Amora's POV

"Is everything ready?"

"If you're talking about food for all your friends and family, then no. I don't think I could ever make enough food to satisfy you dwarves," I replied, pulling some beef out of the oven and onto the counter to garnish.

A hand snaked around my waist drawing me closer to a solid body. "Thank you for doing this," Kili breathed in my ear, standing on his tip toes.

I smiled. "Of course. They're my friends as well and I'm glad they all love my cooking. Is Bilbo coming as well?"

"Uncle wouldn't have him miss it."

A quick rap at the door had Kili giving me a quick peck on my cheek and hurrying to answer the door. "Fili!"

It wasn't long until loud voices started filling up the house. It was a nice time together, and it felt like home. The laughter from everyone warmed the atmosphere, and the occasional glances and smiles from Kili made me tingle all over.

"How are things in the mountain, Uncle?" Fili asked Thorin as he grabbed another biscuit.

Kili nodded. "Yes do tell!"

Thorin smirked. "A lot quieter now that you two misfits decided to live outside in your own homes."

"You miss us!" Kili declared.

"Vaguely," Thorin mumbled, taking a drink out of his cup.

Fili slapped Thorin on the back. "Oh, come now, Uncle, it's not like we aren't there the majority of the time!"

"Or stay there on and off," Kili added. "We're only ten minutes away from the mountain, still in the borders of Erebor."

"Yes, well," Thorin coughed. "Just don't go any further."

Kili snickered. "He's worse than mother. This is just our vacation home. Well be back in Erebor by the end of the month," he reassured Thorin.

"Could be closer to three months time," Fili shrugged and to that Thorin's eyes widened. Kili and Fili both chuckled.

"You two…" Thorin grumbled, shaking his head.


As the food diminished I grew tired and excused myself from the table, clearing some plates here and there. I gave a quick kiss on Kili's cheek and said my good nights to Fili, Thorin, Bilbo, and the rest of the dwarves. I walked down the hallway to the bedroom and climbed into bed.

I pulled the comforter up over me and smiled. The blanket smelled like him and I felt like Kili was there with me. I let that thought run through my head and I found my eyes feeling heavy before I closed them.

I must had fallen asleep because the next thing I know, I'm being softy pulled out of unconscious by what felt like someone tracing the back of their finger along my jawbone and down my neck.

I opened my eyes to see Kili crouched down on the floor next to my face. His hair was hanging down in a mattered mess. He smelled like rain and woodsmoke, and his smile always had me smiling and lifted whatever bad mood I could be in.

"Hey," he whispered, moving a stray piece of my hair to the side. "Did you miss me?"

"No," I said. "I enjoyed the peace and quiet. I didn't even know you were gone until now. My peace is now shattered."

He smacked his hands over his chest like I'd stabbed him, and fell to the floor, making a quiet thud and hilarious dying noises. I laughed as I rolled off the bed on top on him, pulling the blanket with me, but he refused to open his eyes until I kissed him.

He laughed, and I felt the rumble of it through my skin. I loved the spark in his brown eyes, and the playful way his smile stretched across his face.

I rested my head down, ear against his chest, listening to the soft rush of his breathing. He wrapped his arms around me and I closed my eyes. In his arms, I felt safe and the smile stayed on my face even after I fell back asleep.


Kili's POV

It was no surprise that I was awake before she was. The sun hadn't peeked across the sky yet but it was the perfect time to go out hunting for food since we ate it all last night. I watched her peacefully sleeping, curled in a slight ball, her auburn brown hair in a tangled mess surrounding her face. I slid my arms under Amora's shoulders and thighs, and lifted her. She wasn't heavy, just unfortunately taller than me for being a human and I hugged her close to my chest. Then…I dropped her. On the bed of course.

"Kili!" Amora screamed, scrambling up.

I grinned. "Okay! Rise and shine! Let's go!"

She growled under her breath before stumbling up, aiming punches at my shoulder. "Your aim is off, darling. I think you're a little tired," I teased as I evaded every weak punch. I ended up backing up into the doorway and caught her smaller fists in my hands. She groaned and placed her head on my shoulder, going limp. "No, no, no." I pulled her back. "Don't fall back asleep. Get dressed and meet me out front."

"Why exactly?" She mumbled.

"I spotted this huge stag that keeps hanging around."

"So?" She turned her back to me but started rummaging through drawers.

"We're going to hunt it! Now hurry up, amrâlimê."

