She straightened up, her chest heaving as she struggled to regain her breath. She shifted in place, her hand unconsciously tightening upon the long sword in her palm. Her head tilted back slightly, allowing her eyes to scan the surrounding area, finding that for a moment, there were finally no foes within her reach.
Her muscles burned with the familiar ache of fatigue, something she hadn't properly felt in years.
But, now as she stood in the midst of the battle, countless bodies strewn on the dwarven lands underfoot, she allowed herself to take a moment to breathe.
Her eyes wearily flickered across the seemingly never-ending battle around her. Sharp cries of pain sporadically filled the air, as did the crunching of metal and clashing of blades upon each other. She glanced down to find her own blade nearly blackened to the point where the silver steel did not shine. The ground beneath her boots was already nearly drowning in carnage, both black and red in color.
The armor she bore, as well as her skin and wild hair, was also covered in the inky gore itself, for she had already killed many a foul creature thus far. She had lost count at forty-three and that had been what felt like hours ago.
There were a few small dents and scrapes on the exterior of the hard steel and leather covering her but it wasn't beyond anything that couldn't be easily fixed by a smith. A symbolism of herself, she supposed; never broken but dented and with time, repaired.
In her day, she would have instead relished in the war, become drunk on bloodlust so much so that she still wanted to kill even after the battle was over and done. There had been a time when she relished the feeling of her blade easily sliding through such soft, yielding flesh. But now, she did not feel as such.
She felt so tired.
Peace was now what she truly coveted. Curling up in front of a fire; lounging in the sun. Green grass between her toes. That was all she desired so much anymore.
Could that ever truly be reached, though? Peace and sunshine; happiness?
The war had waged on forever thus far, the stream of orcs and goblins seemingly endless in number. No matter how many she felled, it seemed as though it was replaced by another two beasts.
Slowly blinking her eyes, she took a moment to rest, a cool wind rushing down from the mountain tops to kiss at her damp skin, the moisture causing her hair to stick uncomfortably after having fallen out of the some of her braids in the midst of fighting.
And that beat, when her eyes were closed, she heard something over the din of the bloodshed around her, everything else but the sound falling into the background.
It was a strange echoing on the mountainside, something only her sharp ears would pick up. Similar to the clacking of hooves upon stone but it was strange, seeming to come from the looming form of the stone wall behind her.
She slowly turned back around to face the sound, the tattered, blood-red cloak clipped around her throat twisting around her as she did so.
That was when she saw them, the four horned goats thundering up the side of the mountain with a strange grace that only the creatures could possibly possess. She could see them as clearly as if she were standing right before them, allowing her to so easily recognize the faces of the dwarves that rode them.
Following their path up the cliffside, she soon realized their destination and felt her already frayed nerves swell with worry.
"Thorin, no..." She breathed, her eyes widening when she realized what he intended to do. "Oh, Valar, no."
Entire body now alert with a renewed energy, she twisted and turned almost frantically, searching for a mount to get across the battle field. A loud whinny cut through the air and she turned to watch as the monstrous horse reared up, reaching high over the heads of the orcs that were trying to grab at him.
"Cloud!" She barked at the golden steed, her tone was a sharp growl as she instantly was switching to elvish out of habit, something war had seemed to breed in her, "Come here!"
Hooves pawing anxiously at the air, the foul beasts swung their blades at the stallion, only for them to bounce off the sturdy silver armor he wore. When he came back down on all four hooves, he crushed the beasts beneath them before he was galloping towards her, carelessly toppling anyone that stood in his path.
The horse didn't even hardly slow as he approached, the she-elf instead choosing to grab hold of his sturdy saddle to easily haul herself up onto his back mid-stride.
As he continued to gallop, she swung her leg over the side and slipped her feet into the stirrups to hold herself on the golden stallion as she cut through the orcs in her path. Cloud valiantly pushed through the mass of bodies of men, dwarves, and elves, trying his best to swerve and take a route which caused him to run down on their ugly enemies, his broad, steel-platted chest plowing into them before they were mercilessly crushed by his heavy hooves.
It didn't take them long to get to the base of cliff at the speed the stallion had been traveling.
However, when they were close enough, he neighed loudly and came to a sudden stop, the path up to Ravenhill extremely rocky and jagged, terrain that a horse could not travel, especially considering how steep it was.
Just to her left, there was a startled yell and her head was instinctively turning.
There was a dwarf mounted on one of the goats nearby and the shorter creature was being overwhelmed by a rather large and brutish, troll-like creature. Perfect.
Her leg was moving on its own accord, throwing itself over her saddle until she was once again standing firmly upon the cold ground. She was running then, energy renewed from the short rest her legs had had, and leaping; throwing herself, really, onto the troll's back.
Scrambling up until she neared its head, the large beast was caught off guard as she sunk her blade into the back of its neck, causing it to almost instantaneously drop dead. Ren went down with the creature, remaining perched upon its back for a moment, only to come face to face with a rather astonished-looking ginger dwarf.
Panting, the she-elf wretched her blade free and sheathed it, her blue eyes raising expectantly towards the still silent warrior who continued to openly stare at her, completely dumbfounded. Then, she managed to find her breath, "Give me your goat."
By the time she got up there, the ground was littered with bodies.
Her eyes were wide as she scrambled off her new, wooly mount and allowed the goat to flee, off up into the mountains. With each new death that was strewn across the ground, she made sure that none of them were dwarvish bodies, causing her more relief with each ugly face she took in. And it only seemed as though black blood colored the snowy ground, causing the female's mind to ease some at the implications that the four dwarves were unharmed.
So far, at least.
There were more sounds of battle up ahead and she instantly drawing her sword out before stalking forward.
She knew her new enemies were goblins, the screeching and cracked jittering a dead give away to their involvement in the war. Easily following the noise, she climbed a set of stairs and found what she was looking for as she rounded the corner.
Diving right into the mix of things, her mind was elsewhere, distracted by trying to see through the mess of rotting bodies instead of cutting them down. She could hear the laborious grunts and growls of the dwarves through the goblins, sometimes catching sight of a head of hair in the sea as she turned.
As the herd thinned, she could see that it was Thorin and Dwalin now, just the two of them, as they finished off the few foes that stood between them. It only took them a few moments to end the ugly little beasts, leaving the two warriors panting for breath, now taking a moment to rest. Ren herself was breathing deeply in an attempt to calm her rapidly beating heart.
Raising her head from where it had been bowed, she straightened up from her readied fighting stance, lowering her arm from where it had been raised, having just felled the last goblin plaguing them. She was aware that eyes had been upon her but she slowly allowed her eyes to land on the King, a feeling of wariness still clouding her mind.
He was okay at least, she noted. Free of blood with all limbs still functioning properly.
They simply regarded each other for a moment, exchanging small head nods of acknowledgement. And then she watched as his eyes drifted lower until they rested on her stomach.
Her hand rose to rest on her abdomen where his gaze still was and when he saw her do this, he blinked a few times and allowed his eyes to return to her own, "You are well?"
She was quiet for a moment, "Well enough... given the current circumstances."
Again, he just gazed at her for a long breath, the wind tearing down through the mountain ridges sweeping across them, ruffling their hair as well as her ripped cloak. Finally, he could no longer take the stretch of tense silence between them, knowing that he was undoubtedly at fault for the cold feelings she was radiating towards him.
"I am sorry, Galaren." He began, taking a small step closer to her. He watched as her hand slowly fell away from the hard plating over her stomach, wondering for a moment if her fingers were cold given she wore fingerless gloves. However, as he took in the rest of her rather intimidating stature, armored in silver and red, back straight, and demeanor icy, he imagined that it didn't bother her in the slightest. Yet, as he stood there, he almost didn't recognize her as such a soldier.
