Chapter 28 Strength
AN- Oh look! Fíli/Khayl! Lots of emotion but a smidge of light-hearted stuff in there also! Please remember to review!
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'So what's the plan, oh mighty Leader?'
It took an immense show of willpower for Khayl not to roll her eyes as Fíli just looked at her blankly. Kili's expression was crossed between puzzled and curious. Khayl huffed slightly and glanced around before signing again. Fortunately all of the other prisoners seemed to wrapped up in their own issues to pay any attention to the silent conversation they were having.
'They will need you to lead them. We all will.'
Fíli looked no more enlightened to her meaning than before but Kíli's expression had brightened somewhat, so she took that as a good sign. That wasn't to say that she trusted him to relay the necessary message with the … delicacy required. The only thing Kíli knew about delicacy was that if you threw a ceramic vase at the wall it would shatter.
With a sigh Khayl pulled herself upright, rubbing tenderly at her head. She held out a hand to Danr and pulled the youngster to his feet, murmured a few choice words in his ear and then the two of them were shuffling around the perimeter of the cave. Their heads were bowed and their shoulders slumped, their pace slow and measured. They were keenly watched by the orcs on guard, and two of the most malicious creatures shadowed them, slinking along just behind and occasionally running a tongue over pointed teeth. They were waiting for their prisoners to make the slightest wrong move so that they could strike.
Khayl gave them no opportunity, maintaining the flawless charade of a perfectly cowed prisoner until she had returned Danr to his big –and rather thankful – brother and wedged herself in the open space that suddenly appeared between Fíli and Kíli as Kíli rapidly shuffled aside. Khayl shot him a curious look before her attention was on the blonde prince who had softly nudged her in the side.
"What did you mean?" he murmured. Khayl heard Kíli huff on her other side and could almost hear the motion of him rolling his eyes. She resisted the urge to kick him.
"I mean that we aren't going to get out of this without someone to lead us," Khayl replied, her voice husky from the low tone she was using. "And that someone is you."
Fíli's brow furrowed to the point where he almost looked affronted. When he responded his voice was an octave higher and it took a little awkward throat clearing to get it down again. "Me!? Why me? What are you talking about?"
"Seriously?" Khayl exchanged a look with Kíli. Kíli leaned towards her and cupped a hand around his mouth, whispering in her ear.
"He's been in denial about his status for as long as I can remember. Have fun."
"Well, that's helpful," Khayl muttered, half to herself and half to the world as Kíli pulled away again.
"What is?" Fíli asked, already on a whole other wavelength to the one had been only moments previously. Khayl stared at him long and hard for a moment. The way he was acting… it wasn't just denial, it was subconscious denial.
"You," Khayl responded. She thought for a moment before adding "And your brother,"
Fíli stared blankly. He wasn't intentionally avoiding what was going on, it just wasn't making it through his thick skull. Time for a slightly more direct approach then.
"We need someone to lead and inspire us. That job falls to you Fíli."
"Khayl, I can't- what you're saying is ridiculous-"
His voice was high pitched and loud, louder than she would have liked. He was really freaked out and it was gaining attention, and not any kind of good attention. The orcs were looking slightly spooked at this sudden outburst but there would be no hesitation to silence him in a painful matter once they collected themselves.
So Khayl silenced him in a far nicer and … more effective manner. She kissed him.
It wasn't a very good kiss. It was slightly panicked, a little too forceful and made rather awkward by the way he had been in the middle of speaking. But the coolness that spread through her hot and heavy body was worth it. The awkwardness went away when Fíli quickly –and eagerly – caught on and kissed her back, a deep hum echoing up his throat that sent tingles running up and down her spine.
"Okay time's up," Kíli's voice floated into Khayl's and out the other side. She paid it no heed. That is until a hand roughly yanked on one of the braids wound into her mane of auburn hair. She gasped, her head flying back with the motion.
She caught sight of Fíli's wide-eyed almost spaced-out look as he stared in shock at his brother and spun, fixating on a smirking Kíli with an aghast look of her own.
"What?" Kíli shot them a sly looked and Khayl's expression shifted into one of helplessness.
Braid yanking. Hair tugging. A cheery sign of bonding between siblings or an incredibly intimate gesture between lovers. Between lovers it could be used to surreptitiously show that a dwarf was claimed by the one doing the tugging. Between siblings it was like more like 'you're my sibling and I love you. In fact, I love you so much that I hate you most of the time and now I'm going to give you this bald spot to show the depth of my emotions.' Or, that was how Fargo had explained it before pouncing on Ira and hanging off several of her braids.
And since Kíli obviously didn't view Khayl as a lover it meant that he already viewed her as a sister, which meant he already viewed she and Fíli as … a couple… Khayl wanted to throw her bounds hands up in exasperation and scream loud and long. Dwarves! Why did they have to be so darned complicated!?
