his exception

chapter thirty- four: Kili

The clash of metal followed by the squelching of flesh tearing rang in Maethel's ears. With time, she brought herself to a standing position and she overlooked the battlefield. She saw many fallen soldiers including Orc and Goblin too. She turned around just in time to slash one of her knives through an Orc's head, slicing it right off. She then turned around again and shot an arrow which protruded through another's head. Ripping the arrow from her leg, she trudged her way through the Orc ​​carcasses.

Orc after orc fell before her blade. Yet despite it all, Azog's forces still outnumbered them. She raised her bloody sword and swung towards her next victim. Despite decades of neglect, the princess' forged weapon easily pierced through the orc's armour. The orc's blade slipped through its gnarled fingers as it dropped to the ground, dead.

Maethel gritted her teeth. She couldn't catch a break. "Look out, lass!" A gruff voice shouted. Before Maethel could look towards the voice, she was jerked to the side by Gloin. Before the two of them were dozens of angry goblin mercenaries, but that wasn't why she was worried. At the centre, fighting the goblins were Thorin and Dwalin, with Fili and Kili nowhere in sight.

"No, I can't be too late," she breathed. "Gloin, my friend. I need you to do something for me," Maethel began, making Gloin nod anxiously. "Help Thorin and Dwalin," she told him. "What about you?" He asked. Maethel's eyes never left Thorin and Dwalin, "I've got something I need to do," her voice was calm as she said the words, despite the thoughts rushing through her head.

"May all hope be with you, Master Gloin." The dwarf gave the elleth a small smile as she ran off in search of Fili and Kili. She hadn't run for long when she stopped. There in a covered clearing was Tauriel. "T-Tauriel?" Maethel spoke as she walked closer. Tauriel turned around and it was then that Maethel noticed Kili lying on the ground with blood seeping out of his chest. She then screamed as she ran towards them, dropping to her knees.

"K-Kili? Kili... can you hear me? You have to keep pressure on this." Maethel pleaded as she ripped part of her t-shirt so he could use it as a bandage. She panicked as she looked back into Tauriel's eyes, noticing how there was no hope left in them. She led her friend's hand to his chest and helped him to press him down, "Pressure Kili.. pressure."

Now the tears were coming. Flooding.

Kili coughed weakly in a sign that he was listening. Tauriel closed her eyes and swallowed deeply before looking back up at Maethel. There she laid her hand onto his brow and felt the heat slowly draining from his face. Tauriel muttered Kili's name, her eyes fixing on the blood leaving his chest. At the sound of Tauriel's voice, Kili stirred slightly, "T-Tauriel??" Tauriel gently squeezed his hand as she interlocked their fingers. The two elleths attempted a small smile each. "I-I'm here.. I am right here..." Tauriel weeped. The dwarf coughed and blood spurted from the corner of his mouth, "You're hurt." He croaked out. "I'm fine, really.. you have to stay strong for me.. I don't want to lose you. I can't.. I just can't."

Kili looked back up at Tauriel and then to look at Maethel. "Maethel..?" The elleth continued to press more of her sleeve onto his wound, "You're alright Kili.. you're alright." Kili's eyes met hers and he felt the tears behind his eyes at his friend's words. "I-I'm scared."

"I know little one, I know." Maethel whispered as her tears blocked her vision for a moment. Looking down at him she noticed, not for the first time, how desperately young he was. Kili's eyes met her eyes again and he saw the look she gave Tauriel, "I-I'm going to die.. aren't I?" Maethel was silent as she looked off into the distance before the sound of him wincing brought her back to reality. Tauriel rushed closer, ignoring the extreme pain she was in, towards her dwarf. "Keep pressure on your wounds, Kili." She ordered. Maethel noticed that Kili's eyes were glazing over to the point when she knew he could no longer see them. Kili whimpered. "T-Tauriel.. Maethel...?"

"We're here. We're right here." Tauriel whispered back.

Kili whimpered again, not hearing. "Mamma.." He cried. "For Erebor?" came Kíli's weak voice, a slight chuckle, and the ghost of his usual bright, youthful grin. "For Erebor," Maethel agreed, and his eyes closed.

The two elleths watched in horror as they saw Kili shake vigorously before he lay completely still. Neither moved. They sat there quietly. "Kili..?" Maethel whispered after some time. Tauriel broke into tears again when they didn't receive a response. Then she let out an ear piercing scream that could be heard from across the battlefield as she fell to her feet. Maethel crawled closer to her friend and she gently and slowly wrapped her arms around Tauriel's neck. Tauriel looked up, noticed Maethel, before she began to cry again deep into Maethel's shoulder.

"You're hurt..?" Tauriel mumbled as she brought her head away from her friend's shoulder. Maethel then looked to where her friend was pointing. "It's nothing serious." She mumbled indistinctly before she held her hand out. "For Kili..?"

"For Kili!" Tauriel smiled as she interlocked her fingers with Maethel.

Without any further hesitation both women launched into battle mode again as they slashed and swung with all their might and agility they possessed at the surprised vermin around them.