Hello there and first of all: Weeeew, we're over 200 reviews with the last chapter! I don't know why that makes me so happy but it does, so yay! :D
Second of all: I won't be around next week because I'm on a short holiday to visit my best friend in Germany and I won't have enough time (or internet access) to update this story. So, there will be another chapter this week to make up for it (maybe even two but I won't promise anything) and I will be back the week after :)
DJ Sparkles: Aww, I'm so happy you liked the last chapter! I rock, woohoow! :D
DwarvenWarrior: Kili really is an elf, you're right. Stupid Kili xD I'm really glad you liked protective Dwalin and not-quite-as-cold-as-usual Thorin :D Well, Kili certainly wants to make up to Tarya, so he's come to his senses, let's see how long the tension between them will last :D (Because there's another thing happening that might cause the tension to last a bit longer than Kili would like xD)
Fr. Berlin: Thank you! I'm glad you like Dwalin's role in this story because I really like him and I just... there needs to be more Dwalin :D
Akilah Swiftblade: Oi! You changed your name and I got confused :D Well, anyway, Kili really is too beautiful to punch... But Dwalin could have given him a punch in the stomach, so his face wouldn't have had to suffer xD
Teshka: Fili is an idiot? I'm guessing you mean Kili :D Yay, plot twists! xD I'm really glad you liked Dwalin and yes, apparently Thorin can also talk civilly to our little wolf... who knew? :D
Lewtam: ... ... oh my god. You have me completely speechless with your review. Thank you so much! Really. Wow. It really made my day (who am I kidding, it made my whole week). I'm so happy that you like the story so much and that you think I'm doing a good job with my writing. It really means a lot to me, especially since English is not even my native language and I sometimes feel like my sentences sound really weird or my grammar is completely wrong or something and it takes me a long time to finish a chapter the way I want it to be like. So, your review really had me squeaking in joy :D
Thank you so much also Sophia Alice Rosalie Potter, ZabuzasGirl, TheShawndaLee, Lillianpost, ladymoonscar, Angel Bells, Sam0728, Angel of the Night Watchers, lynnelay and kaia!
Also thanks to the lovely people who followed and favorited me and my story!
Now, that was a long rambling from me, so off you go to read the new chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
The next few days passed in a strange blur for Kili.
While the others were getting more and more worried about the food starting to run short and their water reserves not lasting long anymore, Kili's thoughts were mostly circling around Tarya. Of course, he was just as thirsty and hungry as everyone else but it wasn't his main preoccupation. He found he could deal with hunger and thirst but he couldn't deal with the situation he had manoeuvred himself and Tarya into.
As it turned out, Tarya really didn't speak to him again.
In fact, the Amarok hadn't even so much as looked at Kili ever since the day after their fight and it was killing him. He'd seen her throw some occasional glances at him over her shoulder when she had still been trying to figure out what was going on with him but now the Amarok wasn't even acknowledging his existence anymore, making Kili know exactly how a silent treatment like that felt. It hurt and it was frustrating, though Kili could understand her. His words had been absolutely foul and disrespectful and if he could, he would have taken them back in a heartbeat.
But as it was, he couldn't even get close enough to Tarya to apologize. She was avoiding him consequently and every time she noticed him standing or walking anywhere remotely near her, she quickly and discretely changed her position in the group with a stealth that Kili hadn't known she possessed until now.
Kili sighed heavily to himself as he saw Tarya disappearing in front of Bombur, the massive dwarf completely covering her slim form from his view.
"You've upset her quite badly," he heard Fili mumble from beside him as they walked, the blond looking at where Tarya had just disappeared with a worried expression on his features. He had noticed the way Tarya was avoiding his brother, of course, and how it was affecting both Kili and her. The both of them had become more and more cheerless ever since they had entered Mirkwood and Fili wasn't sure whether the forest itself was adding to that as well. But he was sure that it had to stop as soon as possible.
"I know," Kili replied ruefully, staring at Bombur's back.
"You can't run from this forever, Kee," the blond dwarf then muttered quietly so that nobody else would hear, causing Kili to sigh silently. "Dwalin is right. You'll have to tell her eventually."
"I know," Kili repeated in a murmur, being well aware that he would have to confront Tarya with how he felt about her or else he would never find peace – and neither would she. But he didn't know how he should do that for the life of him. Kili knew it couldn't go on like this, though. Right now, he was just causing both himself and her pain and that was not what he wanted. He never wanted to be the cause for Tarya's pain.
