Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize, this story is for fun, not profit.
Notes: I am mad at myself. I had a great idea for the sequel and now i'm stuck. so if anyone wants to message me and give some ideas after hearing what i have already, I am so open.
Warnings: some violence
Soon, everyone was present, minus Fili, and seated. The company seemed to know what was going to happen, as they left the seat to Malrin's right open. Bofur sat on the other side of her, Kili on the other side of the empty seat. Bofur nudged Malrin suddenly and nodded towards the door. She turned, her heart feeling like it was in her throat, and saw the eldest prince walking towards her. Like he had said, he was wearing nothing but trousers, his cuffs, and his royal beads.
He stopped in front of her and knelt to the ground, one fist held over his heart. "My lady, Malrin, daughter of Abram, if I may, would you accept my offer of courtship in front of these witnesses?" he asked, looking up at her.
She paused, unsure how to answer as she didn't want to screw this up. Bofur seemed to sense her unrest and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. She repeated what he said.
"I accept, in front of all these witnesses, your offer of courtship, Fili, son of Vili," she repeated. Fili bowed once and stood, pulling her from her chair into a hug. The company cheered and the two sat down among congratulations and claps on the back.
"What is next?" Malrin whispered into Fili's ear.
"There are three gifts we must give each other before we are wed. The first gift is something that was traded for. The second, something that was in the family for years. The third, something made. Each gift might take up to a year to complete, as Dwarves are in no rush to marry since we live long lives."
"Will we wait that long?" Malrin asked.
Fili shook his head. "I doubt it. If we live past the dragon, I'd want to wed you as soon as possible, since I waited so long for you."
"For me?"
"My One." He smiled so brightly that Malrin blushed and looked down. One. Thorin had said something about that.
"What is your One?" she asked, ignoring several Dwarves that were pretending not to listen.
"A Dwarf's One is his soulmate. His second half. It is said that Mahal makes souls and then splits them. When they find each other again, they feel complete. Most find theirs when they are young, though some may take longer. Some never find their One and spend their days dedicated to their craft."
She nodded and smiled. "I'm glad I'm your One," she said shyly. She pointedly ignored Kili's snicker and grunt of pain when kicked by his brother.
"I will braid your hair into the courtship braids after dinner," Fili promised.
"Fili, don't kick your brother. He's hurt enough as it is," Thorin said from across the table.
Kili tried to smirk but it came across as pained. Fili apologized and slipped his best piece of roast onto Kili's plate when he didn't notice.
The night wore on and ale was brought out, much to the delight of the Dwarves. Many began a drinking contest while Fili took Malrin aside and began braiding her hair. The two girls from earlier were there, pouring drinks and taking plates away. The brown haired one sent them angry looks, but said nothing.
"Go on, Bofur!"
Bofur was close to winning, going against Dwalin. The two were evenly matched, but Dwalin was slowing, knowing he needed his wits about him when they set off tomorrow. Bofur ended up winning and promptly passed out.
"He'll be fine. Leave him," Thorin said. "Let us get some rest now. Mahal knows when we'll be able to next."
Everyone agreed and set off for their rooms. Malrin touched her new braid and smiled as she headed off to her room. She said goodnight to everybody and went inside. Fili was sitting on the bed, grinning.
"How did you get in here so fast?" she asked.
"Secret. So, my lady, may I spend the night? I won't try anything," he hurriedly assured her.
"You're just trying to get out of hearing Bombur snore all night," she teased.
"'Course. With the benefit of spending some time in a pretty lady's company," he said.
"Go ahead. But don't come crying to me when your uncle kills you for trying to disgrace me."
"Would never." He grinned again and flopped down onto the bed. "This is cozy."
"Take your shoes off and budge over," she said, sliding in next to him. He kicked his boots off and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close. "Thought you weren't going to try anything," she whispered.
He chuckled. "I'm not. Just want to keep you close as long as I can."
She smiled into his chest. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
"You do know we're one short? Where's Bofur?" Bilbo asked the next morning.
The company was getting ready to set sail. The Master had provided weapons, the very ones they tried to steal, and a boat. To Fili's surprise, Thorin had said nothing when he walked out of Malrin's room.
"If he's not here, we leave him behind," Thorin said. They couldn't waste any more time!
"We'll have to, if we're to find the door before nightfall. We can risk no more delays," Balin said logically. Many started nodding and boarding the boat. However, when Kili walked up, Thorin stopped him.
"Not you. We must travel at speed, you will slow us down," Thorin said.
"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you," Kili insisted, looking gray and weak.
"No," Thorin repeated. Malrin secretly agreed as Kili looked ready to keel over at the slightest breeze.
"I'm going to be there when that door's opened. When we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin," Kili demanded.
"Kili, stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed." Thorin turned to board the boat while Kili's face fell.
"I'll stay with the lad. My duty lies with the wounded," Oin said, getting off and joining Kili. Fili turned on Thorin.
"Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain. Tales you told us. You cannot take that away from him!" he cried. He ignored Kili's call. "I will carry him if I must."
"One day you will be king and you will understand," Thorin promised. "I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one Dwarf. Not even my own kin."
Fili looked over to Kili, then started to get off. Thorin stopped him by grabbing his arm.
"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the company," he insisted.
"I belong with my brother," Fili spat and continued to Kili. Malrin bit her lip, unsure of what to do. Thorin sighed and looked to her, nodding slightly. She nodded back and left the boat, helping Fili and Oin hold Kili up. He was looking weaker by the minute.
The Master got up to say goodbye. "Go now with our good will." The people cheered as the boat got under way.
