This chapter is a long one folks. So please don't get too mad at me. Also as a little bit of a back story, Inara and Thorin are in a rough patch in their marriage. So if Thorin seems a little cold towards Inara there is a reason why. Also Dis is no longer allowed to live in the royal halls. She is now living with Dwalin and their twins.
Another thing to point out to you all: Khuzdul. Sindarin.
So enjoy the ride that I am about to send you readers on.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters.
Remember that years are approximate and rounded to the nearest quarters.
Count down: 43 ¼ years till LOTR events. Roughly 14 more chapters to go till then.
Aliena- 19 ½ years old.
Frerin & Durin- 14 ¼ years old, look 12 years old.
Kelda- 10 ¼ years old, looks like an 8 year old.
Balder- 9 years old, looks like an 8 year old.
Toril- 8 ½ years old, looks like a 7 year old.
Freya- 7 ½ years old, looks like a 6 year old.
Rìka (pronounced Reeka) & Kilian- 5 ¾ years old, looks like 4 year olds.
Karys & Fergys- 3 ½ years old, look like 2 ½ year olds.
On the outskirts of Mirkwood...
On this late-afternoon in late summer, a small group of ponies is traveling north. Just after taking their lunch, the group had entered a small patch of forest. It is beyond this small patch of forest that the group is heading towards, Esgaroth.
"How much longer, Adad?" Asks Toril from her place behind her sister, Kelda.
Both girls are riding together on a chestnut colored pony, and wearing their green and brown traveling outfits. Kelda's red hair is pulled back into a single braid that stops just below her shoulder blades. Toril's red hair has two braids that start at her temples and end at the back of her head. The rest of Toril's hair flows free from underneath the two braids.
"Not much longer, Toril." Kili answers from his pony, which is behind the girls' pony. He can't help but smile as he watches his two daughters ride together. His eyes move to the pony that is in front of the girls, and his smile get even bigger.
Leading the way through the shrubs and small trees of the outer edge of Mirkwood is Tauriel and Kilian, who are riding a tan colored pony. Tauriel is wearing her former guard outfit from when she was Captain of the Guard for the Woodland Realm. Her hair is pulled back into an intricate system of braids before falling down her back.
Kilian is riding in front of his mother with one of her hands holding him against her. Like his sisters, he too is wearing a green and brown traveling outfit. The only difference is that his sisters' outfits look similar to Tauriels' guard outfit, while his looks similar to his uncle Thorin's style of traveling clothes.
"What is wrong, Ionneg?" Tauriel asks her son when she feels him fidgeting with the pony's hair.
"Worried about Rìka." Kilian says with serious tone.
"I am sure she is fine." Tauriel replies in a gentle tone before glancing back towards Kili.
During their family's three month stay in Edoras, Tauriel and Kili had to use calming teas to help their son with his separation anxiety. The connection between Kilian and Rìka has grown, and even Gandalf is amazed at how the two cousins seem to be able to sense each other's emotions. This connection has Tauriel worried no matter how much Kili tries to dismiss her concern.
The loud snap of a tree branch causes Tauriel to bring her pony to a stop. Her eyes search the thick shrubbery and small trees for the source.
"What is it?" Kili says quietly as he pulls his pony up alongside their daughters pony.
The three ponies start showing signs of nervousness, and their riders try to calm them.
"Something feels off." Kelda whispers to her father.
Both Tauriel and Kili scan the area meticulously with their eyes, hoping that nothing is wrong. Yet neither one can shake the feeling that they are being watched.
Several large spiders charge out of the thick shrubs, and head straight for them.
The girls scream as their pony bolts away from the spiders, and towards the open fields that lay next to the Celduin River.
"Kelda! Toril!" Kili shouts as his pony bolts as well, but the pony runs towards the east instead of north like the girls pony did. He looks back to see both Tauriel and Kilian being thrown off by their pony. Trying in vain to get his pony under control, Kili makes a split second decision. He grabs his sword from its place at the pummel of his saddle, and then jumps off of his pony. The landing is hard, but his dwarven build keeps him from getting too banged up. Once he gets to his feet, Kili charges back towards where he last saw his wife and son.
In Dale...
It is late in the evening of the celebration of Dale's youngest princess's marriage. The people of Dale and a few guests are enjoying themselves with food and dance.
Sigrid sits at the head table in her fathers' hall, watching her two children playing with some of the children of Dale. She is dressed in a lovely pale blue satin dress with a scoop style neckline. Her hair is braided, and pinned into an updo. Around her neck lays a mother of pearl necklace that Balder gave her last year as a birthday present.
A kiss on the top of her head, pulls Sigrid's attention away from her children.
"You look lovely, Sigrid." Bard says as he moves from behind his daughters' chair, and proceeds to sit in the chair next to her.
"Thank you, Da." Sigrid says with a smile.
"I am happy that you and your family could come. It means a lot to Tilda for you all to be here." Bard says as he looks across the hall, and sees his youngest daughter dancing with her husband, Gawain.
Gawain is a Rider of Rohan, and a close friend of royal family of Rohan. He has the blue eyes and height of his people, but his hair is more of a light brown color instead of blonde. Whether on horseback or on the ground, Gawain is a fierce fighter.
"They will be happy together." Sigrid says to Bard before reaching out for her wine glass on the table.
"I hope so. Their union will solidify the trade agreement between Dale and Rohan." Bard says before looking away from Tilda. "Even though we have Erebor as a trade partner, Dale needs the trade from other kingdoms to survive."
