AN: Okay this may be the last chapter I post for a while because I will be going home today so no more internet. This chapter contains some disturbing things like forced touching so beware. A lot happens and hopefully it doesn't move too fast. Hope you enjoy it.
When Fili wakes he does so slowly. He feels as if he's floating and that brings a small smile to his face and he giggles. A sound he tries not to make too often because Heirs don't giggle, they laugh and they rarely laugh because they have to be serious. He doesn't know where he is, he isn't in his bed cause his bed is comfy and what ever he is laying on isn't comfy. Not one bit. It's actualy kinda lumpy and scratchy. There is an odd whooshing noise in his ears and the floaty feeling is slowly draining away leaving him aching. He doesn't like that! He wants the floaty feeling back. With the aching comes a building pressure to puke. Desperately he tries to turn over on his side so that he can throw up with out worry but he can't move.
"When I said grab the Crown Prince this is not what I had in mind!"
"It's not like he would come with us willingly!"
"Yeah! We had to hit him over the head."
"And the other injuries he has?"
"He woke up quicker than we thought he would."
"WHY WASN'T HE ALREADY TIED UP?!"
Fili blinks as the conversation slowly drips into his ears. They aren't in the same room as him so it's hard to understand them through both the whooshing sound and the wall.
"At least we got a healer to look at him right? He ain't dead and now the royal family knows we mean business right?"
There's a thud and a groan. Did one of the voices get hit? He feels his mouth become swamped in saliva and knows that he's about to puke. Why can't the floaty feeling come back? A door opens and that is when he realizes that he can't see and that there is something in his mouth. His stomach chooses that moment to empty itself and he starts to gag.
"Shit!"
He knows that voice! Where does he know that voice from? Any further thoughts on the voice are literally shaken from his mind as he is manhandled onto his side and the gag is removed from his mouth. He coughs out the vomit in his mouth, gagging and puking a little more. A keening whine escapes him. Why is he hurting? What did he do to deserve this? Where is Kili? Is Kili okay? If he knows this voice why would it be in on hurting him?
"You finished puking Your Highness? You've made such a mess of yourself and my plan but that's okay. I can fix it... Where is that healer!"
Fili flinches back at the loud voice next to his ear. The hands that got him on his side sits him up and starts to feel around his body. Oh Mahal! He whimpers.
"Please stop. Please."
"Oh now you beg little Prince. Don't worry my Lion I won't do anything while your like this. I can wait," the voice purrs in his ear. The door opens again and a new set of hands start to touch him. These hands touch all the places that ache. Words tumble from his lips and the second pair of hands withdraw. A new gag is shoved into his mouth.
"I may heal people but I hate hearing them," a new voice grouses, it must belong to the second pair of hands. Fili whines as the hands start touching him again.
"The stitches have ripped, the medication I gave him is obviously out of his system and his head wound is worse than I thought... I don't know if we can risk giving him more..."
"What's the worst that could happen."
"He'll never wake up."
"That's not good."
"I can half the dose but it won't really help. And you can't let him fall back to sleep."
"Do it."
The second pair of hands retreat and Fili hears the healer move around the room. When the gag is removed something is shoved into his mouth. He tries not to swallow but someone pinches his nose forcing him to swallow it. Almost immediately the floaty feeling comes back though not as strong. He sinks into the arms of the first voicr. The second pair of hands pull his shirt up and he feels the sting of a needle going through his skin. He cries softly but knows better than to try to get away from a healer when they are fixing a wound.
"Poor little Lion," the voice whispers softly. Fili wants to go home, he wants the hands to stop touching, he wants his One.
"You don't need a One! I will be the only one you'll ever need and if your One does show up... I'll kill them. You're mine."
Did he say that out loud?
"You did Your Highness. You should probably work on that. Wouldn't want anyone using that against you."
Hands touch his face, cupping them and petting them.
"Mahal are you pretty. You can't sleep so why don't you talk to me?"
Fili shakes his head. He doesn't want to be here, why would he talk. The stitching ends and the healer leaves.
"Then we'll just have to find a way to keep you awake then."
The golden haired prince really doesn't like the sound of that.
It's been three days since Fili has disappeared. Three long days and Kili feels as if his heart is about to stop. His brother is missing! Someone dared to take his brother. Beneath the almost blinding panic there is a growing anger. When he finds who ever stole his brother from him he will tear them apart! He stops his off kilter pacing, his leg aching angrily, eyes widening and he clutches his heart. Oh Mahal, how has he been so blind!? This anger, this desperation to find Fili, it's not something a brother would feel for a brother, or a Dwarf would feel for another that is not their One. Fili specializes in dual swords just like his Mark...
"You are such an idiot Kili," he growls to himself. He owes his big brother, his One so much when they find him.
"Why are you an idiot little Raven?" his mother asks startling him.
"Fili is my One."
Dis laughs.
"Finally he realizes! Thank the Valar!" her grin slips off her face and she walks over to him and wraps her arms around him.
"We will get him back, I promise you that."
Kili sinks into his mother's arms and starts to cry. Dis pets his hair gently and hums softly. Thorin stands in the doorway, his arm wrapped around Bilbo, watching his youngest nephew break down. Who ever dared to do this will regret. He will prosecute them to the fullest extent of Dwarrow law.
Faramir and Eomer watch their very twitchy older brothers. They had left the Elven Halls two days ago after being there for a week and a half and since then both the fifteen year old's have been very jumpy.
"What do you think happened?"
"I think your dad and my uncle are on the way," Eomer answers softly "We don't wanna get caught so we gotta get away but they don't know how close they are."
Faramir nods his head. That seems like it could be it. He's personally surprised that they gave Tauriel the slip... Unless she let them get away. Theodred holds up his hand causing them to stop.
