Sooooooooooo, I finally finished this chapter, and it's a little shorter than the others because...well reasons. I just wanted to let you all know I will probably be wrapping this story up within another five chapters maybe? Who can say, it honestly could go on for another ten. I've been feeling less and less inspired lately, and would really love some more reviews on this story. So please, leave something, even if it's anon. I love reading what you guys write and it really helps me write in return.
Hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think, and any ideas you have towards the story's progression.
The barrel ride was exhausting, and if it weren't for the pack of never-ending orcs chasing them it would have been mildly entertaining. Fili sighed, sitting on the rocky shore next to his brother who was clutching his wound from the arrow he took only minutes before. "I hope I see her again." The raven haired dwarf confessed, Fili just rolled his eyes knowing he was speaking of the red haired elf who had visited his brother in the dungeon.
"She is an enemy my brother, it is best you forget about her." Fili said, being careful not to use his collection of derogatory words he had saved up just for elf scum. "I think she'll come for me." Kili confessed, "just like I know that Averi will come for you." He said nudging Fili who bit back a smile.
"It's best we focus on what lay ahead now brother." He managed, wishing he could agree with his little brother that Averi was coming for him too. Now, being out of the dungeons brought on a world of realization for Fili. They would be at the base of the mountain very soon, and after that he would soon assume the throne. He had to start taking life more seriously, if Averi was coming or him he would let her, in fact he prayed she was coming, but if she did not he would have to start focusing more on the throne now more than anything...including his one love.
His Uncle would never allow the two to marry anyway, and he was sure if he even were to put a courting braid into her hair, that his Uncle would find a way to cut it out. Fili just shook the thought from his head, Mahal help him now.
...
Averi grunted as she kicked the locked door of the Prince's room. After the escape of the dwarves, the king had seen if fit she be kept at bay, as if to not add to the problem. "How could he!" She snarled, pounding on the door until the ends of her fists began to show signs of bleeding. "It it for your own good." A female voice spat from the other side of the door. Instantly she kicked at the door again, and this time it rattled, showing signs of wear, finally.
"You mock me now, Tauriel. A mealy locked door cannot hold me forever." Averi snarled back, kicking the door once more. Realizing it would not break anytime soon, there was only one other option now. Sighing, wishing it wouldn't have had to come to this she backed up to the center of the room, wondering if she should give the guard on the other side of the door a fair warning. "I highly doubt that, you've grown weak Averien even I coul-"
Before the elf could finish the door shattered to pieces in front of her, sending the red head flying into the corridor. Groaning from the force of impact, she watched in horror as a huge white animal stalked towards her. Pinning the elf down with only one paw, Averi felt herself smirking on the inside. The look of terror in Tauriel's eyes was enough to live the rest of her life in happiness. Ripping her head off right now...well that would just be selfish.
"Get off of me you glorified mut!" She spat, and Averi snarled back, jaws snapping in the elf's face, just inches from inflicting a fatal wound. Recoiling in fear, knowing the skin-changer could end her life in a quick snap, she fell limp under the giant white paw waiting for the wolf to retreat. With another snarl, sounding more or less like a warning, and the newly released pressure from her shoulder, Tauriel realized she was alone.
With a grunt she hoisted herself from the ground where she had been pinned down, looking to what remained of the door she sighed. She had a lot of explaining to do.
Thinking back to the dwarves escape, she couldn't help but wonder why Averi would want to chase after them. She should just go back to her dwelling in the forest with the other skin-changer. Muttering in elvish she couldn't help but let her mind shift to the dark haired dwarf, and the way his face twisted in agony as the orc's arrow planted itself into his knee. Feeling heat rise up in her cheeks, she felt a pang in her heart for the creature, he had been so kind to her in the dungeons, and he was quite tall for a dwarf. Sighing she kicked a shard of the doorway from her path.
She would not report to the king, the mut would take her right where she needed to be. She was refused love many years ago, she would not be forced to ignore the fleeting feeling in her chest again, Kili was in danger, she needed to find him.
...
She crumpled to the ground, her panting turning to long draws of breath as her human form forced it's way back. With her skin feeling torn apart, and her mind a black void of pain and confusion, she forced herself to try and calm down.
She had never felt this weak, or this vulnerable since she had been created, and now, with her knees to her chest, baring only her tattered clothing and her dirtied skin she let her feelings flow from her for the first time since she had come to earth.
