Beauty and the Dragon

Chapter 4

{Caution: Graphic Violence Ahead.}
Once she had reached her village, for once, she did not feel like going straight to her home. Instead she went straight to the town hall. She nearly collapsed through the doorway. The man sitting at the front table jumped with fright as she did. "The Chief," she gasped, "I need to speak with the Chief." Once his initial fright wore off, he looked at her condescendingly, "I am afraid the Chief is busy right now, you will have to come back another time." She stumbled forward, "Please, I need to speak with him immediately!" The man stood up, "He is busy, you must go." She growled at him and then made a run for the next room over to where the Chief's office was, and busted through the door. The large round man sat with his head leaning on his fist and his eyes shut. He woke right up when she came through the doors. "What is the meaning of this, Ms. Maurice?" he exclaimed. "Chief," she gasped, "The dragon of Erebor is real." He looked up at her skeptically, "What did you say?" "The dragon, the beast that guards the wealth of the Durin's folk, it's real." He huffed, "That is preposterous, Miss." She shook her head and stepped forward, "No, it is real, and very alive. I saw it with my own eyes, I was there, in Erebor. I saw him. He is taller than all the men in our village combine." The Chief began to shake, "Now listen here, you, I will have none of your nonsense!" She shook her head again and took another step forward, "No, you have to believe me, I saw it. It is real and we're not safe here. I saw what it did to the city of Dale, it is completely destroyed. He'll come here next if he chooses. And even if he does not it's not safe. Our people are dying anyway; this town and the resources around us are no good."

"So that's what this is about," he said a growl in his throat. "What?" she asked. "You just want us all to up and leave, like you always have. And now you're using this fairytale dragon to scare us!" he accused. "No, I swear, he is real!" she shouted. "Guards! Guards! Have this nutter removed from my sight!" he yelled. Two men came rushing in-who weren't actually guards they were just two strong men who also happen to be hunters-and grabbed her arms. "No, please!" she shouted, trying to stand on her own. The two men threw her out into the snowy street, closed and locked the door behind her. "No!" she shouted running up to it and punching it. "No..." she whispered. After a moment to catch her breath she turned around and there was a large group of people gathered who were all staring at her. "Somebody," she said pleading, "You have to believe me." A mother herded her children back into a house, while people simply shook their heads and turned away. "Please, there is a dragon living in the Lonely Mountain, it isn't safe here anymore," she said. Geoffrey noticed the crowed from inside the pub and-wondering why he wasn't the center of it-came outside to see what the commotion was all about. "Arabelle?" he asked. "Geoffrey," she said running over to him. People nearby backed away as if she had some sort of disease. "Geoffrey, you have to listen," she said. "Of course, anything," he said sympathetically. "When we were in Laketown, the people there told me that the beast that lived in the Lonely Mountain was real. But I did not believe them so I-"

Geoffrey laughed, "You didn't believe them?" She put her hand up, "No, stop, this is serious. I did not listen to them, they told me to stay away but I went to Erebor yesterday in search of the dragon. And it's real. The myths and songs are all true, Geoffrey, you have to believe me." He looked at her strangely, "Arabelle, I think you hit your head too hard on something." She shook her head, "No, I did not. I saw him, I saw him. We're not safe here anymore." He looked at her another moment before breaking out into hysterical laughter. The people who had not yet been scared away began to laugh also. "Arabelle, listen to yourself, you sound almost as crazy as your old folks," he places both his hands on her shoulders. "No," she tore away, "They were not crazy, they were right about everything all along, and you people are too stupid to see it." "Come now," he said as he grabbed her arm, "I think you need to go home and rest now." She tried to pull her arm away but he had a tight grip on her. "Let go of me!" she yelled, causing more people to peak out their front doors. "It is all fine, citizens," he said waving to the spectators, "Everything is under control, as you were." He dragged her all the way to her house before he released her. "Now, lets go and get you warmed up-" but before he could open the door she punched him in the gut and pushed him back off her front stairs. "I'm fine," she said lowly and slammed her door behind her.