Kali had left Thorin to do her own thing, wander aimlessly around the broken halls. Her face was set in a brooding glare, her fingers curled tightly around her bow. It had been years since she'd stepped foot into Erebor and she still remembered the layout of the labyrinth of corridors like the back of her hand. 

 Kali also remembered how homey it felt, all the dwarves bustling around with the daily work. The torches were lit, stone floors neatly polished. But now the floors were dusty, covered in old blood splatter, fire marks and dust. Decades of dust and grime. The torches were stone cold, as were the forges and the fireplaces. 

 Like Dale, it was the skeleton of a once magnificent place and it made Kali sick with bubbling anger. Someone has to pay for this... But, the second voice in her head reminded her, That someone already did. Smaug is dead, Bard shot him through with a Black Arrow. She didn't know how she knew this, as at the time of his death she'd been blacked out from smoke inhalation.

 Somehow, her grip tightened, to the point where her knuckles were bone white, "Kali...?" she whirled around at the voice, "Calm down, Kali. It's just me."

 "Don't sneak up on me," Kali lowered her bow and turned away, walking once again, "Don't you have an elf to be fawning over?"

 Kili rolled his eyes, "We need to have a word, Kali."

 "You will not disobey the King's direct order and go out to battle," she told him shortly, "We wait for his command, if he gives any."

 Kili inhaled, slowly, to calm himself, "Walk with me," Kali made to object but he took her arm, "That is not a request, Miss Silverarm." 

 She began walking with him and slung her bow back over her shoulder, "Alright, fine. You've got me walking, what do you want."

 Kili lead her back towards the entry hall, "I want you."

 "You already-" Kali began to retort but Kili cut her off, "Silent, Miss Silverarm. That is not what I meant. My meaning was that I want you, the actual you and not this... delusional you that you've become."

 "This is me, Kili," Kali crossed her arms, "I've finally gotten some sense knocked into me, I see what Thorin wants, what his purpose is. He finally accepts me, Kili!"

 Kili's mind went blank. Jackpot, he thought, eyeing up Kali, She's finally been acknowledged by Thorin and it's gone to her head, "You've been accepted by the rest of us, does that not count for something? You needn't have Thorin's approval for anything."

 "You don't understand," Kali sat on a chipped staircase by the others and glared when they tried asking her if she was alright, "I've been shunned by Thorin for far too long. He's finally warmed up to me!" the elated glint in her eye was bad news, especially since the screams and cries of their kin just outside were resounding through the hall, "I can't let this chance go."

 Kili sat next to her and cringed, trying to ignore the battle raging on outside, "Kali, he shuns me, too. Uncle is just slow to trust, and even slower to care. I'm sure he'll warm up to you after the battle is won and we're finally wed."

 Kili buried his nose in her hair at her temple, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Kali shied away a little, "You love the elf more. Marry her."

 Kili pulled back, glaring, "Kali, I do not love Tauriel. However beautiful you may think she is, you're far more beautiful and I love you."

 Kali's brow furrowed, "You avoided me like I was the plague, Kili."

 "You can love someone and not want to spend time with them," Kili pulled her closer.

He finally said it, "You said it," she leaned away from him a little.

 "Of course I said it, it's true," he whispered, kissing her temple. 

 "You're an idiot," Kali stood and retreated further into the Mountain, stepping over discarded, rusted shields and broken stones. She stopped on the far side of a large golden bell that had been knocked down. Kali sighed sadly, remembering when it would always ring three times at noon, the sweet sound shaking the Kingdom before falling silent once more.

 Kili followed close behind, "Why? Why am I an idiot for loving you?"

 Kali drew in a slow breath, coughing slightly as she inhaled more smoke from a nearby fire, "Because I can't love you back."

   The words were like a sword to Kili's chest, "You don't mean that-"  

 "I do mean that!" Kali half shouted, drawing some attention from the others. Again, she glared and they went back to minding their own business, "There is no room for romance in my life right now, I've other priorities to sort out, first." 

