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Chapter Two

(Adad; Father, or dad.)

Kaiel rode through the Misty Mountains with no delay, however, he did not take any risks by stopping. Aquiador had gotten him and Kili through the mountains in one piece, and they were soon to be home.

''Why is you taking me to a forest?'' Kili asked, his brown eyes full of excitement and questioning. The young dwarf lad was not so much unlike Kaiel's daughter, Alatariel. Kili was full of questions and the free spirit of youth. Never taking no for an answer was not something Kaiel completely approved of, but when they were in Mirkwood, this trait might come in handy for the young dwarf.

Kaiel glanced back up at the sky, before looking down at Kili, who was in the saddle backwards so that he could see Kaiel. ''Because you need healing, and I have to get the flowers to my wife and daughter.'' Kaiel explained, his smile fading when Kili burst into coughs. The fever had left while Kaiel was in Rivendell, but it had come back during their journey through the misty mountains. The coughs had often woken Kaiel up, and he would have to force tea down the lad's throat.

''Why I sick?'' Kili asked, suddenly plagued with a bout of tiny coughs. His breaths were raspy, and Kaiel handed the dwarfling his water flask. Kili drank greedily, but Kaiel did not have the heart to mind, the lad was very sick, possibly with the same sickness that plagued his family.

.''I'm not sure; I think you got sick when you fell in that river a while ago. Do you remember that?'' Kaiel tried to keep his and the child's thoughts off the sickness, or the coughing.

''I remember uncle Thorin, and Mama. We was playing,'' Kili cut himself off with another hoarse cough,'' And I fell in water. It was cold Adad.'' Kili burrowed his head into Kaiel's shirt, reaching up to clutch one of his red braids with his small hand.

Kaiel took an intake of breath. Adad? He was not Kili's adad, and yet the boy called him such as though he was his father. Strangely, that did not bother Kaiel. Being a Silvan elf he was not used to people accepting him. The Sindarin's, like the elven king Thranduil and his son Legolas, were respected, and never questioned in their royalty. Very few Silvan elves lived among the Sindarin's, and Kaiel was a very special exception.

He trained hawks and falcons in order to rise up high enough to even dream of being the captain of the guard. Then, for Thranduil's son's birth, he trained a falcon so well, that even at the slightest sign of a white dear would send it hurtling back to its master. The gift had pleased the king very well, and in turn he was given the station of captain.

Now, he was a silvan captain, and the adoptive father of a dwarf child, a very strange and unusual mixture. ''Do you have an adad Kili?'' He asked silently.

''No.'' the toddler mumbled, his quiet snores following soon after. Kaiel smiled down at the dwarf fondly, he was very ugly in dwarf standards, but beautiful in elf standards. Well, more beautiful than other dwarves.

The idea appealed to Kaiel. The idea of being the first elf to raise a dwarvish child was exciting. Kili would be mocked, and treated as an outcast, but that would only ensure that he would work hardest of all to attain the kings favor.

Aquiador whinnied, and broke into a gallop, heading for the distant shape of Mirkwood. Kaiel Smiled, and gently shook Kili's shoulder. Upon awakening the boy broke into coughs, and with horror Kaiel saw red at the edge of his mouth.

''Open your mouth Kili.'' Kaiel tried to stay calm, but the tears in Kili's eyes pained him greatly. The young dwarf opened his mouth, and when he accidentally coughed with his mouth open, a small amount of blood came up.

''My throat hurts!'' He whined, all out crying now. He rubbed at his throat; his small sobs breaking the wood elf's heart.

''Aquiador, show us the meaning of haste!'' He whispered urgently to his stallion, the horse bursting into a full out run. Kaiel comforted Kili, hoping with all his heart that the Sindarin healers could help him.

''Kaiel! I have urgent news for you!'' The young female guard, Andune called when he entered the west gate. He would have stopped, to see what the news was, but Kili was getting critical. He hoped that the energetic elf hadn't pushed herself to far. In his haste to find the Kingsfoil, Kaiel had left without giving her orders to interchange shifts with the other guards.

''Nessa! I have a sick charge for you! He is dieing!'' Kaiel called his mother in law, dismounting Aquiador and handing the reigns to a younger elf. The blonde haired Sindarin women rushed over to him, gasping when she saw Kili.

''Why have you not treated to this gash?'' She gently took Kili, not seeming to care or notice that he was a dwarf. ''Never mind that, go and fetch the healers!'' She waved him away, rushing up the carved wooden steps that led to the infirmary.

Kaiel watched her for a second more before heading to his wife's room. He would first give them the Kingsfoil, and then he would send them down to care for Kili.

As he approached his quarters he was surprised and a slight bit concerned to see the group of elves outside his wife's room. There were elves he knew and ones his wife knew, and there was not a soul gathered there that did not have the signs of mourning on them. He father was dressed in black, tears falling from his wrinkled but otherwise young face.

''What has happened?'' Kaiel asked, a sinking feeling of dread filling him.

''Your wife has born a child, whose name is Nellas, but the strain has taken the fight out of her, she is fading..'' Morwen, the healer, said quietly, tears showing in her blue eyes.

''No!'' Kaiel rushed through the door into his wife's room. She was on their bed, her arms curled around a beautiful baby girl. His wife's glow was flickering, but her smile stayed. ''My love!'' He ran to her bedside, stroking the side of her face.

''I am tired love, I go now to see a brighter forest.'' She whispered. She was soaked in sweat, her blonde hair clinging to her face. She was still fighting, for him, and for their children. ''I go now, to see my mother and my sweet baby. Take care of Nellas for me, she is all we have left.''

''Kaiel let out a choked sob, his eyes filling with tears. He had lost his daughter? Why had nobody told him? His world was spinning out of control; he had been to late to save them. His daughter, Allatariel was gone, and now his Sindarin wife would leave him as well. All the warnings he had been given, the black crows that had plagued their wedding, the multiple miscarriages, he was wrong for her. He hadn't been able to save her. ''I will love her as any good father should.'' He sobbed, taking the red-haired babe from her.

" This is not goodbye," she smiled at him for a second more, before the light flickered out of her eyes. Kaiel felt her spirit in the room, the feeling of peace and love that came with it making him weep more. Nellas began to cry as well, her round face turning a bright shade of red. ''Shush, I am here for you.'' He whispered, holding her close to his chest.

''Kaiel, your mother in law is calling for you, the elf child you found is dying. What should I tell her?'' Morwen's eyes filled with grief when she saw his wife, and she walked over to stand next to him. ''She walks in better places now.''

Kaiel felt his heart slowly breaking, the pain ripping him apart. An image of Kili laughing and playing with Nellas filled his mind, a feeling of purpose strengthening his weary body. He opened his eyes, looking down at his daughter before answering quietly, ''give him the Kingsfoil.''