C4: Dizzy Spells

Before Gandalf had set away, he had warned them all about the forest and what lurked inside. They must not drink the water from the enchanted stream. They could only cross using the stone bridge. The air itself would lead them astray. And he'd stressed the last one with so much firmness, Druili felt like he'd tattooed it onto her forehead.

'Stay on the path. Do not leave it. For if they did, they'd never find it again.'

When he had galloped off, Druili had shared a sad look with Bilbo. The first time they'd left him behind at Rivendell, she'd had a feeling he'd catch up with them eventually.

But now, she wasn't so sure. Would he really meet them when they reached Erebor?

And just how long would it be?

These thoughts and questions fled her mind the moment she entered Mirkwood and her feet connected with the path they were to follow.

She stopped and shuddered involuntarily.

"Are you all right?" Bilbo's hand came to rest on her forearm and he looked very concerned.

"Yes, I'm-I'm fine," she shook herself and looked around her, "just...that was weird. Did you feel anything?"

Bilbo understood what she meant and nodded.

"This place...feels like death."

Druili knew he hadn't quite meant to sound so dire, even though he was quite right. This place didn't breath or move like other woods or forests.

The trees themselves enclosed around them and she felt suffocated. But she continued. She followed the others along the path and pulled Bilbo to walk alongside her.

She could feel herself steadily growing worse the farther they walked and turned to the Hobbit.

"So, Mr Baggins," she gave him a cheery smile, "since this is your first adventure, how are you handling it?"

Bilbo returned her smile and knew what she was trying to do. As they walked along into the wood, Bilbo talked about everything he possibly could. Everything within The Shire was small and warm and Druili craved a home life like that. He talked about his mother, his father, his vast cousins and even festivals and celebrations in the shire.

Druili felt warmed by his words almost losing herself when he described a race they held every year where, contenders would stand at the top of the largest hill, roll down a large chunk of cheese and run after it.

"And the one that makes it to the bottom with the cheese unscathed is the winner!" Bilbo stopped talking long enough to look at Druili, who was gazing quizzically at him.

"Wait, the cheese or the person?"

"The person, Toad," Fili called out behind them and she turned and scowled at him. When she looked back at Bilbo, she hopped forward two paces to garner some distance between herself and her brothers.

"Why do they call you Toad?" The question was out before Bilbo could stop himself. Luckily, rather than seeming angry, Druili just sighed and groaned.

"They made me kiss a toad."

Bilbo turned around to where Fili and Kili could still hear them, both wearing large, lopsided grins.

"We didn't MAKE you." Fili pointed out before his brother continued.

"You were very eager to kiss it."

"You said if I didn't kiss it, then it'd turn into a handsome prince and come take me away to a castle," she began to walk her feet backwards to address them, "I was TERRIFIED. You lot would have gone mental losing your precious female. Mam would have had your hide."

Bilbo had remembered something he'd heard in passing.

"Is it-is it true that girls aren't very...rare?" He lowered his voice, just encase he caused offence to anyone else in the group who might mistake his words, "I mean, I heard that there are fewer girls than there are boys."

Druili waited for him to catch up before turning back and walking normally. She leant in a little closer so Kili and Fili wouldn't interrupt anymore.

"It's true. We are a very rare and mysterious creature. You should meet some of the noble ladies. Smug as you like and spoiled rotten since birth."

Bilbo looked at her.

"But you're not smug or spoiled at all," he cleared his throat and felt a small blush coming on, "you're in fact rather lovely."

Druili snorted and nudged him with her elbow.

"Thank you, Bilbo," she lowered her voice even more until it was almost a whisper, "and no. I'm not like those cows. I mean...I was probably spoiled when I was a babe, but because they don't know where I'm from or who my family were, I'm not really noteworthy or much cause for celebration." She let out a fake gasp and slapped her cheek lightly with one hand in feigned surprise.

"I could be a harbinger of destruction, sent down by Mahal themselves."

Bilbo just laughed at her, Druili breaking character as they marched along.

"What do you remember about your parents?" He felt that after everything they had gone through, he could pry a little bit into her life since she'd asked so much about him.

Druili contemplated for a moment before answering.

