A Choice

All around them rolling hills dipped and rose in waves that should have been pleasant to enjoy, but some of them hid valleys that were more than deep enough for an ambush to hide within. As they had walked, Fíli had fully expected to be attacked every time they crested a hill or reached the base of it. But there had been neither hide nor hair of the eastern dwarves. Not even any smoke from campfires on the horizon.

"Don't give up," Nidin said as he walked beside Fíli. "They aren't far off now."

"How can you be sure?" he asked, looking to where Dwalin was scouting ahead. They had agreed he wouldn't go too far because if he was caught unawares, no matter how unlikely that was, they wouldn't be able to help him. The older dwarf had scoffed at the notion of needing help and normally Fíli wouldn't have put his foot down about it, but they were far from home and couldn't afford to lose anyone.

"They'd want to be far enough away that they wouldn't draw attention from the mountain but still close enough to be able to respond if they needed to attack."

They fell silent and kept walking but Fíli's thoughts were anything but quiet. There were too many factors staring him in the face and he didn't know how to deal with them. How could he do this so that all of them would walk away, alive and in one piece? Or was it foolish to even think that that was possible?

"Fíli, I know what you're thinking and as soon as you give up hope, you've let them win."

"Tell me where the hope is, Nidin, because I can't see it. There are very few people left in this world that I hold dear to my heart and your brother has taken two of them. Tell me, how is this going to end in something other than blood that should never have been spilled? No matter what you say, someone is going to die when we find them and it isn't only going to be our enemies."

Nidin let out a deep sigh. "If it comes to it," he admitted, "I'd prefer it to be myself and Nadok."

"You'd orphan Rarí like that?"

"My brother fights dirty, Fíli. Taking his life will no doubt cost me my own, but it's a price I'm willing to pay if it means that this foolishness will end."

"Then who will control the Stiffbeards?"

"We have plenty of kin that have their eyes on the throne, Fíli. Someone will take it."

Fíli wasn't convinced. "Won't they just come back to Erebor? How do you know that Nadok's death will end it unless you live and make sure of it?"

Dark eyes slanted toward him and a low chuckle left him. "True enough," he murmured. "But I will give my life to ensure that my daughter survives because she deserves everything that you're going to give her, Fíli."

"She's still going to want you to be in her life."

Humming deeply, Nidin shook his head. "If I survive killing Nadok, I'll have to return with my people, Fíli. I won't be able to leave Orocarni often, not when the Stiffbeards are going to be roiling over Nadok's death."

"Will they attack you?" Fíli asked, waving back when Dwalin gestured for them to hurry up.

"Unlikely, but they won't want to leave Orocarni any time soon. We very much enjoy never leaving our mountains. I can't imagine too many of the ones that came are relishing being so far from home."

"Can you use that to your advantage?"

Nidin made a face. "It depends on what lies Nadok fed them to get them here in the first place," he muttered, increasing his stride as they came to the base of another hill.

Following him up it, he tried not to think too much about everything. It would drive him insane and he needed his wits about him for what was coming. He just needed to keep putting one foot in front of the other and then he could-Jerking to a stop as he reached the top of the hill, his heart slammed into his throat before descending just as rapidly.

Staring at the distended camp before him, Fíli wasn't sure whether he wanted to laugh or curse. It was obvious the enemy knew they were approaching because a ridiculous number of dwarves were waiting for them, armed and ready for a fight. "Did they empty the whole of Orocarni to do this?" he demanded.

"Not quite," Nidin admitted and that chilled Fíli to the bone. "It's Ironfist and Stiffbeard combined, remember?"

That didn't make him feel better. "Tell me honestly," he said lowly, "can we survive this?"

Nidin stared down at the camp, chewing on his cheek in thought before he made a low noise. "You're a cunning king, Fíli. You'll make it through."

Perhaps, in pieces. Fíli looked at the others. Dwalin was silent, no doubt considering how many he could take down himself. Bofur was speaking quietly to Mayna, advising her to stay back in case this went sideways. "None of you have to go any further," he told them. "I will understand if you want to part ways here and no one will think less of you for it."

Dwalin snorted and Bofur shook his head. "Laddie, we know what we agreed to," Bofur said. "We're not going to let you go in there alone."

His eyes closed before he looked at Mayna. "You're not a fighter and-"

"Begging your pardon, my king," she interrupted, "but I can take someone apart just as easily as any of you."

Fíli's lips twitched and Bofur laughed. "I'll watch the healer's back," he assured Fíli. "She'll be more than safe."

