See, I am being a very nice author and giving you another short chapter right after a short chapter. :)
(Actually, Neocolai is just bored and Mini-muse is angrily showing her a negative review graph, so in order to satiate the Muses with more attention, Neocolai has decided to update sooner.)
"Don't fight them, Kili."
Fili's steadying hand on his shoulder was the only thing that kept Kili from bolting. He had crushed a spider, run alone through a deadly forest and nearly maimed his own hand to overcome his fears, but now, surrounded by grim faced elves with razor thin arrows and a wounded companion in their care, he lost all bravado and prayed he would be invisible to them.
"Lay down your weapons." The young leader's voice was sharp and cutting: the voice of one who expected his orders to be obeyed. "You have trespassed on my father's grounds. On charges of infiltration and treason you will come with us. Do not think your petty swords can save you: you will be dead before you can take two steps forward."
One of the Elves at the front shifted his aim so that the glinting arrow was centered at Kili's forehead. Kili's mouth went dry as he stared into the Elf's steely gaze. There would be no mercy from these scouts: no kindness offered to a lost slave rescued from the darkness. They would surely kill him… and this time he knew it was no phantom fear.
"Fili…." He whispered, scarcely able to draw a breath. "…Help."
Thorin struggled, his gaze shifting between sister's son and the captain. The blond Elf's gaze did not flicker as he ordered crisply, "Put down your sword."
Kili gasped softly, and the sound seemed to break Thorin from his daze. Rigid with fury, he threw his sword on the ground and nodded for the others to do the same. Kili's dagger slipped from his grip with a clatter. He stared ahead, hardly noticing its loss. Fili agitatedly tossed his swords away and drew close to his brother, stepping in front of Kili as though his brother could escape their notice and run whenever he wanted to.
"It will be all right, Kili. I will not let them hurt you."
"Bind their hands."
"That will not be necessary!" Thorin rushed to protest. He stepped almost imperceptibly to the side, further concealing his nephews from the captain's notice. "We will come without a struggle."
"That is not your decision to make." The captain responded coolly. Wordlessly three of the scouts stepped forward, pulling out skeins of rope and slicing them into smaller strands. Kili stopped breathing and he stepped away until his back was against Fili's strong, immovable shoulders. He flung his hand up and raked out the clips holding his hair back, letting it fall over the left side of his face. He could not let them see it. Not that. They would never understand: never accept him like his family had. They would kill him on sight. He was detestable to them all.
"Leave him alone – He doesn't – He doesn't need to be tied! Let him go! Kili!"
Kili yelped as hands roughly grabbed him and he was dragged away from Fili. His brother shouted out and fought against his captors, reaching for Kili and kicking wildly at the Elves' legs. His hands were jerked behind him and his captors tied them swiftly, pushing him to his knees and holding a knife lightly to his throat to end his struggles.
Kili fought like a wildcat. Something in the haze of panic and the sure knowledge that he would not see the next morning's sunrise snapped what little control he had left. He lashed out without a moment's thought, sinking his teeth into the first Elf's wrist. The scout hollered and clouted him over the head, causing stars to reel before Kili's eyes as he held on tenaciously. In an instant two Elves came to their companion's aid and Kili was torn away, snarling and kicking and writhing like an animal gone mad. His palm smashed into one Elf's cheekbone and his bare foot caught another in the shin.
They were crowding him: pushing him to the ground: kicking him and hitting him from every side. He curled into himself, crying out and screaming for them to stop, and they laughed at him in reply. There was something soiled at the bottom of the cage… they smeared his face into it, jeering when he spluttered and gagged. Tears of betrayal ran down his cheeks and they hit him harder, wanting him to cry more.
"Look at the poor lil' Dwarf baby. What're you doing up so late, baby? You should be sleeping right now!"
The voice, the voice, he should know that voice! It haunted his dreams and flitted away when he woke up gasping and trembling from an unknown terror.
The chant was finished with a sharp kick to Kili's temple, and he rolled over with a scream as fire exploded before his eyes. He could not stop the jeers now, and he cried and choked until he gagged and threw up on the leader's bare feet.
The shouts were silenced as a twelve year old man-child stepped away, his face twisted in disgust as he shook bile off his feet. His smoldering gaze hit Kili and he lunged forward, kicking him repeatedly in the face and egging the other children to follow.
"You're dead, Dwarf! Do you hear me? You're dead! You're dead, you useless, stupid animal! I'll kill you for this! I'll kill you, I tell you!"
Stop, stop, no, please no, please, I didn't meant it, please….
"Kili, no! Kli, stop! Stop! Kli, please!"
