Chapter 8
Escape
Kíli didn't sleep at all even when his uncle and brother begged him to. He was too worried. He couldn't shut his eyes without worrying that he wouldn't see Enda again. He gritted his teeth angrily. He wasn't sure if Enda was alive and that was worse than anything. All he knew was that he couldn't do a thing to help her.
He kept silent, hoping-praying to hear anything from Enda, but he heard nothing. His cheeks were covered with the remains of his now dry tears. His eyes stung but he had no more liquid to cry out. He felt like an emotional wreck, which was shocking to him. He wished that the Goblins had chosen him, he was certain that he could endure his own pain but knowing that Enda suffered killed him on the inside.
Kíli never expected to fall in love. He always thought himself a warrior and not romantic in the slightest but ever since meeting Enda he felt like that she somehow completed him. He felt a hollowness settling over him. He never felt so useless. He only could think of Enda and he prayed to Aulë that she wasn't dead.
He gently rocked himself back and forth on his heels trying to keep himself from fearing the worst. He didn't notice that he was biting the inside of his cheek until he tasted his blood. He felt fear numb him. With his chin propped by his fists he watched the tunnels for any sign of hope that Gandalf or even Bilbo could save them.
"Kíli, you need to rest," Fíli said as he went to his brother's side and wrapped his arm around him, hoping to bring comfort to Kíli.
"I can't…" Kíli whimpered. "I'm afraid for her."
"She's strong, you know that…"
"I can't lose her…" Kíli then looked up to his brother. The sorrow and fear in Kíli's eyes almost brought Fíli to tears. "I can't lose her!"
"Kíli, listen to me, have faith. Enda is a warrior…"
"But that doesn't make her invincible…" Kíli then felt fresh tears in his eyes. He stopped himself from crying but he buried his face in his older brother's shoulder and he weakly held on. His brother softly sang to try and comfort Kíli.
Kíli felt slightly foolish for breaking down. He remembered a warning his uncle once gave him when he was coming of age. Dwarves only fall in love once, Kíli. Don't fall in love when you're young because if they die you will be lonely for the rest of your life.
But can one choose who and when they fall in love? Kíli pondered on that thought for a while.
Suddenly there was a bright light. Kíli heard a Goblin shriek in pain. Then Gandalf appeared in front of the door.
"Everyone, rise!" he ordered. He then unlocked the cells and counted everyone.
"Enda's in the next cell," Kíli said. Fíli and Dwalin went to the table that had all of their weapons on it and gave everyone their weapons and other supplies, although all of their food had been taken. As Gandalf was unlocking Enda's cell Fíli handed Kíli his weapons but held onto Enda's. Kíli stood anxiously.
Kíli quickly went in and gasped in horror as he saw Enda's sprawled on the ground, bloodied and battered. He couldn't make out much detail because of the dimness of the prison. He landed to his knees besides her and put his fingers to her neck. Momentary relief flooded through him when he felt a pulse. He then looked at her.
"Enda?" he asked. "Enda can you hear me?" His hand went to her face and she winced in pain but her eyes remained closed. He pulled his hand back, her skin was feverish and he felt liquid on his hand. Blood. "Oh Mahal…" Kíli felt the tears start to run down his face.
"We need to get out of here," Gandalf said. "Kíli, we will tend to her when we get out. Now come!" Fíli grabbed Enda's coat and jerkin as Kíli picked up Enda. She let out a cry of pain as his hand touched her back.
"Kíli, I'll take her," Thorin said, seeing his nephew's distress at her pain. Kíli couldn't fight against his uncle and he watched as Enda was slung over the older Dwarf's shoulder. Kíli saw the pain in her face. "Lead the way, Gandalf!"
The company then ran from the dungeons, Kíli saw Enda's hair clasp on the ground and he quickly picked it up. They almost escaped from the caves until they ran into the Goblin king on a bridge. He was as shocked as they were but he grabbed his mace.
"Think you can escape me?" He laughed. "What are you going to do now?" Kíli saw Enda's face twist in distress as she heard his voice. Kíli then felt angrier than he had ever felt. That Goblin had caused her pain. Kíli boldly stepped forward with his sword drawn.
"Kíli!" Thorin yelled. Kíli ignored him and quickly stabbed at the Goblin. He struck deep into the Goblin's stomach and when he pulled back to stab again the Goblin swung his mace at Kíli, hitting him in the chest. He felt a sharp crack. The force of the blow sent Kíli back into the group. He stood back up, weakly but Gandalf finished the Goblin king. The Goblin king fell dead and his weight upon the bridge caused it to collapse. Everyone screamed in fear as the bridge fell into the depths, sliding down rock walls.
Then they got to the bottom of the abyss and they all sighed in relief.
