Warning: a gory/bloody moment ahead

X

The reparations of Lake-Town began immediately. The first thing that Nadi did was dispatch the brothers to the nearby town of Ironhaven to obtain supplies and manpower. Such a private folk were not to be swayed so easily, and so she instructed the brothers to strike a bargain: half of their dues would be paid in advance, and the other half would be paid upon completion of the work. As a bonus, those who wished to remain in the refurbished Lake-town were welcome to do so. Now that the population upon the lake had decreased following the dragon's attack, there was room enough to welcome stragglers.

While the brothers were gone, Nadi busied herself with balancing finances and acquainting herself with the remaining citizens. When asked about her business in Lake-Town, she carefully replied that she had estranged herself from the rest of her kin and was now seeking to re-establish the town out of goodwill. Nothing was said about her desire to put Fili upon the throne. It was too soon for that. Besides, no one seemed to have noticed that both the master and Alfrid were missing. The lack of instruction from their former leader seemed to make no difference in their lives whatsoever.

On the third day, Fili and Kili returned victorious with a caravan of workers and supplies from Ironhaven. The people from the enigmatic town were indeed strange, but they were well-acquainted with hard labor and self-sufficiency. They set to work immediately clearing the detritus and fortifying the structures that were still standing. Those who had remained in Lake-town threw themselves into the work with vigor. Rebuilding their hometown was a welcome distraction and proof that there was still hope for their livelihood.

A week passed and Nadi had become increasingly too busy to think about the Company back at the Mountain. If they were still there. There was no way for her to communicate with them, even if she wanted to, and no news came from that direction. Sometimes, when she could catch a break in the middle of the night, she'd stand outside and simply stare in the direction of the Mountain. The idea of them being dead crossed her mind but did not stick. The very nature of her travel companions defied death…or, rather, it had up until that point.

Finally, by the end of the week, the town on the lake began to resemble a properly habitable territory. It would never reach its former glory, but at least now all those who had been accounted for had a roof over their head, essential supplies from Ironhaven, and a sense of peace in limbo. Fili took up lodgings in the Master's old quarters - there was no irony to this decision, he swore - and Nadi and Kili set up a cozy space in the treasure chamber. All of the gold that they had taken from Erebor had been tucked away beneath them, in covered baskets and bags. Nadi told herself that all they were doing was maintaining guard over their funds. But, really, their occupation in the room was an excuse to stay close to each other.

Nadi hadn't even realized how fatigued she had been feeling until Kili took her in his arms at night and kissed her face. It was nice being able to let her guard down for once. On those cold nights when she lay cuddled beneath the fur rug with Kili, she felt as if she was free to be young again and relive those parts of her youth that had almost been forgotten. They joked and giggled like two mischievous children. They told each other frightening tales and pinched at one another until one of them squealed. And sometimes, when Kili was feeling somber and tired out from the day's work, he'd talk and talk and talk about nothing for hours. And she listened. It was during these times, with one of his arms draped beneath his head and the other cradling her neck, she'd look up at his face and think to herself this is the one.

It would have been the perfect time for her to tell him that she was pregnant. But, like a snake slithering through the foliage, his brother's voice bounced around her head.

A child...by my brother? He would have dropped you out of his heart and mind had not Tauriel denied him!

Do you not understand? Kili is a magpie and that child will be nothing more than a shiny thing for him to toy with until he gets bored. Mahal, Nadi, listen to me!

It was the first, but not to be the last time, that Nadi would regret becoming a mother. She wanted to be a child again, forever locked up in a moonlit room with Kili massaging her shoulder and ruminating on nothing at all. Already, she had forgiven him for the incident with Bahn. But in order to do so, she had first had to convince herself that Bahn would have only done more harm than good. Besides, she told herself, they didn't really look that much alike. Assuming that he was her father had been an injustice to the bittersweet memories of the man who had actually raised her.

"How did it happen?" She asked Kili one morning as they prepared for the day's work. He watched his reflection as he untucked his hair from the back of his collar. Such a move caused the lavender scent from his hair to fill the room. He had been chewing upon a peppermint leaf. Now, he twisted his lips and spat it out of the window.

