1 | dark pasts [oakenshield]

Forty-five

and the song rights here go to"Sleep" by Eric Whitacre.

Anne now knew what it felt like to be completely helpless.

She didn't speak on the fly back to Dale, just leaned on Thorin and let herself get wrapped up in his arms. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how. He was never exactly good at that kind of stuff.

With the war being over and so many people being dead, everyone was busy. Everyone. Bard was now King of Dale (which made him cringe just thinking of being "King"), Thorin was King under the Mountain, and Legolas was to be crowned very soon.

Very soon.

Still, Thorin tried his best to spend as much time with her as he could, seeing as that she always spent her time in Fili and Kili's tent, just sitting there and watching them. They seemed to be getting better, but they were still unconscious.

Anne was actually there at the moment, sitting next to Fili's bed side, Kili on the top bunk. She was holding his hand, watching as his chest rose and fell.

"Oh, Fili," she whispered to no one in particular. "The messes you and your brother get yourselves into."

Fili had a large bandage wrapped around his head, his shoulder patched up with a few stitches, a sling attached to him as his arm rested on his chest. He had a few splotches of dried blood on him, mainly on his neck and near his shoulder area. Kili also had a large bandage on his head, his arm heavily wrapped with new bandages, for the old ones were filled with blood. Anne brushed a stray lock from Fili's face before sighing.

"How are they?"

Anne turned her head around to see Thorin entering the tent now. He looked a little worried as he glanced to his nephews. Anne forced a small smile. "They're alive," she responded. "How's Tauriel?"

"Recovering," Thorin said. "Broken rib, broken arm, nasty cut on the side of her face, and her ankle is sprained. Other than that, she's good."

Anne hummed and nodded, focusing her attention back on the boys. Thorin sighed quietly and walked over, kneeling next to her. "Walk with me," he suggested.

Anne looked at him in alarm.

"They'll be fine," Thorin reassured. "I promise."

Anne thought about it before nodding slowly, standing from her chair with the help of Thorin. He wrapped his arm around her waist in a protective manner, kissing her temple when she leaned her head on his shoulder and wrapped one arm around his middle as he guided her outside.

Anne sighed a deep breath of fresh air when she exited the tent, letting her eyes adjust from the sudden burst of light from outside. She saw various people working, shifting boulders around and carrying stretchers full of wounded or dead people. That sight alone made Anne tense, her body becoming rigid.

"Hey," Thorin said softy as he rubbed her shoulder in attempt to soothe her nerves. "You're all right."

She sighed shakily and nodded her head against his shoulder, the two of them walking the destroyed city of Dale. Once they got into a quiet section, they walked the streets in silence.

"What's up with Erebor?" Anne suddenly asked, the sound of her voice making the two of them jump. "Is it going to be rebuilt?"

Thorin nodded. "Yes," he said. "Dwalin, Balin, Bifur and Bofur are actually in charge of building duty. Dain's men are staying to help while he and two of his escorts are going back to get the other Dwarves in the Blue Mountains."

Anne pursed her lips and nodded before narrowing your eyes. "Your sister's up there, right?"

Thorin hummed as he nodded. "Dis is there, yes."