#Durin's sons imagine

[faeriichaii]

hii!!

i was wondering if you could write kili x gn!reader where the reader wants to braid kili’s hair and they have no idea what that means to dwarves and kili lets them braid his hair. later the other dwarves notice and tease kili about it cause he’s clearly in love with the reader.

thank you sm<33

Braiding Lessons ~ Kili x Reader

A/N: Omg Kili request!!! I love him and I am such a sucker for this plot!! so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do omg!! Also funfact but I almost deleted everything that I wrote during my roadtrip cause I was so unsatisfied with it ;-; Which is probably why it took me so long to actually publish it yikes

⇢ ˗ˏˋ Warnings: Fluff ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Words: 1.0k ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Request: Yes (Thank you <33) ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋAmrâlimé ~ My Love ࿐ྂ

Summary: You always knew dwarves had various beautiful braids, but how come Kili doesn't? So one night you decide to change that and help him out.

You tilted your head to the side, as you let your eyes skim over the various dwarves, whom you were accompanying on their journey. Being the only human, surrounded by one hobbit and several dwarves definitely let you notice a few differences about their culture to your own. For example, they could eat almost double their size almost as if they have two stomachs. They also tend to not care much about their appearance. Except of course their beards and hair in general. They take care of it almost as if their life depended on it. One detail that definitely stood out to you were the different braids that decorated each of them. You remember once staring at Fili, while he undid his small beard braids just to redo them.

“How come dwarves always have braids in their hair?” You once asked him. He smiled at you and continued weaving his fingers through his hair. “Braids are very important to us dwarves. Which is why we rarely let others touch our hair.”

Ever since that day you have noticed the intriguing designs and ways each of the dwarves intertwined their strands. Except for one. Kili was the only dwarf who seemed to be lacking any kind of braid and you have been wondering why that is. You also once asked Fili about it but he wouldn’t answer you. Maybe he doesn’t know how to braid? And he is too embarrassed to ask others for help? Observing Kili, who was laughing along his brother to some jokes, you quickly let that thought settle in your mind. He doesn’t know how to braid and you were determined to change that.

So later that afternoon you bribed Fili to change his night shift with yours (which cost you a few of your travel snacks), in order to spend some time with Kili. You wanted to teach him how to braid and due to the fact that it is quite a sensitive topic to dwarves you wanted to make sure that nobody else would notice the two of you. So as soon as the sun set and the snores of your companions filled your ears, you made your way to Kili. He was perched upon a log which was behind the campfire that slowly burned down. His hands were carefully crafting something delicate, which you didn’t quite see in the dark. “What are you working on?” You asked him, taking a seat beside him. His gaze swerved from the item between his fingers to you. A smile graced his lips.

“It’s a surprise.” He quickly put the item into a small pouch that was secured to his pants. “I thought Fili was supposed to be my night-watch-partner?” “He was but I wanted to switch with him.” A smirk formed on his lips, before he put his arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer. “Well, in that case I will make sure that this will be the best night of your life.” Blushing at the double meaning behind his words, you tried to separate your body from his. Of course, not because you didn’t enjoy him being so close to you, but because you were in desperate need of some cold air to cool you down and sort through your thoughts.

“I just wanted to ask you if I could braid your hair.” A dumbfounded expression accompanied by a gentle blush fell over his face. “I know you probably were just embarrassed to ask any of the others for help when it comes to braiding your hair and knowing that you don’t know how to I just-“ His laugh interrupted your rambling. “You think I can’t braid my hair?” You nod. “(Y/N), that is one thing we dwarves get born with. No dwarf in this world knows how not to braid hair.” “But why do you never braid yours? Fili told me they were incredibly sacred and important in your culture.” A blush dusted his cheeks as he stared into the campfire.

“Simple. Nobody has asked to braid my hair before.” Your hand moved to his and gave him a reassuring squeeze. “But I just asked to braid your hair. So please, let me take care of you.” He smiled at you and moved one leg over the log so his whole body was facing yours. You let your fingers comb through his soft hair a few times, before taking a strand and dividing it into three sections. Weaving your fingers through the wafts, you made sure to be gentle while also ensuring that there won’t be any bumps or strands sticking out of your small braid. After you have reached the end of his hair, you took out one of your slim leather straps and tied it at the end. Your gaze wandered from the braid to Kilis eyes and you realized how close the two of you have been this whole time. “Thank you Amrâlimé. You have no idea how much this means to me.” You let your gaze wander to your hands in your lap while a shy smile graced your face. “Of course. I am glad you like it.” Kili put his finger under your chin, forcing you to look at him. A bright smile framed his face. “Now it is your turn.”

The next morning the company as well as you quickly packed up their belongings to get back on their journey. While talking with Balin about some of the dwarvens history, you suddenly heard a gasp from behind you. “You never told me about this Kili!” Fili held up a braid between them both. “When did this happen?” “Last night while you-“ “What is going on back there?” Thorin asked, slowly approaching the princes. “Kili finally got his braid! Probably by someone he seems enamoured with.” Fili teases, while letting go of his brother’s hair. A blush dusted Kilis cheeks, as well as your own as the words settled in.

“Was about time they tied the knot.” Dwalin let out a boisterous laugh at Balins words. Tilting your head to the side, you moved your attention to Kili. “What does he mean by that?” “(Y/N) doesn’t even know? You didn’t even explain it?” Fili asked, flabbergasted at the newfound information. “I hadn’t had the time yet.” Kili turned towards you and grabbed your hand, intertwining your fingers. “But I will explain it to you when the time is right.” His radiant smile was enough reassurance for you. You will wait, until he is ready to explain the meaning behind the dwarvish braiding custom.

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Over Mountains Cold

Kili Durin x Reader

Words: 4931

Summary: On a quest for your family, you and your traveling companion get caught in a winter storm in the Grey Mountains. Your true feelings for your best friend come to light when you struggle to make it through the chilling night. 

Notes: The heater in my room is broken and the image of cuddling with Kili to get warm is just really nice to me, okay? I will use Aidan Turner to dissociate before I contact ever maintenance. (also, why can’t I just write fluff? Why does there have to be the angsty backstory of losing siblings? The world may never know)

Warnings: Kind of a chaotic plot. An ungodly amount of sexual tension. I don’t make the rules. 

-

Fili gave a final wave as he disappeared over the ridge, taking the ponies with him. His brother tried to calm the pit in his stomach. Not only was Fili off to retrieve more supplies alone, but the cold was setting in. If he didn’t make it to the next village by the time the snow started, he would get stuck out here. 

Just like you were. 

“We should go,” You sighed. “We’ll want to set up camp before it gets dark and I want to search the foothills to the east before the sun goes down.”

Kili looked up at the sky. “It’s going to be a cold night.” Already, his breath came out in puffs from his lips. “Maybe we should stay here until morning. It’s lower, so it’ll be warmer and the snow hasn’t reached us yet.” 

You stiffened and turned determined eyes towards him. “I won’t waste any time. If there’s a chance of finding my sisters out here, I’m taking it.” 

You waited for him to argue or tell you how foolish you were. Winter was on the horizon and these mountains would be impassable in the coming weeks. But your friend merely gave you a small smile and put a hand on your shoulder. 

“Then lead the way.” 

You wanted to kiss him. Well, you often wanted to kiss him, but in that moment, with his eyes full of trust and belief in you, no words could express your gratitude. But, coward that you were, you settled for a pat on the arm and an awkward nod. 

“Right. Follow me.” You hurried away from him before you could do something stupid. 

