Reforged and Strengthened

by jezzibee83

A sequel to Reforged. Reforged and Strengthened follows the Reforged Universe and the lives of our favorite Sons of Durin and their elf, Tauriel. Watch as they fill their lives with adventure, love, and family in a world they earned through hardship and battle. Read Reforged first.

77. ACT V Chapter 19

Authors Note ATT: (At the top, lol.) Who is ready for another chapter!

TRIGGER WARNING: There is a blood warning and death in this chapter. Please proceed cautiously and when you are in a good place. Feel free to enjoy a cookie and chocolate if you need it.

Now for some SHOUT OUTSSSS:

Unorthodox-Oblivion: The Palantiri being like an alexa had me dead. LOL! I mean…sort of? If alexa was a powerful orb that required the right kind of person to get to work. Then again…(looks at alexa who barely listens)…ya…it's like an alexa. Truthfully, there is a lot of history in the Palantir. They were said to be devices of communication, but they were also said to show you a distorted picture of what could be. I read a guy answer someone's question stating it would show someone like Sauron how he could rule middle earth. Then Denethor seeing how large and strong Sauron's army is paired with his belief Frodo would fail which caused him to essentially give up. So there was misinterpretation and manipulation involved. What once was a gift to the Numanorians from Valinor, ended up being something that was dreaded and feared during the war of the rings. It is also what Pippin looked into, when he told Gandalf Sauron asked him about the ring. Anyway, if anyone knows more feel free to comment or correct. There is a lot of information, and some arguments on the different ideas of what they are and what they could do. I like the alexa idea though, lol.

Ken: Thank you so much! I sometimes wonder how I am going to top things too. Lol. In fact, every time I start a new chapter or act, my biggest fear is…this is getting boring. So I hope, hope, hope, this stays interesting and worth reading to everyone who has stuck with me and for everyone who is just starting this universe. 😊

DocNikki: I LOVE your long reviews, and YAY I got it right! It try to research as much as I can as I write these…and it helps having a dad in the medical field. Dinner table talks with him usually always involve some sort of gory discussion, lol. I also was thinking about doing some sweet reunion between Fili and Viltarra…but this seemed more them. XD. And I think Tauriel is doing a lot of growing and learning being outside her mountain. She is learning that she lived a very sheltered life, and I think it is opening her understanding of people and the world around her.

You guys, thank you so much for you comments. I love them so so much.

I will let you all read now. Don't forget! There is a trigger warning here!

See you at the bottom! 😊

Chapter Nineteen

"PUSH THROUGH!" Fili ordered the team of dwarven guards as they attempted to get past a set of barricaded doors. "READY...AND...HEAVE!"

Using all of his strength, Fili pushed at the door. He could see his wife over the heads of a few dwarves, and Legolas with his bow at the ready, prepared to release as soon as a gap large enough appeared for one of his deadly arrows to speed through.

"PUSH!" Fili ordered. The doors may have held humans back, but these were dwarves, who were among the strongest races in Arda. Perhaps others such as ents, dragons, and species much larger than dwarves would surpass their strength just for their sheer size…but between common races like elves and humans…dwarves easily surpassed both in pure brute force.

With just a few pushes, the doors began to crumble inwards, and Fili heard Legolas's arrows begin to fly as Kaw and Umyra soared through the gap and started attacking and distracting the larger wargs. The ravens were joined by Hiril and Dungael as they incapacitated their larger, mutilated, orc carrying cousins which were the first string of defense on this floor. Fili had not seen a lot of wargs here, but there were enough to be a hindrance in pushing forward.

"ON MY ORDERS…" Fili called to the group of dwarves around him. "…YOU WILL ENTER AND CLEAR THE FLOOR."

Fili waited for Hiril and Dungael to finish off the last warg and for Legolas to finish his round of arrows. Without Tauriel's team from Erebor, they were lacking in archers which Fili feels would have been extremely beneficial to a mission like this. He thinks he might talk to Krygo and the other lords and rally them into beginning their own instruction in the bow. It certainly would be something that would better their people as a whole…and not just Erebor.

When Kaw flew back and landed on his shoulder, Fili decided it was indication enough they could move forward and called the orders to enter; the sounds of boots pounding on the ground as the dwarves ran in, echoed through the halls. It was quickly followed by the clanging of swords and axes. "TAKE THE ORCS!" Fili ordered a team of dwarves beside him. These levels, being away from the outside elements, were filled mostly with orcs and their wargs along with several human guards.

Fortunately for them, the hybrids easily eradicated both humans and orcs with superb ease. Fili caught himself watching them fight. The seemingly younger hybrids were far less skilled than their older counterparts who were a deadly force. Fili thanks the maker they are fighting on their side…because he isn't sure they would win this if they were up against them.

Fili didn't really understand HOW they did it, but the hybrids seemed to move as one in perfect sequence. Scratch that, he knew they were communicating in their minds with each other sort of like Tauriel and Kili…but he didn't honestly know how it all worked. Were they constantly talking to each other? Or could they choose what to share between them? However they did it, it was that mental communication that had them fighting in perfect sync, he was sure of it.

"FILI!" Fili looked to see his wife gesturing to a hallway off to the side of them. Umyra was already flying down it, the white raven quickly followed by Kaw. "I think I hear screaming."

Fili glanced at the hall again. He didn't hear anything, but if there was someone down there they would need to go check it out. Kili had ordered Kaw and Umyra to help search for imprisoned elves, but they have been an asset in battle as well. The ravens were able to find doors and hallways that would have taken them three times longer to find if he had not had them. He was grateful for the feathered pair, and knew they have already led them to several halls of locked doors filled with elves banging to get out. Saphyra and the other elves of Rhun would take over from there, her and the Avari working to open the doors and assist any who were unable to walk themselves up to the top where they were lifted away to safety.

Since the last group of cells contained more injured and unconscious elves than any they had found yet, they told Fili to push forward and clear the area while they worked to get them out. Which is why, none of the Avari were currently with them to aid should they find more elves. Fili was sure he could handle it though, if he came across any. He certainly would not leave them there to be attacked or killed. But they needed to get through this battle first, then they could go investigate whatever his wife was hearing.

However, fate was not in Fili's favor as Viltarra looked to the corridor the ravens flew down again, gave her husband a meaningful look, then began running into the hall away from him right in the middle of the ongoing battle.

"WAIT!" Fili called after her; they were supposed to stay together! "VILTARRA! Kakhf." He cursed as his wife disappeared around a corner with Hiril right at her feet.

"LEGOLAS!" Fili turned to the elf who finished removing the head from an orc before turning to Fili. "Lead the group down until the place is cleared. I will join you as soon as I can." Legolas nodded and went right back to battle. Fili didn't bother instructing the army, they had their orders to clear the place out and he knew they would keep going until they were fulfilled.

With a quick glance to the battle, Fili huffed and ran after his wife with Dungael still in his shadow. He prayed Viltarra didn't get so far ahead, he would lose her. This place was still incredibly dangerous, Mahal only knows what horrors are still hidden from them in these walls.

Fili could feel his heart begin to pound when he turned a corner and did not see his wife anywhere. "Viltarra!" Fili called, opening doors and searching hall after hall that led to nothing but a dead end. Dungael was not trained in the least for really anything, so he was no help whatsoever...and with the ravens ahead of him, he couldn't even send Kaw to find her.

He paused at an archway leading to a long hallway where he could hear cries coming from. Thinking that is what his wife heard, Fili headed in that direction, following the sounds around corner after corner. Finally, he stopped at a row of several identical looking doors, each one closed, though he already knew what was behind them. Some of the doors were moving as if someone on the opposite side were struggling to get it open and Umyra fluttered around his head, croaking 'Elf' before she landed on a table nearby and looked at him expectantly. Kaw was nowhere in sight, hopefully with Viltarra...wherever she went. Mahal. Of all the ravens he could be stuck with though, it just had to be Umyra, but now was not the time to even think about that.

"Something is happening!" Fili heard someone say. "I hear battle sounds! I think help is coming."

The timbre of the voice suggested to Fili at least, that these, were elves speaking just as Umyra had indicated. He already knew that though, from the previous identical halls he has already cleared. Yet another row of cells filled with innocent beings kept behind locked doors. It made Fili sick to see just how many were hidden away in hallways of cells just like this throughout this place. Although…the golden haired son of Durin eyed the door again. There was something different about this row of cells. His blue eyes lingered on the odd-looking locks on every door, then on the pipes running along the entire corridor feeding into each room.

Knowing there was no time to contemplate the differences between the different cell blocks, Fili moved to unlock the first door…but no matter what he tried, the lock did not budge. "Kakhf." He cursed and stepped away. "This is not good." He eyed the lock then went to move to yet another door to try again. However, before he even turned around a large shadow slowly rose up blocking the light nearly completely out. Fili slowly glanced behind him to see a very tall and equally wide guard stepping into the hall and glaring at him. His guard uniform barely contained him, his gut spilling out over his pants, and he clearly had to remove his sleeves completely to fit his thick arms through. Even his head did not quite fit in his helmet…it looked as if the man required a mallet to tap it onto his head. Fili shuttered. That…was a very large human.

"One little dwarf…broken from the pack." The man grunted, his hand holding a massive and deadly looking serrated onyx blade. Umyra croaked and hissed as Dungael growled, his teeth bared at the man who merely snarled at them. "Do you think you, a pup, and a chicken can save them all, little dwarf?"

Fili narrowed his eyes and gripped his new sword tightly which looked like a dagger in comparison to the man's weapon. "Actually, I think I can."

This did not seem to please the man who growled. "Aww, but they will be long dead, before I even let you try to free em."

"That would imply you could out fight me." Fili taunted. "Little human."

Pure rage filled the man's face as he did just as Fili wanted him to do; lunge at him. With a quick step Tauriel taught him, Fili spun around the man. The large, mostly around the midsection, man, who was not expecting the move done by a dwarf, nearly fell to the ground when he was unable to control his momentum. He caught himself only at the last second but not before causing a table to flip on its end and several soiled bowls to crash to the floor.

However, that is where both Umyra and Dungael charged at the guard who clearly was not expecting both a warg and a psychotic raven...in Fili's opinion...to come at him.

With the man distracted and the high ground now clearly in Fili's court, he easily leapt onto one of the rolling gurneys, making sure to adjust his balance as the table began rolling towards the hefty man who had just been able to evade Dungael running through his legs after batting Umyra to the ground where she fluffed her feathers and hissed. However the man had no time to even lift his massive weapon to either the warg or raven as Fili flew off the table and tackled him to the ground, his foot kicking away the onyx blade the man dropped in surprise as his own sword found its way to the mans throat. "These cells…" Fili breathed. "…how are they opened?"

The man spit at Fili, who rolled his eyes. "Alright…I guess I will figure it out on my own."

Coughing and crying hit his ears and Fili looked up at the closed doors. "Your too late dwarf. As I said, they will be dead before you can get them open."

