Kings and Masters

Chapter 5

Kili awoke some hours later to voices. He blinked and moved his head to his side to see Thorin's bed vacant. His uncle was nowhere to be seen. But Kili could hear his uncle's deep voice coming from outside the opened doorway. He tried to listen to the other sounds, but couldn't decipher them.

But his curiosity was forgotten when Fili suddenly groaned beside him. Kili gasped, quickly scrambling to roll over onto his side so he could face his brother, ignoring the gripping pain that came from the movement.

"Fili..." Kili gasped, reaching to take his brother's hand as he stared down into his brother's face. But the blonde dwarf remained silent. Kili whimpered and moved to put his hand on Fili's chest, giving him a gentle nudge. "Come on, wake up."

Maybe it had been his imagination. Kili let out a long sigh and put his head on Fili's shoulder, careful not to hurt him as he curled in close to his brother and watched the barely noticeable rise and fall of his chest. Tears welled up in his eyes, threatening to spill over as he pleaded silently for his brother to move, grasping his hand tight.

And then Kili felt it. A faint squeeze on his hand. He lifted his head; breath hitched in his throat. The squeeze came again, and this time, Kili was certain. "Uncle!" he shouted. "Uncle! hurry!"

Thorin tore into the room at lightning speeds at his nephew's call and appeared on Fili's other side in seconds, peering over both of his nephews, "What is it, Kili?" he asked.

"He moved," Kili said in a frightened high pitched voice. "I felt him... and before, I heard him groan."

"Kili..." Thorin said, wearily.

"No, Uncle, I felt him move," Kili insisted, fixing Thorin with an intense gaze. "I didn't imagine it."

And then, as Kili clung to hope, Fili moaned again and this time, Thorin's eyes widened as he focused his attention on his eldest nephew. "Fili..." he breathed with such raw emotion that Kili blinked, startled.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Fili's eyes slowly fluttered open. He stared blankly at nothing for a moment, before noticing his brother and uncle on either side of him. He arched a brow in confusion as he opened his mouth to try to say something, his voice raw from disuse.

"Ki..." he rasped. "Unc..." He swallowed a bit, frustration on his face.

"It's alright, Nephew, you're alright," Thorin said gently as he and Kili waited patiently for Fili to find his voice.

He struggled for a moment before finally whispering, "Where am I?"

"You're in an estate on Long Lake," Thorin explained. "We were in battle, do you remember that?"

Fili thought for a moment and nodded, "The pale orc," he said, closing his eyes briefly. "He ambushed me. I tried to get back to you, but I was surrounded. I tried to fight him..." He swallowed, focusing on Kili. "Brother, get off of me, I'm not going anywhere."

"What?" Kili asked, puzzled.

"I don't feel well, and I don't plan on going anywhere, so you don't have to hold me down."

Kili's face fell as he realized what Fili was getting at. He glanced at Thorin, not quite sure how to respond.

"Fili, listen to me," Thorin said slowly, gently turning Fili's face, so the golden-haired dwarf was facing him. "When Azog dropped you, you were hurt badly by the fall."

"What do you mean?" Fili asked, furrowing his brow, trying to make sense of everything. His blue eyes searched Thorin's face for answers.

"You broke your leg... and your back." Thorin said, finally. Fili blinked and shook his head.