Hanging On Like a Noose [Kili]

[Thorin Oakenshield]

Thorin had to run. He had to find his nephew as fast as he was able so that he could save his lovely, precious, extremely important wife. She had been captured, taken, pulled from him in a moment when he should have been there with her. Thanks to his laziness, Thorin had not risen with her, and he had paid what he thought to be the ultimate price. She was gone! Leona, gone! It was all that was running through his poor mind. His wife. His love. The only thing that meant anything to him anymore... and the damned orcs had taken her.

He ran with all the swiftness his sore body and weighed down feet would allow, through forests and fields, toward the house he'd been to only a couple of times before. He should have spent more time with Kili, but he had been overbearingly taken with thoughts of, then time with Leona. He was wearing his full armor, sporting all of his weapons, because he did not know what else to do.

As he ran through Aledon, he paid no heed to the glances he received from its residents. He did not care about them. He only cared about his wife, and finding her safe and unharmed. He knew it might be too late for the latter, but she might still be alive, and he needed to get to her as quickly as he could. Damn his short stature! Damn not having a horse, or a pony, or anything! He needed to find Leona before it was too late. Only Kili could help him. He had to make it to this house... Finally, Thorin saw it. He sprinted the last bit, literally running into his nephew on the way.

"Kili!" he gasped breathlessly. "Leona... Gone... My wife..." He stumbled and could not finish his sentence because he held no breath. "Help me."

[Kili]

Kili had bought every arrow the blacksmith had in his shop. And Flanna was gone. Kili had threatened the wet nurse within an inch of her life if he returned and Talar had so much as a scratch, promising to reward her greatly if she succeeded. And Flanna was gone. He had never striped his armor, his weapons, his supplies to him as fast as he had, and Flanna was gone. Hatred, worry, and fear burned within the depths of his gaze and when he had every weapon he knew how to use upon him, he headed for the door. He needed first to find his uncle, and then his bride and he would kill each and every one of those God damned orcs with his bare hands if he needed too.

The door cracked, bending on its hinges as he threw it open. Surprise, momentarily taking his anger from him as Thorin tore up the path to his house. His heart sunk further. Disheaveled, winded, desperate, crazed. Things that had never defined his uncle, defined him now. Stunned, paralyzed by his uncles sudden appearence he could do little but stare. His name had never sounded so desperate pouring from Thorin's lips. Leona... Gone... My wife... If Kili had been stunned before, a freight train had successfully smashed into Kili's brain now. His eyes widened mouth falling open in utter shock. "A wife? You have a wife?" It was impossible, improbable, but he did not have time to ask more about it now and he shook his thoughts, focusing. It mattered little who she was or how she had come to crack open Thorin's heart. If she had done so, if she was fixing his Uncle, than she was just as important to Kili.

"Orcs? Was it orcs? They have taken Flanna as well. I was just about to ask for your help. I will help you if you help me Uncle. They will know pain and they will know suffering for the wrong they have done this day." Kili stepped out of his house, whistling for two horses, it would do no good if they arrived exhausted, and as much as he loathed the damn things... his wife was far more important. He hoisted himself up and ontp the back of one, offering the other to his uncle. "Come uncle. We have Orcs to slay."

[Thorin Oakenshield]

Thorin was completely exhausted by the time he made it to Kili's residence. It was outside Aledon, far enough from the city to be too far. Then again, anything was too far away now that Leona had been pulled from him. He absolutely had to get her back, and alive. He would lay down his life for her, in a heartbeat with no second thought. He loved her, she was his all... He could not be without her and he had to get her back! These thoughts, they just kept cycling through. He could not think of anything but her and it was driving him crazy. No, he needed to clear his mind. Needed to focus or he could lose her.

He was relieved a bit to see Kili's face, shocked as it looked, and he mumbled a couple of words through his panting that Kili seemed to comprehend. For a moment there hung a silence, and then Kili's words made Thorin nearly wince. Oh, right. He had not told his nephew of his bride yet. The look on Kili's face was insanely shocked, and Thorin felt a bit ashamed for not saying anything but the time since the wedding had been so short... "Yes, Kili. I do. Leona. My wife." He stammered it all out but he knew that there was no time for this chatter. He could tell Kili of her later--no. Kili would meet her later. He was just going to be confident about it and save her. He and Kili, they were strong enough to slay a pack of orcs if they needed to. "Yes, orcs," he managed.

