Sorry for the delay folks. I have a really bad cold on top of a stomach bug, which is not fun. Plus classes are going to be starting up again. That means that updates are going to be sporadic from now until the end of April. I refuse to put this story on hiatus; so I hope you all will be patient for new chapters.
Ok. So this chapter is going to be something very different from what I have done in the past. The first change is that there are no ages of the children at the beginning. This is because this chapter is going to focus on the battle of Moria. Second change is that I am basing how Moria looks from scenes in the extended edition of LOTR Fellowship of the Ring movie. Also, I am using an inside map of Moria from possibly a game, since I cannot actually find one. On that note, I am guessing that the entrance to the mines of Moria from LOTR is kind of like a back way into it.
Just to forewarn: this chapter is going to be skipping around between several of our lovely dwarves as they are fighting.
A little History note for you all: mercy killings are a known thing that happen during wars. The young, elderly, infirm, injured, and about to be captured women were given mercy killings by those who cared for them or loved them. It was seen as a way to keep them from suffering at the hands of their enemies. It sometimes happen in the world we are living in, right now in other countries.
Khuzdul. Sindarin. (I ask for forgiveness if my Sindarin is not in the correct context. None of my Tolkien buddies would help me with the translations.)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or LOTR.
Hold on tight my faithful readers. This is going to be one hell of a crazy chapter.
A mile away from the gates of Moria...
It has taken Balin and his large army of volunteers five months to reach their destination. Upon arriving only a mile or two away from the main entrance gate, Balin noticed that there were no signs of orcs or goblins. However, with the battle of Azanulbizar fresh in his memory, Balin is reluctant to charge in. So he has all of the troops setting up camp for the time being.
Inside of his command tent, Balin is thinking of how he wants to proceed with his plans to take Moria. He is still dressed in his traveling clothes since he has not changed yet. There is an old map laying on the ground with rocks being used to keep it flat. There are no tables in the tent; nor are there any chairs. Battle armor is resting on the ground, in the far corner; away from where sleeping materials are.
"Balin?" Kili says as he enters the tent with Fili, Tauriel, Oin, Bifur, Grìva, Brâka, Dori, and Bofur following.
Kili is wearing a dark leather over vest with chain-mail underneath a deep blue tunic. His pants are black along with his boots, which have some shielding over the toes. His bow is slung over his right shoulder along with his quiver full of arrows. A sword rests on his left side at the waist. His wife, Tauriel, is wearing her elven brown armor over a deep blue outfit that looks similar to her green Mirkwood Guard outfit. Her bow and quiver mirror the same positions as where her husband's bow and quiver are located. Her elven daggers rest in an X across the front of her waist. Another set of daggers are tucked away in her boots. Both have their hair pulled away from their faces by several braids. The most noticeable of the braids show that the two of them belong to each other thanks to the beads.
Fili is wearing an outfit similar to what he wore at the Battle of the Five Armies. The only difference is the colors are more a dark brown color, and poking out his wrist bracer is one of Sigrid's silver and bronze hair ribbon. His dual swords sit across his back with their hilts sitting just above his shoulders. As usual, he has many other blades stashed away in his outfit. His hair is also pulled away from his face with the help of his braids which show that he is Thorin's heir to Erebor, a prince of the line of Durin, and married.
The rest of the commanders are dressed in their battle armor, except for Oin. He is still wearing his traveling clothes as well.
Balin looks up from his musings over the map. Yet he does not speak to them, but nods his head to them in greeting.
"The troops are weary about where our camp is located." Fili says as he moves to stand near Balin and the map.
"I don't blame them." Tauriel says as she and Kili move to stand next to Fili. "The air is quiet around here. It is like there is a curse upon the land."
"That is because, lassie, many dwarves lost their lives here the last time I was here." Balin says in serious tone. "Have the scouts reported back any activity?"
Bifur shakes his head when Balin looks towards him for an answer. Bifur's battle armor is tarnished, but if you look closely you can see the Moria sigil in the chest plate. His helmet has the same sigil on it as well.
"I figured as much." Balin says with a sigh. "I was expecting to have some kind of acknowledgement that the orcs may have noticed us."
"Perhaps they are deep in the mines, and have not seen us yet?" Oin says in a gruff voice. "Best they don't attack us just yet. I just got the medic tents ready, but haven't unloaded the medical supplies yet."
"Let us hope that we can keep the element of surprise for as long as we can." Kili says as he watches Balin move around the map. "What is it?"