Fili's eyes widened. "What did you do!?" He screamed, jamming his blade against the mans throat, watching as a trickle of blood mixed with sweat fell to the floor.

"A fail safe." The man sneered. "One of many in these halls. A quick switch, and toxins lethal to the eldar fill the rooms. This sleep, they will never wake from. A painful, grueling, sleep that burns without flame."

"TURN IT OFF!" Fili roared but the man just laughed maniacally.

"I can already hear the beautiful sound of their cries. Death…makes such a wonderful symphony of screams from the weak. An arrangement that cannot be reproduced in its splendor by the most experienced of musicians. I LIVE for it."

Fili was sick with how excited this monster was to listen to the elves crying out. He knew in that moment that this guard would rather die than tell him how to open the cells; there was no redeeming him, and no reason to waste any more time. With a quick shift of his blade, he severed the man's throat and dove off him. He needed to either find a way to get those rooms open, or to stop that poison. Actually, he needed to figure out both. He ran to the opposite side of the room where the man had been, his eyes following a series of pipes leading him forward.

"NO!" Fili yelled out as Dungael attempted to sniff under one of the doors where Fili saw fingers reaching and someone calling out for help. The warg looked at Fili then backed off while Umyra croaked and cried as she fluttered around yelling 'elves' over and over. "Yes elves! I get it. Maybe do something a little more helpful than tell me what I already know!" Fili yelled up at her as he tried once more to focus on the lines coming and going from each cell.

Pipes. Dwarves knew pipes. They practically created indoor plumbing under their mountains. Not that the humans and elves would ever admit to the feat...but they were among the few races in Arda who boasted to be able to have heated water throughout their kingdoms in every room from the workers to the royalty.

"Where is it...where is it." Fili tried to ignore the cries as he sprinted past the doors of screaming elves, pounding and calling to get out. "Where is it!"

The pipes above finally dipped between two doors where Fili could see a wheel attached to some sort of pressure pot. Fili immediately began turning the wheel, it was not easy, but within seconds, he had it slowly twisting and he could hear the pipes groaning as the pressure of whatever chemicals that had just been freely flowing through them began to build up as they were held back.

The screaming, however, continued, and Fili searched for some sort of devise or lock to get the door open but found none. Saphyra and her group usually handled this aspect of freeing the elves, Fili and his team were in charge of taking out the guards and orcs. But still, these locks looked far more complicated than those on the cells he had previously been in.

With a heavy sigh, he inspected the doors until Umyra dived at him and pecked him before flying to the door and swiping her talon at what appeared to be a hidden catch. Fili kicked himself for missing the latches that blended in with the doors themselves. "Good job Umyra." He praised almost grudgingly as he went to the first door, jamming his palm into the latch and pressing up, causing the lock to disengage. The door immediately sprung open and two elves ran out, coughing and sputtering. Dungael growled at the sudden appearance of the new beings, but he didn't move to attack so Fili ignored him.

Fili also didn't bother asking the elves if they were alright as he ran door to door, opening each one as he went. Elves poured into the hall, though some were already on the ground inside their cells.

"Keep going dwarf!" One of the elves yelled out. "We will help!" The elf's voice was raw, but he seemed well enough. Others ran to either side of the doors, opening them and helping to get the still imprisoned elves out.

Once the doors were all open, Fili jumped back up on the rolling table. It moved a bit, but Fili was able to stabilize it. "THE COMPOUND IS BEING TAKEN." He yelled to the elves he just freed. "FOLLOW THE HALL UP THE STEPS. DO NOT STOP. IF YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO ENGAGE IN BATTLE, DO NOT HESITATE TO JOIN." He paused in thought before adding. "DO NOT FEAR THE HYBRIDS. THEY ARE HELPING."

"The hybrids?" One of the elf's said. "Those creatures they made from our lifeforce?"

"They did not CHOOSE to be made." Fili said warily. "But they are choosing to fight for you. So feel what you want about them, just do not harm them."

"And the orcs?" Another elf asked.

"Kill as many of them as you wish." Fili jumped down, and pulled one of his blades passing it to the first sound elf he saw. "To help, in case you need it." He said.

"Thank you." The elf bowed his head respectfully, then called to the others and ran from the room. Some of the elves had run into cells and were now carrying those who were rendered unconscious by the poison out and placing them on the rolling gurneys for easier transport. Fili did not bother asking if they were alright, there was just no time for it. He still needed to find his wife. He looked at Umyra and sighed, why did he have to be stuck with the crazy one? "Can you be cooperative and find Viltarra?"

The raven puffed herself up and stared at Fili...but otherwise didn't move. "Of course not." Fili grumbled and turned. "Can you at least find Kaw?" The white raven croaked then spread her wings and flew ahead. Well...at least that worked...and he didn't get bit which was good enough for Fili. Finally things were going in his favor… until he looked down and saw Dungael gnawing on the fallen guards boot that was still on his foot. "No no...bad warg. Don't do that! That is disgusting!"

Fili paused, looking at the warg who continued chewing contently, essentially, on the dead man's foot. At least the boot was still on…for the moment. He sighed and was about to move and pull the warg away…hoping to not get his hand torn off in the process…but something stopped him from reaching for the gnawing animal. Maybe...if he just...left, the warg to himself, it will go back to being the wild animal it was and return to the wilds where it belonged. That is until Fili realized there was no way BACK to the wilds from here with all the worms about.

With his wife missing, and no real time to ponder on how to get the warg to go back to his natural life...Fili turned to go the same direction Umyra flew in order to retrace his steps back to the main hallway that led him here. Of course, to his frustration...or maybe relief...Dungael abandoned his, well, for lack of better word...meal...and followed Fili before he moved out of sight. Fili just rolled his eyes and kept running.

Once he had found his way back, Fili realized he did not know where to go from here. He stopped and listened, only hearing the cries further behind him, and Dungael panting beside him. Umyra was nowhere in sight but Fili was not surprised by that. The white raven was far more willing to abandon him than Kaw would have been. He will need to speak to Kili and Tauriel about training her better.

When Fili was about to turn back, a voice yelled out and Fili paused. Should he follow it to help...or continue his search for his wife. Fili sighed deeply knowing it was a voice yelling out that had her running off to begin with. With a curse to the maker, Fili began jogging towards the sound, hoping THIS yell would lead him to his wife...unlike the last one. He and Viltarra would be having words about separating in battle...he told her to stay with him. A crashing noise had Fili picking up speed as he now sprinted towards the yells and screams ahead.

Fili had to stop twice to redirect at least until Umyra suddenly appeared again and she led him to the closed door the noises were evidently coming from. The crowned prince lifted a brow knowing the only reason the raven came back for him at all...was because she couldn't get into the room. If she was trying to get into the room, it meant Kaw was in there and hopefully...Viltarra too.

Pushing at the door did nothing to get it to move. He could tell it was not locked from how he was able to get it to open a sliver before it shut again. Something must be blocking it. With no other alternative he could think of, Fili took a few steps back then with a running sprint, crashed through the door. He let out a breath of relief to see both his wife and their warg currently in battle with four men. Kaw was in here too, his sharp talons scratching and slicing like small knives causing the men to have to dodge the raven, the wargs teeth, and the blade Viltarra wielded.

"About time you came!" Viltarra yelled at Fili who was just pulling his blades as he stepped over the body of a fallen guard who must have been what was keeping the door shut. Fili scanned the room and counted at least three dead guards littering the ground…Mahal his wife was a wonder. He had little time to admire her, however, as a robed man covered in blood of unknown origin ran right at him.

"Well...YOU are difficult to keep up with!" Fili shot back as he easily incapacitated the robed man before throwing a blade into one of the guards back just as Hiril ripped into the one she had backed into a corner. Dungael leapt at the final guard who got his blade into the dark wargs shoulder, the young warg crying out as the man jumped to his feet and laughed.

"OI!" Fili shouted. "PICK ON SOMETHING YOUR OWN SIZE!" He then proceeded to pull his sword but a glance at his wife had him freeze in place. Running down her arm was a steady stream of blood seeping from a cut in her tunic. "Oh. Oh no..." He glared at the man engaged in battle with his wife. "YOU DARE, TOUCH MY WIFE!?" A feral growl ripped from him. He threw a blade into the man attacking Dungael before launching himself at the man battling Viltarra, picking him up from the waist and throwing him into a shelf across the way. He then threw a knife right into his chest before he threw his axe into the spine of the last man both Kaw and Umyra were attacking.

Viltarra blinked, then huffed. "FILI! Honestly. Was that necessary? How am I ever going to get real battle experience if you keep intervening?!"

"I would rather you not have to do this kind of thing." Fili said honestly. He grabbed her arm and inspected the deep wound, his eyes narrowed and his face set in a scowl. "This will need to be stitched." He said as his expression softened. He brushed his fingers through her hair before pressing his lips to Viltarra's head.

"I'm fine, Fili. It is just a cut, I will have it tended too once we are out of here." Viltarra said softly, but leaned into Fili.

Another scream filled the room and Fili whipped around, his eyes focusing on a far table occupied with what appeared to be a female elf with sunkissed skin and golden hair. "I know her." Fili said to himself as he tried to remember where he had seen her before. Then he remembered...the pregnant elf in Dul Guldur. Mahal above, she was not going to have that baby NOW was she? This is NOT what he needed.

Viltarra had already pulled away from Fili and went to the elf who was arching and tugging at restraints that kept her in place. Her mouth was gagged, and blood dripped steadily to the ground as she cried around the binding between her lips.

"It's alright." Viltarra said, eyeing the eleth who was practically sobbing. Her golden hair was slightly darkened in areas from the sweat from her brow and blood that dripped from her large ears. Viltarra used the dagger she still held to begin cutting at the bands, her eyes flicking to yet another steady stream of blood, this one pouring from the eleths swollen abdomen.

Dungael whined but Fili ignored it, though he glanced at the wild warg only to see Hiril licking his wound, and he was letting her, so he must be fine. Knowing where he was needed most, Fili instead jumped in to help his wife and the elf, going right for the bindings across the crying female's hands and chest while Viltarra carefully continued to cut the one at her mouth.

"You're alright." Viltarra said calmly. She looked at all the blood pooling around the female on the table, and then at Fili. He was just getting to the last strap and once it was free, he lifted his eyes to his worried wife, then the elf. That blood was coming from somewhere under her dress, and he needed to see if there was a way to slow it and fast.

"Look, I am no healer…" Fili began. "…but I have seen enough injuries to be able to at least inspect your wounds. Do you mind?" Fili gestured to the soiled and frayed dress the eleth wore.

"Do what you want." The elf somehow managed to sneer before crying out again. "Wait…wait...you're…you're dwarves?!" She eyed the pair then huffed and fell back. "The fates mock me continuously to send dwarves here at the worst possible time."

