning, I sneak out of the tent from the gap between his body and wing. The cold air hits me and I breath in the water-fresh air. I look over to the lake that I had almost died in the previous night, and my breath is taken away.

        Brightly shined by the sun's light from the gaps of the ceiling, the beautifully craved walls are covered in moss and small tress. Vines spread themselves all over the statues and carvings. The lake is perfect with the greenery, with tiny waves forming from the wind. The rustle of leaves and the vibrations of water harmonize quite beautifully, so I change myself and take to the air.

        Riding with the wind, I twist my body graciously and marvel at the nature. The wind takes my body and lifts it high into the sky, then drops me. I spread my wings just as my body was going to touch the surface and glide in symmetry with the flat water.

"The Mermaids will get you if you fly too close."

Smaug grumbles. I fly towards him and land in front of his eye.

"Was it the mermaids that were trying to get me?"

I ask quietly, so to try not to wake him up angry.

"They will the take the chance to feed anytime they find it. They can't go walk on earth, but  they can still leap out of the water. Though, I'm quite certain that they won't do that while I'm around, or I'll eat them."

I tense at his words slightly, but brush it off quickly after seeing him smirk at my reaction.

"Thank you....... For last night..."

I speak out the words slowly, to see how he woud react. To my surprise, he seemed taken back and rose to extend his neck and look at me from above.

"What do you mean?"

He questions. I arch an eyebrow at his comment and take a few moments to respond.

"Well, I'm..... showing gratitude, that's all. You're actions were just, off my expectations."

The dragon seems taken back.

"I......It was neccesary.... I suppose. Anyway, I'm going to see if any of the dwarves are sneaking arounf my mountain. Don't...... don't cause any trouble while I'm away."

After stammering his last words, he slid into the sky and swooped down onto the heap of gold down below. My mind is full of questions, but one thing was clear. He wants me alive. And the thought of it made me smile truthfully.

        I spend the rest of the day wandering about in the mountain, now more careful not to go too far and fly above anything suspicious. I found a large hole, that seemed to dig into the heart of the mountain. I flew into it, and the darkness was not a problem to me at all because of the light emitted from my own flames. I'm sure that I flew for minutes until I came opon a tunnel. The moment I flew into it, the tunnel shone brightly in red, blue, gold, silver, and green. It was a tunnel of the jewels contained in the mountain.

        I walk through the long tunnel, marveling at the sparkle the gems gave off whenever I passed. But few minutes pass until I hear Smaug's bellow echoes onto the walls of the hole.

"EMTHE! I SMELL YOU, COME OUT NOW!"

"I'm here!"

I yell out into the opening, and seconds later, Smaug is clinging onto the walls with his claws and peering into my face.

"Did I tell you to NOT go far?"

He snarled to me. I shrugged at his question and flew onto his back.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He angles his neck to face me, but I ignore him and cling onto the base of his wing. He sighs at my actions and starts to fly his way up the hole. As he flies out of it, he glides down onto the heap and gently lands on top of the treasures. I look around at the glittering coins, cups, and crowns. Even a handleful of this stuff, a man will kill for. Then, I ask him.

"What kind of treasure am I to you?"

Smaug stops himself from burrying himself into the gold and raises his head to look into me. His eyes are different from the ones I saw on the day we met. The once cold, sharp eyes are now warm and calm.

"Will you stay?"

He asks. I hesiatate at his remark. Will I?

"I don't know."

I give him the most honest answer I can give him, and he sighs at it.

"You are my only living treasure. One that I will need to care for to keep."

He then buries himself deep into the gold, leaving me on the hills of gold alone.

"Come."

He commands and I look over to where he is glancing at. I walk closer to it and see that his wing made a little cave inside the gold. He nods when I look over at him for assurence and enter the little cave. Inside is warm and I quickly feel drowsy. I lean against his breathing body and close my eyes.

I know what he meant by "One that I will need to care for to keep.". I'm sure that it is his pride that's preventing him from saying that he wants me to stay and be with him. I smile lightly at the thought.

"Smaug?" I ask, but there is no response. I continue anyway. "My name isn't Emthe. It's Thedra."

"I knew you were lying. I heard someone mention that name."

He whispers, and I close my eyes with a small grin.