Hello there! New chapter! Celebrations!
12reader: Hello! I know exactly what you mean with the Arkenstone and Thorin. He does become annoyingly intent on that thing and I think 'compelling' was a very fitting word that you used for it. It just kind of… lures him into a very dark place. It has that compelling sort of power over a lot of people, I think. And as to your worries about Kili - well, let's see how he does in this chapter :)
Hiding in the Shadow: Ah, yes, the dragon. Let me tell you, you are quite right to be at least a little worried… I am, too :D I'm glad you liked the last chapter and thank you for your review!
My Beautiful Ending: YAAAY! I LOVE REVIEWS! :D
Akilah Swiftblade: Yeah, I loved that moment in the movie where Thorin says it to Bilbo and already then it felt like a sentence to end a chapter with :D Glad you liked it!
AryaNimera: First off, thank you so much for your review! :D I think you'll find a few of the mentioned things in this chapter :D Will Oin save him? Or Tauriel? Or no one? You'll have to read the following chapter :P
Thanks also to ZabuzasGirl, DJ Sparkles, Lady Syndra, Dalonega Noquisi, DGfleetfox, and Daybreak96 for your lovely reviews! I really enjoyed reading them!
Also thanks to the ones who favorited and followed!
Now go ahead and read, lovely people, for I would love to read your thoughts and opinions afterwards, if you take the time and leave a review! :D
Tarya awoke with a start when someone softly touched her shoulder. Her eyes shot open as she jerked up, immediately focusing on an eventual threat.
"I'm sorry! I – I didn't mean to startle you!" Tilda stammered, hastily retrieving her hand as the Amarok could just stare at her blankly for a moment before she remembered where she was and why she was here. Tarya sighed quietly, her gaze softening as she blinked the remaining sleep out of her eyes. She shook her head at the nervous little girl.
"It's all right," she said calmly, sending Tilda a small smile as she stood, visibly lessening the girl's nervousness. But Tarya's smile faltered rapidly when she looked around, catching sight of an afternoon sun through a small window. The Amarok frowned deeply and her gaze quickly darted over to where Fili was standing next to the bed with Oin. "How long have I slept?"
The blond dwarf's gaze shot up at her voice, a guilty look shortly washing over his face, making Tarya's brows draw together even more. "A while," was all Fili said before he returned his gaze to his little brother and Tarya scowled slightly at him before her attention was drawn to the brunet dwarf as well as he released a pained cry, his fingers digging into the bed sheets while Oin applied another salve to his leg. Tarya's eyes grew wide upon seeing the dwarf covered in sweat, his eyes hazy and unfocused as he twisted in pain.
"What happened?" she demanded urgently as she quickly stepped past little Tilda who only looked after her with wide eyes and up to the bed, her gaze switching nervously between Kili and the others.
"He's gotten worse," Oin replied in a slight grunt when Kili slightly kicked out as he rubbed the ointment onto his wound and he had to dodge the brunet's leg. The healer's brows were drawn together tightly as he concentrated on his work, ignoring the pained groans it drew from Kili. Tarya looked at the old dwarf as he shortly glanced up, looking at her from underneath heavy eyebrows. "The fever is getting worse with every passing hour and I can't seem to find anything that can effectively lower it," he said and shot a short look over to where Bard was standing near the kitchen table, hastily cutting a few herbs and mashing them together in a bowl. Tarya who had followed Oin's gaze quickly looked away when Bard sent her an almost pitiful look.
"What can I do?" she asked, shortly catching Fili's gaze as he stood by his brother's side, looking as helpless as she felt. Oin shot her a short look before he shook his head. But that was not an answer Tarya could accept. She had to do something, even if it was just something small, she couldn't just stand here and watch Kili as he slowly succumbed to his wound.
Oin sighed quietly upon seeing her face. "I'm sorry, lass."
"No!" Tarya almost growled out upon his statement, making the old healer flinch slightly at her tone. "I will not stand here and do nothing and watch him suffer, Oin!"
