Thanks for the amazing reviews everyone! They definitely make me smile! This chapter marks the beginning of Tauriel and Fili's brotp :) Unfortunately, the big "Kili and Tauriel Reunion" will not be until the next chapter.
Keep in mind, Erebor is still relatively empty except for Bilbo, Gandalf, and the thirteen dwarves.
"I don't like it."
Thorin's words were too loud, although he had spoken them rather quietly. Even the slight puffs as Gandalf smoked his pipe were loud in Kili's ears. The night air around them was silent and thick, like a wet blanket had been draped over the land. The only movement were the few visible fires scattering the half-built remains of Dale, but even those seemed small and lifeless.
"It's far too quiet," his uncle continued, glancing at his two nephews and the old wizard as he spoke. "Even the ravens have fallen silent."
Kili had been on the night watch when he suspected something was wrong. There was no proof or evidence, but it just feltoff. When Fili and Thorin joined him, simply passing through, they had felt it too and it wasn't long before Gandalf was on top of the wall as well.
"If you valued my opinion," Gandalf began, eyeing Thorin carefully, "I would say there are some unsavory characters passing through your lands. Nothing is more silent than dark creatures."
It was true. Kili remembered how well the spiders in Mirkwood were able to surprise their entire company and how close the wargs got to them before they realized they were being hunted. There was definitely something out there.
"C'mon Kili." Fili gave his brother's shoulder an enthusiastic shove and he smiled slightly in response. "Let's go check it out."
"I am not sure that would be wise," Gandalf cautioned. "Whatever it is might just be passing by the lake down below, travelling West. Wasting your man power could be dangerous."
"And let them harm whoever is down there?" Thorin questioned. "I think not."
"You know as well as I do, Thorin Oakenshield, that orcs and goblins become rather excited when they find new victims." Gandalf looked to the brothers disapprovingly. "We would know if anyone was in danger."
Suddenly, like a knife cutting through the dark blanket, a screech erupted through the night air. Instinctively, Kili's fingers twitch to his quiver and Fili's hand jerked to the sword at his side. They, along with the other dwarves inside the mountain, knew that sound all too well. After a moment of silence, as the four watched dark land with surprised eyes, there was another.
"They're far away," Kili muttered. "The sound is echoing off the mountain."
"Go." Thorin looked to his heir, then back to Gandalf. "I think we know now."
Tauriel was not sure how long she'd been racing against death.
She was splattered heavily with dark, thick blood. It coated the dagger she held in one hand, while the other was held tightly onto her horse's reins. They kept coming, one after another. Some fell from the trees, while others raced along the ground. The sounds of slicing flesh and the creatures choking on their own blood blurred with the passing forest.
It had happened so quickly. One moment, she was making good time; galloping evenly through the forest. Then, the first orc came at her and, although she had quickly removed its head from its shoulders, she realized she was in trouble. Her horse was no fool either. Like an arrow it shot through the trees, dodging the creatures with an uncanny intelligence, but there were too many.
Tauriel sliced through another jugular as her horse raced along the water side. They were at the lake now. Soon, especially at the speed they were going, she'd reach the base of the mountain and Erebor was only a small trek after that.
However, that was only if she didn't get herself killed first.
Her mind, overwhelmed with a strange mixture of adrenaline and exhaustion, was growing cloudy. Whether she'd been fighting the orcs for five minutes or five hours, she did not know. Everything was blood and snarling mouths. Moments ago, she'd been too slow as an orc propelled itself from a boulder above her. It managed to twist its jagged weapon into her arm and as she cried out, she shoved it off her body. The horse instantly shattered its skull.
"Noro lim!" Tauriel shouted. The horse's hooves thundered over the rough ground, rounding the edge of the lake. She might have managed to get ahead of the pack, but the screeches were growing louder behind her, instilling a bone-chilling fear. The idea of her dying, carrying Kili's child, on the lakeshore brought a new sense of frenzied urgency. "Noro lim!"
"They're rounding the lake," Kili announced. From his spot on top of a large rock formation, he could see the entire lake before him, along with the remains of Laketown. Fili was below him, brandishing his sword and watching the lake closely. "I can't see them, only hear them."
"Can you see what they're chasing?" Fili asked. "It must be something fast."
"No. The trees are too thick along the shore." The screeches and snarls were growing closer. Soon, they'd break through the edge of the forest and be near the base of the mountain; right where the two brothers were waiting. His fingers strummed along his bow, waiting for the first sign of the filth. "Who do you think it could be?"
