Finally I've got chapter five written. I know this one has taken me ages to get done but I've been writing it in the middle of Uni work and being extremely ill, so you can forgive me xD it seems a little jumpy to me, but I wasn't sure how else to switch from one scene to another and I had so many ideas that I wanted to fit into it, it might not run as smoothly as it could.
So all will be revealed. Will Kili succeed in making the cure? Where have Bofur, Oin and Dwalin gone? Will Kili eventually return home? All answers will be revealed in this chapter. After this there will be maybe two chapters or so? I will also be adding a little epilogue featuring the dwarves in Rivendell during the events of the Hobbit, don't worry I won't change anything, though it will be largely movie based instead of book based just because I can pull that to mind easier and my plans have already been set to that. It's just something cute that popped into my head.
A/N; There is some controversy as to whether the Glorfindel of Rivendell mentioned in the Lord of the Rings is the same as the Glorfindel of Gondolin from the Silmarilion but I believe that it is. If you don't then that's your choice, but please don't flame me for my headcanons.
Also, 'namaarie' means farewell in elvish.
"It's not working!" Kili cried in anger, pushing the pestle and mortar away from him and folding his arms on the table in front of him, refusing to do anymore. He had never assumed that making a cure for Fili would have been so hard but for some reason it was. To him, it was grinding for ingredients together, mixing them with clean, hot water and therefore making a drink that would potentially cure Fili, but he was having difficulty grinding the ingredients together perfectly. Elrond had told him that if they were not ground to the right consistency then the cure would not work, but if he over/ground them then it would have the same effect and the cure would not take effect. Kili had yet to find the perfect balance, even though Elrond made it look easy.
"Kili you must be patient, I do not have an infinite supply of these ingredients," Elrond said calmly, taking the mortar from Kili and inspecting the mush of plants in the bottom. "You are grinding them too hard still; it is not about brute strength but about patience and a kind hand."
Kili leaned back in his chair as Elrond spoke and made a noise of despair. It had been a week already and Kili had been with Elrond everyday trying to perfect the cure. Elrond had offered to grind them together for him and send him on his way home but Kili had refused. If something happened to him on the road and he lost the cure what would he do then, he would not know how to make another one and everything he had done would have been for nothing. Glorfindel, Elladan and Elrohir had been gone for the entire week, searching for any other parties of orcs that dared to come close to Rivendell and, unbeknownst to Kili, searching for the four plants that made up the cure.
"How can something so simple be so difficult to make?" He asked quietly.
Elrond smiled sympathetically and returned the mortar to Kili. He had cleaned the contents from it, ready for Kili to start again.
"Kingsfoil is easy to grind up, the leaves are thin and though hardy, under a pestle it will become like dust in a matter of minutes, that it why you add it last. Hemlock is different; it is thick and strong and must be added first because it needs the most amount of pressure on it. Whin, or Gorse, is needed second, for though only slightly tougher than Kingsfoil the mixture of pure Whin and Hemlock is important for the cure. Thyme goes third and crushes easily. You are getting too carried away, Master Dwarf, when it comes to adding the third and fourth ingredient, because you are excited that the cure is nearly finished. You need to clear your head and concentrate, only then will you able to produce the proper finished product."
Rubbing his eyes Kili nodded. He had heard this speech many times over the past week for many times had he grown angry with his own work and refused to do anymore. Elrond merely kept on gently guiding him on how to get it right and patiently allowed him to get angry, to calm down and to try again. Kili had been surprised by this at first, for Elladan and Elrohir had told him that Elrond could become a force to be reckoned with if angered, but he had grown used to it now.
"How about a break, Kili, before we continue?" Elrond suggested.
Kili nodded again, yawning.
"I suggest you get more sleep, and if you have trouble request a sleeping draught. You will not succeed with this cure if you are clumsy and lethargic." Elrond added.
Kili did not respond to this, merely slid from his chair and exited the room. Elrond watched him leave, his expression blank.
Kili did not know where he wanted to go but he let his feet carry him forward until eventually he ended up in the garden that he and Glorfindel had walked in barefoot on his first proper day in Rivendell. Nobody was there this time but Kili didn't care, he felt comfortable being alone right now. The grass looked inviting, the blades wavering in the light breeze and Kili collapsed down onto the floor, arms outstretched and eyes closed. Would he be able to succeed in making this cure? Whenever he was attempting to mix the ingredients together to make the cure he thought of Fili and a mixture of emotions passed through him and that made it very hard to do things gently like Elrond told him to. He hadn't told Elrond this at all because he wasn't sure how the elven Lord would take it, or how he would advise Kili on ways to deal with it. Lying in the midst of the garden Kili took a deep breath of the sweet air fluttering around him and thought of Ered Luin, of Fili and his mother waiting for him to return and guilt lurched in his stomach. Trying to clear his mind Kili drifted off into a rather uncomfortable sleep.