You’d known the dwarven princes for most of your life. Having grown up near the Blue Mountains, you spent a lot of time with Durin’s folk, listening to their stories, celebrating their festivals, and causing a little chaos with your two closest friends. You couldn’t count the times Kili and Fili had gotten you into some kind of trouble, but surely they would say the same thing about you. 

The younger prince walked beside you, telling you legends of ridiculous creatures living in these hills, trying to make you smile. It worked, of course. Between his grin and a bit of theatricality, he never failed to lighten your moods. 

Kili was your best friend. He was there for every prank, every adventure, and every heartbreak. When your village was attacked by raiders three years ago, he spent weeks tending to your injuries and trying to hunt down the people who’d hurt you. 

That’s when they were taken. Your two older sisters, Maryina and Baeriel. Sometime during the battle, those foul men came to your home and stole them away. You were nearly killed trying to defend them. Everyone told you they were dead. Even your parents didn’t have the heart to keep looking after so long, but you wouldn’t give up. You knew they were alive. Kili was the only one who believed you.

“Do you remember what you told me?” You asked suddenly. 

Kili turned his head, hazel-brown eyes bright in the afternoon sun. His brows furrowed with curiosity. 

You elaborated. “When I said I was going to find them. I said I’d search the whole of Middle Earth if I had to. What did you say?” 

Kili beamed. “I said ‘Well, you’re not doing it without me,’” he remembered. “‘You’d get lost.’” 

“Exactly,” you laughed. “And, I do believe that you lead us down more a stray path than I, dear friend.” 

“But we always found our way in the end, didn’t we?” Kili grinned. 

“That we did.” 

The two of you fell back into a comfortable silence with something heavier hanging between you. 

Grass swayed with dying breaths, green turned to dry white. Ahead, towering peaks capped with snow loomed like a massive, foreboding gate. You watched them with growing unrest. Kili’s shoulder brushed against yours as you walked as if just to remind you he was there. 

The afternoon stretched and yawned. The sun began to hover. With every passing hour, the more the light sank, so did your hopes. Your search in the foothills yielded nothing. Not even the remnants of a possible settlement. 

“They aren’t here,” you said. You ran a hand down your tired face, eyes scanning the vast landscape, the mountains at your back. You turned to Kili. “What if…”

You’d come here on a rumor that the raiders who took your sisters had a base in the Grey Mountains. But that’s all you had to go off of- rumors. 

“It’s the first day.” He gave you a reassuring smile. “We’ll keep looking.” Kili scanned the dense woods at the base of the mountains, hoping for some signal of smoke or any other sign of life. There was nothing. But he wasn’t going to give up hope and he certainly wasn’t going to let you. “Come, let’s set up somewhere to sleep. You must be exhausted.”

“I’m fine,” you grumbled. “But if you’re saying you need to rest, then I suppose we can pitch the tent.” 

He rolled his eyes playfully. 

“Last one to the trees gathers firewood,” he challenged. The mischievous dwarf took off before you had the chance to process what he said. 

“Hey!” You called after him and ran as fast as your legs could carry. 

-

Usually, the three of you always camped out under the stars, but knowing how cold it would be, you brought a tent to provide a little shelter. But laying there, so close to him, the fabric barrier between you and the night sky seemed suffocating. 

It wasn’t the closest you’d ever been, of course. There had even been some nights where you found yourself asleep on his shoulder after a long day or he would doze off with his head in your lap. There was just something about this- something about the two of you enclosed together, alone- that felt different. 

You laid completely still, screwing your eyes shut, but your mind refused to rest. The form beside you shifted back and forth, twisting and turning. Kili grunted in frustration and turned onto his back. 

“Y/N?” He whispered. “Are you awake?”

“Unfortunately.” 

He blew out a breath. “We should sleep. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow. We’ll have to find some food in case Fili gets holed up somewhere.” 

You hummed and nodded. 

Both of you stared up at the slanted ceiling of the tent, not moving and not speaking. The tension alone chilled you to the bone, making you shudder. 

“Are you cold?” Kili asked. 

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure, because I have an extra fur-”

“Kili, go to sleep.” You huffed, shifting to your side away from him so he couldn’t see the painful want in your eyes. 

Kili was more than just your best friend to you. He was your first love, the only person you’d ever loved, really. You’d had suitors in the past ask for your hand, but you declined them all. Your heart was no longer yours to give away. But you could never bring yourself to tell him. He was a prince, after all, and what were you? A nobody. 

You blinked away tears and curled up as close to the tent’s wall as possible. 

So close together and yet you couldn't feel more distant. 

-

The next day yielded even less results. The further you got into the mountains, the less hope you had that you were going in the right direction. The Eastern Pass took you higher in elevation and further away from Fili with the supplies. 

“Wait.” Kili stopped suddenly, putting a hand out in front of you. “Listen.”

You halted, the frostbitten ground shifting beneath your boots. At first, the slight breeze was all you could detect, but as the forest stilled, the subtle yet clear sound of hooves carried on the wind. 

And they were getting closer. 

“Get down.” You grabbed the collar of his coat and pulled. The two of you tumbled into a bush, losing your balance in your haste. Kili hit the ground. You fell onto his chest, knocking the breath out of both of you. 

Kili grimaced. 

“Sorry,” you whispered. Your faces turned a similar shade of pink, both trying to hide it from the other.

The familiar thudding against the forest floor increased in speed and volume. From your position, you could just see through the foliage that kept you hidden.  Kili craned his neck, blindly trying to get a glance. 

“Can you see them?” He asked. 

“Shh.” 

You kept your head low as you stared out. Watching. Waiting. As the horses neared, you decided there couldn’t be more than three. 

“We could take them,” you whispered, looking down. But the sight of Kili lying beneath you, hazel-brown eyes staring up into yours with his hair a mess below him was too much. It sent a burning, twisting feeling through your stomach. You looked back up at the road. “There aren’t many. We could fight and force them to tell us where they took my sisters.”

“Are you mad?” Kili hissed, shifting underneath you. His hips rocked up into yours by accident. He sucked in a breath. “It could be innocent travelers going through the mountains. Or worse, there could be a dozen fighters and we’d be dead in seconds.”

“Since when are you the cautious one?” You scoffed, ignoring his movements and prepping yourself to pounce. 

Kili locked his arms around your middle and rolled. He had you on your back before you could stop him, pinning you to the forest floor with his hands on either side of your head. 

“Since I’m trying to keep you from getting yourself killed,” he growled. 

Relieved that your hips were no longer pressed against his, Kili had put himself in another predicament hovering over your body, his lips mere inches from yours. 

It shamed him to think of how many times he’d imagined you like this.

He waited until the riders were past, counting three, just as you said, but they seemed only to be a father and his two children, both under the age of 16. Kili doubted that these were the raiders who had destroyed your home. One of them mentioned something about getting over the pass before the storm, which made him uneasy. 

Despite the heat of your bodies, the air was indeed growing colder. Clouds were gathering and a crisp, cool scent hung in the air. 

Kili stood and held out a hand to help you up. 

You didn’t take it. 

“We need to keep moving.” 

He swallowed. “We should head back to lower grounds. If we get caught in the pass, who knows how we’ll get out.” 

You didn’t look at him. Instead, you continued up the path. “I wasn’t asking.”

-

Kili walked behind you, neither saying a word. He saw the tension in your back shifting like you were already in battle. He only wished he could relieve at least some of the weight that bore down on your shoulders. Witnessing you in such pain hurt him more than he knew how to express. That, unfortunately, wasn’t the only thing he struggled to put into words. 

It had taken Kili long enough to finally admit his feelings for you to himself, but it was taking even longer for him to admit them to you. Fear wasn’t something that usually stopped him- he’d faced trolls and orc packs a dozen times over- but the idea of jeopardizing his friendship with you frightened him to no end. 

