The bedroom of Thorin's chambers held a warmer glow to it which - according to Fili and Bofur - had nothing to do with the roaring fire in the hearth, but the fact that Kili was now awake and on the mend. Though he still had his good days and bad, it still ached Dis' heart to see her son in such pain even if she had been assured by numerous people that Kili wouldn't remember anything the next day
Fili sat beside his brother every day before he left for work - Dis would always be right there, on the other side of the bed watching Fili like a hawk. Bofur and Dwalin were the only ones to notice such behavior of the dwarf woman.
Visits from the Company had grown more frequent, so much so that there now had to be a schedule of times they were allowed to see Kili and times when Kili had to rest. Bofur and Dori were the bubbliest about the wonderful news and often had to be pried away by Fili or Dwalin at the end of their turns. Dis - though her mindset was still against the elves - was coming around to the truth of the elves' medicine saving her son.
But this new attitude of hers was getting on Fili's last nerves.
That morning, Fili pulled Bofur aside just before he entered the bedroom. "I want you to keep Dis outside the room while I'm in there. She's - she's not letting me speak to him. He's my own brother for Aule's sake!"
"Yes, Fili," Bofur nodded.
Inside the bedroom with Dis corraled safely outside with Bofur, Fili sat beside Kili. He smoothed his hand over the brunette's forehead and hair repeatedly, smiling as the other's eyes fluttered open from sleep.
"Hey," he greeted softly. He gave his brother a gentle smile. "You're awake," he said - more in awe than statement.
Kili returned the smile - weakly but contently. He shakily lifted his hand and rested it on Fili's other hand. "How's Mum been?"
Fili gave an unconvincing nod. "She's seen worse up until now."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't," he scolded sternly. "You have nothing to apologize for. This wasn't your fault. She's just... she's just glad you're alive."
Kili didn't reply but closed his eyes for a brief moment. "How have you been?" he asked after a while.
"Fine," Fili said - much to his own surprise though it was true to some extent. He managed to keep eye contact as Kili lifted a tired but skeptical eyebrow. "A little worried. I knew you'd make it."
"I don't remember anything," Kili managed a bit brokenly. Then he let out a half-hearted laugh. "I suppose that's good, right?"
The blond let out a little breathy laugh of his own. "Yeah, in a way. Everyone's not been bothering you?"
Kili shook his head. "No, they've been great." He smiled again as Fili squeezed his hand. "How're the people?"
Fili nodded again. "Just fine. Nothing much has happened."
"Do they know of... this?"
"No. Bofur and I managed to keep it all hush," he answered firmly. "No one outside the Company knows."
The younger dwarf nodded. "Ah, that's good news, right? It's good that no one else knows." He let his eyes drift close again and his breathing evened out then suddenly picked up again. "I fell asleep, didn't I? I'm sorry," he laughed to himself.
Fili smiled. "It's fine. You need your rest."
He sniffed. "How's Uncle?"
The other dwarf looked down at the bed then away at the wall. "He's not... He's not been back yet."
Kili frowned and Fili frowned just looking at the frown. "B-but he's coming back, right?"
"I hope so," he gave the honest answer.
"You don't know?"
"Kili, you should be resting," he replied instead.
He puffed out tiredly then smiled slightly as he closed his eyes. "I can't wait to see Mister Boggins."
Fili smiled fondly at him and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I must leave now. Bofur's gonna sit in with you until Mum gets back."
He nodded. "Thanks, Fili."
"I-I love you," Fili felt unsure of himself as he said it, soon regretting it.
"I love you too," Kili replied with a hint of a smile - his eyes lit up with happiness.
Fili closed the bedroom door. He found his mother sitting on a chair by the opposite wall. She stood when the door opened and was about to push her way past him when he moved in front of her. She tried to side-step him, but he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her away from the door - his mouth in a hard line.
"I need your word that you will not fill his mind with lies about the elves that saved his life," he growled threateningly. He glared down at her as if she were a servant getting a second warning.
Dis looked at him suddenly. His tone - more than anything - is what took her aback. "Y-you don't trust me?" She tried to pull her innocence.
Fili glared coldly at her and spoke with his voice just as cold. "What we went through to get him stable, he needs that truth. Not your ill-conceived notion about those creatures."
"Ill-conceived?" Dis squeaked.
"Your word."
"My notions are not 'ill-conceived'," she countered, clearly offended by her son's choice of words. "Have you not forgotten when the dragon came?"
"I will not question Thranduil's actions then, and I will most certainly not question them now." He tightened his grip on her arm to emphasize his words. "You will not lie to him. You will not share your thoughts about elves to him. You tell him the truth when he asks for it."
"Fili-" Her voice was weak and small, and he knew she was about to protest.
Out of his frustration for her narrow mind, he slammed his other hand against the wall, causing her to flinch. "No! I need you sane again, Mother. If not for my sake, for his. He needs you, and he needs to know what happened and who cured him."
Dis said nothing.
The heavy frown on his brow did not falter as he spoke - the action was just as fair as a promise. "You lie, Bofur'll take you out of there. You'll not see him the rest of the day. And I'll personally reprimand you."
Her eyes faltered and she stood straighter. "I-"
"I must leave now," he interrupted her, his voice still low but now quiet.
The surroundings were bleak and cold and dark. The air held a musty scent to it - dank and dusty after years of little sunlight. Around a raised platform, stood hundreds - perhaps thousands - of creatures, orcs and goblins and dwarves and men alike, all chanting and shouting to their master in the center of the room.
"Such loud racket," a voice racked from the platform. He looked around the stadium before zeroing in on the minions in front of him. He pointed at them with a fat finger. "I've counted on you lot in getting the job done! Now, there's been too many mistakes!" he shouted as loud as he could before breaking into a nasty cough. His hand wiped his mouth. "People have interfered. He should be dead by now!"
An goblin cowered slightly at the voice. "M-Master... I'm sorry, but Brilin is dead."
The other looked at the creature. He scoffed loudly and obnoxiously. "You think I don't know that? I expected you to be the one to tell me that news when it happened." He scrutinized the creature. "Instead, I had to hear it from someone else!" He let out an abrupt growl then.
After a few moments of coughing and panting, he looked over at the only creature with a stoic face. "I think a change is in order, don't you?"
The dwarf nodded firmly and took up his axe, while the other beings in the room - on the platform - shook.
"Yes," he nodded. He looked at the lot one last time. "You know the drill. You've seen it before. Never once did you think it would happen to you. Gramik! Cut off their heads!"
He hacked out another nasty cough while Gramik carried out the order. "Blasted mines!" he cursed through the hacking. He wiped the corner of his mouth - ignoring the red stain left behind on his sleeve.
A man stepped forward after the task was completed. "What are we going to do about the other, sir?"
The figure looked down on him for a long while before answering, "Wait. We're going to wait."
"No attacks?"
A deep and wet chuckle left the creature. "Oh, there'll be attacks. We must wait for the right moment. Too many right moments have been missed and I will not have Thorin Oakenshield continue living!"