I do not own any of the characters or the Hobbit (just the AU storyline and my OC) those are the work of the esteemed and brilliant John Ronald Reull Tolkien, and without his genius,this and many other fan fics would not be in existence.
Please review! I love getting them-they keep me encouraged J
Thorin watched in shock and horror as his nephew and Cirashala fell down into the abyss below. His face was as pale as a ghost, and his blue eyes widened, his kingly mask gone entirely.
His breath came in quick gasps as he watched them fall into the shadows, their cries ceasing abruptly seconds later. His eyes began to water involuntarily, and his body went numb.
Not Kili, his shattered mind whispered to himself. Not my dear, sweet, fun loving Kili.
His thoughts were broken by the most heart wrenching wail he had ever heard in his life.
He had heard the wails of the survivors of the dragon attack echo across the valley the night the dragon took Erebor. He had heard the wails as children perished from starvation in their mother's arms. He had heard the wails as the fathers-to-be held their dead wives, who had perished during childbirth. He had heard the wails of kin as their brave soldiers never returned from Azanulbizar. He had heard the wails of the surviving soldiers as they watched their fallen kin burn, the dead too numerous to be properly buried in tombs of honor. He had heard his own wails as he discovered his younger brother, Frerin, dead on the bank of the Kheled-Zâram-dying too young at the tender age of 48. He had heard the wails of his sister as her husband took his last breath in her arms. And he had heard his wail as he believed Fili to have been crushed against the mountainside earlier that very night.
And not one of those wails could ever compare to the one that echoed through the very core of this mountain itself.
XXX
Fili had caught his uncle's leg just in time to keep him from following his brother and Cirashala into the abyss. But as he heard his brother's cry, intermingle with the muffled cry of the young woman, suddenly cease, his heart tore in two.
"KILI!" the young dwarf screamed, his desperate wail causing the goblins nearby to shriek and cover their ears. "KILI! NO! NOT MY BROTHER! KILI!" The young heir let go of Thorin's leg, scrambling to the edge to look over, blue eyes wild.
The only thing that kept Thorin from falling as well was Dwalin's quick reflexes. He didn't need to look back to know who had grabbed his leg and pulled him back to the safety of the ledge. The dwarf king caught his young nephew just in time to keep him from jumping into the abyss after his brother.
"KILI!" Fili screamed, tears streaming down his face. "NO! LET ME GO!" Thorin's grip tightened, and he yanked his nephew to his feet, needing both his arms and his full strength to pull the anguished dwarf from the edge of the platform.
Fili fought like a wild animal that was trapped. He kicked, bucked, and even bit Thorin's hand so hard he drew blood, and it took every ounce of Thorin's strength to not let go.
Dwalin moved between the heirs of Durin and the passage, and, together with Balin and Gloin, pushed the two down the path. The company defended them at need, since Fili was in no condition to fight and Thorin was completely preoccupied in trying to keep his heir from running back the way they came.
Fili kept screaming, first in Westron, then in Khuzdul, calling for his brother over and over again. He refused to stop kicking and fighting, and in sheer desperation, Thorin picked up his nephew, and, holding the slightly shorter young dwarf's back flush against his chest, ran for all he was worth.
The only way the dwarf king was able to not allow the grief of Kili's death to overwhelm him was his determination that the young wailing dwarf in his arms would make it out of the goblin tunnels alive. Thorin felt his heavy heart pound against his ribs, the fragile orb shattering into a thousand pieces, but now was not the time for grief. He had seen far too much grief in his life, and knew that a time would come where he could allow the sorrow to flow. But that time was not now, not while his only remaining nephew was in danger.
Forgive me, Fili, the young heir's uncle thought as tears threatened to shed out of his own eyes, knowing that being carried like a child would utterly humiliate the young dwarf. But I cannot lose you too.
XXX
As soon as they had begun to fall, Kili yanked hard on Cirashala's left wrist, pulling her to him. They fell down, Kili's back hitting the slant in the rock hard as his arms wrapped protectively around her, his left hand shielding her head from the sharp rock.
He could hear her cries emanating from his shoulder, muffled as he pressed her closer to his body in order to shield her from pain as long as possible. Ducking his head into hers, his eyes squeezed tightly shut as his body began to fall freely, his heart leaping into his throat and tears pricking the corners of his eyes.