Fili's devastated pleading snapped Kili out of the haze of children's taunts and bony fists smacking his ribs. He fell limp for an instant and one of the Elves snaked his hands under the Dwarf's arms, locking them firmly behind his head. Kili lashed back, hoping to smash his head into this captor's nose, but lean, strong fingers held him motionless. He floundered helplessly for a moment and then stilled, recognizing defeat.
"Kili? Kili, please say something to me!"
Wearily Kili raised his eyes, latching on anxiously to shards of fear stricken blue. Blood ran down Fili's cheek from where he had been struck. He paid it no heed, frantic for his brother's well being. Kili opened his mouth to speak and in that moment a handful of his hair was pulled aside and his face was fully exposed.
The Elf who held him uttered an oath and yanked Kili's head back as though the scar would vanish in brighter light. "Legolas… over here."
"He has done nothing wrong!" Fili exclaimed, wrenching forward to defend his brother. "He was a prisoner of the goblins. He was only freed recently…. Please, let him go. He is no threat to you."
Kili squeezed his eyes shut as the leader of the Elves hurried forward. He breathed sharply through his nose, tugging futilely against the arms restraining him. I need it, I need my hiding place back, need to disappear, get away, Bilbo where did you take it? Where are you Bilbo? Please, please don't look, don't look at it, go away….
Once glimpse of the brand and Legolas hissed a curse, drawing back in disgust. The Elves knew the darker language behind goblin scrawl, and this was no mere derogatory term carved upon a slave's face. The other Elf nodded towards Kili, questioning as he slid a dagger from his belt and indicated the Dwarf's exposed throat. With a stifled cry Kili squeezed his eyes shut, knowing that this time Fili and Bilbo would be unable to save him. Fili screamed and flung himself forward, collapsing on his knees as his outcry was joined by the other Dwarves. Thorin was livid, bellowing threats and curses that would have shaken any mere Orc. The Elves were unmoved, however, silently communicating until Legolas put out his hand and brushed the scout's dagger away.
"Not now," he said in his own tongue. "Let my father decide what to do with him."
Fili sobbed in relief as the deadly point was sheathed and he was hauled to his feet once more. With a violent shudder Kili's knees gave way and he went limp in the Elf's grasp. He made no protest as his hands were tightly bound and he was hauled over the scout's shoulder.
"Please, he doesn't need to have any part in this." Fili continued to plead. "He didn't do anything wrong!"
If Smaug was born of fire, the ice in Thorin's gaze would have smothered the Dragon's flame. He stared Legolas down and said in a scathing tone, "If you harm him, here will no tree in your forest that my people will not fell - no fortress that is not burned."
"And you say that you come with peaceful intentions," Legolas scoffed. He paid no heed to the Dwarf's threats as he nodded to the other scouts. "Lead them away."
Leaves crackled and Thorin's heart leapt as he heard a soft gasp that could almost have been her. One of the Elves tilted his head and stepped towards the sound, pulling a long knife from its sheath. With a swift stroke he cast aside the cover of a low bush, only to reveal… nothing. Thorin did not know whether he should be grateful or devastated that it was not his sister who had cried out.
Who would find Dis now? How long would it be before the spiders found the place where Kili had hidden her? Had she already been discovered?
We are now thirteen, Thorin acknowledged as he was prodded forward and his heart bled anew. They had lost their burglar, and he had lost his little sister. Like Thror, like Frerin… Thorin saw any chance of saving Dis slip away from him and he could do nothing to stop it.
As the Dwarves were lead away Legolas hastened to where the red haired elf had been laid on the ground. He lay two fingers to her neck briefly and then gathered her into his arms, lifting her like delicate glass before lighting into the trees. In a whisper of leaves he had vanished, leaving the other scouts to take their prisoners to the heart of Mirkwood, and towards the last Elf in Middle Earth that Thorin wanted to come near Kili.
"Wait – stop – we'll never be able to fight them all."
"That is my son, Bilbo! Do you expect me to sit by idly while they kill him?"
"No - no, of course not. But we can't just run in there. We need a plan."
"And what do you propose we do? Beg on our knees before Thranduil and pray he shows us mercy? I have seen the manner in which their king makes his decisions. Believe, me, Bilbo, he will not spare their lives. Now let me go! At least I can – "
"Wait, I ... I have an idea. Trust me in this, Dis.. I think… I think I might find a way to free all of them."
"If you expect me to sit by idly while you sneak inside with your little magic tricks, and leave me to worry outside the walls – "
"Of course not. At least let us get there unnoticed. I promise, I will not make you wait alone without knowing what has happened to your sons."
"…. And my brother?"
"We will find all of them, Dis. We will get them all out alive."
"…. I hate you for leaving me no other choice, Bilbo, but… I will trust you."