Eclipse of Hearts ✔

6. Saving Yourself [Kíli]

Kíli sunk down in the pillows of a sofa in one of the rooms of his uncle. With his hands he brushed the soft fabric, wondering if somebody had ever sat on it before. He didn't found Thorin the type to sit here. 

Impatiently he glanced at his uncle, who had just closed the door. Kíli wasn't often summoned and he wondered what the meaning was of all this.

"Vaughn just showed me a message that they have intercepted from an orc pack."

Kíli did not answer, but watched Thorin from his seat. His thoughts seemed miles away.
"And?"

"They want to avenge Azog." His voice had lost his firmness and he watched his nephew desperately, as if he hoped Kíli would stand up now to kill all the orcs in the vicinity. 

"Are they looking for Alyssae? How do you know?" Kíli gave him an examining look, but his whole expression showed him that he was right and it caused goose bumps on his arms. 

"That was in the message."

"Her name?" Kíli didn't understand. Somebody must have told that to them. 

"No. It said she was my -" He did not finish his sentence, but shook his head furiously. "Vaughn suggested to break all contact with Chyndall."

"There already is no contact," Kíli huffed.

Thorin leaned with his palms on the table and stared at him. "For the time being you cannot visit her."

"I'll just make sure no orc sees me," Kíli answered. He did not feel at home in Erebor, where his brother had died. It was a liberation to travel to the woods to visit Alyssae. "Somebody has to tell her."

Thorin watched him pensively. "Yeah? Is that true? You want her to live in fear, knowing that Azog's friends are looking for her?"

Kíli kept silent. Somehow Thorin was right, but doing nothing felt terrible.

"I do not deem it impossible that this message has ended up in my hands on purpose, to see what action I undertake. You can only leave the city to lead them astray." He looked up, his eyes were dark shadows. "You can lead them to Mirkwood."

"To Mirkwood?" Kili grumbled. "Are you serious?"

"It was only an idea,' Thorin sighed. "Thranduil still needs to pay for what he has done."'

"And then what?" Kíli spitted out. "If there's somebody who would love to tell the orcs where Alyssae lives, it's him!"

Thorin's face grew gloomy. His words only seemed to make him more nervous. "It was a stupid idea. If Thranduil indeed gets wind of this..." Powerless he shook his head. 

Kíli peeked at his uncle for a long time, but he didn't know a solution either. He had seen Chyndall and they had a good amount of warriors, but it felt like orc armies grew forever.

"Still... if I do nothing, the worries drive me crazy."

Kíli snorted and looked away. Thorin wasn't the only one who was worried about an elf. He had no idea what had happened to Tauriel, and she was even serving an insane king. Still he had learned to let it go, or it would make him just as mad as his uncle was. Tauriel had to save herself and as things were now, Alyssae had to do the same. He did not like to admit it, but it was true. He would only bring harm to them when paying them a visit.

"I assume they will first march to our walls?" Kíli asked after a while. 

Thorin nodded. 

"Then we have to be prepared."