Kili groaned lowly beside them and Tarya shortly glanced at him, feeling her heart clench painfully at the poor sight he made before she returned her gaze to Oin who was looking at her with slightly wide eyes. Her voice was lower when she spoke next, though nonetheless urgent. "I cannot just stand by. Please, Oin, let me help. Let me do something!"
"Well," the old dwarf cleared his throat slightly, glancing around the room for a moment as if thinking about something before his gaze found Bard. "You wouldn't happen to have any Kingsfoil, would you?"
Tarya frowned as she glanced at the Lake-Man as well, not knowing what Oin was getting at. Bard shook his head, looking slightly confused.
"Kingsfoil? No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs," he said, frowning a bit at the old healer. Oin just released a frustrated growl in reply, his gaze shortly wandering back to Kili before it found Tarya again. The Amarok could only look back at him in confusion.
"It's a very useful herb, often used in healing," Oin explained and Tarya nodded slowly. "I could probably lower his fever with it. But if we don't have it I'm afraid –"
"I could find it," Tarya quickly interrupted, making Oin look at her rather sceptically. "They feed it to the pigs, so there has to be some somewhere. I think I might –"
"Do you know what it smells like?" Fili asked from beside them, looking at her expectantly. Tarya shook her head. She didn't remember the plant's scent, never actually having bothered to memorize it.
"No, but I've seen it before. It has bright white blossoms. It grows everywhere in the woods from Amon Sûl to the mountains of Angmar. I've seen it many times before," she explained quickly and Fili shortly shot her a strange look before he nodded slightly. Tarya took this as a sign for her to go and try and find what they needed. Without hesitation, she turned away and made for the door, only shortly glancing back over her shoulder when Bofur announced that he would accompany her.
"Don't move!" he told Kili who could just huff disbelievingly in reply before he hurried after her as she stepped out the door and into the frosty air that the end of autumn was bringing. They silently trailed along next to each other as they quickly made their way through the alleys of Laketown. The sun was already starting to set beneath the rooftops of the city and Tarya felt her stomach twist in a strange, nervous feeling, not quite knowing where it was coming from.
"D'you have any idea where to look?" Bofur asked after they had already walked for a few moments, interrupting her musings. Tarya could only shrug her shoulders rather helplessly in reply as she looked around.
"They feed the Kingsfoil to the pigs," she said as she inhaled deeply, letting the scents of Laketown overwhelm her delicate nose once more. "I don't know what Kingsfoil smells like, but I sure know the scent of pigs."
Bofur nodded with a slight frown as he trailed along next to her while she was trying to find the right track. The hatted dwarf stayed silent for a while before he quietly cleared his throat and Tarya could see him looking at her out of the corner of her eye. "You know, I sometimes forget that you're a wolf," he eventually said while she was busy with her nose in the air and her eyes closed. Tarya hesitated for a moment before she opened her eyes, sending Bofur a short look.
"Sometimes I do, too," she muttered after a moment of silence and Bofur shot her a questioning look but she just shrugged her shoulders as she continued down the alley. "I have never felt as alive as I have since the last months. I sometimes forget that it wasn't always like this. And it is all thanks to you. All of you."
Bofur smiled lightly at that and she returned his smile with a small one of her own before he followed her around a corner. The hatted dwarf mostly kept quiet after that as Tarya concentrated on finding the scent of pigs but somehow she kept getting distracted by people walking by and swirling up the scents in her nose, various smells and loud music coming from taverns and the increasing bad feeling in her stomach that made the hairs on her neck stand on end. She vaguely noticed Bofur grabbing various herbs and weeds along the way, showing them to her and throwing them away carelessly each time she shook her head at the plant he was holding, none of it being the one they needed.
It was just as Tarya was about to howl in frustration when her nose finally caught the right track and she swiftly made her way through several alleys, along the water and a few boats, Bofur following close on her heels. It was a few seconds later that they stumbled upon a small sheepcote with five pigs in it, munching away lazily on a bunch of herbs. Tarya and Bofur exchanged a short look before they darted forward and Tarya only had time to look around the few greens scattered on the ground next to the pigs before Bofur had grabbed a handful of weed right out of a pig's mouth, holding it out to her with an expectant look on his bearded face.