"That could have been worse," Bofur said. Then as if on cue the Goblin king's dead body landed on top of them. Kíli gasped in pain, something was broken and it was probably made worse.
"You've got to be joking!" Dwalin said.
"We have to get out into daylight before Goblins come after us," Gandalf said. He then helped them out of the ruined bridge and then led them through a tunnel and outside into blinding daylight. They continued to run until Gandalf was satisfied with the distance.
The adrenaline that carried Kíli wore off and he doubled over wheezing. The pain now made itself known in full. He was certain that he had a broken rib or two but he wouldn't allow anyone to tend to him until Enda was healed. He winced, as he tried to stand back up and get to Enda. He stumbled over to where she was laying on the ground.
"Enda? Please open your eyes!" Kíli begged. In the light of day he could see everything in better detail. Without her long coat he saw how scrawny she was, at least in the Dwarf standards. The left side of Enda's face had a long knife cut, her back was covered in long, bleeding whip marks, and then he noticed how short her hair was. She was still had a fever and she was sweaty and grimy. If he didn't know her, he would have thought that she were a homeless child.
"She's cradling her right arm under her," Óin said. "It's injured somehow. Kíli, lad, see if you can help me…" Kíli nodded.
Enda was stubborn even when she's unconscious. She kept her arm to her chest as if protecting it, or hiding it. It took a few seconds before Óin got a hold on her arm and when he did Enda started to scream.
"No! Please no!" Enda then started to thrash around agitating her back and causing more blood to leak from her back. "Stop, STOP!"
"Hold her still!" Óin ordered. Thorin was there in a second trying to restrain Enda but she continued to fight, still screaming. Her face was scrunched up as she continued to agitate her injuries by fighting the Dwarves.
"Please don't! Make it stop! Stop, just make it stop! Dín! Mum! Pupa, save me! Please!" Enda cried out deliriously. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her face showed that she was in pain and was afraid.
"Uncle, she's frightened!" Thorin immediately loosened his grip and Enda was tiring out and her thrashing slowed down. "Enda… Enda," Kíli said gently. "It's alright, you're safe…"
"Stop…" Enda whimpered. "Please… stop…"
"No one's hurting you… You're safe now." Kíli gently placed his hand on her uninjured side of her face. "Open your eyes… You're safe with us…" Kíli continued to whisper calming words to her until her eyes slowly opened. She looked around panicked even when her eyes met his.
"Kíli?" Enda whimpered. He nodded, relieved to see her eyes again. "He knows… he's going to do terrible things…" Panic rose in her voice again. "He's going to break me…" Kíli's eyes widened in horror, he realized what she meant. "When he comes… he's going to…" Enda looked ready to burst into tears.
"Sh… Enda," Kíli said softly. "He will never hurt you again." A tear slipped out of her eye and Kíli wiped it away with his thumb.
"He will-"
"No Enda, you're safe now. He's dead… He cannot hurt you anymore." Another tear came from Enda. "We're going to heal you… You're going to be alright…" Enda offered a small smile and he returned it.
She still didn't move her arm away so Óin went to tend to her back. When he finished he then went to clean up her face. He tended to the knife cut and smiled encouragingly. "It won't scar terribly." Óin then touched her arm and she winced. "Let me tend to your arm."
Enda blinked a few times trying to contain her tears but she allowed him to move her arm. When she saw the cuts she burst into tears.
Kíli noticed that her arm was purposely cut to scar in a symbol. A long cut stretched from below her elbow and all the way down to her wrist. Two parallel lines intersected the first cut and a crudely carved square that stood on its angle at her wrist. It was a Goblin rune most likely the initial of the king.
The wound itself looked red and angry. Her arm radiated lots of heat. Blood and a yellowy liquid covered the skin.
"So I'll always remember…" Enda sobbed. "I don't want to remember!"
"Sh…" Óin said. "I've got to get the poison out of your arm, alright? It's going to hurt but it needs to be done…"
Enda nodded her head and then shut her eyes. Óin poured water of the wound and it hissed and fizzed from the poison. Óin muttered a curse. Enda bit her lip but it didn't stop her from crying out in pain. Kíli couldn't watch as Óin drew out the poison.
The poison was a liquid that came from fungi that grew only in the Misty Mountains. If treated right it wouldn't cause any permanent damage. But if not the poison would contaminate the blood and kill the person.
Enda fell unconscious shortly after Óin started to pour the water to clean the wound. Kíli looked to Óin with fear in his eyes, but the elderly Dwarf paid him no heed and continued with healing Enda.
"Sometimes one will fall unconscious to make the pain go away," Óin muttered to Kíli.
"It's alright, Kíli…" Thorin said. "Óin knows what he's doing…"
"She's going to be alright," Fíli said as he placed his hand on his brother's trembling shoulders. Kíli leaned over so he could be in his brother's arms. He hissed in pain as his ribs protested.
