His face was nearly entirely cast in shadow with only the faint and flickering lamplight shining down from above. Yet she knew every nuance and beloved line of his face. She knew the straight shape of that nose and the contours of that mouth, the arch of the brows and the lines of his cheeks. She knew the feel of his lips, the warmth of his skin and the pleasantly rough bristle of his facial hair. It was part of her now. From the small, nearly invisible scar near the hairline over his left ear down to the slope of his neck. She loved all of it, every minute detail that made him who he was.
"You are still breathing, I hope?"
His voice cut straight through her quiet reverie and Tauriel took in a deep breath that nearly hurt, so intense was her sense of relief at seeing him alive and apparently uninjured. "You are well?" She asked, winnowing all her worry for hours upon hours into those three deceptively simple words
Kili's mobile lips twisted as he heard the emotional catch in her voice, so uncharacteristic of his she-elf. He smiled, though it did nothing to ease Tauriel's worry. His expression, though dear, looked forced. He let his gaze slide away from hers, raising her uneasiness even as he answered. "Well enough that for once I ride to your rescue, instead of the other way around."
Tauriel didn't smile back, there was something wrong. "I have no need for rescue." She protested in light denial, shifting the weight on one foot in order to test the sturdiness of her perch. A few shards of rock fell down the hole beneath them, pinging off the jagged stones below. "What worries you so?"
One lone eyebrow twitched upwards as Kili nodded knowingly while deliberately ignoring her question. "Good to know you aren't in need, so …I'll just go rescue the poor dwarrow on the end of your leash shall I? You'll allow me that much I hope?" He said nothing more dire than that, but Tauriel knew him. Not just his features, but deeper than she even realized. The pain nearly radiated off of him.
"Kili?"
Dark eyes flicked up to meet her gaze, then back down again. The brunette shook his head mutely at her even while looking away. Whatever it was, he didn't want to speak on the matter, not yet. She knew Dis to be fine, though that left quite a few others to choose from. But two of major importance. "Thorin? Fili?"
The sound of his teeth snapping shut was all the answer needed. Her green eyes closed in stark despair, thinking of the dwarven king. Thorin was perhaps a flawed dwarrow, but one who always seemed to be striving to improve conditions for his people. He might not approve of her, but he had cautiously begun to accept her, and she him. Fili. The golden crown prince. When she'd first begun to get to know the dwarves as separate persons, it had awed and puzzled her how close and caring the two brothers were. As elves in the Mirkwood, they'd always been taught that the dwarves were sour, dumb creatures more caring of gold and gems than all else in the world, even their own families. She now knew that to be false beyond all measure.
And it had all started with a simple carved token stone, and a prison cell. "My love?" She said, offering sympathy with her whole being.
Kili jerked his head upward, exposing his throat as he gave a coarse growl and peered upwards toward those holding the safety lines steady. "My mam is up there. I don't think she knows yet."
Tauriel nodded, though her betrothed wasn't looking at her to see. So she added, "of course."
"I don't believe the news. Not yet. Too much confusion." Kili said through clenched teeth, his voice a whisper. "They haven't found my brother's …." He stalled on the word body. Blinking rapidly, he turned the full force of his gaze upon her. "I do not believe the news to be other than confused rumor."
Tauriel immediately nodded, understanding. Fili. Not Thorin. And this was something reported, but not proven. News. Not something known for sure, not yet. "There is always confusion and misinformation after such things. We will search."
A sharp bark of harsh sound came from Kili as he shook his head at her. "Why I should be surprised, I do not know." He marveled openly at her instant and total support. "Yes. We will search, and we will find him. Alive. In the meantime, I will rescue you first."
Tauriel looked down at the rope tied hastily around her waist. It looked secure, but it was more prudent to be cautious. "Rescue him first."
"It'd be safer on you that way, then I'll be back to get you." Kili agreed with a slight bow of his head, using as little movement as possible to keep his own lines from swaying. "Don't try to climb up, the stones around here are not as stable as they might …." He stopped cold, drawing a questioning look from her. "Turn your head." He demanded in a voice suddenly leached of all warmth.
The wound around her left eye. Apparently he'd not been able to get a good look at first, as she was further into the shadows than he. Now he must have seen the damage. "I am fine." She reassured him quickly.
"Let me see." His voice was tight with tension and worry. "Tauriel?"
Feeling the drag of dead weight upon her, and the slickness of blood on her hands, the she-elf chose not to protest but turned her head obediently. A low moan escaped her prince as he frowned sharply.
"It is stitched and well-tended." Tauriel assured him in a deliberately calm voice and not letting him know of the pain, hiding it from him. "It must look worse than it is."
"If you're done flirting up there, I'd really like to stop dangling here like bait upon a fish hook." Came a shouted call from below them, the voice a deep grumble and accented from the Iron Hills.
Kili groaned and threw a dark look down below him, though he could not make out much of the dwarf still harnessed onto the rope tied around Tauriel's waist. "You're stone!" He shouted downward.
"This stone has a bladder and a need!" Came a sardonic shout.
"Rescue me, love." Tauriel's voice turned soothing as Kili's dark eyes rose to meet hers. "Him first." She glanced down at the rope she'd hastily put around her waist. There was no way she could climb or be pulled up with the dwarrow's dead weight pulling upon her.
Licking his lips, the prince nodded, peering once more at the bruised, torn, and stitched flesh around her eyes. "Beloved, do not move more than necessary. I will soon have his weight free of you."
"I know." The red-head said a bit dryly. "Be cautious. The warning stone you gifted me is still glowing."