Tarya took a short look at the plant, bright white blossoms adorning the green leaves and stalks.
"Please tell me this is Kingsfoil," Bofur exclaimed and Tarya just nodded vigorously in reply before she grabbed his sleeve, forcing him to follow her as she began to rush back the way they had come. She heard Bofur's heavy footsteps behind her as she made her way back through the alleys they had passed before that were now dark as the sun had already set. For a moment, Tarya's thoughts wandered to the rest of the company as she realized that the last light of Durin's Day had passed already, wondering whether they had found the door, or whether they had already entered the mountain by now.
Bilbo was not a very happy hobbit at the moment and neither a particularly calm one. His thoughts were whirling in his head and his heart thumping nervously in his chest as he made his way down the dark corridor that led from the secret door further down into the mountain halls. Balin trailed along silently beside him, the old dwarf having decided that he would accompany the hobbit as far as he dared to go, for he had become quite fond of Bilbo over the duration of the journey.
"You want me to find a jewel?" Bilbo asked quietly as they walked, sending Balin a short sideways glance. The old dwarf cleared his throat slightly.
"A large white jewel," he confirmed. "Yes."
"That's it?" the hobbit inquired, shooting a small look down the corridor and they stopped as it reached a corner. "I just… I only imagine there's quite a few down there."
"There's only one Arkenstone," Balin told him and Bilbo frowned slightly at the dwarf. "You'll know it when you see it."
And with that, the old dwarf made a few more steps forward down the corridor, leaving Bilbo to follow him slowly and pause when he stopped once more. The dim nightlight that flowed in from the open secret door was still visible faintly behind them. That was as far as Balin would go and he turned around to the hobbit with a rather conflicted look on his bearded face.
"In truth, lad, I do not know what you will find down there." He paused a moment, looking at Bilbo sympathetically before he continued quickly. "You needn't go if you don't want to. There's no dishonour in turning back."
Bilbo returned the old dwarf's gaze for a moment before he slightly shook his head, pressing his lips together. "No, Balin," he replied, determination creeping into his voice. He had come so far; he wouldn't turn back now, even if he dreaded the prospect of going down into the mountain halls. "I promised I would do this. And I think I must try."
The hobbit's eyebrows rose when Balin began chuckling quietly but amazedly beside him and he shot the old dwarf an asking look. Balin smiled broadly, looking at him with almost wonder in his eyes before he explained himself. "It never ceases to amaze me," he said. "The courage of hobbits."
Bilbo couldn't help but chuckle quietly in response, for truly, if a year ago someone had told him that he would be going down into a mountain where a dragon may possibly be sleeping to find a lost jewel of a dwarven kingdom, he would have laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. And yet, now here he was, and he was determined to finish his adventure.
"Well, perhaps I have begun to trust my luck more than I used to in the old days," he said, making Balin smile warmly as he nodded.
"Then go now," he said, his voice turning more serious again. "With as much luck as you can muster."
Bilbo nodded and made to move down the corridor, only stopping when he heard Balin's voice chime up once more behind him. He shot the old dwarf a short look over his shoulder.
"Oh, and Bilbo," Balin muttered. "If there is in fact a… uh, live dragon down there… don't waken it."
Again, Bilbo nodded, although this time he did it a bit jerkily, and tried to muster up as much courage as he could find within himself. When he turned back to look at Balin, he could only just see the seam of his coat disappearing around the corner. The hobbit sighed quietly, bracing himself before he finally turned away and crept silently down the dark corridor, further and further into the mountain.
