Title & Chapter Number: Dragon Fever 19/21
Author(s): - Author's Index
Fandom: LOTR
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. The characters, settings, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for Elwen and other original characters who belong to this author. I make no money from this, more's the pity, considering the number of hours burning the midnight oil.
Warnings: Mild BDSM and non-consensual situations in a few chapters. Some het.
Betas: Many thanks to Caz and Dhvana for beta reading, and to friend Dhvana especially for advice, consultation, and moral support and to Dalogas for being my most thorough reviewer.
Cast: Legolas/Aragorn; Legolas/OCs; also Thranduil, Smaug, Gimli, Balin, and Gloin.
Timeline: In the Third Age of Middle Earth, shortly after The Hobbit.
Spoilers: None
Summary: Legolas tells Aragorn a story about a trip he once made to Esgaroth (Lake-town) with his lover, Elwen, a Rivendell elf. But something is rotten in Esgaroth and Legolas is forced to strike an unusual bargain. A mix of adventure, romance, humor, angst, and hot sex.
Notes: This is actually both a prequel and a sequel to "Ohtarnil: A Warrior Love." The first and last chapters (1 and 21) are sequels and take place shortly after the Fellowship leaves Lothlórien. However, most of the story takes place 73 years earlier when Legolas first becomes involved with my fictional character, Elwen. Feedback, as always, greatly appreciated.
Chapter 19 - Audun's Hoard
Thranduil's seneschal struggled to paddle his canoe back to Esgaroth, burdened as it was with the bodies of Meril and Elwen. Both of them tossed and mumbled in fevered dreams. Talagan began to feel flushed himself. His hands trembled and he realized he was showing the symptoms of the dragon fever. No, he thought, I must persevere. The King depends on me. Legolas depends on me.
Talagan dreaded what might happen to the prince, diving into that cold lake, facing alone whatever ghostly creature Smaug had become. He regretted that he had to leave him. The seneschal had to admit that his respect for Legolas's courage and resourcefulness had grown remarkably in the last two days. If we come through this, the King will be too hard on him, as always, Talagan thought. And that would be an error in his judgment.
He noticed that dozens of canoes and rafts were coming in his direction. He was rapidly overtaken and surrounded by armed men.
"Hold," shouted one of them, pointing a bow at him.
Talagan shipped the paddle. "Take me to Audun and Thorvald, immediately," he called in a clear voice. "Failure to do so will jeopardize your sick people. I know a cure for the fever."
~*~*~*~
Legolas looked down at the dragon teeth at his feet. He had a strange sensation of missing time. What day was it? It was afternoon, as if he had been gone only a few hours, but in that time, the weather had changed. The sky was grey, threatening rain. He looked down at his chest, feeling it tentatively. There was a fine white scar just under his breastbone. A scar that had not been there yesterday.
The prince dressed, and scooped up the dragon's barter and packed them in a bag. He used his knife to cut the boat free from its anchor, then he paddled toward Esgaroth as fast as he could. As he went, a great fear took hold of him. What if he was too late and Elwen, Meril, and the others were already dead? What if the dragon didn't keep his part of the bargain?
Oh, Smaug, if you don't hold true to your word, I'll come back and kill you all over again, he thought.
Nearing Esgaroth, he noticed dozens of boats fanned out over the lake. They approached him rapidly. In short order, he was surrounded by grim Lakemen, aiming longbows at him.
"I am bringing the cure for the dragon sickness," Legolas called. "You must take me to Esgaroth, swiftly."
"We have been on the look out for you since yesterday morning," growled one of the men. "Thought you'd run off. Yer elven friends are not in good shape. Neither is half the village. Ya better have a cure, or we'll burn ya alive, sorcerer!"
The elf wondered, they've been looking for me since yesterday! How could I lose a day?
"I need to talk to everyone in this town that can still stand," Legolas called loudly. "Bring me to the Great Hall and alert your people to come immediately. I am in haste."
A number of boats shot off. In a short time, the bell in the pier tower began ringing. Legolas put the strap of the bag over his shoulder and allowed the men to drag his boat back to the shore. When they reached the dock, men surrounded Legolas, seizing him by the arms and roughly escorting him to the Great Hall. Already villagers were pouring in, many stopping to stare at him with angry looks. Standing by the door was a blond elf, leaning heavily on a staff.
"Talagan," Legolas cried, rushing to embrace him. "Are you ill as well?"
