Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it isn't mine.
Chapter 8: Light
Tauriel
She would not admit it to herself, for it made her feel guilty, but a part of her knew that Legolas would follow her, against his better judgement. And it was this small part of her that she refused to acknowledge, that made her not at all surprised when he found her, standing on a rock, overlooking the river where Kili had floated down, and away from her, not too long ago.
He had accepted her reasoning, mostly because it was the absolute truth, who were they to hide and cower, while others who were far less equip were left to fight the growing darkness, alone? She had however left out what had gotten her mind thinking about it in the first place : her dwarf.
She chastised herself at the thought; He isn't your anything, Tauriel. Her next train of thought whizzed though her mind before she gave her consent, But you'd like him to be something of you, and you of him.
She pushed herself harder, stomping down the thoughts under her brown, leather boots.
Xxx
The longer that they ran, the more incompetent she felt. She had been irrational in her decision. Not to save Kili, but by being too hasty in her departure of the forest. She had left with every intention of saving him, but had not even thought as to how. She did not think to take any supplies with her, not even water. How was she supposed to help him, if all she had were her daggers and arrows? She would've quite literally kicked herself if Legolas hadn't been right beside her.
Approaching the mouth of the river, they faced a new problem, how to cross it. She had already started to pull her hair back and contemplating how much their swim would slow them down, when Legolas stopped her.
"Tauriel, there is no need for that. There is a cabin close by housing boats; I shall retrieve one for us."
Once seated, they began to row in perfect synchronization, but they did not speak, for which she was glad. As they approached the shore of Lake Town, night had already fallen.
They stopped to take in the scene, plan their approach. But when they heard screams coming from somewhere in the middle of the floating town, they knew that the time for deliberation was over.
As they took yet another corner, Tauriel's heart jumped into her throat, the orcs were swarming the little house which she knew housed Kili. Without proper weapons…
Tauriel did what she always did: she turned her fear into fight.
Firing an arrow at an orc who was about to deliver a dwarf's death blow, she fell into a familiar pattern. Running up the narrow steps, she hit an orc square in the chest with her forearm, sending it back over the railing. Unsheathing her daggers, she entered the small house.
Upon entering, she simultaneously slit one of the foul creature's throats while driving her dagger into the heart of the other.
At some point Legolas jumped through the roof, but she was far too busy to notice.
The two elves fell into a familiar dance, and it was as easy as breathing.
A particularly strong orc caught her by surprise, and she was in somewhat of a wrestling match with the disgusting being when a knife pierced its side, ending the creature and the fight, being wielded by none other than Kili himself. Her relief at seeing him was however short lived, for he fell to the floor from the effort of his attack, screaming in agony.
A boy of no more than fifteen drew her attention, " You killed them all," he said in awe.
"There are others," she heard Legolas reply, but it seemed as though she heard him like she had been submerged in water, his voice seemed far away. She could not take her eyes off of Kili.
"Tauriel," his voice was firmer this time, "come."
Meeting his eyes and taking a small step forward, she swallowed hard.
"We are losing him," came the gruff voice of one of the dwarves. And her mind was made up.
She searched Legolas' eyes, pleading with him too understand.
"Tauriel," was his only reply before he left, without her.
Walking to the door, she watched as her oldest friend ran to defeat the orcs on his own. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and it broke her out of her stupor. Drawing her daggers, she was face to face with a terrified dwarf. She didn't have a chance to apologize for scaring him witless, for she saw what he held in his hands:
"Athelas," she breathed.
"What are you doing?" asked the dwarf in the funny hat.
Feeling a relief she did not know possible, she said, "I'm going to save him."
Walking into the house with newfound resolution, she gave out orders as she prepared for what she needed to do.
"I need a bowl and hot water," she said to the eldest girl, "and some bandages," she added to the youngest.
Crushing the athelas between her hands and into the bowel, the other dwarves hoisted Kili onto the table. His screams were gut retching.
"Hold him down," she sounded surprisingly calm considering how her heart was hammering inside of her chest.
Cutting away the fabric that covered the wound, she paled as she saw the damage. Looking up at her dwarf, her eyes met those of his brother's, Fili.
"Please," they seemed to say, and her determination came flooding back.
She chanted as she crushed the leaves between her hands, and continued to chant as she pushed the athelas into his wound, her long fingers spreading over his thigh. Kili in turn began to scream like a wounded animal, and the girls had to aid in keeping him down. Despite her surroundings, Tauriel kept on speaking over him, focusing on nothing but Kili and her ability to heal him.
Kili
Pain. Sheer, blinding pain.
A fire which seemed to start in his leg, and then burn up the rest of him.
Surely he must be dead by now; no one could survive this fire. But if he were dead, why could he still feel so much pain? All at once the fire in his leg seemed to intensify beyond reason, beyond anything a man could bear. But, then it got better. The all-consuming pain was still there, but it seemed to be subsiding. But, but there was also something more. Something warm, and bright and beautiful. But it was just out of his reach. He somehow knew that if he could grab it and hold onto it, the pain would go away. Grunting with the effort, he willed his hands to move, to reach out and grab it, but he could not. Because it wasn't a physical thing. And besides, it seemed to be reaching for him.
It finally did, it touched a part so deep within him, he wasn't even aware of its existence before now. But there was no denying it. The place that it had first touched him, deep within his chest, was now spreading. Whatever it touched, it healed, replacing it with warmth and light. The light inside of him reminded him of something… no someone. He fought to get his eyes to focus, he had to see. He had to see her.
Little by little she came into view.
Tauriel.
She was more beautiful than what he remembered. The light engulfing him, it was coming from her. She was bathed in it, glowing like the stars she so dearly loved. Of course it would be her who would save him. Of course… of course…
Though he fought to keep his eyes open, to not break his connection with her, he lost consciousness once more.