"I..." Reaching up, he ran a hand through his tangled hair, taking a moment to find the words he wished to tell her. "You-What you did was the honorable thing to do; the right thing to do, for I could not see. I was blinded." Taking a shuddering breath, he leveled her a look that made her heart clench painfully. "What I did... was utterly unspeakable. I was horrible, a monster." His eyes began to grow slightly glassy, wondering if he could ever be forgiven for what all he had done wrong. "Why didn't you leave?" He gestured out to the wide battlefield still below. "There is nothing holding you here."
"Because I know it was not you who did those foul things." Was her quiet reply, her hard exterior melting slightly, seeing him so mentally weakened before her, his body physically asking her to forgive him. "That was why I stayed... to fight for you. To fight for my King."
Thorin seemed to soften further at her remark, as if every kind word she had said and would say were unraveling him fiber by fiber.
There was suddenly an awkward cough off to the side and the other two turned their head to see Dwalin, still standing there, his heavy axe still in hand but the head was rested on the ground, his large hand awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.
"Right..." He cleared his throat again, "Are you two done?"
Ren couldn't help but let one corner of her mouth twitch upward slightly, for a moment, she had forgotten that the bald dwarf was there. However, it didn't make the situation any less amusing. "For now, I suppose." She told him, her eyes dancing in a familiar light, one neither of the dwarves had seen for awhile. "We can talk more later and finish the battle now." However, she just then realized something and her heart began to beat more rapidly in her chest. "Where are the boys?"
"Scouting the towers." They turned back to look over the frozen river behind them, pointing to what used to be the old watchtower.
Her eyes scanning the area, her mind briefly registering how it had begun to lightly snow. She was intent for a long while, both watching and listening for any sign of life, "It looks completely empty."
"Aye, that's what we thought." Dwalin told her, moving over to the stone wall they now stood beside, their hands resting on the edge of it. "That's why we sent the lads."
The elf's brow wrinkled after a long beat of silence, though, the cogs in her mind continuously turning, "Something doesn't seem right, though." The flags on the strange war signal flapped in the wind, the only sound occupying Ravenhill.
Beside her, Dwalin grumbled, clearly displeased with the whole situation of having to wait. She could feel the bloodlust radiating off of him, "Where is that orc-filth?"
There was a gasp suddenly heard behind them, as well as footsteps that had gone unnoticed by the female's ears, "Thorin!"
All three of their heads turned at the familiar voice, disbelief washing over them even more when the hobbit came stumbling towards them, seemingly out of breath as if he had just ran the entire length of Middle-Earth.
"Bilbo..." Thorin breathed, elated to see his ex-burglar alive and well, especially after what had happened before when he was still in the clutches of the sickness.
"You have to leave here. Now." The smaller creature panted as he struggled to catch his breath, "Azog has another army attacking from the North. This watchtower will be completely surrounded. There'll be no way out."
"We are so close!" Dwalin growled pointing a scarred hand back up at the tower behind them. "That orc-scum is in there! I say we push on!"
"No!" The King stopped him quickly, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, "That's what he wants."
"I've never known Azog to run from a fight." The voice of the fourth member of their group sounded from the wall. Everyone else turned to look at her, her eyes having immediately set themselves back on the distant structure as soon as she heard Bilbo's words. Thorin came up to stand beside her, his own eyes darting over her profile before she slowly turned to him, the utterly terrified look in her eyes causing horror to fill his own irises as he understood.
And then, her heart was stalling in her chest, her breath stolen from her for a moment as she struggled to speak the words, "Especially one where such an opportunity is presented."
"What do you mean?" Bilbo asked her, taking a step closer as he narrowed his eyes.
"I mean..." She turned back to face the watchtower, her skin as ashen as the snow falling around them, "A chance at three Durins and his Elven pet."
Immediately, she was drawing her sword from its sheath and bracing her hands upon the ledge, meaning to throw her legs over the side and head to the watch tower. However, a hand was on her shoulder, stopping her movements as if he read her mind. She turned and met his eyes, finding them to be filled with unconcealed fear like her own.
He then turned to Dwalin, "Find Fili and Kili. Call them back."
"Thorin, are you sure about this?"
"Do it." He nodded along as he spoke as if to further assert his command. He then turned back to the woman and raised his hand from her shoulder to briefly hold her cheek in his gloved palm, an attempt to comfort her when he saw that the fear on her face had yet to yield. "They will be alright." He promised her, licking his lips as he nodded, trying to convince himself of his words. "And we live to fight another day."
She just nodded her head after a moment, finding some solace in his words. He then lowered his hand after one final sweep of his thumb across her cheek, jerking his head in the direction of the mountain, a wall of formality suddenly building up between them again. For they both knew, as it had been ingrained in their minds since the beginning of their journey, that a battlefield was no place for love, "Come."
The elf followed just behind him, knowing that they needed to leave before the orcs got there but a deep, rumbling thrum sounded behind them.
All four of them turned upon hearing the noise, thinking that already, they may have been too late and the army had already arrived. Oh, how she wished it could have been that instead of what awaited them.
It was drums, she realized, the deep sound that seemingly came from the very core of the watchtower. Torches suddenly came to life in the structure, causing the dark and gapping holes in the building to light in an orange glow.
And then, at the very top of the tower, he emerged. The pale orc in all his glory, his chest bearing actual armor in this time of war.
She swore she had never felt such dread fill her entire being as he stepped out further from his hiding place, half dragging a body behind him as he went. For once in her entire life, she cursed herself and her damned elvish eyesight.
For she did not wish to make out the face, let alone the color of the hair Azog had his thick fist knotted into. But, it was like seeing him up close, as if she were only a few feet away. And she had never felt so helpless.
"Oh..." Bilbo breathed from beside her, the sound falling on deaf ears as both she and Thorin rushed back towards the ledge.
"FILI!" The scream ripped itself from her throat before she could properly stop it, her voice cracking sharply in her moment of desperateness. She would have continued over the side of the ledge, thrown herself to race across the way had the orc not decided to speak, distracting her.
"This one dies first." He growled out in his harsh language, holding the blond dwarf so that he dangled over the edge of the watchtower by his thick hair, nothing but empty air beneath his feet, "Then the brother." From her place, she could hear Fili whimpering in pain, the sounds tugging so feverishly on her heart, as well as her resolve. "Then I will take what is mine..." His eyes found the she-elf just where he had planned she would be all along, beside the dwarf-runt. A crude, malicious smile spread across his face as he gazed down at her, "And I will make you watch, Oakenshield. You will die last."
"Go!" The blonde prince wheezed, not understanding what the orc was saying but he knew that he was taunting his family. "RUN!"
The orc then raised his arm and was bringing it forward. Fili let out a cry of pain, the sound tearing loose from his throat as Azog sunk his blade deep into his back.
A mixture between a punched gasp and whimper left Ren's throat, her body instinctively lurching forward a step as if she herself were taking the blade instead of the boy. Beside her, she heard similar noises of distress from the others but she didn't even think to register them. All she could do was watch her nephew as he dangled helplessly through in the air, the Defiler's sword slowly worming its way to his heart.
Her mouth fell open slightly as tears pooled in her eyes and then fell down her cheeks; on every exhale, a breathy, whimpering sob escaped her lips.
"Here ends your filthy bloodline!" The Gundabad orc shouted before releasing the prince, so small compared to his own, massive body. And all of them watched as he fell through the air, helpless to do anything from the distance that they were at.
He landed with a sickening crunch, one that made a shudder crawl up Ren's spine. And she felt herself being pulled into a shoulder, a hand cradling her head as if to shield her from the sight. Her cheek was pressed against the chainmail on his coat, the steel cold in the wintry, mountain air. She knew it was Thorin by his smell but by the way his body heaved as if he himself were fighting his emotions, it foreign to her.