"I am hoping that nothing has changed inside of Moria. If these maps hold true, then we might be able to send in a small group to scout." Balin says as his brain begins to formulate a plan. "We would need the fastest and lightest on their feet to enter."
"I will volunteer." Tauriel says much to the annoyance of Kili.
"No. I refuse to allow you to enter there by yourself." Kili says to Tauriel. The look on his face is one of anger and worry.
"She wouldn' be goin' alone." Bofur says in a huff. He shifts slightly in his metal and silver blended armor, which Aliena had fashioned for him two years earlier. "Bifur and me will go with the lass. Don't try arguin' with me. Bifur knows some of the tunnels and mineshafts. His adad was the one who made most of your maps from listening to verbal stories passed down from each generation."
"Very well. Bofur, Bifur, Tauriel. You three will go ahead and venture inside. No attacking unless you are attacked first. This is a scouting mission not an assault." Balin says before Kili has another chance to voice his dislike for the idea.
"Very well." Bofur says with a serious tone before turning to face Tauriel. "Lass, how quick can ya be ready?"
"I am ready now, master dwarf." Tauriel replies before following Bofur and Bifur out of the tent.
As Kili attempts to follow his wife, Fili is quick to grab his brother by the shoulder to stop him.
"Kili." Fili says carefully as he moves to stand in front of his nadadith. "She will come back. You know that she is quick on her feet, and even quicker with her bow or daggers. Bofur and Bifur will make sure that she is alright."
"I should be going with her." Kili says in frustration. He wasn't planning on being separated so early from his yâsith for this battle.
"Kili. The archer units need their leader." Balin says as he moves towards the two princes of Erebor. "If they do arouse the enemy we will be needing everyone to be ready."
"So what is your plan?" Fili asks Balin as he and Kili turn to look at Balin.
"If there aren't any orcs in the main entrance halls, we will use that as a forward base of operations. There are many paths and tunnels that lead all over. If the enemy is in there, they will most likely be holed up in the mines themselves. So most of our forces will have to be available to fight in there. But I do not want our forward base of even our encampment at risk. Fili, I will have you keep several of our troops here to protect the encampment. Kili, pick your best archers that can give support in the tunnels; yet they must also be able to fight with sword in case of close combat. Another group of archers should be placed with Fili here for support. The rest will be used in the forward camp with you, Kili." Balin explains as he points out to Kili where he wants the archers on the map before continuing on. "Dori, you will lead some of the front line troops into Dun-Melek. Bifur, Bofur, Brâka, Grìva, and I will be going with you till you reach the second hall. Then Bifur will be leading troops down the Grand Stairs. Brâka will be taking his troops down towards the forges. Grìva will be taking his troops into Durin's Way. I will be taking my troops into Zelem-Melek. That is where Bifur will meet up with me before continuing through the main areas. Bofur will be stationed with you Kili at the forward command base, which will be just outside of the First Hall. That way, if any of us have to retreat, that is where we will go."
"Let us spread word among our troops on where we will be heading." Brâka says gruffly; his curly red beard swaying as he speaks. He is quick to leave after showing a gesture of respect to Balin.
"Aye." Grìva says before spitting at the ground. "I will be letting the line breakers and shield-maidens know of our movements."
"I would like for you to leave a few shield-maidens with Prince Fili as well, Grìva." Balin says before the old, silver-haired commander can leave the tent.
"Aye. How many?"
"Half, if possible." Balin says with an edge to his voice. "I would also like the word spread that if a female is about to be captured, with no hope for recovery or survival, that she be shot dead by the archers. I will not have a single female be raped or tortured by orcs or goblins if we are unable to recover them alive."
"Agreed." Everyone in the tent says in a solemn tone except for Kili.
"Their families would be told that they died in battle instead of hearing of their daughters being captured or tortured." Balin says before dismissing all but Fili and Kili from the tent.
"Kili." Balin says as he approaches the younger prince. "That goes for Tauriel as well. I need to know that you will not put yourself or your archers in danger in a vain attempt to rescue her. She is a good warrior, and I do not doubt her abilities. Yet, if she is captured, with no hope of recovery, I need to know that you will do this duty for her."
Kili's jaw clenches with the mere thought of Tauriel being taken and not being able to save her.
"Kili. I agree with Balin. It would be a mercy kill to keep her from being tortured by orcs or goblins." Fili says as he takes hold of Kili's right hand. "Remember Ravenhill? You nearly died as Bolg played on your emotions. He knew about your concern for Tauriel, and the orcs or goblins inside will play on that too. Promise me you won't leave your younglings without a parent."
