Roles Reversed
"Quietly," Fili whispered as low as he could and signalled for his guards to move forward.
Everybody took a step or two forward but made sure to keep their footfalls light.
As they had been trained.
This was his favourite part of the hunt. The wait. For others, it seemed tedious and they lacked the patience to wait for the kill.
But for Fili, it gave him time to think and he always appreciated the peace and quiet.
The sounds of the night, soothing him.
He thought about Dru, alone and waiting for him in their chambers.
She missed the hunt, but because she couldn't really move quietly, nor could she climb on a horse in her current state, she had graciously bid him goodbye and promised to keep his side of the bed warm.
He couldn't wait to get back to her, but only AFTER he'd caught the rabbit he'd promised.
Bodil and Helga had both told him that rabbit stew would be beneficial to the child in his wife's belly and Dru had actually been over the moon at the news. For two days she'd been craving the stew and Fili promised he wouldn't let her down.
"My lord," Espen suddenly grabbed Fili's shoulder and signalled for him to stop, "I-I thought I heard something."
Fili raised his hand and everyone in his party stood still also.
Listening intently.
The sound of the wind blew around them, whistling through the trees and bushes.
There was a stirring in the distance, but it was too large to be an animal.
Too heavy.
They all heard the sound of their own breathing and hearts beating in their ears.
But something was out there.
And they knew that they were no longer hunting rabbit or any small creature that could easily be taken down.
"Alright, you lot," he nodded his head towards one group and signalled for them to head one way, "head along the east and stay down-"
"MY LORD!"
They all turned to the cry but didn't see who made it.
Because an arrow whizzed by and hit one of the members in his arm.
A black arrow that Fili immediately recognised.
"ORCS! READY YOUR WEAPONS!" He cried out and everyone quickly defended themselves, one individual pulling the injured part back and away from danger.
The noise in the night suddenly rose.
Shouts and cries and curses from in front.
And then, charging at them full force, they came.
A group of fifty or so Orcs came running towards them out of the opposite treeline.
They held clubs and hammers and swords, but no armour.
This was no planned mass attack. They were rogue and they were hungry for blood.
But Dwarves NEVER go down easily. Especially not Durin folk.
"Khazad abod amuriz!" Fili roared and was the first up and out, running forward with his swords already drawn.
His men were right beside him, most holding their shields high in front to protect themselves and their Prince.
The two sides came together in a clash of weapons but the Orcs were not prepared for the ferocity of the dwarves.
Their enemy faltered, shocked that a group of just twenty could come at them with such determination and strength.
Their group was winning, Fili could tell, but he wouldn't give up, just yet.
His anger always rose when he thought of how close he'd come to losing everything he loved during the battle, all because of damned Orcs.
And since they were coming at him, one by one, lining up to be slaughtered, he was happy to let their flesh be torn by his blades.
He hacked and sliced and whilst he never found pleasure from death or taking life, he was still more than happy to be these miserable creatures out of their miserable existence.
He-
"MY LORD!"
Fili turned around at the shout.
But it was too late.
The warning was too late.
A familiar searing pain went straight across his back and he cried in agony as he fell forward.
Agony spread through him, but he still tried to keep himself safe.
He turned himself about as quickly as he could, his sword held out and ready encase of another attack, but the enemy was being taken care of.
"Close ranks!" Espen called out and drew closer to Fili, "protect the Prince!"
"Protect yourselves first!" Fili groaned as he tried to push himself up, but he knew he was hurt badly.
He could already feel the blood leaving his body and staining his underclothes.
His guards, disobeying his orders, quickly surrounded him and Espen and another scooped him up and held him close, their weapons ready.
"My lord, the last ones are retreating," Rothbur steadied Fili and pointed out with his sword, "look!"
Fili, a little hazy and dizzy suddenly, made out the figures darting away from his group. Only about ten remained, but they were not about to face off against a bunch of Dwarves when they'd killed their comrades as though they were pesky little fleas.
The group of males gave a triumphant roar and Fili winced as his guards slightly jostled him in excitement.
"No one else has fallen, sire! We're all alive!" Rothbur held his sword high and smirked, but Fili could not smile back.
"For now," Fili grunted and shook his head, "I'm going to be dead in a bit."
"My lord?!" Espen questioned Fili but knew what he meant when Fili voiced his worries.
"She's going to bloody kill me."
Xx Erebor xX
Fili had been carried back up to the mountain by his men but blacked out before he got inside.
He'd come around to the healers hovering over him and gently trying to turn him over.
He was sure at one point, he'd heard Oin groan 'she'll have a bloody fit!' but maybe that had just been his mind playing tricks on him.
Finally, still slightly hazy, he woke up on his side to a strange stinging sensation. It was rather unpleasant, but he already knew it was the healers applying the medicine and stitching him up. The one thing he didn't need was another permanent scar. Even if he couldn't see this one.