"Well, one day my mother told Fili and I to show you around. If I remember correctly, she instructed that there be 'no funny business,'" he chuckled. "Glad I didn't take that bit of advice-"

"No, you silver-tongued troll," she said. "I mean…what happened, here, in this very room?"

Kili's mouth traced out a soundless 'oh.' His hands began to move slower as he watched her reflection in the window, observing her for signs of discomfort. Seeing none, he looked away and shrugged.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Nay, I'm just making conversation - of course, I want to know!"

"We had a conversation with the Master. Fili attempted to persuade him to relinquish his crown. The Master refused and things became…heated."

"Mm-hm." She had been biting her lip and holding her breath. Now, she let it out slowly and began to trace clumsy circles across the fur carpet. "Did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know. It. Strike the blow that killed the Master."

"'What does it matter?" He grumbled back.

"It doesn't," she said distractedly. "I guess I'd just...look, if someone's hands have to be stained, I'd rather it be-"

"Don't," he said, whirling around to face her. "I am as capable a warrior as he is."

"It is not about that-"

"Then what is it about?" He asked in an aggravated voice. "His age? His title? Don't you know that his sacrifice is mine, too? Fine, maybe I didn't strike the fatal blow. But I ensured the Master's death by barring you from the room. So do you see how this works, Nadi? Fili and I have always shared the same burdens, even if it may seem like I only ever stand in his shadow."

He turned away from her and crossed his arms before the window. There was just something so spectacular about the way that he looked then. No one could pull a brooding pout better than Kili. But Nadi knew that now was no time to make light of the situation. She stood up with a groan and wobbled towards him on legs numbed from lying too long. He sighed and let his body relax as she put her hand on his shoulder and pulled him back towards her.

"Well," she said, her cheeks squished against his shoulders. "You'll always be my prince. Fili can't lay claim to that title, now can he?"

"Sometimes I do wonder."

She chuckled. "Don't be a fool. I am about as attractive to Fili as a wart on a hog's arse. And the same goes for my attraction to him, begging your pardon."

Kili sucked his teeth for a long time and looked away. She knew that this was a sign that he wanted to say more on the matter, but was holding back. Gently, he slipped her hand off of his shoulders and moved to stand by the opposite window. He looked out for a moment before turning back and gazing at her. She knew that he was appraising her choice of clothing. Earlier that week, she had set about hemming down a set of men's clothing to fit her construction needs. Now, she stood before him dressed as a man in ill-suited clothing with her hair tied back, and covered from head to toe in soot and grime. But he was pleased with her nonetheless, she could see it in the barely perceptible lift at the corners of his bearded lips.

"This whole...putting Fili on Lake-town's throne is going to be filled with sacrifices," he said stoically. "To be honest, I wasn't expecting that we'd kill the Master - not at all. It just sort of happened. But that's what the road ahead is going to look like. There'll be all these unexpected twists and turns that may frighten us terribly. Are you sure that you're ready for that?"

"I have no choice."

"You don't think so?"

If only you knew my reasoning, she thought to herself. But, unbeknownst to her then, Kili had already figured it out. "I've put a lot of work into this plan," she said instead. "And I will see it through."

"Ah," he said with a proud nod. There was a cry from the street below them and they both leaned out the window.

"Hail Kili! Hail Nadi!" A woman cried, waving a white handkerchief at them. "Those who had left Lake-town are returning! See, there, their boats along the shore."

Kili and Nadi rushed to the opposite window again and peered out. Indeed, a small group of boats led by Bard the bowman were approaching from the direction of the mountain. Nadi gasped and grabbed Kili's arm excitedly.

"This is it! This is it!" She squealed as she shook his arm like a lunatic. Her heart was beating so hard that she felt as if she would suffocate. "Oh, glory to this day! It has finally come! Come on!"

She dragged Kili down the stairs by his coat sleeve and ran across the dock. Fili was already standing there, dressed in a handsome ensemble of grays and blues. A large fur cape had been draped around his shoulders and strapped to his chest with a diagonal leather belt. He turned and smiled at her over his shoulder, and she was proud to find that he not only looked the part but was ready to play it, too. The three Dwarves stood together as people began to surround them. The inhabitants of Ironhaven gathered together beneath an awning some ways away, watching the affair unfold with shifting eyes. This business was not their own, and yet they were intrigued.