Both Viltarra and Fili were taken aback by the tone, but Fili ignored it as he gently lifted the dress trying to maintain her modesty as best he could while the wounds were revealed to both he, and his wife. Viltarra quickly moved to hold up the torn dress to keep it out of Fili's way, but her eyes widened on something she feels like she should not have missed. "She is with child?!" She hissed and cursed.

Fili nodded still inspecting the wound. It was long and deep, but only went about halfway across her lower belly. He flicked his gaze up to his wife, and when their eyes met, he knew they were thinking the same thing...it looked as whoever made these incisions...was trying to cut the child right from her. "Oh, makers beard. This is bad." Fili breathed, not knowing what to do. He needed Ivethin or at least, Tauriel. His sister was certainly more of a healer than he was. He looked at Viltarra who also appeared at a loss.

"Are you going to just stand there and stare...or are you going to get it out!" The eleth sobbed then ground her teeth, tensing likely from the pain.

"I..." Viltarra said. "...it will be alright. We need to get you out of here." She gave the elf a look. "What is your name?"

"Lorilyn." The elf gasped then shook her head, tears still cascading down her cheeks. "And don't speak to me as if I am a child. I am not stupid, dwarf. I won't be getting out of this place...but...but, it, can." Viltarra sighed at her clear attitude. It was odd to see someone who appeared to be crying out for help through her tears...yet spitefully yelling at them in her tone.

"We will get you out." Fili promised, eyeing the table. This one didn't appear to have wheels like the ones in the hall outside the cells. Perhaps, he can retrieve one that could roll if he ran. "Just…stay here. I know where I can get something to move you. I WILL get you out of this place, or at least to someone who can help." He pressed a hand to Viltarra's cheek as he moved around the table. "Stay here, nunguame. I will be right back." He kissed her head and turned to leave.

But in an impressive feat, Lorilyn reached up and grabbed his wrist to stop him. "You STUPID DWARF! Does that big head of yours have nothing in it? Don't you see? I will not make it even if you try. I cannot be moved." She lifted her head to look at him, but that was as far as she could go. "If you try to move me…no…no…I cannot leave this table. I…" Her words were the barest of a whisper. "I feel…light and heavy all at once. And I…" A sob left her lips. "…I am tired." She paused, her eyes glazing over as she peered into a far corner. "Who are you?"

Fili lowered his brows in concern, glancing across the room to the empty corner Lorilyn spoke to. He met his wife's gaze who appeared to be just as concerned.

"Are you...here to take me on the great journey?" Lorilyn asked then went silent for several seconds before saying, "No. I am not afraid..." Tears fell down her face as she went silent again for several heartbeats as if contemplating something then asking the empty corner, "…but...can it be saved? Does it have a chance?"

Silence again followed the question, but Lorilyn must have heard something as she nodded to the still empty space. "Get. It. Out." She turned her jade eyes to Fili again, this time, they were clear and she tightened her grip on his wrist.

"Get…get what out?" Fili asked.

"Makers great song…of all those who could have come in here…I got the village fool." Lorilyn sneered.

"Ya, well, this village fool is trying to figure out why YOU were talking to an empty corner." Fili shot right back. "If anyone….OUCH!"

Viltarra stamped hard on Fili's foot, then glared at him. "Do. Not. Engage. Her." She growled, then looked to Lorilyn. "You will have to forgive my husband, both he and his brother often flap their lips, before they think about what is to come out. Especially in stressful situations." She shot her husband another glare and he just rolled his eyes in response. "Tauriel and I have tried to teach them otherwise…but apparently the saying is true; you can't teach an old dwarf new tricks."

"OLD?! I am 101…that is not old." Fili grumbled.

"102." Viltarra said lifting a brow.

"No. I will TURN 102 in April."

"Nooo." Viltarra folded her arms. "You were born in 2859, it is 2962. You are turning 103 this year, Fili."

Fili blinked, did the math, then groaned. "How did I lose a year?"

Viltarra chuckled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "The girls keep us busy, its easily done when you have three daughters, four nephews, and a niece to distract you. We have had a busy few years."

"Did you say you knew Tauriel?" Lorilyn asked lifting her head to peer at the two dwarves, interrupting their banter.

"She is my sister." Fili nodded.

Lorilyn frowned then lay her head back down. "Must be a different Tauriel. The Tauriel I know is an elf."

Fili looked hard at the elf on the table. "Long red hair, pointy ears, and a bit on the shorter side for her race, and loves making rash decisions without considering the consequences…does that by chance sound like the Tauriel you know?" Lorilyn looked back at Fili, her eyes narrowed as if she knew he was mocking her but Fili ignored it. "Tauriel is an elf, but she married my brother and is…sort of adopted by my uncle. Don't say it, I already know we have a strange family, but it works for us. As unconventional as it is, I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"But…you are dwarves, and she is an elf." Lorilyn said almost breathlessly. "How…"

"I love her anyway." Fili interrupted before she could ask whatever question was about to fall from her lips. "We all love her regardless of her race. She is, everything, to our family."

"Love." Lorilyn spat, then looked at the pair, really looked at them. "You are married. Was it because of...love?"

"It was. From the moment I saw her, I knew I would have no other. My heart was hers, and it loved her long before even I was ready to admit it." Fili said but Viltarra scoffed.

"You thought, I was a male." She lifted a brow as she moved to stand beside Lorilyn's head and gave the eleth a soft smile. "I knew I loved him and his goofy smile far faster than I was prepared for, but yes, on both sides, we are love matched."

"You have children?" Lorilyn asked.

Viltarra lowered her brows, seeing the eleth losing color quickly. Sweat beaded her brows, and the dam turned to search for something to help. Just across from them, sat a large barrel filled with filthy black water…and Viltarra nearly passed it by until she realized it was all they had. "We have three daughters." Viltarra said as she scooped some of the water into a bowl. It did not look nearly as bad out of the barrel, but it was still dirtier than it should be.

"Fili, can you tear that bed cover into strips with a knife?" Viltarra asked and Fili immediately went to work doing what his wife had requested.

"My oldest…" Viltarra said, pulling Lorilyn's very long straw colored hair back so it was no longer falling over the table and sitting in the blood pooling on the ground. "…her name is Karra. She is named after my elder sister who was killed in an…an accident." Viltarra stammered, still finding it difficult to accept her sister's fate was not her fault. "…my second daughter, is named Dissah. She is named after her grandmother Dis, as well as a great dam by the same name who once led her people despite being a lowborn female. And my youngest, is Vilia. She is named after her grandfather, Fili's father. Who passed from this world before he could raise Fili and his brother Kili."

"They…love…each other?" Lorilyn sighed as Viltarra pressed a rag she dipped in the cool water onto her brow. "Your daughters."

"They are incredibly close." Viltarra hummed. "With their cousins as well. Tauriel's sons. We are raising them all together. They do everything with each other…it is sometimes difficult to separate them."

"Your girls?" Lorilyn asked."

"Them too." Viltarra smiled. "You really should be saving your strength. Maybe…if we…if we can use the bandages to put pressure on the wound in your stomach…we can get you on that table Fili mentioned."

Lorilyn sighed. "No." She looked at Viltarra pleadingly. "Please…please listen to me. I know I am…I know I can be unkind. I don't…" She paused, her mouth opening and closing as if she was trying to figure out what to say. "…Tauriel will tell you my story. Tell her…I told you to ask. If you have an elven sister, then you know how connected to our bodies we are. This body, is dying. This body is dying and I need you to get the child out before it goes with me." She laughed, a broken laugh, fresh tears falling down her cheeks. "I didn't even want it, I didn't want any of this." She said. "And here I am, asking for you, two strangers…dwarven strangers…to get it out of me and get it far away from this place. To save it. I don't even know your names."

"I am Viltarra." Viltarra said, wiping the tears from Lorilyn's eyes. "And this is my husband, Fili."

"Your home?"

"Erebor." Fili said. "In the west."

Lorilyn nodded. "Give me that." She gestured to the gag, her fingers trying to reach out, but she now lacked the strength to fully extend her arm.

"What?" Viltarra looked between the elf and the gag. "Why…?"

"Because, I need one of you to finish cutting the child out." Lorilyn huffed. She pointed again to the strip on the counter beside them and Viltarra hesitated to grab it. She did though, and slowly handed it to Lorilyn. "It is not coming the natural way…so you must finish what they began. There is no other option. My fate is sealed, but its fate does not have to be."

"Are you sure about this?" Fili asked.

"No." Lorilyn said. "But…this child…it didn't ask to be born. It didn't choose me as its mother, nor…nor did it choose its father. It is innocent. And I chose to carry it. So…I choose to give it a chance. I won't make it out of here. So either we both die here on this table, or just…just I do."

"Lorilyn." Viltarra tried again. "Let us get help…"

"WHY AREN'T YOU LISTENING TO ME?!" The eleth seethed. "I do not have long, my time is nearly done in this world…and for once I feel…feel excited for what is to be. Get the child out, while my heart still has strength to hold on. Look at me, Viltarra. I have been half opened to the world since before you came in here. How many do you know, can come back from that? Take the child. Save it. And I can…I can be free of this world. Finally free."

Viltarra looked to Fili, who was a bit pale at the prospect. "Do you think you can do it?" She asked her husband.

Fili grimaced, but, nodded. "I don't think we have a choice."

"Strap me back in, and then, go quickly, and ignore whatever I say." Lorilyn took the gag and placed it in her mouth as Viltarra slowly and as gently as she could, bound her wrists, ankles, and chest using straps from another table that were uncut. Once she was tied back down, the eleth nodded to them both. She was ready.

Viltarra wasn't sure where to go, but decided to take Lorilyn's hand, unbinding it so she could hold it. When she birthed her daughters, there was no better source of comfort, than her husband's hand in her own. His strength, his support, where what got her through the pain. So, Viltarra wrapped her fingers around Lorilyn's to offer her whatever support she could. The eleth gave her a look at first, then her jade eyes softened, and she lay back and closed her eyes. But her hand, her hand gripped Viltarra's tightly.

Fili pulled his sharpest blade he had on him, lifted the dress, then gave the eleth one last look before he pressed the knife to her skin.

Screams echoed through the room causing both Kaw and Umyra to startle and cry out, and had Fili nearly stopping just from the sound of them. He almost couldn't do it. It was one thing to put his blade through an orc, troll, goblin, or even these humans who were no better…but he felt as if he was committing a heinous crime, like he was killing an innocent being. Murder. He thought. This was practically murder.

"KEEP GOING!" Lorilyn sobbed out through the gag. "DON'T STOP."

Fili sighed but lifted his blade to continue. Every scream, every cry, cracked Fili just a bit as he carefully and quickly finished the cut that spanned from hip to hip before carefully opening her layer by layer. Finally, when he felt a rush of warmth wash over his hands, he knew he was where he needed to be. Fili threw the knife to the floor and reached in. As he did, Lorilyn arched on the table, her screaming barely constrained by the gag she was using to bite down on to help her through the pain.

