After the Fire

Chapter Twelve

"Azog... I must find—I will find that filth... And Kíli... oh Mahal, no..."

The moan roused Jasna from her slumber, low at first, but rising in pitch. She sat up, rubbing sleep form her eyes, trying to ascertain if she heard what she heard or if she was but imagining it.

"Kasamhili nê! Ahhh.. Afsêl mê..."

She recognized the voice, if not the words, and jammed her feet into her slippers, then grabbed her wrapper, dragging it on as she bolted from her room and out into the infirmary. By now, she knew it well enough that she found her way to Thorin's bed without even needing a torch.

He thrashed about, tangled in the sheets. "Kasamhili nê! Ahhh.. Afsêl mê..."

"Thorin?" She caught him by the shoulder. "Wake up, Your Majesty... you're dreaming again."

A sob caught in his throat, his voice broke as he moaned, "Azog... where is he? I must find—I will find that filth... And Kíli... oh Mahal, no..."

"Shhh..." She tried to calm him, tried to quiet him. "It's all right, Your Majesty... you're safe. Kíli and Fíli are safe. Please, open your—oh!"

He grabbed her, but unlike the last time when he'd come up swinging, this time, he clung to her, crushed her against his chest, his arms tight about her. He trembled from whatever specter haunted his dreams, and whispered, "Where is he...?" into her neck.

"Shhh...." She eased her arms about him, stroking his hair, the way her mother used to do to her when she was a little girl and nightmares plagued her sleep. She rocked him as best she could, whispering, "You're safe now, Thorin. I promise you, you're safe. Your nephews are as well, safe and sound and sleeping peacefully. Shhh..."

Little by little, he calmed, although he still shook against her. "It was so real," he whispered brokenly, his face still buried in her neck. "Oh, Mahal, it was so real..."

"It's not," she murmured, her fingers moving slowly along his tangled black waves. "It's only your mind playing tricks on you. I promise."

He pulled away then, and in the light of the few torches that remained lit throughout the night, she could see his eyes glimmering the way his sister's did earlier. Without thinking, she curved a hand against his cheek, his beard coarse against her palm. "It wasn't real, Thorin. If you wish, I will walk you over to them and you can see f-for yourself."

"No... no, that won't be necess—" he paused, pressing his lips together, and then he said, "Actually, please."

"Of course." She carefully untangled herself from him and stepped back to reach for the cane propped against his beside table.

He took it, then carefully, and with her offering support, rose. He was still a bit unsteady, leaning on her more than he had that afternoon, but they made it over to Fíli and Kíli's beds. Dís remained in her chair, her head resting on Kíli's bed, sound asleep.

"See?" Jasna whispered, giving Thorin's thick arm a gentle squeeze. "They are both fine."

"It was so real," he whispered back, shaking his head. "So very real." A heavy sigh rose to his lips. "Mahal, I wish it would stop."

"The d-d-dreams?"

"Aye. I wish only to sleep soundly."

"You will."

"I am not so certain." He turned to her, shaking his head. "I cannot recall the last time I slept peacefully."

She smiled up at him. "You will. You'll see."