#smaug the golden | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

animatorweirdo · 1 year

Text

Imagine being a Targaryen and befriending Smaug

(So, this might be long, but I hope you enjoy it. It has also come to my attention that it’s just easy to write reader gender neutral since I rarely have to specify the gender, but this is male reader)

Requested by @weird-addiction

Warnings: violence, mentions of dead and crushed eggs, mentions of cannibalism, Smaug is kind of a douche, overprotective dragon companion, some fluff, found family kinds of feels, angst, death and war.

----------------------------------------------------------

-After your banishment, you traveled far and wide, avoiding people and hunters who tried to take bounty over your and your dragon’s head. You couldn't let that happen, especially when carrying your dragon’s only egg.

-You could feel through your bond how your dragon, Skarlax, was getting tired from all the constant running and flying. It wouldn’t take long before she got fed up with it and decided to fight your pursuers. You knew it would only end badly, so you had to find a safe place soon.

-Your search led you to a witch, who told you about a place called the edge of the world, where rumors said traveling through the mysterious clouds of the sea would take you to another world. It sounded unbelievable and impossible, but knowing your situation and how desperate you were to find a haven, you took the risk.

-You fed Skarlax and flew into the clouds in the sea. It was a horrid journey. The storm that followed almost took your life, so either the gods decided to be merciful, or you got lucky to survive such a force of nature.

-You found your way to a place called Middle-Earth. It was such a beautiful place, and you could feel yourself wanting to discover all of it. Other Targaryens always thirsted for conquest, but you always preferred to travel and uncover than try to conquer.

-However, you knew you needed to find a home for Skarlax and her egg soon, so you traveled to look for a good home for yourself.

-You found your way to what seemed to be ruins of an old kingdom inside a mountain that stood alone from others. You marveled at the two great statues standing near the entrance, and you couldn't help but walk in – wanting to see more.

-The sight was breathtaking. You walked through the stone halls, taking in the designs and the beauty of the stone murals and the statues. The city was unlike anything you had ever seen before. It was marvelous, especially when it was underneath a mountain.

-You studied the old murals and pictures on the wall, trying to learn the story behind the city and its people. You were surprised when you discovered that dwarves used to live here. You noted the size of the old bones and armor you found, so these dwarves were much bigger and buffer than the dwarves in Westeros, and they were considered a different race, not ordinary people with a defect from birth.

-You were discovering so much, and it made you excited. Skarlax just followed you as you walked around the place.

-You found an old forge. The room was a mess but perfect for incubating Skarlax’s egg. It also had bigger rooms and old chambers nearby, so you and Skarlax didn’t have to sleep in the same room.

-You tried to tidy up the place and prepare a fire until you heard your beloved companion growl and hiss defensively. She was unnerved by something like the place was not safe.

-You had been with her long enough to know the nature of her behavior, so you knew she was not smelling another human or a wild animal. It was another dragon.

-You felt excited that there was another dragon and unnerved because wild dragons were dangerous when they were not fond of humans, so you quickly tried to leave the place rather than trying to find the dragon.

-You almost reached the entrance till you felt the hall shake, and the mysterious dragon showed himself, his scales gleaming red and his eyes burning with golden flames. You were left stunned as you marveled at his size. He was big. He was bigger than the biggest dragon you knew in Westeros, and there was no doubt his wings could cover a whole village in their shadows.

-He was a magnificent specimen, but you left your thoughts elsewhere as he did not look friendly when he looked down upon you.

-One thing you did not expect or think possible – was for him to speak.

-” Well… little rat. Why the rush?” His deep voice shook you to the core.

-You were shocked, unable to utter a word. There has never been a recorded dragon who could speak like a human. It was impossible, but then you remembered that you were in another world, so anything was possible now.

-Oh, how your relatives would have flipped their crowns and heads if they knew there were dragons that could speak.

-You collected yourself and kept eye contact with the dragon. You apologized and tried to tell him you did not mean to invade his home. You thought the kingdom was empty of life.