He had always told himself he was not afraid of death. He had always imagined the glorious battle where they would finally fall, old and fierce warriors dying in glory and honor and with renown. For nothing could separate them-Fili, the fierce young warrior, who would look at a situation with a calculating mind, analyzing his opponent's strengths and weaknesses, before striking with deadly accuracy, and Kili-the headstrong, impulsive young warrior who would jump in to protect the ones he loved, and rely on his heart and instincts to tell him what to do, striking with a passion and ferocity that had only gained accuracy through many trials and years of practice, but had proven effective as his enemies cowered in fear at the fire in his dark eyes. And not falling until every enemy was slain save the last, before dying hand in hand to await their awakening in the Halls of Mandos at the end of the world.
The head, and the heart.
Apart they were vulnerable, but together they were invincible. Or so he thought.
Now, he was facing certain death, and he was not in a glorious battle. He was not standing back to back with his brother, striking down deadly foes and ensuring their place in the annals of time as great warriors of renown. He was not old yet strong with a great white beard, but young, inexperienced and with scruff that could barely even be called a beard.
He was young-too young to die. And he was frightened.
XXX
The free fall lasted only a second or two, Kili's eyes flying open at the feeling of his shoulder and arm smashing into another ledge. He cried out as pain flew through his shoulder and scraped hand, but had no time to think about it as they struck another protrusion.
They continued this way for a few moments, slamming from one rock to another, as though this rock formation had been formed by a great waterfall hundreds of years ago, before they crashed into ice cold water, their cries ceasing as the water engulfed them.
XXX
Cirashala liked to think of herself as brave. She did have fears, several in fact, but there were only four things she feared with an irrational ferocity.
One of those things was dark water, and as soon as they crashed into the underground tributary, she froze, paralyzed in her fear. The utter darkness in the tunnel this tributary was in made the experience even more frightening, for there was no way to distinguish which way the surface was, or even if they were able to surface at all. The water was flowing through a pitch black tunnel near the base of the mountain, and it could very well fill up the tunnel entirely as it dropped lower and lower from its source.
Searing, burning pain laced through her wounds and scratches, and as the dark water entered her mouth, she spit it out, the taste bitter and foul. She was sure black spots were forming in her eyes, but since it was so dark she could not see to tell.
The moment of paralysis lasted for a split second, before she began to violently thrash about in a panic, kicking and moving her arms as though the pain didn't register in her mind. The only thing she could think of was out.
I have to get out of the water!
XXX
Kili's lungs were beginning to burn, not having expected the fall into the underground river. He hadn't managed to take a full breath before, and he began to kick rapidly toward where he thought the surface would be, praying he was correct.
As Cirashala suddenly began to fight him unexpectedly, Kili's grip tightened on her. The young dwarf was slightly startled by her actions, as he knew, with where her injuries were at across her back and shoulders, along with her exhaustion, she likely would have trouble swimming.
Yet neither the injuries nor exhaustion seemed to have any effect on her, for she continued to push back and fight.
Air, he thought. She needs air.
As his mind began to be hazy, he gave one last powerful kick, and their heads broke above the water.
XXX
Cirashala felt Kili kicking, and as soon as they surfaced, she gasped for air, sputtering as her face was splashed with the foul water. Once her burning lungs had been refreshed, she began to scream, the water still dark, along with the stifling darkness all around them.
The screams nearly deafened the young dwarf behind her, and he tightened his hold.
"Cirashala! It's all rig—" His words were cut off by a splash to his face. "I've got you!" His words fell on deaf ears as she continued to fight like a caged animal.
Why is she screaming? Kili thought to himself. Every goblin in the mountain will hear her!
He moved his hand in front of her mouth, making sure to not cover her nose so she could still breathe, but she yanked her head away. Kili was about to try again, but a bright speck of light ahead caught his attention, as did several boulders within the underground river as they came into the light.
Ceasing his attempts to cover her mouth, he shielded her again as they began to ricochet off the boulders, the large stones being remains of cave ins within the tunnel that had been too big to be carried downstream by the forceful current.
He cried out as the hand protecting her head slammed against a rock, scraping the knuckles further. They drew closer to the opening, and Kili just was able to discern the pines outside of the hole, the tops of smaller leafed trees just visible. His eyes widened, realizing that the tributary was likely exiting the tunnel above ground level, causing a waterfall of sorts.
He opened his mouth to warn Cirashala, when the current suddenly twisted his body, the back of his head striking one of the boulders in the strong current.
Cirashala felt the young dwarf holding her go limp, just as they burst out into the waning daylight.
XXX
She screamed as they fell down ten feet into the water below, narrowly missing some rocks at the cliff base.
The dark water surrounded her, though reduced to simply murky as a result of the sunlight. Her desperation for air outweighing the burning in her back, she began to rise to the surface, her arms and legs moving frantically until she broke free of the foul water.
