Chapter Text
Thorin held Kíli’s mother close as they found an entrance to a cave.
“It looks safe enough,” Dwalin said.
“Search to the back,” Thorin ordered. “Caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied.”
The guard went in and called that it was clear. They all settled in, Thorin still holding Willow tightly to his side.
Gloin dropped a bundle of, somehow, dry wood on the floor and rubbed his hands. “Right then! Let’s get a fire started.”
“No,” Thorin shook his head. “No fires, not in this place. Get some sleep. We start at first light.”
“We were to wait in the mountain until Gandalf joined us, that was the plan,” Balin countered.
“Plans change,” Thorin said, looking at Willow, who Kíli realized was still trembling. “It’s too dangerous to stay here. Bofur, take the first watch.”
They all settled on the cave floor.
“Mum, are you okay?” Kíli asked, taking his mother’s hand in his.
She nodded. “Just… just shaken.” She looked up to their leader. “Thank you, Thorin.”
He smiled at her and Kíli was surprised at how many years the expression seemed to shave off his father’s face. “I’m just glad you’re safe.”
He tilted his head forward and pressed his forehead to Willow’s. Kíli didn’t know much of anything about dwarvish culture, but he could feel in his very bones that this was intimate.
“If… if you and Kíli wish to return to Rivendell, I shall not stop you.”
“I made a promise—”
“We are not so far that you cannot return to the elves. I will come for you when the mountain is taken back.”
“Mum, I can go on the quest. Maybe Gandalf can return you to Rivendell once we meet with him again.”
“I’m staying,” his mother said firmly
“Alright, atamanel,” Thorin said gently. “We must rest now regardless.”
The three settled themselves for the night. Kíli laid with his back to his mother and faced the entrance of the cave, where danger would come from. Kíli has commandeered his mother’s sword and laid it out, sheathed, in front of him.
He glanced over and saw Ori twiddling her thumbs in nervousness, seemingly unable to sleep. She was close enough that he knew she would hear him.
“Are you alright, Ori?” Kíli asked.
She glanced at him and nodded. Her brothers were huddled behind her, putting themselves between her and the mouth of the cave. “I almost lost Dori today and Fíli.”
His heart twinged slightly, but he ignored it. “I’m glad everyone’s okay.”
“How’s Miss Willow?”
“Shaken, but okay. Thorin offered to let her go back to Rivendell. He actually said elves without a hint of malice.”
“They took care of your mother and you. More so than some of your own people did. Dwarves see that as being one of the most honorable things a person in this world can do.”
Kíli was starting to think that’s what his father was: honorable. Probably honorable to a fault. If anything, Kíli could tell that Thorin cared about Willow, would protect her, even at risk to himself. He could have fallen just as much as she could have out there.
“What’s that?” Ori was pointing at something in front of him.
Kíli looked down and saw that the line between the sword’s hilt and sheath was glowing blue. He sat up and grabbed the sword and pulled it out. The sword was glowing. Gandalf has said it would do so if orcs or goblins were present.
He heard the sound of gears and the crack of wood and stone.
“Wake up!” Thorin shouted. “Wake up!”
Before the Company could do anything, the floor of the cave opened up like a door and they fell down a chute of tunnels until key landed in a giant wooden cage. As they barely got their bearings, a horde of goblins attacked them, yanking and clawing at them. The Company tried to fight back but there were too many of them. Kíli was pulled away from his mother and found himself near Ori. He tried to protect her as much as he could a goblin rushed towards and knocked him and Ori over the side of the platform. He heard his mother screaming and Ori’s voice echoed in his ears.
He grabbed the girl and pulled her on top of his chest, hoping to absorb most of their fall. Kíli closed his eyes, preparing for impact.