Still, lying there, pressed against you, had drummed all of those feelings up to the front of his mind. They distracted him from the real issue at hand and he tried to remind himself that you need him focused. You needed a warrior, not a love-sick errand boy. 

“If we keep at this pace, we can make it through the pass by morning,” you said grimly. 

Kili exhaled, his voice deep with concern. “Y/N, you need to rest.” 

“I need to find my sisters.” 

You kept walking. 

Kili kept his arguments to himself. Starting a fight now would only make you angrier and he didn’t want to risk you going off alone. 

He let out a low sigh. Being the responsible one was exhausting. 

Kili watched the sun with a concerned eye and discomfort growing in his stomach. His breath appeared in a cloud from his lips. But worse, flecks of white sent panic up his spine. The snow speckled the branches of the pines around them and added to the already thick blanket of frost that coated the ground. The further up, the deeper the snow banks. 

“These flurries won’t be flurries for long,” he warned. 

“We’ll make it.” 

You refused to turn back to look at him. If you did, you knew that one look at his face would make you forget your persistence. You would turn around and head back down the mountain and have to start all over again in the morning. So you kept your eyes ahead, despite the growing shiver down your spine. 

Besides, it was only a little snow. You and the brothers had faced worse on numerous occasions. 

Kili quickened his pace to take his place beside you again. 

“This way,” he said. “I’ve heard a shortcut through this pass.”

You raised a brow. “You’ve heard of one?”

“We’re here based on a rumor, aren’t we?” He retorted. 

You shrugged as if to say ‘fair enough.’ 

Kili took the lead as the air thickened with white flakes. The shortcut, while it existed as far as he knew, was not the true purpose of his change in direction. He’d read journals telling tales of adventures through these mountains and he remembered a checkpoint for many. A cave where they could take shelter from winter storms. He only hoped it was real. 

You began to regret your stubbornness as the cold seeped through your coat, the snow falling thicker and thicker, decreasing your visibility until you could see but a mere few feet in front of you. 

In a blink, the blizzard set in. 

You trudged on. Eyes blinded by white, you walk straight into the mass in front of you. Your companion’s warmth drew you in and you couldn’t help but press yourself against his back. His arm wrapped around, searching for yours. 

“Take my hand!” Kili called back to you. 

You did so without hesitation, wincing at the chilled state of his skin. 

“We’re nearly there!” He shouted over the wind. 

“That’s impossible! We haven’t even made it through the pass!”

“You’ll see.” 

Trust was the only thing you had left, your senses overtaken by the storm. And then suddenly, it stopped. Kili pulled you forward and the choking white curtained the opening of the cave behind you. Wind howled, but no longer deafened. 

“You knew this was here?” You gasped through chattering teeth. 

Kili gulped. “I hoped.” 

“You hoped?” 

“You kept going!” He held out his hands, fingers stretched and shaking with his words. “I didn’t know what else to do!” 

“Nevermind. It doesn’t matter.” You ran a hand down your face, wincing at the freezing surface of your own skin, as well as the exhaustion overtaking your features. You paced back toward the blinding white outside. “We’ll stay here until the storm blows over and then we’ll keep going.” 

Standing at the opening of the cave, the wind still chilled you to the bone. Still, you watched, as if your sisters would magically appear and welcome you into their warm arms. 

As the image passed through your mind, you were gently pulled away from the wind by a hand as cold as yours, and yet it sparked the warmth that you needed. Kili placed a hand on your cheek, turning your face to his. 

“You’re exhausted,” he said. “We cannot afford to be careless. Not out here. We’ll go out again in the morning. You need to rest.” Before you could argue, he added, “We both do.” 

With the fog of determination outweighed by fatigue and frost, you sighed in defeat, hanging your head. 

“Alright,” you conceded. 

Kili put a finger under your chin and lifted your eyes. He gave you a small smile to which you couldn’t help but reciprocate. 

“Come on. We should set up the tent. It might not be much, but it can’t hurt.” 

Your chattering teeth gave no argument. There was no wood for a fire, the smoke would fill the small space anyway, so the thin cloth was your only added defense against the cold. 

Once inside, you both felt the same pull towards each other, your bodies craving the heat of another. But you stayed on the far side, as far as you could get, mind clouded by icy, frozen fear. Kili didn’t say anything, trying to ignore the ache in his chest as he tried to sleep. 

Your eyes couldn’t have been shut for more than a moment when you heard them. 

“Y/N!” 

“Y/N! Where are you?” 

You blinked to clear the tiredness from your eyes and listened. 

“It can’t be,” you whispered. 

“Y/N! Y/N!” 

Maryina and Baeriel. 

You listened again. 

“We’re here! Help us!”

Your sisters. They were out there. They were trapped in the storm. They needed you. 

You sat up, tossing aside the coat you’d been using for a blanket and ignored the bitter air seeping through your tunic. You didn’t feel it. You didn’t see your companion sleeping across from you. You didn’t hear the wind as you stepped out of the tent. You only heard your sisters’ cries…

And stepped out into the blizzard. 

-

Kili twisted and turned. As hard as he tried, sleep never stayed. He dozed off only to drift back, trying not to shiver. 

“I can’t sleep again,” he sighed. Kili flipped onto his other side. Rubbing his tired eyes, he opened them. The bundle of furs beside him took an odd shape. 

Empty. 

“Y/N?” 

He sat up and reached across the tent, feeling nothing but frigid air. Kili lifted his head, panic banishing any exhaustion left in his limbs. 

The untied opening of the tent flapped in the wind. 

“Y/N!” He called out. 

The storm screamed in response. 

He scrambled out of his bedroll and sprinted into the night. Fat, white flakes stuck to his face and eyelashes no matter how much he blinked them away. 

“Y/N!” He shouted again. 

Kili walked, trying to keep the cave in sight. The blizzard raged around him, concealing even the silhouette of the trees. He cried out your name again and again. With every passing second of silence, his chest grew tighter. 

Why would you have gone off alone? 

What if something had taken you?

There was no way for Fili to reach the cave until the storm settled, which meant he was completely and utterly alone. 

“Y/N!” 

It felt like hours before the wind let up and even then, snow continued to fall and the air turned even colder, creeping down Kili’s neck like a thousand icy-legged spiders. 

There, in the distance, he could just make out a shape, wandering and covered in a thick, frozen blanket. 

Kili ran as fast as his aching legs would allow, his boots sliding on the ice-coated ground. No matter how loud he shouted, it was as if you couldn’t hear him. You trudged on, the snow almost reaching your knees. You didn’t even have your coat. If he didn’t get you out of this cold, you would surely be lost to the white nothingness that surrounded you. 

“Y/N, what are you-” Kili moved to grab your arm and found that your eyes were closed. Ice stuck to your face where tears had fallen and your blue lips muttered the same two things over and over again.

“Maryina…. Baeriel….” 

Kili’s heart shattered like an icicle falling to the earth. 

“Y/N, love, wake up,” he pleaded, gently taking hold of your shoulders. He had to stop himself from recoiling. Even through your tunic, you were like a statue, freezing to the touch. “We need to get back to the cave. I need to get you to a fire. I need to get you warm.” 

Already, you looked like a walking corpse. 

But your eyes were starting to open.

“K-Kili?” You muttered through chattering teeth. “What’s going on? I’m so…” You stepped forward, falling against him. “I’m so cold.” 

Kili didn’t hesitate. He scooped you up into his arms, holding you tight against his chest. He followed his own footprints as they were slowly being covered again by the falling snow. By some miracle, he made it back to the cave. He hurried into the tent, wishing he had the material for a fire. For now, all he had was hope. 