-He seemed amused by your answers and questions if you had not heard the stories about the dragon that dwelled beneath the lonely mountain, sleeping in the stolen treasures of Erebor.

-You made a quick note of that and explained you were new to these lands and Erebor was your first stop because you wanted to investigate. You had no idea he was there sleeping.

-You introduced yourself out of politeness, and he introduced himself as Smaug.

-You tried to think your words carefully since he seemed to toy with you like a cat with a mouse, except it’s a tiny man and a giant dragon.

-He approached you dangerously like a snake and then noticed the egg that rested against your chest in a pouch. When he saw the egg, he looked agitated and almost demanded to know if you had stolen the egg.

-You tried to tell him the egg belonged to your friend, but he didn’t seem to believe you and seemed ready to burn you alive.

-You were too far away to take cover, so you held your breath as his chest glowed with brilliant light, and he opened his mouth.

-Luckily, Skarlax came to your rescue just in time and attacked Smaug. She stopped him from raining fire upon you by scratching his head. Her smaller size allowed her to fly in the hall and maneuver around the enormous dragon while throwing and dodging the attacks.

-Smaug growled and quickly snatched her tail, throwing her away.

-Skarlax got thrown onto the floor, but she quickly got up, ready to fight. However, you stopped her, speaking to her in High Valyrian and preventing her from making poor decisions.

-You have always admired her determination to fight for you, but even you knew this was a fight she would not win, so your only hope was coercion.

-You calmed her down, then turned toward Smaug, explaining she was your travel companion and the egg you were holding was hers. You were carrying it for her as you traveled to find a safe home for yourself and the hatchling inside.

-You also explained you were from a place where dragons did not speak, so that’s why she was not speaking like him.

-Smaug calmed down and then asked for your story. Since you gained his interest, you happily told him your story and why you were flying around to find a new home for yourself since you got banished from your old one.

-Smaug listened to your story. He looked down upon Skarlax as she was protective of you, and she had a saddle on her back, so he did not have anything nice to say about it. However, he was willing to forgive you for trespassing.

-His race was already under threat of extinction. So he did not wish to harm the egg in your hand and its mother. It would mean he would contribute to the death of his race.

-He then said you could stay in Erebor since it was big, filled with gold, and you could incubate the egg. It would be safer than in the outside world since people feared dragons.

-You agreed to his reasoning since Erebor would make a good home for you and Skarlax’s hatchling.

-You promised you only wanted to care for your companion and her future offspring, so you had no interest in his gold or treasures.

-After that encounter, you finally managed to tie up the old forge and start incubating Skarlax’s egg. Skarlax was not happy with Smaug’s presence inside the mountain, so she was constantly watching the door, guarding you and her egg while having the pissiest face you have ever seen on a dragon.

-You shook your head since she looked like a brooding child, but you understood her protectiveness.

-She was mistrustful toward other dragons because when she had her first clutch of eggs, they were crushed and eaten by the dragon named Cannibal. It crushed your heart when you found her mourning and ready to fight the terrible wild dragon, but you stopped her because you knew she couldn’t have won.

-She didn’t give birth to more eggs for some time – until her mate died in a war. His rider brought him to a hopeless battle, and they both got shot from the sky. It crushed her even more, but she was able to give birth to one egg just when your house decided to banish you from the kingdom.

-You were the only one she trusted, so she allowed you to take it, and you both escaped the kingdom and Westeros.

-It would be awkward in the future when the tension between you and Smaug was this high, so you needed to do something to soften it up.

-After resting through the night, you decided to confront Smaug and talk to him.

-You were nervous when you walked through the stone halls since yesterday’s events were still fresh in your bones. It made you shiver how you almost got burned alive, but when you found the treasury, you were amazed. There were gold, gems, trinkets, and all kinds of treasures everywhere.

-You never thought such a treasury was possible. There was no way gathering all the gold and treasures into one place in Westeros could even fill half of the hall in front of you. You were pretty sure even the riches pigs would sell their soul to have such wealth.

