Untitled | By Preezy's Grid

The tree caught fire and while Smaug laughed in delight, the elf’s escape went unnoticed…for a while. When no screams were heard, he started to suspect she had been able to jump to some other tree and in the chaos of the fire make her escaope from him. He looked behind him, up into the canopy of the trees and he saw a shadow already far, close to the river, jumping from tree to tree. He shouted in rage and started to run again after her.

Now the dragon was starting to get really fed up with this hunt.

She ran. As soon as her feet hit the ground she began running, hitting the floor with a thud- much less dignified than if she were being her usual self. This was not her usual situation. There was no use looking over her shoulder, she knew what was coming. 

The river was just ahead. Just ahead. 

Would she even have the opportunity to retrieve her things, she wondered. It probably wouldn't matter. In a burst of frustration she let out a powerful blast directed behind her- short and sharp. It was a hurtling cloud of green energy, it’s form was that of a scythe. Another was set off with her other hand. He would have to dodge both of them from different directions. And she would have to preserve her energy. 

The elf was nearing her end.

Showbiz || 1920s AU

♔—- “I never would have been able to peg you for someone who enjoyed dancing,” Loki replied, smirking softly. Given her chosen profession, he hoped that she had some passion for the art of it, because of the poor way others treated her. She was often seen as an object, much like that man that Loki had an altercation with did. He wasn’t sure he would be able to do such a profession without, at least, loving to dance enough to keep it up.

But then again, times were hard, and people were desperate for money. Loki was employed in the exact same place as Ayala, after all, so perhaps they both had a bit of self esteem to work out. Who knew?

Regardless, it paid the bills.

“But please, you needn’t add a mister to my name. I don’t think I’m fancy enough or important enough for anyone to be calling me ‘Mr. Loki’. I do like to dance though. I’m not going to promise I’m actually, you know, good at it, or anything, but I do enjoy dancing. If that’s you’re way of asking me to dance with you, I’ll be more than happy to. Just try not to judge me too hard. You might get the impression that I’m not nearly as sophisticated as I pretend to be.” He was, of course, joking. “But you do have a point. It’s difficult to lie through something as fluid and natural as dancing.”

He smiled, and as much as he wanted to disregard eating, his grumbling stomach betrayed him. “I could use a bite to eat.”

She ignored his wisecrack, though she did smile to herself. God, he seemed so normal. 

Ayala eyed him as he told her to drop the ‘Mr’ from his title. Well it only seemed fair, she didn’t have him call her ‘Miss. Fawnhurst’ after all. Though a perfectly jaunty expression appeared at his confessions as a dancer. “Oh my dear, you’ll have a perfectly delightful time with me this evening. I’ll show you the true masters in this town.” 

A cab stopped for them, hitting the puddle but luckily not with enough speed to let it reach them. “New Brook Street, please.” She told the driver as she climbed in. The ride would only take a few minutes, most of the folks were already out by this time, so traffic was hardly an issue. 

Her head lolled back against the back seat as she listened to the jazz playing on the radio. A lovely melody she found herself humming along to as her eyes closed briefly. With all the excitement of the day she could at least allow herself the moment to enjoy to normality of the situation. 

Jack eyed Ayala uncertain of where she wanted to go with this question. Was she accusing him and his crew of being lesser than what they affirmed to be, that his men would leave him when things got tough or was she merely saying this were about to get rough and he ought to be prepared for anything? He was unsure but one thing was certain: he and his men had been through many perels in the past, and none seemed to want to leave any time soon.

Ayala may have heard of his adventures, they were well known…some were better than others and most were terribly told. - My men will follow me to the end of the world and back Miss Ayala, you have my word on that. And if you’d like, you may ask them yourself.

“Good. So it’s a coalition then.” Ayala replied with confidence, even though deep inside, she remained incredibly unsettled about the whole endeavour. She had heard all about the tremendous adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow- including his apparent  ability to cheat death. Her anxiety would not be settling any time soon. But if his crew would follow him…

She stopped then. Her features softened to a more solemn expression. “Even though it was you who lost me my ship…I do so appreciate your willingness to take responsibility by helping me retrieve it. Whether it be through threat of pain or otherwise.” She laughed. Tilting her head, she took in a deep breath, looking up to the pirate. “You have my thanks- assuming of course you stick to your word. If this is to work we are to have trust. It will be earned I’m sure.” 

“So! Mr.Sparrow. Who has taken my ship?”

Jack eyed her for a moment as she walked away before he followed her. He wouldn’t be messing with this one, that was for certain. - Aye, so the person that took your ship is not one subtle in their displays so they’ll surely go around boasting about their new ship. Which will make the finding of it quite a lot easier than it would be otherwise. - He explained to her.

- Rumours travel fast so we’ll know where it is soon enough and all we have to do is go there and take it back. Your men and my men are a greater force than their men so it should be easy.

“Well it’s certainly not brilliant, but it is a plan. It even has the potential to be a good plan. Of course I don’t expect to just sit and wait for news of my vessel. Heaven knows what they could have done to it by then.” Ayala shook her head, mortified at the very idea of them befouling her beloved jewel. The famous Jade Lady.

Large parts of it’s interior was carved from the precious stone, decorated in gold- many of it’s beams and pillars were designed to look as though they were trees. Vines would drape from the ceiling, large leaves would be immaculately crafted from gold, a sign of her family’s crest- a memory from long ago when her forefathers worked in harmony with the land. 

