Thank you so much to everyone who responded to the last chapter, in particular to Hermione Granger (Thank you so much, I hope this is quick enough for you :D)

Please forgive any mistakes I've made in this chapter, I hope that you like it :D

Read. Enjoy. Review.

Chapter Eighty Eight # Mercy In Darkness #

Nelly's throat was so raw it felt as though it had been on fire, but she kept screaming.

She had to keep screaming, because there was absolutely nothing else that she could do. If she kept screaming, maybe Nori could hear. And maybe if Nori could hear her he would wake up and snap out of it.

Because he had to.

Nori had to wake up. He had to, because this was all her fault and if he did not wake up, if he died…

"Nori!" she fought against her aunt as fiercely as she could without actually hurting her, but it was not enough to free herself. "Nori, Nori wake up, wake up, wake up!"

Bofur was pushing down on Nori's chest, over and over again to a steady beat, the beat of a heart, and Nelly guessed that was what it was supposed to do. Make Nori's heart beat.

Had Nori's heart stopped beating?

"Don't leave me, Nori!" Nelly yelled, dashing the tears off of her cheeks. Tears would do no one any good. "Don't you dare leave me, wake up, wake up now! Wake up Nori, don't leave, don't you leave me!"

She could see that Bofur was crying too – crying and sweating as he pushed again and again and again. Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump. He bent down and touched his mouth to Nori's again, blowing air into his lungs.

"Nori!" her voice cracked. "Please, Auntie Esme, please put me down!"

"Nelly," Esme whispered.

"Please, Auntie Esme," sobbed Nelly. "Please, please, please! Auntie Esme!"

After a second, her aunt actually complied, lowering Nelly to the ground. Despite her surprise, Nelly wasted no time in running to Bofur and Nori. She collapsed to her knees and tapped his face.

"Nori!" she tried to raise her voice, but it kept breaking. "Nori, please don't go. Please don't leave us, you can't leave us, you promised to take me on a barrel ride in Mirkwood, you promised! Please, Nori!"

"Come on, Nori," Bofur growled, pumping at his heart. "Come on!"

"Please," Nelly whispered, patting Nori's forehead. "Please, please, Nori, please!"

Nori's nostrils flared and Nelly gasped. The movement was so subtle that she nearly missed it, but it was there.

"Nori!" she squeaked. "Come on Nori, you can do it, breathe!"

Bofur paused his pushing motions as Nori took a harsh, hitched breath. "Nori? Come on, lad, come on!"

Another horrible, strangled breath ripped out of Nori's lips and he started to choke.

Nelly had never, ever been so happy to see someone choke, not even when Lotho Sackville-Baggins swallowed a bit of bread the wrong way after making fun of Vinca's tiny feet.

She wiped her nose with her sleeve but it was a sob that left her mouth anyway. "Nori!"

Then came another breath, and another and another, but they were not usual breaths. They were catching on the way up and he was coughing, coughing horrible, choking coughs, and his whole upper body was doing little spasms. It was almost scarier to see this strange type of breathing – and Bofur seemed to think so too.

"Hey, hey, snap out of it, Nori, breathe properly," he growled. "Come on, breathe, breathe dammit!"

Nelly took the softer approach, stroking Nori's hair. She only just noticed now, but it was all loose, all apart from the braids coming up from his eyebrows. "It's alright, Nori, everything's gonna be fine. You can do it, you just have to breathe…"

All of a sudden his eyes flew open and that scared her even more because there was fear in those eyes, more fear than she thought an adult could have and they were bulging out so far –

"It's alright, Nori!" she whispered, flinching when he bucked and gasped desperately for air. "Everything's fine, just breathe slowly, Nori, slow!"

He looked up at her with those strange, fearful eyes, his breathing still fast, shallow and choky.

"Breathe, Nori, there's a good lad," Bofur chanted softly, not bothering to wipe the tears of relief from his face. His moustache caught them anyway.

"It's me, Nori," she mumbled, choking a little herself on her own tears. "It's Nelly. You're going to be fine, alright? You're not allowed to not be fine, do you understand me?"

Slowly, his eyes relaxed slightly and the most subtle trace of a grin flickered on his lips. And then he closed his eyes.

Fear stabbed her heart and she yelped. "Nori!"

He held up a trembling hand which then settled on his neck and Auntie Esme began to stroke Nelly's hair.

"It's okay, Nell, he's breathing."

The tears began to bubble over now, and so did the little sobs but Nelly could not help it. "Nori! Nori!"

