It seemed to take an eternity to reach home. All the while Ylva was mumbling incoherently to herself. She seemed to come back to reality only to slip in some sort of delirium. Beorn wasn't going to lie, he was at a loss. He had suffered physical injuries, too many to count, he knew how to deal with them. Broken bones were something entirely different. He had been lucky – if that was the word to use – enough to not sustain any broken bones while fighting. He didn't have any idea how to go about setting the broken bones in her arm, or even her ribs. He looked down at her briefly as her eyes flickered open and she looked around confused.
"It hurts," she mumbled quietly while looking up at him. It seemed she had come back to reality enough to say something which made sense.
"I know," he said as quietly as she did. She winced when he readjusted his grip on her. She bit her lip to contain a hiss of pain. She couldn't keep it in though when he laid her gently down on the makeshift bed on the floor. She looked around startled. She hadn't even realised they had returned home. There was only so many things her mind could focus on at the moment, and one of them was not where her destination would be.
"Help," she whispered while shutting her eyes. She opened them and looked to him. "Find help." It seemed she couldn't amount to much conversation. Two words were enough to get the point across.
"I'm not leaving you."
Ylva frowned deeply at this. "Please." She whispered again, her voice slightly cracking this time. She let out a pained whimper and looked to him.
It was something he honestly didn't wish to do. But when he thought over it, it was the only course of action he could take. He had already admitted to himself that he didn't know how to look after her broken bones. He looked sharply up at the door, which still stood open. "I won't be long."
Ylva reached out with her uninjured arm, her hand lightly clasped onto his arm, he immediately stopped in his movements and looked down at her. "Radagast." She said in a rather decisive tone. Beorn frowned. He had nothing personal against the wizard, just, he wasn't wholly sure he knew what he would be doing. "Bring him." This caused Beorn to frown even more. They were meant to live in secret in this house. Not promote them being here to everyone. "Beorn," looking down when she said his name flatly, he merely sighed and hung his head.
His paranoia against the possible outside world was seemingly attempting to overrule the worry and actions which needed to be taken for the sake of her. Ylva typically being her clearly saw his inner torment. "It'll be all right," she managed to struggle to say before sharply taking a lungful of air. She shuddered when she exhaled and looked to him.
"I won't be long," he repeated while leaning down and gently resting his forehead against hers. There was a content sound from her as she struggled to nudge her head against his. Though moving caused her to let out a cry. He moved away and smoothed her wild hair out of her face. She struggled to keep her eyes open, she only lasted a few more minutes before falling into unconsciousness.
Beorn stayed by her side for a few more seconds before turning and running out of the door. He took to charging away from the house in the form of a bear. His pace was fast, he didn't wish to leave Ylva. Not one single part of him wished to leave her on her own, not now. Not knowing whether Azog was still near caused his pace to quicken even more. Looking at the sudden plants which sprouted up around him, he skidded to a stop, there had to be one here to help her. He sniffed at a few and in the end let out a short snort of annoyance. There was nothing for it. Though he wished he could help her on his own. He really did need help, he turned and ran in the direction of Radagast's home.
—
"Oh!" Were the first words which Radagast let out when he realised he had a guest. Well really it was Sebastian who noticed the guest first. Radagast had been busying around his home doing something, though at the moment he couldn't quite remember what it was, and he had left the front door open.
Hearing the timid yet scared squeaking noise from Sebastian, he had turned and quite shortly told him to be silent. When Sebastian persisted in his noises, he turned and looked to the door. It was then that he looked at the form of the dark furred bear staring into the home with a look close to irritation.
"Well if you won't knock how am I meant to know you're there?" Radagast had mumbled and got a snort in reply. "Quite right, I would need my door shut for you to knock." Radagast wagged a finger and smiled faintly. Scooping Sebastian up into his hands, he set the frightened animal on a nearby table. He briefly watched as he scampered away. Radagast did have to admit and share Sebastian's slight moment of fear. It wasn't what he was expecting to see outside his home. His heart did lurch for a moment before he recognised who it was.
"Why are you here?" He moved forwards and stopped in the doorway. The bear hadn't shifted forms and he just sat there looking and watching. Something inside Radagast told him that he truly didn't wish to change forms. Yet when he did, Radagast found himself craning his neck up slightly to look the man in the eyes.
"It's Ylva." He replied shortly.
"What's she done?" Radagast asked worriedly. Sure, he didn't exactly know the woman well. But he knew her enough to know that if Beorn was here, something bad must have happened and that caused him to feel uneasy.
Beorn seemed to deliberate over his words before sighing heavily. "She's hurt."
"How?" Frowning, Beorn narrowed his eyes down at him. Radagast looked flustered for a moment. "Now, now, I need to know. You came for help, yes? How can I help when you don't tell me the details?"
Beorn raised an eyebrow. The wizard had got him there. "Azog." That alone caused Radagast to stiffen. It was the simplest way of giving Radagast details, and it seemed to do the job.
With a hard look in his eyes Radagast nodded, "Let's go." He grabbed something off of the table and plucked his staff away from the door and shooed his hands at Beorn to lead the way.
It was a curious thing to stand by and watch as Radagast quickly pottered around a clearing pulling at numerous plants. Beorn couldn't help but wince and raise an eyebrow and look at him oddly when he'd pluck a leaf off of a bush and either lick it or full on put it in his mouth. If it was the right plant he was looking for he'd nod enthusiastically and pluck many leaves from the bush and place them in his pockets. He had bought with him a small bag which Beorn presumed already had plants and whatnot in them. But evidently not if he was here collecting some.