None of them were going to be safe for much longer. But the decision had been made and there was no use in waiting. Fíli started down the slight hill, very aware of how the others spread out. Dwalin and Nidin stayed by his sides while Bofur and Mayna trailed a little behind. They would all give their lives to keep him safe, but he refused to let it come to that.

As they drew near, he was able to see a smaller group separate from the others. The only dwarf Fíli recognized was Delrín, but the one standing beside him was surely Nidin's brother, their features too similar not to be related. Behind them was a troop of guards with weapons drawn and directed at two kneeling in the dirt. Cloth bags covered their heads, but Fíli knew who they were.

Alive, his mind whispered. Kíli and Rarí were still alive. Resolve filled him and he knew that fact was not going to change. He wouldn't let it.

"The boy king approaches!" Delrín taunted as they got closer. "Come to get your toys back?"

"Ignore him," Fíli ordered when Dwalin growled. "He isn't the problem."

"He isn't going to ignore you."

"I don't care. I've said my piece to Delrín and have nothing else to say to him." But the other one, Nidin's brother, he had plenty to say to him.

Nadok was watching him, his gaze never wavering. There was no expression on his face, no glee or derision like what was coating Delrín's. It was simply blank as they approached.

"He thinks he's won, Fíli," Nidin said quietly. "Unlike our Ironfist cousins, we're taught to keep our emotions out of battle. They come out when the fighting is over."

"Am I to fight him then?"

"No. Do not cross blades with him. I will deal with him. Use your words and your clever Longbeard mind. They'll serve you better here."

He didn't feel clever. Everything he had done hadn't stopped this, but simply brought it to fruition.

"Stop," Nidin barked suddenly.

Fíli planted his feet, keeping his gaze on Nadok. He saw the other's brows draw together slightly and dark eyes flicked away from him for a second. The blank expression cracked, fury flooding his face and his upper lip curling back. "So much for keeping emotions out of it," he said casually. He doesn't look happy to see you."

"I can't imagine he would after our last meeting. My brother is always so sure of himself and he thought that he could convince me to come back once Runsa was gone. He thought she'd cast some spell on me to steal me from my home."

"He didn't believe she was your One?"

"He doesn't believe in having a One, Fíli. He lives and breathes by the sword. It's how princes of Stiffbeards are raised."

"And princesses?" Fíli asked, watching as Nadok's eyes narrowed as if trying to read their lips and learn what they were speaking of.

Nidin huffed softly. "Fíli, you don't ever want to be in the same room as a Stiffbeard princess," he muttered. "She'll gut you faster than a prince ever would."

His eyes slid to Nidin but the other's gaze was locked firmly on Nadok. "Why are we standing here?" he asked, wanting to move on.

"Because you're a king and you don't pander to anyone. If Nadok wants to speak with you, he can come to you. He might be a king, but he was second son first and that alone puts you above him in the eyes of my kin. If he wants to talk to you, he's going to do it on your terms."

"Then we should have stayed in Erebor," Dwalin muttered.

Taking a deep breath, Fíli looked back at the other group. He could see Delrín talking to Nadok, gesturing at them sharply. Bracing his feet a little wider, Fíli settled in to wait for them to come to him and his gaze moved to the pair behind the kings. They were both still dressed in the clothes he had seen them in last and didn't seem any worse for wear. Of course, he couldn't see their faces and there was no accounting for their mental wellbeing. He knew they were both strong willed and stubborn as mules, but this was going to leave marks on them.

His head came up slightly and he watched as Nadok started forward, the others following him. His walk was slow and measured, his face once again blank while Delrín's was lit with fury. Reminding himself that Delrín would enjoy taunting him, Fíli knew that this was not going to be a good meeting.

"How high and mighty Durin's Heir seems to think he is," Delrín said before they had gotten too close. "You come to us and treat us like commoners, having us come to pander at your feet?"

"Be silent, Delrín," Nidin said sharply. "You brought the shame upon yourself by dishonouring Erebor's king first."

"You have no right to speak to me, traitor," Delrín spat.

"And you have no right to speak to Fíli."

"Enough," Nadok said flatly, gesturing sharply at the other king. "I do not want to hear another word out of either of you."

"Nidin isn't under your rule," Fíli said, "and since it's his daughter that you've taken, he has more right to speak than you."

The silver beads hanging from Nadok's beard shifted as he clenched his teeth. "And so the Lion of Erebor does have some teeth," he said, his voice mild despite his clenched jaw.

