An Unexpected Visit - Part 2

Wrath of an uncle

Kíli touched the soft curve of Tauriel’s belly many times carefully, in awe of the news he had never anticipated. He had never dreamed of fathering a child. As most dwarves, it had never interested him. Now it was as if he had thoughts for nothing else.

Tauriel touched his face, and she smiled, as if she could not understand he was real, sitting beside her. She had yearned for this moment for what seemed like an eternity. Now she felt his hand upon her belly, beholding what they had created together, and she felt blissful.

Kíli eyed the elf maiden, and he thought she looked wary underneath her wonderful smile. At that moment the healer they had brought her to when they found her that night, entered the room. It was an old dwarven lady. Some said she was older than 300 years, but Kíli didn't truly believe them. Still, she had agreed to help Tauriel the best she could, despite knowing little of the elves and their births. She had brought many a dwarf into this world, and she was confident it would not be much different with an elf. Her confident softened Kíli’s worry, as well as it was refreshing that not every dwarf hated elves with the burning passion of his uncle.

The healer wanted him out of there, and he understood that Tauriel needed rest. Bearing such a blessing was draining her, and he wouldn't have her weakened by his foolish yearn for her company.

So he got to his feet, kissed her forehead and told her he would be right outside if she wanted him. He closed the door behind him as he left the room and met the eyes of his brother and uncle, standing in the hallway outside the bedroom.

«What is the meaning of this?» Thorin demanded, his voice hard and demanding.

«I am going to be a father!» Kíli said, still in awe, blissful and oblivious to his uncle’s rage.

When his brother spoke it suddenly dawned on Fíli he was to be an uncle, and he felt his heart glow in his chest of pride and love. He felt all resentment and worry wash away. He clapped his hands together and gave Kíli a good hug. Fíli couldn't be mad in this moment. It was a happy moment, and it should be celebrated, if the mother of his brother’s child was an elf or not.

Thorin was not so easily sweetened, for he felt the betrayal of his nephew heavy on his heart. He loathed the elf, knowing she had poisoned Kíli’s mind with thoughts of love and passion. It was the way of the elves, blinding dwarves with their magic, turning them against their loved ones.

Thorin was disappointed Kíli had been so easy to ensnare.

«Congratulate me, uncle!» Kíli said laughingly, still unaware of his uncles thoughts. He thought it would be great news to all in his family.

«I will not,» Thorin said, and he lowered his eyes, as he knew he disrespected his nephew greatly by denying the share of his happiness. Yet, Thorin thought angrily, he was first disrespecting me, and our kin.

«I am very disappointed in you, Kíli. Why would you think to do something so mindless?» Thorin eyed his nephew with a hard expression.

Kíli felt his uncle’s words as a wash of cold water down his back. It was as shocking and betraying as if he had stabbed him then and there. And then he felt his mouth dry, for he could not say what his reasons were. Thorin would not understand.

«I will not apologize,» Kíli said, his eyes sad, for he had only wished to see his uncle smile and hug him in this moment of his life. He felt a great pain in his heart for this loss.

«You will not apologize, yet you disrespected me and our line, by going behind my back? Had I not known better I would have thought you held that elf higher than your own family. Come to your senses, boy; she is an elf, our natural enemy. You cannot possibly hope to have a future with her?» Thorin felt his temper rise as he spoke. Had Kíli simply apologized, Thorin would have forgiven him, knowing the elf was to blame.

Kíli eyed his uncle as he spoke, and he gaped, astonished. He had never thought Thorin would utter such words, even as he was familiar with his temper and irrationality. He had never wanted anything than to make his uncle proud, and he had accomplished the complete opposite. Yet he felt a great anger stir in him, for he didn't deserve this reaction. What was so horrible by loving another creature? How could that be such a disappointment?

«I will not apologize for my heart, uncle. For I love her, and since I left her I have been hollow. Seeing her again brought life back into my body. Would you deny me that happiness? Would you rather have me locked up here with no love and passion, simply to serve you?» Kíli was astonished by the words escaping him. He had never spoken with such anger to his uncle before this night. Yet he felt no shame, for in his heart he knew that this time Thorin were the mistaken one.

«It is but an act, Kíli. You must understand she is clouding your mind, simply using you. Apologize and I will forgive you this stupidity.» Thorin held his hand out to Kíli, but his nephew met his eyes, his expression both disbelieving and denying.