As he searched, Fili finally felt it, he felt the child, and gently, pulled the tiny being from Lorilyn. The infant was small. Smaller than his little daughters, and it wasn't breathing at first. But, Fili quickly cut the cord, then swiped his finger through its mouth, and patted it on the back trying to get it to respond and begin breathing on its own. Fili glanced at Viltarra as he began rubbing his hands swiftly up and down the still infant's back until moments later, a soft cry filled the air and Fili breathed a sigh of relief. It was over, he had done it. The child was small, but very much alive.

"Do you hear that, Lorilyn?" Viltarra said, tears falling down her face.

Lorilyn too was crying, her face ashen white. "Is it…"

"A boy." Fili said softly. He looked at the infant, stared at it, and suddenly, the infant was staring at him. His cries silenced, as he stared at Fili, stared into Fili. Fili expertly shrugged off his vest and wrapped the blood covered infant inside it. Then, he carried the infant to his mother.

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT! Please. Please. I can't." Lorilyn began to protest, but stopped and it was as if she couldn't help it, as her eyes were drawn to the tiny being in Fili's arms. "He…he…" She took in the whisps of hair, though they were mixed with blood, were clearly fair. His wide infant blue eyes had flex of green, and his lips were full. Even as a newborn, there was no mistaking the features were entirely his mother's…all the way down to the button nose. "He looks…like me." She sobbed.

"Do you want to hold him?" Fili asked. "Would you like to hold your son?"

Lorilyn slowly shook her head. "I am no mother." She breathed, her strength waning as her body slowly shut down. "I need you…to promise me…to take him away." She wheezed. "Do not…do not take him to the elves. Hide him in the mountain, take him to a human commune…keep him…keep him away from…his father…from my and his clans. From my family. Keep him…away…from the elves. Please."

"His father?" Viltarra asked.

"Darieth. He would kill him if he finds him, if he realizes who he is. He will kill him, or enslave him. And my father and sisters will do no better. Hide him, or send him far, far away." Lorilyn coughed, though it sounded more like a sob. "Promise me. Swear it to me."

"Don't worry." Viltarra soothed. "We will make certain, he is taken care of."

"P..p..promise." Lorilyn said, grasping at Viltarra's vest. "Say it."

"I swear it." Viltarra said honestly.

Lorilyn stared into her eyes, jade meeting gold. She nodded once, then looked back at the newborn Fili still held. "He…he… is…so…beautiful." She lifted her hand to reach to her son, but halfway to him, her hand fell to the table, and the light in her eyes dimmed and dulled. She, was gone.

"Lorilyn?" Viltarra cried, then pressed a hand to her lips, and began to sob herself. It was not fair. It just, was not fair.

Before Fili could go to her, the entire room shook like an explosion had gone off. "What…" Fili looked around. The place didn't seem unstable in any way. Yet the walls shook as if the world around them was exploding. "We need to get out of here."

"What about Lorilyn?" Viltarra cried.

Fili moved to his wife. "Nunguame, she is gone. We can't do anything for her. But we promised her we would keep her son safe. We need to get out of here, now."

Slowly, Viltarra nodded, then looked at the infant. "Hair of straw…and eyes of jade…." She whispered. "…searching for his mama…just like Karra said."

"What?" Fili said but Viltarra shook her head. "Do you need me to take him?"

"No, but can you get my knife?" He pointed to the blade on the ground. Viltarra resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she grabbed it just as another great BOOM filled the room again.

"Do you think this place is coming apart?" Viltarra asked. "Like Minam?"

"If it is, we are not hanging around to find out!" Fili grabbed what was left of the covering he had made strips of earlier, and used it to expertly swaddle the infant then tie it to his chest. It was a trick Kili had shown him and one he had done countless times with his infant daughters. It would allow Fili freedom to use both his hands, while his dwarven heat kept his infant daughters warm...and now would ensure this child remained warm as well. Fili glanced down at the silent child. He was already worried about it, it should be crying more…yet…it felt…tired. And hungry?

Fili didn't really want to think about why he knew that, and instead, grabbed his wife's hand, whistled for Hiril and Dungael, and took off out the door. "Kaw, get us out of here!" Fili ordered the only raven who would listen to him. Of course Kaw immediately took to flight and led them on a direct path to where he had last left Legolas and the others in battle. There were bodies everywhere, but the fighting seemed to have stopped.

"ADA!" Kaw croaked.

"FILI!" Fili looked up to see his brother and Bofur running towards them. "Maker's beard, there you are! We have been searching all over for you two. I was beginning to fear the worst!"

"Did you find her?" Fili asked when he caught up and Kili nodded.

"Yes, and she's alive as are Nelithi and Ivethin. We also took care of the man running this place…and destroyed his device." Kili answered as he looked at his brother in concern. "Fi…your covered in blood! Are you alright?"

"Fine, but now is not the time to explain. Is this place coming down or something?"

"I honestly don't know. Naurfaer is just ahead of us with Tauriel…she has an injury slowing her down a bit but I heard you went missing so I came back to find you. Legolas is with some of the Avari making certain there are no more elves left, they keep finding corridors of cells throughout this place." When the ground vibrated again, Kili put his hand to the wall to stop from losing his balance. "We should go, this does not feel right."

"You don't have to tell me twice, baby brother." Fili muttered and they were again, running up several steps of stairs and through a hallway where they finally caught up with Tauriel and Naurfaer who nodded as they saw them approaching. "Good to see you're alright, little sister. Remind me when we are safe, that you and I will be having words."

Tauriel rolled her eyes. "I am sure you are one of many forming a line who wish to do so. Before we go, I still need to find someone." She began heading through a corridor but Kili had grabbed her arm just as Fili gaped at her.

"WHAT?! NOW?! Who?!" Fili asked needing to get the infant he held out of this place before they end up in a situation where they were all stuck.

"An elf I knew, I think she is still in here! I need to find her." Tauriel said trying to push ahead of them but Kili held her in place, shaking his head.

"Whatever elves are still in here, are getting evacuated, amralime. If she is in this place, they will find her. But we need to go…or we may be joining the dead."

'The dark haired prince is correct. Go now, daughter of the forest.'

Tauriel ground her jaw stubbornly, then, relented knowing the last time she ignored Aule, she ended up nearly getting them all killed. With Tauriel no longer fighting, the group took off running up flights of stairs and through body filled corridors.

They met no opposition until they had gone up three levels, and there, blocking the archway leading to the next level, stood the opposing form of Kayris. Tauriel hissed as he lifted a brow at her.

"You again?" He sneered then looked around her. "And what little company you keep."

"Little?" Kili growled. His growl turned to a roar when Tauriel accidentally sent him everything this man said to her, including the threats he made to her and the horrible things he admitted. Though they were vague and possibly just threats to rile her up, she read between the lines enough to know what kind of man this human was. She glanced at her husband who was about to go feral on the man and sighed. She really needed to learn what to project, and what not to, because this is not what she needed right now.

Kayris smiled a sick, twisted, smile, as he ignored Kili completely and instead looked at Tauriel. "Well now, the fates are on my side. All I have to do is kill them, and then, I get to have a little fun with you before I remove…"

There was a gurgling noise followed by the man falling to his knees clutching at his throat where a dagger was imbedded so deep, Tauriel was sure it went through the other side. He tried in vain to gasp for air after he removed the blade and let if fall to the ground.

Tauriel whipped her head to Kili whose dark eyes were black with rage. "Nobody. Touches. My. Wife." He said as the man's frantic eyes landed on him just as he fell backwards never to move again.

"Don' 'e know it is common knowledge to never remove a blade like tha?" Bofur tsked. "Yeh will only bleed out faster."

"I think that was the point, Bofur." Viltarra hummed eyeing Tauriel, then Kili. He had the same look in his eyes he had in Lothlorien, and it worried her. But at least this time, Tauriel was here to pull him out of the darkness.

"Kili." Tauriel sighed, her eyes still going from the fallen man to her husband whose rage was leaking into her.

"Nice shot, Ki! You've been practicing, I didn't even see you throw that. I am impressed." Fili praised, then lifted a brow at his brother. "But what in the makers great forge was that about?"

Kili growled again as he moved to kick the man and grab his dagger. "Nothing." He hissed as he wiped the blade on the man and shoved his weapon back into its sheath.

"Tha' did no' look like nothin' teh me lad." Bofur hummed and shook his head.

"It was NOTHING!" Kili said as he pushed past the hatted dwarf. "He is dead. End of story. Let's go."

Tauriel limped to her husband, grabbing him by the arm and pulling his stiff form to her. "Thank you." She whispered into his hair as she held him tightly. "Thank you, for protecting me."

Kili froze for a moment, than his anger slowly ebbed away as he encircled her with his arms. Now was really not the time for this, but he stole a moment just to be with her. "I failed to protect you in the forest, Tauriel, and I wish I could have gotten here before they hooked you to that...that thing. Someone sheered your hair, Tauriel...YOUR HAIR! I just…nobody will touch you again…not like they did in that room, and like that, that man had threatened…and live to see anything more than my blade at their throat before their life is forfeit. I wish I could have spared you all of this, amralime."

"You have never failed me, my Kili. Not once in our life together. You did everything in your power to get here as soon as you could, and you are here now; that is all that matters. You cannot spare me from every turmoil the fates have planned, meleth nin. Not any more than I can spare you your own pains and sorrows." She pressed a kiss to his head, her lips lingering there a moment before she leaned back and replaced her lips with her brow...pressing her head to his. "And really, apart from being a little handsy, he did nothing more than threaten me, Kili. Empty threats, is all they will ever be."

"But what of the others?" Kili asked as he pulled away, a dark look back in his eyes. "The ones he mentioned in the memory you showed me...his payment?"

"Payment?" Fili asked. "What is he going on about, Tauri?"

Tauriel pulled away and took his hand. "Nothing I can confirm, muindor, but he insinuated that he had…well…taken advantage of several eleths who were given to him unconscious for a time. But… he is dead now, so whether he actually did what he said, or, if he was just trying to rile me up, I will never know unless any with memory of such an act comes forward. If he did those things, then he has paid for his actions with his life. If he did not, it still matters not, just by being here and working for Gerheb, his fate was sealed." She pressed another kiss to Kili's head hoping to smooth out the lines etched in his brow. "My Kili, I know I am always safe as long as I have you."

"And I am yours forever." Kili sighed and the last vestige of rage slipped away from him.

"You ready to go yet? This is not the place for that." Fili huffed. "We need to get out of here, and now!"

"Right." Kili said and turned, pulling Tauriel behind him as the group continued on their way.

The higher up they got the more they noticed sand both cloudy and thick, begin to seep through every crevice and opening it found. Of course it made it difficult to see, but even more, it was mesmerizing to watch. Nobody in their group spent a lot of time around sand except perhaps Viltarra and Naurfaer. The soils in the west were rich and dark, filled with grasses, trees, and all manner of vegetation. But Rhun...Rhun was a vast meadow of sands and clays. The entire ecosystem in this part of the eastern land was the opposite of what the royal family of Erebor, including Tauriel, was accustomed to.

