It felt strange to Kili, to be in full armor. He had only ever been in one other battle and even then he'd only been dressed in his usual light armor that he'd been wearing on the quest for Erebor. Now he was covered head to toe in the heavy metal covering. Thorin had trained he and his brothers to fight this way of course but he still felt too heavy to move quickly like he was used to.
Aragorn had requested he and his uncle take up place beside him along with Legolas and Gandalf. While the army stood a few yards back from the Black Gate, they stood right in front of it, daring them to open. Aragorn had even shouted threats, something Kili, though he loathed to admit it, feared he would never have the courage to do.
When they did at first crack open, Kili was surprised that only one creature emerged. And he used the word 'creature' because he had no idea what the thing in front of him was. Though he knew Thorin would deny it if he asked, he was almost sure the Dwarf shivered at the sight.
The thing was tall and covered head to toe in dirty grey armor with only one patch of pale skin on it's face showing. Revealing a mouth full of rotting teeth. How it could see with it'd eyes covered was a mystery to Kili.
"The Mouth of Sauron." Gandalf greeted stiffly.
"We bid the welcome." The 'Mouth' spoke, his voice made Kili's skin crawl, "Have you come to speak of treaty with my master?"
"We come for battle." Thorin spoke strongly, "Disband your armies, or face all the forces of Middle Earth."
"Sauron must leave these lands, for all of time." Gandalf ordered.
The Mouth just chuckled.
"Old Grey Beard." He grinned, "And the King under the Mountain too! I have a token I was bidden to show you both."
All reached for their swords as the creature dipped it's hand into a deep pocket in it's pack. Drawing out a round object and tossing it carelessly toward them. Without thinking, Kili reacted and caught the object, though to his surprise it did not hurt him. Gently he examined the round object, clearing off the filth left from the Mouth's hand.
He felt his heart clench.
It was the crystal ball he'd given Bilbo, the one with the model Erebor inside.
"Bili..." He whispered brokenly, he felt Thorin grip his shoulder unusually tight.
"Bilbo no..." Thorin whispered, "Fili..."
"Ah, the Halfling and his companion was dear to thee I see." The Mouth smiled, "Know that they suffered greatly at the hands of their host."
Fili felt his hands tighten around the crystal, it was cracked. It must have taken quite a blow to crack the hard crystal. He knew, he'd forged it to withstand so much. He'd thought it was unbreakable...
"Who knew one so small could endure so much pain." The Mouth continued to taunt.
Thorin drew his sword and started forward before Aragorn grabbed him and held him back. Thorin's face looked like thunder, but his eyes were full of pain.
"No my friend." He whispered, "Let me handle this."
Kili watched through his tears as Aragorn calmly walked up to the Mouth. He was still talking but Kili wasn't listening, he felt as if his heart was breaking in two. There was a flurry of movement and then he watched as the Mouth's head rolled to his feet.
He should have felt something, satisfaction that the vile creature was dead, or happy that they had some form of revenge for his brothers but Kili still felt nothing but pain and grief washing over him in waves.
Aragorn was speaking and he felt Thorin turn him around and lead them back toward the army. Battle would be starting soon.
Miserably, Kili looked up at his uncle. As usual his face was blank and cold. For a moment the prince felt a spark of anger at his kin for not expressing some form of anguish but it faded fast. He understood his uncle, he wouldn't show any emotion until after the battle, when he was alone.
Taking a deep breath Kili wiped away his tears, dropping the present he'd made his brother on the ground.
"I'm not going to die in this battle, I wont throw my life away. We'll win this." He whispered to Thorin, "For them."
-oOo-
Climbing a mountain had never been so hard. Bilbo stumbled every step he took on the uneven, loose ground. Fili led the way, patiently helping his brother and clearing the path. Bilbo felt as though he were sleep walking. Every step he took hurt, every breath made the Ring grow heavier, yet his body continued to function, one leg in front of the other, over and over.
Finally, a rock slipped from beneath his feet and he fell. He was too exhausted to break his fall much and now, once he was down, he felt as though he could never get to his feet again.
"Come on," Fili urged gently, "We're almost half way now."
Bilbo went to push himself up only to land back in the hot dirt once more.
"I can't" he panted, "It's too heavy...I can't."
"Yes you can." Fili reminded him, lifting him up again and placing him back on solid rock.
Wearily Bilbo began to climb again. He could feel the great eye's gaze on his back, making the Ring's whispers worsen still. Then, the hot glow was gone and in shock, both Fili and Bilbo turned and followed it's gaze. The Black Gate was opening, battle was about to begin.
"That's Fili and Thorin down there." Fili assured him, "They're down there giving us this chance."
Bilbo tried to return the smile but found himself too tired, but the thought did give him more strength. Everybody was counting on him, his family was down there, drawing out Mordor's forces and keeping Sauron distracted while he finished his quest. He couldn't let them down.
-oOo-
The climb was wearing Fili thin as well, the rocks were hot, the air was heavy with dust and heat and it was coating him in filth. He could feel his skin splitting and burning when he placed it bare against the darker rocks and his lips were bleeding and cut from the sharp air. He knew he must have looked like death warmed up, with no food, nor water left neither of them had eaten in the last few days and it was taking it's toll.
However, he knew that if he looked like death warmed up, his brother just looked like death. Bilbo was in the same state, but worse. There was not a square inch of skin that was not marred by some manner of cut or bruise and he was even thinner than when Fili and the others had first caught up with him. How he was even still functioning without food or water was impossible to fathom.
Well, not completely impossible, Fili would remember each time he saw the cursed Ring dangling around his brother's neck. Glowing even more brightly in the fiery light of Mordor.
Fili tripped and hissed as his cut hands sunk into the hot dirt, a few inches below him he heard Bilbo fall also. Fili took the opportunity to breathe for a few moments. Watching with a heavy heart as Bilbo pitifully tried to continue crawling up the mountain before finally passing out.
Slowly and tiredly Fili crawled over to his brother and propped him up in his lap.
"Remember Erebor Bili?" He whispered, though he knew the words were hollow, "Our mountain's much nicer than this one. Remember the green floors and pillars all painted with gold?"
Bilbo looked up at him weakly but said nothing. It reminded Fili of a time that seemed very long ago. Back in the Blue Mountains when they were just children and each night they'd fall asleep as mother told them stories and Bilbo would curl up between him and Kili.
"Remember how we used to play in the meadow at the Blue Mountains?" Fili smiled sadly, "You used to climb trees to get Kili's arrows when he over shot."
"I don't..." Bilbo rasped, "I can't remember, I feel like...my whole life has been this quest...I'm sorry, I don't think I remember it at all, what the Blue mountain's were like...What Erebor was...I'm sorry I don't think I can..."
Fili hugged his brother to his chest.
"It's alright, you will." He assured him, though he wasn't sure if he was lying.
"I can't do it." Bilbo sobbed weakly, "It's too heavy and I'm so tired..."
"You're not giving up now." Fili growled, pulling back and looking his brother in the eye, "I wont let you!"
With renewed strength Fili stood, lifting his brother up and onto his back.
"I can't carry the Ring for you, but I can carry you." He hissed, starting up the mountain with Bilbo limply hanging off his back, "We're going to finish this!"