AN: Here is another little story for everyone! I haven't seen BOFA yet but can't wait until I do. I'm sure after I see it, I'll end up writing a story that takes place during the siege and the battle of five armies, showing the brother's and Thorin's viewpoints during it like I did with Barrel Ride and Smaug's Inferno. This story and the next, The Battle of Five Armies, is just my take on it. The first little part of this story actually came to me in the middle of the night and I knew I had to write it into this story. Enjoy!
AN: I took bits and pieces from what I saw in previews but a lot of the talking between Thorin and Bard I got from the book.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of The Hobbit.
Kili lets out an anguished scream, his back arching off the bed, his hands gripping at the sheets. Fili grabs ahold of his brother's arm, the panic coming over him in full force. He looks at his brother, their eyes meeting, and Fili sees the agonizing pain in his younger brother's eyes. Fili feels the emotions rising up within him as he watches Kili sink back into the bed, his breathing ragged and coming in short bursts.
"Kee… Kee, stay with me…" Fili begs, grasping at his brother, the tears welling up in his eyes. Kili forces himself to let go of the blankets with one of his hands and grasps for his brother. Fili grabs Kili's hand and whispers assurances to him, fear and panic rolling off the two of them in waves.
"Fee…don't…don't leave me…" Kili begs quietly. He clenches his brother's hand and his eyes squeeze shut and a strangled yell escapes him again.
"I won't…I won't…" Fili says as he shakes his head, seeing his brother slump into the bed again, his eyes barely open as Kili keeps them trained on him.
"I guess I broke my promise…" Kili whispers out and Fili shakes his head. Kili closes his eyes and his hand becomes loose.
"Kili?...Kee?...No…No, no, no…" Fili says as the tears begin to fall and he shakes his head. "Kili!"
Fili shoots up into a sitting position, his brother's name echoing through the room. Fili's breath comes in quick gasps and his eyes are wide as they dart around him. He's back in Erebor on the floor of one of the rooms. Fili's head whips to the side and he sees his brother lying next to him. Kili shifts and his eyes blink open having heard Fili shout his name. Fili quickly looks away and his eyes fall on his uncle who's watching him from across the room.
"You all right?" Fili hears Kili's voice from close by. Fili glances over and sees Kili sitting up and watching him with worry.
"I'm fine," Fili says and quickly moves to his feet and retreats out of the room. He wasn't fine, but he wasn't putting this on his brother. Kili has enough to worry about without worrying about his nightmares. Fili walks out into the hall and stops halfway down it. He rests his forehead on the wall and his hands rest on the wall just above him. Fili squeezes his eyes tight but the tears escape and fall down his cheeks.
Kili looks over at Thorin and the two of them meet each other's eyes before Kili stands up and leaves the room. He walks out the doorway and glances around, seeing his brother halfway down the hall on his left. Kili walks towards him slowly but then stops.
"Fili…?" Kili calls his brother's name warily, not sure what happened. Fili hears his brother call his name and his hands clench into fists. Kili shouldn't be here; this isn't how he wants his younger brother to see him. Kili's eyes widen and his eyebrows shoot up into his hairline, taking a step back having seen his brother's fists clench. He's never gotten this reaction from his brother before and he begins thinking his brother is mad at him for getting injured. "I'll…I'll head back."
Kili begins walking backwards towards the room, wanting to help his brother but thinking his brother wants nothing to do with him right now. Kili glances behind him but then something runs into him causing him to let out an 'umph'.
KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI
Fili looks up when he hears his brother stutter out that he'll leave, picking up the hurt in Kili's voice. He sees Kili walking backwards and he mentally hits himself when he sees the pain he's caused his brother. Truth is, Fili's not mad; he's just worried. He'd been holding it together the best he could since his brother collapses in Lake-Town and it's finally starting to catch up to him. When he sees Kili glance behind him, he's moving before he realizes what he's doing.
KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI
Kili realizes Fili is enveloping him in a hug, his hands clutching at his tunic. Kili wraps his arms around his brother and the two of them burry their faces into each other's shoulders. Kili feels his shoulder becoming wet but he doesn't call attention to it. He saw how much his brother had been fighting to hold it together throughout his injury and Smaug's attack, the journey up to Erebor.
"I'm fine Fee," Kili whispers, "You made sure of that."
Fili pulls away and keeps his eyes downcast as he wipes his face with his sleeve. Done, he looks up at his brother, taking in his appearance.