"You know," she clutched a shirt. "I don't know much of the dwarven language, Kili."

I winked at her. "You know that one!" I called as I left the room.

A few minutes later, we were trekking through the forest, bow and arrows drawn as we followed the stag's tracks in the mud.

"At least the storm ended," I said, jumping up on a boulder to get a better look ahead. "I thought it would never let up last night." Amora didn't reply and I glanced down to see her looking behind her. "What is it?" I asked her, following her gaze.

She shook her head. "Nothing. I thought I heard something. Must've ran off."

"Let's go this way," I jumped down from the boulder.

It was then that I realized she wasn't following behind me.


Amora's POV

I had heard something and damn Kili for not listening to me. I wouldn't let something pass by without following suit. My curiosity always got the best of me. It could be a rabbit. It could be the stag. But it was so close to me that I needed to know what it was.


Kili's POV

I was being followed. It wasn't a scent or a sound that alerted me, but the feeling of eyes transfixed on me longer than normal. I wasn't in physical danger. I can hold my own against any enemy. Multiple attackers would be the problem.

"Damn, where did Amora go?" I mumbled, keeping my eyes fixed on any sudden movements as I retraced her steps. I needed to find her. And fast. There were many things lurking in the forest.


Amora's POV

Nothing looked familiar. The sun was just peeking across the sky but it did little help to light the dense forest. Whatever I had been following long since departed.

I took a step and a crack was heard under my boot, the sharp noise seemed louder than normal in the deathly quiet forest. Slowly, I glanced down. There were skulls and bones littering the forest floor.

I was going to kill Kili.

I stalked forward, my hands in fists. If he didn't insist on dragging me out here I wouldn't have gotten separated from him and in this position.

My eyes focused on a dark shape ahead, half hidden behind a large tree. The sun was barely out and I could barely see any physical appearance.

"There you are," I muttered under my breath. "When I get my hands on you, you're dead!" I threatened Kili. As I walked closer, I squinted my eyes. I could've sworn Kili was…shorter…

"Ki—" Hands grabbed me from behind and pressed against my nose and mouth, stifling my startled screams, and my bow and arrow were ripped out of my grasp and broken. It was then the stench hit me.

Oh. Not Kili then. Now who was the reckless one, I couldn't help but think.

"That was easier than I thought," an Orc sneered. I hardened my eyes.

I bit into the hand and the Orc let out a grunt and as expected, wretched his bleeding hand back. I kicked my leg back, hitting him in an unfortunate spot. He fell to the forest floor and as I was going to swing a punch at his head, a larger hand clasped around my incoming fist.

I was twisted around to face the larger Orc. With one hand securing my fist and pulling uncomfortably hard, his other wrapped around my throat and squeezed. He loomed over me. "Mistake," he breathed into my face and I had to resist the urge to gag at his foul breath. Black spots danced across my vision as I struggled. I thought I would be able to break the hold.

Until a blunt object struck me across the head, and then everything went black.


"Amora..."

"Amora...!"

The sound of my name being repeated over and over was the first thing I heard as I struggled to open my eyes. As my hearing and vision came back, so did the pain of all my injuries. My forehead felt wet and sticky, my shoulders were sore from my arms being wrenched backwards and my hands were tied together behind my back. The rope cut too deeply into my wrists and ankles.

"All this for a stag, huh?"

I groaned and glanced beside me where Kili was laying in the same condition as me.

"Yeah. That stag?" I grumbled, nodding with my head to the right where the white stag was tied to a tree.

Kili's mouth dropped. "No way." He struggled against his restraints. "Those filthy orcs lured us out! It was all a trick!"

One of the orcs noticed Kili thrashing around and stomped over. "Quit your struggling, dwarf-scum!" He kicked Kili's side hard enough that I heard a crack and Kili hissed in pain, moving in a fetal position.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" I shouted.

"Quiet!" The Orc roared and backhanded me across my face hard enough to send me face first into the dirt. The taste of blood filled my mouth and I spat some out. In the next second before I could pull myself up, I felt the boot of the Orc press against the side of my head, holding me in place. "Why don't I just break your little skull, human?" He threatened, pressing down harder and I couldn't help but cry out.

"Hey!" Kili screamed. "Stop it! Don't you dare touch her! It's me you want! Not her! I'm the one who killed your ugly kind!"

The Orc grinned. "You care about her? Good. Take her away," he demanded of another Orc.

"Wait!" Kili yelled as I was hastily picked up and dragged.