“I heard them,” you said, still dazed. “I heard their voices calling to me in the storm.” 

“And you followed it?” He gasped, quickly undoing the fastens of his coat. “Are you mad? Even if they were out there, you’re no good to them frozen to death.” 

Kili shrugged out of his coat and wrapped it around your shoulders. 

“No, Kili.” You tried to push him away, but he was stronger, fueled by panic and determination. “Kili, you’ll freeze.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said harriedly. He tied the entrance of the tent to keep out the frigid wind and laid down, gently pulling you along with him. Kili rubbed his hands up and down your arms, careful to keep the heap of furs wrapped tightly around you. He held you against his chest, his tunic slightly undone so you could feel the heat of his skin against your cheek. 

As his warmth broke through the icy surface that suffocated your entire body, your mind started to clear. It started to wake up.

And when it did all you could see was his wide, golden-brown eyes searching yours with a fire you’d seen a few times before. Once when you’d been separated from him and his brother for a week on a particularly stressful journey and the other when your village was attacked and your sisters were taken. Each time, he looked as though he was looking at the sun for the first time. 

At the time, you didn’t understand, or perhaps you didn’t let yourself understand. You understood now what that fire meant. 

He was, and would always be, your shelter. 

Like magnets, you somehow were drawn together still, despite already being impossibly close. The air between you was hot with your breathing. Everything seemed to stand still, from the raging winds outside to the racing heart inside your chest. 

Neither of you said a word, an entire conversation held simply in the lock of your gazes. 

Kili’s hand cradled the back of your head, laying it against his chest. You felt the soft, sweet warmth of his lips on your forehead. 

Despite the hauntings of your mind, your heart gave you leave to rest in the strength and comfort of Kili’s embrace, allowing both of you to slip back into the persistent reach of slumber. 

-

The storm blocked the pass by morning and, without any equipment, there was no way to get over. It had all been for nothing. 

Fili found you halfway back down the mountain, the pony’s back covered with more supplies. 

“What happened to you two?” He asked.

“We couldn’t find them,” you snapped, hurrying ahead of both of them. 

Fili turned to his brother. 

Kili shook his head. 

Your party of three traveled until you found the nearest tavern and the boys made you stop for the night, watching exhaustion seep into your every step. 

Dinner was had in silence with an air hanging so thick that Fili felt he would choke on it. He could never imagine the two of you fighting- he knew that his brother would never forgive himself if he ever hurt you. But he also knew Kili’s true feelings towards his best friend and Fili couldn’t help but wonder if something had been revealed while he was gone. 

“We’ll start up toward the northern villages in a few days,” Kili said. “It’ll give us some time to rest, regroup, and plan.” 

You stared at your plate. “What’s the point?” 

Both turned to you. 

Kili’s eyes softened. “Y/N, you don’t mean that.”

“They’re gone, Kili.” You blinked back tears. “We could search until the end of time and we still wouldn’t find them.”

“Then to the end of time we will look because I am not giving up,” he insisted. His dark eyes took on that glimmer from last night, igniting something within you. 

Your nightmare wasn’t the only thing that frightened you. 

“I’m going to my room,” you said, pushing away from the table. Your form disappeared up the stairs with the gaze of both princes trailing after you. 

Kili sighed, running his fingers through his long, dark hair. 

“You just going to let her go?” Fili scoffed. 

“What would you have me do?” 

Fili shook his head and took a drink of his ale. 

Kili narrowed his eyes. “What?”

His brother raised a brow. “Y/N is the most stubborn, persistent, devoted woman I’ve ever met. She isn’t giving up on looking for her sisters. She’s worried about continuing the search with us.” 

“What?” Kili exclaimed. “What are you talking about?”

“Kili, brother,” Fili sighed. “I’m saying maybe my absence was exactly the two of you needed and you’re both still avoiding what I’ve seen for as long as we’ve known Y/N.” He finished off his ale and snatched Kili’s away before he could protest. “Now go talk to her.” 

Kili swallowed, staring at the steps. It took one final shove from his brother to actually get him to stand up and move. 

As he ascended the stairs, Kili thought about everything Fili had said. What did he mean, his absence was what you two needed? What did he know that Kili didn’t? 

Of course, the younger prince knew exactly what his brother meant. He’d always known, even when he didn’t know how to admit it. But waking up in that tent, the panicked thoughts of you out in the storm, alone, the terror of losing you to the ice and snow, and holding you in his arms to keep you warm all revealed exactly what had been in his heart all these years. 

He loved you. 

Perhaps Fili was right. 

Maybe it was time to finally tell you. 

Kili found your room and stood before it for a good long while. He tried raising his hand to knock, but he was just… frozen in place. 

What if this was a mistake? 

What if decades of friendship fell apart in this moment?

What if-

The door opened and his heart stopped. 

You startled back at the sight of his big brown eyes. The eyes you hadn’t been able to stop thinking about. The ones you wanted to get lost in and never be found. And he was there, waiting for you. 

You both opened your mouths to speak and stopped, waiting for the other person, leaving you both in a tense silence. The same tension from the tent. The one that drew you together, closer and closer. 

“Kili, I-”

His lips caught yours, silencing the words you still weren’t sure how to say. You let your hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, closer still if that was even possible. Every moment, every breath from the last few days had been leading to this. And all either of you could think was one word. 

Finally. 

And as Fili watched you pull Kili into your room, kicking the door closed behind him, he was thinking the same thing. 

“Finally,” he muttered, shaking his head as he went to his room, glad to have it to himself for a change. 

-

Kili’s lips brushed against your forehead, the rest of your body completely tangled with his. Your arms wrapped around his bare chest, your legs wound between his, and your head was tucked under his chin. Your naked skin burned against each other but you never wanted it to stop. 

And between every sigh, every pleasured cry or whispered word came one phrase. I love you. 

He said it again, now. “I love you.” 

You turned to look up at him. Into those eyes. The gaze that captured you more and more every time. 

“And I you,” you said, kissing his collarbone, then his jaw, then finally his lips. “I have loved you ever since you taught me to shoot an arrow through the apples on our tree.” 

Kili grinned, deepening the kiss and moving so his face hovered over yours. 

“I’m still not giving up, you know,” he whispered. “We will find your sisters. And we will do it together.”

You wrapped a brown curl around your finger and nodded. 

“I know. Before, I was just… scared.” You turned your head away. “That storm took me to a place I don’t want to go again.”

Kili laid a hand on your cheek, bringing your eyes back to his. “I’ll keep you safe.” He kissed your forehead again. “I promise.” 

After letting the seriousness of your words settle for a moment, you grinned mischievously and rolled so that you straddled him. 

“We should have tried this sooner,” you smirked. 

Kili laughed and rolled again, putting him back above you. “It’s certainly a good way to stay warm.”

[distinguisheddwarffriend]

Peter Jackson should not have been such a p*ssy. If he wanted a love story, no need to invent a character.

Grow a spine and give us the Kili/Legolas you KNEW the world needed and deserved!

[mariposiel]

Some days, I’m feeling fine, and other days, I remember someone would’ve had to tell Dís that not one, but all three of her remaining family members perished in the Battle of Five Armies.

[lapislazuli-012]

Something really personal but here’s the way I ship them.

*after BOTFA, everyone survived AU*

Sorry I’m just, really bad at writing conversations🤦‍♀️. Some of the scripts I borrowed directly from BOTFA. Everything is good up until this point and yes they’re still BFFs and giving me old-married-couple vibe already.

PERSONALLY, I think even as a couple, neither Thorin or Bilbo is the type that is willing to give up their own way of living to live with the other (at least not right now).

