Chapter Ten: Darkness Falls
"The darkness dwells in Durin's halls;" -Tolkien, 'Song of Durin'
…
Thorin's lust for treasure may well have left them in a never-ending siege were it not for the goblin forces which turned would-be enemies into allies. The elves and men rush headlong into the battle, as do the Ironfoot dwarves, but Thorin bides his time and bids his companions to wait. Fíli and Kíli peer over the high walls of Erebor at the assembling darkness below them and know it is only a matter of time before they join the fray.
"This is really going to happen, isn't it?" Kíli looks up from where he's stocking his quiver.
"You know it is, brother." Fíli strikes a whetstone across the blade of one of his swords. "So much danger getting here and the real battle comes only once we've won."
"I was foolish, you know." Kíli checks the tautness of his bow string. "When this all began. I thought we were invincible."
"We both did." Fíli moves on to sharpening the second blade. "We were children who knew nothing of the world."
"I wish we still were." Kíli tucks his dagger into its sheath.
"As do I." Fíli checks the throwing axes in his boots.
"You'll stay by me, won't you?" Kíli's sword is strapped to his side.
"At your side, as always." Fíli slides the daggers into his bracers. "Until the very end."
...
They've seen their fair share of skirmishes, even a battle or two, but everything pales in comparison to this- this is war. And Fíli is afraid. He looks over at his brother, as they ready by the gates, and knows Kíli feels the same fear. They are princes of Erebor and so they do their best to hide it.
Thorin is walking amongst the ranks of their small company, checking in with each dwarf in turn. When he reaches his sister-sons he stops, eyes heavy with worry, and pulls them both into his arms. "Do not do anything reckless. No matter what happens to me, keep each other safe. Erebor will need its heirs." The words are barely more than a whisper and then he is gone, moving on to the next of the companions.
Too soon the gates are raised and they rush into the valley, weapons glinting in the crisp autumn sun. Fíli keeps his brother beside him as they move to flank the goblins. They fight in perfect tandem, a lifetime of training and affection leading them to know the others moves without looking. Kíli looses arrow after arrow, easily picking off goblins, while Fíli lays in to any that make it past the barrage.
The fighting goes on for hours, and it isn't long until both brothers are wet with sweat and gore. Kíli quickly runs out of arrows and is forced to draw his sword, while Fíli limps heavily due to a deep cut in his thigh. No matter how many goblins they slay, two more move in to take their place. It isn't until the eagles join in the fight that Fíli dares hope they might live to see victory.
Indeed, the eagles help their cause, grabbing goblins and wargs and tossing them into the depths of the river. The elves, men, and other dwarves rally at the site and fight with a renewed vigor. Fíli occasionally catches sight of their other companions, dirty and bleeding, but still alive and fighting.
He sees Thorin in the distance, axes flashing, as he battles his way through goblin bodyguards.
He sees Thorin pierced by goblin spears.
He sees Thorin fall.
Fíli moves without thinking, racing across the battlefield toward his fallen uncle. He feels Kíli at his side as they take up ranks around Thorin's prone body. "Thorin!" Fíli is not sure if it's his voice yelling, or his brother's, but he takes heart in the rise and fall of his uncle's chest. He fights like a berserker, each slash of his swords making one less enemy who can hurt his friends, his uncle, his brother. He fights because he has everything to loose.
Out of nowhere aid comes and bears Thorin away, leaving the brothers alone in the mass of goblins.
"The gates of Erebor are close!" Kíli yells over the din of the battle. "We need to move!"
Fíli sees the arrow the moment before it embeds itself into his brother's chest. "KILI!" The world stops moving, as he pulls the younger dwarf into his arms. "Kili! Brother, please!"
Kíli's dark eyes are wide with terror. "Fee?"
"I am here, brother." He presses a hand to the wound, trying to stop the blood flow.
"Hurts, Fee." Kíli's voice rasps, flecks of red dotting his lips.
"I know it does." Fíli sobs, pressing his forehead to his brother's. "But you've got to hold on. You promised never to leave me!"
Kíli makes a pained whimper, his fingers reaching up to tangle in Fíli's hair.
"Kili! Stay with me!" He clutches his brother to him. "You promised!"
"Love you, Fee." Kíli's words are barely more then a whisper. "Always."
"Always." Fíli breathes. Then his brother is gone.
...
There is no life without Kíli. No sunshine. No warmth. No laughter. There is no home without the brother whose soul is forged with his.
In the distance Fíli can hear a voice yelling for him to hurry, that the gates of Erebor are close and that he can still make it, but he can't bring himself to run.
His body continues to fight of its own accord, parrying a stroke, then taking the goblin down. He clasps Kíli's body to him and throws his last dagger at a charging warg, hitting it clean between the eyes.
When the blow finally comes, he welcomes it, the sharp burn of a blade buried deep in his side. Stroking his brother's hair like a silent benediction, the last heir of Durin falls.
...
...
A/N: I might have died a little writing this. They've been my boys for over 11,000 words and I had to kill them. My only hope is that I did them justice. Please tell me what you thought of this one!
I've written an epilogue to this, which will be up sometime this weekend. I hope it helps ease the blow.
There's been some good interest in a drabble spin-off series of missing moments, or scenes that didn't make it into this fic. If you've got a drabble suggestion, leave me a comment. It could be from the book, the movie, or even a prompt based on the boys growing up... 3