"What's wrong Kili?" Fili's voice asked from beside him.
"Fili?" Kili asked, turning his head towards the sound of Fili's voice but found he could not open his eyes to look at his brother.
"Hush little brother," Fili soothed, "Tell me what's wrong."
"I'm afraid I won't be able to save you Fili," Kili whispered, "I'm afraid that I can't."
Fili laughed. "Come home to me Kili, alive and well, and I'll be fine."
"No Fili you won't." Kili cried. "You won't be fine at all. Elrond can help me cure you and I can't do it!"
"Don't be childish Kili," Fili snapped, "I know that you've spent twenty years by my bedside doing nothing at all but trying to look after me and that that is a long period of your childhood but this is not the time for such childish words,"
Kili knew that if he could open his eyes he would have blinked in shock. Fili rarely got angry with him. It had happened often when Kili had just been born and had been eager to try and do things that a young dwarf had been unable to do and Fili had gotten in trouble for letting Kili do these things, but as soon as Kili was old enough to take the blame himself Fili had stopped getting angry at him.
"Fili/."
"No Kili, you can do this." Fili said firmly. "And I won't hear anything different. Remember all those times when you were young and everybody told you there were some things that you couldn't do? You would always try and try to do them just to prove everybody wrong, but most of the time you failed. No matter how many times you failed you carried on trying until eventually you did actually succeed. And everyone was so surprised. Why should this be any different?"
Kili blanched at Fili's words but found he smiled anyway. His brother was right; all those times in the past Kili had tried to achieve the impossible and had never accepted anyone who told him that he would never succeed. Nobody was telling him this time that he could not make this cure, he was the only one telling himself that he would fail. He had to believe it himself.
In shock at the realisation in his dream Kili's eyes flew open and he winced as the light from the clear blue sky above him penetrated his vision. Exhaling deeply Kili rolled onto his side and almost jumped out of his skin when he saw blonde hair fanned out on the grass beside him. It took him a moment for Kili to realise that it was Glorfindel and Kili smiled widely. It had been the first time he had seen the blonde elven lord for the week he had been here and Kili had missed him, though he was not sure if he wanted to admit it.
"Do you have a habit of sleeping outside Kili?" The blonde asked, eyes closed but mouth turned up in a smile.
"No," Kili answered sheepishly, "But I feel safe in Rivendell."
Glorfindel chuckled and turned his face to Kili, opening his eyes and surveying the young dwarf.
"Well I'd say that you are but with those little rascals running around no one is safe."
Kili did not need any explanation to know that Glorfindel was referring to Elrond's twin sons and felt himself smiling again.
"I heard from Lord Elrond that you are having issues getting the cure right," Glorfindel said casually, stretching gracefully and turning his face back to the sky.
Kili blushed and turned away. "I was. I think I can do it now."
"Oh?"
"I had a dream about my brother and he told me off for being so childish." The dwarf admitted softly, blinking in shock when he realised that he had actually told the elf something quite personal.
"It sounds like something a brother would do," Glorfindel laughed, "Are you sure it was a dream?"
"I'm not sure I understand what you're asking." Kili answered straight away.
Glorfindel sat up and turned around on the grass so he was sat cross/legged opposite Kili, brushing his blonde hair over his shoulders to keep it out of the way.
"Some elves are born with the gift of foresight and can see into the future. On rare occasions, if a pair of elves has an extremely strong bond, such as marriage or family, they can envision this particular elf's fea and they can talk together." The elven lord explained.
Kili's eyes were wide when Glorfindel had finished his explanation. He had never known that foresight existed and he had absolutely no idea whether the same thing was born within dwarves as well. He had an extremely strong bond with Fili, was it possible that he had called Fili's fea to Rivendell because he needed confidence?
"I understand that elves, or people, with familial bonds would have fea that is very close but how do two that get married have fea that are close?" Kili asked. Thorin had explained to him once about the bond between two married dwarves but Kili had been quite young when he had done so and Kili had forgotten a lot it.