"I really want to make things right, Fee, but she won't even let me come near her anymore now," he muttered, looking down at his feet as he made one step after the other. "How am I supposed to talk to her if she won't even acknowledge my existence?"
"You'll just have to be more determined." Fili replied with a slight shrug as they ducked beneath a branch that was hanging low over the forest path. "The way she was when she confronted you. You could talk to her when we make camp tonight, she won't have anywhere to hide then."
Kili was quite surprised at his older brother's idea, not having thought that Fili's solution would be to corner Tarya but he had to admit that there was certain logic to that thought. She would have to listen to him whether she wanted to or not. Of course, it wasn't the most chivalric way but if he could apologize to her and make her listen, maybe – just maybe – he could make it all right again. He could only hope so.
"I suppose it's worth a try," Kili muttered, sending his big brother a short look that had Fili giving him an encouraging nod before the company came to a sudden halt.
As Kili looked up, he saw that they had finally reached the river Beorn had told them about. The water was cutting swiftly and powerfully through the dim forest before them, dark as a starless night sky. The two Durin brothers quickly made their way past the others to the very edge of the bank where Thorin was standing when out of the corner of his eyes Kili suddenly saw Bombur bumping slightly into Tarya's back with his large belly as she stopped abruptly before him, sending her stumbling forward on the bank. Kili quickly reached out to her out of reflex and grabbed her by the upper arm, pulling the Amarok back a bit rougher than he'd intended to, causing her to bump into his chest slightly.
"Be careful," he murmured, looking down at her as he released her arm a lot gentler than he had grabbed it. Tarya just sent him a short and wary look before she stepped away from him without a word and walked over to Dwalin. Kili met the warrior's stern gaze over Tarya's head and swallowed dryly before he averted his own gaze to Fili who was standing beside him and giving him a small encouraging smile.
Tarya stepped past Thorin as he walked closer to the edge of the bank to inspect how wide the river was, making her way towards Dwalin who nodded towards her as she came to stand beside him and Tarya watched Bilbo stepping up to the dwarf-king, all the while angrily trying to ignore the funny warm feeling that Kili's hand had left on her arm.
"There is a boat on the far bank!" Bilbo exclaimed suddenly, squinting into the dimness from where he was now kneeling on the bank next to a still standing Thorin, causing all of them to first look at him and then peer through the darkness to try and see the boat themselves.
"I see it, too," Ori then announced quietly after a while in which no one had spoken.
"How far away do you think it is?" Thorin asked, looking to Bilbo for an answer. The hobbit first seemed to be a bit surprised that the dwarf-king was asking him for his opinion but he quickly pulled himself together and answered.
"About twelve yards, I'd reckon," Bilbo said, getting to his feet and Tarya watched him brush some dirt off his breeches, although they were so dirty already that it didn't really make a difference. Thorin's brows drew together.
"Twelve? I would have at least thought thirty," he muttered. "But then, my eyes are not as sharp as they were a hundred years ago. And still, twelve yards are as good as a mile. We can't jump it and we daren't try to wade or swim."
"We could throw a rope," Bilbo suggested, looking up at the dwarf-king questioningly. Thorin stayed silent for a moment, obviously considering that option, as Dori spoke up.
"What good is that? It is sure to be tied up, even if we could hook it."
"I don't think it's tied," Bilbo answered. "Though I can't be sure in this light. But it looks as if it was just drawn onto the bank."
"Very well," Thorin finally spoke, causing the company who had erupted in quiet murmur to fall silent again. "We shall try it your way, Mr. Baggins."
Tarya smiled slightly as Thorin nodded at Bilbo and the hobbit shot her a short pleased look when the dwarf-king turned away from him. Tarya stayed beside Dwalin, watching silently as Fili was assigned the task of throwing the rope to which they had tied a large iron hook. He missed the first time, the rope landing in the river with a loud splash but with the second try and the instructions Bilbo was giving him, Fili managed to hook the rope to the boat. He pulled in vain and only after Kili, Oin and Gloin came to his help, they managed to tug the boat from the far bank, suddenly falling over on their backs as the rope suddenly gave way. Tarya chuckled slightly as they all struggled back to their feet while Bilbo was quick to catch the boat with a wooden stick before it could rush down the river and out of their reach, which earned him a few acknowledging pats on the back.
Fili and Kili shot her a short look upon her quiet chuckle and Tarya quickly averted her gaze back to Bilbo when she noticed it.
