I am so very sorry. I know this chapter took a good long while to get uploaded and for that I am sorry. I am a highly competitive Irish Dancer and I had a few competitions that took up more time than I was expecting. I truly thought I would be able to work on my story more than I could. Sorry again! Now I'm going to stop talking and let you all enjoy the next chapter!
Chapter Eight
The unsettling silence stretched throughout Gloin and Oin's living room, as the occupants stared in horror at the snapped wooden bow gripped between Fili's shaking hands, each dwarf thinking of the young mischievous dwarf who it belongs to. The young dwarf that is always ready to give an easy smile, trying to brighten everyone's day, whose laugh could warm any heart that hears it. They thought of Kili, who has been through so much already in his young life and who every dwarf standing in Oin and Gloin's house would do anything to protect, as if he was their own kin.
Fili's wavering voice pulled Thorin's eyes from the bow to his nephew's pale face. "I found Kili's bow under a dead orc."
"Carrek snapped it in half and got himself a broken nose in return." A quiet strained voice said with an affectionate chuckle at the end, startling the group. "I didn't realize the lad had it in him to head-butt his enemy so affectively."
"Dwalin!" Fili and Thorin shouted together and looked at the now awake Dwalin with surprise.
It took Thorin four long strides to reach his now alert friend's side, but it felt like much longer to the dwarf king's worried soul. Fili crashed to the ground beside the injured warrior's cot only seconds after Thorin reached him and Oin quickly began poking and prodding Dwalin the moment he had stopped talking.
All at once the concerned dwarfs started throwing questions at Dwalin, making the pounding in his head increase.
"Brother, how are you feeling?"
"Does this hurt?"
"Dwalin, what happened in the clearing?"
"Where is my little brother?!"
"Does that hurt?"
"Can you hear me brother?"
"Where is Kili, Mister Dwalin?"
"Dwalin, do you remember what happened at the training grounds?"
"How about this, does that hurt?"
"ENOUGH" Dwalin bellowed and winced as the pounding in his head protested his volume, but the string of question halted immediately. "One question at a time, I just had my skull smashed in a very large orc, and YES that hurts you old healer! So stop poking it!"
Balin let out a soft chuckle, making Dwalin glare at his older brother, "I'm glad to see that your injuries have not affected your mood at all brother."
Dwalin grumbled something very unfriendly under his breath, causing Balin to laugh harder with relief and to the surprise of everyone, Dwalin barked out a rough laugh as well.
After a moment Dwalin grew serious again and looked Thorin directly in the eyes. "How long have I been out?"
Thorin frowned, "Not long, it's the middle of the night on the same day of the ambush. What do you remember?"
Dwalin blinked and tried to rub his eyes with his right hand, but stopped in pain from his shoulder wound. "You might want to sit down Thorin." Dwalin said suddenly, "This might be difficult to hear."
"Mister Dwalin, did you hear that?" Kili asked quietly, his voice wavering slightly in his fear.
Faster than a heartbeat Dwalin was pulling Kili behind him by the young dwarf's coat sleeve and reaching for his sharpened weapon. Kili swiftly attached his quiver full of arrows and held his bow in a crushing grip.
The training area and surrounding woods were eerily quiet with no sounds being heard outside of the two tense dwarfs' breathing. Another snapping noise to their right and left sent Dwalin's heart racing and adrenaline pumping quickly through his veins.
"Kili I need you to do exactly what I tell you to do, without question." Dwalin's voice was commanding and quiet for only Kili's ears.
Kili nodded his head firmly in understanding and spoke in an equally quiet steady voice. "What do you think it is?"
"I don't know lad," Dwalin replied.
With his sword held in a steady grip in one hand Dwalin used his other hand that had a tight hold on Kili's coat to push the young dwarf back towards the mountain, but stop abruptly when they heard rustling from behind them.
Kili's heart was slamming against his rib cage and his hands started to lightly tremble in fear, they were surrounded. He glanced at Dwalin and saw a grave look of determination on his face and tried to breathe evenly, hoping to calm his racing heartbeat.
