Chapter 16
The process of removing Fili's armour and weapons was very slow as Kili and Primrose were still crying as they did so. Finally it was done and Kili gently closed his brother's eyes as he had died with them wide open.
"Now we wait with my brother until others come. He also needs to be taken back to Erebor to lie in state," Kili said.
His tears were running through his stubble and dripping from his chin. The two sat with Fili's body until some men appeared. Kili asked them to find dwarves and get them to come quickly and help him carry Fili's body back to the mountain. Once they had gone Kili ran his fingers through his brother's hair.
"I can't believe you're gone. That you've left me here alone," Kili said.
"You aren't alone my love you've still got me," Primrose said, gripping Kili's other hand tightly.
"I know. But there will be this hole in my heart that will never be able to be filled. Fili and I were really close," Kili said.
He broke down again, clinging to his brother's body, distraught. Primrose's heart broke seeing his pain and anguish and she began to cry again.
"He was so looking forward to being an uncle and to getting betrothed. What am I going to tell Anifried? She'll be devastated as she is deeply in love with him," Kili said.
"She will be. So we must support her even though we are grieving ourselves. We will be united in our grief. Mamma will also need our support as she has lost not only her oldest son but her oldest brother as well. It's going to be very hard for her as well. She's already lost her other brother and her husband," Primrose said.
She couldn't begin to comprehend how Dis would feel as she had not experienced that magnitude of loss before. Kili had told her about Frerin his uncle who had died at the same time as his father.
"Yes you are right Mama grieved for days when Uncle Frerin and Papa died. She told Fili and I about it when we were old enough to understand. She still found it upsetting to talk about even then," Kili said.
"This is the first time I've experienced the loss of a loved one. I had grown close to Uncle Thorin and Fili over the course of this quest and journey. As I've said before Fili was like a brother to me. Now I don't have a brother anymore. I only have you and Uncle Bilbo and Mama" Primrose said.
"I love you Primrose and I will look after you," Kili said.
"I will look after you too Kili. I promised Uncle that I would," Primrose said.
She gripped his hand harder and he squeezed it back.
"When you joined me by Uncle's side it was such a relief that you were still alive," Primrose said.
Kili had taken her into his arms and she had hugged him close her tears of grief for Thorin becoming tears of relief that he was still alive. Finally the dwarves Kili had sent for arrived and they quickly constructed a makeshift stretcher. Kili then gently lifted Fili and placed him on it.
"We are sorry for your losses our King. We will mourn with you," one of the dwarves said.
Kili looked at Primrose.
"Why are they calling me their king? I am not King," he said.
"Both Uncle and Fili have gone to the halls of waiting. That means you are the sole heir to Uncle's throne," Primrose said gently.
She and Kili were walking behind the stretcher gently supporting each other. Tears were still flowing down their cheeks.
"I was never, never meant to be King. Fili was to have been King after Uncle. I was only ever the spare," Kili said.
"You will make a good king and bring prosperity to Erebor again," Primrose said.
"What... No... I don't want to be King," Kili said.
Primrose realised that he was so stricken with grief that he did not want to accept what he was being told. They slowly made their way back to Erebor where they took Fili inside and down to the medical area. There he was laid out alongside Thorin. Oin was working to prepare Thorin to lie in state and he looked up as they arrived.
"Oh no not Fili too," he said, he said seeing Kili and Primrose's tear streaked faces.
"My brother has joined my Uncle in the halls of waiting," Kili said.
He choked then too upset to go on. Primrose hugged him close trying to comfort him as best she good.
"I am so sorry for your losses my king," Oin said.
"Oh not you as well," Kili said.
"Are you injured at all?" Oin asked him.
"If I am it is not serious and need not concern you," Kili said.
"That is good to know. Mahal be praised. We will let you know when Prince Kili and King Thorin are ready to lie in state," Oin said.
"Thank you Oin," Kili said.
"My love I think you should rest. You look exhausted," Primrose said to Kili.