Kili's next words stopped him cold and he swallowed.

What were these orcs after? Were they intentionally taking the dwarves' wives? This was a cruel trick, a terrible thing. "Flanna too? My god. I don't think..." He decided not to say it. He did not know if the women were strong enough to fend off the dwarves themselves, but he was not going to share the thought with his nephew. It was a dangerous thing to think; right now he needed to focus and believe that they were alive and unhurt still. Kili summoned horses and Thorin did not hold his grimace long. Instead, he mounted the one that Kili chose not to and followed his nephew. A dog came bounding out behind them, and Thorin pointed to it. "Can he trace a scent?" he asked, just as they began to go off.

[Kili]

Flanna was gone, hurt, wounded, bleeding, possibly dead, but he could think of no such things. His world, his earth, his everything was so desperately far away and he felt the gaping wound in his chest like a sledge hammer. But he could not think of her, he needed only to think of the orcs, and how badly he would rip them apart. His heart he would mend later, or rather Flanna would. With gentle words and soft caresses. Resting between them, Talar. Thorin and his bride would sit close, meeting genuinely for the first time. He would make that dream a reality, he swore upon it. Once he had his Flanna back, once she was safe and well and happy in his embrace, he would embrace the woman who had somehow managed to weasel her way into Thorin's chest. God only knew the man needed something good in his life, and if Thorin was willing to put his pride aside for her, she must be one hell of a woman... not that she would hold a candle to his Flanna. Flanna was perfect, Flanna, was life, Flanna was the reason he lived, he breathed, he awoke in the morning and he slept during the night, Flanna was... No Kili... not now. Focus. Focus

His uncles words broke him from his thoughts as Croi sped outside, yipping and barking animatedly. He had not thought of such a thing, he felt foolish now. Croi had been trained to track elk and deer, surely it could track the stench of orcs. "Croi, go." The command sharp and brisk, sent the dog careening to the spot where Flanna had been taken and with a loud resounding bark, he fled. Kili urged the horse forward, letting it fly beneath him, knowing Thorin felt the same way. Suddenly a thought came to him, one that made his blood turn to ice and his heart stutter. "Thorin..." He used his name, not his title for once. "The curse that has drawn us here... it brings people from all worlds, all times... you do not think the Pale Orc..." He could not finish that thought. He needed to distract himself, he needed to not think about his wife.

As they thundered after the dogs he spoke to Thorin, hoping to distract them both. "I have a son, Uncle, Talar. I wished to tell you sooner, but I knew not how to reach you." Despite the graveness of their situation, his eyes sparkled with pride. He loved his son, no matter how many times the infant disturbed him in the night, he wanted Thorin to meet him too. he would, he would have Flanna introduce him.

[Thorin Oakenshield]

Thorin was so worried, and he could tell by every subtle movement and every flicker of pain in Kili's eyes that he was missing and scared for Flanna just as he was for Leona. Now, like never before, he understood the bond that Kili had with his wife. He may not have been long with Leona as Kili and Flanna had, but he now understood the parameters of true love, he knew that he would give everything for her and beyond. He loved her so much. But back to the matter at hand. He had to track down these orcs and present them with all the fierceness in his body and soul. They would go to Hell for what they'd done to his wife.

Kili nodded and sent off the dog. Thorin was glad to have caught it, and they took off abruptly in search of their wives. Thank the gods the dogs could follow the scent of Flanna. And... he hoped that the women were together, too. If they weren't, one of them might come home empty. No! No negative thoughts. Thorin, the king, the natural leader among dwarves, could not go around thinking like that, because he was needed right now.