"Thank the Valar, you're here," the elf said weakly. "You have been gone so long, I feared the worst. Have you got what we need?"
"Yes," Legolas thrust the bag at him. "Have you contacted Thorvald?"
"I have, and he has an extra incentive to help, as the fever is wracking him as well," said Talagan. "We'll begin mixing this into a potion immediately." He clutched the bag to his chest. "How are you?" The seneschal's face was full of concern.
"For the present, I am well," Legolas said, "but Smaug drove a hard bargain. I must get the Lakemen to agree to his terms. Where is Elwen?"
"Lying unconscious in your room at the Dragon's Bane Inn," said Talagan. He smiled. "I will take the cure to him first."
"Tell us what to do, Prince," said one of the men roughly.
Talagan left swiftly, carrying the precious bag under his arm.
Legolas pushed through the jostling, murmuring crowd and climbed up on the stage. He looked over the mass of angry faces, many shouting at him. He could sense the fear and anger emanating from them to such a degree that he felt sick, but he knew he must show only strength.
He held up a hand for quiet. "Good people of Esgaroth," he shouted. "People, I must speak to you! Your lives depend on it."
Slowly the crowd quieted and looked at him expectantly. "You believe that I and my companions are the cause of this sickness!" Legolas cried.
There were shouts of "aye," and "sorcerer!"
"I tell you, no elf is the cause of your misery. Think about it. My companions burn from the same fever. Why would we inflict it on ourselves? Remember, too, how the elves have succored this town in the years after the dragon's fall. Why would we do that, only to bring a curse on you? And last, we do not practice black magic. It is not our way." He paused and could tell that his words were having some effect.
"I now know the cause of this grief for I have been to see Smaug's bones as they lie in the depths of the lake." The room grew very quiet.
"We have been visited in our dreams by the unquiet spirit of the dragon. All of us. He has spoken to me and told me the reason for his unrest." Just then, Legolas saw Audun, the head of the Merchants Guild, stagger into the room and come toward him. His son, Goran, was right behind him.
Legolas pointed at the man. "Here is the cause," he cried. "Your leader sold aid provided by the elves to Dale for a share of the dragon's hoard!" People turned to look at Audun.
"He lies!" Audun shouted.
"Good people, do you know that the dragon sickness, a hunger for hoarding wealth, attaches to his treasure? And if you gather enough of it together, the illness can strike others!"
Legolas paused and his voice thundered around the room. "I have seen the dragon. His spirit has been awakened by the greed of your own Guild members. Only one thing will stay the fever's course. You must take the gold and throw it into the lake, right over the dragon's bones."
"No!" Audun shouted. "How can this be? The dragon is dead!"
"What is more precious to you?" Legolas cried, "Gold or your lives? Good people, we have until sunset tonight, and if so much as one piece is missing, the dragon will know."
Audun stepped up onto the stage. "Fellow Lakemen. You know me. Would you take the word of this elven prince over mine?"
The crowd wavered. There was a loud buzzing of voices. Suddenly, Legolas noticed filing in among the crowd about two dozen figures hooded in green cloaks. One of them came close to the stage, looked up into his eyes, and smiled. Legolas's heart leapt, seeing within the shadow of the hood, the fair face of one of his father's elite guards. Yes, and there was another.
"I do know you, Audun," called a deep, commanding voice, "and therefore I will take the Prince's word, as he had never lied in his life."
"Elves," cried a woman. The elf who has spoken threw back his hood, revealing a fierce, beautiful face surrounded by a tangle of golden hair.
"King Thranduil!" someone yelled.
Indeed, it was his father. Legolas felt a mixture of relief and awe. The King strode up to the stage and leapt up onto it. His coming was like a storm. He turned, his cloak swirling around him.
"Well, Lakemen, you heard my son. What are you waiting for?" he roared. "And if you need any more incentive to do the right thing, there are five hundred elven warriors headed this way."
"Where is the gold?" called a man.
"You'll find it in Audun's wine cellar," called Legolas. With that, the crowd shoved and pushed their way out, led by a dozen elven guards.
Thranduil turned to look at his son. "Well, Legolas. I send you to get a simple agreement signed and within five days, you've managed to put the whole town in an uproar, almost kill two members of my household, not to mention nearly getting yourself killed."
Legolas tilted his chin up a notch. "I am not responsible for an errant dragon, Father, and I've done what I could to amend whatever fault was mine."