"Would you be able to do it if it was Sigrid?" Kili asks as he looks Fili straight in the eyes. He knows he shouldn't have said it, but Kili isn't sure if Fili really understands what Tauriel's death would mean to him if he can't attempt to save her.
"If there was no hope, yes I would." Fili replies allowing some emotion into his words. He knows that if Sigrid was to ever be taken, he would fight to retrieve her. Yet, he also understands Balin's logic in asking for the females to receive mercy killings if they are taken. Inara had told them, back in Laketown so many years ago, about how some people from her world would treat captured females. She drove home the point about mutilations being done to their special area and breasts by their captives. The hours of rape by multiple males, and even to those females who were too young to understand what was happening to them. That is why Fili won't argue with Balin's logic.
Kili nods his head as he closes his eyes in defeat. "Yes." Kili looks up at Fili with a hidden anger in his eyes before darting out of the tent.
"Kili!" Fili shouts and is about to go after his nadadith, but Balin's hand to his shoulder keeps him still.
"Let him go, laddie. Tauriel already knows about the risk she is taking; as well as the mercy killings. She agreed with it, and has two archers ready to do it for her if Kili cannot make the shot himself." Balin says to Fili with a hint of sadness in his voice. "It is hard to think of losing their spouse in battle. That is why many of us who are warriors do not take warrior dams into a marriage. The thought of losing a spouse in battle is hard, but harder still is watching them suffer at the hands of the enemy."
"I understand, Balin. But Kili will never recover if he loses Tauriel; nor will she if he dies."
"Nor will you, if Kili dies in battle. And the same could be said for him about you." Balin says in an understanding voice. "We will begin the assault as soon as Tauriel, Bifur, and Bofur return from their mission."
Somewhere inside of Moria...
Tauriel sneaks her way along the out-cropping of rocks along the hallway's right side. Bifur and Bofur are on the left side of the hallway, creeping slowly as they move. All three are silent as they walk, which unnerves Tauriel. With the darkness inside of this place, her elven senses are having a hard time adjusting.
They keep moving until they see a torchlight at the end of the tunnel. This low glowing light, causes Tauriel to blink numerous times to get her eyes to adjust to the light. The sounds that reach her elven ears causes a shiver to run down her spine. Moving quickly, Tauriel darts across the hallway to where Bofur and Bifur are stopped.
"We are not alone." She whispers to her two companions.
"What do ya think is down there?" Bofur asks quietly as he can. His grip tightens on his hammer as adrenaline sweeps through him.
"Goblins." Tauriel whispers as she turns to look back towards the light, which is now becoming brighter. "We must leave, quickly. They are on the move."
"Agreed." Bofur replies in a whispered voice before signing to Bifur about heading back.
The three of them move as swiftly as they can in the dark hallway, while trying to stay ahead of now approaching light. The closer the light gets to them as they hurry down the hallway, the more they can hear the noisy cries of goblins.
Just outside of the gates of Moria...
Dusk is beginning to settle across the battlefield as Balin, his commanders, and the army are waiting at the ready for Tauriel, Bofur, and Bifur's return.
Kili and his archers are waiting behind the first and second waves of infantry that are in front of them. Brâka's troops make up the first and second waves; along with a few of Grìva's shield-maidens. The shield-maidens carry large, body sized shields; as well as their weapons of choice. Behind Kili and his archer units are the third and fourth wave of troops, which consist of Bofur, Bifur, and Dori's troops. Near the back of the massive army is Balin's troops as well as those from the Iron Hills and their twirly-whirly war machines.
"Balin." Ori says from his position next to the old, white haired dwarf. Both dwarves are sitting on battle rams at the top of one of the hills. "Why haven't they returned yet?"
"Give them time laddie." Balin says while trying to hide his worry. His gray battle ram lets out a nervous bleat, and Balin pats the side of the rams' neck to calm the creature.
It has been several hours since Tauriel, Bofur, and Bifur had entered the gates. By mid-evening Balin had decided to have the troops muster and prepare for combat before the gates of Moria. Deep inside, Balin is hoping that he hasn't sent the three of them to their deaths.
"Movement!" Fili says from Balin's left. The battle ram he is seated upon startles, but Fili keeps the reigns taunt to keep the animal under control. He points to where the gates begin opening. "They made it out alive."
