Chapter 7:
Taking a deep breath, Fili tried to ignore the cold steel against his bare throat.
"Uncle, I can explain."
"You brought an elf into the sacred halls of our people, of our forefathers boy. This had better be a good explanation."
"Uncle!" Fili turned his head slowly and saw Kili stood at the bottom of the pile of gold, a look of joyous relief spread across his face. Fili flicked his eyes back to Thorin and he made his decision. His uncle may be mad but he doubted he would kill him over one elf. Fili stepped back from the swords edge and made his way down the golden hill towards his little brother. Slipping and sliding Fili managed to collide into Bofur at the bottom. Thorin followed him down and soon loud shouts and cries came from the top of the heap as the other members of the company saw that their kin had arrived and came to welcome them to the mountain. There were a few minutes of hugs and shouting before they all realised that Thorin had remained quiet and away from the others, glaring at Tauriel.
"Well." He snapped, his eyes flicking from Tauriel to Fili. "Explain."
Fili opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Kili cut him off.
"Tauriel saved my life uncle. She healed my leg and if it wasn't for her I'd be dead. She also helped fight off orcs who would have killed me in my weakened state and without her Bard would never have been able to kill Smaug."
"The beast is dead?" Balin said, relief clear in his expression.
"Are you sure?" Thorin asked, glancing from his youngest nephew to Tauriel, confusion and scepticism clear in his voice.
"I saw it lying dead on the floor of the lake myself." Fili said grimly, much to his uncle's surprise.
The others began to cheer loudly, shouting in recognition of their freedom and reclaimed homeland. But the shouts soon died away as they noticed that their leader was not so thrilled.
"Is that what you were doing while your brother lay dying? Going for a swim? I expected better from you Fili." His tone was filled with disappointment and anger and Fili found he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Rage filled him at the unfairness of it all and for the first time in his life, Fili found himself lose control and begin to shout and rant at his uncle.
"You expected better from me? I gave my everything to protect my little brother; I stayed by his side throughout this whole quest, unlike you who left him at the first opportunity. I stayed behind with him while you left us to get your treasure. We all know you care more about this treasure than you do any of us so don't you dare lecture me on my duty. I stayed with Kili until I knew he was safely out of deaths arms, unlike you, and the only reason why I went for that 'swim' as you call it, was for him. Tauriel, after healing Kili, put herself in unbelievable harm by jumping onto the dragons back and leading him to fly at Bard before hurting it enough to make it rear so Bard had a perfect shot. She saved us all. When the beast grabbed her and took her into the lake with it, Kili wanted to go in after her to save her as she did for him but I knew he wasn't strong enough so I did it for him. Both Tauriel and I nearly froze to death. But you wouldn't know about that, because you left us behind to go on your ridiculous treasure hunt. But, I could have forgiven you for all of that as should we not have been in Laketown Kili would have died and Tauriel may not have stayed behind long enough to help Bard, if only you'd have come to find us after Smaug left. Once you'd seen him fly for Laketown you could have tried to get there, to check we were well. But you didn't. You stayed here, with your treasure, where your heart really lies. You didn't even care if we burnt to death as long as you had your gold. Then, to make it worse, you threatened me with a sword as soon as you saw her. You are so blinded by your own prejudices you would hurt your own nephew just because I'm in the company of an elf. You are just like your grandfather and I am proud to say I am nothing like you. Tauriel will always be a friend of Kili's, and of me, so she stays as long as she wants to and she is welcome here. Because right now I far prefer her company to yours, uncle. If anyone has a problem with that, they can answer to me." Turning, Fili stalked off up the stairs and corridors, following his memory back to the forges, through the Gallery of the Kings and back out into the open air where he kept walking, trying to calm the furious hurricane of hurt and anger inside him.
Kili watched his brother leave with an awed expression. He had never seen Fili that mad before and he felt proud that his brother had not only stood up for himself but also Tauriel. Biting his lip, Kili couldn't help but be worried about his brother, the last time he'd yelled had been when they were children and Kili had been too impatient to wait for Fili to wake up and had gone on a walk without him, gotten himself lost and cut his leg badly falling over. When Fili had finally found him he'd been furious he'd gone off on his own and had been so angry Kili had cried, apologising profusely and promising never to go off without him again. Fili had felt bad for shouting, apologised himself before carrying Kili home and tending to his little brothers injuries himself. That day the brothers had promised each other they would never leave each other behind again, they would never go where the other couldn't follow.