Sigrid nods in agreement with her father before taking a sip from her wine glass. She knows that Dale is having a hard time; even with trading goods with Erebor and the Woodland Realm.
"So where is your dwarf, Sigrid?" Bain asks as he approaches the head table with his own wife on his arm. Since his wedding two years ago, Bain has begun to show a little hostility towards the dwarves of Erebor thanks to his wife's influence.
"He is around." Sigrid replies. She knows that her brother is only behaving this way due to his wife.
"Most likely passed out under the table. Honestly Sigrid, I don't know how you can stand living with him and his people." Bain's wife says with a smirk on her face. A few strands of her curly blonde hair have fallen loose from her elaborate hair style.
"Savina." Bard says in a correcting tone. "The dwarves of Erebor are our allies. It would do you well to remember that."
"My apologies my king." Savina replies. She gathers the green silk skirt of her dress, and gives a quick curtsy before stalking away.
"Da. Sigrid." Bain says before hurrying after his wife.
"I shall never understand why Bain married her." Sigrid says to Bard.
"I ask myself that question every day." Bard looks at Sigrid before taking hold of his glass of wine. "She didn't behave this way before their marriage."
"Perhaps it is because she has grown use to her position." Fili says as he walks over to where Sigrid and Bard are sitting. He gives Sigrid a quick on the cheek and then moves to sit in the chair on the left side of Sigrid.
"You think that she was not honest from the start?" Bard asks his son-in-law.
"Many want access to the treasure inside of Erebor, Bard. It wouldn't surprise me if that is what Lady Savina wants." Fili says trying to hide a look of concern.
"What is it?" Sigrid asks. She knows her husband well enough to know when something is bothering him.
"Kili and his family are late. They were due at Esgaroth by late afternoon before coming here for the night. None of them have arrived." Fili replies in a worried tone.
"I am sure that they are alright. Tauriel and your brother are warriors and will do anything to protect their children." Sigrid says softly as she places a free hand on Fili's arm.
"I can send out a few scouts to keep watch for them." Bard offers to the couple.
"That would be most welcomed." Fili looks at Bard, and gives the man a nod of thanks.
The solemn air around the three is broken when a guard runs into the hall, and comes towards Bard.
"My lord. There is trouble at the gates."
That sentence sends Bard, Sigrid, and Fili to their feet, and they quickly leave the hall. They make their way through Dale in the setting sunlight. As the three approach the gates, Fili recognizes the pony and its riders.
"Kelda! Toril!" Fili shouts as he runs faster to get to his nieces. He can see small cuts on Kelda's dirt covered face, and both girls have pieces of twigs in their hair.
"Spiders. They attacked us a while ago. I tried to stop our pony from bolting, but it wouldn't stop running." Kelda says as tears begin to run down her face.
"Here, let me help you down." Bard says to the girls before lifting Toril down from the pony first.
"Naneth, Adad, and Kilian are still out there." Toril tells Fili in a scared voice.
Fili pulls the young girl into a hug, and gives her a quick kiss on her forehead. He can feel the young dwarfling trembling in his arms.
"I will find them." Fili whispers to Toril before allowing Sigrid to take the girl from him. "Bard, my I ask for assistance in going after my brother and the rest of his family?"
"Choose as many of my guards as you need, and take what you need from our armory." Bard says to Fili. "We will send word to Thorin about what has happened."
"Thank you."
"Uncle." Kelda says softly in a worried tone.
Fili turns to her and gently brushes a hand down her uninjured cheek. "I will bring them back. All of them."
Kelda moves closer to Fili, and hugs her golden haired uncle. She too is trembling, but tries to hide the fear for her family.
"Stay with Sigrid and your cousins tonight." Fili says softly to her before allowing Sigrid to pull the girl away. "I will be back as soon as I can."
"Be safe out there." Sigrid says to Fili before watching him follow Bard to Dale's armory.
In Erebor...
Thorin is sitting in his office with a small roll of parchment in his hands. Balin had given the letter from Bard to him late last night. The letter told of Kili, his wife, and young son missing; and Fili, with a small group of men, left late last night from Dale to try and find his missing brother.
After spending most of the night in his office, Thorin watches as the fire in the fireplace start to die out. Which means that it is now early morning.
"Thorin?" Inara softly calls out from behind the office door.
The dwarf king lets a tired smile appear on his face at the sound of his queens' voice. Yet, he doesn't leave the chair that he placed in front of the fireplace. Thorin hears the door open and close, and the sound of soft footsteps are approaching him.
"You didn't come home last night." Inara says as she moves to stand next to him. Seeing the worry etched on her husband's face, Inara gently kneels down in front of him. "What has happened?"
Thorin allows himself to look away from the fire and sees the worry on Inara's face.
"Kili and his family were attacked." Thorin hands the letter to Inara. "Kelda and Toril made it safely to Dale, but the others did not. Bard has allowed Fili to take what men and weapons needed to try and find Kili."
"Should we tell Dis?" Inara asks as she gets up from her kneeling place at Thorin's feet.
Thorin gives Inara a serious look before answering. "Would you like to tell her that one of her sons is missing while the other has gone off searching for him?"
Ever since Inara had protected Dis and her twins from Thorin, the council, and the dwarven laws of old there has been tension in their relationship. So for the past three and a half years there has only been civility between them. They also haven't shared a bed in all that time as well, which has caused everyone in the family to walk on eggshells when around the pair. Inara has slept in the spare bedroom of their rooms, while Thorin has kept their normal bedroom.
