Hi! :) I just wanted to let you all know that there will be 40 chapters in this story. Happy Reading!
Fili sat with his elbows on his knees, leaning forward and watching the way his mother's dress swished as she paced the short area outside the bedroom door. She was impatient - he could easily see it from the way her heels almost seemed to dig and grind into the stone floor. He shifted a little and from of the corner of his eye, he saw two booted feet shift from one foot to the other - Legolas, getting tired of leaning against the wall.
An hour earlier, Legolas had escorted Elidyr - the elves' best healer - into the chambers with the antidote for Kili. Dis had reluctantly - after calming words from her eldest son - let the healer into the room. To Fili, it seemed like this was his mother's only hope that Kili would open his eyes again. He knew she was anxious and nervous and fearful of what was happening inside those doors.
Not soon enough did the door open and the tall elf stepped through. Time seemed to stand still as the elf slowly closed the door softly behind him, as if careful not to wake Kili. He turned to Dis, his features entirely calm. "My apologies for taking so long, Lady Dis," Elidyr said respectfully.
Fili stood.
Elidyr looked to him. "On the whole, there were no complications. He's on the mend now. His body accepted the medicine after some delay, and he should be well again in a few weeks."
Dis blanched, her hands on her hips. Fili noticed her eyes were tinged with a wild and uncontrollable fear. "Weeks?"
"Mother-" he warned sternly.
Elidyr looked down at her, his mouth in a thin line. Both Fili and Legolas knew Elidyr's patience with the female dwarf was wearing thin. "Weeks, Lady Dis. May I remind you that your son did ingest poison."
She scoffed loudly. "Well, if you had made the bloody antidote sooner, he may already be healed." Then with a threatening finger pointed at the elf, she continued, "It's your fault you've kept to yourself these past few weeks. Your kind hates us! Why do you bother prolonging my son's life when it would most likely bring you great joy to see him dead!"
"Dis!" Fili barked, his voice tight and angry. "That's enough! They've done what they can for Kili, you know that." He placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to keep her still - trying to keep her from physically lashing out at the elf. He squeezed her and tried, "I'm sure Elidyr has his own business to attend to. He must leave." He looked to the elf and silently tried to convey the other to leave.
Dis shrugged off her son. "How do I know you haven't poisoned him further?" she nearly dared.
"Stop it," Fili hissed. "You do realize that they have the power to go back in that room and kill him? Shut it!"
"Then why don't they?" Dis sneered.
Fili grasped her shoulders and roughly turned her to him. "Mother, Kili is going to live! When are you going to start seeing it? They've given him the medicine and now he has a greater chance at surviving and opening his eyes again. Elidyr is helping him, Mother. Please, don't do this."
Dis pursed her lips and folded her arms. "Fili, you've become too accepting of their kind-"
"I haven't! You've become just like Thorin!" he snarled, slamming his hand on the wall in frustration. "When will you understand that just because we're royalty doesn't mean we're that privileged? Those who come into this mountain shouldn't bow down at our feet. We're nothing special, Mother. We're just like the rest of our kin out there. We treat others with respect - no matter what race they are," he spoke over her disagreements.
Elidyr cleared his throat and looked down at Dis. "Producing an antidote takes time. We needed to produce it without accidentally harming him. Lady Dis, if you are done with your complaints, I have other duties to attend to." He smiled stiffly at her and made for the front door.
Dis silently glared at Fili - clearly displeased with her son's sudden attitude towards her.
Fili ran a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply. "Mother, I am sorry for my words but they are true. You've been sitting here for the past two weeks waiting for something that could not even happen without the elves. I've been running the kingdom and receiving more respect than Thorin ever had. You've built up this pretense - albeit from your past - that when you ask for help, anyone will drop what they're doing and help you."
He shook his head and let out a harsh laugh. "It doesn't work like that anymore. It might have when you grew up here and everything was established. But now, that we've just reclaimed the mountain, we're still traveling folk - we haven't built up our status here. That is why so many are against Thorin and Bilbo. That is probably why others were sent to babysit us."
Dis didn't look at him.
"I'm not saying this to be mean, but I've grown so tired of your childlike behavior," Fili pressed on. "I had to speak my mind."
He glanced at Legolas who was still in the room and silently picking at the chipping stone wall. "The antidote will work," he said in a quieter tone. "Kili will be fine."
Dis wiped at the corner of her eye.
"I must leave," he spoke. He brushed by Dis and nodded to Legolas who followed him out of the chambers.
He closed the front door behind them. "I am sorry you had to hear that," he apologized quietly - emotionally drained from the argument. He ran a hand over his face and down his beard.
The elf shook his head. "I've noticed she's been withering ever since Elidyr spoke of the antidote. I knew she'd crack soon enough."
Fili sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "Thank you," he said. "For bringing Elidyr and staying when he had left. I know how much you dislike coming into the mountain."
The corner of Legolas' mouth twitched. "It's not as bad as it was," he admitted. "You're finally growing on me. Besides, I thought I could help out somehow here until my father and your king return."
Fili nodded. He held out his hand to Legolas. "Much appreciated, my friend. Thank you."