Kili's worried words behind him made Thorin think, but he did not fret more than he already had. He was trying to gain his composure, because he was king. He looked over to Kili and sighed. "My nephew... I think so. He is here to give us misery." He pressed on, riding even harder after the dogs, only slowing when Kili's voice caught his ear. Perhaps it was a distraction, but this was news that Thorin had yet to hear, and honestly it was a relief to hear that. He tried to smile, replying, "I will be glad to meet him, someday then. Talar, you say? Good name." He did not say more, because the dogs up ahead were barking more and more and more. Had they found the women? Leona? Flanna?

[Kili]

Kili swallowed the heavy lump that formed in his throat at Thorin's confirmation of his greatest fear. He urged the beast beneath him faster, hoping Croi would not be injured by such a furious pace. Flanna would surely kill him. An army... had not been enough to conquer the pale orc. It had almost killed Thorin. What the hell chance did the two of them have? No... he could not think in such a way, he had to return to his Flanna, he must. He was nothing without her, and if need be, he would die to bring her home. He needed her, he had nothing if she was not here.

He smiled at Thorin's instant acceptance of his son, despite the situation, his own muddled mind trying to dream up ways to distract him, prolong his mind away from his own bride. Leona... the name rang a bell but he could place it to no face, probably because he had Flanna, everyone he encountered paled in comparison when rivaled with her beauty, at least, in Kili's eyes. He hoped whoever Thorin loved that she was strong, strong like his Flanna, they would need every surmiseable amount of strength they could gather. God only know what the orcs had done. He feared worse for his Uncle's bride than for Flanna, if the pale orc was truly seeking vengeance, it had a direct link to Thorin, it was his uncles bloodline that the Orc hated. If Thorin truly loved this woman as Kili thought he did, the Orc could destroy him, by destroying her. Its vengeance, complete.

Kili was related to Thorin, and he knew if Thorin fell, he would not be long for this world or would Flanna. he needed Thorin's strength now, if not for himself, for both the women that were hopefully still breathing. He slid from the horses back, hands reaching for his bow. "I will kill them Thorin, I swear it, with my bare hands if need be." Kili snarled waiting for his uncle at the mouth of a thick and dark cavern. The next few minutes would determine if life was still worth living or not.

[Thorin Oakenshield]

Thorin seemed to have gotten the slightly slower of the horses, and he was trailing a couple of metres behind Kili. But he was riding hard nonetheless, spurred on by his hatred of the orcs and his love of Leona Oakenshield. Not to mention his fierce sense of loyalty to the will of his ever-steadfast nephew, and if he wanted to find Flanna, Thorin would help, even if his own wife had not been there as well. Well--he could only hope that they were together. If they'd been taken to different places... Thorin tried again not to think the thoughts he was, because he knew they were for the weak, and he was not weak. He was a leader, a king-to-be. Thorin would fight, forever and always.

While Kili's change of subject should have helped, it did not. It only put Thorin more on edge, gave the pair of dwarves one more reason why they absolutely had to rescue their wives, their precious damsels in distress, if it was not already too late. He pressed on, following Kili and the dog (Croi, was it?) with all the fire in his eyes as he figured would have been if ever he'd come to face Smaug. He had to find Leona. She was his lifeblood now, she was his everything, and to Kili, Flanna must have been the same. These two women were so important. They could not die, not under Thorin's watch. And finally--finally! they were at the end of the trail, faced with a huge cave and the dangerous smell of orcs lingering.

He wished to call out for Leona, but refrained. He dismounted, leaving the horses together. He slid his prized Orcrist from its hold and drew it in preparation. He looked to Kili, their eyes locking. "Don't you dare do anything foolish." He gave but a simple command to his nephew and went on in ahead of him. He was going to do anything he had to do to get his Leona back.

[Kili]

He wanted to run, he wanted to fly as fast as his legs would carry him and find Flanna, orcs and enemies of days past be damned. He would find her, save her, take her home and destroy whatever menace had taken her from him, and he would, but a furious as he was, even he knew better than to run in blind. They needed a strategy, a plan. Kili clutched his bow with a fierceness unrivaled and almost snarled. He forced himself to calm he needed to be level headed, at least for now, if he found his wife in disarray... he would promise nothing.

