Hey every one this the first of three companion pieces to my story 'What's a Soulmate.'
Fili lay on the battle field helplessly watching as his brother fought to protect him and their fallen uncle. He tried to get up when he saw an orc attacking his brother from behind, but his body wouldn't cooperate. Fili watched in horror as the orc's blade went through Kili's like a knife through butter. The orc then grabbed Kili and threw him down beside his brother.
"Fili, I'm sorry," Kili said trying to control his breathing.
"There's nothing to apologize for little brother," Fili replied trying to give Kili a reassuring smile. "I'm the one that failed. I failed to protect the two people I love in the whole world." With that Fili closed his eyes and thought about simpler times.
Fili had never been open about how he felt especially after his father's death. If you asked him how he was, he would say he was just fine and give you the cold shoulder. He often locked himself in his room and not come out unless he was hungry or needed to get something. Everyone was worried about the young prince, none more so that his mother, Dis.
Everything changed, however, when Kili was born. Immediately after Fili was allowed to hold his baby brother it was like something just snapped inside of Fili. Dis would often find Fili talking to Kili. He would tell him anything from how green the grass was to how he was truly feeling. Fili even opened up to some of the other dwarves. Mostly his mother, uncle, Dwalin and Balin, since they lived very close and were relatives. It was a wonder to everyone, who saw the change in Fili, that Kili, who was such a small babe, could change his brother in such a way.
"I'm telling you Thorin, the love and devotion that Fili has for his new brother has made him open up tremendously. I'm not saying it just to be saying it. I think that they might be soul bounded," Dwalin said as he sipped on his ale. They had gone out for a drink at the local tavern that evening and had started talking about Fili's recent behavior.
"It's just absurd, Dwalin. Sure Fili has opened up to us but that doesn't mean that it had anything to do with Kili," Thorin said.
"Oh yeah? What about a couple of weeks ago when that rain storm came in, Thorin. My brother and I where baby-sitting Fili while Kili had a slight fever. Fili was tense the whole time and next thing we knew he said that he needed to get home and left just like that. Of course I followed him to make sure he got home safely. It was a good thing he went home, because Dis had gotten caught in the storm and Kili was home all by himself. Now tell me that that doesn't have anything to do with being soul bounded. It's like Fili leaves half his heart at home so that no matter how far away he is he knows if his brother is ok."
"Maybe you're right, Dwalin. I've noticed when Fili is out playing with the other boys he will stop whatever he is doing and rush home. Most of the time it's because Kili has woken up from a nap or is hungry," Thorin agreed.
"Of course I'm right. Nothing else seems to matter to Fili except Kili."
As the years passed by Fili and Kili grew closer than the year before. Being an older brother was proving to be challenging for Fili especially when Kili dragged him into his pranking schemes. Every day Fili saw something new in Kili. Whether it was his adoration for the forest or is new love of archery. Whatever it was Kili would share it with his brother. And whenever Fili had a decision to make or was forging a weapon he would always ask of his brother's perspective on the matter. Fili always liked how his brother had a different view of the world than he did and tried to keep an open mind.
Of course when you're an older brother you tend to develop a protective streak for your younger sibling(s). Fili had defended Kili from the rumors of how his father wasn't a dwarf but a man or even worse an elf, since Kili loved to be in the woods practicing his archery. Many of the other dwarves thought that Kili should just go and live with the elves if he was going to act like one.
It just happened to be one of those days when Kili walked into the Durin household one spring afternoon looking like he had been crying for hours. Kili ignored the concerned looks his family gave and went straight to his room. Fili got up from his seat at the table where he had been eating a snack and followed his brother.
"So what happened this time?" Fili asked as he closed the door behind him.
"Nothing but the usual. Why do others say that I'm a disgrace to the line of Durin? Why do some of the other kids gang up on me and force me to fight? What about all the so called 'games' that they play? Like last week they threw me into the river knowing that I can't swim and then tried to drown me." Kili asked as fresh tears began to fall from his eyes.
"They're just stuck up elves who can't seem to see past what's in front of them. If they actually got to know you the way I do ,Kili, they would see that you have a true dwarven heart," Fili said earning a slight smile from his brother. "I don't care for what they say, for what they might do, or for what 'games' they play. All I know is that if they dare lay a finger on you they will have to answer to me. If someone doses you let me know right away."
"But what if it's someone who wants to see Durin's line come to an end, Fili? Everyone knows that I'm your weakness. And I don't want to be the reason you fall."
"I don't care if everyone knows that you could cause the downfall of the line of Durin. Because I know something that they don't."
"What? What is it that you know that others don't?"
"I know that life is, always has been and always will be ours and we will live it our way. Because we are forever trusting in who we are and because nothing else matters to be but your safety." As Fili finished speaking, Kili curled up in his brother's side and fell asleep as Fili sang of a far of mountain where a dragon lay upon a bed of gold. Both brothers didn't hear their uncle in the hallway listening to their conversation.
As Thorin walked away from the door he couldn't help but think of his discussion with Dwalin when Kili was but a few weeks old. "Soul bounded indeed," he muttered to himself.
Fili looked at his brother one last time. He could see the pain in his brothers eyes that use to be full of life. As his vision began to fade Fili whispered, " Nothing else mattered to me except you, Nadith." With that Fili took his last breath and closed his eyes one final time.