"Well an elven marriage is consummated by sex. The best way I can describe it is the fea of the two elves bonding and bringing them closer together. I am not sure if this is what happens between other races, I know that it is impossible for this to happen between races. Once the two elves are married they have an extremely strong bond, they can rely on each other for life force if needed, and love and support and they are bonded for life unless of course in the rare occasion that one of the elves dies. Elves do not remarry, although there are rare occasions of that happening as well." Glorfindel explained, trying to keep it rather basic, not wanting to confuse Kili with an in depth explanation about the ins and outs of elven marriage. Kili had listened with a rather blank expression and Glorfindel waited now for his response.
"I never knew that," Was the dwarf's rather basic reply and Glorfindel laughed.
"I do not doubt it, considering your uncle hatred of elves," The elven lord chuckled. Kili grinned as well and shrugged his shoulders.
"From the way I have been treated here I don't understand why he does hate the elves." Kili mused. Glorfindel remained silent, waiting for the boy to continue, he evidently had more to say.
"Well I understand why he hates the King of Greenwood because he did not offer help during the attack of Smaug and offered no help afterwards but/."
"May I say something my dear Kili?" Glorfindel interrupted gently, palms raised upwards so as not to cause offence to the young dwarf. Kili did not look offended, merely nodded his approval and fell silent.
"I do not mean this as an attack on your uncle, or the dwarves of Erebor themselves, and yes, you may think I am defending Thranduil because he is my friend, but there is a clear reason why Thranduil did not help when a dragon attacked the mountain."
Kili did not speak but his face had taken a rather dark look to it reminiscent of his uncle.
Glorfindel decided to continue with care. "If the dwarves of Erebor were not able to withstand the attacks of a dragon, strong and determined as they were, what would the elves have been able to do? Thranduil was not about to needlessly risk the lives of his kin, some of whom had been alive for millennia, because of a dragon which could not have been defeated by the elves even if they had wished for it."
"You are just defending him because he's your friend." Kili snapped.
"Well yes I am his friend Kili and I do not like seeing him framed as a criminal for a logical choice that he made." Glorfindel replied quickly, keeping his voice calm.
"But he abandoned them. Why bring an army at all?" Kili asked.
Glorfindel smiled and shook his head. "I can tell we are never going to see eye to eye Kili, so why not leave this conversation for another time?"
"I suppose so," Kili muttered.
The two sat in silence, each musing over their own thoughts.
"I remember when I first met you that Lord Elrond said you had slain a Balrog." Kili broke the silence almost accidently, causing Glorfindel to glance up at him and smile.
"Can you tell me the story?" Kili asked.
"I can tell you a simplified version of it I guess," Glorfindel agreed, "If I told you the entire story it would take quite a while."
"We have time."
"No Kili, we do not have all the time in the world. Well, you do not anyway, your brother needs you. But I will tell you a section of the story that will not take long." Glorfindel laughed.
"I lived in Gondolin in the First Age of this world, when there were more elves in Arda then there are today. This elven city was assailed by many dark creatures during the First Age, the details of which I am sure you can learn at any other time should you wish, but as for my part, I helped the exiles flee, saving many of them. This was when I faced the Balrog. We fought for a very long time, and I eventually managed to slay him, but as he fell he managed to grab my hair."
Kili snorted with laughter despite himself. "I'm sorry, really I am." He coughed, "I don't mean to laugh at your death but I…I was imagining something slightly more heroic."
Glorfindel smiled despite himself and shook his head, "Do not worry, it is rather silly considering all the deaths that it could have been. You are young, you will learn. Now, do you want to know the rest of the story?"
Kili nodded.
"I died," Glorfindel said simply.
Kili gawped at him.
"You died?"
"Yes."
"Then…how are you alive?" The dwarf asked.
Glorfindel laughed, "That, Kili, is my little secret. Though I have to admit being the only person I believe in the entirety of Middle Earth to have a grave and yet be alive is rather amusing to me."
"That is just…confusing." Kili murmured, his face a little scrunched up as he tried to process the fact that he was talking to an elf that had once been dead.
"I should go back to Lord Elrond," Kili said after a moment, giving up on his attempt to understand how Glorfindel was sat before him now.
"Of course, of you go." Glorfindel agreed. As Kili hurried away from him Glorfindel tilted his head to look at the sky and couldn't resist but give a little laugh and wished that Middle Earth was this peaceful all the time, under a clear blue sky.