His Uncle would approach him softly, quietly, his eyes fierce and determined. If the situation had been better he would have smiled at the familiarity of the gesture as it were he gave a soft snort and quickly matched his Uncle's pace. They would be victorious this day. They were fighting today for something far more precious than a mountain of gold and if they had been fierce before... "I can promise nothing Uncle, save for the fact that I will leave here with my bride come hell or high water." They stalked deeper and deeper into the damp cavern and finally they came upon it.

The cave opened to reveal the workings of a grotesque underground city. There were few orcs, scarcely ten scattered about, obviously they had no army, that made good for he and his Uncle, he drew an arrow and nocked it in the quiver, not drawing back just readying his most trusted weapon, and better yet... no sign of a Pale Orc. Kili turned to his uncle, he was still King, he was still his commander, Kili would not attack without permission. Trust was essential between warriors and no matter how badly he itched though tear them to pieces, his honor, and his respect for his uncle, demanded of him to hold still. "I await your order uncle." Albeit impatiently, but await he shall.

[Thorin Oakenshield]

Why Thorin had been so pulled to Leona in so short a time was a completely baffling thing to his poor mind, but he was absolutely set on her and he would never, ever give up on getting her back. She did not belong to the orcs, now did she? She was his, body, mind, and name, and he loved her with more than he knew he was able to. Kili might understand but Thorin didn't know. All that he knew was that he would slay a thousand orcs, and kill the Pale Orc himself, to get to his love and see her safely through. He needed her, and he would fight for her alone. She was worth his life.

Kili had his bow wielded and the look on his young face was grim, serious, intense. Thorin imagined he looked similar in that respect. He had only his Orcrist, his beautiful and well-made elven blade, but it had served him well and he figured it always would. He was a rugged, well-learned fighter and leader, hence his surname of Oakenshield, bestowed in battle. And there was the one who shared that name, who he loved more than anything this world could offer. As they walked in, wary of their surroundings, Thorin answered quietly, "As will I, Kili. As will I." He would keep that promise as he would any he made. If there was anything that Thorin was, it was loyal.

Thorin looked round to see the decrepit place, not exactly crawling with orcs but they were certainly still here. Something caught Thorin's eye and he looked over to Kili to see his bow already drawn, an arrow readied to fly. He glanced at the quiver, incredibly full, and knew that there were arrows aplenty. He did not, however, see the women, and he motioned for Kili to follow him and not to release the arrow yet. If they could make it around the orcs without being noticed, it would be all the better. Orcrist at his side, Thorin went ahead, letting Kili cover his back, and they made it to another cavern before they were noticed by two orcs. "Shoot, Kili!" Thorin said, charging toward them with his own sword.

[Kili]

Kili followed Thorin silently, just two steps behind. They had fought too long at each other's sides. Thorin did not need to elaborate a plan, Kili knew it. Thorin would engage in combat and Kili would deliver arrow after arrow into anyone who drew near. It was commonplace. It was habit, they needed something familiar, their minds...well his at least, was already distracted. He needed his thoughts to clear. he focused on this enemy to the best of his ability, not one would escape their grasp, he was sure of it, swore upon it. Nobody hurt his Flanna, nobody.

Two things occurred at once, first an ear splitting scream. A scream of death, a scream of pain, a scream of nothing but unadulterated terror and all of the color fled with Kili's face, his eyes filling with fear, hands shaking upon the bow. Flanna. "Thorin..." He spoke his Uncle's name, voice cracking as was his heart. That sound... his wife was anything but fine, but his uncle did not get the chance to respond, because they had been noticed. All ten or so of them descended like a plague.

He shoved his feelings for Flanna aside, he could not think of her right now. Thorin's and possibly his own life depended on it. Arrow after arrow he took down orc after orc. Thorin slashing through the creatures just as quickly as Kili could shoot them. Left, right, off left, left, it did not take the two of them long to best the small company. Their movements were predictable, unplanned, even distracted as he was they were easy to annihilate. He attended Thorin's side, to be sure his Uncle was fairing fine, when the door burst open. His eyes widened as the pale orc strode in, tall and fierce.