The air became slowly warmer, or so it seemed to Bilbo as he moved along the dark walls and after a while, when he rounded another corner, he suddenly found himself at the end of the corridor on a small platform from which stairs led down on both sides, though Bilbo didn't have an eye for that at first. He could only stare straight ahead with wide eyes, for right before him lay an entire ocean of treasure. Bilbo couldn't guess how big this hall was, but it had to be tremendous if one considered the mountains of gold, jewels and gems that reached high up, almost reaching the ceiling in some places. It took Bilbo a few long moments to escape his momentary awestruck state and he shortly shook his head, blinking at the amounts of treasure before him. Whenever the dwarves had talked of the treasure that lay beneath Erebor, Bilbo had never imagined something like this. He remembered shortly that he had been promised one fourteenth of the treasure in return for his services as burglar and couldn't help but let out a small half-amused snort. He could have lived in unbelievable wealth twice with that. What was he even supposed to do with so much gold?
It was only a few moments later that Bilbo remembered why he was actually here and he shot a quick look around, at the same time fumbling for his magic ring that he still kept securely in one of his pockets. He couldn't see a dragon, at least not yet, but Bilbo was not very keen on walking around in a dragon's lair without at least some form of protection. And being invisible, well, that came in quite handy in a situation like this. Quickly, he slipped the gold ring onto his finger and then started to move down the stairs to his right. They disappeared into the sea of gold after a few steps and Bilbo found himself walking on gold coins and other gems and jewels as he made his way forward.
He saw quite a few white jewels, each prettier than the one before, but none of them seemed to be this ominous one white jewel he was supposed to be looking for. After a while, Bilbo became quite impatient as he wandered over the mountains of gold, picking up a gem here and there before putting it back down. The small coins moved and jingled quietly beneath his large feet and it was just when he picked up a large golden goblet that a load of gold coins were set in motion and came tumbling down towards him, revealing a large closed eye that lay underneath it.
Bilbo froze, the goblet still held tightly in his hand as he stared at the closed lids of the dragon, unable to move a muscle. It was then that he heard it, and he wondered how he could have been oblivious to the noise before.
There was a deep breathing coming from beneath the gold before him, like that of a sleeping animal. Only this wasn't just an animal, it was a tremendous, gigantic dragon. Bilbo only moved when he was ripped out of his numb state as Smaug puffed out some air through his nose, coins and gems falling from his head at the action. The hobbit quickly hid behind a large pillar, despite still being invisible thanks to his ring, and peered anxiously around the corner.
The dragon was lying buried beneath the mountains of gold like it was a blanket right before him, moving sleepily. Bilbo forced himself to keep his breathing even and could only glance over shortly to the other end of the hall where in the distance he saw the dragon's tail move slightly, setting more of the treasure into motion. Smaug was truly enormous and Bilbo had never felt so small in his whole life as he did in this very moment, the golden goblet still held tightly in his right hand, as he peeked around the corner once more, freezing when he saw that Smaug's eye was now open and staring right through him before it slowly moved over the treasure in the throne hall. Bilbo could only watch as the dragon lifted first its head out of the treasure before it slowly stood from its lying position, sniffing the air with a low growl that echoed through the whole hall. Bilbo felt his heart sink to his toes and he pressed himself tighter against the large stone pillar when a deep, mighty voice echoed through the throne hall.
"Well, thief," Smaug hissed as he moved about the hall, making Bilbo shrink in his spot. He slowly put the golden cup back into the pile of treasure. "I smell you. I hear your breath. Where are you?"
Bilbo would always remember the dragon's voice. It was deeper than any he had ever heard, a mixture between a growl and a hiss and yet it was strangely compelling, luring almost. He silently moved from his spot next to the pillar as Smaug moved past him, trying to creep his way back to the secret corridor without alerting the dragon to it. But his plan failed rather badly when he slipped on the ground of coins and treasure, falling onto his back and sliding down a pile of gold with no small amount of noise. Smaug was upon him in an instant, its enormous body following the invisible intruder through the hall.
The hobbit managed to slow his slide down somehow and quickly scrambled away, hiding behind another pillar, his breath coming in quick gasps, even though he tried to calm it down. It was a moment later that he could see Smaug's head appearing next to him, peering down into the hall.
"Come now," the dragon said, his voice changing from alluring to a dangerous growl in an instant. "Don't be shy. Step into the light."
