The Curse of Silence Chapter 3
Finally, then embrace ended, and Kili stepped away from Fili for a moment to sign to him. Fili, I'm so happy to see you! Kili had tears running down his face. I don't know what they want, Fili. They haven't told me anything. I don't think they'll ever let me go... He stepped to the bars again and attempted to hug Fili, but Tauriel was there. She gripped the back of his jacket and pulled him away, pushing him behind her. She leaned in to talk to the other dwarf.
"He knows you. Who are you, dwarf?" She asked sternly.
"I don't see where it's any of your business, elf, but I am his brother. Why have you kidnapped Kili?"
"That information comes on a need to know basis, and you don't need to know." She said with a slight sneer. "Come dwarf!" she said as she began to pull on Kili's chain. Kili was having none of it. He fought to try and get back to Fili.
Fili said, "please, if you will not let me out, please let him stay with me. He's alone and scared. Let me take care of him."
Tauriel thought about this for a moment and finally, she pulled Kili to the cell door. She released him from his chains and then shoved him into the cell with Fili. "There. I hope you enjoy his company more than I have." She stormed out of the dungeons.
Kili sat down on the cot and Fili joined him. Fili said, Kili I have been so worried for you. Thorin thinks that you were taken by the same creature that took his father. He thinks you're dead. Now he probably thinks both of us are dead.
You probably shouldn't have come, Kili said despondently. Now neither of us will leave this place. Mum's probably beside herself.
Well I couldn't just leave you, you idiot. I had to find you.
Why? Kili asked.
Do we have to go over this again, Kili? You're my brother. I would never leave you if I thought there was any chance that I could help you. Have they hurt you, Kili?
The only thing lacking is kindness. They have told me nothing about why I am here. I don't know what they want with me.
Don't worry, Kili. We'll figure this out.
A couple of elven guards came down into the dungeons and came and unlocked the cell. They pulled Kili out of Fili's grasp, but it was not Kili that they took. Kili was left alone in the cell while Fili was being led away. "Don't worry, Kili!" He cried over his shoulder as they led him. "I'll be back!" He heard a shaking of the bars which he knew would be Kili's only response.
After some time, the elves led Fili to the throne room, where the elf king Thranduil sat in all his glory. Fili glared up at the smug looking king, and tried to steel himself for what would surely be an emotionally taxing conversation. Finally he came to was placed before the throne, the two guards bowed and stepped away for a moment.
"Fili, son of Dis I presume?"
"And you are Thranduil, king of the wood elves. Now we know each other so perhaps you would like to explain a few things, like why you found it necessary to kidnap my brother?"
The elf merely smiled at the young dwarf. "Your brother is here because he suffers from an ailment. An ailment that I am most interested in curing."
"You're going to cure my brother? That isn't possible. And why are you so damn interested in curing him anyway? What's this got to do with you, elf king?"
"You don't need to know that at the moment." Thranduil said. "All you need to know is that I am going to try and find a cure for him. In that time you both shall remain here. You may leave when this is all over."
"So what happens if you don't find a cure, majesty?" Fili asked sarcastically.
"Then I suppose you shall never leave this place."
Fili's eyes widened in fear. "You can't do that. You can't just keep us prisoner here. We haven't done anything!"
"I know, but that doesn't really matter. Take him away." The elf said with a gesture of his hand. The elves grabbed Fili and began to haul him away, but he greatly protested. "You can't do this to us! You can't do this elf! I hope my Uncle Thorin comes here and cuts your head off!"
Thranduil smiled at this and gave the dwarf a little nod as he disappeared into the corridor. Fili was thrown back into the cell with Kili. Immediately he tried to get to the door and at least make a swing at the elves who had manhandled him, but they slammed the door in his face, so he made do with spitting on their shoes, and then went and sat by his brother again. Kili sat by his side and tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. Fili smiled at him wearily.
It's alright Kili. The elf says that he's going to try and cure you, but both you and I know that's not possible. But I'm gonna get us out of here Kili.
He won't just let us go when he figures out it's impossible?
I'm sorry, Kili. He says we'll be stuck here forever. He rested his head upon Kili's shoulder who in turn rested his head against Fili's. The foreseeable future seemed pretty bleak.
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Fili and Kili spent the next few days in the cell, signing to each other and braiding each other's hair and engaging in random dwarf stuff...Or at least that was the way it seemed to Tauriel, who was still technically in charge of them. She had no idea that dwarves made such a fuss over hair and beards. They were more vain than elves. And she still knew damn well that they were making fun of her in that damn dwarf sign language. Even the one who could talk refused to talk with her, which was annoying to no end.
Finally the guest room was ready, and she was to take them to it. She put the manacles on the younger one, but the elder one gave up more of a fight, but finally she managed to chain him. "Come along dwarf." She said, yanking the chain.