"What do you want?" Fíli demanded. "I'm in no mood for any more of your games."

"I don't play games, boy. Life is no game. It's a series of tests and challenges and your life is on the line in all of them." Nadok paused, his gaze flitting over those that had come with him. "I have to say I'm impressed. I was sure you'd empty the mountain to get back what was taken from you or do they mean so little to you that you'd only bring a handful and death upon yourself?"

"My people have suffered more than you could ever know, Nadok," he said flatly. "Why would I expose them to the taint you suffer from when I don't have to?"

"Teeth but no brains. I have an army at my back and you dare insult me?"

Fíli knew he was walking on shaky ground but he wasn't going to back down and show the other king any weakness. "How dangerous could you be if you need the combined might of two armies to face one dwarf?"

Nadok's eyes darkened as Fíli insulted him again. "Watch your tongue, whelp," he snapped, "or do you care so little for your people's lives?"

His gaze flicked to the kneeling dwarves. His heart knew it was them but he said, "How do I know it's truly them? How do I know you haven't killed them already?"

"You don't." Nadok gave him a grin that made his stomach clench. "But I'll take pity on you."

Fíli didn't see him give a signal but two guards gripped the cloth sacks and tore them off. His heart skipped a beat as he saw it was them before it stopped as he really looked at them. Rarí looked tired, dark bags under her eyes, but no worse for wear. Kíli….

His arm shot out as a feral snarl left Dwalin and he barely contained the older warrior. "I'll see you dead for this insult!" he snapped.

Fíli heard Delrín chuckle and make a snide comment but his gaze didn't leave Kíli's face. The beard he'd been growing was gone, shaved down so his cheeks were bare without even a trace of stubble. His hair had been hacked at, the braids severed and ragged strands framing an alarmingly pale face. But as insulting as it was, the hair could grow back, would grow back. What was licking at Fíli's temper, and no doubt everyone else's, was the red, angry line cutting across Kíli's face from above his left eyebrow in an angle down to his right cheek. It was swollen enough that his left eye was forced shut and looked like it hadn't been treated properly at all. But even from here, Fíli could see the defiance and anger burning in his brother's dark eye and he knew Kíli wasn't out quite yet.

Nadok looked over his shoulder at Kíli and shrugged. "It's an improvement," he said mildly. "What kind of prince doesn't have scars?"

Fíli saw the dwarf holding the blade to his brother's throat smirk and his vision tinted red. "You had no right to harm him," he growled, wondering what else had been done to his brother. If they had no issues cutting his face, what else had they done to Kíli that they couldn't see?

"He is my prisoner. I had every right."

There was no reasoning with the dwarf. Clamping down on his temper, he spat, "Then let's get this over with. You say you aren't playing games, but that's all I'm seeing and they're beneath me. I thought you kings, not children."

Nadok's expression fell further but he shrugged. "It's simple and I'm sure that cretin by your side has explained it to you, but I'll tell you to ensure he got it right. You have a choice before you. You can have one, your brother or your whore. One to keep and one to die."

Rarí's eyes flashed and he saw her lips flatten as she fought to stay silent at the derogatory term. He didn't like it any more than she did. "If you're going to name them," he said evenly, "name them properly."

The other king sighed dramatically. "As you wish. Choose between Kíli, son of Dís and some Firebeard rat, and Rarí, daughter of a traitor and a black souled whore."

Fíli's hands flexed at his sides, wanting to wrap around the bastard's neck. "Still wrong. You want me to choose between the Crown Prince of Erebor and the future queen of the Lonely Mountain," Fíli corrected.

He heard startled mumbles come from the group of dwarves behind the Eastern kings but his focus was on Rarí. Her eyes had widened, her lips parting in surprise. It was a horrible way to propose to her, but he needed her to know how he felt. He had to say the words to her in case he never got to. Delrín and Nadok were giving him speculating looks but he suddenly realised that the other dwarves didn't look as keen to fight as they had before.

"Nidin, what just happened?" he asked softly.

"Attacking the daughter of a supposed traitor is one thing," Nidin murmured, "but how much of a traitor am I if another king is willing to make my daughter his queen? Well played, Fíli."

It hadn't been a play. He knew with sinking certainty what he had to do and he'd had to get the words out so Rarí would know how much she meant to him. Before he could tell Nadok his decision, Nidin stepped forward.