"I will inform her of this, and perhaps Erebor can send out a few troops to aid in the search." Inara says to Thorin as she moves to leave the office.
Thorin still doesn't get up out of his chair as he hears his office door open. When Inara shuts the door behind her, he quickly gets out of the chair and sends it flying across the room to hit the stone wall.
Two miles off of the eastern side of Erebor...
In the early morning, after having breakfast, Gimli had taken the young princes and their young sister outside for some training. He doesn't mind watching his young cousins, though they are distant cousins. Gimli was excited to be spending time with them, especially since Ori wasn't going to start their lessons till later in the day.
"Like this Gimli?" Frerin asks the older dwarf, while trying to hold a high block stance with one of the wooden practice broadswords that Bifur made for the princes.
"Aye. Just watch your footing there laddie. If you stick that left foot out any farther, an enemy from behind will be able to slice it off." Gimli says from where he is standing with Durin.
The younger of the princes wants to learn how to wield an axe, which Gimli is more than thrilled to teach the boy. Unlike Frerin, Durin wishes to learn how to wield every weapon in Erebor's armory, and become a great warrior.
Rìka is sitting in the grass, watching her two older brothers and Gimli work on their fighting skills. Gimli had offered to teach the lass, but she is weary of holding any weapon when her father isn't around to watch. The way Rìka learns best is to watch others do the stances and motions. Then when no one is watching her, she will attempt to mimic what she has seen. There had been numerous times where her parents have caught her attempts, and try to help her. Yet, she has inherited Thorin's stubbornness along with Inara's independence and all attempts to help her doesn't work.
"How about now?" Frerin calls out after moving his left foot.
Rìka lets out a soft giggle, as she watches Gimli walk over to Frerin and knock the prince over.
"Not enough weight on that left foot. Just because you moved it closer to yourself doesn't mean your body will compensate for the balance." Gimli says to the lad before helping Frerin up from the ground.
A howl is heard echoing across the Eastern plain where the small group is at. Gimli glances around quickly to find the source. There are numerous large boulders about a quarter of a mile away from the plains, and Gimli thinks that this is where the howls are coming from.
"Back to the gates. Now!" Gimli shouts to the three royal children as he picks up his own axe. He quickly rushes to where Rìka is sitting, and helps the lass up from the ground. "Run lass."
Rìka doesn't hesitate and begins to run. She follows her two brothers as they too run towards the mountain with Gimli following after them.
Another howl echoes across the plain, and is followed by a pounding on the ground. Gimli lets out a growl before turning to swing his axe at the attacker. What Gimli wasn't expecting was his attacker to be a group of nine wargs. His axe hits the lead warg right in the snout, before he finds himself being pushed to the ground.
Another warg charges towards the running children.
Durin, who is running ahead of his older brother and little sister, looks over his should to see the charging warg heading straight for Rìka. His eyes go big as the warg reaches out a paw and knocks the little girl off of her feet. She goes flying a few feet above the ground and off to the left. Hearing her cry out as she falls back to the ground, Durin lets out a growl before turning around and charging towards where his sister is.
Frerin had also heard Rìka cry out, and watches Durin go running towards her. He knows that they are no match for the wargs, and they have no real weapons to defend themselves with. Deep down, Frerin knows that unless the guards at the gates are told, there will be no rescue or aid for this attack. Before he can make a hard choice, he notices a raven flying towards Erebor. He lets out a whistle, which gets the raven's attention, and the raven lets out a high pitched shriek before dive bombing towards one of the wargs.
Durin makes it to Rìka with the help of the dive bombing of the raven at the wargs eyes. It slowed the large dog creature down from getting to Rìka before him.
"Are you alright namad?" Durin shouts as comes up to her still body. When she doesn't respond Durin knows that they are now in even more trouble. The growl of another approaching warg causes Durin to stand over Rìka's prone form. He holds his wooden practice sword in one hand and the wooden practice axe in the other.
The brown warg that was approaching, slows down and comes to a stop a few feet away on Durin's left side. The other warg, who was has one bleeding eye from the raven attack approaches from the front.
Durin is trying hard to keep his fear in check, but is finding it difficult. Having no idea where Gimli or Frerin is, Durin knows that he will fight to the death to keep his sister safe. Hearing another warg approaching them, Durin hears a voice in his mind whisper to him, 'Let me help you.' Not sure whether he should listen to the voice, the voice comes again.
'You need help and have true weapons to aid you. Let me help.' The gruff sounding voice whispers to him, and Durin feels this overwhelming sense of something flooding his body. 'Watch and learn, sigindashat.'
As one of the warg jumps at Durin finds himself moving unlike he has ever moved before. His wooden axe hits the warg on the nose as the wooden sword comes up from underneath to strike the warg in the throat. The blow crushes the wargs' windpipe, which causes the warg to jump back before falling to the ground, choking to death.
Turning to another warg that has charged forward, Durin feels one of the sharp claws of the wargs' paw hit the right side of his face. A few of the claws leave shallow scratches in their wake, but one of the middle claws cuts deep from a few inches above the corner of Durins' eyebrow down to his jaw. But this blow doesn't seem to faze the young dwarf, and his wooden sword finds itself lodged into the underside of the wargs' lower jaw. The young dwarf keeps fighting against the coming wargs.
Gates of Erebor...
Nori is standing at the gates of Erebor, preparing a search party to search for both the search party from Dale and Kili. As he places a light-weight saddle bag full of supplies onto the back of his pony, the cries of a raven catches his attention. He watches as the bird struggles in its flight. Immediately Nori recognizes it as Inara's raven, Ishtar.
