Interlaced (a Kiliel alternate story)
Prologue"You were tracking the company of thirteen dwarves. Why?" A tall blonde elf named Legolas, prince of the Mirkwood forest, had an orc with hands tied to the back and kneeling on the floor. His dagger was menacingly pressed to the creature's throat as the interrogation went on.
King Thranduil and Captain Tauriel were present in that elven chamber. The dwarves made reference to were Mirkwood prisoners not a week past, freed by unknown means, and managed to escape during the confusion of an attack of orcs to the fortress, whose purpose was to kill the dwarves.
"Not thirteen; not anymore…" responded the orc captive with a hoarse voice, exhaling each word. "…the young one, the black haired archer, we stuck him with a Morgul shaft. Poison is in his blood. He'll be choking on it soon."
Each word stroke the heart strings of Captain Tauriel. The injured dwarf was no other than Kili, her conversation companion during her watch shifts. He kept her entertained with long talks of fire moons and the light of the stars while locked in those elven dungeons. The dwarf was infatuated with her red hair and beautiful features, and she took a liking to his cheeky ways during that time. Deep hurt reflected in her eyes, but she kept collected. "Answer the question, filth!" she said.
"Sha hakhtiz khunai-go, Golgi!" (I do not answer to dogs, she-elf!) spat the orc in black speech.
"I would not antagonize her" Responded Legolas knowing his friend all too well, while pressing the dagger tighter to the orc's neck.
Tauriel unsheathed her hunting dagger, "You like killing things, orc? You like death? Then let me give it to you!"
In the blink of an eye, she rushed to the orc, only stopped by direct orders of her King. "Farn! Tauriel, ego! Gwao hi." (Enough! Tauriel, leave! Go now.)
The orc snarled at her while she lifted her eyes with anger to the straight orders of her king. Regaining her composure, she stored her dagger back in its scabbard and left the room with indignation. Upon exit, she heard the tail end of her king's words, which hurt her deeper than the orc's confession.
"I do not care about one dead dwarf, answer the question…"
That was all she needed to know. Every second counted and she had to find Kili before it was too late. She had the power to save him. Her mind was made and nothing would stop her. Luckily, Tauriel left the stronghold before the King's orders to lock down so no one would leave or enter.
***
For two days Tauriel roamed along the current where the dwarves made their escape in wine barrels. The path ended, but there was no sign of them or the barrels. There's only one possible place they could have gone. Those empty barrels were often picked at that point by a bargeman, who took them to Lake Town for refills. Just as Tauriel tracked the way, so could have the orcs. In fact, there were animal carcasses along the way, which is the unmistakable sign that orcs were there before her. She knew she was up for a good fight on her way to finding Kili, but she was alone.
At that moment, she turned suddenly with a swift movement, loading her bow and pointing on what she thought to be an orc. Luckily for her, it was her friend Legolas, who had been tracking her to bring her back home by orders of the King. They engaged into a conversation about values, morals, and how, without their help, the free people of Arda would perish to the power of evil. Prince Legolas was convinced by her eloquent speech and decided to go with her. He could deal with his father later.
Tauriel allowed Legolas to believe she was after orcs, keeping her true reasons well hidden because she knew all too well the existing feud between elves and dwarves. But the affairs of her heart were strong and she would not hesitate regardless. If the stars favored them, they would reach Lake Town by nightfall.
***
It was the last morning of autumn, in which dwarves celebrate Durin's day, their new year and the one chance to find the hidden door in Erebor. Thorin, the dwarf king, could not afford more delays, for which he decided to leave Kili behind. His injure would slow them down and they needed to speed up if they wanted to reach the mountain in time. After a small argument with uncle Thorin, Fili decided to stay with his injured brother, and so did their healer, Oin. Bofur was left too because he was nowhere to be found at the moment of departure.
As the night fell, Kili got worse. His fever was high and no matter what his friends did, they could not ease him down. He was passing to the shadows. To make things worse, the place got crowded with orcs that tracked them down to Lake Town. The noise helped Tauriel find them as she arrived just in time to take most of those fell creatures down. Legolas tracked the others, leaving Tauriel behind who refused to follow and leave Kili to die. With the help of a weed she called Athelas, she chanted a spell to bring Kili back from the claws of death...
"Menno o nin na hon, i eliad annen annin, hon leitho o-ngurth."
She chanted that spell over and over, pressing her dainty hands against his thigh wound, while his friends kept him held tight to the table to prevent him from tossing and turning abruptly, as part of the side effects of that poison.