I'm still alive and this is a short chapter that i can't figure a name out for.

Chapter 14

Tauriel took Ildri from the hall and far from any of the other places where she knew this magic lay. She had no idea what had happened and Ildri hadn't spoke since, wearing a puzzled and slightly frightened expression as she was led away. Having no idea where to go, the Elf led her female partner up the mountain and further from the origin of her troubles. They walked up random stairs and through unknown halls that had yet to be cleaned, no direction in mind and no words between them. It was when they reached a dead end with only a doorway did Tauriel speak.

"We should go back through another hall." She reached over and gently tugged on Ildri's arm, but the wizard didn't move. Instead, a furrow was on her brow as she stared at the old, wood door. "What is it?"

Ildri only shook her head and step forward, her arm dropping from Tauriel's hand. It was a small door, iron, with no handle or keyhole. Her hands caressed the cold door silently as the Elf watched on in worry.

"Is there something in there?"

She didn't answer Tauriel, instead focusing on the oddly familiar energy slowly pulsing on the other side of the door. With a push of her magic, the metal dissolved, and air was sucked into the previously closed room. Both peered into the room, unable to see into the darkness and wondered on entering a room that had previously closed by magic. The decision was all but made up for them when a spark lit up through the doorway. The light pulsed, shining brighter by the second and Ildri unwittingly stepped closer to the unknown illumination. Tauriel didn't stop her, she too focused and intrigued on what was in the room. One after the other, they ducked under the short doorframe and continued approaching the pulsing shine.

More and more, the room lit from the growing brilliance and Tauriel tore her gaze away to see the room they were in was small, possibly twenty feet round, and almost empty aside from a shelf system with books and parchment, and the table that Ildri was now standing before. Her attention refocused back to the light, which Tauriel saw now were what looked like shards of stone, glass, and metal. So narrowed was her concentration, she failed to notice Ildri's hand reaching for the broken pieces.

"No, wait!" Tauriel's reaction was too slow and Ildri had picked up a shimmering, glass-like shard. Not a moment after, the wizard's body stiffened and the next moment crumpled to the floor. Tauriel was just able to catch her upper body and watched as the shard, which had cut into Ildri's hand, release a blinding light that filled the room and had the Elf shielding Ildri's face.

When Tauriel lifted her head, all the pieces had calmed to a dull glow and the one in Ildri's hand had disappeared. She scooped the unconscious wizard into her arms, ducked out of the room, and ran down the hall; never noticing the door rematerializing. Her feet didn't stop running as Tauriel flew to their rooms, no matter the small amount of dwarves they passed, her attention solely on her Mate who was still sleeping in her arms. Coming to their rooms, Tauriel crashed through the doors, barely closing them behind her as she rushed to the bedroom. Laying Ildri on their bed, Tauriel rushed to the balcony to gather snow in bowl that remained in their room for various uses. She placed it near the small fire to melt and found some spare cloths for bathing, wetting them in the barely melting snow. Returning to the bedside, Tauriel place one cold cloth on Ildri's forehead and began wiping the rest of her face with the other. There wasn't much exposed skin to reach and after retrieving the bowl of melted snow, Tauriel picked up the hand that had been cut earlier to wash and stopped short. There was no cut and no blood, just a scar she was sure hadn't been there before in the shape of a star.

A few hours later, Tauriel still hadn't moved from the bedside, sitting on the floor with her head in her arms next to a peacefully sleeping Ildri. This is how Kili found them when he returned. It took a moment to realize that something was wrong, noticing so when neither moved until he was standing at the foot of the bed and Tauriel looked up at him.

"What's wrong?"

Her green eyes cast down and a veil of shame came across her face, "It was my fault."

"But, how…"

Tauriel retold the events from before and of the magic dwelling in the mountain. When she spoke of the room and what had caused Ildri to fall asleep, Kili almost was in a state of panic and rage. What was in his home that cause such potential harm to one of his Ones? There was only one person to ask, who could wake Ildri up, Gandalf.