Even so, the way this sand moved...was unnervingly unnatural. It was not just the odd phantom wind moving the grains about the open space, no, instead they ebbed and flowed through the air in a pattern...dancing and seemingly searching for something. The group, for the most part, tried to ignore it and just move through the thick clouds around them. But when even Naurfaer began to look a bit uncomfortable...that was when they began to try and move faster. It was difficult though, with Tauriel who was slowing down more and more.

Needing to get out, Kili scooped his wife up to her consternation, and then began running. He let out a sigh of relief himself when the phantom throbbing in his calf dulled now that Tauriel was no longer putting weight on it...so it really was for the both of them that he endured her indignant glares as he raced through the hall.

"GO LEFT!" Naurfaer called as they ran through a door. An orc party met them and Viltarra and Naurfaer along with Bofur pulled their swords ready to fight. However, they all froze just before their enemy…gaping at what was unfolding in front of them.

"What in the name of the great maker..." Fili opened and shut his mouth in horror when the sands around them solidified into masses that poured into the orc's mouths...essentially drowning them in sand. The vile creatures choked and scratched at their throats to no avail, then, they fell to the ground, sands falling from their now lifeless lips. All in all, it took mere seconds to fell them and it was terrifying to watch. "...Naurfaer...?"

"Tell me I was no' the only one teh see that?" Bofur stuttered out, his mouth opening and closing as he backed away a bit from the orcs and the sand.

The red-headed elf shook his head. "No…no…I saw that too. And I really don't know, Fili. But, I think it best we go...quickly."

"I'm with him." Kili agreed and took the lead. Over his shoulder, Tauriel stared wide eyed at the orcs.

'You are safe, daughter of the forest. The sands, will not harm the innocent. Now that that thing is destroyed, I was able to send for aid. Keep going, you and your family are safe.'

"The sands are safe." Tauriel whispered into Kili's ear. She didn't need to; Kili got the message from Mahal as well through their link. It must have been a message his maker allowed for him to here…or maybe it was because he held her which often made their bond stronger than it already was. This bond, was so intricate...so unique...Kili wonders if he will ever truly understand it. But, whether he does or does not, he does feel blessed to have it.

When they rounded another corner where some human guards were being once again, smothered by the sands, Kili didn't slow. "I know I heard it, amralime, but I don't really fully believe it. That sand...does not look safe."

"Who said it was safe!?" Fili yelled, jumping from a guard who tried to grasp his boot as he ran past. He cursed, trying his best to keep the infant not even an hour old from being jostled. Dungael, though, injury and all, sunk his teeth into the gasping mans arm and tugged…pulling it away from Fili so he could race after his brother through air filled with sands now starting to scratch his eyes and throat. Fili turned to call the warg but he did not need to as Dungael released the now dead guard and limped after them.

"Our maker. Keep running." Kili answered over his shoulder once they were away from the newly felled guards. Fili did not bother asking for further details, he just kept going. Just behind him his wife and both of the wargs kept their pace. Dungael, with his wound, was a bit slower and running with only three of his paws...the fourth he had lifted. Still, he kept up, and Hiril was right beside him with her armer jostling as she ran with Viltarra just at her side.

"Don't look back, Fili. Just keep going. I am right here." Viltarra yelled up to him.

"I will always be making sure you are with me." Fili growled back and slowed just enough to keep pace with her. She smiled but kept running.

The group raced through the clouds of sands, which left them untouched in their search for victims. "The entrance is just one level up." Kili whispered to Tauriel through their connection. She had pulled up his collar for him to protect his mouth and nose from the loose sands, doing the same for herself, so it was easiest to communicate in a nonverbal kind of way.

The relentless sands became worse as they entered the top of the structure and Tauriel quickly summoned her ravens to her, cradling them in her arms to protect them from the whirlwinds of browns surrounding the entire fortress.

The overhang was filled with groups of dwarves and elves shielding their eyes and mouths from the sands, while the hybrids ducked back inside…possibly from fear as well as likely seeking safety from the elements. Kili was glad the sands were not harming them like they were the humans and the orcs.

As he looked around, Kili saw Morythi standing beside Saphyra, who had her arms around an elf who was leaning heavily on her.

"What is happening?" Kili yelled to them, watching as the aelúg refused to move from the overhang. In fact, not a single one took off, their heads bowed low to the ground as the sands whirled around them.

Morythi, who supported another elf, didn't speak. Instead, he pointed to a spot in front of the compound. Kili followed his finger, ignoring another massive boom that sounded through the air...though the sound was somewhat dampened by the sands whirling and swirling in clouds in every direction.

Kili nodded to Bofur who joined him in peering over the edge. Setting Tauriel on the ground, Kili squinted into the sands as Naurfaer gasped beside him. "By the Valar above…I thought they were gone!"

"Who?" Fili asked, tightening the wrap that held the newborn elf. He was moving about a bit, which was good really, it meant he was a fighter. But he needed food, which Fili will figure out once they got through this mess. He also needed to figure out where the best place was for him to go. Of course, all that relies on whether or not they will survive these unnatural storms of sand.

Fili looked to his brother and Bofur. "Do YOU see anything? All I see is sand." Kili shook his head, as Viltarra too, who stood to his side, relayed she saw nothing but the endless cloud of sand swirling about them.

"No' me either. Though the Avari don' seem worried. They say teh stay ou' of the compound and wait here." Bofur said. "One told me as I were runnin' out tha' I was lucky ta be alive."

"After what we just saw, I think I agree. And I think will be taking that advice about staying out of that place to heart." Kili said, eyeing the door to the level they just came from. He doubts he will ever forget the way those orcs and guards were force fed sand that seemed to kill them by essentially suffocating them. He shivered at the pure unnaturalness of everything that was happening. "I still don't see what they are all looking at though."

"It appears to be two men." Tauriel said having gotten to her feet with Kili's help. She looked out over the wall and into the sands before turning to her husband, brother, sister, and Bofur.

"Not two men." Naurfaer corrected quietly as Legolas joined them.

"We are not going to get through this easily." Legolas said. "Do you know of them?" He gestured to the two beings far below them that the dwarves still could not see.

A shifting in the sand, as if they knew they were being observed, finally gave Bofur, Fili, Kili, and Viltarra a clear view of who Naurfaer, Legolas, and Tauriel were seeing. Indeed, there were two beings standing at the center of what looked like a narrow stone path leading from the gate of the compound into the dangerous desert sands.

Each one wore robes of deep blue, and had their hands held up high, each baring their own staff that glowed with power…as if they controlled the sands themselves. The booming sounds, were not the sound of the compound crashing down, but rather the now exposed were-worms, slamming into the stone path which turned out to be a thick bridge that seemed to run nearly a hundred or so feet under the sands.

"Allatar and Pallando." Naurfaer breathed.

"You DO know them?" Kili asked, staring at Naurfaer.

Naurfaer shook his head. "No. But I know OF them. I have never been able to come across them; not once in all my years of travels. We seemed to forever be at odds with our travel plans. I did try to find them once or twice…but…it never worked out and I saw no reason to spend wasteful time on such a clearly fruitless endeavor. If I needed to converse with a wizard, I would just hunt Gandalf down. He was much easier to find and as far as wizards go…more inclined to join in on tea and conversation."

"Wait…did you say wizards? Are those two…" Kili looked to the two men who seemed to be slowly releasing the sands…neither seeming to care about the were-worms thrashing and curling below them as if they were in excruciating pain.

The red-headed elf nodded. "Yes, sion. They are in fact wizards; the blue wizards I have heard them called." Naurfaer put a hand on Kili's shoulder, though his eyes remained frozen on the pair in blue…as if he was afraid they would vanish into thin air if he looked away from them. "There are five in total in middle earth. Wizards that is."

"I think I recall Gandalf saying as such." Fili muttered, somewhat remembering Bilbo asking about other wizards early in their quest for Erebor. He can't really explain HOW he remembers that…as it was now over twenty years ago…but he does recall Gandalf naming Saruman the white as their leader, Radagast the brown who was…a unique individual in Fili's opinion, and two blue wizards Gandalf said he couldn't remember the names of. These…must be those two wizards.

"They must have been here the whole time…in Rhun." Legolas noted.

"Not just Rhun." Naurfaer said. "They are believed to also travel the Sutherland, throughout the lands of Harod in Haradwaith. They dwell between there, and Rhun. Or so I have been told. Honestly at this point, I was beginning to believe they were no longer in Arda at all, as some say they left long ago"

"That far south?" Bofur asked in surprise. "Had a cousin who traveled there, Harad. Those lands, 'e said, were in description, quite like this. All lands of sand and heat."

"That isn't completely true." Viltarra said. "Not all of Rhun looks like this. The further north-west you go, the greener it gets."

"The same is true for Harad." Naurfaer added. "There are far vaster desert lands in Harad than here, but they have their own paradises down there that would make even the most mountain loving dwarf jealous of its beauty."

"I doubt tha' lad." Bofur grunted. "Think I will be 'appy the be back in Erebor where I will be spendin' the next week cleanin' sand in places is should never be."

Tauriel sighed and placed her ravens on the ground where the wall would continue to shield them. She then pressed a hand to her chest, trying to rub the pressure that by now was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. At least the pain from her not being able to nurse, was diverting her attention from her throbbing calf. She watched as slowly, the pair of wizards lowered their hands; the action causing the sands to slowly settle and soon…the air was beginning to clear. It was only moments later that the still darkening sky dotted with sporadic stars appeared once again.

"Ya know, after seein' tha' display…I think Gandalf could 'ave stopped tha' rain if he wanted to." Bofur grumbled. Twenty years could not erase the frustration of traveling through endless days of constant downpouring rain.

"Key words, Bofur….IF he WANTED to." Kili said.

"Do we go down?" Tauriel asked as the wizards began to step towards the compound, their staffs clacking on the stone as they walked.

"I think the sooner we get out of here, the better." Fili watched as the wizards disappeared underneath them into the compound.

With the sands no longer filling the air, the aelúg seemed more than ready to take flight. "We will take the weakest first." Saphyra said, jumping up on her aelúg and holding her hand out to the weak elf who she helped up. "Come, ada, we have you." Kili jumped over to help the elf climb behind Saphyra. Her aelúg, as if sensing his weakness, gently leapt from the wall and glided into the air before banking around to scoop up an unconscious elf in its claws.

Each aelúg could carry two riders, and one in their large claws; so already, the aelúg were working to get the worst off away as quickly as possible.

Tauriel watched with wide eyes as more aelúg soared towards them, likely from the other side of the sands that were now just large piles of lifeless were-worms. "Oh Kili. You said aelúg…but I didn't dare picture this. Nyaunni…she will be beyond words when we tell her Dajnel and Uri are not the last."