"Knock her out so she doesn't know her surroundings," the leader of the pack told the Orc dragging me.

My eyes widened as I fought the Orc pulling my bindings. "Kili!" I screamed. I saw him fighting with all his energy to get out of his bindings.

"No! Wait!"

For the second time that day, I was struck on the side of my head and fell into unconsciousness.


Kili's POV

I felt defeated. How could I have been so careless to let those Orc filth know my truest weakness. The orcs decided to tie me up to a tree as they talked amongst themselves. I didn't listen. My mind was clouded with despair. What would they do to her? Was Amora already…dead? No. I wouldn't believe that. Amora was alive. Amora was a fighter. I would find her before any more harm came to her.

Distant shouting and clanging of swords brought my attention back to the orcs. I squinted my eyes to see black figures fighting against the orcs and winning. Some orcs fled and I caught some muttering the name Oakenshield as they ran. Thorin was here?

"Well, well, well, laddie. Looks like we got here just in time."

I glanced up. "Mister Dwalin?"

"Aye," he said as he cut the ropes binding me to the tree.

"We've had talk of an Orc gang around our borders, glad to see you did as I thought and ran into them," Fili joked as he helped me to my feet.

"Give him his sword, quickly. More will be coming," Thorin demanded, sweeping around in case any orcs made a surprise counterattack.

"You found it?" I asked as Fili handed me it.

Fili smiled. "It was just lying back there. Wasn't hard to realize the orcs got the best of you and took you hostage. We just followed the tracks and they led us here."

"Where's your lass?" Dwalin asked.

I clenched my sword. "She was here but they took her that way," I pointed north. "They shouldn't be that far ahead. We can cut them off and get her back."

Thorin nodded. "Let's move."


As expected, it wasn't long or hard until we found where the pack of Orcs went to. Thorin, Dwalin, and Fili grouped together, trying to come up with some form of plan. I didn't say anything. My hands were clenched so tightly that my knuckles were white and I was heavily glaring ahead where the Orc supposedly was with her. Something seemed to snap inside of me because in the next second—oblivious to the others warnings—I surged forward and began running towards the field. "I'm going to kill that bastard with my own hands!"

"Kili, what the hell!" Fili called, running after me to catch up and subsequently tackled me and pinned me down. "Stop! We can't just go charging in there like idiots. This is her safety at stake here! Believe me, I know how much you can't stand to lose her, but I can't stand to lose you either," Fili remarked and released me after he felt my muscles slacken in defeat. Fili stood up and I gave a huff but stood up along with him.

"I am thinking about both our safety," I growled. "Which is why instead of standing around trying to come up with some plan that will probably fail anyway, I'm going in. You can't stop me!" I broke free of his grasp and barreled down to the orcs. In the back of my head, I knew Fili was torn to come with me or think strategically. But I didn't have the time to sit and think. I needed to know she was okay this instant.

In my hastiness, I ran straight into the heart of the Orcs.

"What have you done to her?!" I yelled, trying to think fast of what my plan was. I couldn't take all these Orcs on at once. There were more than I thought.

The Leader Orc gave a sinister smile. "Why, she's right here." He gestured with his left hand halfheartedly. I stared in disbelief until the same Orc that had hurt her before brought her forward. I clenched my teeth as I watched him drag her up to the leader and grabbed her arms and thrust her to stand straight.

Her clothes were tattered and blood stained while her skin seemed to have taken on a ghostly shade of white. It seemed she was drained of energy and had no flush to her cheeks. I clenched my jaw as I saw how she was breathing in shallow breathes.

Dirt smeared her nicked up legs and arms and her hair was dull and in disarray. She looked tired and sickly and it sparked fury inside of me that this Orc made her suffer.

Amora blinked hard as if she was just coming out of her stupor and glanced around as if she had no idea how she got there. Her anxious gaze landed on me and the sound that left her mouth made my heart break. Overcome with joy, she tried to run forward but the leader Orc jerked her back. She sagged against him in defeat, unable to hold herself from the exhaustion.

The Orc's eyes gleamed, sensing my anger and his grip on the Amora's arm tightened. "Now I'm doing you two a favor," he looked back and forth between me and her. "You can see each other. That right there should be enough. So if you even think about trying anything," he glared at me, knowing she was in no condition to fight back. "She goes right back."

I gritted my teeth. I needed to come up with a plan. Fast. I'd been stupid coming into this head on. If I had listened to Fili and the others and waited for them, I might have a plan.