"Enough, Nadok," he said firmly. "This issue is between you and myself. You shouldn't have involved anyone else."

"You brought them into this when you wouldn't choose yourself, Nidin," he spat. "You know our rules so you had to know this was coming."

"You killed my wife. You offered me two choices and you took my One from me!" Nidin snarled. "Now you've taken my son and are trying to kill my daughter. That is not in the rules and you know it. This is a petty vendetta that you've whipped our clans into a frenzy about when you had no right to!"

"You didn't choose! I was within my rights to take both!"

Fíli watched Nidin's back stiffen as Nadok admitted his hand in Ríl's death. "You never should have searched for me, Nadok," he said lowly. "You should have left well enough alone but I know why you did it."

"You know nothing about me!"

The laugh that left Nidin was low and chilled Fíli to the bone. Nidin had said he was a prince of the Stiffbeards, first in line to be king, but he hadn't seen it at all. This dwarf didn't seem to have the callous cruelty in him that seemed to be inherent in their eastern cousins. But that laugh? It belonged to a dwarf who ruled a bloodthirsty people and would have no problem slitting the throats of any who stood in his way. "You're my younger brother," he said dismissively. "I know you better than you know yourself and your reasons are plain to me."

"Enlighten me, traitor."

Fíli saw Nidin's gaze shift, moving over the rest of the dwarves there. "You knew you had to get rid of me if I was still alive because our people would never willingly follow you," he said flatly. "You knew that if I ever came back the crown would be mine and there would be nothing you could do to stop it. Because you've always been weak and greedy and grasping and never fit for the crown. The only reason you even got your filthy hands on it is because I left. I should have stayed and ended you like the coward you are."

Nadok's entire face tightened and Fíli wondered if he'd been pushed too far. His gaze was frozen on Nidin for a long moment before his breath left him in a slow hiss. "This isn't about you and me anymore," he said shortly. "The choice is the Lion of Erebor's and I'm done waiting for an answer. Choose!"

He couldn't. Just as Nidin couldn't choose between wife and children, he couldn't divide his heart between brother and queen. "No," Fíli whispered.

Nidin pivoted slightly, looking at him even as the other kings frowned at him.

"What did you say, boy?" Delrín demanded.

"No," he repeated louder.

Nadok's face twisted. "You're as much of a coward as my brother."

"A coward?" Fíli echoed. "You're a coward for making anyone choose between the halves of their heart. You've obviously never used yours, if you even have one in that rotten chest of yours, because you'd know it's impossible to choose!"

"That is a child's answer," Nadok dismissed, waving his hand.

"Stop it!" Fíli yelled when two dwarves yanked Kíli and Rarí's heads back, the blades moving closer to their throats. "You just want someone to die?!"

"Ah," Nadok breathed slyly, "you have chosen."

I'm so sorry. "I choose myself."

Cries broke out all around him at the declaration.

"Lad, you can't be serious!"

"Don't be a fool, Fee!"

"Take it back! You can't mean it! Father, make him take it back!"

Fíli looked at Nidin but saw that there was nothing on the other dwarf's face as he regarded him. He didn't know if the other thought this was a good idea, but Fíli didn't care. He was the king and he had made his decision. "Enough!" he barked, silencing the dwarves from Erebor. "I am your king and you will abide by what I have decided!"

Kíli was staring at him in horror and Rarí wasn't far behind him but anger was tinging her expression. "If my father isn't your citizen, neither am I so you can't order me around!" she snapped.

"Rarí," he said, his voice gentling. "This is the only way I can save you both. Please just let me do this for you."

"No!" she yelled, pushing forward and hissing softly as the blade at her throat nicked her skin. "You can't die! I won't let you!"

Nadok's deep laughter rolled over them. "How disgustingly sweet you are," he mocked. "If this is what being in love is like, I'm eternally grateful Mahal spared me that."

"It's the other way around!" Rarí spat at him. "Mahal spared whoever you were meant to be with from suffering your miserable hide in her life!"

Fíli's lips twitched into a smile even though he wanted to tell her to be quiet. If she kept goading the king, he would most likely kill her despite Fíli's decision. "Nadok," he said firmly, stepping forward. "I offer myself as a choice to spare my brother and Rarí. Will you accept?"

The king stared at him for a long moment, saying nothing. Before he could speak, Delrín growled, "That wasn't part of the deal. If he wants to throw his life away, let him but kill the whelp and the whore."