The boats reached the docks and immediately a wave of people rushed forward to greet those who had remained. There was much gasping and excited chattering as they gazed upon their renewed homeland in awe. Nadi reached out and helped Bard's children onto the dock as the bowman took turns clasping Fili's and Kili's hands.

"You've done good work here," Bard said, looking around with appreciation. "I can see that you've even made repairs to my home!"

"As best we could. We were expecting you, and the rest." Nadi said. She wondered if her giddiness was inappropriate and then quickly dismissed the thought.

"Is this why you asked me to keep my people in Dale and await your signal?"

"Aye," she said proudly. "You see, I have big plans-"

"Any news from the Mountain?" Fili quickly asked, cutting her off. She took a few steps back and crossed her arms in annoyance. Bard pursed his lips and shook his head in exasperation.

"Your king has become as immovable as the mountain that he stays holed up in," Bard said in a low voice as the people around them continued to stroll about in wonder. "He's kept Thranduil waiting at the door, threatening to destroy the Elven jewels if Thranduil acts 'unreasonably.' Already, the doorway to Erebor has been littered with crushed jewels that had rightfully belonged to the Elves. Things have reached a...tense standstill."

"And the others? How do they fair?" Kili asked. Bard shook his head again.

"I know that the rest of your kin do not share Thorin's sentiment. And thus they shouldn't have to suffer his consequences. I've had my people deliver them food and other necessities in secret. But it can't go on like that forever."

"We appreciate you looking out for them," Nadi said. She glanced behind her and did a mental calculation of all the resources and food that they had acquired up until that point. "It is within our means to send over some of what we have to the mountain as well. As a token of goodwill," she said to Fili and he nodded.

"I'm grateful for all that you've done for our town," Bard said cordially. "But I must ask…why? I assume you've separated yourself from your king. But why settle here?"

"I'll be more than happy to explain. Gather 'round," Fili called to the milling crowd. "I have a few things to say! Your Master has fled Lake-Town. He has left you derelict and without hope. We, the Dwarves of Erebor, have been running the town in his stead. And you see what we have accomplished. We have done this out of the kindness of our hearts, and expecting nothing in return. If you allow it, we will see this town flourish again!"

There was a scattering of applause and cheering all around them. Though Nadi was alarmed by the way in which Fili had so effortlessly lied about the Master's fate, she was emboldened by the cheerful energy in the crowd. She placed herself between Fili and Kili and addressed the crowd in a booming voice.

"Some of you may know that this mighty Dwarve that stands before you is Fili: son of Dis and nephew to the great Thorin Oakenshield. He was raised as a prince and was next in line, following Thorin, to take Erebor's throne. But, having witnessed the chaos brought upon by the dragon, he has chosen instead to pledge himself - as is his duty as a sovereign - to this very town that has been unjustly forgotten and abandoned for many, many years. He does this with the willingness and grace of a man who will see all people rise, regardless of their race or bloodline. And so, citizens of Lake-town, he stands before you, humble, with an offer to lead you to the greatness that you deserve. Will you accept and welcome him as the new Master of Lake-town!?"

Silence fell over the town, punctuated only by the whistling wind. The people around her shifted uncomfortably and she knew immediately that something was wrong. She had been standing with her arms raised. Now, she lowered them and glanced around suspiciously.

"What? What?" She finally said. And then a single, faceless voice in the crowd spoke.

"But we have already elected Bard in the Master's place."

Damn, she thought to herself, damn, damn, damn. Kili said that there would be unexpected twists and turns in their plight, and here was the first one. She turned to look at Bard who held her eye coolly, if not somewhat pityingly.

"What have you to say to this?" She asked, a bit rougher than intended.

"I have accepted their election."

"But Fili is a rightful prince," Kili cried in indignation. "It is in his blood!"

"I'll tell you about blood…" came a hoarse voice. They all turned and watched Alfrid slowly approach from the back of the crowd. His lip was curled so high that it had contorted the rest of his face. He raised a shaking finger and pointed it straight at Fili's chest. "What did you say happened to the Master? He fled!?"

