Chapter Seven, Healing and Introductions
"We've lost the current, make for the shore." Thorin ordered as he let the rest of his company paddle towards the shore before him before he followed "We need to move on." Thorin ordered once everyone was on the shore.
"Ninfea's injured." Kili protested.
"Well bind her leg, you have two minutes." Thorin stated sharply as he walked off to talk with Balin on how they were going to get to the mountain, ignoring Bilbo's protests that it needs proper healing that Ninfea won't be able to do herself.
"You are not going anywhere Thorin Oakenshield, at least not till we have healed our sister." Elrohir stated as he Elladan, Legolas and Arwen came round the corner. "You let them follow us." Dwalin growled at Ninfea.
"She did not," Legolas argued. "We followed you after we saw her be hit with a Morgel shaft. We interrogated an Orc and it was meant for him." Legolas snarled pointing his finger at Kili who was brushing Ninfea's wet fringe out of her eyes.
"Me?" Kili asked startled before turning to look back at Ninfea with wide brown eyes. "Why would you do that?" He asked, but his eyes lit up as if just realising something. "That's why you stuck us to the barrels and why that golden dome thing surrounded us." Kili said with clarification and fear shining in his eyes as he grabbed and held her hand. "How are you going to heal her? What happens if you... you don't on time?" He asked fearfully.
"The poison is in my blood, in a few hours I'll be choking on my own blood." Ninfea whispered but everyone heard her as everyone had been quiet since the blonde elf pointed at Kili. "WHAT!!!" Bilbo and Kili shouted. "Do something!" They exclaimed at the same time. "And why are you here?" Bilbo said accusingly to Arwen as he glared at her, shocking all the dwarves as they'd never seen him like that apart from in the Elven dungeons.
"Do you have any idea what you have put Ninth through, do you? Your meant to be her older sister to look out for her but all you've done is hate her since she arrived. What has she done that was so bad to deserve all your hate?" Bilbo shouted his arms folded across his chest. Arwen hang her head in shame, she knew how she treated her sister was despicable and she hated herself for all that she'd done and she wanted to put it right and she told them so. "I forgive you Arwen." Ninfea said as she hugged her sister tightly. Smiling with tears in her eyes Arwen held her sister close to herself, she knew she didn't deserve her sisters forgiveness but she swore that she would earn it.
"Why must you get yourself into these situations?" Elladan asked with a groan. "You know we'll have to let Adar know." This time it was Ninfea's turn to groan as she pictured what her Ada would do when he found out, she dreaded thinking about it. "I know." Ninfea said with a sigh as she sat back down with a wince.
"We need some Athelas, or Kingsfoil as you know it by Bilbo. Could you please go with Legolas to help him find some while I fetch the water." Arwen asked as she swept gracefully over to the river with a large bowl in her hand that Ninfea had given her out of her bag.
"Legolas! Go with Bilbo and get the Athelas." Elrohir ordered when Legolas just kept up his staring match with Kili. "What can I do?" Kili asked anxiously as he looked at how pale Ninfea had gotten. "You can help Elrohir and I hold her down while Arwen heals her." Elladan told him before turning to his sister. "It had to be you they got injured didn't it. When your the best healer aside from Ada." He said with a sigh as all Ninfea did was smile cheekily at him. "Here." Bilbo said as he came running back with two Athelas plants in his hand. "I got two as I wasn't sure how many you needed."
"Thank you Bilbo. I'm glad our little sister has one good friend." Arwen said as she took the plants from him, placing them into the bowl of water as she began to chant and the plants in her palms as she did so. "Don't you touch her dwarf!" Legolas sneered.
"Will you two cut it out!" Ninfea snapped. "Legolas you're my friend and that is how you'll remain but Kili is my One. I'm sorry Legolas I have told you constantly that you were not my One, you chose not to listen." Ninfea said sadly.
"Kili hold her arms down." Elladan ordered from where he was kneeling behind Ninfea, her head resting in his lap. "Wait," Ninfea said sitting up she waved her hand around in an intricate pattern before laying back down. "I set up a silencing and Protection Ward so the Orcs won't be attracted by my screams and they won't find us if they come this way." Ninfea said to the confused looks she was getting.
"Nevertheless, I shall stand guard." Legolas said notching an arrow into his bow and pointing it into the line of trees causing the rest of the dwarves to ready their weapons. "How long is this going to take?" Thorin growled. "We're on a tight time schedule."
