The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug Edition (ON HOLD)

10. The Heart of the Enemy

The chambers of cold stone and gravel, averting the escape of prisoners behind marble bars, fell into silence beneath the murmur of the surging rivers below and the waterfalls seeping through the walls such as wide wounds through skin. The dwarves recognized the silence, not because they wished to, but what was there to say? They were confined within the heart of the Woodland Realm - within the heart of their enemy, and nothing nameable could amend it, for their quest had been for aught, and the king's deal had been turned down by the sapphire-eyed king of gems and metal shimmer, carved from stone - their only opportunity of freedom. So, they fell into silence from a heavy heart of grey failure, and remained that way as the sun fell down the horizon.

Aria had informed Thorin of the second deal, playing by one rule alone - life or death, for convincing the sapphire dwarf was impossible; the death of Durins she would not survive. So in place of this, she went pacing before the marble door like a lioness watching over her prey. No one would take him from her. The king and the princes of great rulers, and a Lady dressed in blue cloth were hers to watch over. Her chin was still smeared in blood from Thorin's wounded palm, though no matter, her dark skin still shone beneath the little light there was within the hewn caves. Her heart was thumping hard within her chest, and her glasz eyes scanned the gloom ahead where the Lion and the Wolf perched behind the shadows of their dungeons. They remained silent as well, their muscles without doubt composed and calm - seeming they had given up as well.

Fili sat upon the stone in his cell, forehead to his hands, muttering something below his breath. Kili sat leaned against the gravel wall, tranquil and unbothered. His hair laid rested over his shoulders, frayed and cole black. His frame was stripped of all mail to a simple, green, woolen cloth and brown trousers. His feet was spread across the floor, and his rough, dirty, blacksmith hands turned something between his fingers - an oval, large, epidote-green stone with carvings in Khuzdul that he observed with a calm, soothing expression upon his face. The dwarf with the blacksmith-rough hands flung the stone up and down in the air, catching it with his left hand, wiping away stains and worthless color from its surface - as if it was a precious thing. And as he threw it above his head one more time, the elf with the flaming red hair ceased in front of his marble enclosure. Without a single turn of his head, he saw her tall, grandiose stance by him, observing him closely in the corner of his eye.

She had considered informing him about his fate. About what would go down at dawn for a king's blind resolution would not go undone. For blindness of a king alone would cause terrible deeds - for himself and folk ambient. As a substitute she kept her silence, and proceeded observing him - this dwarf her king named a Wolf.

"The stone in your hand", she said, voice creamy and elastic, "What is it?" Kili ran its smooth surface between his thick palms, placed it within his fist, and looked up. His deep, dark eyes met her golden ones and he attended her closely, carefully, without a moment to blink.

"It is a Talisman", Kili spoke, and watched as Tauriel cocked her head uncomprehendingly. His eyes pierced hers as a hawk going in for the kill, and for a moment he resembled his uncle without question, without doubt - an odd, mysterious resemblance that sent her spine shivering. "A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a dwarf reads the runes on the stone..." Tauriel frowned, and leaned closer, the dwarf surrendering to the shadows within his cell, clenching the fist containing the stone, "... they will be forever cursed!" And Kili reached out his arm, the stone in hand with the carved runes facing the elf who, out of fear and turmoil, took a step back, eyes growing in size. Kili's darkened, hawk-eyes withheld its burning flame of hate, and he folded his fingers ever so slowly around the cold surface of the stone, and pulled his arm back towards his body. Tauriel tasted unease on her tongue, her big eyes went to the floor and she turned to leave.