While running through the wooded path she had lost track of Fili's scent along the narrow river, she had wound up taking a darkened path that had led even deeper into the woods than she had anticipated, and though she knew where she would be able to find the blonde dwarf, she couldn't help but feel as if the path had been forever lost, there was no meaning to chasing after him anymore. Her father had finally replenished her foresight, and she had seen unbearable things.
Feeling the burning hot tears on her face she clawed at the ground in agony. She had seen it happen, it would happen and she knew for once she could not stop it. Fate would ruin her, it would gift her with her first taste of death. Pain, suffering, she wished, even prayed Eru would rid her of this earth now before she would have to see her visions played out in reality.
Fili, his body crumpled and broken, laying lifeless across the ice. His eyes whispering the words of a life so young, a life taken in vengeance, and anger. His mouth drawing breath no more, his hands unable to gift the smallest of touches ever again. She had been there though, standing across the ice as he had fallen, she had seen it all and she could do nothing.
Averi sobbed into the forest floor, nearby the woodland creatures watched, her presence drawing them to her like a moth to flame. She was a spirit of the earth none the less, a powerful being, and they watched her, forgetting previous motives, forgetting the world for a moment. Among them an elf.
The spirit cried out, her skin glowing with white light, her screams of agony sending a beam of light through the golden leafed canopies, through the clouded skies, straight to the heavens, straight to the being who caused her this pain. Leaves shook violently on the tree tops, and the winds blew harshly around the golden trunks. "Why must you do this father?" She sobbed, kneeling, her arms covering her face as if she were ashamed to have felt so strongly towards the death of a mortal. "You show me this now, after I have found the only thing among this earth that brings light to my life."
"Please." her final words were uttered in a whisper, pleading, begging almost.
Tauriel stood hidden among the bushes with the woodland creatures, and though she had never felt so much hate for one being before, she could not help but feel pain for her in her heart. She had never seen anyone so broken before, so angry and pained. She drew a quiet breath before leaving, knowing if Averien had envisioned a death among the company, then Kili would be in trouble too if he had not already fallen to the poisoned arrow.
Before she could step fully bac out into the light form the woods, a twig snapped behind her, drawing her bow swiftly she notched a arrow and was prepared to fire until a firm hand wrapped around the wood of her bow, forcing her to lower it. "You know of what I saw, you were watching me." The pure haired being spoke, her skin was outlined with a thin cloud of white light, bright as the morning sun, her skin no longer dirtied as it had been before, fresh tears stained her cheeks.
"Yes." Tauriel whispered back, compelled to answer.
Averi took her hand from the bow, instead looking deep into the elf's eyes now. "You love him don't you." She whispered. "You go to him now?"
The elf only nodded, hesitantly, but willing. "I can take you to him, let us forget the war of our past now. Help me, Tauriel." Averi pleaded, her eyes still glossed over from her tears, but still beautiful under all the torture she had been through.
"Tell me, what did you see." Tauriel asked, her mind thoughtfully prepared to shield itself from the oncoming information. Deciding it best to form an alliance with the skin-changer, she forced herself to look beyond the ages spent hating this being, no, they needed each other now.
Averi just stared off somewhere behind the elf's shoulders, her eyes distant now.
"Death." She whispered, as they world grew silent around them.
...
"Look brother." Kili said with a pained whisper, staring out over the waters and homes of the lake. They had made it to Laketown, and now awaited nightfall under the roof of Bard's home. The anxiety of reaching the mountain on time was beginning to drag on Fili, his thoughts about the future under the mountain driving him insane.
Walking over to gaze out the window at what his brother had become so entranced in though, his mind drew a blank. His thoughts settled, but in turn his heart thrummed in his chest, as if it were signaling something. His eyes narrowing in curiosity. "What do you think it is?" Kili asked, his voice strained as he tried to stand up to get a closer look.
Fili was silent, gazing out over the horizon.
A single beam of pure light bore through the heavens from the forest, it called to him almost. Beckoning him back, giving him a reason to forget his quest and live among the white light.
It was a silly thought though, and within the blink of an eye the beam of light was gone, and he turned back to his brother who seemed disappointed the light had dispersed.
"I'm sure it was nothing Kili." He said, taking the seat next to his brother to asses his wounds once more. The white light danced at the back of his head though, telling him he had known it's brightness before in another form.
Let me know what you think and thank you for reading!