"We should go back. You need to rest some more," Fili says, heading towards the room.
"I'm fine. It barely hurts anymore," Kili says but follows after his brother anyways. Hurried footsteps stop them and they glance down the hallway to see Dwalin and Balin running towards them. Thorin must've heard it too because he appears in the doorway and looks down the hall as well.
"Thorin. You should see this," Dwalin says, looking directly at the King Under the Mountain.
KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI
The group of Dwarves moves to the gate, standing behind boulders and peering over them at those who approach them. Fili and Kili look out over the land and see a group of spearmen bearing two banners, the green of the Elves and the blue of the Lake-men. They watch as the approaching company stops just in front of the gate, Bard stepping forward, his eyes resting on the brothers for a moment longer than the rest.
"Who are you to come to my Mountain prepared for war?" Thorin asks as his gaze lingers on Bard, his eyes narrowing and his voice gruff.
"Why do you barricade yourself behind walls of stone? It was your blind ambition that has brought us to this time. Does the loss of Lake-Town and pain of the people not rest on your mind? All we ask is that Thorin, son of Thrain, help us after sending the dragon, Smaug, to desolate our town. Share your treasure so we can rebuild our fire and ruin," Bard answers in turn, his eyes holding Thorin's gaze and not once backing down or showing weakness.
"No man can lay claim to the treasure of my people. Smaug stole it from us; took our home from us. We will pay for your assistance and what you shared with us, but in due time. But we will not give you anything under this threat of force. As you bear your arms we see you as thieves and our foes. If you had found the treasure unguarded and our deaths, what part of the gold would you have shared with our kin?" Thorin replies, his eyes cold and his jaw tense. Fili and Kili glance at each other, neither one of them liking where this is heading. They can see their uncle is falling into the throws of the Gold Sickness and it's affecting his judgment, so much so that he can ruin what they've achieved.
"An understandable question. However, I do not see your dead bodies and we are not here to rob you. And you have not answered my other claims," Bard counters, not backing down, his own voice beginning to grow cold as he begins to see that Thorin is not intent on backing down.
"I will not parley with armed men at my gate. And most certainly not with the Elves. They have no place in this debate. Leave, or it will be more than one arrow this time. And if you choose to speak with me again, leave the Elves behind and send them back to the woods where they belong and come back unarmed," Thorin says, his eyes glaring at the Elves standing behind Bard, his eyes and voice growing ice cold.
"Fili…" Kili whispers to his brother, looking over at him with wide eyes.
"I know brother…" Fili says, not taking his eyes off their uncle and the group before them, but a hand moving to rest on Kili's shoulder.
"The Elven king is my friend, and he has helped us in our need without asking anything of us but our friendship. We will give some time to think about your words and ours," Bard says and then the group turns around and walks back to where the Dwarves can see tents set up in the distance. Thorin sneers and turns around, walking back into Erebor, the other Dwarves follow after him. Fili and Kili share a look and come to an agreement; they needed to make their uncle see how wrong he is, but they know it will not be easy.
KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI
"Thorin…" Fili says hesitantly as he and Kili enter the room they saw their uncle walk into. Dwalin is standing next to Thorin and the two older Dwarves turn around. Thorin is looking at them, but Fili and Kili do not see the normal light in his eyes; this light is cold and filled with greed. Fili looks over at his younger brother and can see the uncertainty in his eyes as their eyes meet. Fili looks back at Thorin, taking it upon himself to confront his uncle. "May…Maybe we should talk to…"
"What? Talk to them?!" Thorin shouts, his voice lowering and he takes a step towards his nephews. Dwalin reaches out and gently grabs Thorin's arm the same time Fili takes a side step in front of his brother. "They tried to take what is rightfully ours! We don't owe them anything! They have no right to lay claim on my treasure!"
"Your treasure?" Fili asks, his eyes narrowing and his jaw tensing. Dwalin pleads with the young Dwarves to walk away; their uncle is not the Dwarf his was at the start of this quest. "There are more important things that treasure, uncle."
Fili spits the last couple words out as his look becomes hard, feeling Kili's hand grab at his sleeve. A coldness seeps into Thorin's look and he tries to take another step forward but Dwalin holds him back.
"The last I knew, you, Fili, were not the King under the Mountain," Thorin says with ice in his voice. Fili opens his mouth to say something but Dwalin's voice stops him.