Flanna.

Naked, bleeding, screaming, crying trapped in that things icy grasp. She was wounded, badly, disoriented, fading in and out of reality, dying. he lifted her high into the air and dropped her, her body crunching against the stone and lying still. His heart dropped to the floor, eyes flooding with tears. Had he killed her? Had he killed his reason for living, his bride, his lover, his best friend. Insurmountable rage flooded his chest, desperation clawed at his throat. "Flanna!" He cried her name, a ferocious roar, intermingled agony and rage, his attention turned back to the Pale Orc. He had disposed of Leona, and was drawing the blade at his side.

"Ill kill you, you son of a bitch!" Kili ripped three arrows from his dwindling supply, firing all of them at once. They hit and the creature still charged. Again and again he fired his quiver and Thorin joined him in the effort to kill this menace that had so long plagued their life. He cared not what happened to him, so long as he dragged this bastard down to hell right along with him.

[Thorin Oakenshield]

It was fortunate that Thorin had Kili at his side, because they trusted each other, because they understood the other's combat and could move without words. Gestures and eye contact were all that they needed to have pass between them, and as they made their way deeper into the caves, Thorin at least felt at peace with this thought. As they went, there was a scream that halted Kili immediately and Thorin shortly thereafter. He did not recognize it as Leona's, nor did he think her one to scream, but Kili's face paled quickly. He recognized it. Flanna? Thorin heard his own name emerge from his nephew's mouth, but he did not respond. Kili was looking weak. Thorin gave him a glare, making it obvious that he needed to quit his shaking and go on with this task before them.

And then, too quickly, the orcs had crowded about them. Kili was shooting arrows left and right, slaying orcs while Thorin slew them with his powerful blade. He would do anything to see his wife now, to save her and take her back for himself. He would find her a house, somewhere for them to call home, and care for her until she grew sick of him. All this he put into his thrusting sword, killing those that had taken her.

In his anger, he did not notice immediately when the worst of them all entered the room. It was only the silence of arrows that made him turn after slaying another orc. Damn! The highest and most devil of them all! Thorin turned to face it, and saw to his absolute horror that he held in his wicked, vindictive grasp the two things the dwarves sought most of all--their women. Thorin roared in a bit of frustration as he saw that Leona was in one hand, silent but struggling and pained nonetheless. He was angered--infuriated! Flanna was thrown to the floor as the huge orc saw Thorin and Kili, hurting and writhing. Leona was quick to follow, and Thorin had to hold in a roar of anguish. He could see that she was still alive, but it pained him to know that he could not do anything about it yet.

Thorin charged the bastard with all his strength and Kili's vow echoed in his heart. He slashed and slashed, narrowly avoiding several occasions he could have been killed on. He was doing this for Leona! "You.... bastard!" he cried as he swung the Orcrist, Kili fending off the other orcs. The Pale Orc tried to kill him, time and time again. This was it. This was the moment, the final showdown between two old rivals. Thorin was quickly thrown to the ground by the force of one swing, but it only served to give him a shallow cut across his face. He stood again and swung at the thing, eyes full of a dark, age-old rage and madness. He looked insane, perhaps. But finally, after several failed attempts, he managed to drive his blade into the thing's stomach, up toward the heart. "Fire, Kili!" When the arrow struck, he twisted then pulled out his blade, saying, "I don't think he's dead, but this buys us a lot of time." He stabbed him again, hoping this time to kill the Pale Orc.

But then he ran over to his wife.

[Kili]

Kili could not focus on his bride, not when orcs charged them in a never-ending wave. To save her, he first needed to save himself and his uncle and if he approached her and she was dead... he would take his life here and now, Thorin and his bride would raise Talar. Kili was not strong enough to survive without his Flanna, he could not, would not try. They were one he and her without one the other could not be... and yet his heart still beat within his chest, his anger still prevailed within his veins and his strength was pushed into every arrow he let loose, every orc in which an arrow penetrated, he knew his beloved not to be dead and he took strength. Flanna was strong, Flanna was brave, Flanna would survive this, she had too. For the both of them.