Balin watches as Bifur and Bofur come charging, in a full-blown run, out of the gates with Tauriel following closely behind them. However, she has her bow drawn and whips around to shoot towards the now fully open gates. Balin's eyes widen as he sees hordes of goblins following after the three.
"Give Brâka the signal to charge." Balin shouts towards a shield-maiden, who is quick to blow her horn from beside Fili's ram.
Hearing the signal, Brâka shouts to his troops to charge towards the goblins. As the troops charge, they make small spaces for Tauriel, Bifur, and Bofur to pass by without being harmed. Brâka's forces plow into the goblin ranks as Balin calls for the twirly-whirly contraptions to be released into the goblin ranks.
"Break them!" Brâka shouts out to his troops as he slams his war-hammer into a larger goblin. "Send them back to the fiery hell that they came from!"
Balin watches as the first two waves push the goblins back towards the gates. He looks over to where Ori is, and notices that the dwarf is writing in his book.
"You best keep your eyes on the battlefield, laddie." Balin says to Ori. He can't fault the lad for wanting to keep record of the battle, but something about the book itself has Balin a little nervous. Something that could become dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands.
"They're struggling." Fili says as he sees more goblins coming out of the gates. "Brâka needs help, Balin."
Balin looks back out and watches a two very large trolls come out of the gates. Seeing the new threat to the troops, Balin lets out a growl.
"Send in Grìva, Bifur, Bofur, and Dori's troops." Balin shouts at the shield-maiden.
Her horn lets out several different pitches as she blows into it, signaling for the next two waves to head into battle.
Kili is becoming nervous as he watches Tauriel release several arrows at one of the two trolls that had come out of the gates. Several archers from his units have been sent to help bring the trolls down, but none have hit their marks. Kili notices one of Grìva's shield-maidens being dragged, by her hair, towards the gates by two goblins. A third goblin has hold of her injured leg, and is pulling on it roughly. Kili feels his heart drops as there is no dwarf near her to try and help her. Remembering the order that was agreed upon earlier, Kili brings his bow up with an arrow notched.
"My prince?" one of Kili's archers says in shock as he realizes what Kili is doing. "Prince. She is one of ours!"
"Do you not remember what was said earlier, Tâka? There is no chance of recovering her if they get her past that gate; nor is there any of our allies near her to help." Kili says before releasing the aimed arrow at the dam, who was screaming in agony as the goblin holding her injured leg started eating it. Kili's arrow hits true, ending her suffering; but deep in his soul, Kili is disgusted with himself for it.
"Prince?" the red-haired dwarf, Tâka, says in shock after seeing Kili shoot the dam. This is Tâka's first time in any kind of battle in all of his 85 years of life.
Kili lowers his bow and turns towards his archers. "You all heard the order that was given. Any dam captured, with no hope of survival or recovery, you are to mercy kill. Is that understood?!"
Tâka and the others nod their heads at Kili's question. However, that doesn't stop them from feeling the loss of a dam any less.
"Now. Start shooting at the enemy to give our troops cover fire." Kili shouts at them in frustration before looking back out onto the battlefield. His eyes are trying to find Tauriel among the mass of fighting.
Tauriel is fighting a goblin, who has somehow managed to knock her down onto the ground. She grabs one of her arrows, and drives it by hand into the goblins' rib-cage. The goblin screeches out in surprise, and tightens its grip on Tauriel's neck with one hand. The goblin's other hand is holding trying to hold down the elf maids' arms, which isn't going the way it planned. Tauriel drives a knee into the groin of the goblin, causing it to roll over, head-over-heels, above Tauriel's head. As she twists to get back up onto her feet, a hammer flies past her face in a downward swing, and crushes the goblin's head.
"Sorry about tha' lass." Bofur says in a cheery voice. "I would 'ave got here sooner if it wasn't for the damn troll." He points over his shoulder to the dead troll laying several yards away.
"Thank you, Bofur." Tauriel says before quickly drawing her bow and arrow to shoot a goblin that was charging towards them on their left.
"Ah yes. Enough chit-chat. Time to go back to work." Bofur says to Tauriel, giving her a cheeky grin and wink. He lifts his hammer up and charges past Tauriel, heading towards the goblin ranks.
"Dwarves." Tauriel says as she follows after Bofur.
The dwarven lines push the goblins back into Moria as dawn breaks upon the sky and land. As the troops keep pushing the goblins back, Oin and Fili send a few troops out into the empty carnage left behind to search for their injured. Balin and his troops have followed the others into Moria and is beginning the inside assault. Even Kili has gone inside, which has Fili feeling uneasy.