Visibly startled, Kili's eyes moved to the stone hanging from the chain around the slim column of her throat. "You're in danger!" He looked around almost frantically, as if measuring her foot placement and security.
The she-elf laughed with self-depreciation. "Perhaps, even if I wear it, it still only warns of danger to you?" It was both a statement and a question.
Now the prince's dark eyes got wider as he grinned widely, seeing that she was as stable as one could hope to be in such a position. "I didn't think of that possibility. We'll have to ask Galadriel." He paused with sudden clarity. "We'll ask her assistance in finding Fili too!"
Now Tauriel startled just slightly, though her betrothed didn't notice as he was adjusting his ropes for descent. Ask Galadriel? Just like that? Casual and familial? As if she weren't one of the most powerful personages in Arda? The Lady of the Golden Wood? Relaxing a bit, the she-elf watched her love grin at her as he blew her a kiss before starting downward.
"To rescue you, it seems I need to rescue a fellow dwarf first."
Not for the first time she pondered the whimsy of fate, that let someone of such high blood on all sides fall in love with a simple Sylvan elf of the Mirkwood. "I love you beyond all measure." She whispered.
Kili immediately looked up at her, his hands hesitating as he stilled. He grinned up at her. "And I you."
"I'll love ye both if you get me up and out of here!" Came an anonymous voice from down below.
Kili frowned as he saluted his betrothed before descending down past where the shadow of broken rocks hid him from view.
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
Dis placed a shaky hand on the rock face beside her, holding herself up though the world appeared to be tilting on its axis alarmingly. There was a loud ringing in her ears as she nearly collapsed, only the assistance of a well-meaning dwarrow caught her before she fell. He eased her down onto some broken rocks that were highly uncomfortable. She barely noticed.
"Fili?" She didn't say the word aloud, though her lips formed the name in anguish.
The dwarf from the Iron Hills gave her the saddest eyed look she had received since the notification of Nehili's death so long ago. Gone, to the Halls of the Waiting.
Dis sucked in a large breath, but before any sound could escape her a hand covered her mouth. Shocked, she stared wide-eyed at the unknown dwarrow before her.
"Forgive me, Lady Dis. Princess." He shook his head, stumbling over the proper address now that the royal line was back in control of Erebor. Or what was left of the mountain. "Prince Kili doesn't know his words echo up here, he did not mean to tell you in such a manner."
Dis' blue eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth as if to bite. The hand immediately retreated, though he put his finger in front of his own lips to signal quiet.
"The prince is in a dangerous spot."
This stilled Dis' protest immediately. She nodded as a cold sweat broke out all over her body. Of course. Kili was in a precarious position, trying to bring up others, and Tauriel wasn't braced properly. They didn't even have enough resources to lower her down a safety harness, though a dwarrow had been dispatched for more assistance.
"Fili?"
The male dwarrow pressed and rolled his lips tightly in a mute expression clearly stating he didn't want to tell her bad news. Her hand reached out and caught his shoulder. "Please?"
Nodding reluctantly, the dwarrow explained how Fili had been with the mining engineers down in a recently reopened shaft. One that no longer existed, having been collapsed horribly.
Tears fell unchecked and unapologetic as the mother bit her tongue to keep from wailing at the news. Her first born, son of her beloved husband. The bright star. The pain in her chest was unimaginable as her vision swam momentarily. Fili? Gone? Waiting. Unable to forgive her or take back his repudiation of her. Nothing left inside her but an aching void. Fili …waithing. Kili being stolen by the elves. What did they name him? Kuilaith? Married to Tauriel? Dis shook her head, steel invading her spine as she straightened, wiping away her tears.
The dwarrow gave her an uncertain, yet proud look. "We are stone." He reassured her. "And we still have prince Kili."
Prince. Dis dried the tears off her cheeks, though her eyes still leaked without her permission. "Prince Kili." She repeated, her heart soaring to hear that title along with that name. The dwarrow weren't going to abandon Durin's Line just because it wasn't pure blood.
Her blue eyes moved to the other dwarrow, the ones conferring and peering down into the dark hole into which her remaining son had descended. Terror threatened her senses, but she was a princess of Erebor and made of stern stuff. She lifted her chin and ignored all attempts to send her off to the healing halls.
She would wait here, for Kili. Her mouth flattened as she thought of Tauriel. The elf was strong, resourceful, and not at all as the dwarrowdam might have thought. But she was NOT going to be queen of Erebor.
Now that Kili was the sole heir, this nonsense of marrying him off to a she-elf would have to end once and for all.
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
Dain groaned and rolled his neck. He stank. They all stank. It was over a day since the attack by the foul Saruman had nearly brought down Erebor. No rest and meager rations. The kitchens were a mess. Food stores were buried in some cases, destroyed in others.
"The goblins have lost significant ground."
Dain slid his eyes to the side without turning his head. Dwalin's profile was stoic and reassuring. He grunted in agreement.
"They will lose more than just ground." This voice was almost a purr, yet no less a threat.
Dain didn't bother to look to the other side, knowing he'd find the taller form of Glorfindel. It wasn't right. The elf looked elegant in his stance, almost lazy with a gleam in his eyes that belonged to a much younger male. Yet on the battlefield he'd been a sight to behold, moving like water through the goblin ranks, leaving a trail of bloodshed behind. Someone to definitely have on your side.
"Men." Dain pointed to one side of the view laid out before them all. He pointed to the other side. "Elves."
"And us." Dwalin finished with a rumble of his deep voice.
"Common enemy." Glorfindel said smoothly.
Dwalin's brow furrowed and he sighed almost unhappily. "To think I'd live to see this day."
