His Promise | Kili fanfic (Complete)

Chapter 10 - Regret

As the boarders of the Shire were behind us and we left the lush green fields and Hobbit holes, Bree became visible over the next few hills. Anna clung to me as the we and the company made our way through the trees surrounding the town as the sun began setting. I could tell she didn't want to leave as every time Thorin said something, she would shy away or hold me tighter. "Anna, let's go! Say your goodbyes, so we can be on our way" Thorin demanded as we stopped our ponies at the top of a tree covers hill.

She jumped off our pony and remained for a second just looking at me, tears filling up her eyes. "As soon as you've reclaimed Erebor, come back to us. You're welcome any time, all of you are in fact" She said, turning to the rest of the company, who nodded at her words. Then she moved to Fili's pony and stretched her hand out as he did the same and they shook hands. "Keep him safe" She told him.

"Anna" Thorin said, impatient.

"Uncle" I spoke, getting annoyed at his constant unhappiness with her.

Anna suddenly marched up to Thorin's pony and stood beside it, her face twisted with anger. "You are not yet the King!" She said, pointing her finger at him.

Thorin's face grew red as he stared daggers down to her. He leaped off his pony and stood tall. "I am the heir!" He cried. "You will leave now"

"You have no manners at all towards women, do you? You're just like every other rich person; a bastard!" She yelled, standing close to Thorin, challenging him. Balin and I jumped off our ponies and rushed over to them. I pulled Anna back from Thorin as Balin made him turn away and get him back on his pony.

Anna threw her arms around me in a tight embrace and she sobbed quietly into my neck for a second, then regained herself and looked at me. "I wish you all the luck in the world" She told me, then before I could speak, she took off walking down the hill towards Bree and her waiting husband. I climbed back onto my pony and wiped my eyes, not looking back at my best friend.

I nudged my pony to walk on, while the others stayed still for a second, Bilbo started  behind me, then Fili after him, then one by one we all moved on. I felt so close to crying, but I daren't not show weakness in front of the company, especially Dwalin and Thorin. They'd think me soft. Thorin was at the front with Gandalf and I needed to say something, my pony quickened its pace as I encouraged it. I came side by side with my uncle, who looked over at me slightly disappointed. "I thought you would show more resistance to letting your friend go, Kili" He said, his hands resting on his thighs.

"I'm sorry, Uncle" I replied, looking over my shoulder towards the fading sight of Bree in the distance. I daren't not look at him just yet.

"No. I am the one who should be sorry. You were only defending her. But she has an attitude, similar to that of Thranandril. Wouldn't you agree, Gandalf?" He asked the wizard in grey.

"Oh yes, very feisty. And he knows how to get his own way" Gandalf answered, glancing behind at me with his eyebrows raised, indeed giving me a knowing look.

Thorin turned his head to look at me with a slight smile. "However, having an attitude like that makes her come across as someone who is strong and who can protect herself. And it is for that reason, that I have grown respect for her" He smiled warmly at me, then stretched his arm out and placed it on my shoulder in a kind, fatherly gesture. I smiled back at him, then lowered my head in thought as Anna's face appeared in my mind. Her dazzling smile made me happy all the time and she'd never seize to amaze me in anything she did. I halted my pony suddenly, staring at my quiver of arrows strapped to the saddle.

"What's wrong, lad?" Bofur asked in concern, his pony almost walking into mine. I remained still. "Kili?" He questioned, coming up beside me.

I raised my head to look at Thorin as the whole company stopped and stared at me in confusion and concern. I read the expression on his sturdy, bearded face and almost immediately Fili and I turned our ponies around and began galloping down the hill towards Bree, my heart driving me back to Anna. I heard Thorin yell behind us "Meet at the rally point before dawn!" And in response, I raised a thumbs up as I charged down the hill towards a small figure near the gates of the town, my brother at my side.

