It seemed like an eternity when the white towers of Minas Tirith finally came into view. Kili became more and more lifeless in my arms, his chest sinking and rising more and more slowly. His wound was bleeding only a little and he looked at me out of glassy eyes.
"We'll be right there Kili." I murmured more to myself. The wind blew his hair out of his face and only now did I really see how pale he had already become.
Kili gave a stifled groan, the hand on his wound tightened. His eyes were about to fall shut.
"No Kili!" I urged him, "Kili you have to stay awake, did you hear me, please?" my tears were wiped from my face by the wind.
A slight grin crept onto Kili's face "Amrâlimê." his voice was no louder than the wind whipping around my ears, then his eyes closed for good and his hand that had been on mine until now dropped down, his breathing even shallower.
"No, no, no." I shook him a little "Wake up again Kili! WAKE UP!" I yelled, but his eyes remained closed, a tear slowly making its way down his cheek.
With a yelp, I flew even faster and reached the city after only a few seconds. I simply swept over the city wall and flew straight to the healing chamber where I had been lying for a week. I landed with a bang, not even caring about the cracks I had left in the stone floor when I landed, and kicked open the wooden door with my foot. As fast as my exhausted legs could carry me, I dragged Kili down the corridor to one of the first rooms I could find "Help me, somebody, I need help! I stumbled into the room, Kili was getting heavier, I didn't know how much longer I would be able to hold him.
I could hear footsteps approaching at a rapid pace, boots echoing across the stone floor, but I paid no attention. I was fully concentrated on putting Kili on one of the beds. Suddenly two hands slid into my field of vision and lifted Kili's legs onto the bed, which was far too big for a dwarf, even one as tall as Kili. I looked to my side, Feren was kneeling beside the bed, looking in horror at the wound in Kili's stomach "What in the name of Eru has happened?" he groaned. His leg hadn't fully healed yet, so he hadn't joined the battle.
I just shook my head "fetch me some herbs" I yanked Kili's breastplate off and carefully removed the remnants of blood soaked shirt from his wound "marigold, atelas and one of those little bottles of translucent liquid!" my fingers started to tremble a little as I began to dab the blood around the wound with Kili's shirt remnants, giving me my first look at the wound. Only peripherally did I catch myself as Feren limped away to fetch the commanded. The blade must have been split because instead of just one wound, there were two eating through Kili's flesh. I frantically brushed the hair from his pale, sweaty face "You'll be fine." I continued to wipe the blood from the wound "Feren, and bandages!" I shouted over my shoulder.
I already heard the limping footsteps of the elf again. I plucked the two healing herbs from his hand and crushed them both in a bowl, then poured in the liquid. It was one of the latest discoveries in human medicine, it accelerated the heartbeat and made breathing easier. It mobilises the last of a person's strength. I didn't know if it would also work on dwarves, but I didn't have time to think much about it. I quickly mixed the liquid with the herbs into a paste with my fingers. Finally I let one of my tears drop into it, since I had healed Thranduil back then I knew that my tears had healing powers for some reason. The paste glowed briefly. During all this I had not once taken my eyes off the dwarf I loved. Suddenly he began to tense up and toss and turn in the bed, which creaked and swayed beneath him.
"Feren hold him down!" I clutched the bowl tightly but could not possibly apply the paste while Kili kicked about in his faintness.
Feren grabbed Kili by the shoulders and pushed him into the bed "He's pretty strong for being half dead." he pressed out between his teeth.
I gave him a look that could kill and began to apply the paste, "It will help, it will help," I kept murmuring as I did so, as if I could influence its effect. With every millimetre of the wounds covered by the paste my husband became calmer and in the end he only twitched slightly. I let the empty bowl fall to the floor where it hit with a dull thud and pressed my ear to Kili's bare chest. I closed my eyes, muffled and strong his beating heart reached my ear. Relieved, I breathed out. He was out of danger, I smiled slightly and still from my closed eyes two tears ran down my cheeks and dripped onto Kili's chest. But this time they were tears of joy "Feren I still need bandages." I straightened up and wiped my tear tracks as I looked pleadingly at the elf.
He just smiled slightly and held out a bundle of cloth strips to me "I thought so."
I rolled my eyes and took the bandages from his hand. Carefully I wrapped Kili's upper body, leaving Feren to hold him in the upright position, and then carefully pulled a blanket up to the middle of his body. I pulled an armchair next to his bed and took Kili's hand in mine. Now that he was out of danger, I felt incredibly tired. Exhaustion and delayed fear overtook me like a hobbit's food cart.
Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder, I had been so inattentive that I flinched, knowing full well it was only Feren "What are you going to do now?"
I looked at Kili, still pale, still fighting death he lay in the bed in front of me "Wait." only when Kili woke up again did I have the certainty that he would survive. And until he did I would not go anywhere, I would wait here by his side until he came back to me.
Hours had passed. The others were already back from Mordor. As far as I knew from Fili, Gandalf had flown the two hobbits Sam and Frodo to Rivendell to have Lord Elrond help them there. Legolas and Gimli had ridden after them almost immediately with Merrin and Pippin. Fili had been the first to rush to his brother, still the blood of his enemies on his face and his sword in his hand he had torn open the door. That had been hours ago; Fili, as king, had to attend to the burials of the dwarves who had lost their lives in battle. Jessel and Lillith had also been there for a short time, but had not lasted long in the cramped room, which had become steadily more crowded. So many had been wounded in the battle for Mordor and were clinging to life with all their might. The whole healing chamber was filled with dwarves, elves and men. While Thorin was here, I had washed off the blood and taken off my weapons and my cloak, after having told him to call me immediately if Kili's condition changed even remotely. Thorin had also left a few minutes ago, he had to see to the march back to Erebor. Minas Tirith could not be inhabited by dwarves and elves forever.
I pressed a kiss to Kili's hand "Please Kili you must wake up." I dabbed at his forehead with a damp cloth, on which sweat kept forming "We won, Kili" I leaned forward a little towards him "come back to me." Tears came to my eyes again, as they had so many times in the last few hours. Sauron was defeated, Middle Earth was no longer on the brink of destruction, all that was now missing from my happiness was Kili. I would not survive losing him after Andrea.
There was a knock, "Come in." my voice was rough, affected by my tears. I looked up rather reluctantly.
There was a loud noise from the screams, curses and groans of the wounded in the next room as the door opened and Thranduil entered. In his hand he held a plate with some bread, ham and tomatoes, on the plate he balanced a cup that would have fallen down long ago if he hadn't had the grace of the elves. It quietened down again as he closed the door and approached me with a worried expression on his face. He was still wearing his silver armour, but had washed the black blood from his face. His boots did not leave the slightest sound on the floor "Leona you should eat something." he held the plate out to me.
I just shook my head "No I'm not hungry." the only hunger I felt was that of my heart, which yearned for Kili.
I turned my gaze away from Thranduil and brushed a sweaty strand of hair from Kili's face.
There was a soft sigh behind me, I could hear the plate and the cup being placed on the dresser two steps away from me. Thranduil settled down on the armchair beside me "You know how stubborn dwarves are" he crossed his legs and propped his head up with his hand, running his fingers into his hair a little "especially this one. He'll wake up again."
I smiled a little "I've been telling myself that for hours" wistfully I looked at Kili's closed eyelids "and still he doesn't wake up."
Suddenly Kili's chest rose a little higher, his eyelids twitched. I jumped up and leaned over him "Kili?" it was only a whisper, I didn't allow myself to get my hopes up, disappointment would end in a crying fit.
The grip on my hand tightened, incredulously I looked to her.
"I promised." Kili opened his eyes blinking "I always come back to you." his mouth twisted into a faint grin.
Tears welled up in my eyes with joy "Oh Kili." I laughed and fell over his neck tumultuously. I was hanging over half the bed, lying across Kili and just hugging him to me. After a few seconds I felt his hand on my back. Only the click of the door told me that Thranduil was giving Kili and me some privacy. I disengaged again, only to stop millimetres from his face. I placed one of my hands on his cheek, sank into his fawn eyes for a moment and then tenderly pressed my lips to his. In this kiss I put all the love I had for him, the fear of having lost him, the despair of the last hours and the indescribable happiness of having him back. When we separated again I kept my forehead on his and my eyes closed "I thought I would lose you" I murmured.
"You won't" gently he stroked my hair behind my ear "Not today or tomorrow or any other day."
I brushed my boots off with my feet and crawled into bed with him for good. Kili pulled me to him and I came to lie with my head on his bandaged chest. His one hand was on my back, the other started gently running through my hair. All the exhaustion and tiredness I had suppressed by worrying about the love of my life came over me like a tidal wave. It became more and more difficult to keep my eyes open, I pulled my legs in a little more and fell asleep snuggled close to Kili.