Thorin had been forced out of Erebor at a young age and just recovered his long-lost home. There’s a LONG way ahead restoring Erebor and bringing back his people. He will stumble, he will have doubts, he will question himself things like Am I really ready and Will I be a good king… But he won’t turn away, because he is Thorin son of Durin.

For Bilbo, the journey did change him, still he remains a hobbit at heart and values home above gold and glory. He misses the peaceful life and comfort he used to have though he knows it’ll never be the same, because HE is not the same hobbit anymore. He helped the dwarves taking back Erebor, now he longs for his own home.

(All of these are mere personal interpretations😇)

So since Thorin will not live in Shire and Bilbo won’t live in Erebor for their entire life, the most-likely situations I’d imagine are these…

There will be a point where Fili can somewhat take on the responsibilities of ruling Erebor. Thorin might have some kingly vacation (specifically, working on legislations, approving orders and proclamations at night and travel among the day) and visit Shire sometime.

I realized not a lot of ppl talk about the aging problem, so I tried to talk about it🧌. Hobbits have lifespans similar to Men but Dwarves’ are usually 3 times longer if I recall correctly.

Thank you for reading!

[unremarkablelunacy]

I still insist that if they were bent on having a vengeful orc leader pursue Thorin and Company throughout the Hobbit movies, it should have been Bolg, the son of Azog. Azog is killed in the Battle of Azanulbizar (by Thorin's cousin Dáin, but I could have accepted switching in Thorin himself). The death of Bolg's father (not just the loss of his hand) and the defeat of the orcs would be a stronger motive for revenge against the line of Durin. In fact, I imagine that's why Bolg is the leader of the orc army that assaults Erebor in the book.

Azog gives me the impression of pursuing Thorin nominally for revenge, but mainly for the evulz. If they had to use him, though, I think they should have suggested that maybe he DID die, and the Necromancer brought him back to menace Thorin and the dwarves (I know that reviving the dead-- with a few iconic exceptions--isn't done in Arda, but the movie could take one of several different approaches). An additional reason to be concerned about the Necromancer.

Bolg would be better though.

[welikeimagines-andfandoms]

Fairy x Mermaid Hybrid, A Hobbit Imagine

Slowly and gracefully you moved amongst the gold, waiting for the dwarves to be asleep so you could venture in. You didn’t necessarily consider this stealing, you did after all use your magic to save the sons of Durin, so this was more just like a repayment.

Finding trinkets within the sea and on the land was always your favourite pass time. When Thror was King and when Smaug inhabited the mountain you didn’t want to bother with these riches. Dragons were no issue and you had even befriended some but Smaug was too much trouble to bother with. The battle of the dragon against the sons of Durin was definitely a good show.

Scoping your eyes over the treasures, a beautiful box of rings greatly intrigued you.

“Thank you, Thorin Oakenshield.” You whispered to yourself, trying the rings on for size.

“I don’t know why you are thanking me for your own theft.” Came a dark voice behind you, while the cold steel of a blade was pushed against your throat and a strong arm grabbed around your middle.

This position did not worry you, though you didn’t show it often you were stronger than the dwarf king. In this position you could feel Thorins strong embrace and it actually made you a little giddy.

Though it may have been an inappropriate reaction, his actions couldn’t help but make you giggle, the sound of bells mixing with your sweet sound.

“I would not laugh if I were you, lass!” He now shouts as presses you against the wall.

You couldn’t help but look down at him and smirk.

“Thorin! Leave her be!” You heard your old friend Thranduil order as he threw the dwarf king off of you.

Seeing your other more recent friend, Bard, behind the Elvish king, you gave him a little wave as you bit your lip.

“She is stronger, older and more powerful then anyone of us! Show her some respect!” Thranduil shouted at his fellow king.

“Respect her?! She was ste-“

“Thranduil! My darling!” You run over to the elf, interrupting the dwarf king.

Running up to him, you lightly jump and flutter up into his arms. As if on instinct, he catches you as you wrap your legs around his waist. One hand resting on his shoulder and the other carding through his lovely white hair, you can’t help but both smile at one another.

This act of gentleness from the usually stoic elf leaves Thorin shocked. Bard on the other hand, who was used to your antics, simply smiled.

Leaning down to the elf king you both kissed each other lovingly. A quick but passionate kiss shared between good friends who may or may not have spent a few intimate evenings with one another.

“How is your darling son, Thranduil?” You ask the elf king, returning to stroking his hair.

“He is well, starlight. He’s actually traveling at the moment.” He replies calmly.

“Well I might have to see if I can find him and pay him a visit.” You smirk at the king, giving him another quick kiss before jumping down and making your way to Bard.

“Hello, barge man.” You lightly flutter over the gold to him, lightly playing with his hands as you stand before him.

“Hello, little fish.” He smirks down at you, his nickname earning a light slap to the arm.

“Now you’re a king, i no longer see your boat, darling. I am very happy and proud of the king you are but it does make me miss our time together.” You pout up at him, your fingers twirling in his curls.

“I’ll try to make more time for you, little fish.” He leans down and you meet each other in a sweet kiss.

Lightly touching his cheek, your hand finds it’s way down his chest as you walk towards the last king.

Walking over to Thorin, you look down at the frowning and confused king.

“May I have your sword?” You ask him, your fingers lightly touching over the hilt of the sword. Your question earning a snicker from the other two kings.

“No you may not.” He growls and snatching your hand away.

“Oh I’m sure I’ll get a sword from you, king under the mountain.” You giggle at him, tracing along his bearded face before lightly and swiftly kissing his cheek.

Before he could react too violently you stepped away and your wings appeared behind you. Looking even further down on the dwarf king, you giggle at his stunned reaction as you make your way to the high window.

“Goodbye, boys.” You lightly called with a blow of a kiss before you flutter away, leaving two smirking kings and one stunned one.

[maravdrs]

🤍 & 💍 for the dr s/o ask game!! also your account looks so cute and aesthetic!!

tysm that means the world to me and ty for the ask <333

dr s/o ask game !!

➜ i'll be answering for my hobbit dr <3

🤍 " . . . what are your love languages vs. your s/o’s? how do you show theirs and how do they show yours? "

　　　　　𖣠 my love languages are acts of service and words of affirmation. kíli's are physical touch, acts of service, and quality time. i show my love by finishing tasks that may be bothering him or helping out whenever i can to make him less stressed (as a prince, i imagine he can get very stressed). i also try to hold his hand whenever he's anxious about something, because he will rarely admit to being nervous, and i always make time to just be with him — no work, no stress, just us. how he shows mine is by cleaning up my workspace (because i often forget) and doing anything to lighten the load of my work. in regards to words of affirmation, he is always quick to tell me how proud he is, how he appreciates my dedication to my work, and he always reminds me that he loves me.

💍 " . . . what are some songs that makes you think of them? "

　　　　　𖣠 some songs that make me think of him are: sons of durin by howard shore, sunlight by hozier, saturn by sleeping at last, and i see fire by ed sheeran.

[khazadaimenu]

Fili x OC, AU + headcanons, Part 2

Some more stuff coming your way. I decided to even break it into parts and leave links here.

This isn't always going to be in order, rather how it comes to me, in pieces of a puzzle. I apologise for that in advance.

This second part is mostly events, but there'll be more hc in the future.

Part 1 is here

Part 1 jist: There are some hc about Fili and love. Then Fili is saved by a human OC. He develops feelings, but buries them. The human leaves, he realises his mistake. He's facing an arranged marriage. Decides to go ahead with it out of desperation and sense of duty.

My OC travels between worlds. Goes by she/they (used interchangeably here). Originally from our world, but acquired an ability to travel elsewhere. It's not a destiny, more of a "circumstances meet a natural inclination" type of thing. There are other forces at play, more later.