The pale Orc tossed his brothers beloved much like he had Flanna, flinging her into the stones instead of letting gravity take its course. He was furious. This Orc had successfully wounded the two most important people in his life, his wife, and his uncle, and the Orc had injured something far worse than Thorin's flesh. He knew nothing of their relationship, nothing. But he knew, for his Uncle to lose all decorum and charm, to shred himself of his well established dignity, for a dame no less... that she was special to him. Whether she meant the same to him as Flanna did to he, Kili knew not, but he was snapped from his thoughts of his own beloved, as Thorin let out a cry of frustration. He could see pain flicker across his Uncles face and then... there was no more time for thinking.

Orcs descended upon them like the plague and his Uncle went straight for the pale giant. "Thorin!" He cried for his ruler to no avail and they were a top him. kili had never fired arrows so fast in his life. They swarmed Throrin, clawing for him like no other and Kili charged closer and closer, arrow after arrow until finally he had no choice but to switch, his own sword was wielded, slicing through the things like tissue. As Thorin continued his valiant fight with the pale orc. A scratch here, a slice there, nothing the dwarf could not take in stride, and finally when they were defeated he turned to his see his uncle drive the blade deep into the Pale Orc's stomach and up towards his heart. Before the command could even leave Thorin's mouth Kili had loaded the bow and aimed steady and true. Sending the arrow careening into the gaping hole. His words were lost to Kili.

The dark haired dwarf had abandoned the bow and was sprinting as fast as he was able to his wife.

[Leona Oakenshield]

(((OOC: I figured I would bring the girls on over to this thread ^^)))

Leona hurt, everywhere. Her back ached from the impact of the stones. Her punctures from that creatures teeth oozed blood. The long slice from her forehead to her chin, from the side of her breast to her hipbone still dripped with fresh blood. Her left arm hung limp and useless. She was woozy, unsteady, dizzy, disoriented, but still she managed to crawl her way to her sister in law. She tried to speak but her tongue was thick and heavy and she was struggling to stay conscious. She had to though, for Thorin, for Flanna, and for Kili. She had to be strength, she had to look better than she was because she could not let them be distracted.

Boldly and hiding her fear she watched them fight. She watched their ferocity while her heart hammered away like a humming bird. Fear tried to root itself within her, reminding her of her younger days and why she ran from such hostility, but she forced it away. In her haze of blood loss, colors mingled and she saw not her beloved fighting for his life and for hers, but she saw the shadows of old figures from her past the one that caused those wretched scars upon her back. She squeezed her eyes shut for only a moment before forcing her vision to focus. To see her Thorin, her beloved, not the ghosts of days past.

They came in an endless stream and it was amazing how easily they fell under Thorin and Kili's might. She knew her lover to be strong, but she had no idea how fearsome he truly was. He fought like a lion uncaged, a ferocity the likes of which she had never seen, was this truly the same man that had so willingly submitted to her every desire. Had relaxed and allowed her free reign of his body. Was it truly his fingers that ghosted across her flesh with such delicacy, such gentleness? Yes... yes it was, and now he was fighting with such ferociousness, not for himself, but for her, to save her.

Her eyes flooded with tears as she realized just how much she meant to Thorin. How much he truly did love her. He was not here because he had to be, he was here to save her, to take her home, back into his warmth, his embrace, her throat swelled shut with emotion, and she did not shy away, not even when he drove the blade home, into the things heart, in fact she tried to stand. He turned to face her just as she managed to stand up on shaky legs. She tried to walk towards him, but her vision spun and she crumpled back down to the rock beneath her, her vision blurred and she shakily pulled her legs beneath her to attempt again, but Thorin was already there, already before her. Her vision was blurry and she could barely make him out between her tears but he was there and alive and well and here.

