Author's Note: Here's another somewhat short one...sorry about that! Things will only speed up from here, though.
Disclaimer: *sighs longingly* Nope. Kili does not belong to me. Neither does Fili or Thorin or Bofur or Balin or any other one of this amazing company.
Nothing We Can Do
Kili blanched, but nodded.
"I'll be strong, Uncle. You have my word."
Thorin nodded. He uttered a short, "Good," and stood, walking to the side of the cell farthest from his nephews. There was nothing they could do to help Kili now; they'd have to wait it out. In the meantime he wanted to distance himself from the little cluster of the company near Kili; he didn't want to be near to hear when the first sounds of suffering escaped his lips. And he had another reason for wanting to be alone. He wanted to think of escape options.
He studied the goblins clustering eagerly at the bars of the cell, pressing their ugly faces through to gawk. He cursed under his breath.
"Where's that old fool of a wizard when we need him?" he muttered. A stifled whimper met his ears, and he looked toward Kili before he could stop himself. Kili clung to Fili, face white, eyes wide and glittering with moisture. His teeth were clenched and he breathed hard and fast as he tried to keep quiet under the growing pain. Fili was behaving admirably; his arms wrapped comfortingly around his brother, one hand stroked Kili's hair away from his sweaty face.
The goblins had caught the sound as well, and were now chortling and jabbering in anticipation. One of them whined in high a high, keening voice at Kili, inviting him to give in.
"Awww, it hurts the young dwarfling, doesn't it? We knows it does, don't we, boys?" The goblin asked, looking to his cohorts for agreement, which they gave heartily. "Poor little archer! It will get worse still, oh, very bad. But you know, we can make it stop. Yes! We can! If you obey our King, he can save you from the pain." They didn't bother to remind Kili that it was them and their King which caused his pain to start with.
"Shut up!" Fili roared. Kili flinched. "Sorry," Fili said, shifting his brother's weight in his arms and resettling him in a more comfortable position against his shoulder.
The goblins shrugged and stuck out their tongues at him, not looking sorry. It was fine with them if Kili didn't give in soon. It would mean more sport. Their harsh, gurgling voices still babbled to each other. Thorin turned away from Kili again, as his whimpers became louder and more desperate.
"I could dull the pain," Oin said, regretfully, coming to Thorin's side, "if we only had water. The hobbit gave me some herbs from his little country, to supplement my supplies. I still have them." Oin pulled a small leather bag out of his shirt, where it had been hanging around his neck. He sighed. "Useless."
Thorin realized something. He looked around the cell, to make sure Bilbo wasn't hiding away in some dark corner. But there was no sign of the halfling.
"Well, well," he said, turning back to Oin. There was a spark of hope in his eyes. "It seems there is a burglar loose in Goblin Town."
Author's Note: So there was a little bit of Thorin's POV for you. And again, I'm sorry for how short this one is. :P I kind of have to divide the chapters where it works though; otherwise we'd be stopping right in the middle of things all the time. Comments and reviews are my preciouuussss!