"Fili…" Dwalin whispers harshly, causing both Fili and Kili to turn their attention to the battle-hardened Dwarf. Dwalin shakes his head, his eyes pleading for them to stop. Fili's clenches his teeth and turns around, quickly exiting the room. Kili gives his uncle one last look before turning and swiftly following after his brother.
KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI
Kili walks into the room they're sleeping in and leans up against the doorway, watching his brother pace back and forth. Fili's body is tense and his hands clench into fists as he stares at the floor below him. Kili doesn't say anything but knows his brother knows he's there.
"He's going to start a war…once which we will not be able to come back from. He's putting everyone in the company in danger; all for the sake of his treasure," Fili grinds out as he continues to pace the room.
"This isn't him; it's the Gold Sickness talking…" Kili begins moving towards his brother. Fili stops his pacing and turns to face his brother.
"There are things more important than gold. Like family. We should be more important that gold," Fili all but shouts out, looking his brother in the eye. You are more important than gold, Fili wants to say, because truth is Fili would give up all the gold and jewels in Middle Earth for his brother. Fili begins pacing the room again.
"Maybe Mister Dwalin can talk some sense into him," Kili offers, not really believing it himself. He saw his uncle's eyes as much as Fili did and their uncle was lost to the Gold Sickness.
"Don't be a fool Kili. Uncle is gone," Fili bites out turning to glare at his brother. Fili sees the young, naïve look on his younger brother's face and he sighs, realizing his taking his anger out on his brother, who's the only one who backed him up on this. "I'm sorry."
"How far do you think Thorin will take this?" Kili asks, holding his brother's eye contact. Fili purses his lips and studies his brother for a moment before answering.
"I think Thorin is thinking of one thing only and he'll do whatever it takes to keep it," Fili answers causing Kili's face to fall.
KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI
Hours later, with Fili and Kili resting on the wall behind them, a trumpet blast sounds from outside Erebor's gates. The two heirs sit up straight and look down the hall towards the front gates, their eyes wide. Fili glances over at Kili, who in turn, glances over at Fili, their eyes meeting with worry and fear. They hear footsteps and they quickly push themselves to their feet and rush towards the front door, meeting up with Thorin just before they get there. The line of Durin and the rest of the company walk out into the sunlight and gaze out over the plain before them. The banners, Bard, and Elves are back and one of the men steps forward addressing Thorin.
"We have come to speak to Thorin Oakenshield, the one who calls himself King under the Mountain. We hope he has considered our claims, or else be acknowledged as our foe. He shall give one twelfth of the treasure to Bard, the dragon-slayer and as he is the heir of Girion. Out of this, Bard will disperse it towards the aid of Esgaroth. However, if Thorin aspires the friendship and honor of the surrounding lands, he will give some of his own share towards the men of the Lake," the man says, his chin high and his eyes looking straight at Thorin. Fili closes his eyes and sighs, knowing this will not go over well with his uncle. Thorin scowls and sneers at the man addressing him, the man holding a shield in front of him. Thorin's body tenses and his jaw set in determination as he glares down the men before him. He watches as Bard steps forward to address Thorin himself.
"What have you Thorin Oakenshield? Will you have peace or war?" Bard calls out to the Dwarf king. Thorin pulls his attention away from the bowman in front of him and glances over at the company. Fili is on his right and Kili on his left. Before anyone knows what he is doing, Thorin reaches out and takes Kili's bow and an arrow from his quiver. Thorin readies the bow and arrow and pulls the string back, letting it fly through the air. Fili and Kili look on in horror as the arrow arches into the air and embeds itself in the shield of the man who first addressed Thorin.
"I will have war!" Thorin shouts at the group in front of him, his arms rising into the air.
"Then this is your answer. I pronounce the mountain besieged. You will not leave it unless you call for a truce and a parley. We will not bear our weapons against you but will leave you with your gold. You may think on that!" Bard shouts in return and he turns around, leading the rest of the group back to their tents. Kili's eyes are wide and he looks up at his uncle.
"Uncle…" he says, trying to get his uncle to fix this mess but Thorin ignores him and turns around, walking back into Erebor. Kili looks back at his brother, his eyes still wide and Fili tries to offer his brother a reassuring look but it comes up short. Fili walks over to Kili and rests a hand on the younger Dwarf's shoulder.
"Promise me you'll stay close," Fili says, ducking his head and meeting his brother's gaze. Kili nods his head and the two brothers, the heirs of Durin, turn and walk back into Erebor.
AN: Please review and send me some feedback! I can't wait until I can finally go to theaters and see the movie!