Her hand gripped the sword in her palm infinitely tight, as if it were welded to her flesh and bone.
She shut her eyes for a moment, the images of the dwarfling's death so fresh in her mind. It was like blood painted the back of her eyes; the imagine of Fili's body colliding with the ground permanently burned into her mind.
But then she was straightening up, her body numbed as she moved out of the King's half-embrace.
She was only mildly aware of the wetness running down her cheeks as she was moving forward. It felt like she was moving so slowly, as if time itself had come to a stop and was pulling on her to root her in place.
Yet, she was surging forward, tearing out of the grasp that she felt trying to hold her arm.
Her heartbeat was so loud in her ears, she could not make out any other sound. Perhaps the others were calling her name to bring her back but in fact, they were not. For Dwalin, Thorin, and Bilbo all stood so still and so quietly, they could have perchance turned to stone in that instance, too shocked with the horror they had just witnessed to try to begin moving.
She moved easily across the ice, completely uncaring that it should have been slippery but being surefooted, as always, she found that she could not care. Nor did she feel like she would ever find care for anything in the world again.
And as she drew closer, she felt even more dread fill her system.
For it was not an orc that stood at the bottom of the tower in the stone doorway that led into the structure. But instead, it was Kili.
He was wide-eyed and as unmoving as the others, his hand tightly gripping the doorway while the other held fast to his sword. He looked as pale as the she-elf felt, a traumatized look in his dark brown eyes as a few small tears slipped free. The dark haired dwarf seemed unable to tear his eyes away from the broken body of his brother that had landed right before his very boots.
A few feet away, the woman stopped, her own eyes lingering on the body of the elder nephew.
And then she was looking up at the other boy, surprisingly enough finding that his own eyes were looking back at her. She saw the torment there, the very shredded bits of his soul from what he had just witnessed. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to win; to live, to fight, to be proper princes and kings one day.
So easily his emotions shifted, from devastation to one of utter fury and violence. How his glassy eyes seemed to rise up the length of the tower to settle on the place where he knew the orc to be.
"Kili..." She whispered, momentarily calling the dwarf's attention back to herself. And she still saw it, the broken pieces of himself that lingered behind the mask of animosity. "No..." The elf breathed, knowing what he was about to do for it was only a natural response to have when your heart is only fueled by torment and revenge.
But, it was already too late. He was already lunging, pushing sharply off the wall as his chest heaved in absolute fury.
She would have gone after him but she was falling, her knees planting themselves in the snow as she felt the weight of her loss crushing her beneath its incomprehensible weight. Her sword had tumbled from her grip to clatter to the snowy ground.
The body of her prince lay just a short yard away, his eyes closed as he lay on his back.
A whimper got caught in her chest as she allowed her eyes to travel over his form. So handsome was he, such a young thing. A boy fighting in a man's war, that's what he truly was. Both the brothers were like that, seemingly children in the midst of a field of bloodshed.
Crawling towards him, her hands dug into the snow, the bite from the frosty precipitation burning the exposed skin on her fingers.
When she was close enough, she reached out, meaning to touch his peaceful face but found that she could not. Instead, she rested her shaking hand upon his chest.
Her lips quivered as she licked them, faintly aware that both Thorin and Dwalin had gone thundering by her into the watchtower.
Many times, she opened her mouth to speak, but only shuddering breaths would escape. Instead, she only closed her eyes, causing more tears to fall freely as she bowed her head slightly, her shoulders shaking fiercely.
However, what startled her most was when something closed around her hand.
Eyes shooting open, she found that a gloved hand rested over her own, gently squeezing it as if to gain her attention. Lifting her gaze, she found that a pair of hazy blue eyes stared back at her from beneath the hoods of his eyelids.
"Fili..." She breathed, startled beyond belief that he was alive even after his injuries as well as the long fall to the ground. Scooting closer to him then, she brought her other hand up to trap his between her own. "I'm so sorry."
"There is nothing to be sorry for." He said quietly, blinking slowly as if he had just awoken from sleep. He offered her a weak smile, his mustache twitching up slightly. She then jumped once again when she felt something rise to brush against her cheek. However, she calmed when she realized it was the dwarf's gloved hand, rising to lightly hold her face. His thumb then stroked at what she imagined were the tear tracks upon her skin, "You're crying."
She just gazed down at the prince for a long moment, more tears slipping free at the thought of even now, he was so calm, so quiet and gentle.
A few tears slipped out of the corners of his own eyes, surely imaging the poor sight he made, as well as he knew what was yet to come. What fate surely awaited him.
"I'm not crying." She offered him a quivering smile, "You're crying."
"I'm only cryin' because you are." He tried to jest back, causing a chocked laugh to leave the she-elf. Raising her free hand, she just continued to give him a watery smile as she brushed some of his wild mane out of his face, hoping that the gesture would somehow comfort him.
It was quiet after a moment between them, the dwarf simply lying on his back, his blue eyes staring up at the cloudy sky above him. The snow flakes were cool upon his skin and yet, he didn't possess the energy to wipe them away.
"I can't feel my legs." He whispered, causing Ren to look up from where she had been staring at the rise and fall of his chest, her heart freezing on nearly every intake of his breath, willing the calm rhythm to continue. "It's like they've gone numb."
The she-elf said nothing, just continued to stroke his hair. No doubt he had broken his spine in the long drop onto the stone ground. If he were to survive, he would be a cripple the rest of his life. But the she-elf didn't care. She would rather live out her days with a crippled child than to have him taken from her now.
The blonde regarded him for a moment, worry creasing her brow, "Do you... hurt?"
"No..." He said quietly, "There's no pain."
Such a brave one he was, lying to keep her mind at ease even then. There had to be pain, she knew. The sword entered higher in his back, closer to his heart and lungs. He could no doubt still feel it.
She could try to staunch the blood that she knew had to be seeping out, perhaps prolonging his life for a few more minutes; prolonging his pain.
Reaching up, she undid the clasp of the cloak and pulled the tattered cloth over her shoulder so that it pooled between them. She then tilted him slightly, hoping to at least see the damage done. And what she saw crushed any semblance of hope she had ever held for his survival.
"Is it really that bad?" His voice caught her off guard, causing her gaze to flicker back to his face and found that he was watching her over his shoulder.
Yes. She didn't answer him, instead looked down at her cloak before she eased him back down for a moment. Picking up the cloth in her hands, she made to rip it into strips but he stopped her with a hand covering her own. Her eyes were drawn to his own again.
"You can't fix me, Ren." Were his quiet words, "Not this time."
"I can go get help." She said, her eyes watering again despite the fact that she was trying to control her emotions so as to not scare him. "And everything will be alright." The words didn't seem to convince the prince and he frowned softly, for he did not like seeing her so upset.
He then gently squeezed her hand, "Please don't leave me." He was looking at her calmly though she could tell that he was still afraid of the unknown the lay ahead. And if she did leave, he didn't know if he would be able to last until her return. "I don't want to be alone."
Momentarily closing her eyes, the action cut loose more tears but she had to remain strong for him so she slowly nodded, "I won't leave you." Releasing the cloak, she used her free hand to brush away his unruly hair, her fingers momentarily dancing across the braids woven into the thick locks; braids so similar to her own. "I won't ever leave you, inùdoy."
He leaned slightly into her touch, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth at the phrase and how so naturally she seemed to pick up the language. She would indeed be a great queen after all of this, if only he would have been able to see it.
For a long while, she just sat with him, her hand gently carding through his hair as he simply dozed on the ground. Occasionally, the clashing of metal was heard in the distance, as were the shouts of battle but none were so close to cause worry. The wind was bad up on Ravenhill, the watchtower unprotected by the snowy gusts.
"I'm so cold, Ren." He told her, his eyes staring blankly up at the sky above them. "Like Kee dumped a bucket of water over my head and pushed me out into the snow."