«She is not clouding my mind. I see never clearer but when I’m with her, uncle. You are mistaken. Our love is true,» Kíli spoke intensely, trying to convince Thorin of the truth.

«If you truly believe this, nephew, you disgrace the line of Dúrin further. How can you call yourself a dwarf, and still keep your love for her? And that abomination that is your child will never be recognized as our kin.»

«You know nothing of my love or my child, uncle, yet I hope you to see the truth.»

«Oh, I see the truth clearly,» Thorin sneered. «You are an even bigger disgrace than I had thought.»

«I do not wish to be a disgrace, but I cannot abandon my love. If it is as you say, I would rather be no dwarf than to live a thousand lives empty at heart,» exclaimed Kíli, raising his voice to his uncle for the first time in his life. He loved Thorin, yet he could not believe these accusations. He had expected Thorin to be skeptical, but this was beyond his imagination. Kíli had not thought his uncle to speak such hateful things of the woman he loved. So he watched Thorin with determined eyes, steadily concealing his broken heart.

Thorin was silent, his eyes fiery with fury, and his lips shaped in a sneer. He was totally taken aback by his nephews speech, for Kíli had never spoken against him like this. Thorin was suddenly unsure of the situation. He had thought Kíli would submit to his orders, like he always did, and so he was unsure how to proceed.

He watched the face of his nephew, seeing the pain it cost him. It made no difference. He would not submit to Kíli’s silly romance. If Kíli wished to be independent, he would take the consequences.

«Then you are no nephew of mine, and you have no welcome in Erebor,» responded Thorin with a steady voice. It hurt unexpectedly to speak the words out loud. Yet Thorin kept his mask, for he would not show his nephews his weakness.

Kíli felt as if his heart was being pierced by a hundred arrows, and a numb feeling spread throughout his body. This shock was greater than any he had ever experienced. His uncle unnamed him, in front of his own brother, and cast him out of his home.

Kíli licked his lips, blinking disbelieving as he kept his uncles gaze. Whatever would his response be? Nothing came to him; Kíli simply felt a tear leave his eye.

Fíli looked back and forth between his brother and uncle, dumbstruck by their words. His mouth was open, and all he wanted to do was shout to the both of them. He wished not to see his loved ones fight, and yet he was helpless. Fíli watched them with desperate eyes; his little brother, which he had held in his arms when he was a newborn, and his uncle who he had always admired and looked to for inspiration. He knew not who he should support.

«I am sorry you feel this way, Thorin, yet I accept it. I ask only that she may stay ’til the child is born, and then I will depart with her and the child.» Kíli said this with tears in his eyes, for all the feelings were overwhelming. He felt hurt, betrayed, unloved by his family, yet he felt the great love for Tauriel and the treasure she carried. It was all screaming inside his head, and he could not block any of it out. Still, he felt the hand of his brother on his shoulder, and the weight of it gave him strength.

But Fíli looked at him now. «You will leave then?» His eyes a mixture of disbelief and sadness.

«As our uncle said; I am no longer a dwarf of Erebor. And so I do not belong here.» Kíli could not meet the eyes of his brother, so he watched his boot. When he looked up again, he saw his uncle staring at him, the look of sadness and anger was thick on his face.

Then Thorin straightened himself, and the look he now gave Kíli was cold as steel, like they had no association what so ever. He might as well have died in his uncle’s eyes.

«She will stay as long as she needs, and when you decide to leave, you will get what you need for you departure,» Thorin said then, and turned to walk away from them.

Kíli felt another burning tear leave his eye.
In a moment of anger Kíli shouted after his uncle: «Would you have been proud of me, had I loved a dwarf instead?»

Thorin paused and turned to him. They were several feet away from each other, yet Kíli could hear his uncles words clear as if they were standing face to face, when he said calmly: «Yes, Kíli, I would.» Thorin turned and walked away from his nephews, his last words filling the air between them.

Kíli continued to stare after his uncle long after he was out of sight.

Fíli touched his beard, unsure of what to do. He had not imagined Thorin to say such things to Kíli. It pained him that their uncle would turn his nephew away with such ease. Thorin could not be serious, it was only a show of pride and power. Fíli had to choose to believe this, even though his experience told him otherwise.

