That's Another Story For Later

That, My Boy, Is a Dragon

He let out a blood-curdling scream, and my heart dropped. I wanted to run over, but it only sent the shards deeper. I whimpered, sinking to the ground. I glanced at the girls out of the corner of my eyes. They were safe. Tauriel threw her knife, plunging it into the Orc's throat. Legolas and Tauriel continued slaying the monsters, and I forced myself to my feet, not wanting to seem weak. Fili grabbed Bain and forced him down. "Get down!"

Tauriel finished the Orc, and turned to kill another. Kili stabbed the Orc, and the two killed it. My eyes flickered to see one flee. I summoned the strength to throw a dagger, and it missed, thudding into the wood next to him. I wanted to stop him, but my body protested. I watched as Legolas stabbed an Orc, and it fell back over the balcony railing. An Orc shot up somehow, and Legolas beheaded him. He held the head for a moment, before letting it drop from his swords.

There was a stunned silence, and a tense silence descended as our guards lowered ever so slowly. "You killed them all." Bain said in awe.

"There are others. Tauriel, come." Legolas demanded. He strode toward the door. She had been looking at Kili. I made my way over to him, and she looked up. He was lying on the ground, Oin examining him.

"We're losing him!" He shouted to no one. Tears sprung to my eyes, but not from pain. I couldn't lose him. Tauriel looked quite shocked, who looked from Kili to Legolas, who was waiting. I ran over, placing a hand on his cheek.

"Tauriel." Legolas said, impatience in his voice. He looked on for another moment, before walking out the door. He launched over the balcony, and that was all I could see. She began to head out the door, when Kili moaned in agony. Tauriel looked after Legolas again, and then back to us.

"Please. Save him. Do something. I know I was rude, but please... Please save him." I choked out. A noise sounded, and then Tauriel grabbed her knives. I couldn't see who it was, but she looked at whoever it was in shock. She took something from the grip.

"Athelas." Bofur came into view. He was back. "Athelas..." She said again.

"What are you doing...?" Bofur said. She looked back at me, resolute in her eyes.

"I'm going to save him." Relief washed over me, and I gave her a thankful look. "Lift him on the table." She instructed. I moved the basket of walnuts, setting his head in my lap, sitting on the table. I tried to sit up straight, so leaning wouldn't dig the glass deeper in my skin. But sitting straight stretched it more. I settled for sitting as I had fallen into the cupboard.

Tauriel washed and tore the Kingsfoil into a bowl of water. Tilda held it, and her eyes were wide and terrified. Fili, Oin, and Bofur tried holding him down, but Kili wouldn't stay still, crying out. "Hold him down." I held his face in my hands. It was burning, his face sweating. Tauriel approached with the water, going to examine Kili's wound.

I looked down at it as well, and I gasped in shock. It was black. The wound was festering, pus oozing out, which was black as well. The veins spidering from it were black, contrasting his gaunt skin. His face was pale, clamny. The elf looked away as well, clearly worried. The others looked on in curiosity, and no small amount of worry. "Hold on, Kili. Please. Melamin, please." I whispered, rubbing my thumbs against his cheek.

Tauriel closed her eyes, chanting in Elvish. She kneaded the soaked Kingsfoil in her hands, pressing it to Kili's leg. I made sure to try and memorize the spell. Some feeling told me I might need it. "Menno o nin na hon," Kili screamed, thrashing around violently. Sigrid jumped in to help hold him down.

"Tilda!" She called, who came over as well.

"i eliad annen annin, hon leitho o ngurth." As she continued chanting, repeating the spell, Fili looked at her strangely. Oin listened in amazement, despite his fairly dented hearing trumpet. Gradually, Kili began to calm down, he breathing deep and often. He slit his eyes open. She repeated the spell once more, ensuring that Kili was entirely healed.