Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit.

At First Sight

Chapter 2

Clouds once again covered the sun as Kili followed Thorin's pony down the nearly non-existent trail through the foliage. He could hear Saura's cries for Thorin to go faster drifting back from the pony in front of him, and the unknown made his stomach clench tightly.

"Saura, is your mother ill?" Thorin asked gently. The child trembled like a leaf in his arms, and he made sure his blanket was wrapped tightly around her.

"She hurts," the small child sniffled.

Thorin guessed her to be no more than five or six years old. "Where does your mother hurt?" he asked, looking for more information in order to ascertain what awaited them at the end of this journey.

"Her stomach," the child practically wailed. "She was crying and told me to get help."

"You were very brave to do so," Thorin assured her. He glanced over his shoulder at his nephew. "Kili, did your mother send along herbs for stomach ailments?"

"Yes, Uncle," Kili answered. "They're in my pack."

"There, now," Thorin soothed Saura. "I can check on your mother while Kili brews her a cup of tea to help her stomach feel better."

Kili couldn't help but grin as Saura peered around his uncle to stare at him.

Then she turned back around and looked up at Thorin. "What's your name?" she asked softly, almost timidly.

"I am Thorin," the dwarf king informed her gently in a voice he had once used with his nephews a very long time ago when they were small.

She leaned around Thorin to look behind him at the young dwarf following them. "And that's Kili."

"Aye, lass," Thorin replied.

Turning forward once again, Saura fidgeted. "We have to hurry," she urged.

Thankfully, the trees had thinned out and the trail widened. Saura pointed toward the east. "My home is just over that hill."

They arrived at a small cabin with one tiny window and a thatched roof a few minutes later. A woman's scream pierced the cold air causing the hair on Kili's neck to stand on end. He cast a glance quickly toward his uncle.

Thorin had dismounted and held a squirming Saura in his arms. Kili slid off his pony and was shocked when his uncle shoved the dwarfling at him.

"Don't let her inside, not until I know what's going on," Thorin growled.

Kili wrapped both of his arms around the struggling child. She fought him – HARD! "Saura, Thorin is going to help your mother." He grunted as the girl's sharp elbow connected with his stomach.

"Let me go! I need to get to Mother," Saura shrieked. She grabbed a fistful of Kili's dark hair and pulled.

He suppressed a howl of pain and prayed Thorin would hurry up. The child possessed the strength of an orc.

"Saura, Thorin used to help take care of me when I got sick. I know he'll take good care of your mother, too."

Another scream tore through the afternoon, and this time Saura buried her face in Kili's shoulder with a sob.

The startled young dwarf held her close and ran a soothing hand over her long blonde locks. He wondered what manner of illness this was that made the child's mother scream in such agony.

Saura shivered and Kili bent to pick up the blanket that had fallen to the ground in the child's struggle. He wrapped it around her and held her close, watching the cabin door for any sign of his uncle.

"Were you very sick?" Saura sniffled into his neck.

"What?" Kili asked, startled.

"When Thorin took care of you, were you very sick?" Saura asked once again, lifting her face so she could look at Kili with teary brown eyes.

"I had a high fever and so did my mother and my brother. Thorin didn't go to work in the forge. He stayed home and took care of us until we were better. He even told me and my brother lots of stories to soothe us."

"Why didn't your da take care of you? Was he at work like my da?"

"No, Saura," Kili shook his head sadly. "My da died before I was born. Uncle Thorin has always been like my da."

Saura thought about that for a moment. "My da works far away and I don't have no uncles."

A gust of wind blew through the trees and Kili held the child closer to him. They couldn't stay out here much longer. It was too cold for the child. The sky darkened with clouds and the air stilled. It was as if all of nature was holding its breath, waiting for what was going to happen next.

The interior of the small cabin was dark and crowded with furniture. A young woman yelped in fright when Thorin entered. Her blonde hair hung in sweaty tangles around her face and she leaned against the table with her arms wrapped protectively around the pregnant bulge of her belly.

"I'm here to help you,"Thorin assured her. "Your daughter is outside with my nephew. My name is Thorin."

He watched as her green eyes widened in recognition. "The King Under the Mountain," she whispered, lowering her head out of respect.

"There's no need for that here," he assured her. Thorin helped Saura's mother to the bed in the corner and covered her with a fur that had seen better days. This woman was in labor. This was one of the few times in his life that Thorin found himself completely terrified. He had no idea how to help her; he had not been in the room with his sister for the births of either of his nephews. "What's your name?"

The woman bit her lower lip and groaned as another pain cinched around her middle. "I am Dehra. Is Saura okay?" she ground out through clenched teeth.

"Saura is fine; my nephew Kili will care for her. Where's your husband?" Thorin grunted when she latched onto his hand and squeezed as her pain intensified.

"He works in Cairntown, a three day's journey east of here," she panted as her contraction finally eased. "He is supposed to return in two weeks ' time, but the babe is early." Panic welled in her green eyes. "Something is wrong; I know it."

Thorin forced himself to keep an impassive expression on his face. "Kili and I will help you all we can."

Tears streamed down Dehra's face. "Thank you. I don't know if we can ever repay you."

Thorin shook his head. "Seeing you and a healthy babe is all the payment we need. " He glanced toward the door. "Is there anywhere that Saura can stay so that she doesn't witness you in pain?"

Dehra shook her head. "No, we only have a pole barn for our pony when my husband is home. It's not warm enough for a child with one side open to the wind."

"Then we'll make do," Thorin assured her as he moved to the door. "Kili, bring Saura in," he called. Worry gnawed in the dwarf king's gut. It looked like storm clouds moving in over the horizon. He had a feeling they were in for some nasty weather before the evening fell. He had hoped to send Kili for more help.

"It's getting colder, Uncle," Kili informed him, barely able to keep his teeth from chattering. "I think it's going to storm."

Before the words had finished leaving the young dwarf's mouth, ice pellets began to pummel the ground. It would soon be too slick outside for man or beast.

"I was going to send you for help," Thorin murmured, "but now it looks like we're on our own."

To Be Continued…

Please take the time to review.