"Anna!" I called to her, hoping she'd hear me from that distance. "Anna!" I called again, getting increasingly closer and closer until I could see the figure clearly, but it split and two figures appeared, both holding swords and axes. I recognized them to be Orcs from their dark armor,  disgusting expressions and lack of hair. I readied my bow and arrow and drew the string back to my cheek, then released it. The arrow flew through the air and hit one Orc right between the eyes, leaving the other to growl and hiss at us. Unsheathing his sword, Fili's pony charged at high speed at it, allowing him to slash it with his blade and kill it. We continued charging towards the town and in the direction of the opening gates, our ponies carrying us past a group of men who'd just left. The ponies jumped through the doorframe as I ducked as low as I could to avoid crashing into the gate, then I realized, Bree was being invaded by Orcs. They were everywhere "Anna!" I yelled above the noise of clashing weapons and screaming, my pony carrying on through the upturned town, as I killed off each Orc with pin-point accuracy, Fili swiping his swords at every Orc around him. I called her name again and again as I rounded a corner, but I was hit in the face with something and fell off my pony, landing in the hardened mud below. I groaned, but pushed myself up just in time to shoot an ugly looking Orc with an arrow to the skull, it dropped to my feet as I became surrounded on all sides. I stabbed and slashed at every Orc around me, killing them off one by one, their black blood coating my sword and arrow tips as I stuck them in their eye sockets. The last few Orc's stopped fighting me as they realised they would soon die as well, so they took off running away, landing an arrow in the back of their heads as they fled, but I wasn't from me. I looked at see Fili panting and out of breath and he gave me the same look I was giving him. I quickly readied another arrow and aimed it above me as we looked up.

"Stop!" Anna cried, standing above us on a balcony with her bow and arrow in her hand. "Are you alright?" She questioned, her face twisted with anguish and sadness as she looked down to me.

"We're fine. What about you?" Fili replied, not yet putting away his weapons. He and I watched as Anna's face began more distraught by the second and she covered her mouth to stop from screaming out.

"What is it? Are you hurt? What's wrong?" I frantically asked, beginning to panic.

Anna swiftly walked back into the room she was in, then appeared a little later around the corner at ground level, standing in just her shirt, trousers and boots. I ran to her and threw my arms around her, while taking note of a rather large scratch along her left cheek with drops of blood running down it. Once we'd parted she hugged Fili, then stared at me with tears falling from her eyes and struggled to open her mouth. "It's Drinian" She began, but couldn't finish speaking.

Realisation dawned on me suddenly and I pulled Anna close for a comforting hug, burying my face in her bare neck, and Fili held us both. Anna sobbed quietly as the surviving town's folk slowly emerged from their houses and hiding places, looking around shaking in shock at their trashed town. There were broken crates and barrels scattered on the floor, splintered houses and smashed in windows and doors. "Come" Fili whispered to Anna and lead her back into her house and up the stairs to the room he and I spent the night. "Grab your things, you're coming with us" He said, standing at the top of the stairs with his sword out, as I guarded the house at the bottom of the stairs.

"What about Thorin?" I heard her ask, oblivious to our uncle's last comment about her.

"We'll explain when we're safe" Fili said as I heard Anba climb the wooden stairs to the next floor. I took that as a chance to join Fili and examine the room; an Orc body laid on its back on the floor with three arrows a sticking out of its chest and another in its skull. There was black blood and red blood everywhere. I followed a trail with my eyes until they fell upon a body in the corner of the room, an axe buried in his side.

It was Drinian, slouched against the wall staring ahead. He had blood all around his nose and mouth and his white shirt was stained red with his blood. His chest still rose and fell, so he was still alive. "Take.... care of... Anna" He mustered as hard as he could, the life draining dramatically from him. His expression was almost plain and timeless.

I stared at him from across the room and smiled kindly to the dying Dwarf. "We will" Fili replied.

"We will" I replied at the same time, both of us bowing our heads to him. We watched Drinian draw his last breath, then slowly, his head lolled to the side and his shoulders relaxed as he passed into the next life, his eyes becoming clouded and distant.