Much Ado About Dwarves

Part One - A Moral Dilemma

Chapter Two

Kili was only vaguely aware that they were back in Bard's dwelling. Where he'd been pierced by the arrow, the wound throbbed as if it had been plunged into fire. The rest of his leg felt numb; a freezing coldness that was spreading through his whole body. He was supported by Fili on one side of him, but he didn't know who stood on the other side.

Kili must have blacked out for a moment, because the next thing he knew, he was face up on a hard surface. He could hear the crackling of a fire and felt blankets covering him, though they didn't generate any heat.

Someone was holding his hand. Kili knew it was his brother, but he couldn't summon the strength to grip Fili's hand in return. He opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, wanting to ask Fili to leave, so that he wouldn't see his passing.

"I'm not going to leave you, Kili," Fili said, just as if he could read his brother's mind. "Bofur's gone to get some herbs that will help." He paused before adding, "They feed them to the pigs. Can you imagine?"

Kili worked his throat for a while, until he could finally croak out a reply. "Don't give it to me if a pig's been chewing on it."

Fili choked on a half-laugh, half-sob. "If it'll make you better, I'll force it down your throat myself."

"It wouldn't be the first time." Kili had to pause to wheeze for breath, before continuing, "Do you remember... the time I sneaked outside and got caught in a storm?" He paused for a quiet gasp of pain. "I wouldn't take my medicine until you threatened to hold my nose and force it into my mouth."

"I also remember why you were meant to stay inside," Fili said. "I see you still don't know when to hold your tongue."

Kili's chuckle turned into a gasp of pain and he felt Fili's hand grip tighter. "Tell Mother I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise."

"Don't talk like that," Fili said. "You're not going to die. If you pass into the halls of the dead without me, who's going to look after you?"

"I'm a grown dwarf. You don't need to keep holding my hand."

"It doesn't matter how old you get. You'll still be my little brother. I forbid you to leave me alone to explain to Mother and Uncle Thorin why I didn't bring you back."

Kili tried to focus on his brother and felt a stab of despair when he realised that, because of the blurriness of his vision, he couldn't see Fili's face. He closed his eyes - partly to pretend that his eyesight was fine; but partly because he didn't have the energy to try and keep them open any longer. "Even you can't keep death away." He could hear how quiet his voice was. Every word he spoke seemed to get further and further away.

"Kili, open your eyes! Please, brother, stay with me."

"I'm sorry..." Kili wanted to stay, but he couldn't muster up the energy to fight his way back. He clung to Fili's voice, the only thing preventing him from slipping further away. His whole body felt cold; apart from his leg, which burned like fire.

Kili could hear his brother speaking, quietly, but could no longer tell if Fili was talking to him or praying for him. Kili wished he could have seen Erebor - their true homeland that their company had been fighting so hard to get to. But he could content himself with the thought that his brother still lived. His actions had saved Fili - and his own death was a small price to pay to keep his beloved older brother alive.

Kili realised that he couldn't feel his brother's hand in his anymore. A momentary panic went through him, but that faded when he felt a light touch on his forehead - his face was about the only part of his body left where he could feel anything. He scrunched his face up as he felt something brush against his skin. "Your braids are tickling me."

"You sound like you're going away. Don't."

It was as if his head was filled with mist. Kili suddenly couldn't remember why he was lying here, or where he was. When he tried to remember, all he could see was Fili's furious face and hear his voice raised in anger.

"Fili?" Kili whispered. "I'm sorry I went out in the storm."

"What are you talking about?" Fili sounded confused.

"The storm that I went out in. You've just been yelling at me about it." Kili's voice broke a little. "I'm sorry I made you angry."

"Kili..." Fili sounded like he was close to tears. "I wasn't angry with you. I was angry because you scared me so much."

Kili tried to move his hand so he could touch his brother's face, but couldn't even wiggle his fingers. Somewhere in the distance, he heard the sounds of fighting and tried to reach for a weapon he wasn't sure was even there. "Uncle Thorin? Is he safe?"

"Dwalin and Balin are with him," Fili replied, obviously trying to sound reassuring. "He's as safe as he can be with them by his side."

Whatever reply Kili might have made was lost in the sound of a door banging open. He hadn't been able to feel Fili's hand in his, but he felt it when his brother's warmth left him. He tried to will his fingers to move, seeking the comfort of his big brother.

"Help him. Please." Fili's voice sounded far away, but there was a pleading note in it Kili had rarely heard before. His brother never begged for anything. Not even when he was in big trouble with their uncle - though Kili was more likely to get into trouble with Thorin than Fili was.

The new voice sounded vaguely familiar to Kili, but he couldn't quite place its owner. "Step aside, dwarf, and I will do what I can for him."