"I don't believe she ever thought they were." Kili said with a smile as he pushed her towards an oncoming aelúg. He watched as Fili pulled himself up on one and refused to let the rider leave until he saw Viltarra take off on another, who had Hiril in its claws. His aelúg gently picking up Dungael who seemed to have some understanding of what was to happen considering he did not fight the claws wrapping around him.

Tauriel turned to Kili, the first true smile wide on her lips as she looked from him, to the feathered creature. "We are to fly? Truly?"

Kili lifted a brow, a chuckle on his lips. "Don't act too excited. Go on up, amralime. I will not be far behind you." Tauriel eyed the rider who held his hand out to her, but to be separated from Kili again…the prospect had her hesitating. "Tauriel, go. I am going to make sure everyone gets across…there are still many who are injured and they need help. I swear, as soon as we get the worst off assisted, then I will be right back at your side." He pulled her lips to his in a brief kiss. "Go make sure Fili and Viltarra are alright; Fili will appreciate the support from the opposite side."

"We will be here as well, Starlight. We will make sure he gets back to you." Naurfaer said, gesturing to both Bofur and Legolas who nodded their agreement. They too were staying behind to help make sure everyone gets across. "Nelithi and Ivethin need you over there too...and maybe you can find that elf you were searching for. I am sure they were working to get everyone out, starlight, so if they are not up here…they are likely across the sands."

That did it. Tauriel nodded to her grandfather and her husband then grasped the hand of the rider, and let herself be hauled up. She smiled at Kili who blew her a kiss…which she caught, then tightened her grip on the elf in front of her as the aelúg took flight.

Intoxicating, is how Tauriel would describe flying. The wind combed through her hair as they soared through the star dotted sky colored in a rainbow of orange, pink, blue, and purple. She could not stop the smile from widening on her face as they glided through the still heated, desert, air.

"Nana!"

Tauriel smiled even wider when she felt the soft whisper of feathers as Kaw's outstretched wing kissed her cheek as he soared by her. Umyra too flew in circles around them…the pair acting as guardians and perhaps, guides for their flight.

Tauriel hazarded a glance down, to see perhaps hundreds, if not thousands of those massive were-worms in heaping piles below them. Whatever those wizards did, those worms will likely never be moving again.

More aelúg had Tauriel turning her attention back to the skies. They were flying back in the dozens to get more elves and dwarves from the compound. It will likely take many trips to bring everyone back and the sun was nearly fully set as the aelúg began to make its dissent towards the masses below.

"I will be setting you down there." He pointed to a clear space where elves she had never seen before were carefully pulling injured and weak elves from the landed aelúgs before they spread their massive wings and shot back into the air. "I would ask if you could jump…but you appear injured." The rider said over his shoulder, his eyes flicking to the blood coating Tauriel's calf.

"I will be fine." Tauriel tried but he shook his head and guided his animal to the ground where hundreds were now gathering.

A pair of elves with skin of deep brown came running over, their fighting leathers and curved weapons at their sides indicated, at least to Tauriel, that they were part of some sort of guard. "Take my hand, we will assist you down." One said with a kind voice. She had hundreds of braids falling down her back almost to her knees, and Tauriel was in awe of just how beautiful she was before she smiled and accepted the hand the eleth offered. "Easy now, do you need to see the healers?"

Tauriel shook her head. "No. Not expediently at least." The eleth nodded and before Tauriel could ask any more, she and her partner were off to assist with yet another landed aelúg.

Wanting to give her thanks, Tauriel turned to the aelúg she had just ridden…but the rider was already taking off and lifting to the sky…once again headed back to the compound before she could even mutter a thank you.

"TAURIEL!"

The eleth turned to see Viltarra running for her. There had been no time for true hellos in the compound, no time to really rejoice that her family was there. With a much lighter heart, Tauriel limped towards her sister who engulfed her in her arms.

"I will be lighting stones for Mahal for the rest of my life in thanks that you are safe." She said softly as she held Tauriel tightly.

"I think I may join you, muinthel." Tauriel said softly, then pulled away. She was about to fall into Fili's arms, when she only now noticed his blood soaked hands and clothes as well as the wrapping around his chest and the desperate look in his eyes. How she had missed that in the compound, she did not know...but they were rather frantically trying to get out.

"Fili?" Tauriel asked limping up to him. "What is..."

Slowly, and gently, Fili removed the wrapping to reveal a tiny infant. "We came across…we found an elf who had been…they were trying to cut her child right from her." Fili breathed. "We couldn't save her, Tauri…I am so sorry. I swear we tried. But we were able to save him."

"Lorilyn." Tauriel sobbed out.

Fili nodded. "She was the elf you were referring to, the one you wanted to find...wasn't she?" Tauriel nodded, her eyes not leaving the infant as Fili continued to speak softly. "Before Kili was able to convince you to keep going, I guessed she is who you meant…but I couldn't tell you. Not there." He looked to the infant then back up at Tauriel. "He needs food."

"I…we will get him some." Tauriel said, unable to look away from the child. "He needs something to cover him better as well. May I?"

Tauriel reached for the infant, and Fili easily passed him over. But the moment he was removed from Fili's hold, his cries filled the air. "Shh." Tauriel tried to sooth, but he only cried harder and more desperately. He was clearly distressed, and that paired with him not having food...Tauriel worried the stress was going to cause him more harm than good.

It was not Fili, however, who jumped in to take the infant, but Viltarra. Tauriel passed him to her sister who opened her vest and untied her tunic then pressed the infant to her bared chest before placing her clothes over him. The cries stopped instantly. Viltarra looked down, his tiny face was turned just enough to see his eyes gazing at her. "That is all you wanted, hm?"

Viltarra smiled and swayed a bit. "Just to be a bit closer to someone?" Tauriel smirked, lifting a knowing brow as she stared at Viltarra who looked back up at her. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Where's Kili?" Fili interrupted, eyeing his wife, then his sister.

"Still at the compound. He said he will come when everyone is brought over. Naurfaer and Legolas are with him." Tauriel paused, looking at the bundle. "Fili, do you have a water bladder?"

"I did...but I think it fell off somewhere during one of the many battles I engaged in today. I am sure one of the elves have one though." Fili said. He looked Tauriel up and down, noting the way she favored her right leg, how pale she was, and the dark circles under her eyes. "Don't move, little sister. I will be right back."

Tauriel watched as Fili ran to an elf she could not place the clan of. That one had skin of gold and long, straight, hair…but he was standing next to one of darker coloring and braids.

"They are Avari." Viltarra answered the question in her sister's eyes. "I believe, that pair is part of the clan of the ground since they are wearing the same uniform, but it is kind of difficult to really tell...they all kind of look interchangeable, both groups I mean. I am only really able to tell the difference between their clans if they have an aelúg next to them." She said with a little embarrassment in her tone.

"I do remember you telling me you have been to Rhun, have you met the Avari before this?" Tauriel asked. She was glad she could have a name for the clans who were working hard to rescue them and their people.

"A few times…but the aelúg…I have never before seen. The Avari I encountered never spoke of them. They normally do not get along like this, those who fly and those who don't...the two clans only have a temporary truce I think in thanks to both Kili and Fili. I am sure you will be hearing all about it soon."

Before Tauriel could comment, Fili came running back with a half full looking water bladder and hands clean of blood…though his clothes still were drenched in drying crimson. "Here." He passed it to Tauriel who nodded her thanks and took a sip…but then to Fili's frustration, emptied the remaining contents into the sands. "Mahal Tauri, does it look like this place has a surplus of water? What did you do that for."

"Just, give me a moment, and hold out your vest please." Tauriel folded her legs under her, sitting right onto the cracked clay ground. She opened the bladder as much as she could, then began unbuttoning her own top layers. When Fili still stared at her, she rolled her eyes and spun her fingers. "Turn around...and your vest please? I really do not want to expose myself to everyone. If I wasn't lacking so much energy, and in so much discomfort, I would wait until we have more privacy...but that child needs to eat and I have the means to supply him with food. Believe me, it will be helping me as well."

Fili's eyes widened as they flicked to her fingers still working on a button. "Oh." He said then nodded, pulling his vest off and placing it over her to cover her while standing with his back to her. "Take the time you need, little sister. We will cover you." He eyed the wargs laying on the ground not far from them, then the two ravens also on the ground huddled beside Tauriel. Fili smiled at his wife, who grinned back at him before her eyes were peering off into the distance.

It was surprising for Fili to watch how calm the world was around him despite what had been happening not a quarter hour's flight away. In their absence, Avari flocked here by the hundreds. More fliers were soaring over them, headed for the compound while others were continuously bringing dwarves and elves back.

The dwarven army were slowly gathering, and to Fili's surprise, helping to bring water to the injured and exhausted elves. He didn't need to order them, they just seemed to do it. His people could be abrasive, but they were not so cold and callous as to not aid where they can.

A few of the dwarves had injuries of their own, and were accepting help as they needed. Fili noticed a healer give one of the dwarven guards some sort of kit, and watched as he jogged over and shuffled through the bag until he pulled some thread and a needle and began working on a cut on the back side of his comrades hand. He then moved to another who had a large gash on his head. He must have some training in healing…yet another blessing.

Fili will have to get the full count later on if any were missing or lost. So far, the numbers appeared promising as they came and gave him reports little by little. Fili would nod, and adjust himself to ensure his sister remained covered. But when a soft hand tugged on his belt, Fili turned to see her holding up a now filled bladder.

"This should do." She said rebuttoning her top and accepting Fili's free hand to help her up. "He will not be able to drink from it as it where a bottle…we do not have one of those…but you can drip it slowly into his mouth until he accepts it."

Viltarra repositioned the infant then accepted the bladder from Fili who had it open just enough to allow a small trickle of milk to flow. There was no place to sit, so Viltarra had to stand while Fili held the bladder to the infants lips. He turned away at first, his face pressing into Viltarra while making soft sounds of protest.

"Come on." Fili said. "It's alright."

But it was Viltarra's soft singing that had him looking back up at her and slowly, Fili was able to place a few drops in his mouth which he swallowed. Bit by bit, Fili fed him while Viltarra sung softly as his little tummy began to fill with his first meal in this world.

Tauriel just watched them, a sad expression on his face. He should have a mother, but so much like her, the world had other plans for him. "Great Iluvatar, father of our people." Tauriel whispered in prayer. "Please give him a better life than Lorilyn." She felt warmth fill her, and she knew, her prayer was heard. She then glanced around her to take in the gathering groups, and something caught her attention and she turned to Fili who was recapping the bladder and handing it to Viltarra as she held the infant to her shoulder and patted his back. "Is that...the Stonefoot clan emblem?" Tauriel asked.

Fili sighed and nodded. "It is. Their mountain is just about an hour away."