Suddenly the bird's wings give out and it falls from the air. Bifur is quick to catching the falling raven in one of his saddle bags as Nori rushes over to the see what may have caused the raven to fall. Both dwarves see that the raven has blood on its beak and claws; along with some blood splattered along her breast.
"What in Mahal's name has happened to you, girl?" Nori asks as Bifur gently lifts the raven out of the saddle bag. Then the sound of yelling comes from outside of the gate.
"Help! Help!"
Nori and Bifur look towards the gates entrance as Frerin rushes in.
"Prince." One of the sentries says as he bows in respect.
"They need help!" Frerin shouts as he tries to catch his breath. "Wargs. Eastern plains. Rìka is hurt. Durin is too."
Nori and Bifur look at each other. Bifur approaches Frerin and hands him Ishtar. He then grabs one of the sentry's javelin and sword before running out of the entrance of the gates.
"Someone send word to the king and queen. You three," Nori points to three of the guards who were to go with the search party. "with me now. Your service is needed elsewhere."
The three guards are quick to pull out their weapons and follow Nori as he runs to catch up to Bifur.
Frerin watches as chaos breaks loose around him, and guilt begins to fill his heart knowing that he had left his siblings behind. The raven in his arms gives a few soft melodic croaks to the boy. Frerin looks down at the bird in surprise, for he understood what Ishtar had said.
"You at least tried to help protect us, while I did nothing." Frerin whispers to the bird as he moves off to the side, out of the way of the chaos that has erupted.
"Frerin!" Thorin's voice booms throughout the entrance.
This is what the boy has feared. His adad finding out about his cowardice.
Thorin approaches his son quickly, and notices that the boy is cradling Inara's raven in his arms.
"What happened?" Thorin shouts at the boy.
When Frerin flinches at the tone in his adads' voice, Ishtar croaks loudly at Thorin in multiple ways. Frerin hears the whole speech that Ishtar is giving Thorin, and he watches as his adads' face goes from hard with anger, to fear, and then to worry.
"Take her to Oin to have her injuries looked at." Thorin tells Frerin once Ishtar explains what has happened, and explained to the king that Frerin would not have lived if he hadn't run to get help.
Frerin doesn't look at Thorin as he quickly rushes away from the chaos.
Thorin watches his son leave, and immediately regrets shouting at the boy.
"You could have handled that better, Thorin." Dis says as she approaches him. Her two children are on either side of her skirts while holding their mothers' hands. There is no denying who fathered her twins. Karys has the blue eyes of the Durin line but her thick hair is the same brown with cinnamon highlights that Dwalin used to have back in his youth. Fergys is an exact replica of his father, which has caused Balin to sometimes call the young lad by his father's name.
"Why have you come?" Thorin asks while carefully trying to keep his temper at bay.
"Dwalin was to go with the search party to look for Fili and Kili. We wanted to see him off." Dis replies in a soft tone. Her relationship with Thorin has suffered greatly since the birth of her twins. Even now, most of Erebor has accepted the fact that Dis and Dwalin have children, and are raising them together as it should be. For the dwarves of Erebor stood with Dis and their queen against the council when the council called for Dis and Dwalin's banishment and the twins removal to another dwarf kingdom. Since that fateful day, Thorin and his council realized that the support for Dis was too great to go against in this matter.
"I see." Thorin says before walking away from Dis.
"My lord! They have returned!" A sentry calls out from the top of the gate entrance.
Thorin rushes forward as he sees Bifur carrying the prone form of Rìka in his bloodied arms. To everyone it looks like the lass is asleep, but they aren't sure if she is alive or not.
"No." The word rushes out of Thorin's mouth in a breathless tone. He takes his daughter into his arms, and can feel that the young lass is breathing.
It is when Nori enters that everyone who is at the entrance gasps out in shock. In Nori's arm is the lifeless body of Durin; the boys' face is covered in blood, and is dripping onto the floor. Silence falls in the entrance as Thorin watches Nori carry Durin's body away to the Halls of Healing.
Outskirts of Mirkwood...
Young Kilian is hiding inside of a dead log. He has been there since yesterday, when his Naneth told him to run and hide. Kilian did run, but not before looking back to see Tauriel fighting off several of the large spiders. A few of the spiders had followed after him, but were unable to get to him thanks to the thick sides of the log. The stingers of the spiders could not penetrate through the thickness. It is a miracle that Kilian could even wiggle his way into the log, and he was now afraid that he might be stuck.
'Adad and Naneth will find me. They just have to.' Kilian thinks to himself. He knows that both of his parents are good trackers on top of being great warriors.
"Kili!" A voice calls out.
Kilian recognizes that voice. "Uncle!" the little boy shouts from inside of the log.
"Kili!" Fili's voice rings out again.
"Uncle! In here!" Kilian screams on the top of his lungs with the hope that Fili will hear him.
"Over here!" A different voice yells out.
Kilian looks up towards the end of the log, which is a few feet away from his head. He sees a dark haired, older human male looking right at him.
"Fili, over here!" The man yells over his shoulder while keeping eye contact with the youngster. "We will get you out."
"Bard? What is it?" Fili asks as he approaches the 9 foot long log.
"There is a young boy in here that looks like your brother." Bard says as he gets up and moves so that Fili may look inside.
Fili bends down and barely makes out Kilian's face.
"Uncle!" Kilian cries out as he wiggles his way towards Fili.