 "Your priorities?" Kili blinked back the water that was collecting in his eyes, "You think they're your priorities when they're really uncle's!"

 "They're just as much mine as they are his!" Kali retorted, flaring her nostrils. Kili hesitated a step when he saw that, "Can you not see that he needs help with protecting this Mountain?"

 "He needs help with sorting out his mind," Kili tried lowering his frantic voice, taking a softer approach to calming Kali, "Kali, the Dragon-Sickness has corrupted his mind, he is not well."

 "Shut up you unmajestic excuse for a dwarf," Kali spat, shaking her head, "Learn where you stand in this war, Kili. You're either with us or against us."

 Kili swore and went to go sit back down on the steps, placing his head on his hands. It was there when his fingers found the braid Kali had put in his hair and he choked back and angry sob. 

 Kali's fingers had done the same, wrapping gently around the intricately woven braid that was held by a Durin Crest clasp and she grit her teeth, but the words that left her mouth were not angry, "I feel sick... with both anger and nausea, what the hell...?"

 "If you're sick, then rest."

 Kali looked up immediately at the sound of Thorin's voice, "I apologize again, then Thorin, as you again won't be able to get rid of me."

 In the gloom the great dwarf gleamed like gold in a dying fire. A frown was on his face, making him look like a Mountain King, "I am showing actual concern for you, if you're sick then sit down."

"I will not be sitting out from anything you plan to be doing," Kali countered, "I will be joining in this battle when you decide to go out there."

 "You will not," Thorin told her, "Dwarf women are too scarce as it is, I will not jeopardize another. Even if you've got an elf for a father-"

 "I am my mother's daughter and I've the heart of a dwarf!" Kali's voice softened greatly but it was still fierce with hostility, "You cannot take that from me, Thorin."

 Thorin was silent for a long time, "You remind me so much of Nituri..."

 "You... How do you know anything about my mother?"

 "I once told Bilbo of a woman I was smitten with in my younger days, Kali," Thorin inched nearer to Kali, his tone soft, "I hadn't told him who and there is a reason why." when Kali didn't make a sound, he took it as an invitation to continue, "You may not have known it but I was and still am in love with your mother."

 "Then why were you-"

 "That was my father's wishes," Thorin cut her off, "You had been the only eligible dwarrowdam in the mountain who was close enough to my age at the time. Everyone knew that except for you as it may seem. And, as a result, I was to be betrothed to you and you had no say in the matter."

 "You were a very handsome prince," Kali muttered, looking at her feet, "However-"

 "You find my youngest nephew more handsome," he avoided the compliment in a way Kali would have, "This I do not mind. Even with your ancestry."

 Something inside Kali felt like cracking glass and she shuddered, "You don't mind. Last I checked you thought I was a disgrace to this earth."

 "I cannot deny that mixed blood runs through your veins. I will not lie when I say that I would have gladly slay any elf I laid eyes upon after the attack on Erebor. I also cannot deny the truth that the fault is nothing of yours, nor will I deny I am grateful for you being on this quest. Your presence has been a tremendous help, and I am sorry you had to put up with my cold attitude ever since first we met," Thorin admitted quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

 She brushed it off and snorted, "I doubt that. You still hate me and always will. It doesn't matter how much I try to do for you to win your approval."

 Thorin only put his hand back on her shoulder and pulled her close, resting his forehead against Kali's. They both closed their eyes and sighed, smiling slightly though the other never saw. Then Thorin pulled away, looking at Kali, "You remind me so much of your mother," Kali opened her eyes and Thorin's heart jolted when he was looking into the same brown eyes he'd fallen in love with, "That is why I wanted you to leave the quest."

 "So you decide to be angry towards me," Kali looked at the floor, "That's how I would have approached the situation."

 "Speaking of approaching..." Thorin turned and walked through the haze, his silhouette becoming more cloudy with each step.