"My Pa? Not a jot. For all I knew, I really did pop out of the ground and mother found me," she gave a sad laugh as he expression dropped, "But ma...I can remember her crying a lot. I remember..." She dawdled off and Bilbo could see her struggling to remember.

"Don't strain yourself."

She tilted her head to him and smiled at his concern.

"I remember a few times when we played and laughed together, but the last time we saw one another...she was being taken away. But she wasn't awake...I think she had died in her sleep I-I don't know if she was sick for a long time. I just...I remember holding onto her hand and trying to go with her, but this bastard of a man just...plucked me off and dumped me in the house."

Bilbo felt his stomach drop.

"No one came for me. No one...No one made to see if I was alright. Food ran out and I just left. I wandered a short distance and found myself in that town. I was so hungry that I walked straight up to a table just covered with fruit and bread and started eating. That was then that man found me."

She shuddered and her expression tightened, Bilbo, knowing she had anger bubbling underneath the surface of her skin.

"What happened?"

"He had me there, tied up behind his stall for days. Kept pointing me out to people and other children, saying how he was making an example of a thief. I only survived when he'd drop a scrap of something and didn't notice. If he did, he'd just...he'd grab one of his leather gloves and smack me around the head with it. Saying how I hadn't worked off my crime. Then...he started using his broom at night. He never hit my face or hands, only where he knew the bruises would be hidden."

Druili quickly glanced over her shoulder, but Fili and Kili seemed to be in deep conversation with one another about something and she looked back at Bilbo.

"He left me one day, like a weird guard dog on the stall. And then...out of the blue, this little boy stopped to look at me. And I just remember thinking...what a beautiful face. I thought he was a fairy. He was looking at me with just...such curiosity. And he came around, brazen as you like and just started talking to me. This sweet, beautiful boy, talking to someone who hadn't had a wash in...days? Weeks?

He cleaned my face, talked to me and promised to help me."

She leant in towards Bilbo but did not bother to lower her voice, still believing Fili and Kili were talking.

"Don't tell him I said this but...he has always been charming. It's just in his nature."

She was surprised by a sudden pair of arms encircling her waist, pinning her arms down to her sides and hugging her tight.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said, piglet." Kili lifted her until her tip-toes where on the ground and began to kiss the back of her head. She was still too shocked to do anything, that is until Bilbo said,

"Piglet?!"

She immediately began to kick her legs out and struggle in his grip.

"YOU SWORE YOU'D NEVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN WHEN WE'RE IN PUBLIC," She took deep breaths and tried to turn around in his arms, "I didn't mean a word of it. You're not beautiful, or sweet or charming, STOP KISSING ME. FILI, SAVE ME!"

Fili merely sauntered by and pretended not to hear her. Fortunately for her, her legs were still loose, she managed to wrap her appendages around his waist and hold on. He tried to tug himself free and Kili was so busy laughing and hugging Druili, that they completely ignored the company who had turned and was now staring at them.

"You bloody dunderheads, drop me!" She struggled more and whilst she was insisting that they both dropped her, she would not relinquish her hold on Fili until he helped.

"Get off, Toad!" He attempted to pry her legs away, but every time he managed to disentangle himself from one, she'd just put the other one higher.

"Keep telling me how charming I am!" Kili laughed as Druili managed to free one of her arms and tried to pull away and slap at his other arm at the same time.

"Come along you three."

They all looked at Thorin, who was standing at the front of the company.

"The day is wasting and they'll be time for festivities when we're out of this wood."

Druili let go of Fili, who grumbled his thanks and elbowed herself out of Kili's grip, his hands slipping off of her.

The merriment they had felt soon dissipated as they ventured into the wood, and even the odd conversation couldn't distract them from everything going on around them.

They walked some more until the sky had almost vanished from overheard. The dense canopy was so thick, that every time Druili looked up, she had to squint to see even the slightest breach of light through the leaves and branches.

"Air. I need air." Bofur suddenly gasped ahead of her and she called out to him.

"Bofur, we're in a forest, there's plenty of air. That's how everything is alive." Even as she finished that statement, she remembered how dead everything looked.

"My, head, it's swimming!" Oin said from further affront, and Druili watched him sway on unsteady feet.

For some reason, she began to shudder again. But her tremors didn't just leave after a couple of seconds. The continued to rack her body, even after she wrapped her arms around herself and attempted to warm herself up.

