The Loss of Smiles and Music

Still enjoying writing some dwarven tales.

This is an AU story. Centers around Bofur and his family. Please enjoy and let me know what you think either good or bad.

I own nothing.

Chapter One

Bofur felt horrible. He'd woke this morning with a bad headache and every muscle aching like he'd run a marathon.

"Mahal, what is wrong with me?" Bofur groaned to himself trying to figure out what ailed him, "Felt fine yesterday. Heads killin' me."

The usual morning clamor from the company made him want to crawl under a rock and die. Scoffing at himself, Bofur arranged his hair in his normal braids and plopped his hat on his head. This time he pulled the flaps firmly over his ears to stifle the painful noises around him. Stupid headache wasn't going to slow him down.

"Bofur. Bofur. Bofur!"

"Huh?" the dwarf in question grunted looking up to see Thorin glaring at him, "Oh, sorry. Deep in some thoughts here. Ya have need of me?"

"The rains of have made the path unstable," Thorin described as Bofur stood, "I have need of you…Bofur, are you okay?"

Bofur grunted as the leader of the company reached to help him steady himself. What in all of Middle-earth was going on with him this morning?

"Fine," Bofur answered righting himself from the stumble he had when his head had pounded particularly hard, "I must have tripped on my own feet. Do ya need me ta scout ahead and check for any ground instability?"

"Yes," Thorin agreed, "Eat some breakfast and then go quickly so that we can get on our way."

"I can go now," Bofur assured, "I'm not hungry."

Thorin was astonished when a whirl of dark hair filled his vision as Bifur snatched Bofur by his arm and jerked him down on a log near the fire.

"Bifur," Bofur protested as his cousin felt his forehead and cheeks, "I'm fine, ya git. Always workin' yourself up over nothin'."

"Fever?" Thorin asked feeling perplexed as Bifur looked back at him and shook his head, "Explain."

"Bif here thinks if I ever skip a meal then somethin' is wrong," Bofur chuckled as his cousin hissed, "Cousin, I'm not Bombur. I don't eat all tha bloody time. I just woke with a bit of a soured stomach. Now that I think about it, I do believe that I ate too much of tha stew last night. I've given myself a belly ache is all."

"Soured?" Oin repeated being close enough to pick up on the word, "Any pain?"

"No," Bofur denied, "Just know that food is not a good idea right now. Don't want ta push my luck."

"Chew this," Oin instructed handing Bofur some crystalized ginger pieces, "Should help with your stomach."

Bofur looked up in embarrassment when he realized most of the company was looking at him in concern. The toymaker rolled his eyes as he munched on the ginger. Bunch of busybody dwarves listening in like a bunch of old biddies to gossip later.

"For Durin's sakes, I'm fine," Bofur groaned as Oin checked him for fever as well, "I'm not sick. I'll go scout now. Won't be but a moment."

"Oin?" Thorin asked ignoring Bofur.

"No fever and his eyes are clear," Oin hummed, "The lad is fine."

"See?" Bofur grunted batting his cousin's hands away, "Bifur, stop it. I said ta stop it. Bombur come get him."

"Come on, Bifur," Bombur sighed grabbing his cousin, "Brother just ate himself sick. He'll be fine."

Most of the company chuckled as Bombur dragged a protesting Bifur away. Bofur stood and retrieved his mattock. The ginger had helped with his stomach and the headache was down to a dull pulse now. The former miner scouted ahead and found that much of the path was blocked with water and rockslides, but there was plenty of ways to get around most of the mess with little problems. Bofur headed back and then had to grab at a tree as he was hit with a spell of dizziness.

"Whoa," Bofur groaned shaking his head, "Need ta hold off on eatin' so much at night. Ya not Bombur, ya fool. Have some moderation."

The toymaker breathed deeply for several moments before the dizziness eased. Finally, he was able to make his way back to camp.

"You were right, Thorin," Bofur called as he walked over to the said dwarf, "Most of tha path is clear, but there has been some shiftin' of the land due ta water and rockslides. Did some scoutin' and found…what are ya doin'?"

Bofur grunted as he was once again manhandled down on the same log from earlier, but this time by the future king himself. Thorin pulled his hat off his head and tilted the shocked dwarf's face up to look at him closer.

"Um…hello?" Bofur voiced, "What are ya doin'? Didn't know I'd be so missed."