/
"Thorin will not be happy with us," Bofur commented rather sadly as the three dwarves trudged slowly back towards Ered Luin. They had followed the orcs trail as far as the Misty Mountains and when they had arrived at their base Oin and Bofur had openly said that they should return to Ered Luin.
"There was nothing we could do after the Misty Mountains lad," Oin said matter/of/factly, "We aren't equipped to cross them and I doubt that Kili, even if he is naïve, would have attempted it either. The orcs got him, or we missed his trail."
"Then we will keep an eye out for it when we return," Dwalin growled. He took this loss harder than the other two did for he had been by Kili's side since he had been born. The two other dwarves knew this and fell silent, each hoping that they had just missed Kili's trail and that the young dwarf had not been taken by orcs.
Dwalin, Bofur and Oin found themselves quickly back among the rocks where the orcs had attacked them and all three of them had their eyes peeled for any signs of Kili escaping the clutches of the orcs.
"Stop where you are!" A voice cried as Dwalin bent down to check some footprints pressed into the dirt.
"Dwarves again? This can't be a coincidence," Another voice laughed as the sound of hooves approached them.
Dwalin glanced around for a sign of where the voices were coming from but found none. Evidently whoever was tracking them, elves from the fair sound of their voices, knew this terrain well and were keeping hidden.
"Perhaps there are looking for the small dwarf that is currently staying with us?" The first voice inquired.
"What have you done with him?!" Dwalin asked angrily.
The two voices laughed simultaneously and from behind rather sharp rocks came two dark haired elves, both astride dark brown horses and both with smirks on their faces.
"He is quite safe, my dear dwarves do not worry," One of the elves stated, "If we are talking about the same dwarf of course."
"We will not reveal which dwarf we are looking for," Dwalin growled, "Until you take us to see this dwarf you have captured!"
"Captured indeed," One of the elves snorted in laughter, "Our father Lord Elrond is helping him."
"But we will take you to Rivendell to see this dwarf." The other one continued, "If you would follow us."
Dwalin, Bofur and Oin exchanged a glance, none of them wanted to pass up this chance to see if this dwarf was indeed Kili, but none of them trusted these two elves. Watching the dark haired elves walk away Dwalin gave a short nod to the other two and, clutching their weapons, they followed the elves warily.
/
"Kili I do believe that you have done it," Elrond exclaimed approvingly as he examined the contents of the mortar. "This is mixed perfectly, and when mixed with hot water would make the perfect cure."
When the words had sunk in Kili jumped from his chair and made a 'whooping' sound, nearly upsetting the content of the bowl in his enthusiasm. This was his fourth attempt in the afternoon after his chat with Glorfindel and his dream about Fili and to hear that he had finally succeeded was amazing. Elrond waited patiently until the young dwarf's excitement had subsided.
"You have succeeded once to make it Kili, now you must learn how to tell when it is indeed correct for yourself so when you make this cure back in Ered Luin you do not fail," The elven Lord eventually managed to say when Kili had retaken his seat. Kili's eyes were shining and he wore a wide smile, whatever he had to do now could not be as difficult as it had been learning to make the cure, he would gladly do anything, anything, now that he could make it.
As Elrond opened his mouth to advise Kili in the proper way to recognise when the cure was complete a cry of "Ada!" sounded from outside the room. Elrond stood immediately.
"It seems my sons have returned. Please wait here Kili I will be back shortly."
Kili had no intention of staying put, he wanted to find Glorfindel and tell him that he had succeeded after all. Elrond said nothing as Kili followed him to the door, holding it open for him to exit. The sight that waited for them was a shocking one. Dwalin, Bofur and Oin stood outside Elrond's study, each looking dishevelled and annoyed and wary, clutching their weapons tightly. Elladan and Elrohir stood on either side of them, almost like guards, but their demeanours were relaxed and they wore identical smiles. Before anybody could speak Dwalin spotted Kili standing behind Elrond, clad in the dwarven style elvish silks he had been provided with for the entire week of his stay and gave a great shout, of anger or happiness Kili could not tell but he soon found himself in the embrace of the dwarven warrior.
"We thought that the orcs had gotten you lad," Dwalin exclaimed when he pulled back as explanation for his actions. Kili was speechless as Bofur and Oin both hugged him tightly as well. With the 'pleasantries' out of the way Dwalin adopted a serious expression and Kili knew that the older dwarf was extremely angry with him. Before he could start yelling Elrond had bowed to the dwarves, distracting them from Kili for a moment.