Dain snorted in agreement. He twirled his great axe expertly, his head unbent, even by fatigue.
"How do you think I feel? And I've lived much longer. Twice." Glorfindel smiled appeared almost feral.
The two dwarrow shared a look of consternation and resignation. Dwalin snorted finally, giving a half-smile. "If you feel as bad as you smell, then I offer my sympathy."
Glorfindel drew up sharply with a sudden hiss, giving a small sniff and wrinkling the smooth skin of his nose in reaction.
"We smell of honest labor, and goblin blood." Dwalin added to Dain's amusement. "You? You smell like rotten potatoes."
"Wormy things." Dain added.
"Maybe some beet tops gone off, or soured milk." Dwalin nodded thoughtfully, recalling how the usually fastidious elf had been sharing a horse during the initial melee with Radagast the Brown.
Dain's smile disappeared thoughtfully. "Do we trust these other wizards?"
"I do." Glorfindel said, his voice a bit tight. Then he scowled. "Do not say that I trusted the last one as well. For I know that already."
"Gandalf could have destroyed us a hundred times over on the quest. And he saved us just as often." Dwalin frowned deeply, looking as troubled as he felt. "Radagast? He ….he seems more fond of the birds, rabbits and other beasties than he does with power or any such."
A rustle from behind had them all looking as Gloin came bristling up beside them, passing them without stopping.
Dwalin whistled sharply and the red-bearded merchant turned, hesitating. "News?"
"Fili waits. Or not. That elf lady says he lives, but no one has been able to find him." Gloin's voice was devoid of inflection, almost a dead thing all on its own. "Bombur saved two of the large smelters and managed to divert the molten ore from the others to uninhabited portions of the mountain."
"That's good at least." Glorfindel offered, seemingly relieved to hear that his friend Bombur was alive.
"We have too little food, it is winter with worse weather coming, and Mordor is casting his vile shadow over us all. But yes, we have two large smelters so all is well." Gloin said bitingly, his nearly feverish gaze nearly boring a hole right through the elven warrior.
Dwalin visibly flinched around the eyes, otherwise he showed nothing. "We will sing for her."
"Do you think that is my only concern?" Roared Gloin, going from dead calm to burning hot rage in under a second. "All we came here to accomplish, all we risked, all we gave up, and we find that the enemy is NOT the dragon but one we would have called friend? I am not the only one with lost loved ones."
Dain barely blinked as Gloin pointed at him. "The dam his eyes were upon is still unaccounted for. Nori cannot locate the other lass either. Fili and Bofur are probably waiting no matter what some jumped up she-elf has to say. And while we will win this day? What about the rest of the days? Do you think Mordor will let us lick our wounds? How long will our alliances last with the Mirkwood or Dale if they have to save us time and time again?"
Silence filled the air around them as Gloin breathed hard and viciously.
Finally Dain gave a short nod at his distant cousin, catching his gaze with his own. "That jumped up she-elf saved this mountain from complete collapse, saving more than just dwarrow lives, but this alliance as well. I do not fear the Halls of the Waiting. And if Calbrinia or any other Waits for me, I will sing for them. And I will do what I can to bring down Mordor and any that vile thing throws at us."
Gloin opened his mouth to speak.
Dain stepped forward deliberately and with fury. "No! I will not sing for Fili or any other until I know for damned sure! I don't know who is against us, and I don't know who I can and cannot trust. But I do know that the Lady of the Wood stands with us. She's proven that to this thick hided dwarf at least." He thumped his own chest strongly.
"And Gandalf stands with us as well." Dwalin added firmly. "As well as the badly aromatic warrior standing right there." He cocked his head to the side, drawing a surprised look of mixed pleasure and disgust from Glorfindel.
"Do we have you?" Dain asked with blunt demand. "Do we have you, cousin?"
Gloin's nostrils flared as his head rose, hesitating before finally giving a choking kind of nod. Once.
Dain twirled his great axe again, moving up besides Gloin. "Then let's not let the blood of goblins walk away from here. Let it soak the ground beneath their feet."
"They try to take Erebor? Let it be that they never leave." This from Glorfindel, which drew vastly differing looks from each of the male dwarrow.
Dwalin nodded approvingly while Dain grinned widely, baring his teeth with happy menace. Gloin stared, then looked back on the goblin forces caught between three armies. He growled, and took the lead, with the others following behind.
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
Brunere ignored the dull throbbing in her broken hand. Oin had reset the bones efficiently, but she'd not taken the herbs he'd given her for the pain. Instead she'd given them to a dwarrow with a crushed knee when the older healer hadn't been looking.
It's not like she was doing anything noble. It would have been beneath her dwarven upbringing to complain when there were others worse off. Besides, she needed the pain. She needed something to take her mind off the missing.
A groan escaped her patient as she struggled to make her fingers work properly. Suddenly long slender hands came over and around her, stopping her movements. Nuluin. "I'm fine." She hurried to say reassuringly as those hands untangled the bandages and smoothed them gently.
"Let me." The voice was lilting and sweet, not the more masculine tenor of the elvish healer.
Surprised, Brunere relinquished her hold on the torn fabrics they were using as bandages. She ducked out from under the she-elf's arm as Arwen moved closer. The dwarrowdam knew who the brunette was, of course, but had never really spoken with her directly.
"Pray, don't go." The elf said as Brunere hesitated. "You'll need to tell me what to do."
The violet eyed dam sniffed at the generosity of the words, but shook her head. "You've got healing skills, and you are far more practiced in them than I." She said in clear reference to the disparity in their ages, despite the youthfulness of the she-elf's face.