"Kíli are you alright?" Óin asked once he finished tending to Enda. "You took quite a blow. You're breathing is shakier than it should be. Come, let me see what ails you…"
"Is Enda going to be alright?" Kíli asked, his worry pushed aside all of his pain.
"She should recover…"
"Should?"
"The only thing that concerns me is the poison, it's caused her fever… It was in her longer than it should… But don't worry, I've drawn most of it out. She will have to fight the rest of it… Hence her fever." Óin examined Kíli. Kíli hissed in pain when Óin placed his hand on his bruising chest. "Two broken ribs… It could be a lot worse…" Óin then pulled out some herbs and started to grind them and mix them with water. "Drink this, it'll help with the pain…"
Kíli drank the potion that was offered to him and then continued watching over Enda. He silently prayed that she could fight the poison and be alright. He then felt tired. Suddenly, he was too tired, unnaturally tired. Kíli looked up at Óin with a look of betrayal on his face. He forced himself to fight over the sleepiness but the potion was doing its job.
"Why? I can't-" Kíli then fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Thorin nodded his thanks to Óin. Kíli would only make himself sick if he continued to worry over Enda. Thorin looked at Fíli who rested his brother on the ground. Fíli then looked up and scowled.
"Kíli won't like that you drugged him…"
"It had to be done… He will only get sick and that won't be good at all." Thorin then looked to Enda. "I take it he's fallen in love…" Fíli nodded, a little surprised that his uncle knew and was certain.
"How did you know?"
"I've raised you for most of your lives, I know both of you well. Also it's a bit obvious. Kíli has obviously taken quite a fancy to her. Kíli has always tried to impress me. If he wasn't in love he would have never stood up to me when I got angry at her."
"He didn't like standing up to you… But he had to stand up for her. Everyone has the right to be angry but no one has the right to be cruel."
"I know."
"She took those things to heart… She will not forget what you said. She is looking for approval, much like Kíli and they both want acceptance. I know Enda can seem like she's standing against you but she does because of her pride. She hides a lot behind her smiles… She's been through a lot and her world has been turned upside down." Fíli then smiled at his brother. "He's been able to help her though… She's trusts him… and he trusts her too."
"I never thought Kíli would fall in love this young, he's barely more than a Dwarfling," Thorin said with a sigh. "Neither of you listened to me… You both would marry before you turn one hundred."
"You know, I would marry Bryn the moment I could," Fíli said as he smiled looking to the west, in the direction of the Blue Mountains and he thought of Bryn. He then touched his braided mustache. She had braided his hair before he left. It was generally a mother who gave their child a style of braids when they came of age but Fíli and Kíli lost their mother when they were only babies. So he went without a hairstyle until Bryn became his betrothed. He wondered if Kíli's hair one day would be styled.
Thorin looked at the setting sun thinking about his lost love. He smiled wistfully at his nephews hoping they will never lose the ones they love.
Fíli then heard Enda as she started to thrash about again. He quickly went over to her and carefully placed his hand upon her brow. She was muttering in her sleep. Her forehead was burning with fever. Fíli then looked to Thorin, concern written on his face.
Óin was there in a second. "Lad, she's fighting the poison. Don't worry… If you want to make yourself useful get some water. She's dehydrated and we don't have much water left. Go!" Óin ordered and Fíli ran out into the forest to find a stream.
When he returned he saw that Bilbo was back and Thorin looked a bit embarrassed. Fíli figured that Thorin had been grumbling about the Hobbit leaving them and Bilbo caught him unaware.
Fíli ignored them and went back to Óin and gave him the water he collected. Óin then took a cloth and dipped it in the water and then pressed the cloth to her face.
"She's in pain…" Fíli said as he saw her face scrunched up.
"I will give her a painkiller but you'll need to hold her nose so she has to swallow." Fíli nodded as Óin went to get a painkiller made.
"Kíli?" Enda mumbled. Fíli placed his hand on her forehead.
"Sh… it's alright," Fíli said.
"Enda, I need you to drink this…" Óin said.
"Kíli?" she mumbled urgently.
"It will make you feel better," Fíli said. Óin nodded and Fíli held her nose. Óin quickly placed the potion into her mouth. She struggled as they held her nose and mouth shut. "Swallow it…"
Enda eventually swallowed and then they let her head go. She gagged but she couldn't spit up what she had already swallowed.
"It will start working soon…" Óin said. "She's certainly a fighter."
"She will be alright?" Fíli asked.
"I believe so… She's from the line of Kírak. It will take more than whipping and a small amount of poison in her veins to kill her." Enda's face then completely relaxed as the pain faded away and then seemed to be in a peaceful sleep. "Once the fever breaks she should be good as new. Save for the cuts, but those will heal. We are a hardy race."