Wherever they go, they try to make things better, devise a mission for themselves. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Initially they can't pick where to go, rather are pulled by this or that universe and are "spit out" once the deed is done.

Always loved Tolkienverse, when ends up in Middle-earth, decides to save the line of Durin. Succeeds by the skin of their teeth.

They love Fili but know that it's unwise, so continue on their journey. Some years pass, but she can't stay away. Learns how to travel bw worlds at will, and goes back, just in time to witness Fili about to say his vows.

Fili realises the horrible thing he was about to do. His One is back and he's about to join his life with someone else! But now he doesn't have to! (He never really had to, and the guilt will eat away at him, the conflicting notions of right and wrong tearing him apart, but this comes later.)

There's a giant commotion, all hell breaks loose.

Imagine a person on a horse in the midst of a sea of dwarves. That's them, that's the OC.

Thorin and Dis frozen, don't know how to react. Their nephew/son is being kidnapped from his own wedding and seems to be enjoying it.

She uses whatever bits of magic she picked up here and there, to hold the guards at bay. They escape, Kili and Tauriel piggybacking because what other options do they have. "Wait for us!"

And now the real fun begins. Jumping between worlds. Trying to figure out a purpose for themselves. Or should they try to go back and fix things?

(Why I'm keeping Tauriel. Because I like subverted expectations, renegades and breaking with tradition. Their relationship means a lot to me in that context and I choose to ignore it was a marketing ploy. Freedom to choose who you love and your own path mean the world to me.

That's a huge part of why I love Bagginshield and Gigolas as well.

But Legolas and his neon-blue eyes shouldn't be anywhere near the Hobbit trilogy. And the love triange is nonexistent here)

[faeriichaii]

My Sweet Valentine ~ Kili x Human!Reader

A/N: So yesterday I asked who shall receive a lil love on this day and Kili won!! So here ya go it is literally just a tiny little short one shot but its smth :)

⇢ ˗ˏˋ Warnings: fluff ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Words: 424 ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Request: No :) ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Amrâlimé ~ My Love ࿐ྂ

Summary: You spent your morning hours with the wonderful dwarf prince Kili

Soft fingers stroked your cheek gently, making you stir awake from your slumber. You see Kilis brown eyes fill with warmth, as you woke up beside him. After the two of you decided to court, you were basically inseparable. You even shared a bedroom with the prince, which of course he doesn’t mind.

“Good morning Amrâlimé. Did you sleep well?” A smile graced your lips, as his groggy morning voice filled your ears. “How could I ever sleep bad beside you my love?” Your arms snaked tighter around him. Head on his chest you listened to his heartbeat. Chuckling at your words, he gave you a gentle kiss on the top of your head.

“Well if we consider yesterday-“ Your hand slapped at his chest playfully to stop him from finishing his sentence. Yesterday was another one of the infamous festivities that are celebrated in Erebor. And of course you attended them with Kili by your side. So one thing led to the other and now you were waking up beside him, completely bare.”You are such a tease.” You say while hiding the blush on your face by cuddling further into his chest.

One of his hands moved from your back to your head. His fingers nimbly brushed through your hair to get rid of knots while you hummed contently. You loved it when he played with your hair. And so did he. One of your favourite past time activities is braiding each other’s hair. Sometimes you sing during these times. And sometimes Kili plays a few soft notes on the flute while you add cute accessories into his braid.

You remember the first time you braided his hair. You were on your journey to win Erebor back when you found beautiful wildflowers which you thought would look stunning in Kilis hair. So you asked him if you could do so. Which resulted in him suddenly getting really quiet and blushing a bit while nodding. After you have finished his braid he asked you if you knew what it meant to braid a dwarfs hair. And so he explained the customs of courting to you. Which in return coloured your cheeks red. He even offered you a courting bead.

The sudden kiss on your lips takes you back to your reality. Smiling softly you let your hands brush over his stubble. “I love you Kili.” You gave him another soft peck. A sigh left his lips, as he pulled you closer. “Let me show you how much I love you Amrâlimé.”

[sotwk]

I'm new to your blog and intrigued by the idea of creating a complex AU to write more than one story within. It sounds impressively intentional and mindfully planned...like something I'd love to read but couldn't imagine having the dedication myself to realize! I'm curious now since it's my personal brainrot, does Bagginshield fit into your world? Do you have any characters besides Boromir that you've kept alive?

Welcome, new friend! <3 Thank you so much for your kind words! Honestly, creating a thorough AU and basing every fic you write off it, isn't too difficult (at least for me??) as long as it's what you started with. You just gradually build up from the basics as you go along. It's like writing your own special guidebook for the canon, and it's lots of fun!

Although Bagginshield isn't a ship I adhere to, Thorin and the Line of Durin do play a significant role in my AU. The Durins Live! Not only do Thorin, Fili, and Kili all survive the Battle of the Five Armies, but Thorin and Thranduil also end the feud between their peoples and rekindle the ancient friendship between Thranduil's family and the Sons of Durin.

As to Thorin's future and what happens during his kingship, whether he marries or begets children, I will admit that I haven't made any final decisions on that in my AU! I've been too absorbed with the different fics my Thorin-loving mutuals have written for him. But I will eventually have to get around to choosing his fate in the SotWK AU, since I have two WIPS that will deal with that.

One of them is "The Only Gold", which is a Fili-centered story, but it will cover the events of The Hobbit as it plays out in my AU. It's on the back burner for now, but I will pick it back up eventually. :) And I can guarantee no Durins die in this one!

Thank you again for reaching out and for being so kind! <3

[rachelillustrates]

A thought on the nature of the line of Durin in "Rings of Power."

(Cause as much as I'm enjoying the show so far, this is one sticking point I need a head canon to get around.)

I am a big fan of the idea of Durin's reincarnation, and obviously the showrunners are not going in that direction - with both Durin III and Durin IV alive at the same time.

However, who is to say that a mistake wasn't made? As in, when Durin IV was born, he looked just as much like Durin I as his father did, and in the confusion, it was decided to title him as Durin, too, just in case. Perhaps also, the belief in Durin's reincarnation isn't completely widespread across all Dwarven culture - not accepted as True, by all, that is. In which case, imagine the infighting that's happening between the factions, over this discrepancy. By Mahal, perhaps Durin III himself is among the non-believers, and perhaps a bit of a shit, so maybe even he himself chose to name his son the IV just to stir things up.

In which case, after his and his son's passing, and after another child of the line of Durin is born looking just like the original, perhaps it is decided to make an addendum. Unsure of which was really the right Durin IV if the reincarnation lore is True, Durin IV as we see him in "Rings of Power" was then noted in history as Durin IV (one) and this new child, Durin IV (two). And we shall assume, of course, that this Durin grew up and lived relatively quiet, so the discrepancy would not have been noted as much by non-Dwarven eyes.

(Not sure if this will help anyone else, but it is certainly helping me.)