"But you are more aware of dwarrow needs, injuries, and the like." Arwen countered. "None of the dwarves I've tended will dare to complain of pain. What kind of doses does he need?"
"Ah." Brunere nodded, catching Arwen's meaning and recognizing the importance as being real. The two worked companionably for a time until the dwarven patient was properly medicated and tended.
"Are you sure those bruises on his chest don't mean bleeding on the inside?" The she-elf asked as they moved on to the next bed.
"No." The dwarrowdam smiled tiredly. "But Nuluin assured us not before he took Menhalk back for a more serious injury."
"Ah." Arwen nodded in understanding, reaching for the bandages that Brunere was unrolling for her, applying a thick salve before placing it on the deep lacerations of a dour-faced dwarrow. The dwarf in question hissed from the pain, but made no further complaint. "Just a question, and no harm intended, but are dwarves this stoic and silent with injuries in general, or is it my presence putting a damper on things?"
Brunere gave a surprised little laugh and shook her head at the dwarrow who was frowning so hard. "It's you. You confuse them."
"Confuse?" Arwen asked, a bit taken aback.
Brunere dismissed the dwarrow, who gingerly moved away from the two females. "All the talk is about how the elves saved Erebor, keeping us alive. This is not how we are used to thinking about your race."
The she-elf stared for a second and then smiled a bit sadly. "I was thinking it was because I was a female and they didn't want to appear weak."
"Perhaps, but it's more than that." The violet-eyed dam admitted. "There is a shift going on right now. A change in the way those here will ever look at Elves. We don't befriend outsiders easily, but once offered, our friendships go deep."
Arwen nodded and gestured for the next patient to be brought over to the table. This was an injured jaw, with the gleam of bone through the blood matted beard. "This is beyond me." She admitted ruefully. "I would refer him to another healer."
"I too." Brunere sighed, leaning in to inspect the wound clinically. "But the other healers are dealing with even worse injuries. Come, we can clean this and get a better idea of what we are dealing with."
Arwen nodded, heading for the fires for clean hot water even as she heard Brunere ask the dwarf and his friend who'd assisted him over about someone. She saw the dwarrowdam's disappointment at the negative response. Upon returning the two began working, taking their time to be as gentle as possible.
"Were you asking about your suitor?" Arwen asked, having seen the dam walking besides dwarves before, in the halls. "Do you not yet have word? What did you call him? Brorgic?"
Brunere bit her lip and shook her head. "Brorgic Grimbasher. My father."
Arwen's eyes filled with immediate concern and regret. "I'm so sorry, but please, do not give up hope."
"The she-elf is correct, just because we don't know does not mean he is injured or worse." The second dwarrow spoke up, giving a rather shy smile to Lady Arwen. "The elves saved most today, we will celebrate each life spared and sing for our loved ones Waiting."
Brunere gave a weak smile, but nodded gratefully. "My father is strong, he would not wish me to worry. We are stone."
"We are stone." The second dwarf agreed, while the injured one flashed a quick hand sign of support. "You have been seen walking with Tresik among others." He asked without asking.
The violet eyed dwarrowdam blushed slightly but smiled gamely. "I have had word that he is with the troops outside, with Lord Dain."
Both dwarrow grunted in approval, pleased to hear that bit of good news at least.
"And Bofur?" Arwen asked, her breath catching as Brunere's gaze dropped. "I know you've been walking with him as well."
"I …do not know. He was to be with Prince Fili today." The dam's voice was barely above that of a whisper, worry clear in her tone.
The she-elf watched, puzzled, as the dwarves offered sympathy and songs to be sung later. Ale lifted to those waiting. "I don't understand these traditions. What do you mean that they wait?"
"They Wait, Lady." The uninjured dwarrow explained. "In the Halls of the Waiting." He added when it was clear that the she-elf didn't fully comprehend what he was trying to say. "They are no longer alive." He said starkly, but not unkindly.
Arwen shook her head. "I thought you meant they were waiting to be rescued! Have you not heard? Lady Galadriel has told King Thorin she feels that Fili still lives."
Both male dwarrow stared at her, as if trying to judge her veracity. Perhaps even her sanity. Brunere sucked in a shocked breath, her hand, her injured one at that, clutching Arwen's arm.
The she-elf felt their desperate need, tears forming in her eyes but not falling. "I assure you, it was several hours ago. Perhaps yesterday even, but Galadriel said that Fili's line was unsevered. I do not know about anyone else."
The two dwarves looked at each other, hope warring with grief. "The Tigett collapsed completely." Protested the one without the jaw injury. "No survivors."
"But just because they were assigned there earlier, doesn't mean that Prince Fili wasn't called away." Brunere added breathlessly.
"Possible. Maybe even probable." The dwarf countered. "But then, where is he? Trapped?"
"And in what condition? He was alive hours ago, is he still?" Brunere bit her lip. "He needs to be found." She didn't mention Bofur, but in her heart she wished that wherever he was, it was with the prince. There was a deep bond there she knew from long conversations with the Company member.
"How? How can they be located?"
All eyes turned to Lady Arwen with burgeoning excitement and raw hope. She threw up her hands in surrender. "I have no clue how to do such."
"The Witch …er, Lady …the Lady of the Golden Wood?" The dwarrow asked with far more politeness in her title than he'd ever used before. "Could she?"
"If she could, she would have already." Arwen swore with great surety.
Shoulders slumped even as minds raced trying to find ideas.