She couldn't help but snort slightly, not at this new information but at the imagery his last words brought to mind, "You seem so familiar with the feeling."
"Aye." The dwarf smile weakly, "He's done it to me more than once."
The humor only lingered in her eyes for a moment before it was instead replaced with concern. Wordlessly, she picked up her cloak from where it sat and placed it over his body. It wouldn't do much except keep the wind off of him but it was all she had besides body heat.
Sitting back on her heels, she situated herself behind him. Looping her hands underneath his armpits, she carefully pulled him up so that his upper body rested in her lap.
He winced slightly, letting a small yet pained sound escape his throat as he was moved. However, as soon as he was settled over her thighs and in her arms, he grew quiet once more.
"Is that better?" She asked him quietly and the dwarf just gave a slow nod of approval as he gazed up at her. Something was dulled in his eyes suddenly, as if he were no longer entirely on the mountainside with her.
It terrified her to no end.
"Uncle says spring isn't far away." He told her suddenly, a distant look in his eyes. "It's a shame, really. I wanted to see what the mountain looked like with life. How the trees bloomed in the summer. Kee and I would be able to go hunting again, just the two of us." He coughed suddenly, rather harshly and Ren could only hold him and watch. After a long beat, it stopped and he settled back against her, his head resting against her armored chest. "I wonder how many of the kingdoms will come for the coronation."
"I'll save you a seat." She joked. Fresh tears slid down her cheeks when she realized what he was trying to distract her.
The body in her arms shook with quiet laughter but soon found that the act was tiring and feel silent once more. He then sighed, his body relaxing further in her grip, "You better name it after me."
She herself let out a choked laugh though it more or less sounded like a sob.
"I'm serious." He tried again, "Fili can be a girl's name." His words only caused more violent sounds from the she-elf. "And look after Thorin and Kee. The scoundrels will need it." He told her quietly, feeling a suddenly sense of tiredness washing over him. A strangle, tingly feeling that he had never felt before. "Tell my mum I love her and that I'm sorry."
"And Kili?" She croaked, sniffling slightly as the tears fell so freely now. She could tell that he was fading.
"He already knows that I love 'im."
Hugging the dwarf closer to her, she leaned down and pressed a kiss into the top of his head, her eyes shutting as she breathed deeply, wanting to forever remember his smell, "I'm so proud of you." Her voice quivered with emotion as she began to rock slightly, back and forth slowly to soothe him further. "We all are so proud of you."
Ren could not see it but he smiled. For that was all he ever wanted to hear.
"I'm glad that you're here with me." He whispered to her, his breathing becoming slow as he struggled to speak. He was quiet as his body grew more and more lax by the moment, his mind drifting away as if he were being pulled into a sleep that he could not escape.
The she-elf could do nothing but hold him and listened as his breathing grew shallower and she felt a sob escape, realizing that he was trying so hard, trying to just hang on for her, "It's okay, Fee." She croaked, her whole body shuddering violently, "It's okay to let go."
And after one, two, three more breaths, he did.
Hard sobs wracked her form then as she curled in further on the prince's body. She held him so desperately to her, one hand clutching at his jacket while the other stroked his hair. The female sobbed into the crown of his head, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Time did not register in her mind for how long she sat there but too soon, she heard footsteps approaching and raised her tear-stained eyes, both of them red and puffy. Almost instantly, her sobs grew quiet and the tears stopped flowing as she watched the ten black creatures approach.
"Stay... away." She ground out through gritted teeth, the tears staved off at the moment as the orcs continued to creep towards her, her anger fluctuating wildly. "STAY BACK!" The elvish was rough as she spoke it, so full of spite and malice.
They didn't heed her words and came close enough that Ren could no longer simply sit and hold the body of her nephew as she intended to for hours to come.
She eased back from him, his face peaceful in death, almost as if he were simply sleeping like she had seen him do so many times before, the light of a campfire darkening his features as he slept soundly on his bedroll next to his brother.
Placing one last kiss upon his brow, her lips lingered on the still warm skin. She then lay him down onto the ground before taking her cloak and pulling it up so that it covered his face.
In the same instance, she was straightening up and turning, her hands wrapping around the handles of her dual knives as she went.
And then, she slaughtered them all.
They were left upon the ground, either incapacitated or dismembered, but not dead. Not yet. No, they would suffer such had been the fate of the Durin prince. Only, his death had been more favorable.
Now she simply stood on the icy battlefield, knives gripped tightly in her palms as inky blood dripped rhythmically from the tips. She was listening to the sounds of the dying creatures behind her, relishing in their pained squeaks and breathing. She walked back over to her sword which was still left upon the cold ground. Holding two of her knives in one hand, she stooped low to pick it up before rising and sheathing it, her eyes casting themselves upon the crimson cloak covering the dwarf's body, such a stark contrast to the rest of the wintry, dull colors of the weather and stone.
"KILI!?" She heard the call on the wind, causing her to raise her head from where it had been bowed slightly. "KILI?!" Surprisingly enough, it was answered with an echoing, "TAURIEL?!"
Galaren killed as she went, unmerciful in her deadly swings. She only had a vague idea of where she was going, her ears once in awhile picking up the grunts or shouts of others fighting, able to distinguish them from the guttural growls and hisses of the orcs.
The female was still a ways away when she heard a higher-pitched voice let out a choked 'No!' and for some reason it made the blonde's blood run cold.
Killing the orc currently in front of her with a quick slice to the throat with both knives, she was searching once again. The watchtower was like a labyrinth and Ren wasn't quite sure how many corridors she turned down before the building opened up back outside.
And from her place in the wide doorway, she froze, her heart climbing into her throat at the sight on the ground before her.
All she could do was stare for the longest time before she was sheathing her blades and taking a slow step forward. She felt her whole body suddenly go cold again with new horror as she came closer.
Evidently, he had heard her footsteps, for he suddenly began to panic, evidently thinking her an orc that had snuck back up on him to finish the job. He began to cough and struggle, his body twitching and shaking as it failed to respond to the commands he was giving it.
"Kili." She called his name loud enough, surging down to kneel beside him, "Kili... It's okay." He continued to struggle for a moment before he ever so slightly turned his head and his wide brown eyes found that it was no enemy of his. The young dwarf visibly calmed, his body lying still with the occasional shudder. She reached a hand up to brush his sweaty hair out of his face. "Shh... It's me."
He seemed to relax in her presence, as was how he natural felt around her anymore. For as long as she was there, nothing could ever hurt him. But in this instance, she had come too late.
While she continued to stroke his hair, her eyes darted down to where she could see the blood steadily soaking his clothes. She raised her hand to push back part of his armored jacket so that she could see the wound. What she found only made tears pool in her eyes once more, her heart lurching painfully upon seeing how much damage was done.
When she glanced up at his face, she found that he was watching her, a deep furrow in his brow as fear lit his normally bright eyes. All she did was close the side of his coat, the fabric already sticky with blood that coated her fingers.
"It's okay, Kili." She told him quietly and she watched as a tear spilled out of the corner of his eye as he tried to lift his head. He opened his mouth to speak but found that he could not, only sputter and gasp for air. His breathing was ragged, the wound perhaps having pierced a lung and was slowly filling with blood.
How odd it was, to see the most talkative dwarf in all of Middle-Earth suddenly be unable to speak.
He was just looking up at her, fear displayed so easily in his eyes. He then began to cry, his eyes welling up with tears as his lip began to quiver. He was able to weakly raise his arm up from where it had been resting across his lower abdomen and he grasped hold of her arm with a grip that was surprisingly strong.
"I'm so sorry, Kee..." She told him, reaching up and covering the hand that held her arm, her eyes trained on it for a moment before they went back to his face. The tightness eased slightly as he saw the softened look in her teary eyes. "I'm sorry I wasn't here. Fee..." She tried to tell him, only for the rest of her words to become caught in her throat. "I was with him when he went."