"I never thought I would be seeing this again." Oin grumbles as he and Fili watch the carts in the early morning light. "It was bad enough the first time. I just hope Balin's luck keeps going."
Fili nods as he watches a cart, being led by a battle ram, stop near a body. He watches as Ardìth has two soldiers lift the body from the ground. Fili takes a shaky breath as he notices that the body is that of a female line-breaker.
"Another dead lass." Oin grumbles out sadly. "That is the sixth one so far."
"Six is still too many, Oin." Fili says as he continues to watch the two soldiers carefully place the dams' body into the back of the cart.
"It is. But they knew the risks, just as their counterparts do. To be a warrior is no easy feat. Especially for our dams." Oin says before placing a hand on Fili's back. "I best see to what few living patients I have."
Fili keeps his eyes focused on the cart before looking up to the gates of Moria. "With the blood that has been shed so far, we had better succeed."
Deep inside of Moria...
The battle continues to rage on as the dwarves fight the goblins back into the many tunnels and halls of Moria. Tauriel, who has stayed near Bofur, has been using her daggers to help destroy as many goblins as she can. With her help, Bofur's troops haven't suffered many casualties while clearing out the First Hall, and have begun to set up the forward command base at the crossroads for the bridge of Khazad-dum and Durin's Way.
"We hold the line here, lass." Bofur says in a tired voice. His face is dripping with sweat and dirt combination, which makes him look like he is covered in paste.
"Kili should have been back by now." Tauriel says as she begin pacing near the bridge. Her elven senses are on overload from the battle, yet there is still something else that is causing her to feel on edge.
"Give the lad some time, lass. He and his archers are helpin' to clear out the second hall with Dori and Balin. He'll be back." Bofur says as he takes off his hat and pulls out a piece of cloth to wipe his face.
"He had better come back in one piece and unharmed." Tauriel says with a growl in her voice before looking back across the vast open space to the other side.
"You're startin' to sound like a dwarf now, lassie." Bofur says with a chuckle in his voice.
Deep in the second hall Kili is and a few of this archers are making their way back towards the bridge. However, a runner from Grìva's troops comes towards them. Her armor is dented and bloody, and her once golden hair is dark from the blood of the enemy.
"Prince." The runner gasps while trying to catch her breath. "My Prince. Commander Grìva needs you. Goblins are pushing his troops back. He needs support before the command base before the First Hall is overrun."
Kili tries to stay calm as adrenaline flies through his veins at the thought of Tauriel and Bofur having to deal with the goblins.
"Damn." Kili says before turning to look at his now sixty-four archers. "Half of you, follow the runner to go help Grìva's troops. The rest of you with me. We need to get back to the First Hall now!" Kili starts to run back to the way that will lead him back to the bridge and back to Tauriel. He sends a silent prayer to Mahal to keep Tauriel safe till he arrives.
As Kili reaches the bridge, his heart sinks as he sees Bofur's troops fighting goblins across the way. Quickly, Kili notches an arrow and aims it across the vast gap and lets it fly at his target. The other archers do the same, which causes the goblins to retreat back down Durin's Way and Grìva's troops. Kili keeps firing arrow after arrow as he cross the bridge. When he reaches the other side, all the goblins have either fled or are lying on the ground dead. Out of the corner of his eyes, he notices the red hair of Tauriel.
"Tauriel!" Kili shouts as he runs over to where she is crouched down over a body.
"Hold on." Tauriel says as she quickly cuts off the long, blue piece of fabric from her clothes. "You need to hold on." She says as she presses the cloth to a large, gaping wound on the body lying in front of her.
"Tauriel?" Kili says as he runs to her side. His pace pales as he sees the wound on the body. "What happened?" he growls out as he tries to help her stop the bleeding.
"The goblins tried to overrun us via the path that leads north where Grìva's troops were at. Everything happened so fast, and one of them got past me." Tauriel says as he presses hard onto the wound, which causes the dwarf to let out a strangled, pain-filled cry.
"Just hold on." Kili says in a slightly panicked voice. "Hold on, Bofur!"
In Erebor...
A scream of pain echoes inside of the royal halls. It is so loud that it causes Dwalin and all of the royal children in the main living room to cringe.
"Will Amad be alright?" Raina asks as she cuddles into her uncle's side. Her brown eyes filled with unshed tears.