-You concluded Smaug was one of those dragons that hoarded treasures, so you began to look for him and call out for him while stumbling on the hoard of gold.

-You knew Skarlax was watching from the shadows, carefully observing, and ready to act for your safety, so you tried to keep calm when Smaug finally heeded your call and rose from his golden hoard.

-You were still intimidated by his size, but you held your breath and told him you wanted to talk with him – anything to ease the tension and create a good relationship.

-Thanks to your experience dealing with silver-tongued people in court, you made Smaug curious about your homeland and its dragons, so you ended up making a decent conversation.

-He was not fond of the idea of his kin submitting to humans, so you had to give a brief explanation: dragons in your homeland were like your kin – not pets or slaves.

-He found the idea ridiculous but was curious to know more, especially the language you spoke with Skarlax when you calmed her down from attacking him.

-You told him about High Valyria and how it was like a dragon tongue since most dragons in your house don’t listen unless spoken in that language. Smaug kinda liked it and asked if you could teach him some words in your language.

-You were glad. It means you have created a good start, so you visited Smaug often and taught him some words in Valyria, and in return, he taught you something about Middle Earth and other races like elves and dwarves.

-Skarlax was still uncomfortable with his presence and preferred to avoid him. She spent most of the time with her egg after making sure you would be alright by yourself.

-Smaug asked for her story after observing how spiteful she was toward him, like she hated dragons, and you told him how her first clutch of eggs got destroyed by another dragon named Cannibal and how her mate perished in a war.

-Smaug was surprised to hear about Cannibal since it was frowned upon to crush and eat a female dragon’s eggs, so he showed some sympathy. He went out of his way to hunt some prey and offer it to her as a peace offering, trying to show he was not a threat to her or her egg.

-Skarlax was a proud dragon but accepted the offering since she could keep a more watchful eye on her egg.

-You were happy since the tension was slowly decreasing, and Skarlax was slowly softening up to Smaug when he continued hunting for her. You gave Smaug some hints about her favorite food, and it helped make better bonds for them.

-Helping him get Skarlax’s trust gave you a chance to befriend him, and he was comfortable enough with you to talk casually.

-He admitted he grew to enjoy your company just a little since you entertained him with riddles and rumors you heard whenever you left the mountain to gather food and water for yourself.

-You even went out of your way to bring him more treasures to add to his hoard, which helped you grow to a friendship level. It was hard work, but it was worth it.

-After living together for some time, you might have noticed Smaug showing signs of interest in being mates with Skarlax. He kept hunting food for her and sometimes helped with incubating her egg. You liked the idea of them being together, so you wanted to help him since you knew Skarlax better than anyone.

-She might have grown comfortable enough not to fight Smaug upon first chance, but she was still protective of you and her egg, so one way to gain her trust was to show he was trustworthy.

-Smaug didn’t deny he was interested in her and listened to your suggestions.

-It was difficult for him to gain her trust, but when he defended her egg from an intruder. Skarlax slowly cracked down her walls, and even she began to show interest in him.

-You then helped out by giving Smaug hints on how to romance her now the challenging part was over, and one way to do it was by speaking in High Valyria with her.

-You never imagined you would become a wingman for dragons and a third wheel.

-You watched their romance grow and gave them peace by guarding the egg. It was lovely, but you were amused when you watched your proud companion and Smaug become enamored with each other.

-You were first worried when you thought about when they became mates and got into ‘that’ business, but then you remembered Skarlax keeps growing every year, and she was already half of Smaug’s size, so there shouldn’t be any complications.

-The day finally arrived when Skarlax’s egg was finally hatching.

-In your old way, it would take a Targaryen to make an egg hatch, but it wasn’t impossible by naturally incubating. It would only take a long time, so you ran out of the forge when you heard those first cracks.

-You were yelling, and you dug both dragons out of the hoard to tell them the news and make them watch the hatching with you.

-You brought the egg for them to see, and you all watched as the baby dragon finally dug its way out of the shell.

