"NO! KILI! BLOSSOM!"
Fili's anguished cries echoed through the goblin caves, louder than the snarling of the goblins surrounding them. He stared at the edge that his brother and his heart had just toppled over, the sounds of their bodies hitting stone below causing his heart to ache. He paid no mind to the goblins around him or how both of his uncles sprung forward to shield him from the demented creatures that attempted to get him in his weakened state. Despite their own grief, they stood strong to protect their remaining family. Frerin would not let his grief take anymore family members.
"Fili, we must move," Thorin's voice was rough, whether from battle or from the fresh loss of Kili, I am not sure myself, dear readers. He turned his head slightly, body still crouch, ready to spring on any goblins that came near. His heart plummeted in his chest at the sight of Fili.
The blond prince had wandered closer to the edge, the gravel under his knees slowly giving way.
"Fili!" Thorin's shout startled the prince, who would have toppled after his brother had Thorin not dove to save him. The king, in a very reminiscent way to Kili and Blossom begun to slide with the weight of Fili. This time however, Frerin and Dwalin were there to pull their king and prince from the ledge. Thorin stumbled back onto his backside, arms locked around Fili. The younger Dwarf had tears tracked down his face and let out a small sob as the depth of the situation sunk in and that he had lost everything that he truly cared about.
"My Nadadith and Kurdu," Fili sobbed, clinging to Thorin as his uncle got him to his feet and started to pull him along after Gandalf. Thorin would not be losing his other nephew. If he had to carry the damn blond over his shoulder and kill goblins simultaneously, then so be it.
It felt like they had been running for ages, around in the dark mountain with goblins at their heels. Let's just say that being crushed by the Great Goblin was probably one of the worst things to happen to them. The worst was their loss obviously. Yet, the group did not dwell on said loss until they were out of the dark caverns and a safe distance away.
Gandalf paused, letting the dwarves run past him and counted them as they went. He counted with a heavy heart thirteen dwarves and no Hobbit. He watched solemnly as Fili sat towards the outside of the group, clutching Kili's bow in his hands. It was the one thing that he hadn't been able to release. Kili would never forgive him if he left it behind.
"We must go back and get their bodies," Dwalin announced, his own heart heavy at the grief on Frerin's face. The younger prince had never been stoic like Thorin was. He always showed his emotions and right now he lost the one he thought of as a child and a nephew he had never gotten to truly know. Dwalin was a little aggravated that Thorin was trying to hide his emotions as if Kili had not just fallen to his death.
"It's too dangerous, we must move forward," Thorin announced, already getting ready to continue on. Dwalin wasn't the only dwarf that was angry with notion. Blossom had come to mean a lot to them in the last couple of months, but more importantly Kili was Thorin's heir and Dis' youngest son. He deserved to be buried at home with his family.
"It is dishonorable to leave them down there!" Frerin hissed at his brother, his face caked in dirt and grim that concealed the markings upon his jaw.
"What do you know of dishonorable!" Thorin seethed, glaring at the blond. Frerin glared, standing in front of Fili, the younger prince oblivious to the fighting. No, with the loss of a Dwarf's One it would only be a matter of time before Fili started to fade away. Especially with the addition of losing Kili.
"And what does that mean?"
"You would rather mourn the loss of some Halfling," Thorin's spite made most of the Dwarves flinch, even Fili who had been unaware of the conversation until the mention of Blossom, "Than your own flesh and blood." Thorin was once more in Frerin's face, his body trembling. He didn't even need to ask because he knew who Frerin was more upset over losing.
"Just because Blossom is not of my blood does not make her less of my kin," Frerin's voice was stone cold, a mask of a king slipping over his face.
"You also must get it through your thick, fucking skull that I have spent seventy-two years away from Kili and have known him for five years of his life! I have known Blossom for her entire life and raised her for the last ten years on my own mind you!" Thorin had the decency to look ashamed, Dwalin noted, but it still wasn't enough.
"I think of her as my child as much as you think of Fili and Kili as yours," Frerin finished, a sense of finality to his words. He has had enough of this disrespectful Thorin. He wanted his kind, loving, mischievous brother from all those years ago. This was not his brother anymore.
"Now if you'll excuse me, Your Grace," the malice in Frerin's voice could have poisoned any Orc, "I am going to take Fili back to his mother so she can see her son before he fades. Seeing as you have had your head shoved so far up your own ass you have not noticed that the 'Halfling' is your nephew's One." Frerin spit, turning on his heel and slowly helping Fili up from the ground. At the mention of fading, the younger blond prince had paled and tightened his grip on the bow.