Durin looks at his young niece and wraps an arm around her to pull her closer as they sit on the floor. He too is a bit nervous about it all. Never before has he heard screaming like this. He looks over to where Frerin is leaning against the wall, next to the fire place. Even his older brother is looking worried.
"She'll be alright." Kelda says as she comes to sit down next to Raina and Durin. "She is stronger than she looks."
"Don't lie to her!" Tanis growls at Kelda as he get up from short table which has a game he and Balder were playing. "Amad is hurting and being hurt cause's pain."
"Laddie," Dwalin growls out at the young boy. "Don't be scarin' your namad."
"But it is true. Adad tells me tha' every time I get hurt." Tanis shouts at Dwalin with a stern look on his face.
Another scream echoes down, and everyone cringes as the scream lasts longer than the others that they have heard.
Inside of one of the rooms down a wing, there is a bustle of movement.
"Fuck!" Aliena screams out before panting through the pain that is running through her body.
"Easy, Hôfukel." Dis says as she gently wipes some of the sweat off of her adopted nieces' forehead. "Don't fight the contractions. You need to work with them.
Aliena lets out a growl and gives Dis a very angry look.
"She is right." Inara says while trying to hide her worry.
Inara has stayed by her daughter's side during the whole pregnancy and is now making sure that the birth of a third grandchild happens smoothly. She looks over at Sigrid who is also looking a bit worried. Both women know how difficult birthing dwarf babes is for the human body.
Aliena screams out again in pain as she pushes her back into the mattress of her old bed. Tears are beginning to leak out of her eyes from the pain. She has done this twice before, yet this time is more painful than any of the others. When she gave birth to Tanis it only took her eight hours before he came into the world. He was a quick birth, which she was told by her mother was about average. When she gave birth to Raina, her and Bofur had to seek shelter from a rain storm in a cavern along the Ánduin River on their way back from Edoras in Rohan. Now it appears that their newest child is causing her a lot of trouble already.
"Breathe." Dis reminds Aliena as she brings a newly damp cloth to Aliena's forehead. "That's it. You are doing great, Hôfukel."
Sigrid makes her way over to Inara with some clean linens draped over her arm. "Should she be in this much pain?"
"Each pregnancy is different. Yet, the way she keeps pressing her back into the mattress has me wondering if she is experience back labor." Inara whispers to Sigrid. "I had it when I was in labor with her."
Looking over to where Sigrid and Inara are whispering, Dis is starting to wonder if there is something wrong. Glancing down at the woman panting on the bed, Dis's eyes become large as a pool of blood begins to seep out from under Aliena's body.
"Inara!" Dis shouts just as Aliena screams out louder than she has before now.
Inara and Sigrid look towards the bed, and Inara springs into action. Moving fast, Inara quickly begins to place more towels down onto the bed while removing the blood soaked ones. She is trying hard not to panic at the sight of so much blood. Checking Aliena, Inara finds the source of the blood.
"Damn it!" Inara growls out. "Thorin! Get your ass in here!"
Sigrid and Dis look at Inara with surprised looks, as does Aliena.
"Why are..." Dis asks before the door to Aliena's old bedroom slams open.
"What is it?" Thorin asks as he hurries into the room. His dark hair, looking more like a dark silver color, flows away from his face as he hurries towards Aliena's bedside.
"I need you and Sigrid to hold Aliena up, and I need you to do it now." Inara says with urgency. "Dis, I need you to help me down at this end."
Dis and Sigrid both know better than to argue with Inara while helping with a birth.
"What is it?" Aliena cries out as Thorin and Sigrid help Aliena up off of the bed and into a standing position.
"Your child is being difficult. Damn stubbornness of dwarves." Inara growls out as she moves a stool in front of Aliena. She quickly sits down and, using a knife, cuts Aliena's sweat soaked, blue colored shift so that it doesn't cover what Inara needs to be able to reach.
"Mother?" Aliena asks before crying out in pain. Her back bows backwards, which causes Thorin and Sigrid to change their positions at her side.
"Inara?" Dis says as she moves to Inara's side with a pile of clean linens and towels in her hands.
"Dis, I need you to reach inside and try to help guide the babe's head." Inara says in a hurry.
"You want me to do what?" Dis says in shock.
"You have the smallest hands; yet with as thick as they are it will help open up the birth canal a bit more so that the head can move."
With a pale face, Dis does as Inara instructs her. All the while Aliena is screaming in agony from the contractions and now from the intrusion. Inara moves around to Aliena's back and making a fist, presses it into Aliena's lower back to apply pressure just above the tailbone.