"Brother…" Fíli began looking warily around the cave. Fortunately none of the other dwarves seemed to have viewed any of their interactions, save Ahgr who was right beside them and very determinedly looking away whilst discretely shielding Danr from anything he might see that one of his age probably shouldn't. "I don't think that was appropriate."
In response Kíli simply grinned in that insufferable way that made it apparent that he knew something that they clearly didn't. He was ignored.
"Now, where were we?" Khayl asked, brushing her thumb over the short, bristly hairs on her chin. She tsked as Fíli's eyes brightened and he leaned forward slightly, only to receive a thumb in the chest from her fist. His very broad and solid chest… "Not that –oh! Yes, you're heir to the throne and therefore the de facto leader in times of crisis when Thorin or other certain elders aren't about."
"Khayl," he stressed her name. "I can't lead them."
"Then what the hell have you been doing for your entire life, if not learning to lead your people? Kíli, enlighten me please." Khayl all but snapped, trying to restrain her rapidly fraying temper.
"Hey, I'm staying out of this love spat," and just like that he was promptly ignored again.
"I'm not ready," Fíli hissed in a low voice.
"Consider it practice," Khayl retorted sharply. Fíli curled his lip.
"With people's lives at stake?" he ground out. "I think not."
"What will you do then? Mope about whilst we are taken one by one and eaten by orcs, or turned into slaves?" Khayl snarled. She was grateful that there was enough other quiet noise to drown out the sound of their … discussion. "Very honourable Fíli. I'm sure your uncle would be so proud to know that the heir he has groomed for his entire life turned out to be a coward when it really counted."
"Don't. Call. Me. A Coward," he hissed.
"Why? Does it wound your pride?" Khayl mocked. "Pride is for those who have earned it or arrogant fools. Take your pick of which you want to be."
Khayl stared with hard eyes as the blonde prince said nothing in response. She could feel Kíli's eyes on her back but her own gaze was fixated on the clenched jaw in front of her, the muscle jumping in it as he ground his teeth slightly. His blue eyes were piercing, like knives, and extremely reminiscent of his uncle's when he was in such a mood.
Then it was like a switch had been flicked. Fíli's gaze softened, and his low brows shadowed his tired eyes. His head tilted down so that a few strands slipped down from the crown of his head and hung down in front of his face, much like his little brother's often was. Good, she was getting through.
"Fíli…" she began softly, cupping the side of his face in one of her work worn hands. He leaned into the touch, closing those sad, resigned eyes. "Who will lead them if you will not?"
"You could," he murmured so pathetically it was almost impossible to hear. Khayl stifled a laugh.
"Nice try, but I'm no leader. I'm more the keep-pushing-people-from-behind-until-they-get-pissed-at-me-and-march-on-ahead type of girl."
"My uncle said a good leader always doubts as to whether they are adequate to the task," Fíli mumbled, his eyes still closed and his head still leant in to her hand. She reached her other hand up to brush away a solitary tear that snaked through the grime on his face.
"I think you've got that covered," Khayl jested lightly before sighing. "Leadership is a heavy burden to bear, but you don't have to bear it alone."
He cracked open a pale blue eye.
"Kíli's will always be here for you," she said, her stomach churning as the next words tumbled out of her mouth without her consent. "And so will I."
"Promise?" it was such a feeble, childish thing for him to ask, so much so that Khayl couldn't help but lean forward and peck him on the tip of the nose before embracing him in a fierce hug, though made incredibly awkward by their bound hands. She felt another lone tear splash on the back of her neck and his breath hitched for a single moment before evening out again.
"I promise." Khayl murmured into the corner of his neck and shoulder, her chest feeling heavy as a tear of her own traced down her nose to fall onto a small patch of his exposed skin, causing him to shiver at the unexpected sensation. "You can do this."
"We can do this," Fíli replied as they pulled apart.
"Wonderful. Lovely heart to heart," Kíli chimed, leaning around the two of them with smirk. "Now can we get on without getting out of here?"
"Agreed," Ahgr grumbled in his deep tone from behind. Khayl glanced at him and noticed that while he was still determinedly looking away, he still looked distinctly disgusted. Danr was curled up under his far arm but she thought she caught a glance of cheeky brown eyes watching her with a tiny flash of white teeth.
"Okay," Fíli chewed on his lower lip. "Okay…"
"How about we assess the situation first?" Khayl suggested gently, trying to hide the slight grin that wanted to break through.
"Agreed," Kíli gave her a knowingly look. Just because Fíli had been delegated leader didn't mean that they couldn't all pitch in. "How many orcs?"
"Nine in here," Ahgr informed them quietly, his eyes half lidded.
"And many more outside," Danr added from his brother's side. The older dwarves looked at the young one curiously whilst Khayl stifled another smile.