Fili stumbled forward a bit and said. "Careful, you! I am a prince of Erebor, we both are, and we shouldn't be treated in such a way by the likes of you. Whatever you are. But I get the feeling that it's whatever you scrape up off the very bottom of the elvish barrel."
She gave him a hard backhanded slap that sent him crashing to the floor. Kili stepped between then, but the elf pushed him out of the way. She reached down and pulled Fili up by the front of his jacket so that their faces were inches apart. "You will never speak to me in such a way again, or I will make you suffer. I may not be able to kill you, but I know of a few lovely punishments that would turn you into dwarf jelly. So I suggest you watch yourself." She set the dwarf back on his feet and began to lead them away.
The room was nice, and looked very much like it would have been a regular guestroom in a beautiful elvish house. There were comfortable looking beds, a table, chairs, books shelves with books upon them...Large windows that let in a lot of sun...With heavy bars upon them that probably would not be easily dealt with. She released them from their chains, but it was clear that there was no way to get out. So they would simply have to make the best of it. They spent their days after that in utter boredom, and Fili often found himself in verbal sparring matches with the ridiculous she-elf that seemed to be their keeper. He didn't like her at all.
Then one day, they came to the room, three guards and that woman. Two of them held Fili while the other two took Kili away. Fili fought as hard as he could to get to Kili, but the door was slammed in his face and locked. All he could do was sit on the floor against the door and wait to see if they would bring him back. When he heard the voice, he knew they were doing something to him. It had never been that loud before. However there was nothing Fili could do but wait and listen. The voice sounded a few more times, and then was silent. They will bring him back to me. Fili thought. They have to.
Finally they brought an exhausted looking Kili back into the room. He seemed to be unconscious and they held Fili back as Kili was placed upon the bed. When they left, Fili rushed to Kili's side. It seemed the younger dwarf was simply asleep, and Fili wondered then if he should try and wake Kili. But he had to know that Kili was alright. He shook his brother. "Kili!" No response. "Kili!"
Kili eyes snapped open and he sat up in bed, frightened eyes looking around as if for danger. When his eyes landed on Fili, he knew he was somewhat safe and he collapsed back onto the bed again. His hands came up and he began to sign furiously. At first Fili didn't understand. "Kili, slow down, I don't understand."
Kili slowed his hands. Fili, they made me do it! They made me use the voice! I didn't want to, but they hit me, and they threatened you. I had to.
Fili got a good look at Kili's face now, and there were a couple of bruises forming on the side of his face. "Those damn cowards. I heard the voice, Kili. I'm so sorry. I have never heard it that loud before."
That's because there was someone else, Fili. A young elf. He has it too. We used it together. He didn't want to either though. They hit him too.
This made no sense. Why would they keep it a secret that one of their own was similarly afflicted? Why would they hit him. "Why did they hit him, Kili?"
It was Thranduil. He hit the young elf. He said the elf was disappointing his mother, and that he should do it or he would never be worthy.
Worthy of what? Then Fili realized something, and he asked the elf bitch for an audience with the king. She agreed, but slapped him again for calling her an "elf bitch". When Fili faced Thranduil again, he had a slight smile on his face. "He's your son, isn't he? This young elf that you're forcing to speak."
"Yes, you're very smart aren't you?"
"I suppose. You're not doing this for Kili's sake. You kidnapped him out of pure selfishness, didn't you?"
"Again, you're very smart, master dwarf. However I grow weary of talking to you, so you will leave now."
As they began to drag him away once more, Fili said, "don't hurt Kili anymore you coward!" Again the king merely smiled and nodded.
When Fili was deposited back into the room, he went over and sat by Kili on the bed. Kili put his hand around Fili. The bruises upon Kili's face were now dark. "I'm sorry, Kili. I can't protect you. But I think until I figure some way out, you should cooperate."
You mean use the voice? Kili asked, astonished.
"Yes use the voice. Just for now. I think I have thought of something that might get us out of here."
Fili, the last time there were words.
Words? Fili asked. What did the words say, Kili?
I think it was a name...Or may two names, not sure. Smeagol? Gollum? I have never heard such names before.
Neither have I, Kili. Neither have I...
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Hello ladies and gents. This is about to get intense. And soon they will be setting out for the Shire seeking people from two more races. What will happen when all four voices meet? Stay tuned! Thank you to Feathered Moon Wings and Celebrisilweth for reviewing and thanks for following and faving. See you all again soon. Also just got and Archive of our Own account but haven't posted anything yet. Still think I like this better, so that may just be for following fics, But I am hoping to start another dark fic soon feature everyone's favorite, mean Thorin and suffering Fili. Cheers! STS