Here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~ Chapter 9 ~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~

The next day found everyone to be very anxious. The wait to see if Fili and Kili had completed their task was long and Bilbo found himself sitting out on the balcony of Thorin's chambers wrapped in a blanket to keep warm. Thorin was also finding it extremely difficult to concentrate as he was anxious to see his nephews.

It was getting close to the end of the day and Thorin had taken to giving up on the paper work late in the afternoon and was now curled up with Bilbo on the balcony, blankets wrapped around them and Thorin was wrapped around Bilbo.

Bilbo felt his eyes shutting slowly as he tried to stay awake to watch for the boys and Gandalf to arrive back. Just as his eyes kept closing he saw some shapes forming in the distance. They were just black specks but they were slowly getting closer. Bilbo shook his head to wake himself up and saw the shapes getting bigger.

"Thorin…" Bilbo said and shook Thorin who was in a light doze. "Thorin I think they are back."

Thorin slowly woke and looked at Bilbo who was staring out in the distance at something. Thorin turned his head and saw the shapes Bilbo was looking at and they were indeed getting bigger.

"Shall we go greet them?"

Bilbo nodded and hurriedly climbed off the cushions they had pulled from the bed and arranged on the floor to lay on. Thorin climbed to his feet and wrapped his arm around Bilbo and led him from the chamber. As they made their way down stairs Thorin had a guard alert the Company, Dís and the counsel that the Princes had returned.

Thorin stood with Bilbo out the front of the gates as the eagles were coming over Dale. Bilbo and Thorin frowned seeing they could see Gandalf on the eagles but they could not spot Fili, Kili or any of the other dwarves that had went. Dís and the company arrived just as the eagles landed. Everyone watched as Gandalf jumped off the eagle he was on and made his way to another that landed behind and that is when they saw it.

Fili and Kili were both laid over the back of the eagle with Fili's arms wrapped firmly around Kili and holding on. Gandalf climbed up the eagle that had crouched down low and put his hand to Fili's shoulder.

"Fili, Fili can you hear me?" Fili groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "I need you to let go of Kili so we can get down and take you both to the healers."

"No."

"Fili he won't leave your sight but we can't get you both down at the same time."

Thorin moved forward and was able to climb up the eagle on the other side and gasped. Kili had a bandage around his back and leg and Fili's back had bandages wrapped around it. Thorin placed his hand on Fili's shoulder, careful of his injuries.

"Fili you need to let your brother go so we can help you both."

"No. I can't. No!"

Thorin reached around and unwound Fili's arms, normally it would be difficult but Fili had little strength even though he started shouting and struggling. Gandalf quickly gathered Kili in his arms and slid down the eagle's side and to the ground. Thorin pulled Fili to this chest and slid down as well, Dwalin and Balin helped to steady to two and take Fili from Thorin and brought him around to where Kili was laid on the ground. Oin was crouched over him looking at the wounds as Dís fretted by his side trying to wake Kili.

"Amad?" Fili said making Dís look to him.

"Fili. Oh Fili." Dís quickly held him, as Fili was placed beside her, careful of his back. "Are you ok?"

"Amad Kili he…" Fili said.

"Kili will be fine." Oin spoke up cutting off Fili.

"We were able to get him stable but he hasn't woken." Gandalf said.

"What happened?" Thorin demanded.

"Let's get these two inside and I'll explain. Bifur, Bofur are you two still heading back to Ered Luin in the next few days?"

"Yes we are." Bofur said.

"The eagles are taking me near the Ered Luin so if you like we will drop you off on the way. They are taking a couple of days rest first."

"We would like that Gandalf, thank you." Bofur said.

Kili had been taken inside the mountain and up to his chambers by Oin and some other healers. Everyone other than Fili and Dís looked as the eagles took off and disappeared. Thorin wrapped his arm around Bilbo who stared at the gates where Fili and Kili had disappeared to.

"Everyone meet us in the Company's reading room. Bilbo and I will be there shortly."

The company nodded and disappeared with Gandalf back inside the mountain. Thorin led Bilbo back inside with the guards following behind and they took the stairs back up to the royal wing and walked silently into Fili and Kili's room. Kili was laid on his stomach on the bed stripped down to his under clothes and Oin and a couple of healers working on stitching up his wounds and cleaning them to stop further infection. From where Thorin was he could see infection had already set in for the wound on Kili's thigh. Fili was lying face down on a mat that some healers had brought in so they could work on Fili and not be in the way of Oin and the others working on Kili. Fili was still awake and flinching and gritting his teeth as the wounds on his back were stitched back up.