"Aye, Danr came up with the brilliant idea previously that the orcs wouldn't leave their wargs unattended 'cause they're still animals after all." The approving look that Kayyl sent the youngster had him glowing with pride. Ahgr tousled his thick brown hair with all the affection of a proud father. "We know that there were at least a dozen wargs since we were all carried on one, and there's at least one orc to a warg since they have specific riders. So that's nine in here and at least twelve out there, possibly a lot more."
"Either way, we're outnumbered by a considerable margin," Fíli mused, one thumb rubbing along the ridge of his jaw.
"When has that ever made a difference?" Kíli smiled slightly. "We're dwarves; we don't let a small thing like long odds decide our fates."
"Well said Kíli," Khayl smirked at her friend, his confidence rather inspiring. "Okay, so there are fourteen of us. How many are fighters?"
"Eleven," Fíli replied quickly. "Bramin and Solt are skilled hunters but from what I know they known nothing of fighting."
Bramin and Solt seemed to be close friends, or cousins perhaps. They were both rangier than most dwarves and with thin, hard cut features. The way their eyes constantly shifted about looking for the first escape caused Khayl to pin them as survivors rather than fighters. She wouldn't put it past them to bolt at the first opportunity and leave the rest of them behind.
"The other is Danr," Ahgr supplied, ignoring the indignant squeak from his little brother. "He should never even have been with us last night; he's too young. But I had to bring him, 'cause he's my little brother and he has no one else to watch over him."
"Your parents…?" Khayl trailed off, realising that it had been a horrible thing to ask.
"Gone. Killed by orcs when Danr was scarcely three."
"Then we'll keep it in mind during our planning that he needs to be protected," Fíli made it clear that he would brook no argument on this point. But Danr was determined to try regardless.
"I don't need protectin'!" he exclaimed in a harsh whisper. "I'm not old enough to fight, sure. But I can fend for myself! Don't risk everything because of me!"
Khayl stared at the youngster long and hard. He was a considerable amount of years from his majority and still had that babyish look about his face even as his eyes shined with a dark wealth of experience. His body and mind were young, but his soul was older, forced to mature before its time. The dwarrowdam felt a deep wave of sympathy towards the lad and told herself that even if it was decided that he wouldn't specifically have people looking out for him, she would keep a spare eye on him at all times.
"Very well Danr," Fíli acquiesced and Khayl knew that he was wrenched to do so. He was already making the hard decisions as a leader. "I won't set anyone to watching over you. Just promise us all that you will keep yourself alive, no matter what it takes."
Danr nodded eagerly in response and Fíli sighed heavily before reaching down into his boot, all the while shooting looks at the orcs who were supposed to be on guard but had casually taken up some game in the centre of the cave that consisted of throwing bones and stones. He pulled a razor thin blade out of the boot. It was slightly longer than his hand and about as wide as his finger, and thin as paper. The blade had no handle save some strips of leather that had been wound around and around the square end of it. It was the perfect weapon for concealment.
"Take this," Danr was shoved closer to Fíli and Khayl so that he could be concealed momentarily. Khayl placed her own body in front of his. Danr's tunic sleeve was quickly rolled up and the blade was placed on top of the sleeve of his undershirt were it was bound with a strip of material torn from the hem of Khayl's ruined dress. It was a team effort, requiring multiple pairs of hands given that their own were still bound together making every movement awkward, the thick, gnarled rope cutting into flesh.
"There," Fíli said, rolling down the sleeve and eyeing Danr carefully, the youngster doing his utmost to maintain a brave face. "We must all be strong now Danr, for it will take every ounce of courage that we possess to get out of this."
Khayl glanced at Kíli and the two of them smiled ruefully. He would become a great leader, and there was little doubt in their minds that freedom was now within their reach.
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AN – Hmm, this chapter. I'm not so sure about it. In this story I really want to show that the characters have changed from the time before Khayl met them to when they undertake the quest, well, Fíli and Kíli at least. I believe that for a person such as Fíli it would have been very difficult the first time that leadership was thrust upon him, despite the fact that he was ready. I really wanted to show that in this chapter, so I seriously hope it worked.
I also want to know why you guys think that the orcs have taken prisoners rather than just killing everybody! I have my plans, but I want to know what you guys think!
Also, what's your opinion on Ahgr, Danr, Solt and Bramin? Everyone has a part to play! And can anyone say stupid orcs? All of this scheming going on right under their noses!
Thank you so much for all of your lovely reviews CrazyFanGirl18, unicornsinpink300, Dalonega Noquisi, PurpleFairy11, luvgirl101, mk72 and MaxRideandPercyJackson4ever. I love and cherish every one of your reviews, and every one of them helps me ever so much with planning and scheming a better story for you guys! I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this newest chapter.
Until next time, me beauties!