Tauriel ground her jaw and Fili noticed, taking a breath as he ran his hand through his hair...a gesture so much like Kili did when he was nervous. "We needed backup, Tauriel...so I called in a debt. But Krygo was more than willing to aid regardless." He gave Tauriel an apologetic look. "Tauri…I want to tell Ki myself, do you think you could..."

Tauriel pierced her lips, but nodded. "I will not keep this from him for long, but I will filter this out for the time being. Go on."

Fili glanced to Viltarra who nodded, then went back to feeding the infant…this time on her own. He let out a heavy breath as he turned back to his sister and told her everything. Every detail of what he saw, of what Kaulithah said, of what he made her do. Only now, did he feel a little guilt enter him for what he did and how he acted. That, was really not who he was...but he knew if he would go back there, he would not change a thing of what he said or ordered. This was not about making a dam who was rendered lame an example for his own power complex, this was about teaching her that he and his family will not be held under her power.

"She...drew pictures and made sculptures of MY Kili? Of he and her..." Tauriel blinked, then pure rage filled her and she had to expend more energy than she wanted to stop it from filtering to Kili. If he even had an inkling of her discomfort or mood, he would fly right over and he was needed where he was to help. Taking a deep breath, Tauriel forced her frustration down as much as she was able to. "I do not know what to say about this Fili. I need time to think about this...but saying I am furious is putting it quite lightly."

"Ya well, you and me both little sister, believe me. I also need time and the strongest scrubbing material in existence to get those images from my head. There are things I wish I could unsee." Fili grumbled. "But I won't let her hurt you, Tauriel, you nor Kili. If I have to, I will remove her from this world myself if I even get the inkling, she could bring any more harm to our family. I do not think she can, which is why I will let her live. I cannot speak for uncle when he finds out though."

Tauriel looked into the distance, her thoughts racing at the implications that...she was currently far too tired to even deal with right now. "Kili will know about this. He has a right to know."

"And I will tell him everything. He has an idea though, so he is not completely ignorant of the situation. I already promised him a full explanation which I will give him once we are all together." Fili took Tauriel's hand, squeezing it. "What happened with her, is over, Tauri. All that is left of what Kaulithah once was, is a shell of a dam clinging to an obsession...an obsession she will never have. She is sick, Tauri, that is all. As furious and disgusted as I am with her...I cannot help but also pity her and whatever twisted reality she thinks she lives in."

"Pity." Tauriel snarled. Her emerald eyes darkened before she took yet another calming breath and nodded. "I pray you are right, Fili. I will not see her hurting Kili, nor will I see her so much as communicating with him. Both Kili and I will be talking to Thorin to see that there are extra measures to keep any correspondence completely away from Erebor."

"I completely agree." Fili said without hesitation. "We are all here for both of you. I wish there was a way to just, cut ties with her completely. But..."

"They are part of our kingdom, and it is not possible to remove the clan without causing an uproar." Tauriel finished for him. "I know, Fili, and I understand. I also know it is the fault of one…not the entire clan, so I should not be judging them all as such. I just...I am not comfortable with this. I...I knew she was there, out there somewhere. But it has been very easy to simply pretend she is gone fully from our lives. A fantasy of my own, I suppose. A foolish one."

"Never say that, Tauriel." Fili said softly. "It is never foolish to try and move on. We will get past this. I do not think Krygo has an heir, and when his ruling is over...his cousin Borlynn will be taking his place. He is a good dwarf, a bit...strict and lacking in humor...but honorable and deeply loyal to our family. Uncle has already been in talks with him as Krygo is training him to take over."

"Is he older?" Tauriel asked having never heard the name before.

Fili chuckled. "About Gimli's age actually. He is currently running the settlement in the west or I would have made sure to say hi to him. Uncle said he suggested it to Krygo to let Borlynn handle affairs for them in their western settlement. He is as sharp as steel, and smart as Balin even at his age according to uncle. Thorin is quite impressed with him." Fili eyed his sister, a grin spreading across his face. "And did I mention, he loathes Kaulithah? Uncle said his own words on the dam were 'She is a shame to both our house, our family, and our people and should be sent to live under a rock deep in the sea for her actions.' I cannot disagree."

"I like him already." Tauriel mumbled. "I still do not like this, but, I can make peace with it. How long must we stay here?"

"Once everyone is back, we will make a plan." Fili hummed until he heard some gentle whining and looked over and rolled his eyes. Dungael was limping over to him and looking up at him with pleading dark eyes.

"What? It is your fault you chose to come. That is not going to kill you." Fili huffed.

"And what is this about?" Tauriel asked, eyeing the warg. "Fili? Did you get a new warg?"

"Mahal no!" Fili huffed. "He just...showed up and won't leave me alone."

Tauriel was already on the ground looking at him when Fili grabbed her by the shoulder and held her back. "He is wild, Tauri. I can't risk him hurting you."

"He is fine, Fili." Viltarra said as she finished a song and started another.

Fili rolled his eyes. "No, nunguame, he is an unpredictable WILD animal and he will be going off to do his own thing as soon as I can get him to skat."

'Daughter of the forest, this warg is Dungael, of the blood of Thungael, born of the great Fingael.' A soft voice whispered in Tauriel's mind. 'It is these beasts who serve me, and do my bidding in Arda. I sent this young pup to protect the golden-haired son of Durin. I gave him the freedom to choose his fate beyond that, and he desires to linger at the side of the future ruler of Erebor. He is not like the wargs of these lands, he will not harm those he swears to protect. Care for him, and neither he nor his posterity shall ever fail to fight alongside Durin's folk."

"Oh." Tauriel said softly, then reached her hand out to brush her fingers through Dungael's grey and black fur. He growled a bit, but then calmed under her ministrations. "I am afraid, Fili, you are quite incorrect. Dungael, here, was sent by Aule himself."

"WHAT?!" Fili yelped, staring wide eyed at the warg then shooting an apologetic look to his wife when the tiny elf in her hold began to wail. "Sorry, nunguame."

She glared at him and moved a few more steps away, swaying and rocking as she went back to trying to feed him. His cries slowed and soon stopped as Fili looked back at Tauriel . "Explain it to me...slowly." he said, folding his arms and glaring at her.

Tauriel bit her lip then shrugged and told Fili exactly what Aule had said to her. When she was finished, Fili just looked at her with a lost and confused expression. "A warg though? I mean he is a Valar, and a creator...but he sent...a wild warg?"

"I get messages, Fili, I cannot pretend to understand fully your makers decisions. I am assuming, he was doing what he could to protect you. Be grateful you have a maker so fond of our family he is willing to likely break rules to keep us safe. Besides, he must know you have Hiril, so in a way, it does make sense."

Fili grumbled something under his breath then nodded. "So...I am stuck with it? The warg?"

"I think stuck is a very ungrateful word, Fili." Tauriel chastised. "You are being quite childish. And, he is injured." She said, seeing the blood drying in his fur. "His injury was a result of following you, you should be more kind and thankful for his desire to protect you. But, as you have freedom of choice, it is your choice to do what you wish, as it is his to linger with you." She gave her brother a reproachful look and he sighed and nodded.

"I suppose if the maker sent him, I don't have a real choice in the matter, do I."

"No you don't." Viltarra sung from where she fed the newborn elf.

Fili rolled his eyes. "Well…fine, this can be the warg they were going to get you for your birthday than. Happy birthday, nunguame." Fili said with a tone worthy of a taunting child rather than the crowned prince of his people.

Viltarra snickered, then a bright smile lit up her face. "You were going to get me a warg puppy?" She said, a bright sparkle in her eyes.

"Maybe." Fili grumbled. "Auntie Nya was looking into it. But I am putting a stop to that as soon as we get home. Two, is more than enough. No more."

"Of course, Fili. Two, for now. And should he and Hiril have puppies..." She said wistfully.

"Mahal help me." Fili groaned. "YOU can have that conversation with uncle, nunguame."

Tauriel chuckled. "I guess he is yours then." She teased her dwarven brother while Viltarra just shook her head and continued swaying.

"Ya ya, stop rubbing it in. Is he going to be alright?" Fili finally asked as Tauriel continued looking him over.

"He is cut pretty deeply, but I do not think it needs stitching. I also am unaware how he may react to it being tended to." She pulled away just as Dungael gave a whine and lay on the ground, turning his head to lick his wound.

"Now now, we cannot have that either." Tauriel said. "You will cause it to infect." She reached down to her tunic and pulled a large strip off. "Alright...I am only going to put this over your wound." she said softly in Sindarin. Animals tend to respond to the elven tongue far better than any other language. It is likely because it is a language close to that spoken by the creators and is written in their make-up. However, Dungael let out a low growl in warning and Tauriel leaned away.

"Here, let me." Fili sighed in resignation. He accepted the strip of cloth and knelt to the warg. What he had not expected, however, was for Hiril to stand and snap at Dungael, her teeth bared in warning. It had Dungael lower his ears and head in submission. "It's okay, Hiril. Good girl." Fili praised as she licked him on the cheek and lay beside him, though her eyes were fixated on the darker warg.

"You going to calm down so I can tie this up? Hm?" Fili said to the warg who whined but kept his head where it lay between his paws. "I take that as a yes." Fili chuckled and slowly leaned forward, wrapping the cloth around his upper front leg. Dungael did not even make a sound as Fili tied it into a knot and leaned away. "There, now you can go back to being the big, bad, warg you are supposed to be."

Dungael snorted into the clay but otherwise did not move even as Fili stood, holding his hand out to help Tauriel up. She struggled but with Fili's aid, was able to get on her feet though she wobbled a bit which was very unlike her. "I would prefer it, if you sat down, little sister."

"And I would prefer it if you stopped mothering me." Tauriel shot back but then apologized. "I am sorry Fili. Ignore my tone, I am just, both tired and restless. I cannot find myself desiring to sit though, not now. I really need to see if I can find Tork, Nelithi, and Ivethin."

"You need to sit and rest, Tauri." Fili said even as Tauriel began moving away, but she shot him a smile.

"I will sit, when Kili sits." She said with a teasing tone as she turned from her brother and sister before either could argue with her. She really needed to find her friends to make certain they made it back alright, but Tork was nowhere in sight…and Tauriel's concern grew as she asked all passing if they had seen him, giving his description as well as Nelithi and Ivethin's.

"The great winged lion that became a bared man?" One asked, lifting her dark brow. "He has been placed in holding by our guards. He is one of THEM." She growled. "He himself bore testimony from his lips, that he worked there and brought our people across the sands to that place."

Tauriel narrowed her eyes. "Perhaps he did once, but he was also one of the many who risked his life to help us and our cause. You will free him."

"Do not speak to me as if you have authority, child!" The taller elf hissed, stepping closer to Tauriel.

"NANA!" Another came over, her aelúg landing so fast its large claws added further cracks to the clay ground. At the eleth's front, was an elf she had tied to her.