All of the surrounding Dwarves had sorrowful looks on their face, all aware that they were about to lose their other prince as well. They could reclaim Erebor, but there would be no heir when Thorin stepped down. Frerin helped Fili turn around, ready to lead him back the way they came, hopefully avoiding the goblins. Fili's hold on the bow was so tight that the wood creaked under his grasp.
"Nadad, you are going to break it!" Kili whines, breaking the solemn silence that the company had fallen into.
The company whipped around, taking in the appearance of the two 'lost' members. Kili was relying heavily on Blossom to hold him up, his ankle throbbing from the escape plan. Blossom was covered in scratches and grim, her back still covered in the blood from that creature covering her. Her waist coat was ultimately ruined, caked in blood and her silver buttons torn from the front. She would kill for clean clothing right now.
"Blossom Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Gandalf announced, the rest of the company cheering.
Frerin raced towards Blossom, lifting the Hobbit off her feet and cradling her like a babe. She buried her face in his neck, glancing over to see Kili was in an almost similar position with Fili, the princes clutching each other. They had stood by close enough to hear the fighting and she had never known that he had felt that way about her. Once Frerin had released his hold on her and placed her down, she was swept up again by another blond. Her breath hitched as Fili wrapped her in his arms, knowledge that he was her Heart making the gesture so much more. He had been worried about her.
"Kurdu," Fili whimpered, mumbling into her shoulder, his native tongue thick and rumbling against her. She cradled his head to her, using her thumbs to wipe the tears off his face. She did not like to see either of the princes in tears.
"Hush Turghalw, I'm here," she whispered, letting her fingers brush against the mark on his forearm, now bare for the world to see with the Goblins have stripped him of his armor and outer layers. At the endearment and touch, Fili pulled back to look at her. She could see the questions in his eyes and timidly reached up to stroke his cheek.
"Kili made your choice for you," she revealed, leaning into his touch when his calloused fingers reached up to touch the mark behind her left ear. Fili let a small smile slip on his lips, leaning forward to press his lips to her forehead. It was not the right moment for a proper kiss.
"He was never good with secrets," Fili's voice was rough from staying quiet, but Blossom loved it the same as his cocky tone from that night at Bag End. Fili wrapped her in his arms, preparing to turn to listen to Kili retelling of Blossom's escape plan, his arms holding her protectively to him. He would not be letting her go any time soon.
"This heroic tale means nothing when you don't know that your Miss. Baggins was planning on leaving when she noticed her sword glowing," Thorin, never leaving well enough alone, cut through the company's compliments to Blossom, glaring at how his nephew was wrapped protective around the Hobbit. What he did not expect was the blond to glare at him, too much like Frerin's.
"It matters not! She came back, with your nephew at that Thorin Oakenshield!"
"It matters! I want to know: why did you come back?"
Blossom thought of her words carefully, pulling out of Fili's hold yet holding his fingers tightly. She had no want to release him either, but she felt like her words would impact better if she wasn't buried away like a little mouse that Thorin believed her to be.
"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, because you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." She concluded her speech, letting Fili pull her closer and welcoming the press of his bearded lips to her temple. It was an odd sensation, but she would come to love it.
The entire company stood silent, looking upon Blossom with a new perspective. Sure she was Fili's One, but that wasn't holding her here. She knew enough about Dwarven soulmates to know that if she demanded it Fili would gladly live the rest of his days among the Elves if it made her happy. No, the young Hobbit lass had forsaken her comfortable home to help them get theirs back and if that hadn't won over the entire company, nothing would.
The sound of Black Speech and Wargs howling caused the group to pause, eyes wide and fear raced through their blood once more.
"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin mumbled, eyes looking at Gandalf in surprise.
"...and into the fire! Run! RUN!" Gandalf shouted, pushing Ori and Nori in front of him. Blossom held Fili's hand tightly, letting him lead the way. She tugged her sword out of her sheath. The pounding of the Wargs' paws sounded behind them, she didn't dare look away from in front of her. If she looked back, she would most likely falter.
"Blossom!" Fili cried as one of the Wargs tackled the Hobbit, sending them rolling down the rest of the hill. The Hobbit may be half the Wargs' size, but she was not a being to be messed with. She rolled out from underneath the beast, swinging her sword downwards and beheading the Warg. Her clothes were beyond ruined now. She spared a second to shake her head before Fili caught up with her and quickly pulled her along once more.