There was a short pause in which Smaug watched the hall before he slowly moved backwards and Bilbo watched him disappear behind the pillar. The hobbit slowly moved forward towards the edge, only to freeze again when he suddenly heard the dragon's voice once more, this time from behind him.
"There is something about you. Something you carry," the beast breathed, hot air suddenly filling the hall and Bilbo quickly turned to see the dragon's head before him once more. He had crept around the pillar and now approached from the other side. Bilbo shortly glanced down to the gold ring on his finger. "Something made of gold," Smaug continued and Bilbo felt his heart thump nervously in his chest as the dragon rounded in on him, depriving him from an escape. "But far more precious."
It was strange, like a foreign force was overcoming him, and Bilbo felt his breathing speed up as the ring seemingly became warmer on his finger, almost as if it was trying to burn him. His hand acted before his mind had the chance to catch up and within an instant, the ring was off his finger and Smaug stared directly at him before Bilbo even truly realized what had happened.
"Ah," the dragon hissed. "There you are, thief. In the shadows."
"I- I d-did not come… to steal from you," Bilbo stammered, staring up at the tremendous beast helplessly, trying desperately to come up with a plan as fast as his mind would allow. "Oh, Smaug the Tremendous. I merely wished to have a look at you and see if you were truly as great as the tales say. I did not believe them!"
Smaug looked at him for a moment before he moved back around the pillar, leaving Bilbo to release a momentary relieved breath. The ground shook slightly beneath his feet as the dragon stepped up to him again from the other side, standing before him now in all his glory as he stretched almost up to the distant ceiling. Smaug towered over the little hobbit that was probably merely as tall as the dragon's smallest claw.
"And do you now?" The beast asked loudly, almost sounding somewhat flattered even though Bilbo was sure that he didn't believe a word of what he was telling him. But it was all about gaining time now, and distracting the dragon as long as possible until he could make a run for it. And so Bilbo cleared his throat slightly, trying to make his voice sound less frightened than before and more complimentary.
"Truly… the songs and tales fall utterly short of your enormity, O Smaug the Stupendous."
"You have nice manners for a thief and a liar," said the dragon. "You seem familiar with my name, but I don't seem to remember smelling you before. Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?"
Bilbo's heart skipped a beat in fear when the dragon moved closer again, taking a small step backwards. "I – I come from under the hill," he quickly stuttered out, his mind racing with something to come up with without telling too much. "And under the hills and over the hills my path has led. And through the air. I am he that walks unseen."
Smaug huffed quietly, hot breath coming out of his nostrils and enveloping Bilbo. "Impressing," the dragon growled as he looked at him. "What else do you claim to be?"
"I am Ringwinner and Luckwearer," Bilbo continued, only to be interrupted by Smaug.
"Lovely titles!" sneered the dragon, almost seeming amused. "Go on."
"Barrel-rider," Bilbo said quickly, thinking about what he could tell the dragon next but the beast interrupted once more, this time with a sharp hiss.
"Barrels! Now that is interesting," Smaug drawled, before he growled once more. "Very well, Barrel-rider! And what about your little dwarf friends? Where are they hiding?"
"Dwarves?" Bilbo asked in pretended surprise. "No, no dwarves here. You've got that all wrong."
"Don't talk to me!" Smaug rumbled lowly, his voice echoing off the huge stonewalls. "I suppose they are skulking outside and sent you in here to do their task and get what you can when I'm not looking – for them?"
"Truly!" Bilbo replied quickly, shaking his head. "You are mistaken, Oh Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities!"
"Do you think flattery will keep you alive?" The dragon asked, baring his large teeth at the small hobbit before him who could only swallow tightly. "I know the taste and smell of dwarf – no one better! It is the gold. They are drawn to treasure like flies to dead flesh."
Smaug now started to walk around in the hall, the treasure moving and falling beneath his feet in large waves and Bilbo tried to slowly edge in the direction where the stairs were that led to the corridor he had first come from. But Smaug was angry now and Bilbo quickly had to jump out of the way, and run down another pile of treasure when the dragon gripped one large pillar in his tremendous claws, breaking it as he roared.