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
There was utter silence other than a terse command here and there, until the last dwarrow to ascend put his foot on solid rock. Smiles bloomed amid the darkness of beards. Kili beamed back at them, his arms wrapped around a taller form, red hair streaming down between them. Beads in her hair catching the light even as each rescued dwarrow approached to touch her lightly on the shoulder. Too lightly, as if they were unsure of her reaction.
Sensing the tentative approaches, Tauriel offered them a small smile. Nothing too large, but definitely heart-felt. Several of the dwarves relaxed a bit, going so far as to nod at her.
"Well done." The sole dwarrowdam said briskly, uncomfortable with the growing ease between the elf and the dwarves. "Now. Prince Kili, if you would be so kind as to escort your mam back to your uncle?"
The brunette looked over at his mother and gave her a fond look, opening his arms to her. Dis hurried to him, wrapping him in her embrace, burying her head in his shoulder for a moment.
Kili hugged his mam, whispering at how grateful he was that she was safe. Then he caught sight of someone else, and he disentangled himself as he offered sympathy. "Cousin Gimli, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. It is a loss for all. I have stories to tell of your mam."
Dis had no choice but to back away, though she was relieved it was for Kili to approach Gimli, not that she-elf. He looked so young, too young. Dis stretched out her hand to him, which Gimli took gratefully.
She watched as the younger dwarrow swallowed uncomfortably, but bobbed his head in acknowledgement, to her, and then to Kili. He gave a brave smile. "I appreciate being pulled up from the ledge down there, at least I wasn't the one left a-dangling."
A few chuckles filled the area while a dwarf with a salt-and-pepper beard bowed his head in fake bashfulness, shaking his hands at those around him. He placed one of those hands over his heart and dipped his head in respect. "Miss Tauriel, I am Hendric, son of Edric and I thank ye for not dropping my sorry arse."
"Don't say arse to a dwarrowdam, I mean to a lass." Another dwarf grinned ingratiatingly and laughed. "Ah, it's a better tune now that the prince pulled you up out of that place anyway." He scoffed. "While we were below all we could hear was you squealing like a piglet catching the scent of warg."
Tauriel nodded, recognizing a ploy to change the subject to something lighter though she was unsure of the moment. "I heard no squealing." She asserted, thinking to support the dwarf in question.
"Aw." The other dwarrow seemed disappointed, while Kili caught the she-elf's eye and winked at her. Oh, she must of mistaken the conversation. Taking the cue, Tauriel lifted her chin and hoped she wasn't making a mistake. "It sounded more like complaining to me, with a bit of whining."
Sudden loud laughter filled the chamber as even the rescued dwarrow cheered. The she-elf smiled sadly, guessing she'd said the right thing at least. It wasn't too far different than the barracks back in the Mirkwood, though the elves would never admit to such.
"Good, good." Dis smiled at all, though she never seemed to be facing the she-elf. Probably by design, Tauriel mused. "Come, son."
"Hold! She's bleeding cousin." Gimli sounded concerned, pointing at the red-head.
Kili nodded and looked up in immediate concern, tracing the lines of the injury to Tauriel's eye. And though he saw no fresh blood, the bruising was darkly frightening to him as were the stitches in her usually fair skin. "We'll need to get the healers to look at that proper, love."
"No, her hands." Gimli boldly grabbed Tauriel's wrist in a surprisingly gentle hold. Turning her hand palm up so everyone could see. All the dwarves nodded as they finally got a look at the damage that the ropes had done to her hands when she'd been trying to keep hold.
"Tauriel?" Kili looked sick at the damage, though she knew it was nothing but superficial. Still, she drew back as he tried to inspect the wounds, finding it surprisingly painful now that the danger appeared to be past.
An older dwarf spat to the side, nodding. "If she's in pain, that'd be a goodly sign. No nerve damage then." He paused, tilting his head like a small bird. "If'n elves are like us, that is."
"Get her to the healers, lad." A sharp look from Dis had the dwarrow amending that to, "er … Prince Kili."
Lady Dis nearly choked, wanting to scream. She wasn't terribly upset about the Iron Hills dwarf calling Kili a lad. It was because she was trying to separate him from the red head, so they could speak, not put them closer together.
"Mam? Please, allow Gimli to escort you to Thorin. I've got to …"
"Any one of these can take …her …to the healing halls." Dis snapped, interrupting rudely.
Kili looked up, an arrested and nearly frozen expression on his face. One of surprise and bewilderment. "Mam?"
This wasn't like her. It didn't even sound like her, yet Dis couldn't seem to help herself. "If she has to be escorted like a child, fine, we'll all go. Then you can take me to the king." Dis said, sounding waspish, even to her own ears. "We need to speak."
Kili nodded at her, even as he mentally rearranged some plans. "What I was going to say is that I have to go down to …I have ….oh, damn." His face paled as he realized he hadn't spoken to his mam yet about Fili. He licked his lips. "Mam? Fili has not …he …I have to search for him. I would be grateful if you would take Tauriel through to the healers before going on to the main halls."
Dis drew up, licking her lips as she tried to steady herself mentally. Tears threatened her yet again as she nodded toward her son. "I know about Fili. He Waits now, and we will grieve later. But you and I have to get to Thorin, you are his heir. He needs you now above any other time. You are the crown prince."
"Not yet, I'm not!" Kili's voice rose, not with anger but with complete and utter denial. "Fili does NOT wait. And I will find him!"
Dis about melted on the spot, seeing the anguish in her youngest's eyes. "Oh Kili. I don't want it to be true either. And we won't give up searching, not now, not ever. He's my son too." Her voice cracked on the last line, remembering how Fili himself had distanced himself from her, denying their relationship. "I'm not saying we don't search, but you are needed!"
