I do not own anything except for my OC and the plot.
Breakfast had been a cheerful moment and what remnants of nightmare still lingered in my mind quickly disappeared.
After coming in the room I had been warmly welcomed by the smiling faces of Bofur, and surprisingly Bombur and Bifur. Dori quickly came to hover around me but I reassured him with a smile.
The nightmare had shaken me but I was truly fine that morning. I thanked both him and Ori with a short hug, which resulted in Ori's face to become bright red and Bofur to have a laugh fit at the sight. Sometimes I truly wondered when, if ever, that dwarf didn't laugh.
After greeting Bofur, Bifur and Bombur, I winked at Nori and remembering his words about my previous attire, I just couldn't resist adding.
"Fancy seeing you here.' I told Bofur 'I have always liked to have friends visiting without notice; you should come more often, in my world we're so welcoming to everyone…"
Nori choked on whatever it was, he had been drinking and Dori sent me a questioning glance, as did the others. I pulled on my best innocent face and sat next to Ori while Bofur was mocking Nori's apparent inability to drink properly. Bombur laughed heartily and seeing his joyous round face made me incredibly joyous too.
"You know, where I come from, older people sometimes need help to drink and eat. Maybe I should change my profession, you're all so old, you're bound to need me." I told in Bofur's direction.
His reaction didn't disappoint me for he laughed heartily while Nori sent me a glare, which disappeared quickly as he playfully winked at me. I smiled at him. I was happy I had guessed right; Nori enjoyed teasing.
The breakfast soon transformed into a weird food fight after Bofur sent a playful jab at Nori who answered by throwing a piece of cake right on Bofur's nose. I thought Dori would say something, but he simply kept on eating while Bofur, Bombur and Nori fought. Ori tried to join in the battle but Dori immediately ordered him to 'sit down and eat'.
Had I truly once believed that cleaning after these men wouldn't be too difficult?
I looked at a piece of honeyed bread that was stuck on the ceiling with wide eyes. How would I reach it?
After they calmed down, they heartily devoured what was left of food. I was once again impressed by the sheer quantity of food these men were able to eat in a short time span.
Dwarves truly never ceased to amaze me.
And let's just say that their table manners didn't amaze me in a good way.
I chose not to despair on that piece of bread stuck on the ceiling; it would come down at some point, right? Concentrating on more pressing matters, I chose to ask Dori whether it would be alright for me to go meet with Oin that morning. I really didn't want to spend a whole day alone here and I was genuinely curious about what medical knowledge they had in this place. From what I could gather it relied mostly on medicinal plants, thus indicating it might be a rather primitive kind of knowledge. Still, I had to admit that their ointments had been efficient on my wounds and bruises.
"Well, before I show you the way there, we'll need to stop by Balin's' Dori answered before adding 'We need to finalize our accord after all."
He didn't need to say more for I clearly remembered the King's words.
I was to receive my first dwarvish braid.
In all honesty I was curious about that too. They made it sound as if it was a major event so I was wondering whether there'd be some special decorum. Truly that would be awkward. Having two older men, or dwarves, braiding my hair already sounded strange enough and I really hoped it wouldn't entail speeches or any weird traditions.
The very thought of them braiding my hair brought pictures of girly pyjamas-parties and I had to shake my head to free it of such ideas. It wouldn't do to burst in laughter when they'd braid my hair.
I gingerly followed after Dori in a maze of corridors until we stopped at a small wooden door that was slightly decorated with carvings. Dori was the one to knock and we didn't have to wait long before Balin, with his prettily kept white beard and his warm smile, opened the door.
"Oh, here you are!' he said as a welcome before gesturing us in.
-Aye. Did you manage to find some?
-Yes, yes. There were quite a lot of them so it wasn't too difficult.
-Did they found a vein?' Dori sounded hopeful
-Sadly not. Just a few crystals, but enough to make beads and even a few items we'll sell at the market."
I really tried to follow their discussion, but I seriously didn't understand what it was they were talking about. I discreetly looked around to find a room really similar to the three brothers' living room. I was slightly curious about the general lack of decoration and hoped I'll remember to ask Ori about it.