 It was of the utmost importance she find it. 

“My men would follow me to whatever end Mr.Sparrow. What are your men prepared to do for you?”

“Frodo saw her whom few mortals had yet seen; Arwen, daughter of Elrond, in whom it was said that the likeness of Lúthien had come on earth again; and she was called Undómiel, for she was the Evenstar of her people.”

“And yet your bellowing brings the attention of the whole gather- Would you not have mercy on our ears?”

Jack felt most certainly warned. There were few people in the world that could put the fear of God in him…and she had just become one of them. Never mess with a woman who’s angry, that was a lesson he had come to learn through his years of dealing with females.

- Of course I do, hence why I’m getting it back for ye. So…ermm..shall we?

“Splendid.” Ayala answered. 

She took her affects from the table that was decorated with tobacco stains and knife markings to name but a few. She believed her vessel to be the greater than these dreary dens, the most beautiful in all the seas. It was no wonder it was so sought-after. Her only regret was allowing it to fall into the murky hands of this underdog. Despicable. 

“Come, you can explain your brilliant plan on the way.”

If I told you it would spoil the fun of it. - He said with a smile.

Seeing that she was not at all convinced nor amused, Jack changed his approach. - I’ll get it back, fret not my dear. I know who took it, only a matter of finding that said character and steal it back. Simple.

“If I find you’re lying to me Sparrow...

...I will hurt you.” The maiden explained, with the most eerie of smiles. There was danger in that seductive glance. The touch of her hand..

“My crew-and that ship, are my life. My crew must have their ship, a ship must have her Captain. I’m sure you understand. Love.”

Have you never heard of retribution? Regret? Whatever you’d like to call it. I’m not to blame for the ship being gone however, it was…stolen.

“Actually you are”

“Exactly how do you plan on getting my ship back?”

“Help? You lose me my ship and now you wish to help me? Why don’t you stagger back onto your bail of hay Mr.Sparrow.”

Oh wow! I did not expect to get so many of these. Thank you guys! All of you who sent these in, I really appreciate them! It’s wonderful to know that I make a few people happy on this website. Instead of forwarding this forty times (cause I got one yesterday too), I’m just going to make up a quick list of awesome people that deserve all the love in the world.

Again, thank you so much!

More awesome people ( in no particular order ):

Thank you all for being amazing! And thank you for putting up with me.

The smirk appeared ever lager in his features and finally, the tree was ready. He pushed his energy inside the wood and a redness began to appear from within. And soon the flames consumed the tree. He began to laugh as he stepped back and watched his destruction begin. The forest would eventually catch fire from that sole tree but his porpuse was to burn that one tree. He hoped he would not have to chase this wretched elf any further, he was beginning to get tired of it and he had a wound to tend to as well.

It was starting to throb and he knew the pain would soon be a little too much for him to just ignore and keep on this wild goose chase. 

Without warning, what Ayala had feared- the silence before the storm had become broken. Her eyes widened as a crimson glow began to fill the space far below her. 

Quickly, her decision was made. The bow was secured around her body whilst the arrow was simply hooked onto her leather belt. She hoped that in the excitement of the slowly burning tree, her sound of crackling bark would at least in some way mask her escape as she began leaping from branch to branch in hope she would reach the edge of the forest...

Vintage Gold Ring

A mist came about the forest and Smaug grinned. Clever of her to cast a spell to both conceal herself from his eyes and protect the forest…somewhat. Wet forest trees were harder to catch aflame but a dragon’s fire burned hotter than anything on this earth and it would dry it enough before it would finally catch flame if he bothered to do it.

- My vision isn’t the only thing you ought to be concerned of, she-elf! - He told to the forest, knowing fully well she was listening. - I smell you… you stink of fear. - He claimed as he kept walking. He knew which tree she was in, well the one he had seen movement moments before. Surely by now she could have moved but he had heard no stirrings, no footsteps, no jumps. She was most likely waiting for him to come nearer so she could shoot him.

- Quite ironic being both the hunter and the prey. I’m curious to know which one of us ends up as one or the other. - He said and placed a hand on the tree trunk in which he was certain she was at and began to heat it. He did not use his flames to do so, he used his bodies energy. The mist was both her friend and her enemy at that moment. He could not see her, but neither could she see him, therefore if he kept himself quiet and his voice echoed enough to confuse her over his location, she’d have no clue of what he was doing. The moist that had build up on the tree slowly began to dry and soon he’d be able to burn it altogether.

Quiet. That’s all there was between the threats and the hate. No birdsong could be heard here. An eerie stillness had come over them as suddenly as the fog. A moment of muted tension before the inevitable clashing of teeth and shield. 

Her eyes narrowed as the fog became too thick, even for her. Tsk. Only a faint shadow could be seen through the white haze. She thought it better to lower her arrow for now, as she had lost her target. At least a few more moments had been gained to compensate. She sat there, still and quiet as a leaf. He talked so much of her fear, yet she was sure she had buried it somewhere along the way. Fear was no use to hear now, yet her heart still beat anxiously in her chest. Hunting had set her at ease, not to be mistake for a false sense of security. No, she was well aware of the dangers- not being able to see him. 

Her head turned to her side. There was a river within half a mile of here. The river she’d left her belongings. If only...