An Unexpected Addition (Fili Fiction)

Chapter 30

In the distance I watched Thorin and Dwalin cut down oncoming Goblins, fending them off. The ugly creatures jumped down upon them and the pair of dwarves had them slayed before their feet touched down. 

I was upon them in just a minute, abandoning my goat as it bled out beneath my feet. I quickly thanked it by stroking it's matted fur and tugged my long sword from it's sheath. The light reflected on the blade as I swung it into the nearest Goblin who had snuck past the duo. The Goblins stopped coming at us eventually and Thorin finally acknowledged my presence. Blood was dripping from the sword and I finally wiped it carefully so that it wouldn't turn to rust and ruin after the battle.

"What are you doing here?" Dwalin commanded, watching me place the blood soaked handkerchief down the sheath. 

"I cannot let you fight them alone. Strength in numbers, my friend."

Our attention diverted to the place where Azog once stood, now obviously gone. I let out an exasperated puff of air, cussing him for going missing.

 "Thorin..."

I turned my head, catching a glance at my Uncle who held his chest, out of breath.

"Bilbo!" 

"You have to leave here! Now!" He struggled out, almost collapsing to the ground, "Azog has another army attacking from the north. This watchtower will be completely surrounded. There'll be no way out."

"We are so close! That orc scum is in there. I say we push on." Dwalin pressed, his voice aching with every word. 

"No! That's what he wants. He wants to draw us in," Thorin shot to Dwalin, then suddenly furrowed his eyebrows. He came to a realisation, the same one I had just moments after Thorin's words. "This is a trap!"  

"Find Fili and Kili! Call them back!" Thorin ordered me and I instantly began to run off not exactly knowing where I should go. Racing down into a random hall, I came upon a stair case. I followed it until I found someone. Was it a Goblin? No! My heart raced as I realised it was Kili, who emerged into the light in front of me and I ran to him, prepared to tell him to come with me. We would have to get out of here now.

I looked up from the perch upon realising Fili was not with his younger brother. I opened my mouth to ask him where Fili had gone off to, all of a sudden becoming very worried. There was a noise, then there was laughing followed by a scream. 

I cocked my head to see above us, my eyes landing on Fili being dragged behind a massive, broad shouldered Orc. It was Azog. Fili's face was bloodied and clearly in pain. My hands rose to cover my mouth, letting out an involuntary squeak.

Azog spoke but I didn't know what he was saying... 

"No! Run" Fili shouted to his kin and I felt useless, unable to help. As my mind raced, my eyes darted to Thorin, knowing that if he dared, a blade could be throw to delay, perhaps stop the act. I knew if Fili was standing there, he wouldn't delay throwing the knife of an axe...

"Kili! A blade an arrow, something!"

His eyes were transfixed as he watched his brother struggle and so were mine but I had to try even if I would be tossing an axe upwards. What if I hit Fili? Too bad, he would die anyways. As I reached for an axe from my boot as quickly as I could, the world seemed to move in slow motion.

I was a touch too late, as Azog forced his blade into Fili's heart, and his mouth hung upon. My axe flew towards him, powered by my rage and hit Azog's right shoulder and he winced, letting out a short shriek. I was too late, it didn't even matter...

Azog dropped Fili, letting him fall down and down until he hit the cold, ground. If he hadn't been dead before, he was certainly gone now... I kept my aching eyes on him as Kili huffed, furious. Before I could stop him, Kili was off like a shot but I kept my eyes lingering of Fili's body emotionless. It wasn't real! How could this possibly be real? How can someone be there open moment and gone the next? 

I heard someone scream and it tore through my ears and I realised it was me. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks and I knew I was a mess but I couldn't bring myself to stand or fight or...

When I looked up, I saw that everyone had gone, Thorin rushing across the frozen river and Kili tearing Orcs apart.I whipped my arm across my face, finding not only tears there but blood that was still seeping down my cheek. I hated this. I hated death. It was cruel and unfair. Why did it always come for the wrong damn people?

Getting to my feet at last, I took one last glance down at Fili and drew my sword. I knew what had to be done... 

~+~

As I sit here, almost alone, I feel empty. I failed but yet I succeeded. I lost but yet we'd won. There is no measure of wealth I wouldn't give so that Fili was still alive but a the least I hadn't lost my own life. 

"Tell me, Pilda." 

"Well you must listen closely, Tilda," I told her, my heart a little warmer at the sight of her reassuring hand, holding my own. We were sitting together in Dale, not far from my home, Erebor.  "After Fili passed right before my eyes I made my way to find Kili. I had no idea where he'd really gone but I decided to follow the trail of dead Orc's mostly with brutal stabs through their chests, i'd noticed.  Their numbers were seemingly infinite and I had to slice the throats of a few who lay there, suffering. That wasn't fair at the least. I would never let anyone suffer that way. If you're going to kill them, do it mercifully with a clean slice. When I finally found him, he was with Tauriel, trying to take down a rather large Orc. I knew it to be Bolg, Azog's obedient son."

"And you saved them?" She interrupted and I gave her hand a squeeze. 

"Yes," I said, a little proudly, "I killed Bold by jumping down upon his from above, the way I'd watched them do it as well. While Tauriel tried to hack away at him, I surged my blade across it's neck, making blood spill over the ground. He was dead instantly, and my sword was covered in blood again... I hate that."

"And then what happened?" 

"I grabbed their hands like little school children and dragged them along, to be quite frank."

Tilda laughed at that and I smiled, still holding her hand more for myself.  

"We went to go find Thorin, hopeful he was still alive. We found him fighting Azog on the ice and I was very pleased to find that blood was spilling from his arm, Azog I mean. He was flinging a rack and chain around and we watched, unable to do anything else. The ice broke and they fought. Eventually, Thorin had Azog outsmarted, making him sink under the ice. As soon as that happened, we called him over, Thorin  joyous to see us still alive. He was mostly pleased his younger nephew had not been slain but i fear he would be if I hadn't been there to save him. As Thorin rushed to cradle Kili, Azog burst out from the ice, still alive. Azog ran for us, and we all took a battle stance. Mind you, I was terrified."

"Would you admit that to anyone else?"

"No," I admitted and chuckled, "Eventually, Bilbo showed up but remained silent and hidden, thank god. At last we killed Azog together, Thorin taking the final blow upon him. I was more than relieved it was over and done with but the make sure Azog was dead, we tossed him off the edge of the frozen waterfall. At that point he was dead... The rest of the battle was ours to win when the eagles came and killed all of the remaining enemies."

"And here we are..." Tilda finished my story and let me embrace her, crying for Fili's sake into her shoulder.