"Irak'adad." Fili said softly seeing Thorin and Bilbo walk in.

Thorin went over and knelt by Fili and held his free hand. Dís was sitting beside Fili and holding his other hand as she watched the healers fix her sons up. Bilbo stood behind Thorin and looking between the two brothers.

"Fili it's ok. Save your strength."

"We completed the task Uncle."

"That doesn't matter right now. Just relax they will be done soon."

"Kili he…"

"He is alive Fili, now just relax."

"Uncle there were orcs there. They were prepared. We lost everyone else."

"We can talk about this later after you have rested."

Fili looked hesitant and looked back to Kili on the bed. Oin had finished and was making his way to Fili and knelt down as a healer moved aside.

"You boys like trouble don't you?" Oin said making Fili, Thorin, Bilbo and Dís laugh slightly.

"Not this type of trouble Oin."

"Hmm." Oin said as inspected the stitched up wounds and started to cover them in a paste to help fight infection. "Kili is stable but his wounds are infected and he has a temperature. But he should be fine. The same goes for you as well Fili. You're wounds are infected as well and you won't be sleeping on your back for a while."

"Can I stay with Kili, Oin? Please I can't leave him."

"Normally I would say no but seeing how it is you two and you are never apart I will say yes for now. But if your injuries don't improve I will have you both separated. Now Kili will likely sleep for a couple of days, so don't try to wake him he could use a few days' rest." Fili nodded in understanding. "And so could you. You will need your rest as well."

Oin and the healers carefully helped Fili back to his feet making him bit back a cry of pain. Oin and the healers laid Fili down on the bed on his stomach before the healers left. Oin put his hand on Fili's shoulder making Fili look to him.

"Now rest. If you need to get up have someone help you. You lost a fair bit of blood so you will need to rest."

Fili nodded before Oin left. Thorin moved over and knelt down beside Fili who had looked back at Kili lying beside him and held his hand. Thorin put a hand on Fili's head and made Fili look at him.

"Even if you weren't able to finish the mission having you both here alive is all I care about and I would prefer it. I'm glad you will both be fine." Thorin said softly and rested his head against Fili's. "That is all I care about. Get some rest. We'll come see you later after you get some rest." Fili nodded and Thorin rose from beside the bed and Bilbo put his hand on Fili's arm.

"I'm glad you both are ok. I'll come keep you company when you want it. Just let me know."

"Already sick of Uncle?" Fili said with a slightly laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

Bilbo laughed and looked at Thorin who had a smile on his face. Bilbo gave Fili's arm a gently squeeze.

"You know he can be boring staring at all that paperwork."

"Ok I think that's enough." Thorin said making the two started to laugh again.

"If you want company Fili let me know."

"Thank you Bilbo. I would like that and so would Kili when he wakes."

Bilbo smiled and looked to Dís who was sitting on the bed beside Kili and running her hand over his hair. She looked close to tears and Bilbo looked to Thorin and saw him watching Dís for a minute before taking Bilbo and leading him out.

"Thorin your sister…" Bilbo started saying before Thorin cut him off.

"She needs some time to the boys. She'll be ok. I'll speak to her after we meet with everyone. Let's just let them have some time alone."

"She's upset Thorin."

"I know and she won't want anyone but the boys. I've tried before when she lost Vili, her husband, and even then she just wanted the boys. Just some time to themselves and then she'll be more open to everyone else. She knows we care for the boys."

"Ok if you're sure."

"I'm sure. Come I want to know what happened."

~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~

The rest of the company sat in the room that was off limits to anyone but the company and Dís and select servants in the palace when requested. Everyone was sitting around not talking and giving Gandalf worried looks knowing what Thorin was going to be like when he got in here.

The door slammed open making everyone look up to see Thorin and Bilbo enter and they quickly took their seats by the fire, Bilbo curled in close to Thorin's side.

"So Gandalf start from the beginning. What happened?"