"Who'll cross first?" the hobbit asked, looking up at Thorin who was moving his gaze over the company.
"I shall," the dwarf-king replied thoughtfully, "and you will come with me, as well as Fili and Balin. After that Kili will go with Oin, Gloin and Dori; next Ori, Nori, Bifur and Bofur… and last Tarya, Dwalin and Bombur."
"I'm always last!" Bombur exclaimed crossly upon Thorin's words and Tarya looked over at the large dwarf who had crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. "I don't like it. It's someone else's turn today!"
"You shouldn't be so fat," Thorin growled, annoyed. "As you are you must be with the last and lightest boatload. Don't start grumbling against orders."
Tarya saw Bombur's face fall slightly at his king's harsh words and she shot Thorin an annoyed look. She was about to give him a piece of her mind when he suddenly met her gaze with a fierce one of his own as if he had predicted her intention.
"That applies to you, as well."
Tarya felt Dwalin put a heavy hand on her shoulder, keeping her from saying something imprudent. So she just resolved to send Thorin an annoyed glare before he turned away to step into the boat after Fili had secured a second rope to the wood on the other side of the river, allowing them to move the boat from one bank to the other.
Tarya stood silently with Dwalin and Bombur until everyone else was on the other side and it was their turn. She climbed into the boat with Dwalin's help and the boat creaked worryingly as Bombur sat down in it. The large redhead shot her a sheepish look but she just smiled back at him comfortingly. It didn't take long for them to reach the other side, the river not being very wide and Dwalin climbed out first, followed by Bombur because they were worried the boat would tilt over with Bombur's whole weight on one side.
Tarya was just getting ready to follow, Bombur lending her his hand as support, as all of a sudden there was the sound of hooves galloping on the path ahead. Tarya looked up confusedly when a large dark deer came running out of the woods, charging into the dwarves and knocking them over. Tarya more felt than saw Bombur stumbling backwards before her and the next thing she registered was the fat dwarf colliding with the boat she was still standing in, sending her reeling before she tumbled into the dark water beneath, not able to hold on to anything as the boat tilted over.
Tarya didn't even really hear her own small shriek that echoed through the woods before her voice was cut short when her whole body was drawn underwater.
The Amarok tried to swim towards the surface although she wasn't even sure which direction that was, not able to see anything through the dark water of the stream. Her body was refusing to cooperate with the desperate moves she made and Tarya felt her limbs grow heavier with every passing second, struggling to keep her eyes open even though the water was burning in them. It was just as she felt a strong arm wrap itself around her waist from somewhere above her that she involuntarily opened her mouth, her lungs burning as she swallowed a gush of water.
Kili had barely been able to keep up with how fast everything had happened. The deer had appeared out of nowhere and knocked him down as it had charged right into their little group. And then, just as he had gotten back to his feet, he had seen his uncle shoot an arrow at the leaping beast at the same time that a small shriek echoed over the bank. Kili's head swivelled around to where Tarya had been standing just moments ago on the small boat, only to find that neither the Amarok nor the boat were anywhere to be seen anymore. He saw the small boat getting carried away by the water, already far down the stream.
"No," Kili whispered hoarsely, his eyes widening as he saw the top of Bombur's head disappearing beneath the surface of the river, suddenly realizing what must have happened.
"Bombur!" Bofur shouted, helplessly watching his brother disappear in the dark water.
"Tarya!" Bilbo added in a fit of desperation. "They have fallen in!"
Kili felt his heart clench painfully in his chest as he instinctively grabbed the rope that Dwalin was still holding and rushed forward to the edge of the bank before flinging it into the river as far as he could, aiming for Bombur's hood that was still floating on the surface of the water. Kili felt his hope leave him as the rope stayed limp in his hands, although he stubbornly refused to think about losing his friends to this stream. This couldn't happen. They couldn't drown. He couldn't lose Tarya now, not before he could apologize, not when he hadn't even told her that he loved her.
It was a seemingly everlasting second later that the rope he was holding limply in one hand was tugged powerfully from further down the stream, almost making the young dwarf stumble as he tried not to lose his hold on it. Kili quickly gripped the rope tighter and pulled on it with all his might, fighting against the heavy weight. The others quickly came to his help and with all their strength combined they finally managed to pull with enough vigour so that Bombur's large body was manoeuvred onto the riverbank. The fat dwarf was fast asleep as his body hit the floor.