"People from Dale?" Fili suggested, not taking his eyes off the forest. It would be any second now.
"I didn't see anyone leave," Kili answered. "Besides, I doubt any of those townspeople could outrun orcs for this long."
Fili snorted, but it was cut off as a shape suddenly burst from the tree line. It was tan horse with a dark mane, racing at an astonishing speed across the rocky ground. The darkness of night hid its rider's face from them, but the moonlight seemed to illuminate the flowing red hair. Fili heard the strangled gasp from his brother's lips, but there was no time to discuss it. A mere second after the horse, orcs plowed through the trees closely on its heels.
"Kili shoot them!" Fili shouted, immediately racing down the sloping ground. Before the words were even out of his mouth, an arrow flew over his head hitting the nearest orc right between its eyes.
Blood was leaking heavily from the wound on Tauriel's arm. A gasp escaped her lips as a stray branch on the tree line whipped across her face. After hours of riding by the trees, she was finally in the open air. The lake still laid beside her, but there were no longer thick trees concealing her.
Orcs were still behind her and she knew they were closing in. The horse beneath her was growing weary. Its legs were pumping slower and the breath coming from it was heavy and loud. Poor animal. Tauriel felt for the creature. Without it, she would have died hours ago.
Tauriel dared to turn around, check to see where her enemy was, and was surprised to see two fall, arrows embedded in their skulls. Looking wildly in front of her, her keen eyes saw a familiar dwarf racing towards her and, further above the mountain, the one she'd been searching her.
"Kili." Her voice was breathless and unbelieving. It seemed odd, after all these months of wanting, he was finally in her sight.
The distraction cost her. From behind, an orc flung itself at her back. Tauriel gave out a cry as she tried to stab it, but she only managed to fall off her horse. She slammed into the ground, still in a tight wrestling match of blades with the orc. It snarled close to her face. The smell of decaying flesh filled her nostrils and she gritted her teeth, flinging her blade into its chest. More unnatural blood spilled from the open wound, soaking the front of Tauriel in its sticky warmth.
Tauriel flung the body off her, swaying slightly. Everything on her ached from pain and exhaustion. There was no time to get her bow. Gripping her dagger and pulling the other from her back, she swung at her nearest attacker.
More blood splattered on her front. She was vaguely aware of the blonde dwarf fighting. He'd reached the pack of orcs and was taking down far more than she could have. He wasn't plagued with whatever sickness was in her body.
Suddenly, several orcs around her went down in a row, all with arrows sticking from their heads. Turning, she tried to find Kili, but everything was going blurry. Blackness was seeping onto the edge of her vision. Behind her, things were quiet. It took a few seconds for her sluggish brain to realize the dwarf had killed the remaining orcs, with the help of Kili firing from afar.
Kili. She sunk to her knees. Was this what it felt like to lose consciousness? It had never happened to her before. Would it hurt the baby? The baby. Fear surged through her body again.
Like a dead weight, her torso fell over but before it hit the ground, two strong hands grabbed her.
"Wake up. Wake up," a voice mumbled above her. Her eyes were only half open, but she knew it wasn't the dwarf she wanted. "Kili! Hurry up!"
The last thing she heard was someone screaming her name from afar, before her head fell back and her eyes closed.
Kili walked swiftly through the lower level of the ruins. Azog's voice boomed from above him, but he couldn't see the Pale Orc. Knowing Fili had been headed his direction, Kili was desperate to find a way out.
Finally, there was a doorway leading outside. Across the frozen river, he saw Thorin, Dwalin, and Bilbo all gazing in horror at the top of the ruins. Walking cautiously, he side stepped out, careful of any enemy that might try to take a shot at him. However, it suddenly became apparent the enemy wasn't concerned about him in that moment.
Paralyzing fear erupted through his body as he looked up. Fili was twisting and kicking, struggling to rip himself from the grasp of Azog. It was like someone poured ice into his veins. He couldn't move, couldn't react. Even if he managed to make his feet move, it wouldn't matter. Fili would be dead before he reached the second step.
"Go!" Fili screamed. He clawed at the arm holding him, but Azog only laughed. It was deep, sickening sound and Kili narrowed his eyes. "Run!"
The orc spoke something directed to Thorin, but Kili was only paying attention to his brother. He shouldn't have left him. Fili had said once he belonged with his brother. Guilt filled Kili's chest. He should have done the same thing.
Azog raised his weapon and Kili froze, hearing his uncle shout Fili's name from behind him. No. Not Fili. Not brother.
