The arrows flew before he could even think to block them, the one that struck his heart sent him falling backwards onto the hard stone floor between his fallen uncle Thorin and his dying brother Fili.
He didn't cry out he lay still for a moment before turning his head and reaching to hold his brothers hand.
Fili took his hand and gave him a brave smile before following their uncle into the afterlife, a single tear rolled down Kili's cheek as he pulled a smooth rounded stone from his pocket, his thumb stroking across the runes that read "come home".
Tears flowed freely now as he realised his promise was broken "I'm sorry mother... I tried..." He took one last gulping breath before blackness swept over him and his arm dropped to his side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Ered Luin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dis dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief, she had been sobbing since her brother left with her sons but she tried to stay hopeful, her baby boy Kili had given his word after all.
A knock at the door startled her and she leapt to her feet her heart swelling with hope. She pulled open the door but froze when she saw Balin on her doorstep.
"Balin? Where are my boys? Where is my brother?" She saw tears in his eyes and she knew the answer before he held out a little bundle for her.
"Im sorry lass... we did all we could" Dis took the bundle and kissed his cheek before closing the door.
She carried the bundle to the table and unwrapped it, there lay the promise she had made for Kili and one of his braids, then there was Fili's ring that his uncle had made him when he came of age and one of his long blonde braids. Lastly was her brothers belt buckle and one of his braids.
Dis sat down, shaking with grief. She had lost everything, her whole family now gone. She couldn't hold back the tears anymore, she sobbed and sobbed as her heart broke again and again. She swore to herself that she would never visit Erebor, she couldn't bring herself to tread the path of her doomed kin.
She locked her door and remained there in grief until her own death, where at last she could embrace her boys once more.