-It was a beautiful little she dragon. She looked like Skarlax, but unlike her mother, the little dragon was purple and red, and her horns and spikes were black. Oddly, she also had gold dusted on her chest and head, which made her look beautiful and like Smaug, in a way.

-Skarlax was purring in delight, and her eyes were filled with love when you brought her hatchling to her. Even Smaug was watching rather lovingly.

-It was a happy moment when you welcomed your newest member to your odd little family.

-Now, the naming part was the hard part. You didn’t know what to call the new hatchling, so it took a long time for all of you to brainstorm some names.

-You gave some name suggestions in Valyria and names that described her color and that, but Smaug was quick to brush them off because he thought your name suggestions, like Amethyst and Hearthfyre, sounded stupid.

-He didn’t have better name suggestions, so you then suggested names in elvish since you have been learning and suggested Malleniel, which technically meant daughter of gold.

-Smaug admitted that the name had a nice ring to it, so you all agreed to call your little hatchling, Malleniel.

-It was a happy time for all of you with Malleniel. You often offered to babysit her, so you two grew close. Skarlax was full of joy to be a mother, and even Smaug sometimes played with her like she was his.

-You were one big happy family. Sometimes you all nap together on the hoard. You cuddle with Maleniel while Skarlax covers you, while Smaug covers all of you. It was uncomfortable to lay on the gold, but you did not mind.

-You thought it would be like this, and you would happily watch Malleniel grow till the old age hits you, but alas, like a curse, your happiness did not last long when they came – the dwarves and the hobbit.

-You were with Malleniel when you saw someone walking through the halls – toward the treasury where Smaug and Skarlax were resting. You were suspicious and prepared with a blade, so you followed the intruder.

-You were surprised to find that it was not a human, but something smaller with very hairy big feet. Your first thought was a dwarf, but you then remembered Smaug telling you they were bigger and had a beard, so you brushed it off and continued observing the creature.

-The little person was odd and frightened to be there. You tried to make sense of him till Malleniel grew impatient on your shoulder and growled, alerting him of your presence.

-He was startled to see you. He was definitely not expecting to encounter a human man, especially a man with a dragon sitting on his shoulders. Your appearance most likely frightened him even more as your silver hair glowed in the dark, and you glared at him with your purple eyes.

-You demanded to know what he was doing in your home, and he was nervous and confused when you referred to the place as your home.

-He tried to question you, but you pushed the questions back at him.

-He introduced himself as Bilbo Baggings. He called himself a hobbit which made you curious because you had never heard about them. You would have asked him more if he was not an intruder.

-You talked for some time as you tried to figure out his purpose in the mountain, and it was clear he was looking for something. You just didn’t know what because he was trying to avoid answering your questions.

-You introduced him to Malleniel and advised him to leave. Smaug was not very keen on visitors right now.

-You were too late to tell him to leave when you felt the room around you shake, and a familiar dragon appeared out of the corner. You knew it was too late for him, so you left Smaug to deal with your visitor.

-You hoped it would be a quick death since you wanted to know him more, but then you hear voices and Smaug being more active. It left you concerned, so you followed the voices and observed how the dwarves avoided and rebelled against Smaug.

-It looked like they were succeeding, so you quickly confronted Smaug before he could go after them.

- ”Smaug!” You called out, stopping in front of him.

He snarled after he got constantly hit with strange bombs before looking down on you and Malleniel.

“(Name). I want you to take Malleniel and return to Skarlax. If things get out of hand, I want you all to leave the mountain,” He said, making your eyes widen at the thought. “But what about you? I could help you!” You said.

“Ensuring Malleniel’s safety should be your first priority. These pests turn out to be more troublesome than I anticipated!” He said with hateful venom in his tone. “So I will not risk Skarlax’s and Malleniel’s life as long as they’re in the mountain,” He explained, then looked down on you softly. “So please, take them to safety for me,” He said, then continued chasing the intruders.

-You felt conflicted as he was part of your family, and you had a bad feeling, but you respected his wishes and went to find Skarlax.