Fíli smiled. He then heard his brother stirring. Kíli sat up and rubbed his eyes and started to stretch. Then a look of remembrance came over his face as his ribs protested a bit and he instantly scrambled over to Enda's side.
"Is she alright?" he asked urgently.
"Yes, Óin says that she should be alright once the fever breaks," Fíli said. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine…" Kíli said. He then glared at Óin and Thorin. "Shouldn't have been drugged…"
"Kíli, it was for your own good," Thorin said. "We can't have two sick company members."
Kíli looked like he wanted to argue but he thought better of it. "Has she said anything?"
"Nothing except for muttering your name a few times," Fíli said.
Kíli smiled softly to himself. He wondered once more if she liked him. He felt his hopes lift when he heard that she had been muttering his name above anyone else's. But he also allowed doubt to invade his mind. She had a fever and was delirious. He looked down at her and he noticed that she looked more relaxed. She had been put back into her coat and jerkin to help her maintain heat so she could sweat the fever out.
Kíli didn't think much of her hair being shorter but he knew she would be upset about it. Hair meant a lot in the Dwarven society. Kíli never really cared, because his would never be braided or styled until he was engaged. He did wish that he could grow more of a beard though. He was maturing later than all the other Dwarves around his age. Even Gimli had more of a beard than he did!
Fíli noticed the soft scowl on his brother's face and that he was rubbing his chin.
"Kíli, I don't think you need to be concerned about your beard. It will come in time," Fíli said.
"But it won't come soon enough!" Kíli hated how whiny he sounded.
"At least you have a starting of a beard," Fíli said. "Poor Enda doesn't even have a wisp of beard."
"Well the line of Kírak is not very hairy… Much like the line of Durin I suppose."
Fíli straightened and his mustache twitched as he smirked. "You may speak for yourself and Thorin but I got our father's genes. I will have a full beard one day."
Kíli stuck his tongue out. "Keep telling yourself that."
"Well I don't think you need a beard…" Kíli cocked one of his eyebrows in confusion. "You already have a girl-"
"You're imagining things… I don't think Enda is in love with me."
Fíli shook his head. "She will figure it out…" Fíli then clapped Kíli's shoulder. "Another reason that you don't need a beard is because you are an archer. It would be terrible to have an arrow get stuck in a massive beard! Imagine trying to untangle it!"
Kíli and Fíli then burst out laughing as they pictured it. Kíli then had to stop laughing because of the pain it caused his ribs.
"You two are so loud…" Enda murmured. She then tried to push herself into a sitting position. "Is it night already?" Fíli nodded.
"Take it easy!" Kíli said as he tried to help her.
"I'm fine," Enda said defensively. "I'm not a child, I don't need you worrying about me…" Enda took some of the venom out of her voice. "You shouldn't have rescued me. I was already enough trouble uninjured-"
"Enda don't belittle yourself. You have been a very important member of this quest," Fíli said.
Enda scoffed. "I'm sure that the others would beg to differ."
"No, at least I wouldn't," Thorin said. Enda looked up and saw him nearly smiling at her. "You are neither weak nor worthless. And you are not a burden." Thorin then knelt in front of her. "I was blinded by my prejudices." He paused and Enda saw pride in his eyes as he looked in her own. "You endured torture, you have helped provide for the quest… I never should have lost my temper… I said many things that I regret. You have proved yourself but I chose to ignore it until recently. Forgive me?"
Enda then smiled and nodded slightly. "Of course."
There was an awkward silence as neither of them knew what to do. Enda then threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, just like she would do to her father. Thorin was shocked he had not expected a hug from her, nor for her to accept his apology so readily. He awkwardly patted her shoulder, careful to avoid bringing her pain.
"Are we on good terms?" Thorin asked when Enda sat back by Kíli.
"Yes!" Enda nodded and grinned but winced.
"Are you alright?" Thorin asked.
"My cheek hurts when I smile."
"Óin!" Thorin called out. "Enda's awake."
"Good, is the fever gone?" Óin asked as he walked back to them. He then pressed his hand to Enda's forehead. "Not completely but close." Óin smiled. "Do you think you could eat something?"
Enda shook her head. "I'm not hungry…"
"I know but you haven't had anything since before the encounter with the stone giants." Óin then handed her a piece of bread.
"I'll try…" Enda then started nibbling at the bread.
Then a howl pieced the relative calmness at the camp. All the Dwarves were instantly alert.
"Out of the frying pan…" Thorin started.
"…And into the fire. Run! RUN!" Gandalf ordered.
Special thanks to CarstenBerg, mingthemusical, and the anonymous guest who reviewed on my last chapter! I love you guys!
Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up but I have been revising it to make it better and I've been really busy.
Please review and I will try my hardest to post more often. Thank you for reading!
~ Maethorni