The company quickly hurried toward him, Bofur and Bifur making sure that their brother and cousin was still alive, and as Kili stepped closer, he saw Tarya, firmly held in Bombur's arms and pressed to the big dwarf's belly. The young dwarf felt relief wash over him and rushed forward, freeing her from the iron grip Bombur held her in even in his sleep, making a mental note to thank the cook when he woke up.
"She's not breathing!" Kili called out desperately as he pulled Tarya's limp body further onto the shore and saw that she wasn't fast asleep like Bombur but rather seemed completely lifeless.
Oin reacted immediately, Kili's outcry having been loud enough to alert him, and hurried to the brunet dwarf who was holding Tarya gingerly in his arms, eyes wide with fear and helplessness. The old dwarf pushed Kili away from her body quite roughly, quickly checking Tarya's breathing himself and noticing with horror that the young prince was right. Following his instincts, Oin pressed both hands onto the Amarok's chest before he pushed down on it hardly.
Kili could only watch with wide eyes as Oin pressed down on Tarya's body repeatedly, not knowing what the old dwarf was doing but hoping desperately that it would work. Most of the others had gathered around them now and Kili felt a strong hand squeeze his shoulder as he knelt on the floor, not able to tear his eyes from his beloved's lifeless form. He didn't have to look up to know that it was Fili's hand.
It was after the fourth push of Oin's large hands that Tarya's small body suddenly convulsed. Oin quickly turned her on her side and Kili watched her cough out gushes of water onto the cold forest floor. He rushed towards her again then as she weakly tried to pull herself up on her elbows, falling to his knees beside her as Oin was patting her shoulder gently. Her breathing was heavy and ragged.
"Tarya," Kili muttered in a mixture of relief and worry, his voice raspy as he looked at her.
She shortly looked up at him and he met the confused gaze of her golden eyes with his own soft one before he suddenly saw her eyes lose their focus. Kili had barely enough time to wrap his arms around her back to keep her head from colliding with the floor as her body went limp again and she fell unconscious in his arms, now seeming as fast asleep as Bombur already was.
Kili pulled her body closer to his chest, running one slightly trembling hand gingerly over her cheek, realizing that her skin was feeling awfully cold. Kili still felt his heart beating heavily in his chest. He hadn't lost her. Tarya wasn't dead, just asleep and now he could only hope that she would wake up again soon. Kili let go of a long breath, smiling ever so slightly at Fili as he crouched down beside him. Fili returned his brother's smile with a relieved one of his own, looking down at Tarya's small body in Kili's arms. The brunet dwarf was holding her close, not even thinking about lying her down on the cold forest floor and since his whole attention was concentrated on Tarya, Kili didn't notice his uncle observing him from a bit further ahead, a deep frown on the dwarf-king's face.
Meanwhile Bofur, Bifur and Dori had been trying to wake Bombur but the large dwarf would not wake up despite all their efforts, still clutching to the rope with one hand so tightly that they couldn't get it from his grip.
They sat on the riverbank for a long time, the companions trying to recover from the shock while Bombur slept on with a smile on his chubby face. Kili looked down at Tarya who was lying in his lap, lazily and almost unconsciously running his fingers through her dark hair that was drying slowly. There was no smile on her face, though she looked more peaceful than he had ever seen her.
"We need to get back on the path," Thorin eventually announced, getting to his feet and looking over the company.
"What about Bombur and Tarya?" Bilbo asked from where he was sitting right next to Kili and the sleeping Amarok.
"We will have to carry them," Thorin grumbled, sounding quite frustrated. "There's no choice, we cannot stay here and wait for them to wake up. This stream carries strong magic, it could take hours until they wake, maybe even days."
There was a lot of grumbling and nagging from the companions at the prospect of having to carry two members – though the problem mainly lay with Bombur, since Tarya was light enough to be carried by one person alone. For Bombur though, four people were needed and the task was assigned to Bofur, Bifur, Gloin and Nori for the first shift.
Kili picked up Tarya without even thinking about it, only realizing that he hadn't actually been asked to carry her when he met his uncle's gaze. He felt a slight blush creeping up his neck but he wasn't about to let anyone else carry her. He needed to know her as close to him as possible. Thorin had a small frown on his face as he looked at his nephew but nodded slightly in acceptance as Kili wrapped his arms tighter around the Amarok's body, her head falling limply on his shoulder.
The young dwarf fell in step with his brother then as they started out on the path again, getting some comfort in the way Tarya's soft but steady breaths grazed his neck as he carried her further into the dimness of the forest.