Fili slowed down and looked over his shoulder at her, beads of sweat plastered on his forehead.

"Are you all right?"

Druili shook her head and found that she couldn't bring herself to smile. She was physically unable to smile with everything that was happening.

"I'm not-I'm fine, I just-" She shut her eyes briefly, squinting tightly and trying to remember something.

She felt a weight over her shoulders and opened her eyes again to see Thorin was standing in front of her. She looked over her shoulder and saw his coat draped across her, the fur rubbing at the side of her face.

"You're not well," He called her attention back to him.

Druili merely shook her head.

"It's this place," he continued, "but we have to go on. It's hard, but you think you can cope?"

She nodded up at him and pulled his coat closer to her. He turned away and walked back to the front of the company and Druili admired the man who always seemed to know what was wrong with her, even without her saying anything

"Thorin, take her," Dis whispered to her brother as she shifted around in her seat to get comfy, "you have her on your knee and Kili will go on mine."

Thorin who would have normally protested loudly to this, merely allowed the small girl to clamber up onto his knee as they sat around, the long benches pretty squashed tight today.

It was the festival of remembrance and it was a very solemn event, especially for those of the kingdom of Erebor. They had come today to the temple to pray and remember not only their dead but the home they had lost.

Thorin himself felt the weight of the loss of each individual weigh heavily upon him, though he knew that most would disregard this notion that he was somehow to blame.

His attention shifted when Druili fidgeted again on his knee.

"Child," he leant forward to whisper into her ear, "stop squirming around and pay attention."

But Druili didn't stop. She squirmed once more and looked over her shoulder at him.

He sighed and pulled her closer to him, turning her in the process so she was sitting on his thigh.

"There, better?"

Druili didn't answer. She kept her head bowed low and her hair obscured her face. Thorin felt a slight tinge of frustration and tried to keep his voice even.

"What is the matter?"

Slowly and with what he saw as great difficulty, she raised her head and turned to face him. Her eyes were watery, but no tears fell. Her smile was gone and her expression even made him sad.

"Are you tired?"

She nodded slowly.

Thorin looked down at her and nodded in return.

"Then you may rest."

Not knowing if he was doing the right thing, he placed his hand onto the back of her hair and guided her head towards him. She tucked her face against his neck and he immediately felt her temperature against his own skin. He hadn't had a chance to remove his own coat when inside the temple, but even then whilst he was still warm, her skin felt on fire.

His other hand came up and around her back as he turned to his sister.

"Dis."

Dis turned to her brother at his soft tone, but his brow was furrowed and he looked worried.

"What's wrong?" She whispered back to him and he quickly indicated to Druili.

"She's not well. Feel her temperature."

Dis, moving Kili with one hand so he was leaning towards Fili from his position on the edge of her knee, wrapped her cold fingers around the back of Druili's neck and Thorin saw her eyes widen in horror.

She pulled away and made Kili stand up, before turning to Fili.

"Come on boys, we have to leave."

She turned back to Thorin and signalled for him to move.

As they all shifted outside, Thorin held Druili in a way that Dis could look and inspect her. She placed her hands on the little girl's cheeks and forehead again, making her open her mouth to see inside.

"What's wrong?" Fili moved forward and held his brother's hand.

"I think Dru has a bug, boys," Dis tenderly stroked her daughter's cheek when the girl remained expressionless at all the poking's and prodding's, "Fi, run down and fetch some supplies to make some chicken broth with Ki whilst we get her home, all right? Penny should have some on her stall."

The two boys went off in one direction will Dis and Thorin went in the other. Dis had attempted to remove Druili from Thorin's arms, but he'd declined, saying it would be quicker for him to carry her home.

Druili hadn't slept, but she remembered that hazy day well. He'd laid her on her bed and he and Dis wandered around, fetching items from everywhere before the healer came to join them. It hadn't been a bad case of flu, but Thorin having spotted it first, had been told by the healer that if it had gotten worse the outcome would have been grim, as many young Dwarf children had been affected that month. Druili did manage a small smile at that memory. He had held her with such concern.

She snuggled deeper into his coat at the memory and continued walking.

It hadn't taken long before she shrugged the jacket back off and passed it to Thorin. She was hot and sticky and sure he wouldn't appreciate her stinking up his coat.