Glancing up at Tauriel, Kili inclined his head. 'Are you ok?'
Tauriel smiled back at him and nodded but Kili could tell she was upset by Fili's outburst. She had not meant to cause so much tension in the family. Kili fervently hoped that she didn't wish she'd gone with the other elf, the male one, as he tried to smile at her reassuringly. He had treasured every moment they'd spent with each other since waking up and it would break his heart if he thought she didn't feel the same way.
"The lad was right to be upset." Oin said, turning to look at Thorin. "He may not have said it in the right way, but without the elf none of us would be here. Not even you." Looking at Gloin, Oin waited for his brother to make some sort of comment. Gloin was notorious for his distrust and prejudice towards elves but it seemed his brothers words had had a profound effect on the dwarf as he walked towards Tauriel and offered her his hand. She took it cautiously and gripped it tightly, smiling at him nervously.
"Welcome to Erebor." Gloin grunted, nodding at her in approval. Gesturing around the cavern, Gloin asked, "So, what do you think?"
"It's beautiful. So big…" Tauriel openly admired the hall and the other dwarves nodded amongst themselves, clearly approving of her awed reaction.
Thorin said nothing; he just stared at Tauriel quietly, assessing her. Glancing back at Oin, he waited for the elder dwarf to say something else to him, but Oin merely shrugged as he had nothing more to add.
"The lad may have been right but he should not have spoken to Thorin like that." Balin ventured, sitting down on a chest and looking to the others.
"Aye, now the beast is dead there is nothing to stop Thorin from taking his throne. He is the King now, and Fili should have showed him more respect." Dwalin agreed, walking to stand by his King's side.
"He cannot be crowned until he had the Arkenstone." Balin pointed out wearily.
"You haven't found it?" Bofur asked dejectedly, looking at Thorin with a disappointed expression.
"I know roughly where it is." Bilbo offered, stepping out from behind a pillar and looking at Thorin warily. There was a tension in the air and Kili got the distinct impression that something had happened between the King and the burglar that had created a somewhat awkward atmosphere between them. Frowning, he realised just how tired he was.
"Let's go find it then." He said simply, stretching his arms wearily.
"What about Fili?" Ori asked nervously, looking to Nori and Bifur with a worried expression.
"He'll be fine; he'll come back when he's ready." Dori said soothingly, smiling reassuringly at his little brother.
Tauriel looked at Kili and frowned slightly, he could tell she was concerned with his brother's absence but Kili knew Fili would not want his brother to see him in such a state.
"We'll give him an hour, if he's not back then we'll go look." He promised her, trying to quell his own worries about his brothers very out of character outburst.
Together the group followed Bilbo to where he'd last seen the Arkenstone and began pouring over the masses of gold and treasure to look for the jewel. They talked and chatted loudly, glad to be once again whole and in each other's company. But Tauriel and Kili kept themselves a little way from the rest of the group, quietly combing through their own little section. Both their minds were on the missing dwarf and with every loud clank of gold against gold or stone as one of the others threw an object out of the way Kili looked up towards the doorway hopefully, wishing his brother would walk back through and join him.
Sitting down on the ledge overlooking the city of Dale, Fili cast his eye across the ruins and sighed in the night air. He had never shouted at anyone like that in his life and he certainly had never been so disrespectful to his uncle before. Putting his head in his hands, Fili attempted to calm his breathing. He had no idea what had taken over him and now he was removed from the situation he could see that he probably overreacted.
"He just doesn't understand." Fili said to himself angrily, standing up and pacing furiously. "He's put so much weight on me over the years. Fili do this, never do that, protect your brother, always do what I say… I'm not perfect!" He shouted, attempting to force the tears from his eyes. Groaning, Fili dropped to the floor and pulled his knees in, attempting to hug some warmth back into his limbs. Ever since dragging Tauriel out of the lake Fili had felt a freezing cold down to his bones and an exhaustion that seemed to be making his limbs feel as if they were made of lead. His head spinning, Fili put his head on his knees and tried to control his shaking limbs. He knew he should be worried about what was happening, as some sort of fit or attack seemed to have come on very suddenly, but Fili's thoughts were muddled and he found that it was all he could do to hold his knees as a coughing fit struck. Wincing at his raw throat and stomach spasms, Fili began to find it harder and harder to breath and, managing to whisper his brother's name, Fili fell sideways and collapsed into unconsciousness, his breath short and sparse and his pulse weak and irregular.