Then, flying in from somewhere behind him, an elven dagger embedded itself into Azog's shoulder. The Pale Orc shouted, yelling in pain. In his agony, Fili twisted out of his grasp. He hit the stone and, dodging one of the orc's mace's, rolled off the ledge.
Kili had only a second to react. Throwing himself under his brother, both boys crumpled against the stone. Fili yelled out and Kili groaned under his brother's weight, but it was a better result than Fili's head cracking against the stone.
"Nice catch," Fili muttered, getting off his brother.
"Nice job getting captured," Kili teased, earning himself a punch to the shoulder.
"Kili!" Thorin's voice boomed across the frozen river. "Fili! Run!"
Orcs screeched and snarled from above them. Azog's infuriated shouts cracked in their ears. Hearing the orcs hit the ground behind them, Kili looked frantically across the ice. Next to their kin and Bilbo, a familiar red-haired elf stood holding onto only one dagger.
Tauriel's body felt too heavy.
It was taking too much effort to turn her head and move her fingers. Even her eyelids didn't want to open. It felt as though her blood had been replaced with liquid lead. A groan escaped her lips and she became aware how dry her throat was.
There were voices, but they were hushed and urgent. Air gently passed her face, and hands were gripping her side and legs. The throbbing in her temple prevented too many thoughts, but after a moment she realized she was being carried.
Kili glanced down again at her face; the face that'd been haunting his dreams for months. It was cruel gift from his ancestors. The world decided to give him what he desperately prayed for, but they delivered her to him covered in blood.
"She's not moving," Kili hissed for the hundredth time. Tauriel was limp in his arms. Her head lolled backwards, red hair spilling onto the floor. Warm blood from her arm was seeping through his tunic. "She's not moving."
"I know!" Fili whispered. "You need to calm down. We don't need everyone knowing before we tell Thorin."
Kili shifted the elf in his arms, before continuing down the stone hallway. He had to admit, it was awkward carrying someone who was a full six inches taller than he was, but at least she was light. Glancing down again, he took note of how pale her face growing, even for an elf.
"What if she doesn't wake up?" Kili muttered. "I can't tell how much of this blood is hers."
Fili stopped in his tracks and thrust his open arms in Kili's direction. "Give her to me. You're going to drop her if you keep worrying like that."
"No," Kili started, "I'm fine-."
"No, you aren't," Fili said firmly. "You're making yourself crazy. Give her to me. I'll take her to your chambers. Go tell Thorin. He's most likely still up waiting to hear about the orcs. You know more about her than I do, so it'll sound better coming from you."
Kili didn't hand her over right away. It seemed wrong. He finally had her in his arms and his brother was asking him to pass her off. Fili was right, of course. He was fretting like a mad man and not thinking clearly. He was in no state to be carrying an injured woman.
Even though it pained him greatly to do so, Kili carefully set her in Fili's arms. His brother smiled reassuringly at him and Kili tried to return it, taking a couple steps back.
"Just-just be careful," Kili stammered.
His brother rolled his eyes. "Damn, I was planning on using her as target practice." Kili didn't laugh, so Fili nodded towards the hallway. "Hurry up, then. On your way wake up Oin. We'll need him to check her over." Fili turned, leaving Kili still slightly stunned in the hallway. Leave it to his brother to be completely undone about an some elf.
Although, now that he thought about it this wasn't just some elf. He remembered her. It was her dagger that pierced Azog, allowing him to break free of the orc's grasp. Without her, Fili would have been run through with twisted metal. That, and counting the numerous times she'd saved his reckless brother's ass, Fili owed her. Carrying her limp body through the halls was a small price to pay for both their lives.
"You're-you're not him." Her voice made him jump. It was dry, mumbled through slightly parted lips. Her eyes were still closed.
"No, I'm his brother." He wasn't sure if she could even hear him. "He'll be back soon."
She was trying to move. He could feel her muscles twitching and her eyelids fluttered, before falling closed again. Fili caught a better grip on her and tried to quicken his pace. The faster he laid her down and Oin looked her over, the better. He knew elves could handle more injuries than dwarves or men, but her small breaths were bothering him.
"He has to know…I was coming before-before I knew." She'd evidently giving up on moving or opening her eyes, because the words tumbled from her lips with her head still hanging back. "He has to know."
"He will," Fili assured her, although he had no idea what she talking about. He wondered if she even knew what she was saying. "Don't worry."
"He'll be mad," she mumbled. "But he-he has to know."
Ever so slightly, small enough that Fili almost missed it, her fingers twitched towards her stomach.
Noro lim-run faster