Kili pulled the only item he currently owned out of his pocket.
Return.
He ran his fingers over the etched words in the otherwise smooth stone. He tossed it through the air, catching it in his hands with a satisfying thwack each time. Tauriel, having just come from her audience with the Thranduil, walked around the dungeons, making sure the dwarves weren't plotting anything. They were sad little creatures who hung their heads low. They were nothing like the great dwarven kings she'd heard so much about during her youth. Her highly sensitive ears heard the thwacking of the runestone on Kili's palm from down the hall. Kili tossed the stone again, saw Tauriel and cradled it in his hand, keeping his head down, but peered through his bangs at the elf maid. "The stone in your hand, what is it?" The elf asked, her curiosity piqued. Kili saw a chance to fluster the noble elf and came up with a little story. He looked up at the elf, then back to the runestone.
"It is a talisman." He said, serious faced, looking back up at the she-elf. She leaned in. "A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a dwarf reads the runes on the stone…" He paused, holding the stone between his forefinger and thumb, "they will be forever cursed." He thrust the runestone towards the elf. Her eyes bulged and she turned to step away, her superstitious nature getting the best of her. "Or not," Kili grinned, his mysterious facade melting away. Tauriel turned back to the dwarf, "depending on if you believe in that stuff or not. It's just a token." he smiled and chuckled. Tauriel gave him a small smile, understanding the joke now. "It's a runestone." He rubbed the sides of the polished rock, good and bad memories flooding his mind. "My mother gave it to me so I'd remember my promise." He grinned, turning so he could face the elf more openly. Tauriel was intrigued by the dwarf and leaned down closer to the bars.
"What promise?" She asked. Fili glared through the bars at the she-elf's back.
"That I would come back to her." Kili admitted with a sad smile. Tauriel looked down, not quite sure what to say. "She worries," Kili explained, looking back down at his hands and giving the stone another toss up into the air. "She thinks I'm wreckless."
"Are you?" Tauriel asked.
"Nah." Kili tossed the runestone, but was too distracted by the elf's fairness to catch it properly and it skittered across the floor and out of the cell. Tauriel stopped the stone with the toe of her boot before the promise was lost to the river below. Kili jumped up to get it back. Tauriel picked up the stone and held it up to the light. The dwarf prince hoped she wouldn't tuck it into her pocket like the other elves did with Gloin's pictures and Fili's knives. A loud cheer was heard from above and Tauriel turned back to Kili. "It sounds like quite the party up there." He observed. Fili flailed his arms, trying to get his brother to shut up and stop fraternizing with the enemy. He knew what Kili was trying to do when he made small talk, and thought that maybe he was trying to smooth talk his way out of his cell. But as their conversation continued and Tauriel gave Kili back his father's runestone, Fili realized that his brother had no intention of getting out. He'd probably prefer it if the elf came into his cell and sat with him while they had a cup of tea!
"What is your name dwarf?" Tauriel finally asked, having sat down on the ground in front of Kili's cell cross-legged. Kili straightened his back.
"Kili, son of…" The dwarf prince saw his brother make a slashing gesture across his throat. "Kili, son of Dis." He said, ignoring Fili's agonized flailing. Luckily, the elf had no knowledge that Dis was a dwarvish princess. "How about you? Do you have a name tied to the end of your hair?" Kili smirked.
"Tauriel." She said, leaning on the heel of her palm.
"Tauriel." Kili repeated. "Have you ever rolled that middle 'R'? Like Taurrrrrrriel." He chuckled and groaned at his own stupidity. Tauriel held her stomach as she laughed and giggled like a small child. Fili repeatedly hit his forehead on the wall next to him.
"You are a comical character, Kili, son of Dis." Tauriel sighed, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
"And you'd be the first to think that." Kili chuckled, running a hand through his hair.
Tauriel stood from the stone floor, "I must go now, but it was nice talking with you Kili, son of Dis." Kili's heart melted each time she said his name.
"I enjoyed our conversation as well...Taurrrrrriel." He couldn't help himself. The elf's bell-like laugh echoed in the dungeons.
"Goodnight." She blushed.
"Goodnight, enjoy your party." Kili replied, draping his arms across the bars. Tauriel sauntered off, hoping no one would notice how late she was to the feast. Legolas met her halfway down the steps, having listened to the entire conversation between her and the dwarf.
"Why does the Dwarf stare at you, Tauriel?" He said in elvish.
"Who can say?" Tauriel replied in the same tongue, "He's quite tall for a dwarf. Do you not think?" She blushed again and walked off.
"He is taller than some…" Legolas said so Kili could hear, "but no less ugly." He called after her.