The dwarf's eyes opened a crack, but they were all misty and he coughed several times. One of his shaking hands slid along the floor to where Nelly was and he reached up a little. She reached down and wrapped her hand around his thumb. His hand closed around hers and he smiled ever so slightly.

Then his eyes darkened and he licked his lips, took a deep rattling breath and tried to talk. "Or…or…"

"Nori-"

Nori grasped Bofur's wrist with the hand that was not holding Nelly and rasped. "Orcs! There…there were orcs…"

"Orcs?" Nelly squeaked.

"Nori, did you see which way they went?" Bofur interrupted harshly.

Nori closed his eyes and shook his head, his pained face twisted into bitter disappointment.

"Then stop talking – we'll track 'em down. You need to rest, especially your throat," the toymaker insisted, his tone both softer and more solemn than usual.

Ignoring Bofur, Nori shook his head slowly, wincing with every word. "I-I… I'm s-sorry, I'm so sorry-"

"He said shush, Nori," Nelly's voice wobbled. "You've gotta be quiet so that you can get better."

Nori sighed, his eyes still closed, and his hand tightened around Nelly's just a little bit.

Their hands were still intertwined when Bofur and Dís lifted Nori up and began carried him over to the others. Nelly had to stand on tiptoes and jog along with them, but she was not about to let go. It surprised hera little that Nori did not protest at being carried, but no-one spoke as they walked back to the wagons. Orla and Ola and Bróin all followed without a word, silently following directions into the boys' wagon.

Nori was manoeuvred into the larger of the two wagons, while Vinca and Pearl watched with wide eyes from where they were nestled among the wolves and the belongings.

"Mama, what happened?" Vinca worried.

"Hey there, come over here. Pearl, you two darling," Ellie said softly.

Nelly watched her sisters go. Mama did explaining, lots of explaining, and then they were ushered into the other wagon with the boys and the twins.

Auntie Esme's arms were wrapped around her waist. "Nelly, why don't you come and join them as well, sweetheart?"

Nelly shook her head. "Nu-uh, it's gonna be a squash in there! No space for any more."

"Nelly, we'll make space," the no-nonsense tone was out now.

"Esme," Nori whispered. "Let her stay… if she wants to…"

Nelly's aunt hesitated and looked to the other adults.

"Nori has to keep quiet and rest, Nelly. Do you understand that?" Dís said firmly.

Nelly nodded vigorously.

After a few moments it was just Nelly and Nori left in the wagon among all of their baggage and three slumbering wolves. For a little while Nelly was able to keep it together, but her mind was thinking, and thinking things that she did not want it to think at all.

If Nori had been hanging like that, did that mean that was what they had done to her Papa? To Pippin? And Fíli and Gimli too?

And what if they came back? What if they took more people, what if they left Nelly all alone?

What if they took her?

A sudden thought filled her mind and her stomach clenched.

This was her fault. She lit that fire – she probably led the orcs right to them. Her frightened mind did not take into account the fact that the orcs came from the opposite direction, or how hidden the fire was in the first place. None of that even entered her imagination, and if it did it was too busy being drowned by guilt.

Nori was hurting because of her. Her Papa and baby brother and her Fíli and Gimli were missing – maybe dead, because of her.

By the time she realised that she was sniffling and crying it was too late to stop it. She tried though – Nori was very good at telling her to brave it out, he always was.

"I'm sorry, Nelly," he said weakly.

"Wh-what?" she sniffed. "Why're you sorry?"

"I was on watch," Nori's eyes were open but he would not look at her – he just kept looking up at the ceiling.

"That doesn't mean it's your fault!" she protested.

He did not speak, but he turned to look at her, and a tear left the corner of his eye and snaked down his cheek.

A strange, hollow feeling set up in Nelly's chest, which felt even stranger than it would usually have done because of her the tight, wiggling feeling of her stomach. Nori was crying. If Nori was crying and things were that bad…

One little sob escaped her mouth as she clamped her hand over it tightly. Someone had to be the strong one, and Nori was hurt so he had an excuse and…and…

"C'mere," his voice was still gruff and he winced when he spoke, but he raised his arm slightly and Nelly understood.

She snuggled up by his side immediately, burying her face in his familiar tunic. If she cried into the fabric, he might not hear her. Nori's safe arms wrapped around her and, now hidden, her tears really began to flow freely.

They did not move, not even when the wagon jolted to life. They just laid there, two tricksters in the dark with guilty hearts – hearts heavy with a weight that was not truly theirs to bear.