Upon hearing her words, the anxiousness in his eyes lessened some as he understood, now glad that she had stayed and had been with his brother. Just like he should have been.
After a short moment between the two of them, the dwarf prince was holding her tightly once more, his arm muscles flexing with great effort given that they no longer held such strength in them as they had before. For a moment, she was confused, her brow furrowing softly but as he continued to struggle to pull himself, she realized what he wanted.
To be held. And that was all.
Slipping one arm underneath his shoulders, she carefully maneuvered him so that she was embracing his upper body, his body heavy in weight as his limbs began to go lax much like his brother's had. His legs still rested on the hard ground as Ren held him to her.
His head rested against her stomach, his eyes still staring up at her searchingly.
"You don't have to be afraid." She whispered down to him, her voice shaking as her hand gently stoked through his hair and down over his cheek. A quiet sob escaped her throat, "And besides..." She had to look away as her body seized with another sob. Taking a breath to steady herself, she didn't even want to say the words but she knew it would help the dwarfling, help him pass on easier. For Fili had told her once, I belong with my brother. "Fee is waitin' for you."
The tears fell freely now, for she had been fighting them for so long. She curled more in on Kili, subconsciously holding him closer as if she could ward off the fate that she knew was approaching him.
She then felt the soft leather of his glove graze her face, a whisper of cloth against her skin.
It caused her to quiet for a moment, her head raising from where it had been bowed so that she could look down at the young prince. He offered her a slight curl of his lips, the only thing he could do to help try and raise her spirits, even in this solemn time.
His hand was then reaching into the side of his jacket and he slowly withdrew something. Again, the she-elf felt confusion pass over her as she watched him but as he unfurled his fingers and revealed the stone in his palm she understood.
Extending it to her, again Ren didn't understand but held out her hand anyway and he pressed it into her palm, his larger hand curling over her own to close her fist.
"M-M..." He opened his mouth and attempted to speak, his voice so weak that even then, he could only whisper. "M-Mu... Mu-um."
"Your mum?" She asked, trying to decipher his breathy whispers. Glancing down at their hands curled around the stone, she looked back up at him, "You wish for me it to her?"
In answer, he just offered her that same, watery smile as before, his eyes brimming with tears until they began to slowly fall, one by one.
He then shifted slightly, nuzzling closer to her as he began to settle, feeling a sleepiness overcome him that slowly began to numb the fear that was coursing through his veins. His eyes were growing heavier with every breath he took.
"It's alright." She told him, cradling him more so that her cheek rested on his hair line, his thick mane soft against her skin. "I've gotcha." Turning her head slightly, she pressed her lips to his hairline, remaining there for a moment, "Zâyungi zu." She muttered into his skin, beginning to slowly rock them both back and forth.
Kili nodded against her chest, in hopes of both telling her that he already knew and that he loved her as well. His dear aunt and beloved friend.
"Zâyungi zu, inùdoy."
And then, she remembered, how she held him. Back what felt like years ago, Kili had had a nightmare one night and she had helped him to rest more peacefully with the simple act of just singing.
So, she did sing.
"Lay down your sweet and weary head. Night is falling, you have come to journey's end. Sleep now and dream of the ones who came before. They are calling from across the distant shore." It was the same lullaby she had sung for him before, this version so much more broken and cracking as her emotions continued to pour forth. "Why do you weep? What are these tears upon your face? Soon you will see all of your fears will pass away..." She struggled to get the last few words out, having now just noticed how still the prince had grown in her arms. "Safe in my arms..." Her voice cracked, pulling him even closer to her, "You're only sleeping."
And he did sleep, finally succumbing to the warm darkness that beckoned him. And he found that Fili had been waiting for him, as was promised.
She sputtered and curled in on herself, the pain nearly crushing her chest as sat there still, on her hands and knees. She was sobbing and her body trembling from head to toe as hot tears ran down her cheeks, her blue eyes wide as she gazed down into the clear pool before her.
She was out of breath slightly, wheezing as she struggled to regulate her breathing. Breathing heavily through her nose, she continued to fight to calm herself down, her eyes wide as they gazed down at her bare hands upon the stone floor. She felt like she was going to retch, empty her stomach on the ground right before her, for she was suddenly so sick.
"If you are going to vomit in my temple, you will clean it up yourself."
Swallowing thickly, she felt as though her heart was still in her throat as she slowly raised her head, peering out through the thick curtain of hair that hung around her face to gaze at the figure sitting on a bench across the room who had just spoken. Finally feeling as though she could speak, she sniffed her nose, for it had began to run.
"Why?" She croaked, her voice wavering slightly, "Why would you show me their deaths?"
"Motivation for you, I suppose..." He began after a moment of silence, his golden eyes watching her carefully. When the remorse in her eyes slowly turned to anger, he only sighed in annoyance. How easily mortals' emotions shifted, "I don't like how the events forthcoming are to play out."
"So you torture me, with visions like that, in hopes of lighting a flame beneath me?" She asked him incredulously, sitting back so that she now sat on her knees. Her eyes flickered back to the water for a moment, wary of the thought of more terrible glimpses into the future that would assault her if she looked too long. "You showed me two of my most cherished companions at their ends, no doubt during the battle that I'm supposed to stop." Her brow furrowed and her eyes darkened the longer she sat there, angrily wiping at the tears on her face. "You showed me two boys, who are the closest thing I will ever have to having sons, dying in my arms." She just shook her head in disbelief, "How cruel could you possibly be?"
"There is more, if you wish to see?" He motioned towards the pool and the elf allowed her eyes to briefly glance at the water before she was turning her head away.
"No..." She closed her eyes for a moment, finding that with much relief, her body had calmed greatly, having realized that none of it was real. That Fili and Kili were okay... for the time being.
Remaining quiet for a moment, she looked down at her palms, remembering just how real everything had felt. The thickness of soft, fair hair. The heavy weight of their bodies in her lap. The size of the cold stone pressed into her palm.
"Not tonight at least?" He asked her, watching as she slowly rose up from the ground, her legs wobbling slightly. She said nothing as she slowly began to shuffle towards the door. Feeling concern wash over him, his brow furrowed as he leaned forward, "Galaren...?" She paused and ever so slightly turned her head to look back at him. "I am trying to help you; trying to prevent you from feeling these emotions again."
"So you make me experience them not once but twice?" She snapped, her body tensing as her hands curled into fists. "They both die in my arms, twice?"
"You won't have to experience it twice if you are successful in your task." He told her, his hands folding themselves in his lap as he leveled her with a knowing look, "And besides, I just showed you how they die. You can prepare now, strategize, about how you are going to save the Line of Durin."
She leveled him with a hard look, her brow furrowed deeply, "I would rather die again than live in a world where they don't exist."
He smiled suddenly, "You would sacrifice yourself for them?" When the she-elf stood silently, completely resolute, her eyes glowing with a stony persistence, his smile widened. His eyes also gleamed with something dark as he leaned back like he knew something that she didn't, his arm resting on the back of the bench to show his comfort, "You may think it an easy choice now but… I fear it will become all the more difficult."
"What's that supposed to mean?" She narrowed her eyes.
"If you wish to know more, you know where to find me." He told her, his golden eyes boring into her own pair for a moment before she was turning, deciding that she should be getting back before her disappearance was questioned.
It was always so confusing with him, always leaving her mind to ponder what he would say until late at night. He was so much worse than Gandalf, for the she-elf had come to be able to decipher the wizard's nonsense easily after spending decades, sometimes even centuries beneath the apprenticeship of the Gray Wizard.
No, Mahal had reached a new level of disorientation.
And he infuriated her to no end but he was one of the Valar after all and who was she to command one of his kind, a god among mortals?