"Did you think I did not know this day would come?" Smaug growled loudly, the tremor of the breaking pillar making the ground move beneath the hobbit's feet, causing Bilbo to fall and tumble down in the waves of gold. "That a pack of canting dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain?" Another pillar fell as Smaug moved his large body through the hall and this time the whole mountain shook with the dragon's destruction and his deafening roar.
Bofur and Tarya were still making their way through the dark alleys of Laketown, talking quietly to each other while they hurried along. Neither of them had realized how far they had actually ventured from Bard's home to find the pigs – or rather the Kingsfoil. The way back to the house was longer than they had thought.
"Tilda's a lovely girl, really," Bofur was just telling her about what she had missed other than Kili's state of health worsening during the morning and Tarya shot him a short sideways glance as they moved along. "Asked me if she could wear my hat this mornin'. Of course it was much too big for her. Almost came down to her chin."
Tarya was just smiling slightly at the image his words created in her head when suddenly the earth shook beneath their feet.
The Amarok immediately came to a halt, shortly exchanging a look with Bofur who was staring at her with wide eyes before both their gazes slowly wandered to where Erebor was looming in the distant night sky.
"That came from the mountain," Bofur spoke quietly and Tarya just nodded, her eyes narrowing at the distant peak before she brought her gaze back to the hatted dwarf who returned it worriedly. "Do you think… what I think?"
"Smaug," Tarya confirmed upon Bofur's nervous question, feeling the hairs on her neck stand on end as she thought about what was going on in that mountain. There was no doubt that the beast had woken up. The question that preyed most on her mind, though, was whether the others were still alive or if they had fallen victim to the wrath of the dragon already.
"Come on," Tarya urged then, shaking her head slightly to free her mind. There was nothing they could do to help them now, anyway. There were other matters more urgent at the moment. Bofur followed her as she quickened her pace and ran along the alleys until they could finally see Bard's house a little distance away as they rounded a corner a little while later. Tarya could see the door opening from afar, frowning slightly as Sigrid stepped outside and looked around searchingly.
"What's she looking for?" Bofur asked beside her, uttering her own thoughts out loud, as they moved towards the house and Tarya was just about to answer that she didn't know when she saw a shadow move atop the roof right above Sigrid. For a moment, time seemed to slow down as the Amarok recognized an orc in the shadow and before she had even realized she was doing it, she screamed for the girl.
"Watch out!" Tarya yelled, her voice seeming deafeningly loud in the quiet nocturnal alleys. It took Bofur a moment to catch up as Tarya rushed forward and up the wooden steps just as the orc jumped right down in front of Sigrid who stumbled backwards with a shocked shriek, trying desperately to close the door. Tarya slammed into the orc's side, knocking it off its feet and going right down with it. She heard the commotion around her as more orcs attacked the house, a yelp from Bofur somewhere in the noise. The orc beneath her knocked her off of itself harshly, charging at her as she landed on her back and Tarya barely managed to block its arm as it tried to bury a short orcish blade right into her head. She clenched her teeth together and a strained groan escaped her lips from the force she had to muster up against the beast before she lifted her leg, ramming her knee into the orc's stomach vigorously. It wheezed and fell off of her to the side, and Tarya used its momentary daze to snatch the knife from its hands and driving it deep into its chest with an angry growl.
It was just when she retrieved the dagger, the blade sliding out of the orc with a sickening sound, that she noticed another one coming at her from behind. She quickly turned around and rolled out of the way as it brought its axe down on her, though she didn't have enough time to defend herself with her tiny blade when the orc raised the weapon a second time. But just as it was about to bring it down on her, Tarya saw something large and grey rush up the stairs behind the creature and before she or the orc knew it, it had lost its head, its lifeless body falling to the floor before her.
Tarya glanced up with wide eyes, staring right into the dark golden orbs of the grey wolf before her. She let out a breath that was at the same time relieved and surprised while she gripped the knife in her hand a bit tighter.
"Thanks," she said curtly but genuinely as she quickly scrambled to her feet and rushed past Arkin through the open door into the house to help the others, pausing for a moment as she took in the sight before her.