Her head was starting to spin and she felt tired. It was like her head was covered in thick layers of candy floss and the more she tried to shake it off, the sicker she felt.

Luckily, after going through a particularly thick patch of trees that almost swarmed them in darkness, it began to get light again

"We found the bridge." Kili's voice called out from the front of the group. Druili made her way around and leant against a tree as she watched everyone pile on.

"Bollocks," she groaned out loud when she took in the appearance of said 'bridge'. Obviously, at some point in its long life, either it had simply crumbled away in the middle or something large and heavy had fallen directly on top of it. Maybe it got blown up?

Either way, what they had in front of them was a bridge short of a bridge.

"We could try and swim it?" Bofur said from his point at the edge, standing behind Bilbo as they gazed across to the other side.

"We toss one another?" Druili pushed herself away from the tree trunk and staggered over, almost regretting that decision when her stomach lurched.

She staggered into the back of Fili, her head resting against one of his shoulder blades.

"Then what about the last person across?" He cocked his head to address her. Her mumbled reply just had him shaking his head.

"It's hard to think when there are cobwebs in your head."

"Didn't you hear what Gandalf said? A dark magic lies upon this forest. The waters of this stream are enchanted." Thorin seemed to be struggling himself. He almost sounded upset.

"Doesn't look very enchanting to me."

"Ha ha, Bofur." Druili drew her head back up and turned away, walking the short distance pass the group and by Thorin who continued to speak as if he was struggling with head cobwebs of his own.

"We must find another way across."

Druili shoved Dwalin aside when he didn't see her coming and immediately fell to her knees behind him. He turned around and placed his strong hand across her back, but she waved him off.

"No, no, leave me for a second, I'm going to be sick and you don't want to be here for that." She tried to take in deep and slow breaths, but she felt worse with everyone deep inhale she took through her nose, the smell of the place causing her stomach to turn about.

She could hear everyone shuffling around in the distance behind her and remembered Fili and Kili inspecting the vines, when the younger called out.

"These vines look strong enough."

"Kili!"

Thorin's bark drew her attention and she turned so sharply that she swore she felt her brain move about in her head. It was not pleasant.

"We send the lightest first." Her Uncle told him and Druili groaned and shut her eyes.

"That's me." She turned around, still on her knees and began to crawl forward, pushing her through the sea of thick legs.

"Excuse me, pardon," she got as far as Bofur before she held onto his leg and tried to pull herself up, "my legs feel like jelly."

Bofur happily picked her up, slipping his arm around her waist to steady her but unfortunately, he then had to break the news to her.

"Actually lass, Thorin wasn't talking about you."

Druili followed his gaze and realised that everyone else was looking expectantly at a disgruntled Bilbo.

She pouted.

"I feel like we shouldn't make any comments about my weight," she nodded at Bilbo, "Good luck, try not to drown."

Suddenly, with more speed than she thought possible, she shoved Bofur aside, turned herself over and bend her top half over the side of the bridge just in time, as she lost the majority of her lunch.

Druili knew she was missing Bilbo cross over to the other side. She also knew that if she didn't get a move on, she'd miss out on watching the others cross and she really wanted to see Bombur and Dwalin attempt to cross the vines carefully and delicately.

She was however preoccupied with emptying her stomach still.

She heard a loud shuffle behind her but did not turn as she heaved again, nothing coming up. She's lost a good majority of bread, ham, cheese and milk, so she just hoped that her breakfast had already digested.

After a few shaky breaths, she felt the person behind her place their hand on her back.

"Are you all right, lass?" Dwalin's gruff tones where edged with concern.

She tried to push herself back up, but her legs had fallen asleep. She threw out her hand and tried to communicate with a series of hand gestures as she felt that pull again at her stomach.

Dwalin didn't seem to understand, but they both knew they had to move.

Quickly dizzying her beyond all belief, she suddenly found herself hoisted up and over Dwalin's shoulder. But instead of putting up a fight, she merely allowed herself to droop completely, draping him like a cloak.

"Are you doing yet?" He marched her over to where the group was starting to climb the vines.

When she raised her head to answer, she merely heaved again and gripped the back of his coat.

"I take that as a no," he huffed as if exasperated, "just try no' to hit my feet."