"Kilian. Lad what are you doing in this log?" Fili asks as he reaches into the log to help pull Kilian out. Once the boy is out, Fili pulls his nephew into a hug. He can feel Kilian shudder as the boy sobs into his chest.
"He alright?" Bard asks as he brings a piece of smoked fish and a waterskin towards the two. "Here, eat this." Bard offers the two items to the small lad, and Kilian is quick to grab the fish first as his sobs quiet down.
"Where is your Adad?" Fili asks Kilian as the boy chews on a bite of fish.
"His pony ran away. Naneth and me falled off the pony. She told me run and hide." Kilian hiccups out through his tears, and his eating of the fish. "Spiders. Big spiders, uncle."
Fili looks up at Bard with a concerned expression. "I have run into these beasts before. Bard, I cannot guarantee the safety of your men if we continue looking for Kili and Tauriel."
"I promised you aid, Fili. I will not backing out of that promise." Bard says with conviction.
Fili picks up Kilian and carries the boy over to his pony. He sets Kilian up on the saddle before climbing up as well.
"Will we find Adad and Naneth?" Kilian asks as Fili nudges the pony to start moving.
"We will. I promise you Kilian." Fili says as he leans forward to place a kiss in the boys' brown hair.
The group continue to move further into the forest, hoping to find signs of Kili and Tauriel. It is only an hour since they found Kilian that the group finds a large amount of disturbed grass, broken bushes and shrubs, and even a few small trees snapped in two. Lying in the middle is four very large, and very dead, spiders.
"What happened here?" Bard asks quietly to Fili. He has never seen devastation like this since the battle many years ago.
Fili hops down from his pony, and notices something shiny laying on the ground. He walks over to the object and kneels down to pick it up. Right away, Fili recognizes it as one of Kili's hair clips.
"They were here." Fili says loud enough for the group to hear. He walks over to Bards' horse and hands him Kili's clip. "That belongs to Kili. He was here." Fili looks out to the patch of devastation. "They have to be around here somewhere."
"Scout the area." Bard shouts to the men of their search party before looking over at Kilian, who is slumped over the pommel of Fili's saddle. "I will stay with him while you and my men search."
"Agreed." Fili says as he joins the men in searching the areas that surround the devastation.
After twenty minutes of searching, one of Bards' men calls out.
"Over here!"
Fili runs towards the man, and what Fili sees nearly makes his heart stop. Sticking out from underneath a large bush, is the boots of his brother.
"Kili!" Fili shouts as he rushes over and starts to pull on the boots. He drags his brother out from under the bush, and rolls him over onto his back. Fili quickly takes stock of Kili's injuries.
Kili's face is pale, with his eyes open, yet unseeing. There is some dried white foam on his lips. His shirt is tore in the abdomen, and Fili sees a deep puncture wound that is oozing blood and some black substance.
"I need bandages!" Fili shouts to the man who found Kili.
"Yes my lord." The man runs off, leaving Fili alone with his brother.
"Oh Kili." Fili whispers while trying to hold back his tears. "Hold on, nadadith. You can't leave your family behind." He quickly tries to clean the puncture wound, but notices that the water runs off it like it would when mixed with certain oils.
A twig snapping behind him has Fili quickly drawing one of his swords and turning to face his attacker. However, he is shocked when he sees Tauriel stumbling towards him.
"Tauriel?"
Hearing her name causes the disheveled elf maid to raise her glossy eyes towards Fili. "Fili." Is all she says before her eyes roll up and she passes out.
"Tauriel!" Fili shouts as he moves away from his brother to reach the she-elf. "Tauriel. Wake up."
"Fili!" Bard shouts as he brings his horse and Fili's pony towards the small area. The man quickly notices Kili's body and tries to block the view of the body from Kilian. However, the young one is still asleep upon the pony.
Fili checks Tauriel over, and notices that she has two similar puncture wounds like Kili's. One is on the left side of her collarbone, while the second one is in her thigh. Her right shoulder is tore up as well, and bleeding heavily.
Not sure who to bandage up first, Fili looks over his shoulder to Bard. "Can you bandage up Kee while I see to Tauriel?"
"Are you sure that he lives?" Bard asks as he moves to grab a saddle bag off of his horse, which has the supplies needed.
"I don't know, but I will not leave his body looking like that when I take him back to Erebor." Fili says as he tries to use the water from his waterskin to wash Tauriel's tore up shoulder.
The two of them bandage up the wounds on Kili and Tauriel. Bard is careful to try and close Kili's eyes, yet it is like they are stuck open. So he places a folded piece of cloth across his eyes, and uses a thin strip of fabric to wrap around his head to keep it in place. Fili is meticulous about making sure that Tauriel's wounds are covered, and is surprised that her elven healing ability hasn't started. Soon both bodies are ready to be moved.
"Rowan. You take the dwarf prince Kili with you on your horse. I will carry the lady Tauriel on mine." Bard says as he and Fili help lift Kili's body onto Rowans' horse.
"Yes my lords." Rowan says to them. "It will be my honor."
Once Fili has helped get Tauriel onto Bards' horse, Fili moves quickly to mount his pony.
"Let's go." Fili says as he kicks his pony into a quick trot.
Dale...
Sigrid had watched as her father and husband had returned with the bodies of Kili and Tauriel earlier that evening. She was quick to have Kilian join her children in their guest room before running down to the infirmary to help. So here she is in one of the infirmary rooms, trying to wipe away the black ooze from the puncture wounds on Tauriel. Fili is on the other side of the room doing the same to Kili.
"That will not work." A strong male voice says from behind her.