-You stayed hidden with Skarlax. She wanted to join Smaug to chase off the intruders, but she listened to you and kept watch over you and Malleniel.

-You felt the mountain shake and heard Smaug’s roar. He was outside, so you carefully led Skarlax and Malleniel out of the mountain – avoiding the dwarves’ attention and following what was happening next.

-You watched as Smaug was burning the Laketown. He was most likely taking revenge on the intruders, but then you heard him roar in pain and fly in the sky before suddenly falling toward the lake below.

-Your heart stopped at that moment because you knew he was dead.

-Skarlax called out to him in pain, wanting to fly to him but staying beside you as she couldn’t leave you and Malleniel undefended.

-Your mourned and hugged Malleniel, who was confused. You hugged her and cursed the dwarves for killing your friend and taking away one of the most important members of your family.

-Skarlax kept you close, trying to comfort you. She grieved with you till dawn, and the battle for the mountain was beginning.

-You watched as elves and the humans gathered in the city, ready to attack the mountain since the new dwarven king refused to share parts of the treasure even though he promised it to them. You found some irony in that.

-They always said dragons were the greediest creatures on Middle Earth, yet here was a dwarf doing the same.

-One night, you found the hobbit sneaking out of the mountain, and in a fun twist of fate, he dumped you on his way to the city.

-You were not happy to see him because he was also responsible for Smaug’s death, but you did not care enough to harm him.

-Skarlax was near to eating him alive, but you convinced her to stay put, and you two talked for a while. You asked what he was doing, and he explained he intended to give the heart of the mountain to the elves and humans. His friend valued the rock above all else, so it should be able to convince him to open the gate and avoid conflict.

-You found his intentions honorable and brave. You would have done the same if it meant you could have saved Smaug’s life.

-Bilbo showed sympathy when he saw how much Smaug mattered to you and how Malleniel got robbed from a father figure. You brushed his apologies off since it was already too late.

-When he asked why you were still around, you told him you wanted to see the elves and humans break through the walls and see his friend get taken by his creed.

-He asked you if there was a cure for the dragon sickness, but you answered there was no such thing. His friend can only overcome it by himself or let it consume him.

-You allowed him to continue his task, and you watched as the whole thing unfolded in the morning.

-The stubborn dwarf still refused to open the gate, and you waited for the moment to see the battle begin, especially when more dwarves appeared and they started killing each other.

-It was interesting to watch for a moment, but then the earth shook, and you saw the earthworms opening tunnels for something. You then saw legions of orcs marching through, and now, it was throughout the war.

-You saw the dwarven king joining the battle, which meant he had overcome his sickness, and they all fought honorably and like it was the last day on earth.

-You decided to leave because you knew the battle was lost. The orcs outnumbered them massively, so you knew they would die either way.

-You were prepared to leave till Bilbo found you and begged for your help.

-You refused and asked why you should help the people who helped to kill your friend. You were not risking your life for people who would kill Skarlax and Malleniel at first sight.

-Bilbo explained that if you helped them, the people would not harm you or your dragons. If you helped them win the battle, they would even give you a safe haven.

-You highly doubted that since you considered Smaug as a friend.

-However, Bilbo then convinced you that if you helped them, people would not come after you or your dragons. They could send word all around the land to prove you’re a friend and not an enemy. You and your dragons would be safe.

-You thought about, and even if you did not want to help the killers of your friend, you had to think about Skarlax’s and Malleniel’s future and safety.

-You pushed your feelings to the side and gave Malleniel to Bilbo.

-Bilbo was shocked to hold a baby dragon, but when you threatened to kill him if she came under any harm – he sucked it up and made it clear he heard you loud and clear. He then watched as you mounted your dragon and took flight toward the battle.

-When you flew above the battlefield, you yelled out for Skarlax to fire.

-Fire rained down upon the orcs. They screamed as they burned alive, and the dwarves, elves, and humans were left shocked by the appearance of another dragon.