"Fili my lad, you awake?" A deep, familiar voice asked him from above and he turned to see his Uncle looking down at him, concern etched over his tired features.
He winced, but not from pain. His poor Uncle had clearly been woken up and come at down the news his nephew had been hurt.
"Aye'. Feel a bit like a horse has bucked me off it's back. And then stomped on me for good measure," Fili grimaced as a bandage was finally placed against his back and he was helped to sit up so they could wrap it around him.
"At least you fought back against the horse. Well done," Thorin let a small amount of pride slip into his words, but he was still gravely concerned, "are you hurt anywhere else?"
"Just my future beating," he let out a humourless laugh, "my shoulder is going to be very tender when Dru gets her hands on me. You can't let her see me like this yet. Bloody Mahal, she'll-"
"She'll skin you alive. But that's going to be impossible. She was awake an hour before you were brought in and said she wasn't going to sleep until you got home."
"Fuck," Fili gritted his teeth as the bandage was pulled tight and he looked appealingly at his Uncle, "how do I look?"
"Truthfully? Awful. But you'll have to do," he sighed and rubbed at his tired face, "I'll go and get her and let her know what happened."
Fili lowered his arms when the bandage was tied and looked appealingly at his Uncle.
"Just, try to downplay it."
Thorin arched his brow at him.
"She'll take one look at you and know I lied. I'd rather her ire not be directed at me."
Fili knew he was right and he couldn't really ask him to take the brunt of Dru's expected anger when she saw him.
"Just try to keep her calm. I don't want her upsetting herself or the babe."
"I swear," Thorin nodded and turned away, leaving Fili alone in the room with his healers.
After a few more questions and recommendations on how to care for his wound, Fili asked to be left by himself for a bit until his wife arrived.
He'd laid himself down awkwardly on his side and shut his eyes, trying to envision what was going to happen. He expected some shouting and slight hysteria and he knew that whilst Dru didn't want to hurt him, she'd still more than likely give him a walloping with a pillow.
He quickly pulled out the one from under him and tossed it under the bed where she couldn't reach it.
He was just beginning to relax as the silence rolled over him and could have dozed off, except he suddenly heard the sound of approaching footsteps and then-
"Where is he?! Let me through!"
Fili opened his eyes and raised his head to see his wife suddenly appear through the great open doors of the healer's wing.
Still in her nightgown and robe, she'd obviously not even considered getting dressed. Her large, round belly protruded through the folds, but she stomped straight through, faster than she'd moved in recent months.
With her red frazzled hair, he expected to see the same frazzled look in her eyes. He waited for the anger, for the shouting...but she just walked straight over and looked down at him.
"Fi', are you alright?!" She sat down on the little edge of the bed he wasn't on, her hands smoothing over his face and shoulders.
The worry and concern in her eyes made him nervous. Was she luring him into a false sense of security?
"Aye'. Tender and sore, but alright," he prepared himself for the smack on his shoulder...but none came.
"Where does it hurt?" Her hand smoothed over the bandage and winced over the length it covered his torso.
"Just my back, love. It will heal."
"Ok," turning and looking quickly back at the healer that approached, she asked, "does he have everything he needs?"
"Yes, my lady, he-" Dru didn't even let the woman finish.
"Does he require somebody to watch over him?"
"Oh, no-no, my lady," the woman stuttered and made to say more, but Dru turned away from her.
"Then please, leave us."
Dru began to fiddle with his bandage and bedsheets, straightening everything and making sure it was all secure.
Fili couldn't see her face, hidden by a curtain of her hair, but he did see Thorin quietly usher everyone out, having followed Dru.
Once the room was emptied of everyone else, Thorin approached the two and stood just behind Dru.
"You know, it would be polite to let them finish what they're saying."
His niece turned to him and Fili could just TELL she was giving him a look by the way his Uncle suddenly shifted awkwardly about.
"Right, well," he quickly nodded his head at Fili, "good luck."
He turned and left them alone and Fili felt he needed all the luck he could get.
Dru was being quiet.
Far too quiet for her and as she turned to him, he truly was surprised to see the same worry in her eyes, rather than anger.
"Tell me, are you really alright?" She asked quietly and he nodded.
"It's just my back. Honest."
She slowly looked away from him again and dipped her head down, hiding her face.
"Is it bad? Truly?"
"It's fine," he reached down and rested his hand on top of her own, "I'm fine."
She was silent again for a long moment and she took a deep, shuddering breath before speaking.
"Is this what it was like for you?" Her voice was rough with emotion and it almost sounded like she was trying not to cry.
"Dru?" He pushed himself up, hiding his pain so he could see her face.
"When you saw how bad I was after the battle, is this what it felt like?"
He knew she meant the battle after Azog.
His hand stroked up her arm and she turned to him, her eyes shining with tears.