This had been the second night that she had visited him since their first meeting in his temple, having spent both days foraging with Fili. On the first night, she had returned, as he had asked of her, but found that he had been nowhere in sight upon her arrival. And then, after walking inside, she had found a note that was left, a curled piece of parchment that rested in the jaws of Luin who sat patiently before the pool, as well as Mahal's statue.
It hadn't said much, only that he could not get away from his ever watchful siblings and that she would come back on the next night. And she had, only to sneak out of her bed, as well as the arms of the slumbering dwarf lord that shared it with her.
Now, she was walking back, as solemn as she had felt for the longest time.
Her hands were shoved into the pockets of her trousers, the deeper parts of the mountain so much colder compared to the upper levels of the mountain during the day. She had asked Fili about this in their days spent together as they scouted for supplies.
He suspected that it would get warmer when spring and summer arrived, as well as when the large forges in the mountain were properly tended to at all hours of the day. Ren relished in the thoughts that she could perhaps walk around without boots or socks on again when it was warm enough.
It didn't take long until she reached the more familiar set of corridors, walking through a rather large set of three iron doors that led into the back of the royal palace.
She then found herself walking by the set of the three recognizable doors of the Heirs of Durin.
Allowing her eyes to rove over them as she passed, she paused just before she was by them. Underneath one of the doors, she could see the flickering of flames on the other side.
They are both alright. She had to remind herself but found that she was still so increasingly uneasy.
And before she could hardly stop herself, she was knocking.
There was no immediate answer, for she could only guess how late it was. She had only just raised her hand to knock again when the door was pulled open and she was met with the sight of a bleary-eyed prince.
"Ren?" Fili asked, narrowing his eyes against the flickering torches that rested on either side of both his and his sibling's door. "What are you doing here?" He rubbed at his eye, one hand still holding the heavy door open. "Is something wrong? It's the middle of the night."
She couldn't say anything for a moment and was instead just so relieved to see that her mind had been truthful with her all along. It put her at ease to see that he was alive and well, simply standing before her in a night shirt and a pair of loose trousers, his hair disheveled and wild.
The two of them had become exceptionally close in the course of the last two days. For while they had been traveling and searching the mountain, they had talked. Talked about anything and everything. Memories, experiences. They had exchanged stories, a number of them rather humorous and not boring in the slightest.
Ren had a greater number to tell than the dwarf prince did, being so much older than he. From what Fili could tell, there hadn't been a land that she hadn't ventured to, save for Mirkwood and Beorn's home, but that was only because she had been warned by her parents to never venture there in any instances.
She was now what they could call confidants; secret-sharers. Not that she hadn't kept the prince's secret before.
Still not replying, she stepped forward and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. He was shocked for a moment by her actions before he was returning the gesture, his hand lightly rubbing her back when he realized how tense she was. Something was clearly wrong.
"Ren, what's wrong?" He asked her again, pulling back so that he could look at her face.
She just gazed at him for a long moment, "Nothing." Carding a hand through her own thick hair, she pushed it out of her face. "Just a bad dream is all."
"And... it pertained to me?" He guessed.
Her eyes could not meet his as she stared off to the side of his head and into the room, "And... Kili."
His brow furrowed softly before he was taking a step back and off to the side, motioning with his free hand into his chambers while his other remained on her shoulder, "Come inside, please."
Galaren entered inside, stepping passed him as she moved into the room, Fili just behind her with his hand on her shoulder, before he closed the door.
He's touching her. Your woman.
Both of them were both very unaware of the shadowed form who had just been about to turn the corner, hiding in the very edge of the darkness before it was swallowed up by the torchlight.
"Mine." Dark eyes watched them beneath a deep set brow, a clear sign of dismay that the dwarf was feeling as he watched them disappear into the prince's chambers. "She is mine." He growled back out loud before he himself stormed to his room -their room- at the end of the hall before slamming the heavy door shut.
She is unfaithful. And betraying you with your own nephew.
"No, she is mine."
Then, make her yours... For good.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She sighed heavily, staring into the flickering of the fire before her, "I can't."
"Why?"
The elf just shook her head before letting it hang, leaning forward so that she rested her elbows on her knees, her eyes now trained on her boots, "I just-I just can't, Fili."
"It was bad, wasn't it?" At his words, she looked up at him from his place in the chair beside her, "If you can't even talk about it, it must have been bad." He mused, toying with one of the beads on his mustache. The dwarf then slowly leaned forward, a furrow in his brow as he placed his hand upon her knee in an effort to comfort her, "You can tell me."
Turning her head, she glanced over at the large bed off to the side of the room and to the other body that lay in the bed, dark hair flared out over the plush pillows on the bed, mumbling under his breath as he went, "He can't sleep in his own bed?" She wondered out loud, having noticed him when she first walked in but was silent about it until now.
"No, not yet anyway." The blond dwarf said, smiling slightly, not having realized that she suddenly changed the subject. "We always used to share a room back in Ered Luin. It saved space. Allowed Mum and Thorin more room, as well." He explained, glancing up to find that she was intently listening to his story. He couldn't help the smile that slowly found its way onto his face, "First night we slept in Erebor, it was almost dawn before Kee came knocking," He nodded to the set of double doors across the room that were closed but evidently led to a common room that was shared between the siblings, "Said he couldn't sleep, not in a big empty room by himself when it was so quiet. Told me that he was used to hearing snoring as well as the crickets and bullfrogs in the night. And down here in the mountain, there aren't any crickets or bullfrogs to help him sleep."
"I can understand where he comes from." She said quietly, both of them mindful to keep their voices down so as to not wake the younger brother, "It's nice having another person there, just to hear them breathe, reassuring you that you're not alone."
"Aye..." He murmured quietly, "Just like you don't have to be alone right now." She said nothing, her eyes then moving back to the fire. "Why didn't you tell Uncle?"
"I don't need to burden him with any of my worries." The female explained, "He needs as much sleep as he can get."
The young dwarf just looked at her, concern showing clear on his face. Her eyes looked slightly puffy he noticed, almost as if she had been crying recently. "You know, it's not healthy to suffer in silence like you are."
After contemplating his words, she allowed her head to bow back down, feeling all the weight she had been baring lately beginning to crush her beneath its sheer size. Perhaps having someone to confide in would lift some of the load, ease her stress before she was driven to absolute madness. And there were only a few people that she could trust with such important burdens and they were few and far away. Save for Bilbo, Thorin, and the blond prince sitting beside her. The hobbit already knew so he could offer no more solace than he already had. And lest she tell the King of this secret, he would surely ring her neck and then cast her out of Erebor, labeling her a traitor and an enemy of his state.
"Fili..." She took a few deep breaths through her nose before exhaling slowly. "If I tell you a secret, can you keep it?"
His brows arched with interest and he leaned forward, "Of course. You can tell me anything."
Glancing back over at Kili's slumbering form, the dwarf let out a quiet mumbling under his breath before he was rolling over, flopping his arm over one of the pillows and crushing it to him as he buried his face further in the feathery cushions.
"Can we speak in private?"
The prince only looked at her for a long moment, a small frown on his face as his eyes briefly flickered to his brother before looking back to Ren. Without a word, he rose and moved silently across the room, his bare feet padding against the cold floor as he quietly opened one of the doors to the adjoining room before he allowed her to step in behind him.
It was a common room that was shared between the princes' chambers, full of reds, golds, and yellows. There were tall bookcases lining the walls, as were a number of weapons serving as decor but they still looked sharp and functional enough. There were a two chairs and a long settee that sat before the fire, it's fabric a deep red.
Fili quietly shut the door behind her and they moved towards the fireplace where all the seating was, the she-elf taking a moment to admire their rooms, taking notice of how they were different from the King's chambers.