-You cut the rest of the orcs away, giving a burning barrier to the people and preventing the rest of the orcs from overpowering them. You then continued burning them all. You also took down the trolls that tossed boulders and stones.

-You gave no mercy to the orcs, giving a chance for the dwarves, elves, and humans to win the battle, and the war was soon over.

-Seeing no reason to fight anymore, you returned to Bilbo and saw Malleniel alright.

-Bilbo thanked you for helping and promised to let everyone know you were a friend.

-You almost found revolt in the idea but couldn’t do anything about it. You took Malleniel and prepared to leave for good.

-Bilbo wished you good luck and said if you ever found your way to the shire, he would always welcome you. You almost found some warmth in those words but brushed them away because you doubted you would ever meet again.

-You bid him farewell, too, and flew away from the lonely mountain.

-You looked back, watching your home get smaller and smaller. It left you with deep sadness, but you knew it was necessary.

-You managed to find a new home even though it wasn’t easy, then watched how Malleniel grew up into a healthy young dragon. You missed Smaug and felt sad that he couldn’t be there to see her grow. However, Skarlax then laid two new eggs, and you were happy that your friend’s memory won’t die.

#smaug x platonic reader #smaug x reader #male reader #targaryen reader #hobbit x reader #hobbit imagine #hobbit headcanon #tolkien #middle earth #middle earth x reader #smaug imagine #smaug headcanon

612 notes · View notes

sotwk · 3 months

Text

Historical Event in the SotWK AU:

The (Non)Involvement of Thranduil in the Sack of Erebor

Could Thranduil have helped kill Smaug and save Erebor?

Disclaimer: The content in this post is mostly headcanon created for the SotWK AU, founded on canon details from the books and movies.

Context: Timeline of Thranduil's History in the Third Age

c. TA 1000-2000 - Thranduil, his family, and their people spend one thousand years fighting and enduring against the rise of Dol Guldur and the darkness and evil creatures that have infested and overrun the southern regions of Greenwood the Great.

Alas, by TA 2000:

Nearly all the woodlands south of the Old Forest Road had been abandoned.

The Woodland Realm's population had been reduced to nearly half of the great number it reached during the Golden Age of Thranduil's rule.

Many Silvans were killed by the onslaught of spiders, orcs, and other dark creatures or poisoned by the sick forest itself (air, water, food). A few even faded from grief and despair, which never before happened to the resilient Silvans.

The Silvans' famously high birthing rate dropped to nearly zero, leading to a "lost generation" and fears of gradual extinction.

TA 2063 - Crown Prince Mirion dies in direct combat against the Necromancer, resulting in Thranduil's vengeful razing of the fortress (SotWK HC), and the Council of the Wise's investigation (through Gandalf), all of which forces Sauron to abandon Dol Guldur. This begins the period known as the Watchful Peace.

During the 400 years of the Watchful Peace, the Silvans regain hope and courage, and with that, their ability and desire to have children again.

TA 2210 - Thorin I abandons Erebor to join his kin in the Grey Mountains in TA 2210. The Lonely Mountain is abandoned for three-hundred and eighty years.

TA 2460 - The Watchful Peace ends. Sauron returns with increased strength to Dol Guldur.

TA 2509 - Princess Itarildë’s mother, Nimeithel (oc), dies trying to defend her cousin Celebrían from the Orcs. Lady Celebrían sails to the Undying Lands the following year, and Queen Maereth is devastated by the loss of her two dearest friends.

TA 2589 - When their halls in the Grey Mountains come under attack by Cold-drakes, Prince Arvellas dies attempting to aid the Dwarves (defying his father's orders for the only time in his life). Dáin I and younger brother Frór are both slain, and Thrór inherits the kingship.

TA 2590 - King Thrór returns to Erebor with the Arkenstone to re-establish the Kingdom under the Mountain. Thrór's younger brother Grór leads others to the Iron Hills.