From what I had seen the halls were beautifully decorated, but the inside of the corridors were quite bare, as were Dori's house and now Balin's. The corridors actually looked raw sometimes, as if the natural tunnels had been left in their natural states. Yet that didn't mean the rooms weren't comfortable, as I had previously noted, the abundance of cushions and plush carpets made it especially cosy.
Here too there was a large hearth though no fire burnt at the time and there were various chairs and wooden equipments such as cabinets and wardrobes.
I absentmindedly followed Balin and Dori to the kitchen but as they went through a back door, still talking, I stopped dead in my track. I found myself in front of a very intimidating bald man that was staring at me in a very intense and scary way.
Being here, he was quite obviously a dwarf, but he was taller than those I had met, except maybe for the King. I looked at his numerous tattoos and well kept moustache as he sat at the table and ate his breakfast.
When he glanced at me I swear I felt myself shrunk on the spot. This dwarf seemed to be as stern as the King had been and I felt like a lost child. It was quite impressive to observe that by their mere presence some of the dwarves made me feel decades younger. I didn't appreciate the feeling.
His eyes narrowed at me before he said in a grave voice, adding a nod at the end.
"Dwalin, at your service.
-Amelia, at…yours." I answered like an automat.
He grunted and went back to his food without much ceremony and we kept silent.
I kept glancing at him and soon realized he was observing me too while eating a huge amount of food. Did this dwarf ever smile? It didn't feel like he would. I was starting to feel fidgety but was trying hard not to move at all.
I was grateful when Dori and Balin remembered my presence and came back toward me. I had felt very foolish standing up like this while Dwalin ate but I couldn't muster enough courage to talk to him.
"Here my dear, come and sit.' Balin told me while taking me by the elbow and guiding me to the bench in front of Dwalin.
-Hem, shall I do something special?' I asked Dori to try and avoid Dwalin's watchful gaze
-No, you really have nothing to do." The dwarf simply answered.
I wanted him to elaborate but he quite evidently didn't catch on that. To my surprise, Dwalin's voice resonated in the room while Balin and Dori were muttering about one thing or another together.
"They're discussing about what braid to give you." He said gruffly.
I glanced at him and felt finally brave enough to ask.
"So what's going to happen?
-They didn't explain?' Came his abrupt answer while he drank from a large tankard
-Nope."
I received another grunt from the bald dwarf. He let his tankard clack loudly on the table and looked at me silently for a second. Inside I was imagining myself running away screaming loudly. I stayed immobile and silent though, meeting his eyes without a single blink. I was quite proud of my newfound acting skills.
"They're just going to take a few strands of hair from behind your ear and braid it. They'll use three beads; two made of amethyst to represent your two guardians, and a smaller one made of blue stone to represent your welcomed status within Thorin's Halls."
I nodded, suddenly forgetting about Dwalin being scary when my natural curiosity became stronger than my uneasiness.
"Is there a particular reason for the amethyst? I guess the blue stone is used because it's the colour of the mountain's rock. But what about the amethyst?
-Amethyst is the stone we use to express protection.
-Protection?' I didn't really understand what he meant.
-Aye. By braiding it into your hair, Balin and Dori put you under their direct protection and accept their status as guardians."
I nodded but didn't have the time to ask more question as Balin and Dori finally came back. At the same time Dwalin stood up and left without a word. I really couldn't tell what he thought of me, I couldn't even be sure he actually thought anything of me. For all I knew I might simply be too insignificant for him to care, but I had a hunch it wasn't the case. He did take some time to explain a few things to me after all.
"So, you don't need to do anything. Just sit and wait, it won't take long." Balin said while selecting and dividing some of my hair from behind my left ear into three equal strands.
He braided them a little before threading a small amethyst bead onto the middle strand. He then stood up, letting Dori take his place and continue with the braiding. Once more, after a few centimetres, Dori threaded the bead onto the middle strand. Then he finished to braid my hair and attached the end of it with a thin leather string on which a blue stone had been stringed.
"Luckily I have long hair." I said with a smile.
I couldn't resist touching my new hairdo. The blue and purple of the stone and amethyst were quite beautiful on my brownish hair, or at least I liked how it looked. My long hair was light brown overall, but with darker and lighter streaks here and there which gave a weird rather undefined colour for it changed and varied depending of the sun and light between really dark blonde and brown.