Kili nodded and allowed her to lead him to their quarters. Once there he removed his armour and outer garments leaving only his breeches and undershirt on and curled up on the bed. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. Primrose curled up beside him and went to sleep herself. The two didn't wake until a dwarf came to tell them that Dain wanted to see Kili. He rose and after washing dressed in clean breeches and a tunic that befitted his status. Primrose brushed his hair and rebraided it. She was still wearing the same outfit she had worn since leaving Mirkwood as she had no other outfit to wear. Together the two went down to the throne room where Dain was awaiting Kili.
"Mahal it is good to see you my cousin's nephew. I am so glad you survived," Dain greeted him.
"It is good to see you too. This is my wife, Primrose. Primrose this is Dain, Uncle's cousin," Kili said introducing Dain and Primrose.
"Your wife is a hobbit? That is most unusual," Dain said.
"Unusual yes but my friends have accepted it. I hope the rest of the dwarves will too," Kili said.
"I am as tough as any dwarf and Kili will tell you so. I took 7 strokes of the armath taur without crying out," Primrose said proudly.
Dain looked surprised.
"You mean to say someone used an armath taur on you. That's against our traditions. Women are not punished in such a way," Dain said.
"Uncle made me punish her with it after we married. We uh never told him of our intention to wed and he didn't find out about it until after we were married as we knew he'd object to our union. He didn't think she would be able to take it and if she hadn't he wouldn't have accepted our union. But she did take it and he had to accept our union," Kili said.
"That doesn't sound like the Thorin I remember," Dain said.
"Please let's not remember him that way. He was sick at the end but he was a good man and a good king. He led us well," Kili said.
"Aye that he was and it is now up to you to make him proud as you are now King," Dain said.
"Everyone keeps saying I am King. I suppose I must be but part of me still doesn't want to believe it as believing it means that I have to accept that Uncle and Fili are really gone. I am not sure if I am ready to do that," Kili said.
"It is hard to accept I know but you will come to terms with it. I am sure you will be a great king even though you never expected to be," Dain said.
"Will the other dwarves accept me as Kili's consort," Primrose asked.
"Only time will tell," Dain said.
"Primrose is carrying my heir," Kili said.
"I'm 2 months pregnant," Primrose said.
"Congratulations. Now the reason I wanted to talk to you Kili is: can I sit with Fili and Thorin while they are lying in state. I feel that as Thorin's cousin that I should honour him that way.
"Of course. I plan to sit with them too," Kili said.
Dain nodded and smiled sadly.
"You have my full support as King under the Mountain. My dwarves will also support you. Have your kin in the Blue Mountains been informed that Erebor has been retaken?" Dain asked.
"Thorin sent a raven to tell them. They sent it back to tell him they would be coming. They should be arriving soon," Kili said.
He was longing to see his mother as he needed her comfort. It had been too long since he'd seen her. But at the same time he was not looking forward to her arrival as he knew she would be upset to learn of Thorin and Fili's deaths.
"So Mama will be here soon?" Primrose asked.
"Yes she will," Kili said.
"Mahal it will be good to meet her," Primrose said.
"Anifried will be here soon too," Kili said.
"Who is Anifried?" Dain asked.'
"She's Fili's girlfriend. He intended to become betrothed to her when this is over. So I will have to break the news of Fili's death to her too," Kili said.
"I will be there too if you wish me to be," Primrose said.
"Please. She will need your support," Kili said.
The two talked with Dain for a short while longer then returned to their quarters where they spent some time alone together sharing memories of Fili and Thorin.
That evening the dwarves from the Blue Mountains arrived, amongst them Dis and Anifried. Both looked happy and excited and they hugged Kili warmly.
"Mama it is so good to see you. This is my wife Primrose," Kili said.
Dis looked very much like Fili and Primrose's heart ached as she was reminded of Fili. Dis was looking at Primrose a smile on her face.
"It's lovely to meet you. Even though you are not a dwarf," Dis said.
"I'm a Hobbit from the Shire," Primrose said," And it's lovely to meet you too Mama," she ended.
"Where are Fili and my brother? It's been too long," Dis said.