Orcs – certainly the ones that had already chased them along the forest river – had come charging right through the roof and the door. Fili and Oin were fighting with their bare hands, Bard's children were hiding under the table while Kili was just trying in vain to get up from the bed and fight, groaning and shouting at the same time. Tarya gripped the knife tightly in her right hand as she braced herself and charged forward, vaguely feeling Arkin following behind her before she slashed the neck of one of the orcs that Fili was trying to hold off from behind. She rushed past him then, slashing and stabbing wildly with her blade, trying desperately to defend her friends, but there were just too many orcs and she had no weapons whatsoever, except the small knife in her hand. Out of the corner of her eyes, Tarya saw an orc tear at Kili's leg, the brunet dwarf struggling against the hold without being able to defend himself in any way, and she quickly swivelled the knife in her hand before she threw it forcefully. And indeed, the few throwing lessons she'd had with Fili during their journey paid off, for the blade hit Kili's attacker right in the neck.
The room was filled with orcs and Tarya felt something slice her arm, making her cry out when she moved forward, though the noise was lost in the sounds of the fight. Tarya quickly dodged an attack from her left side before she punched her opponent right in the face, feeling her skin was burn and her blood almost vibrating in her veins with desperate anger and want to fight. She needed to defend her friends but there were just too many orcs. They had no real chance of winning this fight and Tarya knew it. Something had to happen, and it had to happen fast, Tarya thought, as her ears were filled with the screams and shrieks of her friends and the three children in the room.
And as if the Valar had heard her prayers, she felt something whoosh past her ear and a second later, an arrow was embedded in the head of the orc that had been coming at her from the side. Tarya turned her head to see a familiar red shock of hair whirling into the house and she felt gratefulness tugging at her as she watched Tauriel immediately starting to slash one orc after the other.
It was a moment later, after Tarya had already picked up the blade from the hands of the dead orc to her feet, that another familiar elf came jumping through the roof, sword ready to attack. Tarya only shortly glanced at Legolas before she concentrated on an oncoming orc again, burying the heavy blade in its stomach.
Tarya didn't pay much attention to her own safety as she slashed and stabbed at every orc she could reach with fiery rage. She saw Legolas and Tauriel fight out of the corner of her eyes, just as she could see Fili and Oin battle alongside them with weapons they had snatched from dead orcs. Arkin was nothing more than a blur of grey fur in the room, swiftly zigzagging between orcs before he attacked them. Neither Bofur nor Bard were anywhere to be seen and Tarya shortly found herself distracted by that discovery, so that she only noticed the orc coming at her from the right when it was already too late. But just shortly before the creature could cut off her head with its blade, a knife embedded itself deeply in its side and Tarya saw the hand that held it twist roughly and pushing the dead orc to the ground. It was only for a second that she locked eyes over the orc's corpse with Kili before he keeled over, falling to the ground with an agonizing scream.
"Kili!" Tarya called out in shock as he clutched his hand to his side on the floor, cringing heavily and screaming loudly as his face scrunched up in nothing but pain. The Amarok barely heard the sounds of the fighting slowly die down around her as she let herself fall to her knees next to the brunet dwarf, grabbing his face between her hands and trying to get his eyes to focus. But Kili was already too far away to comply. His skin had lost any colour and was burning beneath her fingertips even though her own skin was still just as hot as it had been during the fight.
"No," she whispered, tapping his cheek slightly when his eyes fell closed and all she got in reply was a low groan. "No! Kili, come on!"
It was only a few moments later that Oin and Fili came to her side and she shortly looked up, seeing their shocked faces as they looked at the youngest dwarf that lay suffering on the floor. Oin quickly pressed two fingers onto Kili's neck, searching for his pulse and Tarya felt her heart miss a beat when he next spoke.