Sigrid turns and sees the King of the Woodland Realm standing near the door of the room. He moves carefully towards Sigrid to get a better look at his former Captain of the Guard.
"The black ooze is a poison which renders the victim almost lifeless." The elf king says in a calm, uncaring voice.
"What can we do to counter it?" Sigrid asks.
"You would have to remove the poison from the wound."
"We have tried but it doesn't work." Fili says allowing his agitation show.
"Wiping the wounds will not work. You must remove the poison from the body." Thranduil says as he comes closer to Tauriel's prone body. He notices that her right shoulder is bleeding through the bandage. "Perhaps I can be of assistance."
"I would rather..." Fili starts to speak, but Sigrid cuts him off.
"Any help would be welcomed, my king." Sigrid says gracefully before standing up and looks towards Fili. "It is late and you need your rest, Fili. We both do."
Fili lets out an agitated growl, and Thranduil smirks at the dwarf as Sigrid leads Fili out of the room. As Sigrid closes the door behind them, Fili marches over to the wall and punches it.
"Fili. It has been a long couple of days. You should rest." She says softly as she comes up behind her husband.
"I don't think I can sleep knowing that my brother looks as though he is dead." Fili growls out.
"There was a raven that came while you were gone." Sigrid says carefully. She isn't sure if Fili can emotionally handle the news that came with the raven.
"What was the message?"
"There was a warg attack on the Eastern plains on the east side of the mountain." Sigrid tries to hold back a small sob, and her breath hitches.
Fili hears the sound, and turns away from the wall to look at Sigrid. Seeing her eyes fill with tears, Fili moves towards her.
"What is it?" he asks quietly, afraid of what the answer might be.
"Your cousin Gimli was injured in the attack, but..." The tears start to fall down Sigrid's cheek and she allows her emotional dam to break. "Oh Fili. Durin was gravely injured, and may not survive the night. While Rìka has yet to wake from her concussion."
Hearing this news, causes Fili's legs to give out and he falls to the floor in shock. Not only was his brother and his brother's wife injured, but also his little cousins as well.
"Fili." Sigrid softly says as he kneels down and gathers Fili into her arms as he weeps.
In the Halls of Healing in Erebor...
Inara had been seeing a pregnant dwarrowdam for a check-up when her two children were brought into the Halls of Healing. Oin immediately went to see to Durin, since he looked the worst. One of Oin's apprentices, Ardith, was to look after little Rìka. Ardiths' family was well known for their fighting abilities in the Iron Hills. However, she was more talented in the healing arts than fighting.
As Oin stitched up the long cut on Durin's face, Inara had stayed by her son's side. There were bruises all over his body, and his knuckles were busted open as if he had been boxing. Inara had tended to the knuckles and wrapped them in bandages.
Now, in the middle of the night, Inara keeps a watch over her son. She is still wearing her plain tan dress and her medic apron that covers the bodice then goes down the front of her skirts. While she sits on the right side of his bed facing him, she gently dabs near the stitches on her son's face with a little alcohol on a cloth. In the candle light, she can still see that his face is pale instead of its healthy, light tan color. Once she is done with that task, Inara proceeds to wipe away at her son's fevered brow with a damp cloth. She won't admit it but, she fears that the fever might take him. Inara is so wrapped up in her fear, that she doesn't hear the door open to the room.
"How is he?" Thorin says softly as he moves to sit on the other side of Durin's sick bed. He is dressed only in a pair of pants and his under tunic.
"He has a high fever. Oin isn't sure if he will make it through the night." Inara looks away from her son, and places the cloth back into the bowl of water. "He lost so much blood, Thorin." Tears stream down her cheeks freely as she looks towards the older dwarf.
Thorin sees her tears, and reaches over to place the palm of his hand against her cheek. "He is of Durin's folk. He will survive this, Inara."
"This is all my fault. If only I had kept them with me." Inara starts to say, but Thorin is quick to pull her into a hug above the little body of their son.
"Don't you dare blame yourself. You could not have foreseen this." Thorin whispers into her hair as she sobs into his tunic. He allows a few of his own tears to fall as he looks over at Durins' face. All of his guilt from over the past three years starts to melt away as Thorin fears he might lose his son.
Inara backs away slightly from Thorin and looks up at his face. In the years that they have been together, she has never seen Thorin lose control of his emotions like this. Yet, Inara can see the tears running slowly down Thorin's cheek as he looks towards their son.
"Thorin." Inara whispers as she places a hand against his cheek to turn his face towards her.
Thorin closes his eyes so that he doesn't have to see the pain on Inara's face.
"Rìka woke up an hour or so ago. She was confused at first and complaining that she was tired. Aliena volunteered to stay with her." He says quietly before opening his eyes.
"What does Oin say about her condition?"
"Oin has her on bed rest for the next few days to see if any damage was done to her head. Inara, I saw Bifur bring her in, and she looked like she was dead. Our little givashel." Thorin says allowing all of his emotions to show in his voice. "Tell me how I can make amends for hurting you all these past few years."
Inara gives Thorin a watery smile before leaning up to place a kiss on his lips.
"You don't need to make amends Thorin. You just need to be there for your family. Every marriage hits a rough patch, and these past few years was ours. You are not the only one at fault for keeping it going instead of trying to fix it." She whispers against his lips.
"I truly don't deserve you." Thorin says to her as he rests his forehead against Inara's.
The two stay at Durin's bedside throughout the night. Both laying, on their sides, on the bed with their injured son laying between them.