"Brother, you are white as a ghost," Bombur insisted hurrying over, "Mahal, even your lips are pale. Are you okay?"

"Fine," Bofur agreed, "My stomach doesn't even feel so soured thanks ta tha ginger. I have no complaints."

"Have you been injured and not told us?" Oin demanded coming over and beginning to examine Bofur, much to the toymaker's irritation, "Hit your head recently?"

"No and no," Bofur groaned pulling away, "I feel fine."

The toymaker's head was jerked to the side as his cousin's face filled his vision. This might have been intimidating to most if Bofur hadn't gotten so used to Bifur's strange ways. Bofur grimaced with a sigh as Bifur leaned away looking concerned and began to gesture sharply.

Why pale? What's wrong? No color, Cousin.

"That's what I want to know," Thorin stated, "Bofur, I don't have time for pigheaded stubbornness . Are you ill?"

"I don't think so," Bofur answered truthfully, "I don't feel feverish, my stomach is fine now, and I'm even feelin' hungry finally. I don't know why I'm paler at tha moment, but I'm not tryin' ta hide anythin'. Have a bit of a headache, but nothin' serious."

"Maybe that's it," Oin decided leaning up, "Bofur's got a normal appetite and eats at every meal. He skipped breakfast earlier due to his stomach issues. Hunger and low sugar in Bofur's system could explain the paleness and the headache."

Bifur frowned thoughtfully as he turned Bofur's head to scrutinize his cousin. Could the answer to this mystery be that simple?

"I'll heat you some porridge," Bombur instantly offered already hurrying to relight the fire, "No more skipping meals, Brother. Bifur was right to be concerned that you didn't eat. You've always needed to have breakfast in the past."

"Why is that?" Thorin asked eyeing Bofur as the dwarf in question rolled his eyes.

"He can turn into a right snarky bastard if Bofur doesn't eat right," Nori chuckled, "His kin keeps him fed so he doesn't act like a dragon."

"Feed him now," Thorin joked stuffing the hat back on Bofur's head, "We need no other dragon besides the one named Smaug and even that one I could do without. No more skipping meals, Bofur. Everyone pack up and get ready to leave. We'll be on our way once this one has eaten."

Bofur snorted and graciously accepted the bowl of porridge from his brother a little while later as Bifur packed up his pony for him. It was times like this that Bofur appreciated his family the most. It was easy to just step in and do rather than step in and fuss. The toymaker polished off the food and nodded as Oin pointed out that his color was back to normal again.

"Good ta know that I'm my gorgeous self again," Bofur teased cracking up the three youngest of the company as he struck a seductive pose with a teasing wink, "Oi! Fili, Kili, and Ori, don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

"Get on your pony and shut up," Dori sniffed pulling his laughing brother away, "Really now. Try to act your age."

Bofur chuckled and then the company made to depart. The toymaker took the lead to show everyone a better way around the blockage in the path. Soon enough, the company was on open road again and Bofur fell back to ride alongside his kin. However, Bofur's stomach ached once again and the headache was back with a vengeance.

"What in Mahal's name is wrong with me?" Bofur grumbled realizing that he was sweating a bit more than he should be, "Deep breathes. Ride it out. Next time ya won't be such a glutton even if Bombur does fix a mean stew."

Bofur closed his eyes and simply tried to force his system to settle down. He jumped at a hand on his shoulder a while later.

"You alright, Lad?" Balin asked as the toymaker looked up in surprise, "You looked like you were falling asleep there."

"Warm day," Bofur sighed sitting up more in his saddle, "I guess I got a bit sleepy. Thanks for wakin' me back up."

Balin patted his shoulder and urged his pony towards the front of the line. The truth of the matter was that every noise felt like it was thundering in Bofur's head. The nauseas was back and again he ached terribly. Bofur's silence was starting to be noticed as dwarves glanced back at the dwarf in question. The toymaker usually kept up a string of chatter that lightened the long days.

"Bofur," Thorin called twisting in his saddle to ask a question before noticing the color once again draining from the dwarf's face, "Bofur!"

The hat-wearing dwarf saw Thorin's lips moving, but only heard the dull roar that had begun in his ears as vertigo hit him hard. Bombur reached desperately for Bofur as his brother slid bonelessly from his saddle and hit the ground in a heap. Bifur threw himself from his own pony to jerk Bofur out from under his startled mount's hooves before his cousin could be crushed. Bofur was completely limp and unresponsive to Bifur's attempts to wake him as shouts rang out and Bombur hurried over.