"Welcome to Rivendell," He said gently, "Can I offer you food and water before you shout at young Kili for running away from home?"
Slightly taken aback by this rather gracious offer from the raven haired lord Dwalin, Bofur and Oin discussed it and decided to accept it. Kili wanted to run in the opposite direction, find Glorfindel and use the golden haired elf as a shield against Dwalin's wrath but he did not have a chance to do so as Dwalin swung an arm around Kili's shoulder and pulled him along with the other three dwarves.
Seated at a rather large table in Rivendell's dining room Dwalin requested that Kili tell them about his journey and his time in Rivendell while they ate. Kili did so, knowing it was more of an order than a request, and took them through everything, from deciding to leave Ered Luin, how he had gotten his supplies, and how he had chosen the path he would take. He explained his way through the fight he had had with the orcs and how he had found the secret way into Rivendell accidently when he had been injured. He carefully made it clear that the elves had been nothing but accommodating to him, giving him the finest food, clothes and chambers and how Elrond had suffered his anger for a week while trying to teach him how to cure Fili. With pride in his voice Kili finished by telling them that he had succeeded and would soon be ready to go home.
"We'll go home tomorrow," Dwalin stated firmly, "Your mother is worried sick, as is your uncle Thorin, we will not keep you apart a moment longer."
"No," Kili shouted. Bofur and Oin exchanged a glance. Neither of them would have liked to be on Dwalin's bad side and saying no to the dwarf seemed like a bad idea to them. "I still have some things to learn regarding Fili," Kili continued angrily, "And I will not leave Rivendell until I am one hundred percent ready to heal him." With that said the young dwarf stalked from the room. Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir decided to follow him, leaving Bofur, Oin and Dwalin alone.
"We cannot return to Ered Luin without him, not now we know where he is." Dwalin admitted after a moment, "So we must wait until the lad has completed this…cure for his brother."
"It isn't all bad Dwalin," Bofur said, stifling a yawn behind his hand, "At least we know that the lad is safe and sound and we can take 'im home as soon as he's done 'ere."
"I'm going to go and find the lad and find out what happened to my book." Oin added, getting up from the table and leaving the room. Bofur rested his head on the table, absently picking at the food that had been brought to them.
/
"Kili lad slow down," Oin called as he spotted Kili striding through a small garden, hands tightened into fists in his anger. The dwarf turned when he heard Oin's voice and looked at his follower, waiting for the older dwarf to catch up with him.
"Now I've got a question for you laddie," Oin continued when he finally drew level with Kili.
"Yes sir?"
"What did you do with my book? The one on healing plants and medicinal herbs?" Oin asked.
"Ah, Lord Elrond looked through it; it should still be in his study." Kili replied instantly, "It had been treated with care Oin, do not worry. We can go and get it."
"Lead the way," Oin agreed. Kili did so with an air of confidence about him, he had evidently visited this study many times before and during his weeks stay at Rivendell had perfected his knowledge of the ins and outs of the elven haven. Oin was sure that Thorin was not going to be impressed when he learned that Kili had spent a week asking for help from the elves, but the boy had shown clear initiative and bravery, two aspects needed in a great leader. Kili knocked on the study door when they arrived and entered when Elrond bade them to from within. Oin followed him warily.
"Ah Master Kili and a friend," Elrond greeted them, "What can I do for you?"
"Oin, at your service," Oin said straight away, knowing that this elf did not know his name.
"Lord Elrond of Rivendell at yours." Elrond replied courteously. "I wanted to have a word with you, Master Oin, about this wonderful book that Kili here brought with him."
"What about it?" Oin growled. Kili had seated himself at the table beside Elrond and was currently mixing together several ingredients, evidently the plants that would make up the cure.
"A few of the ingredients that I have added to this cure are not in this book. Kili has recently succeeded in making the cure for his brother and I have been trying to come up with an excuse for him so he does not have to tell his uncle Thorin that he has spent a week in the company of elves." Elrond began. Kili looked up, surprised. Elves were really good at hiding their true thoughts and feelings; he had had no idea that Elrond had been doing anything like that. "I am going to assume that Thorin does not look into this book very often, so will not know what plants and herbs are in this book?"
"That is true," Oin admitted, "So you want me to add these plants I assume?"