"How do you feel?" He asked a stupid question but truly wanted her to tell him.
"Sick to my stomach...angry," her tears began to fall but she continued, "relieved you're alright. When Thorin came and tried to talk to me, I thought-"
"Dru," Fili reached for her as she choked on her tears, but she managed to continue.
"I thought the worst. He didn't look grave and he was calm, but I started panicking. I didn't believe him when he said you were alright and I-I kept picturing you crying out and all bloodied and I-" She finally crumpled and lost her composure, her sobs taking over.
"I'm alright," Fili held her as best he could, though it was a little awkward due to their positions, "I'll get up and out of this bed in a day or two and I'll be back to normal and-"
"No more."
She pulled away from him and shook her head.
"Please, no more hunting parties. No more danger," she grabbed his hands and forced them either side of her bump, "not whilst I have this babe in my belly. Stay here, with me."
"Dru, I can't make the promise not to leave for-"
"You can! Give the job to someone else!" She grew almost hysterical as she expressed her fears, "Kili or Thorin can take responsibility, just...please, stay with me. I can't bear if anything happened to you. I-I'm scared. I'm scared every time you leave because I can't follow you and protect you!"
She suddenly fell forward again and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
But Fili had seen the pain and upset in her eyes and...he couldn't really blame her for feeling that way.
She was right. When she had been in trouble all those times, he'd wanted to bundle her up and keep her to her rooms. He swore to always try to keep her safe and in the mountain, but then she hadn't been with child. And now she was, she couldn't leave as she used to. The confines of pregnancy were taking its toll on her and whilst she was never short of visitors or things to do, she still hadn't the freedom of going for long walks or even trips to Dale.
He couldn't do this to her.
He couldn't leave her alone with the fear when he went out.
"Alright. I promise," he pressed a kiss to the side of her head and whispered, "whilst you have our child in your stomach, I shan't leave this mountain. I won't even go to Dale. I'll stay where you can always send for me or come and get me yourself."
Dru pulled back and looked up at him with an extremely wet face.
"And after?"
He smiled down at her.
"After you have our daughter or son," he moved the hair from out of her face and wiped away her tears, "then you and I will take them out and show them off. Together."
Dru reached up and hastily wiped her nose, knowing it probably wasn't a very attractive sight for Fili.
"I know I'm selfish, but-"
"Shh, you're allowed to be," he pressed soothing kisses to her forehead, "you're going to be a mother soon. And I'm sorry for worrying you."
Dru began to return the kisses and gain control of her tears.
"I'm glad you're alright. Where does it hurt again?"
"Just my back. I promise everything else is fine."
She pulled away and nodded at him, her hands finally letting him go.
"Good."
He didn't see the little flash in her eyes until it was too late and with one quick smack, she slapped him across his bare shoulder.
"Ah, Dru-"
"Don't you EVER do that again!" She glared at him and...ah, yes. There was the rage he had waited for.
Another moment of silence passed between them and he just cocked his brow at her.
"Aren't you going to hit me again?"
"No...unless you want me to and you're not telling me something?"
"No, no, all fine," he reached for her hands and held them again, though this time he was just trying to soothe and calm her anger.
"Good. Do you want me to get the healers in now and they can help you back to our rooms?"
"Well, yes, but I don't want to burden you," he reached up to stroke her cheek and she gave him a small (if slightly suffering) smile.
"I'm your wife...it's my job to take care of you when you're sick, as you have done for me many times before. And besides, I did tell you I'd always be there to look after you," she gently stroked his bandaged stomach and sighed, "no matter what."
Dru quickly got back up and gathered the healers and some guards to help Fili. He only really needed two to support him as he walked, but Dru kept the healers with her as they walked behind him, asking advice and how to care for him.
When they got back to their chambers, their fire was just dying and the maids were on standby by the doors, but Dru reassured them that they wouldn't need anything else that night.
"It's alright. I've got him."
Fili had been helped onto his bed and everyone quickly shuffled out after that, though he had a feeling it was something to do with Dru gathering them up like ducklings and 'shooing' them out.
She'd helped him on with his loose pyjamas and as he laid down on his side, he scooted him back onto the bed.
"I know you usually lay here, but I think we can swap. Just for tonight," she laid down in front of him and pulled the covers up and around them.
Usually, since her belly would get in the way, she'd lay with her back to him.
But tonight...he could see she just wanted to face him, even if it meant they weren't holding one another.
Her hand came to cup his cheek and before the pull of tiredness claimed them both, she repeated her earlier promise.
"I'm here, Fi'. I'll look after you and I won't go away."
And Fili knew she meant it. She spoke the truth but...it was more than that. She'd always be there for him, not just for that night. Not just for when he was sick or injured.
She'd be there for him, always.
XXXXXXXXXX
Khazad abod amuriz! = Dwarves strike the earth!