Disclaimer: Not mine
Chapter 9
Kili slowly opened his eyes and then smiled as he saw the crimson hair spilling across the bed. He slowly moved his good arm to touch it, it was so soft. She stirred and he moved his arm back even as she sat up, their eyes meeting. Tauriel smiled at seeing him awake and he smiled back. "Well my Lady, am I going to live?" He asked and she chuckled.
"You will." She leant over to check the wound. "There is no sign of infection and it is beginning to heal."
"So how long will I remain trapped in bed?"
"Until I am sure you will not tear any stitches if allowed up."
"Looks like your stuck in that bed them little brother." They both looked over at the door to find an amused looking Fili watching them. He nodded at Tauriel who nodded back in greeting and then he moved to sit beside the bed. "Well you must be feeling better to be wanting out of bed already." He reached out to tug at his brother's hair playfully. Kili swatted at him with his good arm and Tauriel couldn't help smiling at the brotherly reminded her of happier times when she and Legolas had been children together.
Hari walked behind the dwarves, making sure no one wandered off as they crossed the barren land, ever closer to the Mountain and Smaug. He did not like leaving the others behind in Laketown but there was nowhere safer for them now. And he had spoken to Bard, he would keep an eye on them while they were gone. If the dragon woke though the town would offer no safety, the stone buildings of Dale had not been safe and the buildings they now sheltered in were wooden. The night before they had left he had walked the town, doing what he could to give it some protection but against dragon fire he doubted it would hold. He knows the dragon is sleeping now but it is not the deep sleep of dormancy as it was when he passed this way before, something has caused the beast to waken from that. Can even a hobbit sneak past a lightly sleeping dragon? Hari glanced at Bilbo, seeing how nervous he already was even as he played with the Ring in his pocket.
"What is this place?" Bilbo asked as they reached the overhang.
"This was once the grand city of men, Dale. Destroyed by Smaug like so many other places over the centuries." Hari answered softly, able to see the ghostly children running through the ruined streets to stare up at them. He smiled sadly at them and on his hand his Ring glowed, power drifting through the city and helping them all move on. He then looked up at the mountain and sighed, he could feel the dragons taint from here. The mountain and all the land around it was sick with it. "This is not a healthy place but we need shelter for the night, it is too dark to begin searching now. Come away Bilbo." He guided the hobbit away from the edge and the whole group made their way slowly into the ruined city. They found the main hall was mostly intact so settled down for the night with two on watch at a time rather than the normal one.
Kili leant almost all his weight on his brother and Dori as Tauriel changed the bed linen as fast as possible before leaving the room so that Fili could help Kili change and wipe him over with cool water. The youngest Prince refused to let any sign of pain pass his lips. He was pale and sweating from the effort but it felt so good to be in something clean again. "Do…you think they've reached the mountain yet?" He asked as Fili settled him back into bed, panting a bit from effort.
"With how slow those ancient warriors walk?" Fili answered with a grin and Kili tried not to laugh. Fili ran his hand through his brother's hair and then sighed, going to grab what he needed from his pack. He sat down and gently shifted Kili so that he was sitting up a bit more. Kili remained still and quiet as Fili worked on unknotting his hair before braiding it. Kili usually wore his hair mostly lose but being stuck in bed the braids would be easier to manage. "There, now you look more like a dwarf." Fili teased and Kili swatted at him. So what if he had little beard and couldn't be bothered with braids, he knew Fili was just teasing unlike others back home who were cruel in their teasing. Some even said Kili wasn't his brother, that their mother had a child with a man or even an elf and Fili knew it hurt Kili but he didn't mind family teasing. There was a knock and he grinned. "He's as decent as he ever gets." He called out and Kili swatted at him again.
The door opened and Tauriel walked in with a tray of soup and tea. She blinked at seeing his hair braided but then settled the tray down. "How do you feel?" She gently checked him for fever and he smiled at her.
"Clean and comfy." He took her hand and she flushed slightly.
"I think I'll go get something to eat as well." Fili winked at him and left the room so Kili patted the bed beside him.
Tauriel sat down on the mattress and watched him eat. She reached out and delicately touched one of the braids. He looked more like a dwarf with his hair like this but she found she didn't care. He was Kili.
"I can't be bothered doing them myself. Uncle Thorin insists for official things but I prefer my hair free. Unfortunately, I couldn't exactly fight Fili off and he is right, less tangles from lying around like this."
"I am used to it being free but the braids are nice, your brother is good at them."
"He used to braid my hair when I was too little to look after it, some of the early ones were really terrible but he got better at it, until I was old enough to do my own. I learnt to braid on his hair too." Kili smiled.
"It must be wonderful to have someone so close."
"You don't have siblings?"
"MY family was slaughtered by orcs when I was young. The King found me and brought me to the Palace. Legolas was the only one close to my age and we have always been close. Not as close as the King thinks we are though."
"He thinks you love him?"
"I do, just not in the manner he thinks. I always knew it would never be allowed."
"Why not?"
"Because Legolas is a Prince and I am a lowly Silvan Elf." She admitted.
"That isn't fair."
"Maybe not, but he is my friend and my Captain, nothing more."
"He was here…. before, wasn't he?"
"Yes. He helped in your healing but he has left to track the orcs as they did not follow the others towards the mountain." She set the now empty bowl aside while Kili sipped the herbal tea.
Gandalf looked over all of those assembled, elves from Rivendell and Lothlórien were gathered around as well as a few Rangers. The biggest surprise came when a group of Mirkwood elves arrived, Elros leading them. "Prince Legolas ordered our presence Lord Elrond, Uirebon asked for us to come." Well that explained that, Hari had always liked the young Prince of Mirkwood. They had a fair sized army gathered but would it be enough? Who knew what dwelt within the old fortress now?
Hari sat on a collapsed wall, staring out towards where he knew Gandalf and the others were. He knew they were marching on the fortress and wished he could help. "A pipe Hari?" Bofur offered and he shook his head. "Something troubling you?"
"They are marching on the Fortress."
"Gandalf's a wily one Hari, he'll make it." That earnt a small smile from the wizard.
"I hope they will all make it even though I know they won't."
"And what about us?"
"If I have any say in the matter you will all make it too." He promised and Bofur left him to go back to his own watch.
TBC….