The surrounded dwarfs heard another snap, much closer this time and Dwalin tightened his grip on Kili's coat. Everything was quite when then suddenly an arrow flew from the tree-line and sank deep into Dwalin's right shoulder, causing him to release Kili's sleeve.
"Mister Dwalin!" Kili shouted in panic.
The young inexperienced dwarf looked at Dwalin in shock not knowing what to do and when he turned his gaze to where the arrow had come from his heart dropped and a his blood ran cold. Lining the clearing under the cover of the trees were goblin archers and dozens of orcs burst from the trees and charged at their prey, dirty swords swinging wildly.
Dwalin recovered from the attack quickly and started shouting orders to Kili. "Lad shoot the archers!"
Without having to think about what his was doing, Kili notched an arrow and let it fly towards the goblin that had shot Dwalin. The arrow hit its mark effortlessly and the young dwarf stood in shock, staring at his first kill. He could hear Dwalin fighting close to him, but the sounds were muffled reminding Kili of his nightmares, but this was real and Kili knew he had to snap out of it, he needed to keep fighting. Taking a shaky breath Kili notched another arrow and lined up a target.
Dwalin was using his training sword against the orcs and cursed loudly at the situation. He hated having to fight with swords, yes he was capable with a blade, but he preferred his hammer or axe. Both of which were across the field set carefully against a tree, and there was no way Dwalin was leaving Kili's side to get them.
Dwalin growled in frustration and smashed the head of the orc he was fighting, with the hilt of his sword and slashed open the chest of the next one coming from the trees. Turning quickly to check how Kili was doing, Dwalin felt a surge of pride watching as the youngest of the Durin line pulled the dagger Fili had gotten him as a present from an orc's chest and threw it into a goblin trying to sneak up on him in one fluid motion.
Dwalin returned his attention to the enemies surrounding him, when Kili cried out in pain. The hardened warrior whipped his head back in Kili's direction and saw the boy finishing off a large duel-wielding orc. Dwalin's eyes searched Kili's body for injuries and noted the way the young dwarf favored his left leg, but otherwise looked mostly unharmed.
Dwalin paid for diverting his attention with another arrow and shallow cut across his body. He could not however, stop his grunt of pain and cursed himself when the noise distracted Kili.
Kili pulled out his bow again and rushed to Dwalin's side shooting the orc in front of the older dwarf as he ran.
"Mister Dwalin…we have to get out of here." Kili huffed out between heavy breaths.
"Your right there lad, you run ahead and I'll cover ya." Dwalin said quickly, cutting down an enemy that came too close.
Kili shook his head, still breathing heavily, "No you're hurt! I can't just leave you behind!"
Dwalin gave Kili a stern look that could rival Thorin's, "I told ya to do as I say without question, now GO!" Dwalin said and shoved Kili towards The Blue Mountains.
Kili didn't argue this time and started running, bow in hand. He had almost made it to the trail when a large goblin stepped out from behind a tree and blocked his path. Kili felt his heart stop.
No this had to be a nightmare…he supposed to be dead…Carrek is dead. Kili's thoughts screamed that none of this was real, that Carrek couldn't be standing there in front of him. Somewhere behind him, Kili heard Dwalin scream his name, but all the young dwarf could focus on was the way the monster from his nightmares walked towards him slowly with a cruel smile on his face.
Kili's mind finally processed what he should do, if this was a nightmare than he was going to go down fighting.
Carrek was too close to him to get a shot with his bow and he didn't have enough time to pull out his sword, so Kili tighten his grip on both ends of his bow and brought it up to hit the goblin's head. Carrek caught the bow just before the attack succeeded, holding both of Kili's hands in his. He dug his dirty nails deep into Kili's flesh, making blood leak down their hands and trailing over the smooth wood, before dripping to the ground. Kili tried yanking his hands free, but Carrek wasn't allowing it.
The young dwarf heard Dwalin scream his name again and turned his head to see the seasoned warrior fighting four enemies, trying to reach him. He was bleeding heavily from his chest and three arrows were sticking out if his body, but he continued to fight, and he was fighting hard.