"There is a house up ahead. Looks hastily built too," the Rohanian says. Him and Boromir exchange glances before Boromir starts walking toward the house. They watch him peer through the window of one of the rooms before booking it back to them.
"They have a Dwarf bound and gagged in the room!"
Theodred frowns.
"I wonder why. Do you think the Dwarf has done something wrong? Should we just avoid the house?"
"We can't avoid it and stay on the path. It looks like a strong breeze can tip it over but the built it right on the edge of the path. As for the Dwarf. He's injured but that is all I can tell."
"So do we chance going by?"
Boromir looks over at the younger two, his eyes dark with concern as he looks them over before looking back Theodred.
"I don't see another way that isn't dangerous. Keep Eomer and Faramir in the middle?"
Theodred nods.
"We don't need to be protected like babies," argues Eomer. Faramir nods his head in agreement.
"Not like babies. Like family who don't have sharp swords or even have a sword," counters Theodred.
"I know how to fight with my fists! And a sword doesn't have to be sharp to hurt!"
"Faramir... please."
The boys pout but stop fighting, it's not fair when the older brother uses puppy dog eyes. Not fair at all! Slowly the four boys make their way to the house. They try to stay out of view as they pass. However as they start to pass they hear someone talking, they've left the front door wide open.
"Don't understand why I'm the one who has to stay here. Doggar was the one who busted up the Prince. Fucking Lords think they have all the cards..." the voices grumbles and it goes on to mutter unsavory things that have Boromir and Theodred blanching.
"He's all tied up, he won't be able to stop me and it's not like he can talk."
"We have to stop him."
"But how?"
"I can get his attention!"
"We can. We'll like bang on the door and get him to chase us. So long as it's not an Elf in there I'm sure me and Eomer can out run him."
"No and how do you know that he will chase you?"
The boys deflate.
"Maybe we could say that our parents are hurt and we need help and lead him away from the house?" Eomer tries. Theodred bites his lip, he doesn't like this plan at all. Boromir considers the plan and nods, handing over his horn to his brother who takes it reverently. Boromir treasures that horn and always has it with him.
"If he tries to hurt you blow on this so I know."
The younger boys nod their heads and wait until the older ones go hide before walking up to the open door. Faramir slips the horn over his head wearing it like his brother does before he begins to knock on the door frantically. Both boys adopt looks of fear when the person who spoke, a Dwarf, rushes into the front room.
"Help us!"
"Please! Our parents are hurt and we... we don't know what to do!"
"Please!"
The Dwarf looks them over.
"Why are you out here?" he asks them suspiciously.
"Our parents are traveling merchants. Please, momma is already very sickly I don't want to lose her," Eomer cries, trying very hard to give a puppy dog look. The Dwarf seems to melt at Eomer's distress and Faramir is impressed by the look.
"Alright, alright. Show me the way to your parents little ones and I will do what I can."
"Thank you."
"It's this way!"
Theodred watches them go with dread, he doesn't like having Eomer out of his sight but he trusts his cousin not to do anything overly stupid and Faramir seems to have an okay head on his shoulders for a ten year old. Boromir claps his shoulder and once the group of three are out of sight and hearing range the sneak into the house. Boromir stays in the front room to keep a look out while Theodred goes into the room the tied up Dwarf is. Moving carefully he removes the blindfold.
"I'm gonna take out the gag okay? Don't yell, we don't want your captors coming back yeah?" he talks to the dazed looking blond Dwarf who nods slowly. With the nod Theodred removes the gag.
"Have any idea why they trussed you up like this?" Theodred asks going to untie the binds on the Dwarfs arms.
"No... Who are you?"
"Theodred."
Theodred pats himself down looking for a dagger or knife to cute the ropes, he doesn't think the Dwarf will react well if he tries to cut them with his sword. When he can't find one he curses.
"I will be right back." he resists the urge to say don't move and goes back to where Boromir is. Without saying anything he begins to search Boromir.
"Woah there Theo, we're friends but that doesn't mean you can do that," the Gondorian says with a jump when Theodred reaches into his back pocket.
"You're pretty but not my type," quips Theodred pulling out a dagger.
"Couldn't you have just asked?"
"Where is the fun in that?"
Boromir glares playfully at Theodred who just grins before heading into the room. He walks back up to the Dwarf and bends back down.
"I just realized I didn't ask you name."
"Fili."
"There you go Fili, you arms are free and they didn't tie you legs together... Where did they snatch you from?"
"Erebor."
The one word answers that Fili is giving him is starting to worry Theodred. He hopes it's because Fili doesn't trust him and not something more sinister.
"Well you're in luck. My friends and I are heading that way. We can help you," he says with a slight smile. Fili looks him over curiously.
"Why?"
"Because that is what good people do. And I would like to think I'm at least decent," Theodred answers honestly as helps Fili stand "Father also says that if one can they should always help out those in need for it is a mark of a good leader for one to be willing to help without expecting reward."
Slowly the two make back to the front room.
"Theodred... I just realized a flaw in our plan."
"What flaw?"
"How are we going to signal to the boys that they can come back? We can't stay here and wait for them."
Theodred pales.
"That is a very big flaw," he agrees with a wince.
"What are you two talking about?"
Boromir jumps and spins around to glare at his brother who is looking at him with concern.
"It wasn't that hard to lose him. We made sure to remind him not to leave the path too... We may want to leave quickly though. Don't know how long he'll keep blindly searching," Eomer says. He's coming to really dislike the forest. It's like death wrapped in darkness and creepy creatures. Fili remains silent as Boromir takes his other side and they walk out of the house.