Aliena lets out another scream before hearing both Dis and Inara to bear down. Not one to argue with her mother or Dis, Aliena bears down with all her might.
"Keep going." Sigrid says to Aliena as she brushes a few stray hairs out of Aliena's face.
"You're doing well, Hôfukel." Thorin whispers in his adopted daughters' ear while trying hard to keep her upright. He looks down at Inara to see her looking up at Thorin with fear in her eyes. He knows now why she had Dis take over things with the babe. He too is afraid that this babe might cost Aliena her life.
Finally, Aliena bares down once more and Dis is moving quickly to help guide the body of the babe out. Yet there is no cry coming from the babe.
"Inara!" Dis shouts as she holds the slightly blue faced babe in her hands.
Inara quickly moves around Aliena and Thorin to reach Dis. Seeing the babes' still form, Inara moves to tie off the cord before cutting it with a knife. Dis takes the babe towards the waiting bowl of warm water to clean it off, while Inara quickly tries to get the afterbirth to come forth. Looking up at her daughter's face, Inara notices that Aliena has gone a bit pale and looks close to passing out.
"Get Aliena up onto the bed." Inara says in a hurry as she wraps the afterbirth in a large towel.
As Thorin and Sigrid carry Aliena towards the bed, Inara does a quick glance at the afterbirth, and takes a quick, inward breath. Besides the cord and sac, there is a half developed body of a babe that looks to have stopped growing at the half-way mark. Inara tries to fight back the tears that are building in her eyes. This little boy was a twin with the other which has been born, but hasn't cried out yet.
Over at the bowl, Dis is trying her hardest to get the babe to take a breath, but nothing is working. She is wondering if the child is a stillborn babe since it has yet to move. Hearing movement, Dis looks over her shoulder to see Thorin standing behind her, but his eyes are fixed to the babe in her hands.
Thorin had come over here to see the newest member of his family while letting Sigrid take care of Aliena.
"It isn't moving nor breathing, nadad." Dis whispers softly so that she isn't over heard by the others. "I fear the babe has gone."
Thorin reaches out to take the small babe from Dis. He is quick to notice that the babe has the dark hair of its father. Feeling at a loss as to having to tell Aliena and Bofur, Thorin leans in to kiss the newborn babes forehead. It is at this moment that the babe lets out a cough and begins to cry out in earnest. Both Dis and Thorin are startled by the noise after having thought the babe dead.
"Mahal be praised." Dis says to Thorin as tears begin to make their way down her face.
Thorin uses the towel that Dis had wrapped the babe in to clean the remaining fluids from the babe. As he cleans the babe, Thorin allows a smile to appear on his face as he discovers the sex of the babe. Dis hands Thorin a clean blanket so that she may take the dirty towel away. With steady hands, Thorin wraps the babe in the clean, cream colored blanket and walks over to Aliena's bedside.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Thorin lays the babe against Aliena's chest as Sigrid moves Aliena's hands to hold the crying bundle.
"Congratulations, Hôfukel." Thorin says softly before leaning to press a kiss against Aliena's pale and clammy forehead. "You have a beautiful and strong son."
"Bofur." Aliena says in her barely conscious state before her eyes roll back and her hands go limp.
"Inara!" Sigrid shouts before handing the crying babe back to Thorin.
"Shit!" Inara yells as she rushes over to Aliena's side. She does a quick check for a pulse against Aliena's neck. "Thorin, I need you to take the babe out of here. Now!"
"What is going on?" Thorin yells back at Inara.
"She has lost a lot of blood, which is causing her to system to want to shut down. Dis, I need you to wrap Aliena's arms and legs in any of the spare linens that were being warmed near the fireplace. Sigrid, I need you to soak some small cloths into some fresh ale that has been seeped with medicinal herbs. We need to pack these into her to stem off the blood." Inara is moving quickly about the bed to try and raise Aliena's lower half with pillows.
"Inara." Thorin growls out and grabs Inara's arm while cradling the babe against his chest with the other hand. "Tell me. How bad is it?"
Inara is fighting to keep herself from breaking down. "There was two." She chokes out before clearing throat. "There should have been two. That babe's brother stopped growing at the halfway point. That little one there, in your arms, barely made it."
Thorin allows this new information to sink in as he looks right into Inara's water filled eyes. He knows what is running through her mind. Not only is Aliena's life in danger, but seeing the dead, half-grown babe has her thinking of their lost son. Thorin pulls Inara to him, being mindful of the living twin against his chest, and holds her close to him. He presses a kiss to her shoulder before whispering into her ear.