"That is what I said," Fili said calmly.

"Well...you…lie," Alfrid hissed. He swung around in circles, spit flying from his mouth as he stuttered in outrage. "These Dwarves that stand before you are filthy, bloodthirsty, murderous savages - just like the rest of them! Willingness and grace! Do not let them deceive you with their pretty words! They only want the throne for the throne's sake!"

"What are you saying, Alfrid?" Bard asked with creased brows. Alfrid turned upon him with a maniacal look of desperation and hooked his fingers in Bard's coat.

"I was there," Alfrid said and Bard winced at the smell of his moist breath. Alfrid swung his finger around at Fili again. "I was there when he murdered our Master! In cold blood!!"

The crowd gasped and stepped away from the Dwarves as one. Nadi tucked her chin into her neck as the brothers pressed themselves against her, protecting her from the shifting energy of the crowd. Alfrid put his head in his hands and gave an ugly whine.

"Oh, mercy me!" He cried, although his face was quite dry. "That one there! The young one with raven hair! He held me back as his brother attempted to strangle the Master to death! And when that didn't work, he pulled out a blade and stabbed our Master in the back as he attempted to crawl away! I tried to stop it, I did! I put my hands on my Master's back and tried to staunch the blood, but there was so much…my hands! My poor bloody haaaaaands!"

Nadi could barely hear Alfrid over the sound of her own ragged breath. She could feel Fili's shoulders tensing as he shielded her from the crowd, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Now, finally, she knew what had happened in the room that night. It was much worse than what she imagined. There was no way to come back from this - she saw the shocked looks of indignation all along the crowd as Alfrid spoke.

"There was nothing more I could do," Alfrid called out as he fell to his knees. "I had to run, lest they tried to murder me, too!"

"Is this true?" Someone from the crowd asked. "Is this what happened to the Master?"

"The Master would have seen you barren and desolate," Kili growled. She could feel him reaching for the blade hanging veiled beneath his belt. "He had it in his heart to abandon you-"

"-and so you killed him?!" Came a woman's high voice. "If I stole a loaf of bread, would you have strangled me and stabbed me to death, too?"

"-you're no prince," someone else said. "You're a villain! And you shall be treated like one!"

The crowd roared. Several men jumped forward and wrestled Fili and Kili to the ground. But Nadi's short stature worked to her advantage and she was quick to duck out of their way when they reached for her. She paced along the edge of the crowd and watched in growing agitation as the Durin brothers were trussed up like pigs.

"I freed you from the Master's tyrannous clutch," Fili called out as a man attempted to loop a cloth bind around his mouth. "And I ensured that he will never have that hold upon you again!"

"-but it's the principle!" Someone said.

"Forget the principle!" Another man stepped forward and placed himself in front of the Dwarves. "It's not about principle! You see what they have done in the Master's absence! They have rebuilt our town!"

"The Master would have never done the same for us," another voice agreed. "He would have let us die out in the cold! I say we set the Dwarves free!"

Several people raised their voices in support of the Dwarves as Nadi hopped and ducked away from the people pursuing her.

"Do not forget that it was the Dwarven king's greed that set us here in the first place!"

"But they have renounced their king!"

"And yet they lied about what happened to the Master! What else are they lying about?!"

"Well, go ponder that in the home that they rebuilt for you while you were gone!"

All voices raised at once. The crowd began to argue back and forth, some of them going so far as to shove and push one another. Those who stood in agreement with the Dwarves had surrounded Fili and Kili in a protective circle, while those who opposed them struggled to breakthrough. For the moment, Nadi had been forgotten at the edge of the crowd. She sensed the Ironhavers watching her curiously and silently as she twisted her hair in her fingers and paced around. There was only one option left. She had promised herself that she would only consider it if things went horribly wrong - which they had. There was no telling what the opposing crowd would do once they got their hands on Fili and Kili.

She needed Fili on the throne. It had nothing to do with him, Kili, or her. Everything that she did - no matter how desperate or dangerous - would be for her son. And that is why she spoke.