"I've got some very sad news for you," Kili said.
"What is it? What's happened?" Dis asked.
"Mama there was a battle, a big one. Fili and Uncle and I all fought in it. Fili and Uncle… didn't make it Mama. I'm so sorry," Kili said.
He had started to sob again and Dis collapsed with a scream. Primrose immediately wrapped her arms around her as she rocked back and forth.
"Not my baby… not my baby," Dis sobbed.
"Would you like to see their bodies?" Kili asked.
"They are here?" Dis asked.
"Of course and they are lying in state," Kili said.
Dis looked at Kili her eyes wet with tears.
"Take me to them please. I must see them," she said.
Together Kili and Primrose helped Dis to the throne room. There Fili and Thorin had been laid out on stone slabs. Both were in their formal robes and looked peaceful and at rest, their arms crossed. Dis' sobs increased as she saw her brother and son lying so still.
"How did they die?" Dis asked softly, after she'd spent time with each of them.
"Are you sure you really want to know?" Kili asked.
He had hoped to guard his mother from the horrific details.
"Yes I have to know," Dis said.
Kili began talking but soon it became too much for him and Primrose slipped her arms around him hugging him. This gave him the courage to go on. Dis began to sob again horrified that Thorin had suffered.
"Thank Mahal his passing was quick," she had said when Kili had told her that Fili's passing had been instant.
"Uncle lived long enough to speak to me," Primrose said.
"Did he? What did he say?" Dis asked.
Primrose related what he had said and what had happened before the battle.
"I am not surprised that the gold drove him mad. My father and Grandfather were the same," Dis said sadly.
"I was the one who found him and I was with him when he died," Primrose said.
"I am glad that your Uncle Thorin didn't die alone," Dis said to Primrose.
"I can't say the same about Fili as we were separated," Kili said.
He looked down wishing he had been there when Fili died.
"It's ok my son I know he didn't suffer and that Primrose was with your uncle when he passed," Dis said.
Kili nodded.
"You know. I never expected nor wanted to be King," Kili said.
"I know. But you are and you must make your uncle and brother proud," Dis said.
She smiled encouragingly at Kili who smiled back.
"Come it is time we partook in dinner," Dis said.
The three went to the dining area. There the other dwarves from the company as well as dwarves from the Blue Mountains were waiting. A smartly dressed female with her hair in fancy braids approached Kili.
"Greetings Kili it is lovely to see you again," she said.
"Welcome Anifried," Kili said.
"Who is this… this Halfling with you," Anifried said.
"This is my wife Primrose," Kili said.
"It's lovely to meet you. I've heard so much about you," Primrose said.
Anifried smiled and extended her hand.
"Lovely to meet you too and I must say your braids look very very nice. If you had a beard you would look like one of us," Anifried said.
"Thank you," Primrose said, "Unfortunately the only part of me that's really hairy apart from my head is my feet," she added.
Anifried nodded and turned back to Kili.
"I haven't seen my beloved since I got here. Where is Fili?" Anifried asked.
"I have some sad news. There was a battle and Fili… Fili… Fili died. Our uncle also died," Kili said.
"Oh Mahal no he can't be dead. He can't be dead," Anifried said, and burst into tears.
"I am sorry for your loss. Fili was wonderful. I will miss him terribly as he was like a brother to me after Kili and I got married," Primrose said, slipping her arms around Anifried to comfort her.
Anifried was sobbing openly and refused to be comforted. Primrose took her down to see Fili's body and left her with him after she asked to be alone with him. She returned just as dinner was getting under way and took a seat next to Primrose. Over dinner she and Dis reminisced with Kili about Fili and Thorin.
"Fili promised me he would come back," Anifried said at one point.
"If it's any comfort I wish I had died not him," Kili said.
"Would you stop saying that," Primrose said.
"I'm sorry my love," Kili said.
"It's ok I know you have taken this hard as have all of us," Primrose said.
"Fili would want you to keep living and make this kingdom prosperous again," Anifried said.
"So would your Uncle," Dis added.