"Brother!" Bombur gasped kneeling beside Bifur as the two tried to ascertain what had happened to their kin, "Oin!"

"Move," the healer ordered shoving the two back, "Bofur? Can you hear me, Lad? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me?"

Nothing. Bifur growled low and scuttled forward to grab his cousin's fallen hat. The rest of the company was hurrying over as well to see if they could help. Bifur was near to spitting nails at the paleness of his cousin's face.

"What's wrong with him?" Thorin thundered rushing over.

"I don't know yet," Oin snapped, "Help me get him into some shade. Bofur's covered in sweat. It's warm today, but not hot enough for this amount of perspiration. He's ill, but there is still no fever and he is paler than last time. Prop up his legs once you settle him."

Bifur cursed, then he and Thorin worked together to move Bofur over to some shade trees. As the rest of the company watched, Bombur set up a pallet for his brother to be laid upon and Bofur's pack was used to prop up his legs. Oin peeled the downed dwarf out of his jacket and scarf then loosened the ties on his tunic to try and cool him down.

"Luckily his hat kept him from hitting his head too badly," Oin mentioned as Bombur used said hat to fan his brother's face, "I need him to come around. There is no fever or wound that explains Bofur's state. I need more information."

Bifur growled to himself as he kneeled next to his cousin's head. Something wasn't right and the older dwarf was livid that the healer couldn't treat his kin. Bofur was beyond pale despite the sweat on his face. Luckily, Bofur began to stir at that point so maybe answer could be found.

"Gah," Bofur groaned starting to come to, "Where? Mahal, my head."

"Don't close those eyes," Oin gritted out leaning over Bofur to check his gaze, "Keep them open. Bifur, keep your cousin's attention his eyes aren't focusing. Tell me about your head. What's wrong? Do you still have a headache? Are you hurting?"

Bofur whimpered as his cousin leaned over him and patted his shoulder gently and gestured to him.

Keep eyes open. Head hurt? Tell.

"I…head," Bofur said in clear confusion, "Up. Move. Up. Goin' ta be sick."

Bofur shot up with a cry and was able to crawl far enough away to vomit violently in some bushes as Bifur held his braids back. Oin hissed and supported the ill dwarf as he hacked for a few more moments before collapsing back.

"Hurts," Bofur gasped holding his head and shuddering in clear pain, "Bif, hurts."

Bifur scowled darkly and carefully lifted Bofur up in his arms and back over to the pallet. His cousin shook like a leaf as Bombur fretted and used a wet cloth to wipe down his brother's sweaty face. Oin immediately ease Bofur's legs back up on his pack.

"What's wrong with my brother?" Bombur demanded looking up at Oin.

"I don't know," Oin said once again, "Sweating, nausea, a clear case of vertigo, and a bad headache. No fever. Bombur, use that cloth to cover Bofur's eyes. The light is causing him more pain. What is this?"

Bifur smacked the ground and gestured angrily.

What's wrong? Bofur no sick like this before. Help him. He hurts.

"I'm trying," Oin growled leaning back over the ill dwarf, "Bofur, I need you to be honest. Have you been dizzy recently?"

"This mornin'," Bofur whispered as he trembled, "Walkin' back ta camp. It passed quickly so I thought I had maybe just moved in tha wrong way. Dizzy on my pony and then I don't remember anythin' else."

"He stumbled when he got up this morning," Thorin voiced, "I thought something might be wrong then. Bofur is usually much surer on his feet."

"Have you figured out the problem with the lad," Gloin boomed so that Oin could hear him since the healer didn't have his ear trumpet up to his ear at that moment making Bofur cry out in deep pain and clasp his hands to his ears.

Bifur snarled at the red-haired dwarf as he reached to try and soothe his cousin. Bofur cried out again as he shook and curled into a ball.

"Brother, what?" Bombur gasped stroking Bofur's shoulder, "Oin, this isn't normal. Gloin's voice has never hurt Bofur in the past."

"Quiet," Oin hissed leaning back over Bofur to gently tug his hands from his ears, "Can you hear me? Bofur, can you hear me?"

Nothing. No sign of recognition as the toymaker tossed his head in apparent pain.

To be continued…