A Promise
Seven year old Kili is not feeling his best. He has had a fever for the past two days and cannot leave his bed. Fili, as his older brother, had refused to leave Kili alone, but Dis told him Kili was not going to be alone and walked a reluctant Fili to school. Kili lies on his side feeling absolutely terrible and with a dull headache. A silent tear makes its way down Kili cheek and onto the pillow. Why can't Fili stay with me?! he thinks with sorrowful sigh. The day seems to last forever to the poor Dwarfling who eagerly awaits his brother's return. After a while, Kili slides into a fevered sleep plagued with nightmares. While he dreams a frightened whimper escapes his lips and his fingers dig into the mattress clutching for anything to reassure him. A voice drifts though Kili's slumbers and a gentle hand rests on his shoulder. "Kili, come on little brother, it's just a dream. Wake up, Kee!" Kili's eyelids flutter open for a moment before he is drug back down to the horrors of his fever induced dream. The hand squeezes lightly and begins to shake him until, finally, Kili wakes fully. Fili grins down at him and brushes the tangled locks of hair off of Kili's forehead. "Fee, you're here! It was horrible, just awful!" Kili gasps as his big brother sits on the bed next to him. "You wona tell me about it?" Fili asks quietly, "Maybe it'll help you sleep." Kili nods and begins the tale of his nightmare, "There were orcs, lots and lots of them. We were fighting in a battle with Men and elves and some other Dwarves, but we were losing. And then one of the orcs with a spear charged you and you couldn't stop it and it…it…" He tries to continue but tears chock him. "It is alright Kili. I'm fine, it's not going to happen, see. I'll never ever leave, ever." Fili says as his arms envelope Kili in a hug allowing Kili to cry into his shoulder. After a bit, Kili lies back down on the bed and looks up at Fili with large wet puppy eyes. "Promise you will never leave me?" "Kili of course I'll never leave you, for we are brothers, and brothers are never separated. I promise on my life I will never let anything hurt you." Fili does not need to say anymore. Kili knows his elder brother means every single word he told him. "Love you, Fee, always." Kili says seriously and Fili replies, "I love you to Kee, until the end of the world and beyond. Always."