It was hard to walk with your feet tied together, but Fíli could not afford to falter. There was a circle of rope around his neck – he was not in danger of being strangled, but it was tight enough to stop him from pulling it off over his head. A line stretched down to another rope, wrapped around another neck.

Pippin's.

That the bastards had wrapped a noose around the neck of a toddler was bad enough, but they had also attached it to Fíli with a rope so short that the little one was practically beneath the dwarf's feet. If Fíli so much as stumbled, Pippin would be kicked or even crushed.

However, while Fíli was able to control his steps, Pippin was not quite so lucky. They had been walking for hours and the toddler was tired. He kept tripping and staggering, and every time he did the noose tightened. The one stroke of mercy they had shown the child was that his hands were not bound, so he was able to loosen it up again.

That did not mollify Fíli. His own hands were bound behind his back and he could not help the little boy. He could not help himself. Fíli was furious – but his fury was nothing compared to his fear.

Pippin fell again, his cry cut off by the sudden lack of air in his lungs.

"Pip!" Fíli called out, but that was all that he could do.

The little boy righted himself miserably, his small body starting to shake with quiet sobs. And then Fíli had an idea.

"Pippin-"

"Keep moving, dwarf-scum!" Shataaz snarled.

Glaring at the orc, Fíli walked on slowly, for now he had the boy's attention.

"Do you want to be a squirrel?"

Pippin's eyes filled with fresh tears and he nodded.

"Come on, then," Fíli tried to smile, and Pippin responded immediately.

He clambered up Fíli quickly, and the dwarf tried to bend his knees to help him. Soon there were little arms clamped around his neck and legs around his chest and Pippin was safer, nestled against Fíli's chest.

"What are you doing?" hissed Shataaz. "Master Sindri, Master Sindri!"

The dwarf stalked over, raising his eyebrow at Fíli. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I might ask you the same question," Fíli said bluntly, his fury mounting as Pippin tightened his grip around his neck.

"Put the child down."

"No."

With a voice like ice, Sindri replied. "Excuse me?"

"I said no." Fíli repeated.

Sindri narrowed his eyes. "You think you can say no to me?"

Fíli smirked. "No."

As quick as a flash, Sindri pushed his fingers into Fíli's cheeks and shoved his knife into the prince's mouth. Fíli could taste blood on the blade. He did not think it was his own. When Pippin dared to look, what little colour he had left drained from his cheeks and he took a deep breath.

"Scream, little halfling, and I'll give you something to really scream about," Sindri turned back to Fíli. "If you disrespect me again, oh mighty prince, I will cut out your tongue and feed it to the brat clinging to your neck. Do you understand?"

Fíli nodded slowly. This was all too familiar…

Battered and bruised and bloody, Kíli was lying in a crumpled heap on the floor, and to Fíli's horror the dwarf standing above him had forced his sword into Kíli's open mouth.

"That's it," the red haired dwarf said coldly. "I'd be still too if I were you – you cannot touch me unless you want your baby brother's blood splattered all over these walls."

With a sickening surge of fear, Fíli realised that it was true - even if he managed to whip out a knife and throw it into the dwarf's chest before the villain could react the sword would still drop and Kíli would be dead in seconds.

"Now," the dwarf growled. "Put your swords down and go and sit by that wall over there."

Slowly Fíli bent down and lowered his swords to the floor, seeing Bilbo do the same out of the corner of his eye. Making sure that his movements were slow and steady, Fíli began to head towards the other wall.

"You realise that you cannot get out of this now," he said slowly. Perhaps his words would make things worse but maybe, just maybe they could save his brother's life. "If you let him go we will spare your life. We are not alone…"

"You'd be a fool to think I haven't thought of that," the red haired dwarf spat, kicking Kíli's shoulder. The young dwarf moaned in pain but did not move, his eyes now fixed on the hilt of the sword his attacker held. Fíli's heart began to race faster and faster as their red haired foe continued to speak. "There no way out for me now, not since Balder was obviously mistaken. However, I can and will still finish the job as slowly as I can. Now, sit down or I will drop this sword this instant!"

Holding his palms up in surrender Fíli lowered himself to the floor, his heart rate increasing as his racing mind failed to come up with a way of saving his baby brother.

At least Kíli was not here. At least he was still safe.

But what if he's not? a treacherous voice whispered in Fíli's ear. What if the others are already-

Sindri ripped the knife out of Fíli's mouth, scraping the inside of his cheek as he did so. "Put the brat down."