"I know. Save Hôfukel and don't worry about this lad. I will see that he is taken care of."
Inara presses her face into Thorin's hair before giving a kiss to his temple. She backs away slowly from Thorin's embrace, and leans down to place a kiss to the babe's forehead. This kiss quiets the babes' crying to just whimpers.
Thorin leaves the room as the three females rush about in their attempts to save Aliena's life. As he closes the door that leads out to the hallway, he takes a deep, shuddering breath. Tears fill run down his face as he tries to come to terms that Aliena might not survive to see another day. The bundle in his arms wiggles, that causes Thorin to look down at the face of his Sigindashat. Thorin lets out a gasp as he sees one bright blue eye and one bright hazel eye staring up at him in wonder.
"Welcome to Erebor, young one."
Main Dwarf Encampment Outside of Moria...
With the campaign still going inside of Moria, Fili is walking towards the healing tents that Oin and Ardith have set up. There are plenty of injured soldiers, and with the long siege all soldiers are on a rotation to help keep fatigue to a minimum. As he walks past several of the troops, who are either resting or eating, he is trying to keep his composure. In Fili's hand is a letter from Erebor that arrived only an hour ago. Roac is perched on Fili's right shoulder is having a hard time staying put while the Heir of Erebor speed walks.
Fili approaches the healing tent and makes his way over to Ardith, who is just finishing wrapping a dam's arm.
"Where can I find Oin?"
Ardith looks up at Fili and then points towards the back, right corner that leads to one of the surgery tents.
Fili gives the healer a nod before snaking his way around the injured filled cots. He has never witnessed so much bloodshed, even if you count the Battle of the Five Armies, in his whole life. Then again, there has never been a campaign like this in his lifetime. He reaches the flap that leads towards the surgery tents.
"Nadad."
A flash of dark hair comes out of nowhere at Fili. Fili is shocked and about to pull a blade out of his bracer till he feels Kili's arms wrap around him.
"Kili? What are you doing here?" Fili asks with concern in his voice.
"It isn't me that is injured." Kili says with water filled eyes.
"What happened? Is it Tauriel?" Fili is now even more worried than before.
"It's Bofur." Tauriel says as she steps out to see who had come.
"We sent word to Bifur, but he hasn't come." Kili says as he tries to brush away a few stray tears.
"What happened?" Fili asks. He knows that the goblins had tried to rush the command post that Tauriel and Bofur were guarding, and that is all he knows.
"They came at us from Durin's Way, Fili. Bofur charged at them, and I lost sight of him for only a few minutes. Then as we pushed the goblins back into Grìva's forces, I saw him. He was laying there, bleeding. Somehow, a goblin was able to wrench his armor from him as another landed the blows." By this time Tauriel is fighting back her tears. "I promised Aliena that I would keep an eye on him."
Fili closes his eyes and his face falls into a pain filled expression.
"Fili?" Kili asks as he places a hand on the now vacant shoulder, which Roac was sitting on. The raven had flown off when he entered the healing tents.
Fili takes a shuddered breath before pulling out a letter. "It's from Thorin."
"What does it say?" Kili asks as he takes the letter from his brother. Kili is quick to begin to read it, but Fili speaks before Kili has a chance to get past the first line.
"Aliena gave birth to a son. But it was a bad birth to the point where they aren't sure if she will live. That was yesterday." Fili barely gets out before having to take a quick breath to try and stop his tears from falling.
Kili's face falls and he pulls Fili into a tight hug as both brothers allow themselves to breakdown.
Tauriel watches as the brothers hold one another in their grief. She swallows down a lump that had formed in her throat when she heard what Fili has said about Aliena. When Tauriel had first met the girl, back in Mirkwood, she had been intrigued by how stubborn the little girl was. Watching her grow up into a woman, Tauriel was proud to call Aliena her friend.
Stepping out of the tent, Tauriel walks a short distance away from the camp. Reaching a distance that would guarantee her privacy, Tauriel looks up at the sky and closes her eyes to feel the tears run down her cheeks.
"Eru Ilúvatar. Aulë. Beria gwanur, Hiril Aliena. Anna edraith" Tauriel whispers into the wind with the hope that her prayer is heard.
Cliffhanger! I know I am so mean.
Reviews are welcome, enjoyed, and often loved. Even the negative ones.
Selene