Peace For the Wandering Soul
The Battle of the Five armies was over. Many had died there that day, but the dwarves, the elves and the men of Dale had come together to fight off the invading hoard. There was victory, however, there was also sorrow, for Thorin Oakenshield had lost his life, as had his successor Fili, son of Dis. While this was indeed a great sadness, some hope still remained. Due to the quick action of some, and the use of elvish magic, one heir still remained. Kili, son of Dis still remained.
Even though Kili had survived, he had not been able to save those he most loved. He had to watch Fili die, and he wasn't by Thorin's side when he died either. He had failed miserably, and he had no joy left within his heart, despite the fact that Erabor had been reclaimed. None of it meant anything to him. He himself wanted to die.
So when things had settled, Thorin and Fili were buried under the mountain. Kili had been there to witness it, his heart broken at the thought of having lost them. The Arkenstone had been buried with Thorin so that it would corrupt hearts no longer. Kili could not think of anything to bury with Fili though. So he left with Fili his own bow as a gift so that his brother would remember him, even in the next world despite the fact that he had failed.
As the days went on, the other dwarves tried to encourage Kili to go forward, and not get lost in his grief. But Kili spent most of his time down in the crypts being close to those he had lost. The time came for the coronation of the King Under the Mountain, but this was nothing that Kili wanted. That night he spent in the crypts once more. However he was not just there to be with them, he was there to say goodbye. After he had said goodbye to them, Kili, son of Dis walked out into the night and simply disappeared, Leaving the mountain and everything that could have been his behind. Kili was nowhere to be found and that was just the way he wanted it.
10 Years Later...
Kili was trying to decide whether he should return to Ered Luin. He had walked through the Shire and was soon to reach the gate. He could have simply crossed over the hills and mountains to Ered Luin, but for some reason he thought that this time, he should take the road. The road was easier to manage and it meant that there would probably be less trouble if he stayed upon it. Then again, many goblins and strange creatures had entered the land since he had lived there when he was young. Even the road was not an assurance of safety.
Then again, he hadn't even decided if that's what he wanted yet. Was he sure he wanted to return to the place that had been home to the three of them? It may have been a while since that had been "home", but still, it was a home that might still be left to him. He was pretty sure that Dain had taken the reigns in Erabor which was fine with him. He had never wanted the kingship, and still didn't. Even if he returned to that place someday, he wouldn't ask for it. His right to ruler-ship was over. Now he was just a wanderer. Not so unlike what he was before as a somewhat nomadic dwarf, but even then he had had Thorin and Fili with him most of the time. Thinking about them was disconcerting, so he refocused his thoughts on "should he, shouldn't he?"
Even if he did not return to what he believed they were now calling Thorin's Hall, there was the fortress of Gondamon where he could probably find something to do without alerting people to who he really was and what his true purpose would be. He didn't even know what his true purpose was. However, that seemed like a viable idea, and so he went with it.
He was not far from the gate when he saw a woman standing near the gate looking quite confused. He felt he had seen her before somewhere, but he could not place her at the moment. She looked very lost and he would have felt bad if he didn't do something to aid her, so he went to her. She smiled at him as he approached.
"Madame, are you lost?" He asked.
"I may very well be, master dwarf," she replied. "I am trying to find my way to Evendim, but I seemed to have missed my mark." She smiled kindly at him.
"You have indeed," he said. "This is the Ered Luin gate. Evendim is back to the North and East."
"Oh dear," she said with a grimace. "This is no good at all. I am expected, you see."
"I see," he said. "Would you like me to show you the way?"
"That would be very helpful sir." She said.
"Alright, come with me, we can cut through the forest and over The Hill. I know one who lives there, but I do not wish to see him."
"A dwarf acquainted with hobbits? Most unusual, don't you think?" She said, smiling once more.
"That is a long story. Come, follow me."
He began to walk up the hill to the forest and she followed him. It was not long before they were well into the small forest.
"My name is Narisia, by the way. And you are?"
Kili didn't know what to say. Should he tell this strange woman his name? He thought about it for a second and then said, "I am Hari, son of Gari."
"It is good to meet you, Hari, son of Gari."
"And you as well, Madame Narisia."
"You may call me Narisia, if you like."
"I guess just Hari for me then."
"Indeed," she said with a knowing smile upon her face.
Kili led her past Brockborings and toward the passage to Evendim. He would go as far as Oatbarton and no further he decided. When they finally arrived at that destination he said, "This is Oatbarton, the most Northern village of the hobbits I believe."
"Very good," she said. "Shall we continue?"
"Well...
"You have somewhere else to be? From the way things looked, you really didn't want to go to Ered Luin. Come Hari. Escort me to High King's Cross at least."
"The bridge? I don't know about that..."
"Does a lady have to beg?" She asked.
"No... Alright I shall escort you."
"Very good. We should be there by nightfall."
So they walked on. Staying to the road, they found little trouble awaiting them. Only a few stray wolves and the occasional buck wandering by. Kili noticed the sword that she bore. It was, in all truth, very magnificent. The sheath was intricately decorated and the hilt of the sword was etched in beautiful writing that he assumed was some sort of Elvish.
"That sword," he said.
"It was my father's," Narisia said. "He gave it to me before he died."
"To have such a lovely sword, he must have been a great man indeed."
"He was. He died protecting this old, destroyed kingdom."
"I'm sorry," said Kili. "I know how that can be."
"So it goes," she said. "Life comes and goes as it pleases. It is a mere inevitability. All creatures must someday die."
"But..."
"Even those who may live forever may die at least once in their lives. Overcome by some sadness or evil. The only hope you can have for yourself is that you find peace in that death."
He looked at her for a moment, not sure how to respond to this, or if it even needed a response. He decided it was best to leave that revelation alone for the moment. They came to the bridge and she decided that they should stay for that night. They prepared a camp, and she had food enough for them both, bread, cheese, apples, everything they needed. And after eating, he decided to ask her a few more questions.
"Are you one of the rangers from this land?"
"I am indeed," she said.
"Then are you yourself Dunedain?"
"Yes."
"Who is expecting you?"
"My young Lord," she answered. "If he is still here. He is often forced to travel to other lands."
"I see." He said.
"And how about you, Hari son of Gari?"
"Huh? Not much to tell really."
"How about you start by telling me your real name?"
"Oh, that..."
"You should never choose the first thing that comes to your mind. And Hari son of Gari is a bit ridiculous. Not very creative at all!"
"I thought it was!"
"Did you?" She said with a smile. "Out with it!"
"Kili son of Dis."
"Ah," she said. "The dwarf who ran away from his kingdom."
"You know..."
"Yes, I know."
"I just couldn't stay. Too many memories."
"I find your self-loathing tantalizing. We should be friends, Kili son of Dis."
"That's the oddest request to be friends I have ever heard."
"Maybe so. But I am going to work on you, son of Dis. For now, we should stay together."
End of Chapter One
Please tell me what you think. I am not on much but I will try to update as often as possible. College must come first. This is a Hobbit/LOTR crossover. Should be fun! Cheers!