Fíli glanced at Pippin. The terror on the little boy's face tore at Fíli's heart, and his wide eyes were pleading silently with him. Steeling himself, Fíli looked to Sindri.

"If you please, Master Sindri, allow me to carry him. He's too young to walk such long distances, especially so quickly. We'll all move faster if I may, please, carry him."

Sindri hesitated, and then a smile slipped across his face. "Alright, I will allow you to carry him – if you agree to be punished later for your insolence."

Fíli paused. He knew that Sindri was sadistic – if he wanted to 'punish' Fíli he would not wait for permission. Still – that was a problem for later. "Agreed. Can you release my hands so I can hold him properly?"

Sindri snorted. "No."

"Please, just tie them in front of me then. If you want my permission, tie them in front."

The two dwarves stared at each other, neither one willing to look away. Finally, Sindri smirked. "Very well. Shataaz – bind the filthy prince's hands in front of him."

The orc complied – none too gently – and ran his fingers down Pippin's cheek, and then backed away.

"Move, now." Sindri barked, and Fíli started walking again.

Looking down, he discovered that his hands were bound looser now, allowing him to hold Pippin properly. It was an act of mercy uncharacteristic of any of their captors, and it made him very, very nervous. However, he could feel Pippin relax ever so slightly when the dwarf's arms wrapped around him, and that made it worthwhile in the meantime.

They walked on, step after weary step, and then Fíli heard a little voice in his ear.

"Fíli?"

"Mm?"

"Are we going to die?" Pippin whimpered almost silently. "Are they…are they going to kill us?"

"No," Fíli whispered. "I promise."

"But-"

"I won't let them hurt you, Pippin," he promised. "You're going to be just fine."

"Alright, Fíli," Pippin mumbled, and then he dropped his head onto Fíli's shoulder.

Hours bled into each other and they walked through the growing dark with no sign of any sort of salvation. As the night wore on the orcs grew more spirited and their pace quickened. Their captives, meanwhile, were tiring. Fíli began to wonder whether they would let them stop at all.

He could barely believe it when they called them all to a stop in a surprisingly pleasant clearing. The orcs began to bind everyone to the trees, beginning with Glorfindel and Elrohir, then Estel and Gimli, then Paladin and then Frár walked to Fíli.

"Give me the boy," he demanded. "Now."

Fíli swallowed. The very last thing he wanted to do was pass a baby to a monster, but he had no choice. That was what he tried to tell himself as he pried Pippin's hands off from around his neck and gave him to Frár.

Then Sindri strutted towards Fíli. "Get onto your knees."

Grinding his teeth together, Fíli sank down onto his knees, facing the other captives. As his heart sped up, Fíli could not help but wonder if this fear was what Kíli had felt when the same people had taken him.

"Shataaz! Bring me the man-child!" Sindri clapped his hands together.

Estel was dragged away from the trees, and Sindri ripped the strange, fork-like device away from the boy's neck. Sighing in relief, Estel dropped his chin to his chest and let his jaw move around for the first time in hours.

"Now – Estel, is it?" Sindri smiled, putting a knife into the boy's bound hands. "Cut his clothes off his back."

"Why ruin a perfectly good coat?" Fíli scoffed. "This thing's over a hundred years old."

Sindri did not blink. "Cut it off."

Fíli winked at Estel as the boy approached him with guilty eyes. There was no reason for Estel to suffer, even if Fíli had to. Taking as much care as he could, Estel began to try and cut through Fíli's many layers of clothing.

"Faster, boy." Frár sang.

With a glare, Estel complied, tearing through everything until the knife tip scratched Fíli's skin. It was just a little scratch and Fíli did not even wince, but his skin tingled as dread began to settle in. Soon his clothes had been completely torn away – although he was rather glad that they left his trousers on.

"Frár," Sindri nodded.

The dwarf dropped Pippin onto the floor and Fíli's nostrils flared.

"Hey!" Paladin snapped.

"Do you have a problem, Master Halfling?" Frár smirked, resting his foot on Pippin's head.

Paladin's eyes were burning, but he settled down. "Don't hurt him."

"Come here," Sindri beckoned Pippin.

The little one looked desperately at his father and Fíli and the elves, but there was no one who could help him. He toddled over, his thumb in his mouth.

"Now, bring over the other dwarf," ordered Sindri.

Gimli was dragged over, the fury on his face forming a flickering mask over his terror.

