Raging Fire

Chapter 19 'I Love You'

A raven then landed before Thorin, staring at him. Altá knew exactly what that meant, she turned to hide her face into Kíli's chest when the king spoke again; "I will have war!"

Enelya heard a rumbling in the distance. There was movement on the hill Thorin had been looking at. Thorin had sent word for Ironfoot. She looked at the hill once more, and now only saw heavily armoured dwarves with war-machines upon it. She now looked down to see the reaction of the elves and men, would they really fight for this? And what about the orcs she and Legolas had seen? Thranduil commanded his elves to march towards the oncoming Iron Hills dwarves. Altá and the other dwarves were cheering. Her friend couldn't be serious right? She had lived amongst the elves for decades and now she was cheering for the dwarves! She didn't want to pick sides, so she just walked down the stairs of the blockade again and sat down on the stone, listening to the dwarves' clever tricks to deflect the arrows of her kin.
Altá was cheering for the newly arrived army. Things were looking up again. Dain yelled something to Thorin, and then to Altá, they responded back with cheering again. Things were definitely looking up again. Even more so when Kíli grabbed her waist and kissed her again. The kiss ended quickly when they heard Dain yell over the battlefield; "Good morning! How are we all? I have a wee proposition, if you wouldn't mind giving me a few moments of your time. Would you consider... just sodding off!" She and Kíli smiled when they saw the townspeople stepping back in fear. Bard ordered them to stand fest and Gandalf quickly walked to the front of the armies. "Come now, lord Dain!" He tried to shush the armies with words, something that in Altá's experience never worked. "Gandalf the Grey. Tell this rabble to leave, or I'll water the grounds with their blood!" The brunette smiled, she had always liked Dain for being so forward, and he had liked her too for her spirit. Her eyes widened when Gandalf spoke again; "There is no need for war between dwarves, men and elves! a legion of orcs march on the mountain. Stand your army down!" The Wizard ordered. A legion of orcs? Wasn't that what Enelya had spoken to her about several days ago? "I will not stand down before any elf! Not at least this faithless woodland sprite! He wishes nothing but ill upon my people! If he chooses to stand between me and my kin – I'll split his pretty head open! See if he's still smirking then!" It was time for Altá and her fellow dwarves to cheer again. She looked around for Lya, but didn't spot her. She must've gotten back into Erebor again, she knew Enelya would never leave her side in battle but she was also loyal to both elves and dwarves. Dain had turned his pig to face his armies again. The elven King tried to insult the dwarf again, but he would have none of that; "Do ye think I give a dead dog about your treats! You pointed-eared princess!" At those words Thranduil did look a bit shocked. The dwarves of Erebor cheered again. Kíli had not yet let go of her hand, when would they join their kin to fight? "You hear that, lads?! Come on! Let's give these basterds a good hammering!" The Iron dwarves began to cheer and raise their weapons. The war had finally started. Kíli now put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She knew that he was a bit frightened for her and the other dwarves, she had to admit she was too. Dain ordered his armies to send in the goats. This was gonna be good. She preferred the goats over ponies of course, and she would be honoured if she got a chance to ride one of them as soon as they got out of Erebor. The elves released a storm of arrows, but they were all deflected when Dain had his armies fire a few twirly-wirlies. She and Dain had thought of them together, one of her best ideas yet. The elves fired again, but the arrows were useless again. Dain had brought several of the twirlies. The goats had now reached the frontlines of the elven army. This time it was Altá who squeezed Kíli closer, she didn't want to see any of the animals, or dwarves of course, hurt. It was why she had become a general, or the captain of a royal guard. She didn't want her kin to get hurt or die. But suddenly there was another noise, one louder than the battle sounds of the dwarves and elves combined, something she had never seen before; Were-worms. She had never seen such a big battlefield, but she would manage. Dain was shouting again; "The hordes of hell are upon us! To battle! To battle, sons of Durin!" She was a Durin now. Altá was still amazed that every time she remembered that she had married Kíli, that it wasn't a dream. "I'm going over the wall! Who's coming with me?" Fíli asked, and the other dwarves agreed. She turned to Kíli, pecking his lips before preparing to go over the blockade as well. "Stand down!" She looked at Thorin in disbelief; "Are we to do nothing?" She asked him. The king repeated his former words, and walked down, retreating in Erebor. All but Altá and Kíli followed, they didn't want to miss a thing. "Do you think we'll get to join them, athanu men? [my Queen] " Kíli asked her, she nodded. "And if Thorin doesn't allow it, we'll go over ourselves, I will not abandon my friends." Together they watched how the dwarves and elves had joined the same side to fight the orcs. Together they watched as the elves released another storm of arrows, this time fired to kill the trolls. Together they watched how the war-machines of the dwarves killed many orcs, and watched as they were destroyed. "I cannot stand here and watch anymore, my love. Shall we join? Or will we go back to our company?" Altá asked him, he shrugged his shoulders. They were losing the battle, it would be useless to join now. Once more they held hands, once more they walked down the steps of the barricade.
