Disclaimer: Yeah I do not own any of these characters or any piece of the original Hobbit story, nor the story that Peter Jackson put together.
AN: Wow such a positive response to this story! Trust me that I won't be updating this often all the time, I just thought I would treat you all since I'm on break. Please review and tell me what you think and what you'd like to see from this story! ALSO I am looking for a BETA reader. If you're interested PM me.
All around him the world is a swirl of red light; black darkness dancing in and around the red though. All he can hear is the struggled sound of his own breathing; in and out over and over again. Slow and steady the rhythm is, the sound fills him and sets the red and black lights to a pace. He cannot feel his mangled body as it lays on the deep stone table, he is not even aware of the setting he is in. Much less is he aware of the entourage of dwarves that have taken up residence around his bedside. Three that stand nearest to his body mutter and shout messages they hope will reach the sense cooped up inside of him. He has no sense of them though. The only one he hears through the blizzard of darkness is one made of red and green. Red hair like fire that chars away the blackness.
Rising above the hollow sound of Kili's breath is her voice. Soft and melodic it fills him with light. Promise me. A bit cryptic of a message; it could mean an infinity of things. But Kili remembers her eyes that shine with starlight that sit underneath her fiery hair and he knows what she meant to say. Promise me that you will come back.
The dwarf is surrounded by his kin as they work tirelessly to save him from his own demise. Fili had come as soon as his body allowed him to do so. He never left the side of his precious brother. He was not quite recovered from the wound that Azog had given him, but he cared not for his own body; he was only concerned about that of his brother. Fili had been told that after five days Kili still did not awaken from his unconscious state. After the wound had been bandaged and cleaned, the company of Thorin moved his body very gently to a bed in a room that Kili had claimed as his own. Fili went right along with his brother, and despite the other dwarves only checking in rarely, Fili still never left.
He sat long hours with his brother whom only breathed weakly and woke not. The gray walls of stone seemed to dim even deeper in those long days and longer nights that Fili spent by Kili. They had grown up together and had joined their uncle's quest together. They had not ever been apart before and being separated by such a thing as health is more agonizing that being separated by distance. Fili was growing quite fragile every day that his brother's health did not improve. He spent most days muttering prayers to his gods and his brother; his fingers stiff and fidgeting with the orange blanket that lay frayed upon the wretched body of Kili.
In the days since the battle ended with the orcs, peace had not yet come for the dwarves of Erebor. Thranduil still desired the jewels of his people and Bard ached for gold to help his people. The arrival of Dain, Thorin's King cousin, did nothing for the moral of the dwarves already in Erebor. He was crass and most avoided him at all costs. He was thirsty for war though and constantly advised the others not to give anything to the suffering people of the neighboring lands. It might have been a good thing then that Kili was not well, because he was not one to suffer fools and arrogant snubs lightly.
In the woods, Tauriel was no longer alone. She had been banished by her king before the battle had begun and so she made no effort to return there. She has not seen Legolas since the end of it and for this she is regretful, although not enough to seek him out now. She had taken up residence in the newly reclaimed city of Dale while she recovered from her wounds. She now was travelling with haste to the remaining people living on the shores of the ruin of Laketown. She took charge of bringing the rest of them to Dale so as to win good standing with the people she had taken up residence with. She wanted to seek out Kili but she knew that an elf would have little to no chance to get inside that mountain.
She heard a ruffling behind her and she turned with her arrow poised to shoot.
"If I was an orc, you would be dead."
"I suppose I am very lucky then, that you are not."
His elfish grin was a lovely sight to Tauriel.
"My friend why have you come upon me here in the woods?"
"I thought you might need help."
"Legolas, when have you ever known me to truly need help when traveling through the woods?"
"Never, my lady."
"I am happy to have your company though." She bows her head towards him.
"Please don't do that Tauriel, I'm not your prince any longer remember? So tell me lady, where are we going?"
"To the remnants of Laketown to bring them to the city of Dale."
"Not to your dwarf?" His voice lacks bitterness, but Tauriel can sense its undertones.
"Not today."