[rings-of-power-realm]

GUYS IM REALLY NOT OKAY😭😭😭 I never excpected Valandil to die I'm so sad and the way Elendil held him it was like losing another son. I loved the Numenor drama this week and that Earien and Kemen had way more to do. Slight negative but it really showed how much I'm not into the harfoots this season I loved them in season one (and I still adore the stranger and Tom) but Nori and Poppy have taken up a lot of time and although I love when they met the stoors I hope that they won't be in it quite as much so we get get to the meat of this story like proven today. Please don't get me wrong I love Nori and Poppy but I much preferred the harfoots story in S1 though I'm definitely not an anti about them lol. Charlie is SLAYING as Annatar his little smiles and manipulation is terrifying to behold. What a beautiful demon lol and when Mirdania saw that vision but he just continued to act like an angel HE IS FIRE. Love seeing Durin and Disa always and him seeing his father succumb to the ring is so sad. I'm just totally blown away that episode was full of emotion and tension a showcase for the very best episodes of their beautifully detailed show. Everything looked gorgeous as always and I also loved when they spoke about the far green country 😭💚 Phenomenal. My weekend is booked making every gif imaginable now for this and the other eps lol

[imakemywings]

Full speculation/headcanon on Tyelpe because he's such an interesting character, though I agree that he would not want to be associated with them anymore, I find his actions later in the second age fascinating because he did carve the feanorian symbol on the doors of Durin which to me meant he still associates himself with his house but perhaps the different kind? The good parts, the good memory of them when they were still the noble people of Noldor, you know? And I guess that was his way of healing? Giving them a second chance (maybe?) or remembering what used to be? Until Annatar happened. His betrayal and Eregion's fall as well as the creation of the ring would be the nail to the coffin for Tyelpe not to trust nor give any second chance anymore. Consequently, at his rebirth, I genuinely agree that he wouldn't want them in his life anymore, as harsh as it sounds, Tyelpe's an adult, a lord of a city, and his uncles are adults, not children who need to be coddled so if he doesn't want to be associated with them, it's justified and understandable. Honestly, though, I find it hard to imagine the feanorians and their followers being remorseful of their actions, I don't think sorry is in their vocabulary (kidding).

It is interesting to explore his use of the Feanorian star! I think there are a lot of possibilities for why he continues to use the symbol of the house of Feanor. These are the first few that come to mind for me:

i. He still considers himself Feanorian in spite of his complicated relationship with his father and uncles (and potentially his grandfather as well)

ii. He uses it in memory of the good that came of his house

iii. He wants to redeem his house and so is trying to associate the symbol with his own good works

iv. Possibly a form of rebellion? He no longer associates with his father but he won't let that stop him from using the family symbol

v. Tolkien included the star of Feanor on the Doors of Durin before he decided that Celebrimbor broke with his family and never went back to remove it. (Setting this one aside as the Doylist explanation)

And it could absolutely be a mix of things.

I'm sure I've talked about this before here but my own take on Celebrimbor and Annatar isn't that Celebrimbor was so foolish he had no idea Annatar was strange. It's that he saw what suspicion and paranoia and mistrust led his family to, and so he was really trying to do better and suppress the instinctive distrust of Annatar until he had some proof that satisfied him as being worth his suspicion. The result was that he trusted someone who he absolutely should not have, and ignored the red flags that popped up in his mind. And that is crushing </3 (which is exactly why it's tasty)

I think there is regret in the Feanorians for what they did, and certainly if they were ever reborn I don't think that could happen without some measure of acknowledging their mistakes and such. Aside from Celegorm and Curufin's actions in "Beren and Luthien," they never seem to take pleasure in their violence, but it is still done, of course. My general take is that they view it as a "necessary evil" to complete their goals, but I do think a long stint in Mandos would be able to make them see their actions with more objectivity. However, even if they fell on their knees about it, that doesn't oblige Celebrimbor to have a relationship with them.

I think Curufin could certainly come to regret the break with Celebrimbor, and perhaps Celegorm and whichever other uncles you might imagine he was close with, but I don't think they'd be incapable of understanding his decision (if he went limited/no-contact). There are, after all, probably a lot of people who no longer want to associate with the sons of Feanor or their followers.

[vee-vee-writes]

I Need a Hero (Thorin x reader)

A/N: Potentially going to make this into a series if people are interested. Also I have finished a part 2 to Floral Arrangements but I am stuck away from my usual PC so it will be a week or so until I get it up sorry.

You’d heard tales of a lost prince trapped within his mountain home, guarded by a fire breathing dragon. Legend said that the one to free Prince Durin would be blessed by Mahal himself to eternal happiness and all the other joys a dwarf could imagine. It was then of no surprise to you that the remining Dwarf Lords sent their sons and daughters to free the dwarven prince. None were successful and no word had been heard from them since.

What shocked you was your Lord’s command, sending you to try to recover the prince. You were a member of the royal guard, but you certainly weren’t the most notable of the guard by any means. Going would be a death sentence but refusing your Lord’s request was treason of the highest degree. With heavy reluctance you undertook the two-day journey to Erebor.

You found yourself at the foot of the mountain, wondering if this place would be your tomb. A cold stone mausoleum. With your mule tied down you made your way to the makeshift rickety wooden bridge up to the entrance. The original stone bridge and much of the entrance had fallen away, whether to time or the dragon’s rampage you were not sure. From the size of the hole in the entrance, you assumed that the dragon had smashed through it on the day of the siege. To survive this, you would have to have your guard up.

Creeping forward through the entrance you began to survey the interior entrance, looking for some sign of where you should go. Your Lord had shown you an old map of Erebor from during its heyday. Amongst the litter of broken stones, melted metal, and scattered skeletal bones you saw what looked to be a large stone sign laying amongst it. Scanning around you saw no sign of life. Taking this as a sign you stealthily crept over to read it. MARKET. THRONE ROOM. GREAT HALL. LIVING QUARTERS. ROYAL WING – were all marked out on the sign. Your mental map of the mountain layout was somewhat correct, you would need to head down the left-hand tunnel to the royal wing. The entrance to the wing was further back in the room,

Heading to the left wing you began climbing over a pile of rubble to get through the entrance. The material was like nothing you had ever felt before, firm underhand and unshifting. It was not until the pile moved, letting out a chuckle that made you freeze in place. “Of all the witless fools who have entered my mountain, never have I had one practically walk into my jaws” the pile puffed in amusement. Scrambling off to the other side and tumbling to your feet in the hallway of the beginning of the royal wing you began to run. “Flee, flee, run for your life, there is nowhere to hide from my fiery death.”

The pile had not been a pile at all but the great dragon Smaug who had cloaked himself in shadows. Looking over your shoulder as you fled you looked on in horror as the dragon began to force his body through the doorway, cracking the stone to fit his bulbous body through. Facing forward once again, you squeezed your eyes shut and mustered all the strength and will within yourself to continue faster without looking back, skidding around corners without slipping over.

After an eternity of running, you came before a door at the end of the long corridor. You heard the dragon in the distance behind you, wriggling its body down the corridor like a great wyrm. Not wanting to take the chance that he may catch you, you pushed the great oaken door open and slipped in.

The golden torch light took you off guard, you hadn’t expected to actually find the prince let alone find him by mistake. A large spacious suite was laid out before you, completely untouched by the devastation you’d seen in the entrance way. On one of the couches staring at you in awe was a dark haired and bearded dwarf of substantial build and handsome profile. You were unsure of what to say to him.

It was he who broke the silence, “Sixty-years. Sixty-years I have not seen another living soul though I have heard the echoes of their screams. Thank you, I am indebted to you. Who may I call my hero.” Smiling warmly at the young prince you answered his query, “I am (Y/N) of (Y/K/N). I was sent by my Lord to recover you your highness.” “(Y/N)” he tasted the syllables of your name on his tongue, “a noble name.” Never had you heard of a noble of your name but for the sake of argument you agreed, you would need the co-operation of the prince if the two of you were to survive.

“Tell me (Y/N)” he paused, “how did you slay the beast?” A loud grumbling roar reverberated on the stone surrounding the pair of you, the dragon neared. Thorin stared at your slacked jaw in disbelief. “You didn’t slay the dragon! The prophecy says you are supposed to slay the dragon before you rescue me” Thorin snapped, “no, no, no, this is all wrong.” “We don’t have time for this your highness. We have to go” you pleaded motioning to the window, "or do you want to be stuck here for another sixty years." Pulling his lips back in a snarl Thorin grunted, “you’ve given me no choice. What’s your plan?” “Where does this window lead?” you questioned. “The courtyard after the entrance. It was built to wow our foreign visitors.”