"Wait!" She cupped her hands around her mouth and called again. "HOLD!"

The crowd fell mostly silent and turned to look at her. The citizens of Lake-town were uncommonly tall, and she was short for a Dwarve. The height difference between her and so many people was jarring, but she would not let that intimidate her. She took a deep breath in. As all eyes watched in confusion, she reached back and slowly retwisted the twine in her hair.

"You will not deny Fili's rulership," she said angrily. "I do not care if he killed the no-good criminal that you so hungrily called Master. I do not care if you elected Bard in his place. Understand that I was being courteous in offering you Fili's kingship. But you've disrespected me, and my brothers, and so I am withdrawing that courteousness. Hear me now and know that there will be no further discussion. Fili is now the Master of Lake-town, and that is final."

Alfrid snickered. "What makes you think-"

"We are in possession of the Arkenstone," she said over him. "And, as you may have heard, the Arkenstone bestows upon its wielder the right to rule."

Bard turned to her with a look of surprise that soon fell to suspicion. "What game are you playing?" He asked in a rumbling voice. She shook her head.

"I am no child, bowman, and I do not play games."

"Is that why you left the Mountain? Because you stole the Arkenst-"

"Silence!" She snapped, holding her hand up to him. "I don't want to hear another word about anything that has transpired before this point. We are here now, we have the King's jewel, and we will not be leaving anytime soon."

"The Arkenstone…" someone repeated in the crowd. "I've heard of that."

She heard the Ironhavers shifting nervously and muttering amongst themselves in their foreign tongue. So far was the Arkenstone's reach that even they, in their seclusion, had heard of it. It didn't matter that the stone was a prized possession of her people. Tales of its wonder and bestowal rights were things of legend - legend that had quickly spread throughout the world. Both Fili's and Kili's mouths had finally been bound. Now, they lay upon the ground watching her with their arms tied to their sides. Kili raised his brows and tried to smile at her as best as he could. There was a slow thumping coming from the end of the dock but, in her fury, Nadi hadn't noticed it.

"Well, well, well," Alfrid said, clapping his hands mockingly. "So you have a pretty rock. Good for you."

"It's more than a pretty rock-"

"Is it, though? What does it do?"

"Do?" She repeated dazedly. The thumping was growing louder. Several people turned their heads towards the end of the dock.

"Yes...do," Alfrid repeated, a teasing edge in his voice.

Nadi paused and thought about this. As much as she hated to admit it, Alfrid had made a fair point. As far as she knew, the Arkenstone didn't actually do anything. It was, as he had said, a pretty rock - only a thing of legends and fables. Like so many of the riches in the Mountain, it was only worth anything because her people said it was. Put in that perspective, the Arkenstone was a pure representation of her disillusionment with the outside world. And if she could be disillusioned by it, then so could the people of Lake-town. And she could not have that happen.

"It d-does a lot of things," she lied. "Far beyond your realm of understanding. It is a very magical stone." The people muttered uncomfortably at this and she tried again. "Contained within it is the power to destroy nations and bring back the dead. That is why only a king can wield it - b-because its power is terrible and great."

"Have you any proof?" Alfrid asked, watching her carefully.

"None that I'd be willing to show for your entertainment," she spat back. "The stone is nothing to be toyed with."

"I see…" Alfrid said slowly. He walked up to her, taking in every inch of her body with narrowed eyes. The thumping had stopped. A few people in the crowd gasped and began to move away from something that she could not see. "I don't think the people have been convinced," Alfrid continued. Bard said his name in a warning voice but he ignored him. "I think you'll find that their decision will be a matter of life and death. But speaking of death-"

Alfrid snapped his fingers. Two men sprung up from behind Nadi and pinned her arms behind her back. They kicked her legs out from beneath her and strung a rope tight around her body. Before she could speak, they wound a cloth around her mouth and tied it uncomfortably tight.

"I will not bear witness to this madness," Bard said. He grabbed his children and pulled them close. "Alfrid, call your men off. You see that she is still a young girl."

"A young girl with a mouth that's grown too old," Alfrid said. He snapped his fingers again and the men pulled the binds even tighter, choking the very breath out of her. "You say that your precious stone can bring people back from the dead. Let us test that theory. No harm in it, I suppose, unless you're lying."