«He will come around, brother, he always does,» Fíli said, trying to ease his brother’s mind. Still he didn't truly believe his own words. He had never seen his uncle like this before. He had never heard them this angry at each other. In fact he had hardly seen his little brother angry at all, and he felt sadness shade his mind.

He heard the uncertainty in his brother’s words, and he knew he was right in doubting. Kíli didn't imagine his uncle going back on his words. Not this time.

«No, Fíli, I think he meant what he said. There is no place for me here.»

There was a wooden chair by the stonewall stretching all the way down the corridor on both sides, with several doors leading to many other chambers. It was almost a tunnel, had it not been for the columns decorating the walls. It was night now, so the corridor was empty other than the two brothers.

Kíli sat down on the chair, his head in his hands, angry and sad at the same time. How could Thorin turn him away like that? Had what he had done been truly so bad?

Fíli lay a hand on his brother’s head, and sighed hopelessly.

«I had not thought he would react this way. Who had thought?»

«It was not so truly unexpected, lads. You know your uncle, you should have seen this coming.» Both brothers turned to see their mother standing in the end of the corridor suddenly. Her eyes were hard, yet her smile was soothing, as it always was.

Kíli stood and walked over to Dís with tired steps. He embraced his mother and felt her secure stature and familiar scent. She had always been there for them both, and yet he was afraid she too would be disappointed in him. He did not think he could take much more of it.

Dís hugged her son, and then she held him out in front of her. She touched his face and his messy hair, seeing herself in him completely. He had always such kind eyes, too kind for his uncle. It was his father’s eyes.

As she held her boy, a rage rose in her. Dís was angry with Thorin. She had heard most of the conversation, and hid behind a column when Thorin had came rushing down the corridor. Kíli had always held him at such heights, and her brother had truly misused Kíli’s trust. She did not think she would forgive him for this.

She kissed Kíli’s forehead, and smiled. «Do not listen to your uncle. You have a home here, my son, you know that.»

She smiled with loving eyes, those which only a mother had. Then her smile hardened. «Yet, I do agree, it was not the smartest of acts, falling in love with the elf,» she started, eyeing him seriously, like he was but a naughty child. «But, unlike your uncle, I understand love and I know you had no choice in the matter. But you cannot expect that everyone will understand that, Kíli, for most will not support it. Neither dwarf nor elf. But I am your mother, and there is nothing you can do that can disappoint me, not as greatly as your uncle have done.»

Dís kissed her son’s cheeks, and Kíli sighed both relieved and downhearted. She was seldom wrong, as she did know more about love than any of the other men of her family. Dís was the only of her family who had married.

«We must never abandon our family, Kíli, and you are doing right in supporting the elf, for she is now your responsibility. You made me proud, standing up to your uncle. For you must know, he does not always have the right answer.»

«You are wise, mother. But at some things uncle is right; I’ve brought shame to our family, and so I do not belong here. I belong with my lady and child,» Kíli said, his voice filled with despair.

«You will make a great father, my son. But nothing is solved with hastiness.» She kissed his forehead again.

«What must I do then? For one thing is clear; she cannot stay here, and I know in my heart I can’t easily leave her again. And there is the matter of the child. Please, mother; tell me what to do!» Kíli felt his uneasy thoughts swirl around his head, for he had no answers to any of his questions, and he couldn't say what was right and wrong anymore.

«Tell him he cannot leave, mother. He belongs with us, with the mountain,» Fíli pleaded with worried eyes, for he did not know what he would do without his brother. They had never been apart since he was brought to this world, and Fíli felt a terror in his gut if his brother would leave the mountain, where he himself was destined to be king after Thorin.

Dís eyed both her sons before saying anything.

«I cannot tell either of you what you want to hear, and if I did you would both go ahead and do the exact opposite, but there is one thing that is certain in all of this; you belong with the elf, and nothing any of us can say will change that. And you must think of your child. Those must be your priorities, Kíli, for there is nothing more important in life than your family.» Dís touched both of her sons faces with her hand.

Kíli felt the heavy burden of it all. He was at a loss with his thoughts, for he knew neither what he wanted, nor what would be best for his family.

«The rest you must decide for yourself. You are both grown into beautiful dwarves, and you must both take responsibility for your actions,» Dís said, and watched them with serious eyes. She had a way of making her words stick in their minds, like marks scorched into wood.

Kíli knew what she said was the truth, still he was uncertain. He would have a long night ahead of him, figuring out his next move in all of this.