TA 2601 - Prince Turhir leaves Mirkwood, unable to cope with the trauma and guilt over his brothers' deaths. (Further details withheld to avoid fic spoilers.) His departure strains Thranduil and Maereth's marriage in a way it has never suffered before.

TA 2746 - Thorin (Oakenshield) is born in Erebor. Maereth sends gifts to honor the birth of the new prince, in an attempt to heal the friendship with the House of Durin that was broken after Arvellas's death. The gifts are accepted, but the rekindled friendship remains tenuous, especially since Thranduil has lost his desire to remain allies with the Dwarves he holds responsible for Arvellas's death.

TA 2760 - The continuing strain on their marriage forces Maereth and Thranduil to agree they need time apart. Maereth leaves Mirkwood to reside in Imladris for several years. (This is the only separation they have in the 2,900 years of their marriage.)

TA 2765 - Thranduil (trying to prove to his willingness for peace with the Dwarves again, as Maereth wants of him) commissions the jewel-smiths of Erebor to make a necklace from the White Gems of Lasgalen. However, when he comes to claim the finished necklace, he is turned away by Thrór, who (under the influence of dragon-sickness) claims that the gems were ill-begotten treasure from Khazad-dûm, and belonged to the Durins by birthright. Thranduil holds in his anger at the insult and does not press the matter, not wishing to completely sever the alliance that means so much to his wife.

TA 2770 - Smaug lays waste to the town of Dale and captures Erebor with all of its treasure.

tldr: Thranduil was not at his best when Smaug came to attack Erebor. He had many problems of his own, and he had very legitimate grievances against Thrór and his kin.

Unfortunately, Thrór was never forthcoming with his grandson, Thorin, about the deep history between the Durins and Thranduil's family, so as far as Thorin and his people believed, the Elvenking and his family just "lacked all honor". Nothing could have been further from the truth.

How did Thranduil react upon hearing of the attack?

The Elvenqueen was still in Imladris during the attack, and was therefore not present to give Thranduil council. Because of their separation, Maereth's mind was closed off to Thranduil's, and so she could not be reached through ósanwe. The younger princes, Gelir and Legolas, lacked the ability to telepathically communicate across that great a distance.

It was Gelir and Legolas who pushed their father to ride out with their army to help the Dwarves. Even though the bitterness of Arvellas's death still remained, Thranduil heeded his sons.

They had a solid plan to kill Smaug.

Thranduil had fought against fire-breathing dragons during the War of Wrath, and he knew what it would take to kill one: nothing short of a hero's self-sacrifice.

There was one weapon in Mirkwood that was surely powerful enough to pierce dragon hide and flesh: the great broadsword (or claymore) of the late Crown Prince Mirion.

Mirion's sword was forged by the prince himself (he was the best bladesmith in the realm), and was made from a special steel sourced from Khazad-dûm centuries before its fall. (Thranduil's sword was made from this same steel, which was also crafted by Mirion and given to his father as a gift.)

The sword was so large and heavy, only three people were known to be able to wield it: Mirion, Thranduil, and Turhir. Only Mirion had the strength and sufficient practice to wield it single-handed when needed.

Therefore, any attack using the sword would have to be carried out by the Elvenking himself.

For reference, Mirion's broadsword is about as massive as "Ice", Ned Stark's Valyrian sword from Game of Thrones.

In order to defeat Smaug, Thranduil's strategy would have been to attack the dragon himself with the sword. Gelir, Legolas, and the rest of his army would provide enough diversion to allow the Elvenking to get close without being burned by dragonfire.

What actually happened during the attack?

Thranduil was gripped by indecision and did not act as soon as he received the news of Smaug's descent. He already knew that any action they take against the dragon would mean loss of life for his people, and that made him hesitate, which caused some delay.

But he DID gather his army, his last two sons (who refused to be left behind), and marched out with the intention of engaging.

However, once Thranduil saw with his own eyes he fiery wrath of Smaug and the destruction he was capable of, and sensed the dragon's greed and evilness, the reality of the situation and the weight of old memories crashed down on him full force.

