Welcome back. I am trying to get these chapters out as fast as I can. I hope everyone is enjoying reading the story as much as I am writing it!
Bilbo kept the ring on for a long time. He sat in a corridor, the one where he showed Thorin the acorn, sobbing into his knees. He hoped the ring would also make it so no could hear him crying. He needed some space. He didn't want to be around dwarves or anyone for that matter. Thorin was dead. His friend was dead. Bilbo began to cry harder thinking of Thorin's face, of his rare but perfect smile, of his deep voice, and dark hair. Bilbo wanted to go home. He really, really wanted to go home.
He kept on crying even after no tears would come out. His eyes were burning, but he still felt like he could cry more. This wasn't the adventure he signed up for. Gandalf never told him it would hurt this much. Gandalf said he might die, but he never said someone else would die. Bilbo rubbed his swore eyes. He wished he stayed at Bag End. He wished none of this ever happen.
Eventually Bilbo pulled himself off the floor and made his way to his chambers. Erebor was quiet and the torch light was dim. Bilbo guessed it was late at night and everyone had gone to bed. How long had he been crying? Bilbo spotted Kili, carrying his pillow, walking by in a hurry. Bilbo went to take off the ring and call out to him, but didn't. He watched Kili run by, hidden by the power of the ring. Bilbo took off the ring when Kili was out of sight and went into chambers still holding it in his hand.
Kili wanted to be alone. He was angry at Dain, hating the dwarf for dishonoring his uncle. He couldn't take all his anger. He felt like he was going to explode. He felt his mother put her soft hand on his shoulder, but he pushed it off running to his chambers.
He slammed the door to his chambers and screamed into his pillow till his voice was hoarse. Dwarves were not known for being emotional, granted they were more emotional than elves, but they hid their emotions. Dwarves mostly felt anger and pride, but they felt all the other emotions too. Dwarves felt sadness and loss and pain. Kili was always taught that a true dwarf never showed such 'weak' emotions, especially one of the line of Durin, but right now Kili didn't care. He didn't care if anyone saw his emotions when the council first said Thorin was dead, and he didn't care now.
He screamed again into his pillow. How dare Dain take the throne from Fili! How dare he treat his uncle's death like a blessing! How dare Dain smile! How dare Thorin! How dare he die! How dare he leave him! Kili's screams turned into tears. He cried and punched his bed till his fists, eyes, and throat hurt equally. Kili passed out just to make the pain stop for a little while.
It was late when Kili finally woke back up. He lifted his head off the pillow feeling the grief filling his heart again. Kili pulled the blankets over his body and curled up into a tight ball. His bed was too big for him. He had too much room making his bed cold. Kili hated it. He didn't want to be alone in such a cold bed. He grabbed his pillow and raced out his room.
Kili knocked on the door. No one answered. He knocked harder, yet still no one answered. He began pounding on the door.
"Go away!" the pain filled voice of Fili called from the other side. Kili knocked again. "I said go away!" Fili yelled even louder. Kili knocked again, but this time Fili didn't answer. Kili knocked harder. "Leave me alone!" Fili yelled, his voice breaking slightly. Kili knocked again. There was a pause then Fili opened the door.
"I said go awa-" Fili yelled as he opened the door then noticed it was Kili. "Oh," Fili said in a softer tone.
"Can I sleep in your chambers?" Kili asked his brother. Fili nodded and the two went inside. They laid down on Fili's bed, pulled the covers over their shoulders, and faced each other.
"Couldn't sleep?" Fili asked after a few awkward moments of silence. Kili shook his head. "You haven't slept in my bed since we were kids," Fili said finally smiling thinking of the memory. "You use to crawl into my bed every night and you would kick in your sleep."
"I miss him," Kili suddenly said in a soft voice. He had his head turned down into his pillow and was shaking slightly.
"I know," Fili reached out and placed his hand on his brother. "I miss him too. I miss him so much," Fili said and Kili lifted his head from the pillow to see that his brother was crying. Kili reached for his brother and pull him in close, crying himself. Fili sobbed louder and he shook greatly. This was the first time he let himself cry in very long time. Fili dug his head into his brother's chest. He hadn't let himself show emotion over Thorin's death till now. He couldn't keep up the fake smile and princely demeanor. He missed his uncle and it hurt like Hell.