It took a good two days on the Eagles to get to Mordor and from their height they could see Mount Doom in the distance. Gandalf looked around spotting the black gates of Mordor and a great tower between the gates and Mount Doom. What really seemed to surprise Gandalf was all the Orcs and Uruk-hai that were behind the gate and around the tower. He had not thought that there would be as big of an army as there was.

"The Eagles will let us down at the entrance to Mount Doom. Fili, Kili you need to be quick I don't know who long we will be able to hold them back with our numbers. Do not open the parcel. We don't want to risk the Ring or Arkenstone trying to corrupt either of you."

Fili nodded and looked at Kili behind him who nodded. Both were ready. The Eagles flew over the Orcs and Uruk-hai and cries from the enemy could be heard and the sound of running as they chased after them.

The eagles flew down and deposited the group a few meters down the mountain. Fili and Kili quickly slid off and looked down to see the hoard of orcs and Uruk-hai not far behind them.

"Come on!" Fili said grabbing at Kili before they both raced up to the entrance to the volcano. Gandalf and the rest of the dwarves jumped off their eagles and prepared for battle. Fili and Kili reached the path into the mountain when something jumped down from above the entrance. They didn't know what it was, a pale, thin, gangly creature.

"My precious. Where is it?"

"What?" Fili said.

"My precious. He stole it from us."

"Who stole what?" Kili asked.

"Baggins stole our precious."

"What would Bilbo steal?" Kili whispered to Fili.

"I don't know."

"Argh!" The creature cried out and lunged at them.

Fili ducked to the side and Kili the other. Both turned to the creature who climbed to his feet.

"Go Fili. I got this."

Fili nodded and turned and raced past Kili and into the mountain. Kili held his sword in hand and creature in front of him. The creature screamed and lunged back at Kili again making Kili take a step back and swing his sword at him but got knocked to the ground. The creature clawed at Kili and knocked him in the side of the head before it scrambled off and tried to enter the mountain.

Kili grabbed its leg and tripped it before standing and watching the creature turn to him and its eyes widen. Kili saw it was looking behind him so he turned slightly and let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground. A couple of Uruk-hai had made it past the group further down and had swiped at Kili's unprotected back leaving deep claw marks. Kili was able to roll away and turn back to see one Uruk-hai leave him be and enter the mountain.

Kili saw the creature scrambling inside and painfully pushed himself to his feet and grabbed his sword and turned to the other uruk-hai that had turned its back. Kili stumbled slightly as he stood up and that caught the uruk-hai's attention and it turned to him with a great smirk on its face. Kili swung his blade to block its and dove to the side and slashed at its side before being knocked aside in response. Kili let out a cry of pain as his injured back slammed into the rocks and rolled away as the sword came down again. Kili climbed to his feet as it yanked its sword from the rocks and swiped low at him, catching Kili's leg as he tried to dodge making him gasp and crash to one knee.

The uruk-hai smirked and raised its blade to take Kili's head. Kili gripped his sword tightly and using the energy he could leapt at the uruk-hai and brought his sword forward through its chest. They slammed to the ground and Kili groaned as he rolled off the uruk-hai and climbed slowly to his feet. It lay dead, eyes wide in surprise at Kili's actions. Kili pulled his sword from its dead body and climbed his way back up the mountain to the entrance to find Fili.

~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~

Fili winced hearing a screech come from outside of the mountain as he walked towards the end of the walkway. He soon could not hear anything from outside as the noise inside took over. Fili reached into his coat and pulled out the parcel and without much of a glance tossed it down into the fiery depths.

Fili went to turn away when he fell to the ground with a cry of pain at a swipe across his back. Fili rolled out of the way just in time as a sword came down just where his head had been two seconds before. Fili was able to climb back to his feet and duck away as the blade came at him again. He dove behind the uruk-hai that held the blade. Fili turned and blocked the blade as it came a third time as he heard something coming from behind him and ducked down as the creature he and Kili encountered earlier dove over his head and crashed into the Uruk-hai that was fighting with Fili. Fili watched as the uruk-hai stumbled backwards and both fell off the side of the path. Fili moved forward and looked over seeing the Uruk-hai and creature had grabbed a hold of the side of the path further down and were both fighting to climb back up.

Deciding to leave Fili only just saw the parcel he had tossed down slowly slip through the lava and disappear. Just as it disappeared the mountain shook and Fili almost stumbled over the side because of it. Looking around Fili decided it was definitely time to leave and quickly turned to leave. He saw Kili was trying to walk towards him as he came through the entrance and Fili quickly grabbed his arm and lead him back out.

