Alive - Fili Durin

11 || Durin's Day?

"So this is your purpose, to enter the mountain."

"What of it?" Thorin snapped and Elrond's scornful eyes.

"There are some who would not deem it wise." Elrond hands the map to me instead of Thorin. I took it despite my confusion.

"Who do you mean?"

"You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-earth."

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Third-person POV:

The scout orcs returned to their master with their heads hung. "The Dwarves, Master...we lost them. They have a hobbit the threw us off their trail...then we were ambushed by Elvish filth, we were..."

"I don't want excuses. I want the head of the Dwarf King!" Azog growled.

"We were outnumbered, there was nothing we could do. I barely escaped with my life."

"Far better you had paid with it." Azog grabbed the scout and flung him into a pack of wargs who devoured him in a matter of seconds.

"The Dwarf-scum will show themselves soon enough." Azog turned to another scout. "Send out word, there is a price on their heads!"

With that, the orcs, with their new scout leader, set off on their wargs to retrieve the head of Thorin Oakenshield.

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Leo's POV:

Thorin and Bilbo stayed back to discuss some things with Gandalf, I found myself growing tired and the smell of smoked sausage drew me elsewhere. I had found a private room to change back into my clothes that were now good as new. I did miss the comfort of the dress.

I could hear the dwarves chatter and see the flicker of a campfire from a corner balcony. I know they did not start a fire in basically inside. Oh, but they did.

I rounded the corner to see Bofur and Bifur sitting around a small campfire. Bofur roasted some sausages while Bifur tore legs of the elven chairs to use as firewood. I couldn't help but laugh at the inconsiderate chaos that is dwarves.

My laugh caught Bofurs attention as he whipped around and pointed his roasting stick at me. "And where have you been, missy?"

I smiled and leaned on the wall - I do this a lot it seems. "I was with Bilbo and some of the others. Boring stuff really. I'm sure Thorin will explain later."

Bofur nodded and used his roasting stick to reach back and offer me a sausage, which I graciously took. I think the dwarves' strictly carnivorous ways are rubbing off on me. As I ate, I looked around the wall to see the dwarves I had missed. Ori, Nori, and Dwalin played a game with some marbles. Dori just chatted with Gloin. Fili and Kili sat along the wall behind Bofur and sharpened their weapons. I noticed, however, that Fili wasn't sharpening his own weapons but he was sharpening my axe.

I made my way over to the brothers. As I approached, Kili saw me first. "We sharpened ye little axe for ye! Yer welcome." He goofily grinned and bobbed his head around.

Fili kicked his brother, "You haven't sharpened anything."

Kili seemed to get a bit offended that his brother had kicked him so in retaliation he kicked him back - and so began a kicking match. Instead of intervening, I sat down next to Fili and ate. He eventually noticed me and leaned forward to give Kili one last whack on the head to stop him.

He looked over at me and gave me a lop-sided smile. "Hi,"

I couldn't help but giggle. "Hello,"

Kili's eyes darted between the two of us as he stood up, "Alright, alright. Say no more." He left us alone.

"You know, I find it a bit rude how you just ran off and left me without saying anything." he teased and tilted his head a bit at me.

"I am so sorry, your highness. It was Bilbo's fault. If I didn't have to leave, I wouldn't have. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Well...I can think of one way."

I raised an eyebrow. He held out his hand to me - did he just want to hold my hand? I gently brushed my fingers on his rough, calloused hand before laying them fully onto his palm. He closed his fingers around mine.

"That'll do."

He just wanted to hold my hand. My heart melted a bit.

"You know I didn't get to finish what I wanted to say to you."

I noticed that Fili's eyes were no longer on me as he stared past me. He lifted his finger and pointed. "Hold that thought, dear." I followed his finger.

A creaking sound catches everywhere attention. We all look to the center of the balcony to see Bombur, eating a mound of food, sitting on a table. I knew what Bofur was thinking when he looked at Bombur then back down to the sausage in his hand.

"Bombur!" Bombur catches the sausage that had been flung at him and with one last creak, the table collapses. The dwarves, and myself, erupt in laughter.

I felt something in my pocket when I moved my arm - I still had Thorin's map. I took it out with my free hand and unfolded it, glancing over what would be our likely path to Erebor. I suddenly had this aching feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew we would leave Rivendell soon, and I knew there would not be peace for us when we did. I admired the group of carefree dwarves, realizing that I've lived more in this past week than I have my whole life. In all actuality, I feel like I'm mentally preparing myself for the possibility of not returning to the Shire. At least I finally got to feel alive.

"Fili?"

"Yes, love?"

"...I'm scared..."

Thorin came stomping onto the balcony, the laughter died down immediately. "Everyone gather all your things and do it quietly. We're leaving."

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Lindir rushed into the room where Gandalf was meeting with Elrond, Saurman, and Galadriel.

"My Lord Elrond. The dwarves, they've gone."