Balin comes by early in the morning, and finds the king and queen with their son. All three on the bed are still asleep, as Balin closes the door behind him once he has entered the room. He hates to wake them up, but a message was brought by a raven before sunrise.
Very carefully, Balin walks over to Thorin and gently shakes his kings' shoulder.
"Thorin." Balin whispers. "Thorin a message has arrived from Dale."
Thorin wakes up a little groggy before looking over his shoulder to see Balin. He turns away, and looks across his son to where Inara is laying. She is still asleep, and her dress is wrinkled from her sleep. Slowly Thorin moves to get up from the bed. He walks over to where Inara is and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek before escorting Balin out of the room.
Once outside of the room, Thorin looks at Balin.
"What is the news from Dale?"
Balin hands the unopened letter to Thorin, and gives him a soft expression.
Thorin opens the sealed letter and begins to read the contents carefully.
"Fili and Bard have found Kili and the rest of his family. Kilian was unhurt and is staying with Sigrid and Fili till they return from Dale." Thorin says before continuing to read the letter.
"And Kili and his lass?" Balin asks cautiously.
"Both were hurt by spider venom; however, Thranduil arrived just in time to save Kili and the she-elf from death. Fili says Bard will allow the two to remain in Dale till they are well enough to travel. We should expect Fili and his family to return later this evening."
Balin lets out a breath that he didn't know he was holding.
"That will be good. Skuld has been caring for Kelda and Toril since yesterday. I am sure she will be happy to keep doing so." Balin tells Thorin allowing relief to flow into his words.
"Dis may take of them as well." Thorin says to Balin's shock. "She has been isolated from her family because of my pride. Dis, her children, and Dwalin are welcome to move into the royal halls."
"I will let them know at once." Balin says with a small smile appearing on his face. "I heard the little lass woke up last night."
"She did." Thorin says as he looks to the door that leads to his Durin's room. "But my son still has yet to break his fever or wake."
"Give him time, Thorin. That lad of yours is just as stubborn as both you and Inara." Balin says with a chuckle. "Gimli said that Durin fought well, even with his wooden practice sword and axe. It surprised Nori and Bifur that they found him and the lass surrounded by four dead wargs."
Thorin gets a small smile on his face as he hears Balin boast about Durin's killing of the wargs.
"Yet a child of his age should not have been able to do so. Perhaps he had divine help from his namesake?" Balin says with a smirk gracing his face.
"Perhaps. Can you take charge for today?" Thorin asks his old friend.
"All of Erebor is waiting with baited breath to hear any kind of news on Durin. Some have even left gifts in the Temple of Mahal asking for him to keep the lad alive." Balin says to Thorin as he places a hand on his kings' shoulder.
"Issue a notice, thanking all for their prayers." Thorin says before walking away from Balin and going back into Durin's infirmary room.
Somewhere between Middle Earth and the Halls of Mandos...
Durin has been wandering around in a fog since he woke in this place. He has no idea where he is going or where he is. He can see nothing around him but the fog.
"Hello!" his voice echoes into the fog. "Hello."
Still the boy receives no replies to his greeting, and keeps wandering in the fog. It feels like eternity till he makes out a large shadow approaching him in the fog.
"Hello." Durin calls out to the shadow as it approaches. "Tell me who you are!"
Durin begins to back away from the approaching shadow and eventually trips over his own feet. He lands on his back, and the dark shadow comes even closer till the fog parts to reveal what the shadow really is.
An old male dwarf becomes visible as the shadow disappears. His snowy white beard reaches down to his stomach, and the hair on his head is braided and just as long as the beard. His eyes are a blue color and seem very old.
"What are you doing down there lad?" The old dwarf says in a stern voice as he looks Durin over.
"You surprised me, uzbad gamil." Durin says to the old dwarf.
The older laughs at Durin's name for him. "I have been called many names, but never an old lord."
"Who are you then?' Durin asks the old dwarf.
"I am you and you are me. Or at least a younger version of me."
Durin gives the old dwarf a confused look.
"Come; let me show you something." The old dwarf extends a hand for Durin to take, and once Durin takes his hand, he helps him up.
The two walk through the fog till they come across a silver pond.
"Look into the water." The old dwarf says to Durin as he pushes him towards the water.
Durin walks towards it and looks into the pond. The water ripples before showing Durin several different dwarves and their lives in Arda.
"Who are they?" Durin asks as the images move faster and faster. Several births, lives lived, and deaths flash until Durin sees his mother giving birth.
"All of them are you. Just like I am you, but only I was the first of our many incarnations."
Durin watches as his mother births him before the image shifts to one that shows his young body laying on a bed injured.
"That is me. The wargs attacked my namad, and I fought them off. But why am I seeing myself. I haven't died!" Durin shouts at the old dwarf.
"Not yet you haven't. You are in the veil as some may call it. A place between the land of the living and the land of the dead."
"But why am I here?" Durin growls out at the older dwarf in the same tone as he has heard Thorin use on the council.
The older dwarf laughs while he answers. "You are a Longbeard, sigindashat. Never one for patience and quick to temper. You are here because the time has come for you to know who you really are."
"But I know who I am. I am the son of Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. A descendant of Durin the Deathless. A prince of the royal line of Erebor."
"Yes. Yes. Fancy titles those are, but they are not who you truly are. I told you before. I am you and you are me. We are one in the same."
"I don't understand."
The old dwarf approaches Durin and turns both of them to look at the pond. Again the lives of a few dwarves flash across the water as the old dwarf begins to speak.
