Much as Ellisaria dislikes the intimation of weakness, she dislikes being impaled on a mountainside even more. Her human form is simply more subtle, and thus better suited to evading the gronn.
Unfortunately, it is also conveniently sized to be eaten in one gulp by the mirror-faced snake (what) that comes out of literally nowhere.
At least she is alive to be indignant, even if she's no longer in Outland.
Several of the men, in fact, break and run when the dragons approach. Only one stays, though he seems to have not been one of the ones actually arguing.
She nods in acknowledgement of this.
"I require maps, ones showing political boundaries."
"None worth mentioning. It seems the inhabitants of that place used to trade with elves."
"They did, before the fall of Eregion in the Second Age. The elves of that house were less obnoxious, reportedly, than the wood elves."
"Alright. I'll probably have a new one copied; political maps don't get updated as often as they should."
He turns to nod towards the one man who stayed, who's been observing the dragons but otherwise seemingly remarkably unconcerned. (The topic of discussion here seems to be the reconstruction of a mannish city nearer the mountain).
Brisingr paces her.
There seem to be rather more elves moving near the town, and a larger convoy heading towards the town on the lake. The dwarves are continuing to gather some of the farther flung gold. Normal activity on the lake seems to have resumed.
And the next while can be spent spreading the word among and arranging dragons. They have their pick of deserted and mostly deserted lands, though dragons generally seem to prefer mountainous regions. Finding somewhere magical enough and not tainted is hard (there's a ruined mountain island chain in the western ocean, the mighty skeleton of Ancalagon draped over it, where the sun doesn't shine and the land still reeks of corruption), though anywhere Ellisaria modifies seems to relevantly count as 'magical.' Finding somewhere in flying range of game is easier, as is a blended approach. Their flight grows, even if some dragons have trouble getting with the program.
Brisingr especially grows quickly, staying thin but soon surpassing Ellisaria in length, her fires getting hotter and her hide tougher and her Song stronger. She discovers she really really likes bathing in magma.
The dwarves fix up and resettle the Lonely Mountain - Durin's Line, almost entirely - and Thorin calls a great moot of all seven dwarven Houses to retake, resettle, and repair Khazad-dûm. Men, too, come from the eastern and southern parts of the world as the project gets into motion, sensing a trade opportunity like none other and settling in the lands outside the western gate. The region flourishes, and the mountains are all well cared for.
Of course, the long Ages of the world contain more than their share of drama, and few things remain idyllic for long...
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