/
Dain's coronation was held at midday. Just like Thorin's, the coronation was held in the throne room with every dwarf in attendance. Dain added a bit of flare to his with more banners, louder trumpets, and streamers at the end. The crowds cheered and clapped loudly. The members of the company acted their best. They clapped along with the crowd, knelt when they had too, and hailed Dain. Bilbo was the only one in all of Erebor who did not go to the coronation. For him, Thorin would always be king, no one else.
During the coronation Dain made a long speech about what happened to Thorin. Many of the dwarves wiped their eyes as Dain praised Thorin for reclaiming Erebor and being a great king, even for such a short time. Dain then spoke of Fili. He told the crowd Fili would be king when he turned one hundred and began praising him for his efforts in looking for Thorin. Dain began talking about himself after that, but he kept it short. Dain was given the crown and he wore it proudly, with a wide smile on his face. He was named king and everyone cheered.
At the end of the ceremony Dain asked everyone to leave except able bodied fighters. The members of the company glanced at each other wondering why Dain was requesting a moment with Erebor's army.
"My friends," Dain began. "As many of you know we have had a very delicate relationship with the men of the lake and their excuse of a leader Bard. We have given them a large amount of our gold, dwarf gold, and some of our finest gems recently. And I ask you, what have we seen in return? These lowly men do not deserve such a large portion of our riches. These odious men think they are equal to us, that their little lake village is equal or better than this kingdom. I say to you, my friends, that we will not let them think that much longer. They should learn their town is only allowed plague our lands, by our permission." Dain barked out. The warriors he brought from the Iron Hills cheered, but the company remained silent.
"We will show those stinking lake men who is the real power in the north! We will take back the treasure they stole from us!" Dain yelled shaking his fist.
"They did not steal it from us," Kili interjected. "King Thorin gave Bard a share of the treasure to help them rebuild their homes and lives."
Dain nodded, "oh yes, I had forgotten King Thorin gave them the treasure willingly. Yet, King Thorin is dead and I am now your king. We will take back the treasure King Thorin gave to them. We will reclaim our gems and jewels for ourselves."
"The dragon destroyed their lives and they are only now just rebuilding it. You are going to rob them of their only means of rebuilding," Kili argued. "King Thorin promised them a share of the treasure."
Dain nodded, "but I, King Dain, made no such promise."
Kili gasped then went to yell at Dain more but his brother held him back.
"Kili, this is not just about the treasure. This is about retribution. Those lake men think they are better than us, but we will show them the true power of the dwarves. They challenged us before the orcs attacked us in battle. They thought they could stand up to us, the greatest dwarf kingdom in Middle Earth! We will show them the folly of their ways. No, Kili I do not plan of robbing them of our fortunes. I plan on razing Lake-Town to the depths of the water!"
The warriors cheered yelling battle cries and shaking their fists. The members of the company all looked at each other dumbfounded. They had no quarrel with the men of the lake; in fact, some of them even saw them as friends and allies.
"Now," Dain ordered. "Go to the armory and get ready for the attack. We will move out in two days, when we will put an end to men in the north." The crowds of warriors cheered again and marched to the armory. The company lingered a little longer, yet Dain glared at them and they followed the crowd. Only Fili reminded, waiting to speak with Dain alone.
"This was your plan all along. You wanted to take the throne and use your new power to attack Lake-Town." Fili yelled at his new king when everyone was gone.
"That is none of your concern," Dain said turning away.
"As crowned prince and heir to the throne I am making it my concern," Fili glared at his king.
"Prince Fili, I had no plan on taking the throne. King Thorin's disappearance was not of my making. I had no plan on taking the throne, but now that it is mine to have I will do with it as I wish."
"And killing the men of Lake-Town is part of that plan?"
Dain nodded. "When Erebor fell I went to the men of the lake for help before settling in the Iron Hills. They did not help us. They were more concerned with helping the people of Dale than us. Much like the elves, whom Thorin went to, the men of the lake pushed the dwarves aside like we were nothing. I will have them rue those actions."
"Destroying what is left of Lake-Town is not the answer!" Fili pleaded. He thought about Bard, about his family and Sigrid. The men had been through so much. "Going to war will not fix the past!"
"We are not going to war, Prince Fili. We will kill them before they actually have a chance to fight back." Dain gave Fili a smile and left his throne room.
That chapter took a little longer to write. Everything I wrote I didn't like, but I like how this one came out. Hope you did too.
Please review and have a great day!