Seeing Dwalin helped Kili renew his resolve as he turn back to face his enemy with determination. Carrek laughed and leaned in close, putting more pressure on Kili's hand and bending his bow until…"SNAP!"
Kili's eyes flashed with pain and anger at seeing and hearing his beloved practice bow being snapped in half and without thinking the young dwarf slammed his head into Carrek's face with anger-fueled force. Carrek howled in pain and dropped Kili, who rolled back and pulled his sword free, standing ready to fight.
Dwalin smiled at Kili's head-butt, he knew the kid had a hard head and he was finally using it for something more useful than arguing with his uncle. The older dwarf warrior continued to push and fight his way through goblins and orcs as fast as he could. He had to get to Kili's side and protect the boy. Thorin would kill him if something happened to Kili and Dwalin wouldn't stop him from doing so.
Dwalin ducked as a curved blade swiped at his head and he countered by beheading the goblin and turned to keep moving towards Kili, but stopped in his tracks. Kili was being held by to two orcs, struggling as Carrek walked to him holding Kili's sword tightly in his mangled hand.
"CARREK!" Dwalin yelled and charged at the smirking goblin, but his progress was halted by one of the largest orcs he had ever seen. The orc stood over Dwalin and before the dwarf had a chance to bring his sword up in defense Maluc had swung a small mace and struck the side of Dwalin's head.
Dwalin landed on the unforgiving ground and as the word faded to black he could see an unconscious Kili being carried away into the woods.
"The last thing I remember is a massive orc knocking me in the head and Kili being carried off into the woods heading North-East. Thorin, the last I saw of him Kili had a cut on his leg and knock on the head, but he was still fighting. We'll find him, I know it." Dwalin said slowly and firmly, locking eyes with Fili on his last statement.
Clearing his throat of emotion Thorin placed a gently hand on his friend's shoulder and waited until he had his attention. "I know we will. Get some rest. We'll discuss everything in the morning."
Dwalin nodded carefully and the moment his eyes slipped closed he was asleep. Thorin took in a sharp breath and clenched his jaw, trying to shake the images that Dwalin placed in his mind and ready himself for what he had to do next.
After a few silent moments Thorin turned to Fili. He was still kneeling by Dwalin's side and his head was resting on the edge on the cot, looking closer Thorin saw that his shoulders were shaking with unheard tears. Thorin dropped to his knees and very careful placed his large hand on Fili's back, trying to not startle his nephew.
"Fili, let's go home and get some sleep. We have to head out tomorrow and you need your rest." Thorin said in a voice barely above a whisper.
Fili's head shot up and he looked at his uncle with panic in his watery blue eyes. "No Uncle I…I can't sleep!"
Thorin sighed, "Fili you need to sleep, you'll be no help to your brother tomorrow if you don't rest."
Fili shook his head frantically, "No that's…that's not what I meant. I can't sleep in my room…our room…I…I won't be able to, knowing…not knowing."
Thorin pulled Fili's head to his chest and just held him, trying to comfort him as the other dwarfs in the room tried to move away and give the shattered family some privacy.
Gloin's gruff voice suddenly broke through the quiet, "You and the lad can have my bed Thorin."
Thorin looked at Gloin with thankful eyes, "Thank you Gloin." He then led Fili to the back bedroom and helped him lay down. Fili's exhausted mind did not protests being led like a child and that just told Thorin how tired and lost he truly felt. After a few moments Fili's breath evened out as he slipped into an uneasy slumber. Thorin however, did not sleep he crossed the room and sat down on a wooden chair in the corner, watching his nephew toss and turn, praying that Kili would hold on until they could find him.
There you have it! I know there was no Kili in this chapter :( but do not worry the next one will have lots of Kili! I am hoping to get the next one up in the next couple of days. Thank you to all of your reviews they really helped me work through a bit of a writer's block that I had. You guys are wonderful! Please keep reviewing and letting me know your thoughts. Thank you thank you for all of your support!