"SAPHYRA!" The eleth who refused to release Tork yelled out as she ran to help remove the clearly unconscious elf from the aelúg with the aid of several others who appeared to be her people. "Makers song." She cried. "Oh…no. NO!"

Tauriel watched as they untied the elf from Saphyra and gently lay him on the ground. She was about to give them some privacy and to go find Tork when she changed her mind and moved to the two elves who were given a wide birth by the others who had just helped them.

"NO! No. Indarro. My Indarro. By sweet child." The elf cradled the body of the elf to her chest, her head raised to the star flecked sky, as she let out a heart wrenching wail. "No. No. Not my child…my precious child." She cried again, Saphyra beside her, her face pressed into her mother's shoulder, and her entire body shaking with her own sobs.

Tauriel didn't need to check the elf's pulse and she also doubted she would be able to get on her feet again if she did kneel to the ground. She already knew with one look at him that he was already long into the lands of Valinor. "I am so sorry." Tauriel said softly, her head bowing as she mournfully recited, "Lothron i elena tegi- hain na sídh. May the stars, lead him to peace."

"Peace?" Saphyra's mother choked. "He is not seen 800 years in this world. He is…too young. A child. My child. Too young and they took him from me. They took him from me. My little son."

"Rythanna." Another male came over, his words soft and sorrowful…as if he did not want to disturb her but had to. "Illuvarro wakes, and he is asking for you. I will personally see to Indarro, my lady."

"NO!" Rythanna said, then realized her words and bowed her head. "Forgive me." She said to the elf. "You do not deserve my ire, Iris. I will go to my Iluvarro now." She wiped her eyes and Tauriel watched her go, her daughter going with her.

Looking around, Tauriel noted similar situations happening as loved ones were reunited and lives lost realized. She could not help but wonder just how many were lost, as every one was a cut in her heart. If she were just a little fast, if she were just a little less rash...could she had saved more? Could she have saved Indarro...a child, Rhythanna said. Her child. An elf nearly two centuries older than her, a child. She wondered what it would be like, for just a moment, to have a mother mourn her or regard her in such a way. But she shook the sadness away. She had a family and a grandfather who rarely leaves their mountain without her. And she knew, without a doubt, her family would be torn apart if something ever happened to her just as she would be lost without a single one of them.

Still, she could not help but suddenly feel very young. Maybe it was being surrounded by so many elves who would, according to their own traditions, consider her too to be a child.

"Valar above, I am a mother of five." Tauriel shook the thought away. Traditions or not, her new mortality changed how her age is now to be viewed...not that her people will ever see it like that. Elves hold tightly to tradition...much like dwarves. Oh, how Tauriel would love to see the day when anyone tried telling the eldar they are like dwarves in any way. "Ivethin. Nelithi." She said to herself, and continued her search for Tork. More than anyone, he should know where they went and after scanning the flat area, she finally saw his form a ways away from the gathering group.

Tauriel limped her way to where they were keeping him, tied down with leather straps she knew he could easily break if he wished to. Even from the distance, he watched her approach…his sea-green and yellow eyes not once leaving her. "You should be sitting and resting, Bunny." He said around a tall elven guard who glared at him and was about to tell him to silence when Tauriel beat him to it.

"He is allowed to speak." She said angerly then turned her focus on Tork. "Why did you let them take you Tork? You saved lives today. This is not right."

"Yes, but I have done far more harm than good in my life, Bunny. And…I was worried they wouldn't help them if I didn't comply."

"We…are not the monsters." The elven guard said.

"When will he be released?" Tauriel sighed.

"It is not for me to decide, light seeker." The Avari guard said. "Morythi will decide his fate."

"Then point me to him if you will." Tauriel ignored her pain and stood straight, her eyes narrowed at the elf who simply stared with a lifted brow. Tauriel huffed. "Well at least unbind him and allow him to dress. Get him some water as well. If you are not monsters as you say, then stop treating those who have aided in such a way that makes us look no different than them that ran that place. Not monsters, yet you force him onto his knees on the hard ground, and bind him in free air wearing nothing but a filthy tied cloth about his waist."

"I do not take orders from you, westerner."

"You speak to a lady of Erebor. If I were you, I would mind my tongue." Tauriel sighed and turned to see a seething Fili come stomping over clearly having heard the conversation. "Tauriel is a member of our royal family…so I suggest you curve your words and your tone before we have a real problem." He eyed the large bound man behind the guard, then his sister. "Do you know him?"

"Tork helped me. He saved my life, and brought Ivethin and Nelithi here to safety. He is…like Beorn." Tauriel gave her brother a knowing glance.

Fili's eyes widened a bit, then softened. "You saved my sister?"

Tork shrugged. "I like her."

"Who doesn't." Fili smirked up at Tauriel who was rolling her eyes.

"I can think of more than a fair few." Tauriel mumbled. "Is there any way we can get him freed, Fili. He doesn't deserve to be bound like this."

"No Bunny." Tork answered before Fili could. "I will face what I must. But…can you go check on Nelithi? She is there…" He nodded his head towards several groups of elves. "They promised to tend to her…Ivethin is there as well."

Torn between getting to her friends, and getting Tork freed, Tauriel was not sure what to do. "And you need to get that calf looked at. Can see it still drippin from here."

That got Fili's attention and he was folding his arms. "You still have not had that seen to?"

Oh Valar…here comes the overprotective son of Durin. Before Tauriel could say a word or make a choice for herself, Fili had his arm around her waist and was moving her away from Tork and to the gathering elves.

"I am fine Fili." Tauriel rolled her eyes.

"You better be getting that calf looked at, amralime. I can still feel it burning from here and even for me it is barely tolerable." Kili shot to her through their bond. Make that two, overprotective sons of Durin.

"It is fine, Kili." She sent back but she felt his disbelief keenly.

"Mhm. Fine, sure. We shall see." Fili grunted in response to her earlier answer. He glanced a few yards away where he could still see his wife rocking the elven infant in plain sight, both Hiril and Dungael just beside her. As long as he could see her, he was fine. He had already taken her to get her arm stitched up before Tauriel landed. Now, he had to drag his sister to a healer before his brother got here and went ram bashing crazy when he discovered Tauriel was still bleeding. Unless he already knew, which likely he did.

Not really giving her a chance to argue, Fili gently and expertly led her to where they had set up an area where anyone who had healing expertise could see to the worse off.

"Another injured?" An eleth said. She was not of the Avari, but appeared to be from one of the western clans, though Tauriel did not know who she was. Just going by her accent, she could tell the eleth definitely was not from Mirkwood. "Where are you injured?"

"I am looking for my friends, actually. They are Nelithi and Ivethin." Tauriel said instead of answering. Her calf could wait long enough for her to make sure her friends were safe.

"She has blood coming out of her calf." Fili jumped in, giving Tauriel an annoyed side glance. "And she would rather it fester and bleed out than get it mended to."

"I would not!" Tauriel argued even as the elven healer kneeled to the ground and began prodding at Tauriel's calf causing Tauriel to hiss and glare at the eleth who ignored her in favor of removing Tauriel's boot. Fili was of course, beside her and supported his sister by giving her something to lean on as her now exposed calf was being inspected.

"It is a wonder you are able to walk." The eleth tsked.

"Her and my brother share a tight bond. I am sure they are dividing the pain." Fili told the elf who nodded in understanding.

"Such bonds are rare. Your brother you say?" The healer said as she poured water over the cut that still bled freely. "I have never heard of such bonds being between an eldar, and a dwarf...until now."

"Nobody has." Tauriel sighed. She felt the familiar tugging of stitches and looked away letting the supposed healer do her work.

"It is advised you keep off that as much as you can." The eleth stood after tying a wrap around Tauriel then carefully helping her into her boot.

"Oh…I would save your breath. She won't listen." Fili chuckled.

Tauriel rolled her eyes. "Thank you, I will keep your advice in mind. Now, I am looking for two elves from our lands. Ivethin and Nelithi."

"Yes. I know both. Ivethin in fact, sent me to you. She is helping who she can as best she can. She should be resting, but, a healer can never truly be at rest when there is need for them...and I cannot find the energy to argue with her when so many are coming for aid." The eleth sighed. "I am Kaowyn by the way. I am a healer from Lothlorien."

"Tauriel of Erebor." Tauriel said automatically. "But I was raised in Mirkwood Forest."

"Before you married a dwarven prince." Kaowyn said with a soft smile. "Now that I think about it, I am quite sure Ivethin has mentioned you to me before. Are you not a former captain of Mirkwood's guard? She said you have some skill in healing...if you are able...do you think I might request your assistance here? We do not have much...but even another set of hands would go a long way."

"I really would prefer if she sat down." Fili said but Tauriel disagreed.

"I will help where I am needed." Tauriel offered. "I must say, that I am rather out of practice in healing...and my training was brief and rudimentary...but if it truly is just a set of hands you need...then I would be happy to help. Fili..." Tauriel turned to her brother. "...you will be needed for the army. I will be just over here and I promise, I will not overdo it."

"Mhm." Fili folded his arms giving her a knowing look. "You make promises as if I do not know you. Just...be careful. You know once Kili gets here, he will go right to you so you have until he comes back and forces you off your feet, to help as you wish."

Tauriel nodded, pressed a kiss to Fili's head, then turned and limped after Kaowyn where she disappeared into the crowd of injured elves and dwarves.

Fili turned back to go to his wife, her eyes turned down to the infant and her lips curved into that smile she gets when she holds their daughters. That...is not good. Shaking his head, Fili walks to her already dreading the discussion he will have about who was best to give that elven baby to. "This...will not be fun." Fili grumbled to himself.

Authors Note ATB: They are finally officially out of that place, and for the most part, back together. Sorry about Lorilyn, she had a rough life and it was hard to decide what fate I really wanted her to have, but in the end, I thought she had been through likely more than she could heal from in the mortal lands…so she is now finding her true peace in Valinor. Her real healing, can no take place far away from those who hurt her. Her son, well, I think we will know what will become of him. Lol. Who will win that argument…Fili…or Viltarra? I think the answer, is as obvious as who one the argument about the warg. And welcome Dungael, to the family. Officially. Lol.

I also have wanted to add the Blue Wizards into this story since I STARTED writing the sequel to Reforged. Honestly, I was kinda disappointed they did not go that rout in Rings of Power. They had them right there to use! I mean, fine, non-canon Gandalf…though they have not confirmed it but is kinda obvious…but Alatar and Pallando were RIGHT THERE! It has always irked me that they are just, almost non-existent lol. I guess MAYBE they will be used somewhere in ROP or in a future movie, or video game or something…but for now, I thought they deserved a place in the Reforged universe. So you are welcome, Alatar and Pallando. You will see them next chapter as well. We will also find out the fate of the Hybrids, and a bit more.

Got another chapter needing editing and it will be up soon, I don't think it is a super long one but I can't remember. Honestly, I finished an exam so I might just take a break day and get it out tomorrow if it is a shorter chapter. We will see. Love you guys!