“Exactly where we need to be. If that doesn't work, we head for the secret tunnel. That's our escape. We just have to avoid the dragon until we reach it. I doubt he knows of its existence.” You mused. “Secret tunnel?” Thorin questioned doubtfully. “Mmhm. Built by Thror when he founded your mountain home and kept secret from all but his heir. I’m surprised that he never told you of it. Though I’m sure when it came time, Thrain would have told you all the Kingly secrets of this place” you affirmed to Thorin, “come now, enough talking. Let’s tie the sheets together and escape your stone prison.”

The two of you worked quickly together knotting sheets, cloak, and shirt alike to make a long enough chain to escape the tower. You scaled the tower first, checking for any sign of the dragon before beckoning the prince down. Neither of you dared call out for fear of alerting Smaug to your scheme. Instead, you crept into the airy silence, staying low to the ground out of fear of being spotted.

The longer the two of you crept in silence, the more worried the two of you grew. It was the clatter of golden coins bouncing off the stone floor beside you that shook the two of you. Simultaneously your eyes met the prince’s, both wide as dinner plates, before gazing up to the dragon's belly above you as he slunk through the castle.

The two of you lay prone on the floor mapping out the course the dragon was taking. Crawling close to Thorin you pressed in against his side and leaned over to whisper into his ear, "We follow the dragon. Keep low, keep quiet. It's heading in the direction we need to go." Thorin nodded in response and the two of you headed off, crawling after the dragon.

You crept like that for what felt like hours, scared even to breathe too loudly, and alerted the dragon to your presences. Finally, the dragon stopped just before the gate, staring out over the nearby land, likely surveying for the two of you. Thorin nudged you and gestured at a cove of rock that the two of you could cover in. With a firm nod the two of you made your way over and got comfy, waiting the dragon out. It would be easier to wait him out than it would to make for the hidden entrance now.

Though it seemed that Thorin didn't quite have the same idea. Instead, the darrow grabbed a huge hunk of broken rock, vaulting it as far as he could back into the entrance way before quickly hunkering in with you. Smaug's head snapped around to the source of the sound and he began to stalk across towards it. Neither of you had expected was for the dragon to pause before whipping around and breathing molten fire across the entrance way debris. With a satisfied smirk he turned back around and stomped down the hallway, disappearing around the corner into the darkness.

"What now" Thorin whispered harshly. "We could have waited him out" you grumped with a pointed look, "but now we have to find another way up and out around the fire." Thorin sighed with a defeated look and nodded, gesturing for you to take the lead. "Move as fast as you can while still being quiet. The last thing we want to do is tip the beast off to our location, he's already suspicious of us" you affirmed before taking the lead out towards the flaming gate.

You scanned frantically around the entrance looking for a way around the flame. Thorin gripped your shoulder, "focus." Drawing a deep breath, you narrowed your focus. Homing in on the wall you found an old half rusted chain fixed to one of the walls. "That's our way out come on."

A tug on the chain caused it to groan but it stayed fixed in place. Signaling upwards you spoke to Thorin, "You first. I'll stay down here and keep looking out as you climb." "Let me get this straight, you want me, the crown prince, to climb an old, rusted chain up a forty-foot wall hoping that a) I don't fall and b) that I don't get spotted by a fire breathing drake that you failed to kill" Thorin huffed. Smiling sarcastically, you answered, "exactly. Now unless you want to be stuck here even longer, get up the wall. Besides there's no guarantee that the chain will hold two of us."

Rolling his eyes at you Thorin begrudgingly took the chain and began scaling the wall. On edge you clenched your teeth, scanning for any sight of the scaly magot. Groaning of the chain caused your breath to catch in your throat. While you wanted the prince out of the mountain and safe, you hardly wanted to be stuck within the mountain crawling around looking for another way out while the dragon stalked around looking for you. You leaned tensely against the wall, begging your body and mind to calm themselves for the sake of your survival.

The familiar clink of a coin hitting the concrete shot you out of your thoughts, though this time it bounced and rolled to land off to your side. Frightenedly, you cast your eyes upwards only to find Thorin at the top of the wall trying to signal he was ready for you to make your way up.  Grabbing the chain you began the climb, hauling yourself up your limbs groaning as the tension was forcefully stretched out of them. Higher and higher you climbed, stopping only briefly to steady your grip on the vertical drop. All the time you stared upwards to the top of the wall, meeting the prince's anxious gaze.

Nearing the top Thorin reached an arm down to you, helping you over and up on the top of the exterior wall. The two of you smiled briefly at one another as he helped you up to your feet. You watched his face change as he looked out over the remains of Dale and the changed wilds. Most would have turned their noses up in horror, but Thorin gazed on in wonder, the edges of his mouth turning up into an appreciative smile. He hadn't seen the outside world since the Sack you realised. You knew it was only a small gesture, but you laid a comforting hand on his, stroking his palm gently. Thorin looked at you tenderly, taking in the touch of another being and the sight of your hand within his. "Welcome back to the world Thorin Durin."

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[ironbloodcd]

@marchingasone

He’d failed - but perhaps that isn’t so surprising. After all, Rhinedottir had discarded her first creation - her first son - for a reason. When he hadn’t been the masterpiece she’d been striving for, the great alchemist had thrown her creation into the maw of her dragons, likely assuming that Durin’s belly would serve as his tomb. He’s more durable than she’d anticipated, obviously, but that hadn’t made his imprisonment there any less painful.

Clearly, he’s no match for her successful creation. Albedo’s everything that the homunculus is not, and thinking that he could replace his younger sibling… it had been a foolish notion, hadn’t it? Even so, he’d wanted to try, jealously craving the life that had been all but handed to the Chief Alchemist. Maybe Albedo deserved it though. There’s a reason that Gold had kept him, after all.

The thought is like a knife in the homunculus’ heart, and it somehow proves to be even more painful than the bitterly cold wind that stings at his face as he trudges through Dragonspine’s deep snow drifts. The sudden snowstorm is both a blessing and a curse, for just as surely as it must slow Albedo down, the homunculus knows that even he won’t be able to last long out here. He needs to find a safe way down the mountain and in Liyue, but that’s easier said than done when he can barely see more than a few inches in front of his own face. Clutching his coat more tightly around his shoulders, he finds himself wishing that it was made of something warmer, something more suited for these conditions. Did their mother make his sibling more resilient to these temperatures? He can’t help but wonder.

And the thought is cut off as he feels the ground giving way underneath him. For a moment, the homunculus feels weightless, and then he’s tumbling down - an embankment? A cliff? He doesn’t know, but the snow beneath him does little to cushion him on the way down. Several cries leave his lips as he strikes what he can only imagine must be stones barely concealed by their cold blanket of white, and by the time he reaches the bottom of his fall, the artificial man’s body is throbbing for reasons outside of the numbing cold. For a moment, he lays in the snow, wondering how things had ended up this way. How he could have thought that his plan would ever work, and that there could ever be a place for him in the world.

He’d have been better off dying in Durin’s stomach.

He’s met with a powerful stab of pain as he tries to push himself up, white hot agony lancing through his side, and the homunculus is barely able to keep from yowling in surprise. His ribs were probably broken, he realizes - wonderful. Perhaps this is for the best though. Maybe he should simply accept his fate and disappear into the snow. It wasn’t as if there would be anyone to mourn him.

He doesn’t want to die though. More than anything, he just wants to live.