"I'll be back."

And with those words, Kili turned on his heel and vanished. He ignored the guards who were running up behind him as he stormed the halls, unsure of where to start looking but intent on finding the old wizard. Luckily, somehow, he ran into Gandalf near thirty minutes later making his way up the stairs to the upper halls. Kili ran down the remaining steps to him and stopped so they were eye level.

"I need your help, something happened to Ildri." Kili said through heavy breaths.

"Lead the way."

Quickly as they could, Kili running at the head of the group now, they came to the rooms and the guards were left behind as the door was slammed and bolted behind them. In the bedroom, Tauriel had moved to sit at the foot of the bed to make room for Gandalf who was now leaning over his younger charge, a hand on her forehead as he muttered words neither she nor Kili understood. When he straightened up, they looked at the wizard impatiently.

"She is fine, only in deep sleep. Whatever it was that did this, drain a lot of her energy." His bushy brows came together in thought, "What did happen?" Once again, Tauriel told the story and at the end, Gandalf merely hummed. "I need you to show me this room."

She looked at Ildri sleeping peacefully. "Now?"

"It would be better, for we don't know how long she will sleep."

With a nod, Tauriel stood and motioned the wizard to lead the way out of the room. Barely taking a step, she was stopped by Kili grabbing onto her hand. Her stoic face looked down at his barely concealed with worry.

"Please, be careful. I can't stand the thought of something happening to you too."

With a small squeeze to his hand, Tauriel pulled her own free and followed Gandalf. Kili's shoulders slump and he sat on the bed next to Ildri's side. She looked so peaceful, more so than he had seen in the past weeks since her arrival. Behind her closed lids, he could see her eyes moving; she was dreaming, or so he hoped. Kili picked up her hand, the slim appendage seeming more delicate and petite than before. Her skin was warm, and that fact comforted him more than he would have thought. Kissing the top of her fingers, Kili squeezed his eyes shut in prayer to Mahal for Ildri to wake soon.

It was warm.

Not an unusual event, however standing on a beach was. Ildri looked around at the vast ocean before her and frowned in confusion. Where was she? Turning around, she staggered a step back finding the same forest in front of her that had been in her vision earlier. What in the name of the Valar was going on? With a tug-like sensation, Ildri found herself on another part of the island next to a river. She could see the stone castle not far away and wondered what this island was and where. Humming pricked at her ears and Ildri stilled, trying to find the source. From the trees on the other side of the river emerged a woman, and if she didn't know any better, a Valar. She had the same brilliant red hair as her own and Ildri frowned, taking a step forward with no concern if the woman could see her.

"Ninya yendë."

Ildri stilled at the musical voice. She knew that name, it haunted her dreams every so often. Her attention was stolen from her thoughts as water splashed and gurgled in the river, twisting up before the woman standing at the bank. The water took form and fell away, revealing a young woman with the same red hair and seemingly no clothes. She watched as the older woman shook out a gauzy length of clothe and begin wrapping it around the other. As the younger female turned around, her eyes looked straight across the river and into Ildri, causing the wizard to gasp and stumble backwards.

It was herself. From head to toe, Ildri was looking at herself.

It was two days before Ildri woke.

It was midday, the air was calm in the rooms with Kili and Tauriel sitting on the same bed their one was laying in; not talking. Neither had left the rooms in the last couple days, something Balin was a bit miffed about but proclaimed sickness to those who inquired about the King's absence. Unaware to the occupants in the room, Dain was taking advantage of this absence to try and sow discontent. And behind those closed doors, nothing else mattered to them and Balin knew Kili wouldn't have cared. The sun was high and visible in the sky, the first signs of Spring were showing around the mountain and Dale.

Ildri didn't wake with a scream or a lurching gasp, but rather stretched and rolled over. Kili and Tauriel were momentarily stunned as she moved and didn't move as she sat up, blinking away the sleep from her eyes. Both exclaimed and fell onto her at the same time.

"Anar Nin!"

"Harsûna!"