"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Blossom, climb!"
Fili practically tossed her up in the tree, the blond prince jumping after her. He pushed her up further, the Hobbit scrambling up the branches until Fili thought they were high enough. The blond pulled her closer, watching the Wargs attempt to climb the tree next to theirs. Blossom looked to her left and noticed Kili sitting on a branch lower with Thorin. Frerin was a bit further down, still climbing up towards the others.
The cruel sound of Black Speech caused shivers to run up Blossom's spine, curling into Fili's side. She was attempting to be brave, but she was terrified. This was so much like the Fell Winter; those horrible stories she had heard. She did not want to end up dead like her parents. She would not fall to wolves. Listening to 'Azog' tease Thorin would fuel her nightmares for months, but not as terrifying as the Wargs knocking the trees over to get to them. Blossom jumped between the branches, getting the air knocked out of her more than once by branches and flailing limbs.
She had been smashed between Fili and Kili when Gandalf began throwing pinecones set on fire at the Wargs, making them back away.
"Fili!" The wizard tossed one of the pinecones down to the blond prince, who aimed it at the closest Warg, grinning as it set the monster on fire. Pinecones went flying through the air, lighting up the dark sky. Blossom even throws some of her own, though she preferred to hang onto the branches. Hobbits were not big fans of heights.
The creaking of the trees made their cheering cease as the tree begun falling backwards, the roots not able to hold up fourteen Dwarves, a Hobbit, and a wizard. Blossom clung to the trunk, luckily not fully dangling over the edge like the others at the top. Her ears echoed with Ori and Dori's shouts of fear. She could see them dangling over the edge, clinging to Gandalf's staff. She had flashbacks to the goblin caves and trembled against the tree trunk. She had gotten separated from the two princes when the tree fell over, Kili's foot being the closest thing to her currently. She was clinging to the trunk by herself when Thorin decided he had gotten over his shock and Azog's teasing words.
"Thorin!" Frerin shouted, watching his brother walk towards the awful Orc once more. There was nothing he could do to stop him either seeing as he was dangling over the edge. He wasn't as far off as Dori, Ori, and Gandalf, but enough to where he could not easily follow him without risking the lives of those around him. No, he watched helplessly as Thorin charged off the tree and towards the smirking Orc.
Azog's sinister laugh filled the air as his Warg tackled Thorin and sent him to the ground. Blossom watched in horror as the king got back to his feet only to be knocked in the face with Azog's mace sending him flying away from them. Blossom clutched the tree tighter, feeling Dwalin and Frerin struggling behind her to try and pull themselves up to help. Thorin couldn't do this by himself. Stupid pig-headed Dwarf.
"Nadad!" Frerin screamed watching as the giant Warg clamped his jaw on Thorin's body. Thorin managed to make it release him, but was thrown with such a force that knocked him out, his sword falling out of his hand. The company of Dwarves watched in horror as their leader laid motionless on the ground. Frerin struggled to get up on land, throwing caution to the wind as Azog demanded another rider to bring him Thorin's head. He couldn't watch Thorin get knocked down again. Frerin struggled, but did not look over at Thorin in fear of seeing his brother's death.
The company watched in horror as another rider stalked to Thorin's prone body, standing over him and drawing another blade. It was going to decapitate the Dwarf. Frerin managed to get up on the trunk of the tree, but was paused in horror. Even if he did get up and run over there, his brother would be headless. Frerin couldn't watch Thorin die again. He closed his eyes, resting his head on the tree. He had failed his brother once more.
"Blossom!" Fili's terror filled scream broke through the older blond dwarf, his head shot up looking for the young Hobbit. Instead of seeing her hiding among the branches, she was wrestling with the Orc that had tried to beheaded Thorin. Seeing the young Hobbit lass fighting had put the fire under the younger princes and they both began to struggle up onto the trunk like Frerin had. They watched as Blossom took a roll to the side and killed the Orc, running to Thorin's side to check on him.
"Thorin," she whispered, shaking his shoulders slightly. He needed to be alive. He couldn't die. Not now, not like this.