"We're losing him," he exclaimed, his gaze switching desperately from Fili to the elves and then to Tarya who felt tears pricking in her eyes as she felt his hopeful and asking eyes on her. The Kingsfoil, she thought, she didn't have it. Bofur had been carrying it, but Bofur still wasn't here. She pressed her lips together to suppress a sob escaping her as she shook her head at Oin whose whole face fell upon the gesture. He shortly glanced down at the brunet dwarf before he looked at Fili who could only stare brokenly at his little brother. Tarya had never seen such a look on his face and she had never wanted to.
She shook her head as she gripped Kili's face tighter between her hands, emanating a small, weak groan from him as his eyes fluttered. "No," she called, her sight bleary as tears formed in her eyes. She couldn't accept this. He couldn't die. He couldn't leave her. Not now, not like this. "Kili, please! Open your eyes! You can't do this… don't give up! Stay with us!"
Tarya saw his lids flutter and for a moment the familiar warm brown of his eyes was staring at her hazily.
It was then that she felt it, a warm pulsation that ran through her body like thunder.
Kili couldn't tell what was going on anymore. All he felt was pain and all he saw was blurry and seemed far away. He felt like he was burning from the inside, like flaming beasts were gnawing at his insides. He felt that it was becoming harder and harder to breathe and all Kili truly wanted was for it all to stop. He just wanted the pain to end. He was so tired, so exhausted, he just wanted to sleep and never wake up.
He didn't want to die, of course. Not really. But he felt like there was nothing that he could do to stop it now. There was no strength left in him. He had mustered his last energy to kill the orc that had wanted to slaughter Tarya and he thought that had been a good use of the last bit of strength he'd had.
He thought he could hear her voice, although it sounded as if she was far away from him and he could faintly feel her soft hands on his face as he lay on the hard floor. He tried to open his eyes once more, tried to fight, when he heard her pleading with him to stay, not to give up. And he managed, at least halfway, to open his eyes and look at her through the haze that clouded his sight.
She had a few scratches on her face but the only thing Kili could focus on were her bright golden eyes that were gleaming down at him, warm and calming in his world of pain even though tears were shimmering within them, a few already having trickled down her cheeks.
And then, just as his eyes were about to flutter closed again, he suddenly felt a warm pulsation run through his veins and his eyes widened as he felt his heart suddenly give a hard and almost painfully energetic thump in his chest. He saw Tarya's eyes widen as well and for a moment, it seemed as if there was a faint glowing light around her form, similar to the one he'd seen when she had transformed in front of him at Beorn's, though Kili wasn't sure whether it was actually there or he was just imagining things.
Another pulsation ran through his body then and he felt his breathing become less ragged, air suddenly flowing freely through his lungs as he took a deep breath. He felt her hands warm and heavy on his cheeks, resting there as more pulsations ran through him one after another, becoming softer and softer while the pain he had been feeling was slowly subsiding. Kili couldn't believe what was going on, didn't know what she was doing to him, but he was eternally grateful.
It was a few moments later that Tarya hesitantly withdrew her hands from Kili's face, her eyes wide and her breathing heavy as she looked down at the dwarf that was blinking tiredly against the dim light.
"What did you…?" Fili muttered in complete shock and wonder beside her, looking from the Amarok to his brother. Kili's skin was still pale and he still seemed dazed but he was now lying still, seemingly without any pain. "How…? K-Kili?"
The brunet blinked at the ceiling for a moment before he slowly brought his gaze to his older brother who was staring at him with wide eyes. "P-… present."
Fili couldn't help but laugh in relief as he heard his little brother's dumbfounded meek wheeze and he brought his gaze back to Tarya who just held out her hands before her awkwardly and stared at them, apparently not knowing what had happened either. She looked just as dumbstruck and shocked as everyone else. Fili slowly reached out and put one hand on her forearm, making her flinch as she was ripped out of her thoughts. Her big golden eyes found him and Fili could see the glow within them slowly subsiding. He was about to say something, though he wasn't even quite sure what, when another voice from behind them beat him to it.
"Well, I guess we can just use this for tea, then," Bofur said, a small bunch of Kingsfoil held loosely in one hand and standing near the door beside three children, two elves and one massive wolf who all stared at the small group on the floor.