Thranduil slowly smiled. "Indeed you have. That was a fine speech." He strode over and grabbed Legolas into a bone-crunching hug. "Right glad I am that these foolish men did not succeed in executing you," he said. "I would have missed all your mischief."
Legolas hugged him back, a sob rising and catching in his throat. "I am so glad to see you," he whispered. "You do not know the evil that has befallen me."
Thranduil pulled back, took Legolas by the chin and looked into his eyes. "I can see pain," he said.
"My pain can wait," Legolas said, swallowing hard. "We must make sure that all the gold is dumped in the lake. I fear Audun may try to stop it." Legolas leapt off the platform and ran through the hall, then out into the street. His father followed close behind.
They reached the Inn and found a large crowd milling about. Legolas and Thranduil pushed past them, entered the Inn, and reached the door going down to the wine cellar. Audun stood before it, barring entry with his vast bulk. Goran was next to him. Three of Thranduil's guards, their bows drawn, confronted the men.
"Ye may kill me before ye will take my gold!" Audun shouted.
"Audun," Legolas shouted. "You're being devoured by dragon sickness. Do you really want to see your children perish? Half your town? Stand aside!"
Audun turned and snarled at him, like a rabid beast. Legolas hit him hard with his fist. Audun's head slammed back against the wall and he slid sideways, falling heavily.
Goran leapt in the way, a huge blackened bruise marred one side of his face. "How dare you touch my father, elf!" he spat.
Legolas nodded at the guards, who turned their bows on Goran. "Goran, you can either help repair the damage your father has done, or die," Legolas said. "Choose swiftly. The dragon gave me until sunset to dump the gold, or everyone afflicted with the fever will die."
Goran staggered and passed a hand over his sweating brow. "I am afflicted," he said. "And so is my whole family. Is this truly the only way, Prince?"
"It is."
Goran produced a key from a ring and unlocked the door to the cellar. "I'll help ya," he said.
"Father, I do not trust these men," Legolas said. "Order our guards to find containers to haul the gold out of here. We'll need a cart to take it down to the canoes. Hurry! The sun is setting."
Thranduil turned to his elves, "You heard the prince. Move!"
Audun stirred and groaned, and Goran knelt to help him sit up. "Ye can't have it," Audun muttered, patting his coat pockets.
~*~*~*~
Legolas paddled a canoe weighed down with baskets of gold coins. He was accompanied by a fleet of boats of various sizes, paddled by both elves and men. The elven prince looked up at the sky. The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows.
They reached the spot where the dreadful monster's bones lay. The water appeared to be boiling, a slight steam erupted from the surface. Legolas could feel the nausea rising again, and he became aware of his beating heart.
"Bring it as close as possible," Legolas shouted. "Throw as much as you can overboard before the illness overcomes you. Then retreat to clear your heads." He began dumping the baskets of coins. They hit the water with plopping sounds and then rapidly sank toward the bottom.
Nearby, Audun and Goran were sitting in a canoe. Audun's face was covered in sweat. His face contorted in pain each time a load of coins dropped into the water. Legolas watched him distrustfully.
Finally, the task appeared done, just as the sun quivered on the horizon. Legolas called out in a clear voice. "Smaug, we have done your bidding. Allow your teeth to cure the sickness!"
The water began moving, and a water spout erupted. In it were two golden eyes with long black slits in them.
"It's not all here," hissed the voice. "Prince, did you not heed my warning?"
"What warning? How can it not all be here?" cried Legolas.
"I told you it would be difficult to pry my gold from Audun," Smaug said. "I'll be pleased to welcome all your souls into my graveyard!" The water of the lake began heaving, as if in a storm. The canoes scattered.
Audun, Legolas thought. He paddled his canoe rapidly over and leapt into Audun's boat, which began rocking wildly.
"What are ya doing, Prince?" shouted Goran.
Legolas seized Audun and patted down his sides. He felt hard bulges in the man's clothes, bulges that rang with a metallic sound. "You've still got some of it," he screamed in Audun's face. He began ripping off the man's heavy coat. Gold coins spilled out into the bottom of the boat.
"Nay, ya can't have it!" cried Audun, struggling with him.
"Father, get rid of it!" Goran cried. "What's wrong with ya?" He attempted to steady the canoe with his paddle.
Audun stood up in his attempt to fight off the furious elf, unbalancing the canoe. The boat flipped, flinging all three of them into the cold water. Legolas's head broke the surface and he looked around. The canoe was floating a dozen yards away. He saw Goran explode to the surface and tread water.