"Kill her!" Azog roared, Blossom reaching for her sword to protect her and Thorin. She swings wildly to protect ward of the Wargs, but they were slowly closing in on her. She gulped, her eyes focused on the white Orc, not willing to see the desperation on Frerin or Fili's face. Frerin's tears for Thorin had been enough for her to decide that she would fight for the rude king. A Warg lunged for her only to be beheaded by Frerin's sword. Dwalin, Fili, and Kili followed after him all with battle cries on their lips. The warriors fought hard, protecting their king and Hobbit.
Frerin stayed close to Blossom and Thorin, protecting them from swarming Orcs and Wargs. Blossom turns so her back was toward Frerin and lunged forward to bury her sword into a Warg. She lets out a short scream when the White Warg knocks her to the side as if she was a ragdoll. She scrambled back on the ground as Azog approached her. The other warriors were fighting a losing battle. She had just gotten ahold of her sword hilt when a loud screech filled the air.
Eagles. Huge, majestic eagles swooped down into the fight. Blossom watched as one carefully lifted Thorin from the ground, Frerin climbing up onto the creatures back. He was not going to leave his brother anytime soon. Blossom watched as one attempted to knock Azog off the cliff while another headed her way.
"No, no, no, no, NO!" Blossom screamed as she was clutched in the eagles' talons and thrown off the side of the cliff. She didn't stop screaming until she landed on another eagle's back, Fili's arms latching onto her so she wouldn't go toppling over.
"Thank Mahal," he whispered, pressing his lips to the mark behind her ear. His arms were strong on her, an embrace of stone. The Hobbits stomach growled and she was aware of just how long it had been since they had all eaten last. How long were they in those caves? She leaned back into his chest, her own hand finding his mark and tracing the familiar letters there.
"Thorin!" Kili called, riding on an eagle next to them with Ori and Bofur. Blossom leaned forward to see the eagle way below them. Frerin was clutching the feathers of the eagle, praying to Mahal and Yavanna to keep Thorin alive. He blocked out the rest of the world, though he could hear Kili's call, and focused on his praying.
Blossom fell asleep listening to Gandalf ask the eagles for a place to sleep for the night. She did not know how long it took to get to the safe place, but she did wake up long enough for Fili to help her off the eagle. She thanked the creature softly, huddling close to Fili. The blond prince led her off to a warm corner, within eyesight of the Thorin and Frerin. Fili took the wall, spooning Blossom, both leaving a space open for Kili to join. The brunet prince was currently kneeling next to Thorin, clutching his tunic in his hands. Fili shared a bit of the rations that the eagles had provided, leaving a bit for Kili as well.
Frerin was curled into Thorin's uninjured side, refusing to leave the king's side since the eagle placed him down. He was unconscious still and Gandalf said he would not wake until tomorrow. Dwalin curled into Frerin's side as well, not wanting to be too far from his friends currently. Balin didn't even refuse his brother's wishes to stay near the two Durins and curled up so his back was pressed against Dwalin's. The rest of the families pressed together glad they all made it out alive and were safe.
Kili eventually shuffled over to Blossom and Fili, somehow fitting himself in the small space between Fili and the wall. The Hobbit and the blond shifted, watching the youngest Durin curl under his brother's arm. Blossom understood that Kili would need to feel close to his brother right now. Plus, they all knew that Blossom and Fili were each other's heart marks and Kili didn't want to accidentally make his brother jealous. Blossom smiled softly as Kili's arm wrapped over Fili and rested with his brother's around her waist. Fili pressed his lips to her ear, thumb rubbing her stomach reassuringly. Blossom slowly fell into sleep, the best she had gotten since Rivendell. She dreamt of her beloved Bag End, though instead of the presence of one Dwarf, it was a house full of Dwarfs. Even including some Dwarflings. It was a beautiful dream of a home she barely could remember now.
Kurdu - Heart
Nadadith - Little Brother
Nadad - Brother
Turghalw - Sweet Beard
Hey guys! I am have not abandoned this story yet! Though Mia told me hell froze over when I told her I was thinking about writing another chapter! If you follow my other stories on here, you'll see that I am very active this year so far because this is like the year of writing for me and I'm loving it so far! I was planning on reading The Hobbit for the 52 books challenge and I got inspired to write the next chapter after seven months! Hopefully you guys didn't forget about me!
Next chapter is Beorn, I believe and so there will be plenty of time to make up for this short chapter! Let me know if you want to see a particular scene now that oblivious Blossom and asshole Fili finally know/admit to their marks!
See you guys in the next one!