Reacting, Fíli gripped the hilt of one of his throwing knives and launched it before anyone could see what he was about. He barely noticed that it was one of the ones that Rarí had made, the dark blade seeming to consume the light as it flipped through the air. It hit the mouthy king squarely in the shoulder, sinking deep into his flesh and making him bellow in pain. "Speak of my queen like that again, Ironfist filth," he said as furious eyes looked at him, "and the next one will end your life."

"You've signed your death warrant, brat," he hissed, yanking the blade out and clutching it in his hand. "I'm going to gut you with your own knife!"

Fíli tensed but Nadok threw out his arm and blocked him from going. "That one is mine," he said lowly. "If he wants to die, it'll be by my hand."

"No!"

The shout came from multiple throats and chaos exploded around him. The dwarves from Erebor had had enough of this and all of them moved almost as one as they surged forward. Fíli watched, stunned for a moment, before his hands closed around the hilts of his swords and he unsheathed them swiftly. "Get Kíli and Rarí!" he shouted at no one in particular as some of the guard with the other kings came to meet them.

He wasn't sure if anyone heard him but he prayed they did. Not that it mattered because he was heading directly for them. He didn't care if he killed Nadok or Delrín. He only wanted to get to them.

His gaze left them as a dwarf stepped into his path, war axe already swinging to cut him in half. A muscle in his back screamed in protest as he reversed directions as swiftly as he could, the blade slicing through the front of his tunic. Before the dwarf could recover from the swing, Fíli took advantage of his prone side. His sword found the weak spot in his armour, sinking deep before he yanked it out and knocked him to the ground. He didn't have time to deal with him even though he could hear Thorin's voice yelling in his head to never leave an enemy at his back.

Right now, it didn't matter. The guards holding Kíli and Rarí still had grips on them but their prisoners were no longer content to simply be held. Weapons were out but they hadn't received an order from their king to kill either dwarf so neither blade was being put to use.

Locking blades with another soldier, Fíli gritted his teeth, giving all of his attention to the fight. He didn't need to die now when he was so close to getting through this with them. He wasn't even going to think about the army behind them though because as soon as they mobilized death would surely find them all.

He hissed as a knife slashed his arm, ripping through cloth and flesh alike before he could finish the other dwarf off. Breathing heavily, he pivoted to continue on his way to get to Rarí and Kíli when he faltered.

His brother was on his feet, a sword in his hand while the other had a firm grip on Rarí's arm as he fended off the guard that was still on his feet. How…It didn't matter, he thought, shaking his head as he charged forward. They still needed to get out of this mess and he had no idea where any of the ones who had come with him were.

When he was close enough, he shifted his grip on his sword so he could reach out to grab Rarí's arm that Kíli had a hold on. He barked out a curse when she rounded on him, her fist connecting solidly with his face. "Rarí!" he snapped, unable to help it.

Her eyes widened in shock before temper flared. "Don't just grab me in the middle of a fight!" she screamed at him. "I could have killed you!"

He almost started laughing. Leaning down, he briefly let his forehead touch hers. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again," he said softly.

Rarí's expression melted and she kissed him swiftly. "Not now," she said, gripping two knives from his belt and yanking them free. "And don't think I've forgotten that lackluster proposal!"

He didn't even care about that right now. "Kíli, we're going!" he said sharply.

"You lead," Kíli threw back at him. "I'll-"

"Move your arse, Kíli!" Dwalin shouted at him, barrelling past to take on some of the warriors that were sprinting toward them.

Kíli looked ready to dig in his heels and refuse to go when Rarí gripped his tunic and yanked on him.

"You're in no shape to fight with your damn back!" she yelled at him, shaking him as much as she could. "We need to go! Now!"

Dark eyes snapped to him before he snarled softly. "Fine!"

Fili wanted to demand what had happened to his back but he clamped his teeth down on his tongue. Now wasn't the time for questions. The Orocarni dwarves were moving almost as one toward them and if they didn't start running now, they would never survive.

Spinning on his heel, he followed Kíli and Rarí as they darted away from the fight. As he did, he took stock of what was going on. Bofur was swinging his mattock with deadly accuracy at any and all who approached him, guarding Mayna who had a very long, very wicked knife clutched in her hand. Dwalin was at his back so he couldn't see what he was doing, but he could hear it well enough. The twin axes the warmaster used were crunching and tearing through those that approached him, taking them down with relish. A flash of dark hair revealed that Nidin was locked in combat with his brother, both of them bleeding and looking like dwarves possessed. Delrin was nowhere in sight which was the furthest thing from good he could imagine.