Coming back to reality, Beorn blinked and looked down at the wizard who suddenly appeared back in front of him. Radagast was mumbling something to himself and when he came back to reality he flinched and looked to Beorn oddly. "Come on then!" He shuffled past Beorn without really knowing where he was going.
With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Beorn walked briskly after him. "You're going the wrong way." He said while turning to the right, he heard Radagast let out a quiet: "Oh!" And potter quickly after him. What part of Radagast's thoughts thought it was a good idea to just go off in a random direction without knowing the true location of his destination? Shaking his head, Beorn figured he could ponder over the possible sanity of his travelling companion later, once he had returned back to Ylva and Radagast had done whatever it was he was going to do.
"It bothers me," Radagast's voice suddenly piped up. Beorn cast a look down at him as he continued to lead the way back to his home. Radagast for the most part seemed quite serious at the moment which warranted him in paying him attention. "If it was him who hurt her..." Radagast's voice trailed off as he seemed to be pondering over his next words. It seemed he couldn't find any suitable so he plainly asked: "Do you think he will return?"
Beorn couldn't help but let out a snort, though it wasn't one of humour. He pushed past the trees which surrounded his home and led him forwards. Radagast looked over the little house and seemed to nod and come out with a few content noises. Seems he was a fan of the unfinished home. "Azog is many things," Beorn set to answering Radagast's question. His voice pulled the wizard from his thoughts as he hurried after the much taller man. "But he is not stupid."
"Quite," Radagast mused and rummaged in his pockets for the plants he had previously stowed in them. "I don't think he'd return when you're so ready to rip him limb from limb." He said half paying attention to where he was going. He let out a quiet noise when he bumped into Beorn.
"It would be my pleasure," he said while looking over his shoulder at the wizard. Looking away, he looked around to make sure there wasn't anything lurking about. When he was sure that it was just them present, he fully led the way into the unfinished building.
Ylva was right where he had left her. Kneeling down he placed a hand to her forehead, her eyes flickered open and she cracked a painful smile at the sight of him. It didn't last long though before her eyes slid shut again and she laid in a fitful sleep. His ears pricked at the sound of rummaging. Looking over his shoulder he narrowed his eyes at Radagast, who had seemingly taken it upon himself to rummage through what little possessions they owned. "What are you doing?" He stood and walked over to him.
Radagast seemed nonchalant to Beorn's snapping tone and held his hands out when he held a bowl in his hands. He had already seemingly tipped the content of his small bag out on the floor and pushed the items around until he found what he wanted. "I was just borrowing another one." Radagast said, he only bought one bowl with him. Once he was content that this was enough of an answer he took to sorting out the collected plants and leaves.
Beorn frowned when Radagast sat clicking his fingers in thought. "Water!" He exclaimed a little too loudly because it caused Ylva to groan and lull her head to the side. Frowning even more, Beorn took to scooping water out of the bucket which sat on the other side of the room. As yet they still hadn't got any plumbing sorted. "Yes, yes, thank you," Radagast took to crushing the leaves up in one bowl while tipping water gently from the other bowl into the mixture. Every so often he nodded and grumbled about something.
Beorn's nose scrunched up, he cast a worried look to Radagast. Whatever it was he was making, it did not smell particularly nice. It was perhaps one of few times Beorn was not happy to have heightened senses. Watching as Radagast pottered over to him with one of the bowls in his hands, he held it up to him. Beorn looked from the green earthy liquid, because it truly was liquid now after all the crushing and mixing Radagast had sent its way, then to the wizard in question.
"She needs to drink it. Best now while she's asleep."
"What is it?" Beorn naturally asked while taking the bowl from his hands and turning towards Ylva. He was not going to just feed her something which he was already sceptical over.
"It'll help with the pain." Radagast said from the sidelines as he watched Beorn kneel by Ylva's side and gently place one hand under her head. He lifted her slowly and gently, though she winced with each movement. "If she didn't take this, she'd awake in agony." He paused. "It'll also aid her with sleep." He hesitantly walked nearer to the two.
Ylva coughed and tried to push him away with her uninjured hand. "You have to drink this, I know," Beorn said when she whimpered quietly. "I know it probably tastes disgusting. It doesn't smell very good, but it'll help." He said while she seemed to register his words and drunk the earthy liquid.
"Now," Radagast said while Beorn slowly turned away from soothing Ylva back to sleep. "These," he held up a deep green almost brown coloured leaf. "You use for sleep. And these," he held up a bright fresh green leaf. "You use for pain. I suggest allowing her to sleep for as long as possible. Even if you must induce this sleep." Radagast sighed and took to cleaning away his possessions which had seemed to scatter everywhere. "If the pain worsens, give her more. When it comes to meals, they'll have to be liquid. Within a month she should be better."
Beorn tilted his head to the side and took the offered leaves. It seemed Radagast was quick when it came to cleaning away, oddly enough. "What about her arm?" Broken bones were still unknown to him.
Radagast gave a sigh and nodded slowly. Moving over he looked her injuries over before turning to him. "It'll heal." Were the only words which Beorn received. Which wasn't exactly helpful in the slightest. "I'll be off. If you need anything, you know where I am." Radagast said while leaving in peace.
Beorn gave a sigh and looked around. Standing around watching Ylva sleep wasn't going to amount to anything. With a decisive nod, he decided to continue on the roof. Or at least finish the roof above her. He stopped for very little breaks, but when he did he spent them sat beside her. At noon her gave her more of the earthy concoction, which resulted in the same reaction of disgust. Even if it tasted awful, surely it was doing the job. Her sleep was already calming, he could see that as he worked.
——
(Edited: 10/Nov/2023)