But now you know she's alive, I thought to myself.

"Let's make this interesting. A game you may say."

"Whatever your game may be, count me out," I growled.

The Orc frowned. "Pity. I guess I'll have to entertain myself."

Before I could question this Orc's antics, he reached near his waist and produced a sword. He smiled in affection as he admired the blade in front of him. "Now." He points the tip of the blade to her cheek.

"Wait—" I gasp out as the blade presses deeper into Amora's flesh. A trickle of blood runs down to her jawline. I stare at her face, waiting for her to react. The skin around her eyes tighten and she gives a small hiss, trying to move her head more to the side to get away from the cold bite of the blade.

He pulls back and stares at me. "A small wound. It doesn't hurt. Much. More of an annoyance than anything," he reasons.

"You still hurt her." My hand flashes to my waist and grips the hilt of my sword.

"Ah, ah, ah!" The Orc scolds and points the blade back at her, this time at her stomach. "Watch your move, son of Durin." I froze. "My rules," The Orc reminded me.

"What are you trying to accomplish?" I asked, trying to divert his attention to a different topic and away from the sword pointing at her.

I was so focused on the Orc in front of me that I didn't notice the one approaching me from behind. I heard his footfalls too late as my arms were grabbed and wrenched behind me and his arm wrapped around my throat.

"Do not try and defer me, boy!" He brought his sword back and then shoved it forward, puncturing the skin and slicing into her leg, not her stomach and not with enough force to make it protrude all the way through. She gives a scream of pain as tears fall from her eyes.

"You're going to regret that!" I shout, watching the blood flow freely from her leg.

The Orc nods, unfazed at the situation at hand. "Well, yes. But not if you're dead." He slides the blade out slowly, making the pain last longer. Her mouth opens wide in pain but no sound comes out.

My eyes become unfocused. That's it. The Orc lets go and Amora falls to her knees. She gasps and looks up to me before falling on her side, unmoving.

"Shame," he says, stepping over her and descending to me. "When I was just beginning to have fun, she passes out. Just proves how weak she is." As he steps closer, my view of her becomes obstructed and I'm forced to look at the leader. "Now then," he pulls out another sword from his waist, this one looking identical to the other but with a certain gleam on the tip. He points it at my throat and smiles. "This one is poisoned. Less fun, but quick if I want the job done. And right now, I'm done with you."

My eyes narrow and the Orc grins. He opens his mouth, whether to make a battle cry or say something else, I would never know because right at that moment, the Orc faltered, arching his back and yelling in pain. He spins, grabbing the person that stabbed him by the throat.

"You stupid girl!" he spits, holding Amora up by the neck causing her feet to kick out from being suspended in the air. "That was foolish!" He throws her to the ground and rips the blade out of her bloodied hands.

"Doesn't matter," Amora pants, "I've been waiting to do that for a long time, asshole."

"You'll pay for that," he threatens.

A man's shout of anger pierces by the group and the leader Orc jumps out of the way as an arrow almost comes crashing into his chest.

Fili, Thorin, Dwalin, and a band of other dwarves come into view as I break the hold of the Orc behind me and swing my sword to cut his head off. My eyes stayed on Amora as I heard swords clashing.

"It's going to be alright," I told her earnestly. She nodded, still bleeding profusely. She made an action to get up and winced, dropping back onto the grass. "Don't!" I pleaded her. "Just don't move, okay?" I swept my eyes around the field. It seemed we had won once more with all lives sparred.

I picked up my sword one-handed, held on to her waist with the other, and walked her down the path. I turned to her. "Are you okay? Really?" I couldn't stop touching her, smoothing my hands over her skin, her hair, her face. She had red marks on her wrists and a nasty bump on her head. They'd tied her up, and she'd struggled. None of that surprised me.

"I'll be okay, you worry too much." She placed her hand on my chest and glanced up at me. "You were a bit reckless in that fight, trying to take all those filthy orcs on at once. You aren't fairing any better than me."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm never reckless."

We leaned against each other, and I almost laughed at how ridiculous the situation was, both of us trying to help the other when neither of us was in any condition to do it.

"Let's go you lovebirds!" Fili called ahead of us. "There will be more Orcs, we should get back inside the mountain, treat your injuries and regroup."

"Sounds good to me," I agreed. "I think we had enough adventure for one day."


The song that inspired this is Yellow Light by Of Monsters and Men. I hope you enjoyed it :) Would anyone want a sequel? Leave a comment!