Before.
Before there was blood, endless blood. Screams could be heard and so many died. Dis kept fighting a sea of endless enemies, waiting and waiting for an end that she feared would never come. She couldn't find her stupid brothers, couldn't find her sons.
While she fought, regrets ran through her head. Regrets for allowing such terrible things to happen. Everyone had fallen under the gold sickness and betrayed the burglar. Everyone had mocked the men of Laketown and the treeshaggers of Mirkwood.
But it came. Somehow, the ending came. Finally, the true enemies, the beasts, were killed off. Orcs lay slaughtered and finally the damned Azog was dead. Goblin blood trailed the floor.
Everything was wrong but this was the only right.
At first she didn't notice the elf woman walking beside her. She was almost as silent on her feet as the halfling.
Almost.
She just stared at her for a moment and continued walking. The woman followed after her.
"Who are you looking for?" Dis asked. She wanted to find her brother, her stupid brother who was probably dead. The idiot couldn't die! This was his stupid quest and by Mahal he might as well get the damn throne.
And where were her sons? If they got themselves killed... Well, it would probably be the only serious thing that they'd ever done, and that wasn't a good thing.
"My king and prince," she said. "And a dwarf, the bowman."
Kili, Dis thought. She had a bow attached to her back. Faintly, she remembered seeing her in Mirkwood.
"I know not of where your kin are, but I am looking for the dwarf and a few others."
They walked in silence. She did not object to only looking for the dwarf and never left Dis's side. No arrows flew and no swords were raised, but still they remained in defense. Death still hung strong.
After.
After, life was never the same for either of them ever again, and never reached what they wanted to.