Taking a seat in one of the padded, high-backed chairs, the dwarf sat close to her on the end of the settee so that even then, despite being alone with a snoozing Kili in the next room, they could speak in hushed tones.
"You must not tell your uncle or your brother." Again, he just gave her that look of confusion as well as concern, wondering what she was going to tell him that was so immensely important that she kept it from Kili, the big oaf he was. "You have to promise me that you will not tell." She had leveled him with a hard look, the firelight dancing strangely in her eyes. "For the sake of the Company and your kingdom, you must swear to not breath a word, especially to Thorin."
The weight upon her breast was suddenly so heavy.
For a moment, Fili paused, his mouth opening slightly to question her about what it could be but instead decided not to. Things would all be cleared up in a moment and if Ren was choosing to tell him, and only him, it had to be immensely important to her. And evidently, himself, "I swear upon my own grave that I will not tell a soul."
The she-elf winced at that, her eyes closing momentarily as her heart burned with ache, the for-telling of his death still so clear in her mind.
Wordlessly, she pulled back the side of the coat she wore before reaching into the collar of her tunic. Reaching for the item in its hidden place, she slowly withdrew the bundle wrapped in cloth, sapphire eyes boring down at it for a moment before she slowly peeled back the tore cloth to reveal the sparkling stone inside.
Raising her eyes, she allowed a pleading glint to enter them but as she looked up, she found that the dwarf was not looking at her.
"Is that... what I think it is?" He breathed, the rainbow colored light that seemed to be emitted by the stone dancing over his skin in the darkened room. He leaned back and away from it, his mouth hanging open as he continued to stare as if transfixed by the sight of it. "You have... You... have..." He struggled to get the words out, taken aback by the sight of it. It took him a moment before he allowed his eyes to raise and he set her with a look that bordered on the line between amazed... and horrified. "You have the Arkentstone?"
"Found it when I first got into the mountain. Nearly got killed because of it." She explained quietly, sighing through her nose as she herself continued to gaze down at the sparkling rock. "Will you take it?"
Holding it out towards him, the dwarf prince recoiled as if it were hot, holding up his hands to ward it off, eyes warily watching the stone, "I do not want it."
"It is your family's by birthright." She explained, still holding it towards him.
"Why haven't you given it to Uncle?" He just continued to stare at in discomfort, a deep wrinkle in his brow.
The she-elf was quiet for a moment, "I am afraid." Licking her lips, she looked back up at the dwarf, "Afraid that if I give it to him, it will drive him mad." Frowning, she herself looked at the Arkenstone, her finger tracing over the smooth surface it possessed before she covered it once more. "You know of the sickness, don't you?"
"I've heard of it, yes." He replied, easing back down in his seat now that the stone was covered. "How my great-grandfather was driven insane by his love of gold." The furrow in his brow then eased as if he just had a great revelation, "You think it's happening to Uncle, don't you?"
"You have to admit that he has been acting... different lately."
"How so?"
Tucking the bundle back into her clothes, she sighed, rubbing her hands together. "Remember how he snapped at Kili when he was just about to touch my hair?" He nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing, "How he still hasn't given up the search for the Arkenstone? How he spends all day in the treasure room? How he broke his promise to the people of Laketown? Do you you think it all a coincidence?"
Fili just looked at her for a long moment, his eyes still showing with uncertainty.
The she-elf said nothing before standing up, her hand smoothing down her coat, "I should be getting back." She told him and he just slowly nodded his head, his eyes suddenly a moment, he himself rose and was following her to the door. When they reached it, she turned back and looked at him, "You will keep your promise?" He hesitated for a moment but nonetheless nodded his head. " And thank you... for listening, Fili."
Again, he just bobbed his head, choosing to remain silent.
Wordlessly, the female turned back and opened the door, only to step back outside into the hallway. "Goodnight, Fili."
"Sleep well, Ren." He called after her, his voice quiet as he watched her walk away before he was closing the door behind her, only to crawl back into bed, pushing Kili back onto his own side before he was dropping onto the soft mattress, burying his face into the pillows as he settled in.
It was going to be a long night, no doubt, what with his mind now restless as he thought about all that the she-elf had said.
Pushing the door open, she was cautious of its creaky hinges, opening it only wide enough so that she could slip inside, slowly allowing it to shut behind her, keeping the handle turned so that it would not click so loudly in the silence of their chambers. When all seemed to be well and she had managed to remain, for the most part, quiet, she slowly turned around and looked to the bed.
Which was empty.
"I was wondering when you would return." A deep voice rumbled from the other side of the room, causing her to jump slightly.
And as if the connection was magnetic, her eyes drew to the settee and found the dwarf sitting before the fire with his back towards her. He had one arm draped across the back of the padded bench, his fingers stroking the wood as he continued to watch the blaze flicker about.
"Where did you go, if I may ask?"
Wincing slightly, she took a few steps further into the room, eyeing her quiver which hung from the backs of one of the chairs in the room. In absolute plain sight. Meaning that she couldn't stow the rock away.
"I had a bad dream." She told him honestly, which in itself was absolutely true. Continuing forward, she came to stand just behind where he was seated. "So, I went for a walk."
"You could have woken me." He murmured.
"I didn't feel the need to bother you with such things."
"Bother?" He scoffed, turning back slightly to look back at her, half his face hidden in shadow while the other was glowing orange with firelight. "It is my responsibility to to ensure your protection and wellbeing. Bad dreams and all." It was quiet for a moment between them, Ren meeting his eyes for a moment before she was looking away, awkwardly tugging on the sleeve of her coat as she was suddenly uncomfortable beneath his gaze. And suddenly, he was rumbling again, "Would you oblige me with another walk? There is something I wish to show you."
"Thorin..." She began slowly, her shoulders slumping slightly with fatigue. In all honesty, she didn't want to go romping around in the mountain as it was, both her mind and body exhausted. A hot bath sounded absolutely wonderful at the moment, that is, before she crawled into bed, only to pass out from the events of the day, "It's late, no doubt. You need your rest. We both do. Our days are long and tasking-"
"It would please me greatly if you were to join me... my love." He turned so that he was facing her more, his eyes gently pleading her to comply.
"Fine." Her resolve melted easily under his steady gaze, still feeling that strange uncomfortableness as he watched her so intently, "But we must not be out too long."
"We won't be. I promise you." The dwarf lord rose and walked around the side of the bench so that he could take her hand in his.
He then began to pull her along behind him until they once again stood before the entrance to their room, taking a moment so that he could slip his boots on before they were exiting.
The two of them walked for awhile in comfortable silence, down the corridor before turning and making their way down the long corridor passed Fili and Kili's rooms. Ren briefly allowed her eyes to linger on the door before she was turning back to look at Thorin, offering him a quirk of her brow in hopes that he would answer her silent question of their destination.
He gave her a small quirk of his lips, "You will see."
They paused to pick up a flickering torch from beside Kili's room so that they could move further into the darkness of the mountain. She honestly had no clue where they were going as they continued onward, for they had already passed the turn that she used to reach the Maker's temple. And now she was lost, having found that she was now entirely confused about where they were even located in the mountain but they were going up, ascending a number of stairs.
And they stopped at a set of doors, very towering in nature.
They stretched almost all the way to the high ceiling with two black handles dangling from the heavy stone. Runes and other images were carved into the flat surface, the language still so foreign to her so they let on little about their destination. But there was a large tree engraved in the stone both it's limbs and roots intertwining in beautiful knots and weaves until it was completely interwoven in a large circle.
"There isn't another dragon in here, is there?" She teased with a smile on her face, her tone filling the silent halls around them as he took a small step back, her palms raised as if to ward off said beast.
"Let's hope not." The King grunted as he took hold of one of the handles and began to pull, causing the stone to grind against the floor as he did his best to open the heavy things. The sound was harsh on her ears, uncomfortable sounding, but all she did was screw her face up slightly and keep her complaints to herself.