As soon as Enelya had found a comfortable way to sit on her stone, she saw Thorin walk down the stairs. What was going on? Would they not join the fight? She had thought that if she would stay here long enough, she could sneak out after the others, she wouldn't have to pick sides now the orcs had come. She laid her head back on the stone and closed her eyes. Why was war always so complicated? Enelya heard the other dwarves come down the stairs. One of them sat next to her, Fíli. She could recognize him from the way he smelled to the way he sounded when he moved. "You know, I'm sorry. I was an ass, I was drunk. I was terrified of losing you now we were on the eve of battle. What if you would die? What if I would die? I was desperate, and I have never felt more sorry in my life." Enelya opened her eyes again at his sweet apology. Altá had been right, he would come to her. She wasn't even mad anymore, not as much anyway. She smiled at him, and Fíli smiled back. He really did love her. But did she love him? His doubts were back again. What did he have to do? He watched as she sat up straighter, her position on the stone had become uncomfortable again. "Menu gajatu, [I forgive you] Fíli. To be honest, I had the opposite thoughts. I kept telling myself that if we would wait until after the battle, it would be a guarantee that we would both survive. I have forgiven you, but I do not think I love you as much as I did before. After the war, then we'll decide, okay?" They both stood up, this stone really was annoying to sit on. All Fíli could do was nod. She had learned Khuzdul? A bit perhaps. This made him love her even more. He would survive this. He was sure of it, and when they would see each other again, he would kiss her. He would tell her he loved her so much. And she would tell him she loved him too. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. A promise was made. He would survive. She would survive.
"Menu tessu, Altá. Athanu men." [You are everything, Altá. My Queen] Kíli whispered. They were afraid. The sounds that could be heard from the outside were nothing good. Would they really sit here? Wait it out until all the Dwarves, elves and men were dead? Surely it wouldn't come to that right? "Thanu men, I love you too. We will both survive this. Fíli and Enelya will survive. Dain will survive. Don't worry, my love, my everything." Their lips clashed together again. When would Thorin give the order to join the fight? When would... there he was, their King, her adopted father. He was no longer dressed in his kingly robes, he wore armour. What was going on? Kíli rose from next to her, still holding her hand. "I will not hide behind a wall of stone, while others fight our battles for us!" He let go of her hand for a moment, approaching his uncle. "It is not in my blood, Thorin." Altá had tears in her eyes, what if they would die? What if they would never grow old together? Thorin opened his mouth to speak. Did she really want to fight now the battle was so close? "No it is not. We are sons and daughters of Durin. And Durin's folk do not flee from a fight. Thorin laid his hand on her husband's shoulder. Their foreheads touching as a sign of love and respect. She jogged to Kíli's side and wiped away a tear that was about to slip out of his eye. The couple kissed again as Thorin spoke; "I have no right to ask this if any of you; but will you follow me one last time?" He looked around, his companions stood up, he saw Fíli holding hands with Enelya, had they finally found each other truly now? He saw Balin and Dwalin, Oin Gloin, Dori Nori and Ori, Bifur and Bofur. All had stood up, they would follow him. His gaze turned to his daughter, she nodded, tears in her eyes. He walked over to her and hugged her. She was not that little girl anymore he promised to look after, she was no stubborn teen anymore that would hide his sword when he didn't allow her to practice with the most skilled warriors, she was grown up now. He finally realised it. She was a married woman now. He could not be more proud of her. "I love you, my daughter. I am proud of everything you have done. I will see you after the battle. I will give you and Kíli a feast for your marriage, a bigger one than the one you've had. I love you." She nodded again, unable to control her tears. It was time to break the barricade down. She hugged each and every dwarf one last time. Kissing Fíli's cheek, whispering that it would work out between him and Enelya after they had killed every last orc, and of course that she loved him. She walked back to stand alongside her husband once more. Kissing him. She could not wait to feel his lips on hers again after the war. She looked into those lovely brown eyes of his, memorizing every detail of him, the way he smelled, his smile. The way he looked at her. Her tears had stopped falling and she nodded. She was ready to go. She pecked Kíli's lips once more and smiled. The golden clock was released. As it crashed against the wall there was only one sentence on her mind; after this would all be over, she and Kíli would live happily ever after in Erebor.

I do not own the hobbit, I only own Altá and Enelya.