All recognizable storylines and characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, only original characters and storylines belong to me.
Epilogue
Arien stood in the kitchen of the forge with her son balanced on her hip. Little Kiren was a beautiful boy with the same dark hair and eyes as his father but the height and build of his mother. He was a playful boy with a precocious streak and a habit of mischief but a loving heart. In the nearly two years since his father's departure he'd become her pride and joy, her reason for living and she thanked the gods every day that even though they took her Kili they gave her Kiren as a gift.
When Arien discovered that she was with child a second time she was in the darkest place of her life. Kili and Fili had been gone three months and the forge had burned to the ground with her brother inside. She was grieving and lost but that all changed when the healer told her she was carrying a new life within her. Her child gave her a reason to live on and fight and she did. She found them a new home and helped her father secure the materials for a new forge. It wasn't as familiar and comforting as the home they'd lost but it would do and there was plenty of room for the family and Arien's new babe.
The day Kiren was born was the happiest day of Arien's life. Despite the complications of her first pregnancy, this one went as smooth as could be. The only problem Arien encountered came with the birth, Kiren's head was larger than expected so bringing him into the world was difficult. Still, he was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life and the fact that he was half Kili made her love him all the more.
…
"Would you like a cake little one?" Arien asked her son who was seated in the chair next to her, the block raising him to the table and towel tying him in place. He cheered and she smiled at him as she placed a warm, but not too warm, honey cake in front of her son. As he dug in Arien felt a strange flutter in her heart, like a flicker of joy and it was accompanied by a small, excited sound from the forge. She rose and untied Kiren from his seat before she walked through the hallway to the main area that held the forge. When she stopped at the doorway she gasped and nearly dropped her son, the sight in front of her couldn't be real...could it?
"Arien..." Hearing her name on his lips caused a small cry to leave her and she stood frozen, unsure if he was a dream or real. "I promised I'd come back to you if I were able."
"Kili..." Arien whispered and the dam broke, she sobbed as she sunk to her knees, setting her son down before she collapsedand Kili practically ran to her. Once he got near she reached a hand to his face and brushed the vivid scars that now marked his face "You're alive..."
"I'm so sorry I didn't send word my love. Believe me that you were in my thoughts every moment." He whispered before he kissed her but started when Kiren fussed beside them. "Who is this?"
"Kiren...your son." Arien managed to choke out though her throat was closed with emotion and Kili knelt down and ran his fingertips across his son's sweet face.
"We have a son?" Kili asked, his voice filled with awe and Arien nodded, unable to speak further. Kili stared at them both for a moment before he pulled them to him. "I'm never leaving you again, either of you."
"We'll hold you to that." Arien said softly as her tears subsided and Kili laughed, a joyous, beautiful, sound. No, he'd never leave them again.
…
Author's Note: Here it is, the end of "A Fire Within". I had originally planned on concluding the story of Arien and Kili but due to several, very positive, reviews I've decided to continue their story. I wanted them to find true happiness and by continuing with another story I'll be able to do that and draw it out longer since there won't be a timeline I'll be working with. So sometime within the next week I'm going to start a new story that explores their relationship when confronted with dwarven customs, stoic in-laws and the whole issue of unrequited love. Thank you all for reading and reviewing, you really make my day when you do.