His steps faltered. He had to get Rarí and Kíli to safety but Nidin was their only hope of controlling the Stiffbeard army, possibly the Ironfist one as well. If he died, they wouldn't last very long.

A hand clamped on his scabbard belt, jerking him forward and away from that fight. Looking at the offending person, he saw Rarí staring at him, her eyes burning. "He can handle himself," she said firmly. "We'll only get in the way."

Knowing that she could very well be sacrificing her father, Fíli wanted to knock her aside to help Nidin but he nodded sharply. His job was keeping them safe. Nidin would have to win his battle on his own.

She let go of him to keep moving, scrambling to catch up with Kíli who had pivoted around as soon as he had reached Bofur. His brother's eyes were half crazed as he joined Bofur in attacking what was left of the Orocarni kings' guard.

As soon as she reached them, Fíli shouted, "Take them and go!"

Bofur's gave snapped to him and he nodded once. "Move, lad!" he said shortly, giving Kíli a shove. "Protect the lasses!"

Kíli's lips pulled back in a snarl and he pointed his sword at Fíli. "Do not fall behind!" he ordered, captain of the King's Guard shining through.

Fíli gave him a mock salute, having no intention of remaining here longer than he needed to. He watched as Mayna gripped Rarí's arm, helping her run up the hill they had originally come down. His heart sunk as he realised that if any of the approaching foes had bows they would be easy targets, but it didn't stop him from plunging after Kíli and Bofur as they followed the females. He prayed that Dwalin was following, prayed that he wasn't being swarmed by eastern dwarves bent on ripping him to pieces. Dwalin was a more than capable warrior but even he had his limits.

He wanted to turn back, to help those that had sworn to help him. What kind of king was he, abandoning the field when the father of his queen and his oldest mentor were still stuck in the thick of things? His steps slowed once again, his head and heart screaming different things at him. Dwalin and Nidin were seasoned fighters, but could he live with himself if he allowed them to die here while he tried to escape?

His mind was torn on the matter and it was that exact moment that Rarí looked back. It was like she knew what he was thinking, knew he couldn't abandon those who had helped him.

"Don't you dare!" she shouted at him, her voice cracking.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his feet planting to turn him back down the hill.

He never got to make the move, not of his own volition.

Pain flared through him as something sharp sank into his shoulder, ripping through the links of his mithril shirt and tearing into flesh. Whatever it was sunk deep and tossed him down the hill. He tried to curl, to take control his fall, but the breath was knocked out of him as he landed flat on his back at the base of the hill.

"Fíli!"

Trying to push himself up, his shoulder screamed in agony and gave out under him. Whatever had struck him was still inside him, the fall only driving it deeper. He sucked in a sharp breath, using the other arm to try to lever himself up.

A pair of boots slammed into his chest, knocking him back down and a strangled cry left him as his back pressed into the dirt.

Forcing himself to focus, to see the face of his attacker so he could respond in kind, he barely had time to react before the dwarf was kneeling over his chest, pinning him to the ground even as something wrapped around his throat.

"You're going to pay the price you offered, lion cub," the dwarf spat and Fíli saw the glint of metal wrapped around his hands. "I'll make sure of it."

Gasping as he felt the metal around his throat tighten, Fíli realised that if he didn't do something fast, this dwarf was going to take his head. He tried to grip his sword, his right hand still curled around the hilt but the dwarf's legs tightened keeping them pinned to his sides.

"I'd rather watch you bleed like I did with your brother, but this will have to do."

"Fíli!"

Hearing Rarí and Kíli's shouts, Fíli tried to fight back, but the dwarf was pulling harder on the metal and cutting off his air supply. Black spots swam in front of his eyes before they clouded completely.

…Hi. I can only offer my sincere apologies for leaving this as bloody long as I have. I honestly have no excuse other than I lost my drive for it. But a lot of people have messaged me in the past few weeks asking what was going to happen and if I meant to finish it, enough that I've felt absolutely terrible about leaving this where I did. Granted, this chapter doesn't end much better but at least it's something?

I just wanted to say that each and every one of you that has messaged me about continuing this, either privately, in comments, or on tumblr, you've motivated me to get this story finished. Fíli and Rarí deserve and ending and so do all of you. I also realised that I started this story a little over two years ago so it is definitely well over due for an ending. Thank you all who've stuck around and I'm going to try my absolute best to wrap all of this up as swiftly as I can!