There was nothing that she could say to this as her mouth had been secured shut. Fili and Kili began to wriggle madly beneath their ties but were unable to free themselves. She heard Kili attempting to yell, but his voice was muffled and his words were lost.

"Cut her free, Alfrid," Bard said. He had his arms wrapped protectively around his children, who were sobbing hopelessly against his coat. "Unless you consider yourself a murderer as well."

"An eye for an eye," Alfrid said slowly, licking his lips as one of his men unsheathed a blade. There was no way for Nadi to speak out in her defense, and so she held his eye - hoping to convey her apology and desperation through her gaze. He raised his hand in the air - preparing to give the signal - and then paused. They stared at each other, all eyes still turned toward them. Alfrid's hand quivered. He balled it into a fist, pursed his lips…and then slowly let his hand down.

She let her breath out in a heavy sigh through her nose. Kili gave a muffled shout and kicked out against his binds. Judging by the resigned way that Alfrid closed his eyes, she had won. Though it may have been grimy and covered in rust, the man still had a heart.

Three heavy knocks suddenly resounded along the dock. The crowd turned once again and then began to part. There were gasps of fright and nervous mutterings as someone slowly made their way through them. It was a woman, but the strangest woman that Nadi had ever seen: she was monstrously tall, and dragged the right side of her body along as she leaned heavily upon a staff with a large hammer welded into the end. This was what had made the thumping sound along the boards.

Slowly, she lifted her head as she approached and trapped Nadi with a pair of startlingly small eyes beneath her wide-brimmed hat. Several women began to cry as others grabbed their children by their arms and dragged them away. Bard took one look at the woman, glanced anxiously at Nadi, and then pulled his children backward along the dock. The people from Ironhaven cowered and fell to their knees, bowing their heads and clasping their hands as they muttered the same name over and over again.

Khurza.

The woman stopped before Nadi and fell into a crouch. Unabashedly, she surveyed Nadi's face and then lowered her gaze to her neck. From the corner of her eyes, Nadi saw Alfrid stumble back in fright and then tumble into the water. He began to swim as fast as his limbs could carry him, away from the dock.

The woman named Khurza slipped her finger along the base of Nadi's skull, then down the back of her neck. Nadi could only stare in quivering fear as the woman's fingers traced their way to the front of her neck and then her chest where it rested briefly upon her quickly beating heart. Nadi was no fool - she knew that the woman was testing her finger all along her most vulnerable spots. There was a creepy, crawling aura about the woman that froze the very blood in Nadi's vein. She found that she could not move as the woman pressed her finger deep into the skin on the left side of Nadi's neck again.

"Alrigh'" the woman said with a nod. The right side of her face barely moved as she spoke.

"Hmph?" Nadi said against her mouth bind.

Suddenly there was a crushing force on her chest. The woman had put her knee up on Nadi's collarbone and was pressing down with all of her might. Everyone was screaming for some reason- but there was one studded, throaty wail that rose above the rest. By the time Nadi recognized that it was Kili, it was already too late. A silver glint flashed across the sun as Khurza wound her left arm back and then flung it forward. Nadi's eyes went wide and she screamed as an unbearable searing pain began to slide across her throat, severing everything in its path. She screamed and screamed and screamed until her mouth filled with bubbling wetness and she began to choke. Her eyes were splattered with reddish drops as a terrible warmth began to spread across her neck and drench her shirt. With a great effort, she lifted her hand and clasped her shaking fingers around the woman's taut wrist. But the pain wouldn't end. It was too sharp, it was getting worse, she couldn't stand it. Her mouth was filled with saltiness. She was choking on it. She was going to go mad-

She had to let go.

Nadi gave one last terrified cough as the embedded blade found its resting point on the opposite side of her neck. Then, slowly, her eyes fell still. Her bloodied hand sloughed away from Khurza's wrist, fell limp to the ground…

And Kili's screams could be heard throughout the land.

X

Give him to me, Nadi. Give me the boy.

X

Author's Note: Oh-ho but wait. The story doesn't end here :)