"As long as it takes Master Dwarf, my sister has sacrificed her life to save that of your Heir's and faced being banished from the Woodland Realm for helping you escape. The least you could do is let her heal. Though by all means go ahead and leave though I know you'll be without three maybe four members of your company." Elrohir said aggravated. He looked pointedly at Kili who was next to him holding Ninfea's hand and arm, then opposite him where Bilbo and no doubt Kili's older brother - going by the likeness in facial features- who were holding down Ninfea's other leg and arm, and then to what appeared as the healer of the dwarves group who was helping Arwen prepare the Athelas plants by washing them.
Growling in agitation Thorin stalked off to stand by a bald, muscled, tattoo covered dwarf who was watching them in what they thought was discretion as Arwen came and kneeled down next to the blonde dwarf. "Make sure you have a tight grip on her," Arwen instructed the others. "I'm sorry muinthel, this is going to be excruciating." Arwen apologised as she started chanting, again rolling the Athelas that the older dwarf handed her into a ball and pushing it into the wound. Kili winced and his heart ached as heart wrenching screams left Ninfea's mouth the moment the plant was pushed into the wound and she had continued ever since, only ceasing as she drew breath.
He looked at her siblings and Bilbo seeing the same pain he felt reflected on their faces. He looked over to the elf that captured them, Legolas, Ninfea said his name was and saw how tight his frame was, his hands clenching on his bow. He didn't know how long it had been but all he knew was that it felt like a lifetime but slowly Arwen's chanting died down and Ninfea's screams of pain turned into whimpers. "Shhh it's alright Ninth." Bilbo soothed as he brushed her fringe out of her eyes, as Arwen wrapped her leg up. Kili would have felt jealous if he didn't see and know that Bilbo felt nothing for her except for sibling and friendship love.
Not caring about those around him Kili brought the hand he was holding up to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. He frowned when he felt the raised skin under his lips. Pulling the hand back slightly he frowned when he saw words etched into her skin spelling 'I must not tell lies', he didn't know who was responsible but he did know they would pay. He opened his mouth to ask about the scar when he saw her older brother who was softly running his hand through her blood red hair shake his head and mouth later, sighing Kili nodded his head. He'd leave it for now, if only until she was healed and they had gotten to know each other better.
"How are you feeling Muinthel?" Elladan asked pausing in running his hand through her hair when he saw her eyes flutter open. He helped her sit up slowly making sure she didn't unravel the bandage as she rested against him. "Fine." Ninfea said as she rested against her brother, at their expressions of disbelief she sighed. "Fine. I feel a little tired and there's a dull ache in my leg. But otherwise I'm fine, honest." She told them when they still didn't believe her.
"Why didn't you just say that in the first place Lassie?" The grey haired dwarf with an ear trumpet, that was sat next to Arwen asked.
"Because I don't like being a burden Master Dwarf." Ninfea replied quietly.
The four elder elves sighed as if this was the common answer, confusing all of the dwarves even if some were too stubborn to admit it. "Call me Oin, lass I'm the healer of our group." The dwarf now known as Oin stated. "The red headed dwarf with slightly longer hair is my brother Gloin; we're the sons of Groin, then you have Balin and Dwalin who're the Sons of Fundin." Oin said as he pointed to each dwarf as he introduced them, the dwarves bowing or nodding their head as they were introduced, until Oin got to the dwarves on either side of her.
"Fili..." The blonde dwarf to the right of her introduced. "And Kili..." Kili introduced. "At your service." The two brothers said together bowing their heads at her causing Ninfea to let out a giggle.
"Ninfea Evanna Potter, daughter of Lord James Charlus Potter and Lily Potter, and adopted daughter of Lord Elrond." Ninfea introduced to the others, grimacing internally. She hated having to introduce herself in such a way but her Ada told her that was how people introduced themselves in Middle Earth.
"If you don't mind me asking Lass?" Bofur asked. "How're you an Elfling when it sounds like your parents were Men?" He asked hesitantly.
Ninfea smiled kindly at the dwarf for she knew someone would have asked her eventually and it was better sooner rather than later. "As Bilbo said earlier; I'm a half elf. My father was Lord Potter and he was a wizard. My mother was an elf-witch but they were both murdered in front of me when I was fifteen months old. That's all I'm saying now as it's not safe out in the open." Ninfea told them glaring at any who gave her looks of pity.
Translation:
*Elvish: Adar. English: father.
*Elvish: Ada. English: Daddy.
*Elvish: Muinthel. English: Sister.