There and Back Again

Chapter Twenty-Six: We'll Meet Again

"Promise me, you shall be careful," Dis whispered hugging Kíli close, she remembered what happened the last time he had gone off like this and she knew how close she had come to losing both her sons. 

There were no words to describe the feeling that she had felt when she had heard that both had nearly killed in battle, let alone losing her only remaining brother; she did not think she would have coped with such a massive loss. 

It was only down to Thalia's intervention that she had not been forced to bury the last of her family, she would never be able to repay her for what she had done. 

"I promise amad," Kíli told her with a roll of his eyes, he was not a dwarfling anymore and he was more than capable of defending himself; he had trained and he had no intentions of dying anytime soon. 

He looked over at his brother, who was saying his own farewell to Kona; they would have each other's backs and Kíli would make sure that Fili came home to see his child born. 

Thalia was stood to the left of Dis, her eyes fixed on Thorin while he spoke with a member of the council that she did not recognise; she could only pray that he would return to her. 

There was no telling just how bad this war was going to get and they were all going to have to deal with the consequences; it was not going to be an easy fight and there was no telling what would come. 

It felt that they never had enough time, that they were always racing towards something else happening and Thalia wished that she could just slow it down for a moment. 

Only days earlier they had been wed, although no one else in the mountain other than those who had been in attendance knew of such a thing; now Thalia was forced to watch him leave the mountain uncertain if he would return. 

The war was coming to the Mountain no matter how much they tried to prevent it or pretend that it was not going to happen; the army marched to prevent it reaching their door but there was no certainly here. 

Thorin moved away from his conversation and towards where Thalia was stood, they had said their private goodbyes that morning in the safety of her chambers away from prying eyes.

"Brother," Dis greeted with a nod of her head, there was much to be done while he was away and she hoped that he would not be gone too long, the mountain could not afford to lose its King after everything that had happened. 

Dis did not think that Theo was ready to become King, he was just a little boy and there would be those that would attempt to remove him especially given the fact that he was only newly recognised as Thorin's heir. 

"I shall pray for your safe return," Dis told him softly, she remembered what it had been like when he had set off on the quest to take back the mountain. 

It had been a hard goodbye but Dis had known that there were those in the company that would keep him in line, she had hoped that the dwarven lords would help but when that did not happen, she had been furious. 

The fact that it had been a close call and the only reason that her loved ones had survived the battle now remained with her at the mountain was not something that comforted her greatly. 

Thorin nodded his head sharply to his sister before he looked at Thalia, he had encouraged her to remain knowing that if anything happened to him that the twins would need their mother. 

"Good luck husband," Thalia whispered softly so that her words could not be heard, she stared at him with tears in her eyes wishing that it had never come to this. 

There was a nagging feeling in her stomach and Thalia pushed it aside as she watched Thorin move away from them, neither wishing to linger when they had said all that they had needed to in private.