In his dreams the stars danced, and she moved gracefully among them. She turned towards him, piercing his heart with her gaze. She looked at him with the same intensity of the burning lights surrounding them. She drifted towards him, softly singing words in a language he couldn't comprehend, but could feel the good intent they bore to him. The melody filled his ears, and he strained to hear the jarring drumbeats that played in the distance. Her gaze softened as she came closer, and lifted a pale hand to touch his face. He stared back at her with laughter in his gentle eyes, and leaned into her touch, revelling in the brightness of her presence. He moved his gaze to the stars, watching as they drifted down towards him, lighting his surroundings with a heavenly fire. He looked at the otherworldly elven creature in front of him and, as she smiled down at him, her entire body began to glow. The star fire rained down on him, and as he gloried in its beauty, everything began to burn. Her eyes sharpened, and her mouth slowly opened in a shout that sounded much too far off. He heard her say his name, and she seemed frantic. She was telling him to run, but why would he run? He wanted to stay right here with her, forever. Away from the people who would tell them that they would never be together. Yet her voice grew louder and harsher, and the drumbeats pounded against his ears. His eyes flew open, and everything was on fire.

ooooo

"By Durin's beard, Kili! Wake up!" Kili opened his eyes to see his elder brother's face close to his, staring frantically at him for signs of consciousness. He sat up quickly, groaning as his head pounded. He could still hear those curious drumbeats, which reminded him.

"Tauriel! Where is she?" Kili quickly looked around, trying to find her. As he looked, he noticed that he was no longer sitting in Bard's kitchen, but was quite some distance away from Laketown, laying near the shore of Long Lake. He could feel heat against his back, and when he stretched to look behind him for signs of the she-elf, he let out a horrified gasp at the sight of fire and fleeing humans. He looked back at his brother, his face void of its usual cheer and humour, but instead filled with desperation and fear. Before he could ask what had happened, he heard a terrific roar come from the sky above. He stood up, ignoring the pain in his head, and his hand moved to grab his sword before he remembered that they had been left in the hands of the elven king. His eyes raked across the sky, searching for what could only be the dragon, Smaug.

"How long?" he questioned his brother, still searching the sky.

"Since what?" Fili replied.

"Since he woke."

"He emerged from the mountain only an a few dozen minutes before now. Tauriel and I dragged you out of Laketown as swiftly as we could, but she returned to the town as soon as we got here."

"How long ago did she leave? I could've sworn I heard her."

"Only a few minutes before you woke."

"And what has happened to our company? What of Thorin? Smaug's emergence does not bode well for them."

"They left on the morning of Durin's day, and have not returned since, and nor have we heard news of them. We can only hope for the best at this point."

"Well, we must go fight!" Kili proclaimed, as he began to walk unsteadily towards Laketown, only to collapse on his injured leg.

"Kili, you have just been poisoned, and you barely survived. It is thanks to Tauriel that you live, and I do not believe she would take it too kindly if you died in that burning town."

"But what of the villagers? Are we to just leave them to die?" Kili's words were punctured by the deafening roar of Smaug. Kili looked up, to finally see the dragon emerging from the other side of Laketown, burning everything in his sight. He was truly a magnificent creature, with crimson scales shimmering in the light of the fire like drops of blood. His wings pounded the air in time with what he had previously thought had been the beating of drums. He had to fight with all of his will not to take off at a run towards Laketown, for he had never been as worried for the safety of an elf as he was now. IIt's just because she saved your life,/Ihe assured himself, Iand you just need to repay her for her kindness./I

"No, that is why Tauriel left us with her horse. We are to ride to the closest sentries posted in Mirkwood, to request aid from Thranduil." Kili tore his gaze away from Laketown and looked back at his brother.

"Well why did you not say earlier? Let us go!"

ooooo