Title: Not So Easily Broken
Summary: AU The Battle of the Five Armies is over. Thorin is once again King under the Mountain with his nephews by his side. Yet it seems that peace will not come so easily. Someone is trying to undermine the Line of Durin, but like Balin said, "The Line of Durin will not be so easily broken."
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit, it's characters or anything that relates to the wonderful world of J.R.R. Tolkien. I am simply borrowing for the sake of telling a story.
A/N: Thank you to my wonderful beta, Nathália!
Chapter 1
The battle was over.
The slopes of Erebor and the plains of the Desolation of Smaug were riddled with the bodies of the slain. Dwarves, Elves, Wargs, Men and Orcs alike laid together, staining the soil with a mixture of red and black blood. Bilbo Baggins traveled through the mass of bodies, looking for any signs of the thirteen members of the company.
More importantly, he was looking for the King under the Mountain.
The last moments between them had been less than favorable and Bilbo prayed that he had the chance to reconcile with the majestic Thorin Oakenshield.
At first he spotted the brothers Óin and Gloin. Both were beginning to set up a mini infirmary for those that they found wounded. With a nod in their direction, he continued on. Dori and Nori were the next to be found, supporting a disheveled Ori between them as they helped him hop off the battlefield, seeing as how it was rather difficult for Ori to walk himself with an Orc arrow in his knee. Bifur was leading Bombur who had Bofur slung over his shoulder towards the healers. When Bofur saw Bilbo he smiled a grand smile beneath his crooked hat. At the top of a hill Bilbo found the wise Balin who was staring off in the distance. Bilbo came to stand next to him, noticing the concern in the old dwarf's eyes.
"Is everything alright?" Bilbo asked.
Balin nodded as his look of concern turned to relief. Bilbo cast his gaze to where Balin was watching and relief flooded him as well. Here came Dwalin, covered in the mess of war while supporting a wounded yet very much alive Thorin Oakenshield.
Bilbo sighed in relief. The Lonely Mountain still had its king.
When the two warriors reached the hill, Thorin's deep silver eyes fell immediately on the Hobbit. "Bilbo," his gruff voice greeted.
It was hard to tell whether he was glad or angry to see Bilbo. Not sure how to react Bilbo held his head high and kept a relieved yet worried look plastered on his face.
"What are you doing here?" Thorin questioned.
So, angry it was. "I thought I told you I never wanted to see you again in this kingdom. You took the Arkenstone and you bartered it like a common coin. You had no right." But then Thorin's face began to relax. "And I've never been more glad that you did."
Bilbo felt relieved and gave a smirk. Balin and Dwalin stood in the background, watching the scene with smiles on their faces. "If you hadn't betrayed me like that, no doubt we would all be dead. You really are full of surprises, Master Hobbit. I am sorry for my behavior. I owe you my life."
Bilbo smiled and took Thorin's outstretched hand. Once their hands broke apart, Thorin said, "We must find the others."
"I saw most of them on my way to find you," Bilbo replied.
"Who did you see?" Balin inquired.
Using his fingers, Bilbo began to recount who he saw. "Óin, Gloin, Dori, Ori, Bifur, Nori, Bombur, Bofur and you three."
Thorin's look began to go back to his stern natural look. Bilbo then realized who he had not said. Where were Fíli and Kíli?
Thorin spun around and began to head back into the thickest part of the battlefield. Not three steps in did he fall to his knees, grunting in pain. Dwalin and Balin rushed to his side, lifting him to his feet. "You are in no condition to go searching, Thorin," Balin stated.
"I must find them, Balin."
"And we will. Master Baggins and I will continue to search for them. Dwalin, will you take him to see Óin?"
With a nod as his confirmation, Dwalin slung Thorin's arm around his shoulders and began to heave him off. Thorin looked like he was about ready to break free from Dwalin's aid but Dwalin kept a tight grip on his arm as they traveled out of sight. So Balin and Bilbo ventured further into the chaos and rubble left by the battle. With every dead dwarf they passed that wasn't one of the young heirs, Bilbo felt a sense of relief and distress. Relief because it meant there was still a chance they were alive; distress because he knew that if anything bad were to have happened to the lads, it would tear Thorin apart.