"She's right." Unexpectedly it was Tauriel who spoke up in the dwarrowdam's defense. "We can look for Fili, but you are needed now. Thorin will need you, and you can find out where has been searched already, it will help to aid is in locating Prince Fili."
Kili stared deeply into Tauriel's green eyes, catching the scent of her hope and he nodded, grinning widely. "We will find him."
"We will." The she-elf asserted. Though she had her doubts about what they'd find, she knew that Kili would never give up. And she would be with him at every step.
"I've got the ladies." Gimli assured his older cousin. "You get to Thorin, we will follow as soon as the healers look at your betrothed."
"Thank you, cousin." Kili and Gimli both leaned in, touching foreheads familiarly. The prince put his hand on the other's shoulder, squeezing in comfort. "We will sing for your mam. Such songs we will sing!"
Dis watched in disbelief, watching her child move off and leaving her with the red-head. That had not gone as it should have. Then again, nothing about this day had. Fili. The name brought pain to her heart as she struggled to move past her grief and focus on what was in front of her.
Tauriel moved up beside her, and the two females glanced at each other. The glance turned to a look, and that look intensified until their gazes locked. Blue eyes accusing, and green eyes giving away nothing.
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
King Thranduil ignored the cries and squeals of the dying, knowing his healers would be out among the survivors. Seeing to the Men and Dwarves as well as any injured elf.
The goblins were given mercy. Which was better than what those foul creatures would have done if their positions were reversed.
He moved across the battlefield with all the grace of a dancer, sure-footed and letting none of the foulness to besmirch his boots though he did not look like he was stepping carefully. Confidence radiated off the elven monarch as he approached the Dwarves.
"He looks so fancy." Dain sneered.
"Don't let him hear you say that." Glorfindel counseled.
"Why? Would his delicate feelings be injured?" The dwarf scoffed.
"No." The golden haired warrior smiled lazily. "His ego would be fed."
Dwalin laughed and nodded, while Dain smiled grimly but said nothing further. "King Bard comes as well."
Dain turned his head slightly and nodded, seeing the Human on horseback riding up to them. He wasn't alone. The figures weren't tall though, not on those horses. "He's got dwarves with him."
Dwalin peered over in that direction, nodding his agreement. "Probably Nori and the staff from his inn."
Dain was staring, trying to reconcile the shapes with those he knew. It took a moment but he began grinning. "That's Calbrinia's armor, I'm sure of it."
Dwalin turned to stare full on, running a hand over his bald head as he watched. "Well, I don't know about that, but that is not Nori I would bet on it."
Only Dain wasn't there to hear, having turned toward the approaching humans and shortening the distance between them. Dwalin followed naturally. Glorfindel shot a glance at Thranduil, laughed, and turned his back to the elven monarch and trailed after the departing dwarves.
Thranduil's pace slowed, but he did not detour in order to follow. His eyes found the dwarves path and he scowled to see them moving to welcome the Men of Dale. He decided that he was not going to play dutiful and play at being a follower. He approached where everyone had originally been standing and stopped there. They could return to him, not the other way around.
"Calbrinia!" Dain roared out the name in welcome, as the battle-maid in question slid from her mount. She grabbed the reins and walked up to greet the leader from the Iron Hills. He could see that she'd seen some of the fighting.
Her weapons were not yet cleaned of all gore and blood, but she moved freely enough to show herself uninjured.
"Lass, lass!" Dain beamed at her in welcome, her smile matching his.
"We were in Dale. Whatever mess have you called up?" Calbrinia waved her hand as if to gesture to the entirety of the goblin army, or what was left of the few remaining.
Dain's smile dimmed as he nodded. "There is much to tell, much to discuss." He looked up as King Bard of Dale rode up. "It would be better to speak with both you and King Thranduil at one time, save me from having to speak on ill things too often."
Bard's eyebrows rose as he dismissed the lightness of Dain's tone, with the seriously angry expressions held tight in the eyes of all those of Erebor. Whatever had happened, it was not trivial. He nodded his head back the way toward Erebor. "Thanduil awaits."
"Well, now. That's a problem." Dain groused. "I won't be seen going to him like a supplicant."
Glorfindel sighed and barely resisted rolling his eyes. "Then how about we all ride into Erebor and as we pass Thranduil he can join us. You're not going to him, you are returning to King Thorin."
Dain blinked, glanced sourly at the elf and then chuckling in self-depreciation. "It will have to do."
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
"SEALYN!"
The dwarrowdam looked up, startled. She paused in passing out the bowl of hot soup and then smiled in relief to spy Brunere hurrying toward her.
"Where have you been?!" The violet-eyed Brunere nearly wept as she reached her dear friend. "We have been so worried!"
"Who is we?" Sealyn asked, nearly desperate for news. "Please. I haven't been privy to all that's happened."
Brunere drew back, a bit stunned. Her friend didn't look like she'd been trapped for over a day beneath the mountain. In fact, she looked pretty damned good.
The inky-haired dam shook her head and dipped out another bowl of soup, handing it and a hunk of crusty bread to the next dwarf in line. "I was in Dale, I took Calbrinia to meet Nori. Only, he wasn't there. I wanted her opinion of him."
Brunere nodded slowly as what must have happened dawned on her. Knowing Sealyn had been having issues with Nori and his arguments with King Thorin, she wanted reassurance. She was attracted, deeply so, but his actions and reputation were not quite up to snuff. Yet, Brunere knew that her friend felt there was more to the story, though the dwarf himself would never say. Calbrinia was the best judge of dwarrows that they knew, so of course she'd take their friend into Dale.