"Yes," Elrond said simply. "I want you to add these plants and their medicinal properties to the book, and also the locations where they are found, just in case Thorin wants to check. All of the plants I have used for this cure can be found around Ered Luin all the way up to the Misty Mountains, there is no reason for Kili to admit that he has been in Rivendell."
"But…just say that we come here in the future, with my Uncle," Kili added suddenly, "Will the elves that I have met not recognise me and make it evident I have been here before?"
"In the unlikely event that you do return to Rivendell with your uncle do not worry Kili, I will talk to the elves you have met myself and none of them will act as if they have seen you before." Elrond replied swiftly and confidently, with a warm smile which Kili returned.
"I will do as you ask," Oin said loudly, "I will add these new herbs to my book and back up Kili's story."
"Thank you," Kili murmured.
"Don't thank me just yet lad," Oin said, "Go and try and convince Bofur and Dwalin."
Kili nodded and smiled, slipping from his chair. Oin seated himself in it as Kili exited the room and wandered back towards the dining hall, hoping Dwalin and Bofur were still there. They were. Kili approached the table and firstly apologised to Dwalin for his harsh tone earlier. Dwalin accepted the apology with question.
"I have something to put to you, an idea that will have us avoid telling uncle Thorin where we…where I have been." Kili admitted, "I ask that you hear me out before making any sort of decision about this idea."
/
A day later Kili had decided he was ready to go home. Each time he tried to make the cure after the first time he had succeeded was a success again, so Elrond decided that he did not need to teach Kili how to tell the cure was done, the boy was ready. Dwalin and Bofur had both agreed to go along with the story, deciding that they had missed Kili's trail after being ambushed by orcs and followed them to the Misty Mountains. They had run into Kili on their way back from these mountains and had dragged him back to Ered Luin as soon as they had found him. Dwalin, Bofur and Oin were waiting with Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir at the edge of the main exit to Rivendell but Kili was searching through the gardens of the realm for one particular elf. He found the blonde coming out of the library with a smile plastered to his face.
"Glorfindel!" Kili cried, running to him, his boots clacking on the floor loudly. Glorfindel turned at the sound of his name and smiled widely as Kili approached him.
"Well to what do I owe this pleasure?" He inquired as Kili skidded to a halt in front of him, balancing himself on the arm that Glorfindel offered.
"I'm leaving soon." Kili explained, "And I wanted to come and thank you for all that you've done while I've been here. And to say goodbye."
Glorfindel tilted his head to the side and smiled a rather sad smile, "It's such a shame you have to leave, I've really enjoyed having you here Kili." The elf stated. Kili nodded, biting his lip and looking up at the elf with well-trained puppy eyes. Glorfindel laughed, used to such tactics as this for the twin sons of Elrond had done the same when they were younger. Opening his arms Glorfindel hugged Kili tightly and Kili unashamedly hugged him back, gripping his robe and smiling.
"I'll miss you." He muttered.
"I'll miss you too Kili. Do not worry, we will meet again." The blonde elven Lord stated firmly, pushing Kili back and offering him a smile. "Be strong Kili and go and help your brother. And remember, if you ever feel like running away again, I'll always be in Rivendell. Well, unless I'm not."
Kili laughed and nodded. "Goodbye Glorfindel." He said, bowing deeply to the elf before turning around and running off, knowing that if he kept Dwalin waiting for too long the dwarf would be annoyed with him.
"Namaarie." Glorfindel murmured.
/
"Hurry up Kili!" Bofur called as the dwarf ran towards them. Kili waved an arm once but did not move at a quicker pace, already running towards them. When he reached them he turned immediately to Elrond and bowed, resisting the urge he had to hug the elven Lord as well for all that he had done.
"Thank you lord Elrond for agreeing to help me help my brother. I will be forever in your debt."
"Let there be no debt to speak of, master Kili." Elrond laughed, "It was my pleasure. If any of you choose to come back to Rivendell you will be received with the highest of welcomes."
"Thank you," Kili replied for all four dwarves.
"Namaarie."
"Goodbye."
Elladan and Elrohir were happy to escort the dwarves out of Rivendell to a place that they recognised and could easily find their way to Ered Luin again. Dwalin and Oin were silent but Bofur and Kili chatted with the twins about hunting orcs and weapons among other things. When it came time for the twins to leave them Kili bade them a fond farewell and watched as they disappeared back towards their home. When their dark hair disappeared from his vision Kili turned towards the direction that would lead him back to Ered Luin, and Fili and smiled. He was going home.