A familiar voice could be heard on the wind. One of youth and worry as he shouted the name of his brother. Bilbo was the first to hear the voice and rushed towards it. Rounding a boulder he found the youngest heir leaning against the giant rock, his left arm pressing against his right shoulder where an arrow was protruding. Cuts were forming on his face and a deep gash was evident on his right leg. At first, Kíli didn't see Bilbo as he continued to call out. "Fíli! Fíli, where are you?"
Bilbo rushed to Kíli, calling for Balin to join him. As Balin came rushing around, Kíli spotted Bilbo and smiled. "Mr. Boggins!"
"Are you alright?" Bilbo asked, feeling stupid for asking such a stupid question. Of course he wasn't alright! He was battered and wounded!
Kíli grimaced and nodded. "Have you seen Fíli?" Kíli asked.
"Not yet. We need to get you to the healers."
As Bilbo reached out to help Kíli, he pushed the hobbit away. "No, I have to find Fíli."
"We'll find him, laddie, but first we must get you better."
"Not until I've found Fíli."
There was no talking the youngster out of this. The brothers were nigh inseparable. It was a shock to have found one without the other, to be truthfully honest. Bilbo could not recall one time that the two brothers were seen without the other, unless you include them being separated during the thunder battle in the Misty Mountains.
Balin reached out to Kíli, trying to urge him to get off the rock so he could help him away. One step and Kíli faltered, unable to put too much weight on his leg. "You are in no condition to go scouting. We need to get this arrow out of you and get your leg bandaged before it becomes infected. Come on, laddie."
"But Fíli…"
"I'll see to it that he is taken care of," Bilbo cut him off.
Reluctantly Kíli allowed Balin to escort him off of the battlefield. Once more Bilbo found himself alone in the heart of the battlefield, searching.
It took fruitless hours of search. The battle had been on a scale of epic proportions, covering the entire area outside the gates of Erebor. He thought he saw a shadow move out of the corner of his eye yet none was there.
Where in Middle Earth could the Lion of Durin have gone? The sun was beginning to set. The sky was turning a shade of orange and pink as the sun kissed the horizon line of the world. Still no sign of Fíli.
Bilbo did not want to return to the healer's tent. He did not want to face Thorin and Kíli, telling them that he hadn't found Fíli and was giving up for the night. No, he needed to find him.
It was in that moment a hand grabbed his foot. It had caught him off guard, scaring the wits out of him as he looked down. The arm of someone stuck beneath the body of a Warg had been the culprit, red running down through the bracer.
Not just any bracer. It was Fíli's bracer.
Bilbo did all he could to move the Warg off of him, telling Fíli, "It's alright, I'm here. You're safe now."
A few nudges later the body rolled off. Bilbo wasn't sure how he managed, considering the monster was bigger than his lovely green door back at Hobbiton. It must have been the adrenaline or the sheer will to bring the prince back alive that gave the small Hobbit the strength he needed. Once the body rolled off the dwarf Bilbo was relieved to see Fíli alive, breathing and somewhat conscious. A large gash was on his head with blood leaking down his face, crusting in his blonde beard and braids. There were gashes in his leather from being struck with a large weapon, the blood having long dried up already. One of his swords was cast away from him, the other held firmly in his hand.
Fíli's blue eyes found Bilbo's. "Bilbo?" the blonde dwarf asked in disbelief.
"Yes, it is and might I say how relieved I am to see you."
"Kíli…" he asked after a violent cough racked his body.
"He's alright. He's safe. And you will be too."
Fíli gave a nod before he drifted off into unconsciousness. Bilbo sighed. He had found him. Alive. That was the good part. One small problem: how in the world was he going to carry him back?
TBC…
So it has been a while since I've written any sort of fanfiction whatsoever so this probably is rubbish and crappy. Not really a cliffhanger seeing as how the action doesn't start until about the fourth chapter. The first three chapters are mainly set up chapters to bridge the gap so sorry if they seem a bit slow but they are rather important. The importance of this one: the line of Durin lives! Please read and, if it catches your fancy, review.