"We heard the rumbling, saw the smoke and …well." Sealyn shrugged, pushing an errant bit of curl back behind her ear from where it had escaped her braids. "Calbrinia immediately offered to ride with King Bard."
"Of course."
Sealyn leaned in conspiratorially, even as she passed out more soup and bread. "I think he mistook her for a lad, and I know for a fact that she let him."
"So she'd be allowed to fight." Brunere nodded, knowing their friend well. They'd been raised around Human habitats, and knew that Men didn't treat their woman as warriors. Sometimes they saw females as completely lesser, which confused the dwarrow sensibility to no end.
Sealyn plucked ruefully at her skirts, showing there had been no chance for her to pass as male. She'd worn them for Nori's benefit, though he'd not proven to be home. She frowned. "I haven't heard about his well-being."
"Nor I, but Erelinde might have. She is coordinating lists of those that now Wait." Brunere shuddered.
"You're hurt." Sealyn frowned at her friend's splinted and bandaged appendage.
The violet-eyed dam shrugged off the injury as of little consequence. "There are worse off here." Truthfully Oin had spied her using her hand against his wishes and he'd splinted far more stringently than might have been necessary. Just to keep her from using it.
"What? Who? Who is worse off?"
Brunere sighed, pulled back to the here and now. She looked down at her feet as she spoke. "My father for one, I have had no word."
Sealyn's gasp and quick embrace both helped and hurt. The support was wonderful and warming, but it threatened Brunere's resolve and she could feel grief and despair waiting for her, ready to swamp her at any moment.
"Prince Fili …."
"No!" Came the shocked gasp as Sealyn pulled back, staring.
"They say he might wait, but there is a chance he lives but is trapped somewhere. That golden she-elf, she claims he does not yet wait." She paused heavily, then sighed. "Bofur might be with him, or not."
"They will be found." Asserted Sealyn as a dwarrow waved at her, asking for some food. She apologized quickly, dishing out the hot meal with some more of the fresh bread.
Brunere suddenly drew in a hissing sound, pointing at her friend. "The kitchens were hard hit, how did you ….?"
Sealyn blushed heavily. "I pressed Nori's staff, since he wasn't there. Brought all I could scrounge or buy in Dale on short notice. He might take offense at me giving away his goods." If he was alright.
"Or he might ask you for a hug and be done with it."
Both dams spun, finding a grinning Nori standing there, a lopsided almost goofy smile on his face. His eyes were solely upon Sealyn.
The dark-haired dam nearly dropped the next soup bowl, leaving her friend to catch and right it as she threw her arms around Nori. He did not return the favor, not with both arms. Immediately worried, Sealyn pulled back, pushing aside his heavy leather cloak. She moaned as she saw his arm bound to his side so tightly.
"I'm fine." Nori reassured her, only to find himself tightly held once more. He held stiff for a moment, then about melted into her embrace as she muttered his name over and over again.
Brunere smiled and nudged her friend out the way with her hip as she started passing out the soup to the smiling, but hungry, dwarves.
"That is good to see."
Brunere looked up, smiling to see Tauriel moving up next in line. She eyed her elven friend's freshly bandaged eye and her hands. The dam flashed the red-head an irritated look. "When I left you, your hands were fine. Did Lady Dis attack you after we left?"
Tauriel did not smile, but her visible green eye lit up a bit at the thought. "No."
"The danger seems to have passed, though we still don't know if your stone's warning is for you or Kili." The dam pointed at the necklace, now quiescent and no longer glowing.
"The goblin army is no more, scattered or dead." Nori sighed happily, rubbing his chin on the top of Sealyn's braids in a most proprietary manner. "Now we look to find our own, heal our wounds."
"I'm so glad you chanced upon me." Sealyn held onto him tightly.
Nori chuckled. "Chance had little to do with it. I heard you had arrived and I volunteered to bring back lists of those found so far, knowing you were here."
Sealyn nodded, rubbing her cheek against his unbandaged shoulder. "Have you news of Brunere's father?"
"Grimbasher? He was injured, but being tended to in the main hall." Nori apologized to Sealyn as he leaned forward to hand a sheaf of papers to Brunere.
The violet-eyed dam made a squealing sort of noise, eagerly running her eyes down the lists written in dwarvish runes. She grinned and nodded, looking up at Tauriel in delight. "He's found, he's found!"
"What about Fili and Bofur?" Tauriel rushed to ask. "Kili does not believe they are Waiting. He refuses."
"And with good reason." Brunere smiled more easily than she had for over a day. "That Galadriel she-elf? She claims Fili yet lives. I choose to believe her. Don't you?"
Tauriel drew back, a stunned expression on her face.
Brunere's expression faded a bit around the edges. "You did not know?"
The red-head shook her head, then looked around the room. "We have to let Lady Dis know."
"She does know already." Brunere hesitated, then shrugged helplessly as she explained. "I saw her questioning Lady Arwen on it before she went in search of King Thorin in the main halls."
"She did not tell you." Nori guessed, his voice unreadable, but he did not look nearly as relaxed as he had but a moment ago.
Tauriel hesitated, but could not lie when the truth was so evident. She forced a smile. "I was being tended to by Nuluin, and she was most likely in a hurry to reach Thorin and Kili."
Tellingly, none of the dwarves said a disparaging word about Dis or her actions. Equally as telling, though, none of them looked happy on the matter, nor did they offer any words excusing the dam.
"At least the immediate danger is past." Nori pointed at Tauriel's signal stone necklace, now just an ordinary rock. "Amazing thing, how does it know danger from happenstance? Does it read evil intentions or does it include natural dangers? Would it glow before a lightning strike or not? Or if the horse you're about to mount has a lame foot and may throw you?"