"I have been reincarnated a few times already since my first life. Many in this Third Age believe that Thorin Oakenshield is my reincarnation. Yet, that was not to be. Mahal and the Valar had originally planned for him to be my reincarnation, yes. However, certain things began to happen. While Thorin was still being forged in the womb, Mahal and I noticed something strange when we looked a few years into the future. Yes we saw him growing up strong, but something was missing. Something very vital to life itself. Love. So Mahal began planning to forge a One for my future incarnation. After Mahal had his plan in place, we both looked again into the future. Only we could not see any future, and that startled Mahal. He spoke with the others and they all began to worry. Only one time before had the future been unseen. It was agreed by all of the Valar that I would not be reincarnated into Thorin. Yet Mahal went ahead with his plans, and forged a mate for Thorin to take the place of mine. However, she would not last past her first year due to orcs attacking the kingdom she was born to. Mahal and Yavanna wept for the lost girl, and Yavanna asked that the young soul be reborn again. The Valar agreed, but with one exception. That the soul would be sent to another world, away from Arda. When Mahal heard this he grew angry, and before this soul was sent away, he forged a connection that would bring her back to Arda. That connection was us. For Mahal had chosen her to be one to carry our incarnation."
"So my Amad was always destined to come here?" Durin asks the old dwarf.
"She was. However, what Mahal and Yavanna had not expected, was for her to have birthed a child before coming to Arda. We were planned to be the first and only child of our chosen Amad and Thorin. Yet, as I said before, the future had become unseen. Yavanna worried that we would not be able to be forged in our Amad's womb, so Mahal himself went stepped in. He merged a part him with Amad, and was able to heal the small damage that was causing us from being reborn. However, the Valar were not happy with what Mahal had done, but there was nothing they could do to stop it. So as Mahal prepared to forge us into our chosen Amad, Yavanna approached Mahal with another to reincarnate. Seeing his wife so adamant about this soul needing a second chance, Mahal included this soul into his plan for our reincarnation."
"My brother." Durin says as again the images of his mother giving birth appear in the water, and he sees his older brother being born first. "You are me, but another version of me."
"Yes, and now that you know the truth what will you do?" The old dwarf asks.
Durin thinks a little bit before something from the fight with wargs becomes clear. "It was you who spoke to me on the plains with the wargs." Durin turns to look at the old dwarf.
The old dwarf laughs again and shakes his head. "That was not me, for I am you. Who you heard and felt helping in the fight was sigin'adad Thrain. Oh yes, the dead can speak to us in time of great need. So I ask again. What will you do now?"
Durin looks back at the pond and sees his Inara and Thorin sitting at his bedside. Both watching his body for any sign of waking.
"I want to go back." Durin says to the old dwarf. "My family needs me."
"The whole of Arda needs us." The old dwarf says before touching Durin's cheek. "When it is time, you will remember all." Then the old dwarf shoves Durin into the pond. "Until then."
In Durin's infirmary room...
Inara and Thorin take turns wiping away the sweat from Durin's brow as they keep their vigil over their son. For the past four days Oin has checked on the boy and can offer no assurances to Thorin and Inara. Neither parent is willing to leave Durin's side in fear of losing him.
Since Fili had returned, he has taken over as King Under the Mountain for Thorin. At the end of each day, Fili reports to Thorin and Inara all that is happening in the kingdom. He also gives updates about Kili and Tauriel as he receives them from Bard.
On the night of the fifth day since the attack, Inara is sitting in a chair next to Durin's bedside fast asleep. She is still wearing the same outfit from the day when Durin was brought in. Her hair is greasy looking in the single braid that goes down her back. There are also dark circles under her eyes, and her eyelids are a maroon color from the lack of sleep.
Thorin is sitting at the end of Durin's sickbed as he watches Inara sleep. He had to argue with her just to get her to go to sleep. With the lack of sleep she has been getting, Thorin can see how the dark circles make her look older than she normally would look. Inara still looks like she is in her late twenties despite being older than that, if you counted in the years of men.
A small movement on the bed, causes Thorin to look towards his son. His son had just moved. Knowing it to be a good sign, Thorin get up and moves to the head of the bed.
"Durin." Thorin whispers as he sits down next to the boys' upper body. He leans forward and places a hand against Durins' cheek.
The boys' face flinches at his father's touch. Durins' eyelids flutter before opening slowly to see another pair of blue eyes looking right at him.
"Durin." Thorin says with joy. "Welcome back."
Durin gives Thorin a smile before turning his head towards where Inara is sleeping.
"She has not left your side since you came here." Thorin says to Durin at seeing the confusion on the boys' face.
Durin turns back towards Thorin before trying to talk.
"Rìka?" Durin tries to say, but it barely comes out.
"She is fine. You saved her life, Durin. And you will have a scar that will attest to your bravery."
Durin gently moves a hand towards his face and can feel the stitches.
"Are you hungry?" Thorin asks Durin as he starts to get up from the bed.
"Just tired and thirsty."
Thorin nods before going over to the night stand to pour a glass of water from the pitcher. He goes back over to Durins' side and helps hold the boy up so that he can drink. After a few small gulps of water, Thorin sets the boy back down onto the bed.
"Rest, my son." Thorin tells Durin as he brushes a few strands of Durin's hair away from the sleepy set of eyes.
Soon Durin is back asleep, and Thorin keeps his watch over him.
Hopefully I didn't lose any of you with this chapter. This chapter is supposed to span over a six day time period. It took me a few days to get this chapter to where I wanted it, and I have my fingers crossed that you all enjoyed it.
Reviews are welcomed. Including the negative ones.
Selene