"Who are you calling ugly, Khulm?" Fili shouted through the bars of his cell. Legolas bounded up the steps to Fili's cell door and glared down at him. If the rest of the dwarves had been awake, they would have cringed and tried to silence him.
"Who do you think you are addressing dwarf?" The elf prince spat.
"An arrogant pig who thinks he can insult the people of Durin because he sees himself above us! I see nothing wise or fair in your eyes like the elves of Rivendell! I see aloof fools running around like bulnd fazul butting heads!" Fili shouted back Legolas. The elf reached through the bars and grabbed hold of Fili's tunic, bunching the fabric up in his fists. Fili remained stone-faced and did nothing to escape the elf's grip.
"Watch your vile tongue dwarf." Legolas hissed, shoving the dwarf away from him. Fili stumbled back.
"And you watch yours." He growled. The elf prince exhaled in indignation and turned on his heel with a huff, padding down the stairs and exiting the dungeon.
"A bit sensitive, huh?" Kili chuckled.
"Don't make me have to do that again." Fili sighed, setting himself down on the stone bench within his lockup. He held his head in his hands.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kili asked.
"It means I'm scared Kili. Thorin is gone and we need to find a way out. I spoke like I was yelling at a drunkard at a tavern in Dunland! I have angered him! I don't want to guess what he'll tell his lord and master, so, please...try to avoid speaking to the she-elf."
"Tauriel is different." Kili tried to explain.
"Please Kili." Fili dropped to the floor on his hands and knees, "I can't be the only one to lead us. I need you to help me because…" He pulled at his hair, "I'm not ready." Kili put his brother's distress against his growing love for Tauriel and found that his family came before an attractive elf.
"I'm sorry. I'll do as you ask." Kili nodded, tucking another promise into his pocket along with the one he'd given to Dis. After a few moments of silence, Kili finally realized something. "Does this mean I have to call you King Fili?" Fili coughed at the ridiculous notion.
"Uncle may still be out there. I will not accept that right until I am sure he is no longer living." Fili shakily smoothed his hair back away from his face, terrified at the thought of being King.
"Alright, I understand." Kili said, dropping the title subject and kicking it until it was dead.
"Dolzekh menu, Khâzash." Fili replied, leaning back against the wall.
"Gamut nanan, Khâzash." Kili concluded the conversation, rolling over to go to sleep, hoping to dream of a certain elf-amid with auburn hair.
"Gamut nanan." Fili said back, closing his eyes and trying to find sleep. His mind was simply filled with too many thoughts and he could not find the only thing that could ease his restless mind for a while.
The dwarves were let be on their first full day in the Mirkwood dungeons. They slept for most of the day, with no desire to return to their captive and hungry world of consciousness. Fili spent most of his time tossing and turning, trying to conceptualize an escape plan. Kili repeatedly braided his hair, unknotted everything and let it loose for a fashion, and was given the chance to finger-comb through the nest his locks had become in an attempt to keep it tidy without getting stared at while he groomed. When his hair was finally how he liked it, he continued to be bored and hungry, "They could at least give us something to do." he groaned, pulling at the hem of his tunic.
"They also could have let us keep our coats." Ori chattered, missing his many layers of sweaters.
"Alright dwarves, dinner time." Tauriel announced, stepping from a nearby corridor. A small squad of elven guards with thin metal dishes scattered the leftover scraps from the feast the night before. The remaining dwarves awoke and quickly ate their rations. Fili tucked his stale crust of bread into his pocket and peckishly nibbled at the cold venison on his plate, too nervous to eat. Tauriel dismissed the guards and began to traipse around the dungeons, watching eas dwarf for a few seconds before moving on to the next. She paused a few extra moments in front of Kili's door and gave him a smile. Kili tried to ignore her as Fili had asked, but found himself giving her the smallest of smiles back. Tauriel kept going about her rounds until she got to Ori's cell, where she tossed him one of his sweaters. Ori blushed and pulled it over his head. The she-elf then left to attend the second night of the starlight feast. The dwarves prepared for another long night in the dungeon. Kili was ready to rip the bars down from their frame and escape. He couldn't stand being in this small space for so long, even if it was bigger than most dwarf-sized jail cells.
"I'm going to go mad if I have to stay in this hole for another night." Kili growled, violently shaking at the bars.
"That won't be necessary." He heard a voice say outside. Kili shifted to see the source of the voice, not believing who stood before him.
"Bilbo! Thorin!" He cried. The other dwarves ran up to the doors of their cells and saw the large ring of keys in Bilbo's hand.
"Let us out then, lad!" Dwalin barked. The hobbit unlocked all of the doors and started to lead the company further down into the wine cellars. Fili stayed behind Thorin, relief washing over him.
"What are we doing down here?" Kili hissed, "You were supposed to be leading us out!"