"Kili we need to leave. Now!"

"What happened?"

"I don't know but the Arkenstone and Bilbo's ring only just got destroyed as the mountain shook."

Both looked behind to see the lava making its way through the entrance and they quickly ran and jumped to an outcrop and climbed up to get away. When they reached the high point of the outcrop they stopped and looked around. There was lava flowing down the mountain and there was nowhere for them to go. Fili looked back at Kili to see him looking extremely pale as he tried to sit up.

"Kili are you alright? Kili answer me."

Fili put his hand on Kili's should as Kili all but collapsed in his arms. Fili saw the ripped clothes and large patch of red on his clothes and realised what was wrong.

"Kili hold on. You'll be alright."

"Fili."

"I'm here."

"It hurts."

"I know."

Fili looked around hoping that Gandalf and the other dwarves had gotten to safety but he couldn't see anyone down the mountain. Fili turned back to Kili just as a screech was heard and Fili looked up to see the eagles flying in and one landed just behind them on the mountain and Gandalf slid off and knelt beside them.

"Fili, Kili thank Valar you both are alive."

"Gandalf Kili is injured."

"And so are you. Quickly use your shirt to make bandages. We need to quickly wrap both of your wounds and get out of here."

"Where are the others?" Fili asked as Gandalf lifted Kili off Fili so Fili could do as he was asked.

"I'm sorry Fili. None made it."

Fili nodded slowly and removed his coat and then his shirt, using the thinner material to make bandages with. Fili quickly ripped his shirt into strips and took Kili's weight from Gandalf so he could wrap the wounds. He didn't have much range of movement now that most of the adrenaline was disappearing. Gandalf wrapped Kili's back in the shirt and then took Kili from Fili and laid him gently on the ground and moved around Fili's back and used the rest of the strips to wrap up Fili's back. Fili groaned in pain as he tried to not pull away from Gandalf.

"Alright time to go. Fili I need you to climb up onto the eagle and I will pass Kili up to you."

Fili nodded and the eagle crouched low further down the rock so it was less of a challenge for Fili to climb up. Fili situated himself on the eagle and turned to Gandalf who was able to pass Kili up without much problem and little stress on Fili.

"Keep hold of him. We will get away from here and treat both of your wounds properly."

Gandalf stood back as the eagle took flight and another came to collect him. Fili had his arm wrapped around Kili and his other under him and hold onto the eagle tightly. Fili looked at Kili and he was still to pale.

"My guess is that the reason the mountain exploded was because that was where the ring was forged and the only place it could be destroyed." Gandalf said.

"How did they know you were coming?"

"It was because of the ring that the enemy knew we were coming. The ring was still asleep but the enemy could still sense it but he was weak otherwise I fear the outcome may have been worse."

"Worse? Worse?" Thorin growled. "My nephews nearly died. How could it have been worse?"

"We would all be dead and the ring would be back in the enemy's hands and then no one would be able to stop him."

"So Fili and Kili met Gollum?" Bilbo asked.

"Yes from their description it would seem so. I was able to talk to both of them when we landed and I treated their back. Kili woke for a short while, in pain, but he was able to tell me what happened. I was nowhere near them when all of that took place."

"Who is Gollum?"

"Well I actually have no idea what he is. But he is who I got the ring off. I sort of stole it from him but if I hadn't I would never have left the misty mountains alive. He was going to kill me either way. Had to play a game of riddles with him so he didn't eat me. Didn't work, he still tried to eat me."

"Gollum wasn't much different from a hobbit many years ago. The ring extended his life and made him into what he was." Gandalf explained.

"Was?" Bofur asked.

"Yes. I believe he died when the mountain erupted but I don't know for sure."

"What will happen to him now that the ring is destroyed, if he didn't die on the mountain?" Bilbo asked.

"I'm not sure." Gandalf said and everyone seemed to fall into silence. "But unless there are no more questions shall we retire for the evening?"

"There will be food prepared in the dining hall if you are hungry Gandalf and a room shall be prepared for you."

"Thank you Thorin."

Thorin nodded and helped Bilbo to his feet and lead him to the dining hall.

~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~ End of Chapter 9 ~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~

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