He put her down again and she felt the ground tilt beneath her and had it not been for Thorin's sudden grasp on her arms, she would have surely embraced the ground with her face.

He shook her gently and in a moment of clarity, she saw his hand raise out to the side and she growled.

"Don't hit me, or I'll tell Mam."

Thorin arched a brow and even in this dire situation, managed a small smirk.

"You have to cross," he dropped his hand from hitting her but held onto her shoulder with the other, "we cannot carry you."

She nodded and when he released his firm grip, steadied herself. She staggered along and gripped the first vine in her hand.

"No big thing," she took a deep breath in through her mouth this time and let it out in a puff, "just like climbing a tree."

Unfortunately, it wasn't like climbing a tree. Whilst the branches she had clambered along, swung from and dangled on had always been sturdy enough for her to hang onto, the vines were not.

She slipped, tripped and like everyone else, struggled to maintain her balance as she made her way across. She felt the power of the place sweep over her lulling her to sleep, but lucky for her the sweat upon her brow began to run into her eyes and the stinging sensation helped her to concentrate on staring away.

For what felt like hours, she shimmied her way slowly across to the other side and finally, after one big leap made it.

Thorin and Bilbo where waiting for her and having caught her once today, Thorin seemed to be making a new habit as he caught her on the embankment.

Strangely, now she was on even ground and not swinging back and forth on the vines, she found herself feeling sick again.

"Can you stand?" Thorin helped her right herself, his hands holding her wrists.

Druili couldn't answer him. She nodded, pushed him away and turned back to the water, dry heaving again.

'Please stay down, please stay down.' She repeated in her head, pleading with her breakfast to stay down. They had limited food supply and she didn't really want to scoff anything to keep her energy up.

Finally, after a few quiet moments, the sickness subsided and she stood up straight, her eyes shut as she took a deep, shaky breath.

Her attention was drawn back behind her by a distant shuffling and turned away from the waters towards Bilbo and Thorin. A few yards in front of them, appearing from seemingly out of nowhere, a white elk came into view.

If she hadn't been so hoarse from the vomiting and heaving, she would have exclaimed at the beautiful creature.

She took an uncertain step forward, steadying herself when she seemed to struggle with even that and caught Thorin's movement out of the corner of her eye.

He had his arrow removed from his quiver and placed it in his bow. He pulled the end taut in his hand and slowly, raised it up towards the creature as not to startle it.

Druili grabbed the back of his jacket and shook her head, but he ignored her.

"Stop." She whispered, but she might as well not have said anything at all as she was so quiet she barely heard herself.

She turned to Bilbo, who had heard the bowstring pulled taut and watched him eye Thorin with the same confused expression.

"What are you doing?" She heard him say, but her head was still spinning and it sounded like he was talking from another room.

All three suddenly snapped to the attention of the Elk in front of them, but it had not moved or made a loud noise.

At least, no natural noise. It's deep exhale through it's snout seemed louder and louder as it stared them down.

She felt like she was being compressed. The air around her stifling. Was this the creature? Or another vision brought on by the woods around them?

Her hand involuntarily gripped the fabric of Thorin's coat as she gasped for air and that seemed to startle him. He raised his bow and fired the arrow.

She watched it sail by the creature, Thorin having purposefully missed it. At least, she hoped her had.

The creature gave a start and darted off and away, disappearing amongst a cluster of trees.

"What...what was that?!" She croaked out and tried to gather more saliva in her throat and mouth, the dryness and taste making her want to dunk her head into the enchanted water to her side.

Thorin shook his head and reached his hand out to grab her, his hand settling at her side. She knew he wasn't trying to keep her safe nor comfort her, but to steady himself from the interaction they had all just been witness to.

"You shouldn't have done that. It's bad luck." Bilbo was just as quiet as she was and his voice, whilst closer now, was very steady and sad.

"I don't believe in luck. We make our own luck."

His hand realised Druili and she stepped around to say something.

Suddenly, the sound of a splash startled them. They all spun around and stared at their friends, still hanging in the vines. And then, they let their eyes drop to the surface of the water below, where-

"Bombur!" Druili called out as she saw him lay, floating on the surface or the murky, dark waters. He was snoring as if he lay on a soft, feather-bed.