"Wait!" Malrin heard in the distance. A few seconds later, Bofur appeared, watching after the boat sadly. He turned and saw the four. "Did you miss the boat as well?" he asked.
At that moment, Kili slumped. Fili held him up, calling his name. Kili did not answer.
"He may hate us, but let's try Bard," Malrin suggested. Between the three of them, they got Kili to Bard's house in little time. Bard opened the door, looking at them with disgust.
"No. I'm done with Dwarves, go away!" He started to close the door.
"No! No!" Bofur stopped the door. "No one will help us. Kili's sick. He's very sick." He was very close to passing out.
Bard hesitated. Malrin could tell he didn't want to help, but he wasn't going to turn away a sick being.
"Fine. Come in," he said, opening the door. Fili and Oin manhandled Kili inside. "Sigrid, clear the table."
The oldest girl hurried to do so, giving things to her siblings to put away. Soon the table was clear and Kili was placed on it. Tilda ran to get her makeshift pillow of acorns and put it under his head.
"What's wrong with him?" Sigrid asked, already wetting a cloth and placing it on Kili's forehead.
"He was struck with an arrow. A poisoned arrow," Malrin summarized.
"If only I had my kit with me," Oin fretted. He had lost it back in Mirkwood when they were captured.
"We will make do," Malrin said, rolling her sleeves up. "Now, hold him down. We need to take the rest of the arrow out."
Fili, Bofur, and Oin held him down as Malrin extracted the arrow piece still stuck. Kili moaned in pain and thrashed, but the piece was gone now.
"If only that would help more," Sigrid said, taking the arrow piece with another cloth and throwing it away.
Kili continued thrashing, his fever getting worse.
"Can you not do something?" Bofur asked Oin.
"I need herbs, something to bring down his fever," Oin answered, placing a cold cloth on his forehead.
"We have nightshade, feverfew," Bard said, looking through containers.
"They're no use to to me. Do you have any Kingsfoil?" Oin asked.
"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs," Bard said. Malrin groaned. Of course they fed it to the pigs.
"Pigs? Weed? Right," Bofur said suddenly. He turned to Kili. "Don't move," he ordered before running out of the house.
"Where is he going?" Malrin asked.
"With any luck? To get the Kingsfoil," Fili said.
They spent the next fifteen minutes or so trying to keep Kili from doing more damage to his leg. Suddenly the earth shook and the house rumbled.
"Da?" Sigrid asked worriedly.
"It's coming from the mountain," Bain pointed out.
"They must of woken up the dragon," Malrin groaned. Leave it to Dwarves!
"You should leave us. Take your children and get out of here," Fili said, walking up to Bard.
"And go where? There is nowhere to go," Bard said.
"Are we going to die, Da?" Tilda asked, making Malrin worry for them.
"No, darling," Bard assured her.
"The dragon, it's going to kill us," she pointed out.
Bard looked up to the black arrow. He grabbed it and yanked it down. "Not if I kill it first," he promised. Bard and Bain left the house then. Oin continued to try to bring down the fever, but nothing was working since they didn't have the proper herbs. Bain came back alone a few minutes later.
Malrin noticed some odd sounds then, her ears twitching with the sounds of harsh breathing and heavy footfalls. She was about to say something when Sigrid spoke.
"Da? Is that you, Da?"
Suddenly there were Orcs everywhere. The children screamed and tried to ward them off. Fili and Malrin jumped in between and fought them off. Malrin used the plate that Tilda had thrown to stab one in the neck. Kili used his last bit of strength to attack an Orc that was about to hurt Sigrid, who grabbed Tilda and hid under the table.
The Elves from Mirkwood, Legolas and Tauriel, came in then and helped finish them off. The Orcs were vicious, but the Elves were better. Some Orcs ran off as the ones left behind were killed.
"You killed them all," Bain said reverently.
"There are others," Legolas said curtly. "Tauriel, come."
But the red-headed Elf wasn't listening. She was watching as Oin fretted over Kili, who looked delirious with pain.
"We're losing him!" Oin yelled fearfully.
"Tauriel," Legolas repeated. She looked to him and he left to go chase the Orcs. She started to follow, then ran into Bofur, who had the Kingsfoil.
"Athelas," she breathed. She took it from him.
"What are you doing?" Bofur asked.
She looked at him. "I'm going to save him," she promised. "Get him back on the table."
Malrin and Fili grabbed Kili and maneuvered him back onto the table. His shouts of pain were constant now. As Tauriel prepared the Kingsfoil, everyone got into position to hold him down. Tauriel started to chant in Elvish and applied the Kingsfoil. Kili screamed.
"Tilda!" Sigrid yelled, getting her attention. Tilda rushed up and helped calm Kili down. The chant took a few minutes, but slowly Kili's screams turned to whimpers. He stopped thrashing and everyone was able to back off a bit.
"I've heard tales of Elvish medicine. That was a privilege to witness," Oin whispered to Fili and Malrin.
"Tauriel," Kili said, the first coherent word in hours.
"Lie still," she commanded him.
"You cannot be her. She is far away. She...she is far, far away from me. She walks in starlight in another world. It was just a dream," he rambled. He reached out and touched her hand. "Do you think she could've loved me?"
Tauriel hesitated, not sure how to answer. It turned out she didn't have to. Kili went back to rambling quietly to himself.
Just then, there was a greater rumbling, low and in the distance. Everyone turned to the window, horrified.
"What have they done?" Malrin whispered, her dread growing.
The dragon was headed for Lake-town.