But when the doors opened, what Ren saw inside absolutely took her breath away.
It was a room full of greenery, almost completely filled to the brim with foliage and other various plant life. It was like a dense forest, somehow hidden away down underneath the bedrock and in the roots of the mountain.
She stepped inside, easily brushing through the thick foliage so that she could go deeper into the room, a dancing light in her eyes as her curiosity began to grow.
Trees grew nearly to the ceiling of the cavernous room, their branches stretching so far that they tangled together like the image on the door. All different sorts of plants bloomed and grew, flowers of every shape, size, and color, some the elf was familiar with and some that she had never seen before. All of them were heavy with fruits, promising of a good meal to come should the Company venture down here to collect the produce.
Small birds even chirped happily as they flitted about from branch to branch, some of the little creatures asleep while others were still busy, even this late into the night. And multiple streams of moonlight fell into the room from large holes in the sides of the mountain, filling the room with glorious, fresh air. This had to have been one of the gardens Thorin had told her about.
There was something about it so magical, so refreshing... so full of life.
"It's so beautiful." She breathed, a bright smile lighting her features and suddenly, she forgot how exhausted she was, the days events now buried deep in her mind.
"I knew you would like it." The King rumbled from behind her, a small curl to his own lips as he pushed off the base of the tree he had been leaning against. He looked down at his hands for a brief moment, twirling the white gardenia blossom in his fingers that he had picked only moments ago.
She herself looked so beautiful, hair streaming down, long and free, bathed completely in moonlight, turning her golden tresses and sapphire eyes silver, making her look all the more the ethereal being that she already was.
"I will most definitely be spending more time here in the foreseeable future." She told him as he came closer, tucking the flower into her hair above her left ear.
"I have no doubt that you will." He smiled back, his hand brushing along her cheek before it fell back to his side. "A little bit of light and life in the darkness of the mountain. For I know how accustomed you are to both sun and moonlight, as well as trees."
"The forest is in my blood." She told him, her eyes dancing with pure joy and it warmed the dwarf's heart to see her brimming with happiness. And that he was the reason why she was so happy. "As it always has and always will be."
The elleth turned then, her eyes continuing to take in the beauty of the room. Taking a few more steps away, she examined one of the large oak trees in the room, the tops of it's branches almost brushing the ceiling of the high cavern.
"It can be all yours, if you like."
Turning back at his words, she felt her eyebrows raise and she couldn't help the smile that began to form on her face, "You would... You would give it to me?"
"Your own personal sanctuary, if you would. Your own forest." He stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "For I fear as though you will miss your animals and trees among all this stone and granite. But, hopefully this will suffice some."
The she-elf paused for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly, "Miss them?" She asked, quirking a brow in question as she turned back around to face him. "I won't stay in the mountain forever, Thorin..." She laughed slightly, walking forward and approaching a tree, pulling a tulip from the mass of pink petals decorating both the branches and the ground beneath it. There used to be a tree as such in her mother's personal garden back in Lorien among the Mallorn tree. The sight of it brought back many memories, most of the surprisingly pleasant.
The dwarf said nothing further on the matter.
In the small clearing around the tree, there was a smooth, white marble bench so that those visiting the room could sit and enjoy the sights the room provided them.
"Galaren?" He spoke cautiously, carefully sitting down on the seat. She hummed in response, her eyes upon the delicate bloom in her hand as she smiled slightly, "Do you know the reason why I brought you here?"
"You said you just wanted to show me this?" She turned back to face him, gesturing to the wide room around them before she went back to toying with the tulip. "To give it to me?"
"As a gift of my affections, yes. That is true... but I fear that I have other... less innocent-" He looked down at the heavy ring on his finger, twisting it rather nervously, the blue stone on the inside of the geometric cage seeming to glow under the moonlight. "...intentions."
She paused for a moment, quirking her brow as she continued to listen to his words, before she slowly approached before taking a seat by him on the bench, "Such as?"
"You know that I love you, very, very much." He began slowly, turning to look her straight in the eyes then, his blue pair boring into her own. "And you have returned the feelings wholeheartedly and... faithfully." He ground the last word out, remembering what he saw before but a voice whispered in the back of his head that he needed to be calm for this.
Don't scare her away.
"Yes...?" One of her brows slowly rose in question, wondering why he was suddenly getting so... sentimental.
"And I should tell you that I would do anything for you. Fight for you, kill for you, die for you." She winced internally at his words but outwardly showed no change.
"Thorin-" She began, shaking her head to right what he said but he interrupted her.
"You are my umùrad'akar. My One and my only. I would venture to the ends of the earth and back if you asked it of me." Picking up one of her hands from where it rested on her lap, he brought it to his lips to gently press a kiss to her knuckles, never breaking eye contact. "You so long ago claimed my heart, while in the meantime, fighting a dragon and risking your life to save my kingdom. Our kingdom." He corrected himself, one corner of his mouth curling slightly as his eyes gleamed with anxiousness. "And I would have none other but you at my side for the rest of my existence," He said, slowly pulling the heavy ring from his finger, turning it over in his hand for a moment. He smiled at her before he was rising to his feet, eyes still on the heavy ring.
He then gazed at her for a long moment, the two of them bathed in the moonlight. Licking his lips, he resolved himself, knowing that this was the smartest decision he had ever made in his entire existence. For it was a choice he made with his heart.
Thorin was then kneeling before her, reaching out and taking her hand into his own again, his eyes sparkling and turning silver in the moonlight filtering down into the cavern. He then presented the ring up to her, holding it between his forefinger and thumb.
"And nothing would make me happier... if you would but accept this ring as a token of an offer of marriage and the offer of becoming my Queen." He took a shuddering breath, one of excitement before he continued. Her own sapphire eyes were wide as she stared down at him, finding that she suddenly found it very hard to breath as he opened his mouth to ask her his final question.
"Galaren... Will you marry me?"
Whoop there it is.
Hey, guys! I know that this has been anticipated for awhile, my next update. As most of them all lol. And it was long as hell, longer than most of them are.
This chapter was absolutely insane, I must admit. A real emotional rollercoaster, in the slightest. First was the vision, or I guess, what is going to happen. And the imminent battle that is to come.
Again, many tears were shed writing the boys' deaths. I must say, it was very painful for my heart and my eyes burned the next day after waking up. If anyone follows my tumblr, you all saw my emotional state during the writing of this chapter.
And it wasn't in italics, like her other visions were, because of the fact that it was like she was living it; experiencing all of it.
Next, we had the Arkenstone reveal to Fili. Why Fili, you ask?
For one, I feel like Fee would be the one in the Company, besides Bilbo, to keep such a large secret. He's exceedingly loyal to his friends so I imagine that he would be the one to tell.
Also, "Zâyungi zu, inùdoy" is Khuzdul for "I love you, my son."
"Umùrad'akar" is also like, "My One."
I also don't own any of the lyrics from Into the West, as I imagine you would already know.
And there was some gold-sickness, as you could see. Thorin talking to himself, concerning Ren. Possessiveness *eyes the dwarf nervously*.
Then, there was the proposal. Crazy stuff I tell you. What will her answer be? Duhn duhn duuuuuhhhh.
And anyway guys, I hope I didn't break your hearts too much but there will be more to come, I'm afraid. Perhaps not as sad but... well, you'll just have to see.
But, anyway guys. I gotta go but thank you all for reading/favoriting/following! You guys are the heart and soul of this story and I would never be where I am without you! Love you, guys!
So, you know what to do, READ AND REVIEW! Please, I love hearing from you guys so much!
Love,
Blue
P.S. Until, next time guys! :D
P.S.S. Can we make it to a 1,000 reviews?! Holy cow, I would weep tears of absolute joy.