He remembered how he almost died from dragonfire, how painful those burns were, and how long it took him to recover from the physical and emotional scars. (And he only survived due to Valinor-level healing!) Did he want his soldiers to suffer the same, even if they survived?

He remembered that he had already lost one son (Arvellas) to dragons, who gave his life to help these same Dwarves, and received little gratitude for it in return. Was he ready to risk his last two sons?

And lastly, Thranduil realized, with almost full certainly, that killing Smaug would cost him his life. Was he ready to leave his wife a widow, his sons fatherless, and grandson saddled with the burden of kingship in such dark times?

The answer to all those questions was NO. So he made the difficult decision to turn back.

Thranduil's real mistake (that you can fault him for. Maybe.)

An argument could be made that even if Thranduil didn't want to directly engage with Smaug, he could still have sent his army to shield the Dwarves of Erebor and the people of Dale and help them get to safety. Less civilian lives could have been lost.

They didn't have to completely turn around and go home. They could have still tried to to something--as his sons (especially Gelir) would argue later on.

However, at that point, Thranduil choked on his reluctance to risk anything any further, after everything his family and kingdom had already been through. His sons were especially chomping at the bit to slay the dragon, and things could have easily gotten out of hand if they stepped into the same field as Smaug.

By retreating completely, Thranduil eliminated all risk.

And yes, the bitterness of Thrór's treatment (those damn jewels), and the way Arvellas's death was handled (the Durins never properly honored the prince's sacrifice) still lingered. It certainly factored in the decision to (selfishly?) leave the Dwarves to their fate.

Thranduil HAD warned Thrór "of what his greed would summon", especially after the fatal attack of the cold-drakes on the Grey Mountains. And Thrór certainly did not listen.

What was fair, then? How much responsibility still fell on Thranduil to help the Durins, given all these facts?

Aid was delivered in the aftermath; but the Dwarves considered it "too little, too late".

When Smaug had finally locked himself up in Erebor with his precious treasure, Thranduil did send out aid to the refugees of both Erebor and Dale. When Elvenqueen Maereth finally returned from Imladris, she spearheaded this effort.

Mind you, it's not like Mirkwood was swimming in excess resources at this time. But they still gave whatever they could to the thousands displaced, including medical aid, food and clothing, and even temporary shelter.

The men of Dale accepted the aid and help in finding new dwellings, including resettling in Esgaroth.

The Dwarves accepted the Elves' aid, but only to some extent.

Thrór wanted Thranduil to prove his allegiance by helping them to force Smaug out of the mountain, which of course Thranduil flatly refused to do.

The proud and angry Durins therefore declared him and his people faithless, and chose to move south to Dunland, instead of accepting Maereth's offer to help them rebuild near Mirkwood.

The Elvenqueen's final attempt to reconcile her family and people with the House of Durin would be during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs (TA 2793). However, her tragic death only worsened the divide between Thranduil and the House of Durin; we see this in Thorin's anger during his capture in the events of The Hobbit.

It all ends happily.

Healing and reconciliation would finally be achieved a century and a half later, during the Battle of Five Armies (TA 2941), where the Elves of Mirkwood play a role in saving the lives of King Thorin and his nephews. Once Erebor is reclaimed by the Durins, the two kingdoms become fierce allies and remain so for the rest of their histories.

(Yes, the SotWK AU is proud to be a Durins Live AU. <3 )

This HC post was written in response to an Anonymous request for a "Family Historical Event" submitted back in July 2023.

For more Thranduil/Mirkwood headcanons: SotWK HC Masterlist

Tag List: @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @achromaticerebus @acornsandoaktrees @aduialel @asianbutnotjapanese @auttumnsayshi @blueberryrock @conversacomsmaug @elan-ho-detto-elan-15 @entishramblings @fizzyxcustard @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog @glassgulls @heilith @heranintomyknife23times @ladyweaslette @laneynoir @lathalea @lemonivall @quickslvxrr @spacecluster @stormchaser819 @talkdifferently6 @tamryniel @tamurilofrivendell