Brunere shrugged. "Actually, while we were trapped we weren't sure if the glow was for Tauriel in immediate danger …or if it glowed because Kili was in danger elsewhere. Because it was gifted to him originally. Very frustrating for Tauriel."
Nori nodded as he started to frown, then he simply froze, his eyes glued to the stone. "Fili has one of those. One just like this one." He said in a monotone voice.
Tauriel's hand went to the simple caged-stone necklace. She would have wrapped her fingers about it, if they didn't ache so badly. Not that she'd ever complain aloud.
"Can elf magic …" Nori pointed at the stone in question. "Can the two stones find each other?"
Sealyn pulled back, she was the gem cutter among them. The only one here with any experience working with the shaping of stones, though she was no master. "What are you thinking? Sister stones?"
Tauriel looked down at her hand, and the non-glowing stone cupped there, the chain hanging down between her hand and her neck. "I know nothing of such magics."
"You have to! You're an elf!" Brunere pointed out helpfully.
"The wrong kind of elf!" Tauriel replied, licking her lips uneasily.
"Who is the right kind of elf? Galadriel? We don't know where she is at the moment." Nori ran an agitated hand over his beard.
"Arwen." Brunere looked around, but could not see the tall elf. "I can go look for her."
"LADY ARWEN?" Nori roared at the top of his lungs.
All three of the females turned to glare at him.
"We're in a hurry." Nori said as a sort-of apology.
The she-elf in question hurried over toward them, a quizzical expression on her face. "Is there a problem?"
Nori rolled his head, cracking his neck loudly. He took a deep breath, then sighed. "Bear with us, we're not even sure how to ask this."
Arwen looked worried. "Is aught the matter?"
Tauriel held up the cupped stone, plainly evident against the pristine white bandages on her hands. When Arwen looked sympathetic, the red-head shook her head almost violently. "No, never mind my hands. The stone. It's High Elf magic, yes?"
Arwen stared at the Sylvan elf without answering, not quite sure what was being asked actually.
"Please, we're not asking for secrets. But can this stone in any way be made to lead us to the other stone?" Tauriel asked.
"The one Fili wears." Brunere supplied, feeling their point wasn't being made quite fast enough.
Understanding dawned, and then Arwen neatly winced and shook her head. "The magics in that are beyond me. But they are very specific. They'd have to be in order to work. Otherwise it would glow if the weather outside turned slightly stormy."
"I knew it." Nori muttered, though he looked less than happy.
"Wait." Tauriel turned to Sealyn. "You said something about sister stones? What is that?"
"Dwarven magic." Nori replied, not explaining further any more than Arwen had.
Sealyn looked terribly sad as she apologized. "It just wouldn't work. The stones would have to come from the same rockface."
"And if they do?" Tauriel asked hopefully.
The inky-haired dam shook her head. "No. This is essentially one big mine. There are thousands, hundreds of thousands of rocks all from the same sources. We would never be able to match one to the other. Erebor is too big."
"Damn." Nori muttered.
Arwen though, looked suddenly intrigued. "But …these two stones didn't come from inside Erebor. Would that make a difference?"
Sealyn's head came up rather sharpish. "Not from inside the mine? Why would the Golden Lady want to go outside of Erebor for rocks when ….well, we have a lot of them here. Every size, every shape."
"Size and shape are meaningless." Arwen tried to explain. "Those here are without light."
Nori and the other dwarves stiffened a bit. Arwen noticed and hurried to explain. "I don't mean dark as in bad or evil. I mean elvish magic deals with light. The rocks used would have had to absorb light. Years of light. Sunlight, moonlight, and starlight."
Nori nodded thoughtfully. "So, she would have had to have gathered them from somewhere outside. Meaning, there wouldn't be another sister-stone to them inside Erebor."
"What if the Lady gathered them from two different places? What if they were weathered from two different rockfaces?" Sealyn nearly wailed.
"What if they weren't?" Tauriel stepped forward, looking down into her friend's eyes. "Dwarven magic. Can someone use this stone in order to locate Fili's stone?"
Sealyn closed her eyes and shuddered. "Maybe, but …I've never …I've seen it done. Once. It's an old trick, nothing big, and fairly useless except in trying to discover the best ore veins. We haven't needed it in the smaller mines."
"We have to try." Tauriel said quietly, looking at each of them as she spoke.
No one disagreed.
"We need someone more experienced than I." Sealyn protested.
"We have Dain's warriors. We have elves. We have textile crafters. What we don't have is time, or gem cutters. But for you." Nori's voice softened on the last word. "Please."
"Please." Tauriel and Arwen both stared at the pretty dwarrowdam, nearly pleading.
Sealyn hesitated, then nodded. "I will need some things. Preparations."
"I'll go get Erelinde." The red-head offered.
Sealyn shook her head quickly. "Not until we know it worked. I don't want her hopes up only to dash them. Wait. Has anyone told Erelinde that Fili might not be Waiting?"
"I did not know until just a moment ago." Tauriel looked to the Lady Arwen, who shook her head.
"I have not seen her." The brunette she-elf said apologetically.
"Well, we can't count on Dis having told her." Brunere nodded toward Sealyn. "Go. Get ready. We'll go get Erelinde. She deserves to be in on this, even if it doesn't work."
"It'll work. It has to work." Tauriel ignored the pain in her fingers, wrapping them tightly around the stone resting there.
"Actually. I'll need that." Sealyn pointed at the stone with a wry expression.
o.o.o.o.o
o.o.o.o.o