"Help me, Prince," he called. "My father is sinking!"
Legolas and Goran both dived under the water. In the fading light, the elf could just see Audun's large shape drifting toward the bottom. He swam to him, grabbing the man under his arms, and attempting to haul him to the surface. But Audun was too heavy, weighed down with dragon gold. Goran shook his head, bubbles emanating from his nose and mouth.
The prince looked down toward the white arched backbone, then he gasped as the dragon materialized in front of him. Legolas felt his chest and head throb with pain. The monster opened his huge jaws, revealing three missing teeth, then he rushed at them. Legolas let go of the man and watched in dismay as Smaug engulfed Audun in one gulp. The dragon turned to look at the elf, a terrible malice in his eyes.
"That was tasty," Smaug said.
"Smaug, you promised," Legolas said.
"So, I did. That is almost the last of the gold. And now I will claim one more victim." The dragon roared and rushed at Legolas.
~*~*~*~
Thranduil leaned over the side of his bouncing canoe. "Can you see him?" he called to his guard.
"No, sire."
"I'm going in after him." Thranduil stood up, pulled off his cloak, sword belt, and boots, and dived into the water.
The king opened his eyes and beheld a strange sight that wrenched his gut in fear. A huge semi-transparent dragon had one clawed foot wrapped around his son. Legolas's hair floated about his face like a cloud. They appeared to be communicating as the prince shook his fist at him and bubbles erupted from his mouth. The dragon licked the prince's face, then opened his foot, allowing the elf to go free. Legolas shot to the surface.
Thranduil's head broke the water and there was Legolas thrashing near the other canoe. The king swam in his direction. Legolas turned to look at him. "Quickly, Father, get in." He hauled himself up into the boat and reached out a hand to pull the king in after him.
"Prince, help me!" They turned and could see Goran treading water in the lake. He reached out a fist, then a curious expression came over his face and he opened his hand. A gold coin glinted in it.
The water around Goran heaved as a huge mouth opened around him. He screamed as he was sucked into the vortex. The dragon's head and neck shot out of the water. He licked his lips, then glared with crimson eyes at all the scattered boats. "I now have back what was mine," he bellowed. "I will keep my promise to Prince Legolas and not trouble you again." He turned and bowed to the prince, then sank slowly into the lake.
Thranduil looked at his son in amazement.
~*~*~*~
Talagan sat back in the chair, barely able to lift the smoking goblet to his mouth. He winced at the acrid taste, but as he sipped, he could feel the heat and pain retreating from his body. He looked over at Thorvald and smiled weakly.
"I think we did it," the seneschal said.
The man came over and took several large gulps. He shuddered. "Aye, we made a good team. I never thought I'd get those wickedly hard teeth ground up." His voice was even raspier than normal.
"Come on, our task is not yet finished," said Talagan, feeling his strength returning. "I promised the prince we'd take the cure to Elwen first." He filled a bucket from the large, steaming caldron and hurried out of the house.
~*~*~*~
Elwen floated in darkness. He had the vague sensation of some nasty-tasting liquid being coaxed down his throat. A cool hand felt his forehand and he heard Talagan's voice saying, "I think he's coming back to us."
"Thank the Valar," he heard Legolas say. Elwen's sight cleared and he looked into the concerned blue eyes of his lover. The prince was sitting next to him on the bed, a smoking cup in his hand.
"Meleth-nīn,*" Elwen said, weakly. "Such terrible dreams. The dragon told me he had consumed you."
"No, my foolish, elf, I am here," Legolas said gently.
"Get him to drink the rest of that, Legolas," Talagan said. "I will tend to the others." He got up and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Legolas helped hold up Elwen's head so he could drink the rest of the cup.
"Achh. That is terrible," Elwen said, making a face.
"No matter, down it all goes," Legolas said. "Can you sit up?"
"Yes. Legolas, you are all wet. What happened?" Elwen said as he sat up and took the cup.
The prince got up and peeled off his clothes. He slid naked into the bed with Elwen, wrapping trembling arms about him.
"Legolas, what is wrong?" Elwen said, gathering the shivering prince to his warm body.
"Hush, melethron-nīn.* Just hold me," Legolas said, his voice catching on a sob.
~*~*~*~
*Meleth-nīn - my love
*melethron-nīn - my lover~*~*~*~
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