"Thorin." Her voice was rough, scratchy, pained but she reached for him. She was covered in her own blood and he was smothered in the orcs. "Thorin." She wasn't sure when she had started crying but she felt the tears now as they glided down her cheeks. "Thorin." She lifted her good arm to his face, her entire body shaking, both from emotion and from pain. "Thorin...I love you." She could barely speak. She hurt so terribly and just the effort of speech seemed to drain her, but she could not stop repeating his name. She pressed her mouth to his, dragging her wounded body as close as she possibly could to him. No matter how much it hurt. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you..." A mantra of whimpers and whines of her love for him left her as her strength finally abandoned her. She had been strong for too long and she needed him right now.

[Thorin Oakenshield]

He and Kili were doing something that Thorin would never have believed possible. They were slaying orcs left and right, killing their greatest enemies. And perhaps being spurred on by the safekeeping of their sweethearts was the cause, but Thorin reasoned that it was all the better this way. Without the extra adrenaline, he doubted this would have been possible... As he killed the greatest orc of them all, Thorin called out in victory, covered in the thing's blood. But he had more important problems in this place.

Thorin rushed to his bride's side as soon as the Pale Orc was slain enough, and he paid no heed to the other orcs, because they were now either retreating or dead. He had killed their leader. And even reveling in that finery was absolutely nothing compared to the fact that he at least had his wife out of the hold of that awful creature. She was injured, and clearly so, but at least now, Leona was not going to be hurt anymore. She was at least in Thorin's hands now, and he was going to do his absolute best to make sure she lived through this. As he ran to her, though, he could not help but notice how awful her injuries looked.

"Leona!" he cried to her, as he went to her side. The poor girl was up and trying to walk to meet him... his heart filled with sadness and love and he hoped more than anything that she could forgive him for ever letting this happen. He knelt down immediately at her side, taking her frail body into her arms and holding her gently to him. He knew she was hurting. His beautiful bride, now with tears trying to hide in her eyes, and he felt so much for her. He wished that he could take her pains upon his own back, bear them all himself so that she did not have to endure them any longer. He hated to see her this way, the poor, nearly helpless girl, but she was oh so strong. He whispered this to her as he held her, along with many other sweet words so that maybe she would be comforted a little by his presence.

She forced her body into an awkward position as she whispered her love for him, and though he tried to calm her, to make her stop hurting herself more, she managed to kiss him. Thorin pressed his lips ever so gently to hers, and caressed her forehead. "Shhh," he said, holding her. "I love you so much, Leona. You will never be taken from me again, as long as I live. I love you." He took her in his arms and began to carry her out.

[Flanna]

Flanna watched in utter terror at what happened, for as long as she was able. Whimpering in fear for Kili's life, exposed to so many of those horrible creatures, Flanna sent up prayers to any gods she could think of for his safety. She was not going to be touched anymore, if the dwarves succeeded, but she did not pray for herself because it was really Kili's fate that determined her own. If he lived, even if he was unable to defeat the orcs, she would fight as long as she could fight to stay alive herself. But if he was slain, if these animals killed her one and only, she would give up now. She was bleeding enough to die soon anyway.

As she watched, she tried to keep an eye on both him and Thorin, but after a little while, Flanna could only keep her eyes open for seconds at a time. Her body was going numb, but the pain was still blinding. She needed to hold on. For her sake, for his. At least until she knew that he was going to be sent to heaven or that he was going to stay here with her. She whined in pain, but all too soon she heard a definitive snap of something or other and opened her eyes to see that, amazingly, the Pale Orc was slain.

She tried to say something but her tongue felt rather stuck. All she saw in the moment was Kili running to her, and she felt her throat tighten all the more. What could she say to him? She loved him. She loved him so much. He had risked his existence for her. As he reached her side, Flanna tried to assess her injuries so that she could list them off to him if he asked later. Broken collarbone, crushed ribcage, broken ankle, and numb arm. Not to mention the stab wound. She sighed, but then all of her focus shifted to him. "Kili," she whispered to him. "I love... you Kili... hurry... we... must hurry." She felt like she was dying.

His hands were upon her soon and she felt a slight rush of relief at this strong sensation. She needed him, his strength, everything he was. He was the breath she took right now. "Kili, my love..." And she let herself go limp in his hold.