"I know, please, just, get into the barrels." Master Baggins pleaded. Everyone looked to Thorin. The leader of the company glanced over at the stirring elves draped over the table, then over to Bilbo, then back to the company.
"Do as he says." Thorin said, wishing to escape Mirkwood as fast as possible. He heard a commotion up the stairs and climbed into the barrel farthest from the stairs. Fili patted his brother's shoulder and lowered himself into the barrel between Thorin and Kili.
"What do we do now?" Bofur asked, sticking his head out of the wine-soaked drum. Everyone looked at Bilbo curiously.
"Hold your breath." Bilbo said, pulling a long lever.
"Hold our bre-?" Kili was cut off my the tipping of the floor and the clanking, rolling, and splashing of the barrels as they dropped into the river below. Kili was thoroughly soaked by the time his drum bobbed up to the surface. He spat a stream of river water, "Well then, that was refreshing." He shook water out of his ears. Bilbo splashed into the ravine after a moment of the dwarves wonderings.
"Well done, Master Baggins" Thorin said, beginning to paddle downstream. Bilbo clung to Nori's cask and heard thundering feet above. "Falls!" Thorin shouted, ducking into his cylindrical vessel. The dwarves were sloshed and tossed about in the rapids. They shook water from their beards and braced themselves against the chilled autumn water and wind, only to be splashed and thrown about some more. The gate leading out of Thranduil's realm was within Thorin's sight.
"Close the Gates!" Legolas Greenleaf barked from behind the dwarf king.
"No!" Thorin bellowed, paddling faster towards the iron grate that slammed shut just in front of him. He gripped the freezing metal, and he was once again trapped. Screams from the elvin guard filled the air as both elves and orcs fell into the water. In the midst of the chaos, Kili spied the lever that would open the gate. He jumped up from his barrel and landed on the small stone bridge. He made his way up the tall steps and reached for the lever. An arrow from Bolg's bow sliced through the air and pierced Kili's thigh, just above his right knee.
"Kili!" Fili screamed as his brother fell to the ground in shock and agony, grabbing at his wound. Thorin turned from the gate having heard his nephew's cries.
"Kili." He exhaled, wide-eyed and fearful. His kin was wounded, and there was nothing he could do to protect his sister's sons. Every memory of happy little dwarf boys chasing after each other filled his head. The company could only fight as the Orcs continued to berate them. Another orc arrow was aimed at the wounded dwarf prince, but the archer's arrow never hit its target. A Silvan knife cut his throat and his bowstring. Tauriel lept from the bushes and valiantly battled the orcs, looking as if she were dancing instead of slaying the villainous creatures of Middle-Earth. Kili mustered through the numbing and twisting pain in his leg and jumped up, taking hold of the lever and pulling it down with all of his body weight, hell fire spreading throughout his leg as he collapsed onto the stone steps.
"Kili!" Fili shouted once more, the dwarf filled barrels beginning to follow the current. Kili cursed and pulled himself up, taking a massive leap into an empty barrel. The shaft that was imbedded in his leg snapped, causing another display of sadistic fireworks to explode before Kili's eyes. Fili tried to reach his brother before they went over the falls once more, but the river continued to surge forward, and the Orcs were in pursuit, the elves just behind. Fili tried to keep an eye on Kili in the whirling turrents, but the white-capped waves filled his line of sight and his brother was lost to him. An axe flew threw the air towards him.
"Fili!" Dwalin shouted. Fili plucked the axe from the air and aggressively split an Orc in two. The current finally was faster than the dwarfs pursuers and they eventually gently drifted down the river where the current was weak and they could disembark from their barrels. Kili clawed his way out of his, Fili bounded from the River, his clothes and beard completely soaked to help him. The remaining few inches of arrow shaft stuck from his thigh.
"Bite on this." Fili handed his brother a folded bandana. "Take a deep breath." Fili grabbed the arrow and ripped it out of his brother's leg, head and all. Kili slammed his fist on the rocks and the bandana muffled his scream. Fili pulled the fabric from Kili's mouth and pressed it up against the puncture wound, Kili's blood dripping from his leg and streaming down the rocks. Bofur looked at him with concern.
"It's nothing. I'll be fine." He said, not believing a word he said. Fili was frightened at the color his brother's skin had turned.
"Let's keep moving." Thorin barked, the sooner he was out of Thranduil's realm, the better. Kili was wounded, but he was alive, and he'd always been a quick healer. Thorin was concerned, but he had more pressing matters to worry about.
"Kili's leg needs to be bound! We should find camp." Fili protested.
"We need to get across this lake by nightfall." Thorin barked, "Bind his leg quickly, you have two minutes."
AN: Sorry about the delay for this chapter! Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them!