Her body protested the movements of her treading water, but she was thankful that the current was gentle, unlike in the tunnel. She was certain that the tightness of the tunnel had caused the current to appear much faster than it was, but at the moment her mind wasn't on the current, but rather on Kili. She gasped air in, before looking around. Her eyes began to widen as she saw no sign of the young dwarf.
"Kili?" she cried, looking around. Knowing that it wouldn't take but a few minutes for the young dwarf to drown, she took a deep breath and dove under the water with barely a second's hesitation. Her heart pounded, but she managed to push her fear back in her concern.
She looked around the depths, before being forced to surface again for air. This time, she didn't take a completely full breath, remembering that her lungs wouldn't feel the almost immediate need to expel, and dove under again.
She swam just a little further, before a dark shape in the water caught her eye. Swimming over, she saw the young dwarf near the bottom of the riverbed. She immediately threw her arms under his and tugged upward, but the young dwarf didn't budge.
He's too heavy, she thought to herself, fighting to keep from panicking. She felt the rough leather of his coat, and her eyes widened. His coat…leather coats are very heavy, and the fur must have soaked up the water.
She reached under, and pushed it off, though with effort. Her lungs began to burn, but she knew that she must get him out. She would not allow an innocent person to die-not again.
She reached under his arms, and used his weight to pull herself to the bottom, planting her feet on the stone. She crouched down, holding his torso tightly, before pushing off the rock with all her might. Kicking as hard as she could, she slowly rose to the surface, the young dwarf's weight much lessened without his heavy coat.
She broke the surface, barely managing to get Kili's face above water, before her own face got pushed down by his weight.
He's still too heavy! She thought to herself. She swam toward the shore as fast as she could, kicking upward suddenly until she could choke out a second or two of air, before she went back under.
But, whether it was her own doing, or some external force at work, she didn't know, but she kept the young dwarf's head above water until they reached the shore.
XXX
As soon as her feet found purchase on the riverbed, she stood up. Her arms quivered with exhaustion, but as she looked at the few feet she had left, she took a deep breath, and, digging her feet in, pulled as hard as she could.
Kili's head lolled against his chest as she tugged him out, the young woman collapsing as she got all but his lower legs and boots out of the water. She laid him down, before scrambling to his side.
Placing her hand over his mouth, her eyes widened as she felt no air. She scrabbled for a pulse even as she took a deep breath. Finding a pulse, albeit weak, she leaned forward, tilting his head up and pinching his nose.
Her shaking lips enclosed over his, and she blew rescue breaths. She took breath after breath, looking at his blue tinged face anxiously. After four breaths with no response, tears pricked in the corner of her eyes.
No….
In frustration, she raised her fist, and struck the young dwarf's chest just below where his ribcage came together as hard as she could. The dark haired dwarf's body jumped from the impact, and as she leaned in, he began to gurgle.
She turned him on his side away from her, the young dwarf's body heaving as he gasped and coughed up the foul liquid, followed by vomit. As soon as his heaves subsided, she turned him toward her, the adrenaline coursing through her veins finally beginning to cease, and her remaining strength with it.
Her body precariously close to collapsing, she placed her hands on his chest, looking down at him with her wet tendrils brushing his equally soaked tunic. The young dwarf's brown eyes slowly opened to meet blue, concern and pain in the frightened orbs.
"C-Cira…" he trailed off, and her eyes closed, before opening them again.
"A-are you….all….r-right?" she whispered, the blood draining from her face as she spoke, her lips paling to almost match her white cheeks as her arms trembled violently. Kili swallowed, wincing in pain as he attempted to draw in a breath, his throat stinging.
"Y-yes," his hoarse voice whispered. She nodded slightly.
"Good," she whispered in turn, before darkness overtook her and her body collapsed atop his chest.
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Author's note:
MY DEAR READERS,
It was kindly pointed out to me by reviewer GiroNatsu that I made a terrible mistake last chapter…Apparently in the sentence that reads "Dwalin came upon a group of dwarves blocking his way, and swung his twin axes, Grasper and Keeper, slitting their throats in one stroke." I apologize-that meant to say "came upon a group of GOBLINS" not dwarves lol! I apologize for the error and confusion :D Most of my typos or "edits" done by my 18 month old (who likes to crawl in my lap when I type) I generally ignore, because reposting chapters is a pain in the butt.
Again, I apologize for the error, and please forgive the writer who is also a mommy with very cuddly small children….who have weird fascinations with my keyboard…. :)
And once again, thank you to all who review, favorite and follow-you all give me the determination to keep going with my fic :D
Namarie!
Tweetzone86
A response to guest reviewer Ri-chan- Don't worry-the resemblance issue will come out at some point soon story wise, though it might take a few chapters :) And yes, things will "warm up" so to speak after the fall. Thanks for reviewing :D