"Nobody is going to move," Sindri said, walking around to Fíli's back. Then Fíli felt a strange, cold sensation on his back. It felt as though Sindri was writing symbols onto Fíli's back. "Now, Red, what does that say?"

Gimli was shoved around to stare at Fíli's back. The younger dwarf's voice trembled a little as he spoke. "Lion prince…"

"Very good," crooned Sindri. "That's what they call you isn't it? The Lion Prince? Now, come here little hobbit."

Pippin walked around behind Fíli and the dwarf heard Sindri crouch down and whisper something.

"No!" Pippin shrieked suddenly. "No, no, no! No!"

"Shut up," Sindri warned.

"What're you doing?" Fíli snapped, trying to look over his shoulder only to have his head forcibly turned to the front.

"Please," Pippin cried quietly. "I can't, please don't!"

"You don't have a choice. See this mark? The knife has to go in right up to this mark on the blade. Otherwise it's not deep enough, and you'll have to do it again."

Fíli felt the blood drain out of his face. They wanted Pippin to… Oh, Mahal…

As hard as he tried, Fíli could not help but groan as he felt a blade sink half an inch into his skin. Pippin sobbed.

"I'm sorry-" the toddler was silenced by Sindri.

"Trace the letters, all of them! Come on, we don't have all day."

Fíli closed his eyes as the knife tore through his skin. The pain was unbelievable but he could not scream. He could not do that to Pippin. He knew why they were making the little hobbit do this and it made Fíli want to scream all the more, but it was also the main reason why he could not afford to. It was a psychological torture just as much as it was physical, and it was also slow, clumsy. Toddlers were not known for the accuracy of their drawing skills. For Fíli, the idea of his blood spilling over Pippin's tiny, tiny hands was nauseating – even if they all got out of this alive, Pippin would not forget in a hurry.

A low, quiet chanting met his ears and he opened his eyes to see that Glorfindel was singing.

"Shut up, elf!" Frár demanded, but Elrohir retorted sharply.

"He is praying – even if you have no respect for those you share this earth with you surely have a little respect for the Valar?"

To Fíli's surprise, Glorfindel was allowed to continue his solemn, Sindarin song. Fíli glanced at Paladin. The hobbit was staring at him with a face full of fear and lacking hope, and Fíli closed his own eyes. It was easier that way.

Finally, after several long, agonizing minutes, the knife fell away and Pippin wailed grabbing Fíli's arm. The dwarf could feel the hobbit's tearful face burying into his skin and he sighed softly. At least it was over.

"Red, it's your turn. Pour this on his back, unless you want him to die from an infection."

"I'm sorry, Fíli," Gimli murmured. His voice was gruff – Fíli knew him well enough to know that he had been holding back tears.

"Don't worry about it," Fíli tried to joke. "Worse things happen in the mines, you know-"

This time, Fíli could not help but scream. His whole back felt like it was burning as what reeked of alcohol flowed over each and every cut, and the agony was unreal. He could feel Pippin shaking with sobs, but then Glorfindel yelled a short command in elvish and Pippin's weight disappeared from his arm.

Sindri cried out in pain and Fíli turned to look over his shoulder desperately to see the vicious dwarf clutching his bleeding stomach and Estel sprinting away as fast as his now un-bound legs could carry him. Pippin was flung over his shoulder, and he had Gimli by the collar. For a few steps the dwarf fumbled, as if trying to get back to Fíli.

"Go!" the dwarf prince roared with a wild grin of desperate hope. "Run, Gimli, run!"

His cousin's face contorted into pure horror, but he turned around and he ran, and within moments the boys were all but out of sight.

Fíli laughed breathlessly. Glorfindel was not praying. He was giving Estel a plan – he was saving the children.

"After them!" shrieked Sindri, venting out his anger by sending powerful kicks into Fíli's back.

Even as he fell to the ground face first in mind-numbing agony, Fíli smiled. Estel was brave, resourceful, clever, and if he could get Pippin and Gimli back to their mothers Fíli would take a thousand beatings.

Still, there was a pack of orcs on their heels – if they were caught…

"How could you be so stupid?" Fíli wheezed. "You let Estel keep the knife… Not many brains in that ugly head of yours are there?"

"Shut up!" the dwarf roared, sending another kick into Fíli's back.

Fíli craned his head back to watch the disappearing orcs.

Run, Estel, he thought with all his heart. And may fortune guide your journey…

There, aren't I a lovely person? I didn't kill Nori :D

The next chapter should be fairly soon, please do let me know what you think :)

Thanks for reading.