"Kili!" Tauriel yelled in an unsuccessful attempt to catch the young dwarfs attention. Kili noticed the orc taking aim, just a moment too late. The arrow sailed through the air before penetrating through his thick leather undergarments and deep in to his flesh.

Kili collapsed, a breathy gasp of pain escaped his parched lips as his limp body collided heavily against the earth beneath him.

"Kili!" Tauriel cried, elegantly sprinting across battlefield and darting around mangled corpses towards the familiar mop of dark hair. As she ran, she noticed a blur of golden blonde hair belonging to Fili, also bolting, not so gracefully, towards Kili.

Tauriel came to an abrupt halt, deciding that Fili had more right to aid his brother than a lonely silven elf, such as herself.

Fili caught sight of Tauriel minding her distance and called to her in distress:

"Tauriel! Please help me!"

Tauriel began warily, to edge towards the brothers

"It's Kili" Fili added dolefully

To Fili's relief,Tauriel quickened her pace

Tauriel examined Kili's wound, slowly and carefully. Cautiously, she peered up at Fili through her auburn locks.

"There is nothing I can do for your brother, I'm so sorry Fili" she whispered grievously

Fili's, once shocked and worried expression rapidly developed in to a wistful, lonely, melancholy one

"Fili?"

Fili just looked at his brother, unresponsive. As he held him, he knew he was losing him. What more could he say or do to save him? His stomach hurt and his heart ached as he thought of life without him. He felt hopeless.

"Y-You can survive this b-brother" Kili stuttered

Fili looked down to his younger brother who was lying in his arms. He had his hands entangled in his messy hair. The silent tear that had spilled down his cheek, was now a waterfall, gushing from his piercing blue eyes.

"You don't need m-me" the dark haired dwarf added

"You're wrong, I do need you" Fili sobbed

Kili's red rimmed eyes slowly began to close

"Kili! Please don't leave me!" Fili choked out weakly

"Shut up you dunce, I'm not going anywhere" Kili muttered, chuckling

Fili released a quiet, precarious laugh. His brother had always had ability to make him laugh, it seemed even death couldn't take that away from him.

It was at this moment that Fili made a pledge.

"Kee, whether we make this battle together, or die together, I will be with you no matter what" Fili promised

"And me also" Tauriel added

"I will defend you, or die trying"

And she kept to her word. Fili had fallen, run through with a poisoned orc sword and barely able to breath. He lay silently, beside his brother.

Tauriel fought hard to defend their bodies but she knew she was outnumbered. A particularly large orc's mace rammed in to her chest, the impact threw her to the ground. She landed painfully on her back, most likely shattering the ribs that had survived the blow.

Convinced the elf was dead, the orc pack moved on, as swiftly as they had come. Tauriel quietly wept, not because of the pain but because she was sure that both brothers were dead.

Kili stirred

"Tauriel?" He struggled to whisper

Tauriel froze, was she hallucinating?

She turned to face Kili, somewhat happy he was still clinging on to life

"D'you remember back in Laketown? You asked me a valid question, my prince"

"Do you think she could have loved me?" Kili recalled quietly

There was a moments silence.

"Yes, and I know she did" Tauriel replied, just as quietly as he had spoken

With his last ounces of strength, Fili dragged himself alongside Kili and Tauriel.

"I can hang on no longer, for now, it is farewell. I love you Kee and maybe we will meet again one day amongst the halls of our fathers" Fili managed to mutter.

And with that, he let go

Kili could hold back his tears no longer. He sobbed as Tauriel embraced him.

"He was a brave prince, he fought with great strength, he did not die in vain" Tauriel assured the young dwarf in her arms.

"I think Fili had the right idea, I don't think I can hold on for much longer either" Kili stuttered between raspy breaths.

"Rest, my prince" Tauriel replied softly

"I dare say it won't be long until we meet again, and then, maybe, we can walk together in starlight once more"

A few days later, among the survivors of the great battle, Balin and Bofur came across two young dwarves, hand in hand, the dark haired lad in the arms of a beautiful silven elf.

"Don't worry laddie" Balin reassured his evidently saddened dwarf companion

"I bet you, they are walking in starlight as we speak"