I always had envied people with jet black hairs. There wasn't any real reason and my aunt used to say that no woman was ever entirely happy about her hair. But that day, for the first time in awhile, maybe ever, I really found my hair to be pretty with the three stones threaded in it.
I simply felt happy.
I offered both Dori and Balin an enormous and cheerful smile and they kindly smiled back.
"Thank you, both of you." I said, earning a simple 'Don't mention it' from Balin and 'Stop thanking me all the time' from Dori which made me chuckle.
"Shall I show you to the healing ward?" Dori asked me then and I nodded energetically for I was quite eager and impatient to go there.
One hour or so later I was standing in front of Oin, waiting for him to state what an apprenticeship actually entailed here.
The old looking dwarf seemed quite nice but appeared to be almost completely deaf. That could become slightly annoying I mused as I had to repeat for the fourth time that I would like to train here. Not to paint, not feeling faint, and no it didn't rain. I wanted to train. I didn't even understand how he could mishear me quite so badly. The weirdest part being that, when he finally heard, he simply stated that he already knew that.
I had the feeling being his apprentice would be both exhausting and fun.
Soon though, Oin showed me around the ward. He pointed at the tools and where they were placed and explained once more that all the water I'll found in copper vases would have already been boiled. We moved between three different rooms, two of which had beds aligned along one wall. He then showed me the cabinets containing already made balm, ointments and medicines before guiding me toward a last room in the back where I found impressive quantities of varied unprepared plants.
I realized before long that a large part of what I had learnt already wouldn't be useful here, at all. What was the point in knowing about molecules, ECGs, and so many other things that were directly linked with technology? Here there was no possibility to do a simple blood analysis, no way to perform X-rays. They didn't even have aspirin.
Yet I couldn't find it in me to be truly disappointed or annoyed. If anything it felt incredibly thrilling to have so many new things to learn. I'll have to relearn all the gestures to do to check on someone's health, how illnesses were treated, everything. Somehow with the prospect of having to relearn everything from scratch, my early passion was renewed and I felt impossibly motivated.
In my mind, I had the impression I had been offered a real second chance. Here I could start my life anew. Really and completely.
My enthusiasm obviously pleased Oin but he calmed me wisely, saying I should first learn to recognize the plants and their aspects, both normal and dried. The program was quite simple and logical really, I would have to first be taught to recognize the plants, and then associate each plant with its effects. After awhile I would move on to the preparation of balm and ointments.
All the while, Oin said, I would assist him with the few patients we'd have.
I quickly found out that dwarves were hardly sick and had impressive healing capacities. It explained why so few dwarves would choose to learn about healing; they simply didn't need it. Yet we had patients every day; even though they were rarely ill, dwarves were short tempered and had a hard life. We treated mostly bruises, cuts and other similar injuries, resulting from fights, training or work.
At the same time I found out that Oin was actually one of the only two dwarves in the Halls who had an extensive knowledge of plants and healing process. All of them apparently knew the basics, just like everyone back home knew what to take for curing a simple headache. So there was only one other dwarf who had a real understanding of the more complicated healing processes. And now here I was.
From that first day onwards I spent all my days at the healing ward with Oin.
I would wake up early in the morning, usually thanks to Dori or Ori who would come and knock at my door. Then I would have breakfast with whichever of the brothers was there at the time and then I'd walk to the ward and spend almost my whole day there, having lunch with Oin, and sometimes Danà who'd come to visit me.
The second healer hadn't come in at all since I had been there and Oin had simply vaguely told me she only came when she was needed and that she usually worked elsewhere. It did make sense, most of the time Oin didn't have many patients so we had a lot of time to simply concentrate on my training.
From time to time I'll remember my discussion with the three brothers about weapon training. Seeing all those black and blue dwarves wasn't really motivating and to be honest I didn't need to learn how to fight when all I did was staying in the Halls. Besides, my days were busy and the little free time I had, I didn't want to spend it receiving bruises.
In the late afternoon I'd usually go back to the brothers' house, often stopping at the market first to buy food; that is meat in huge quantities. I often was the first back home and once there I would honour my part of the contract and clean the house and start preparing diner. And that brought quite a lot of troubles to the dwarves.
One afternoon, I remember particularly well, I had been happy to find some black pudding in between two pieces of hams. I couldn't resist buying it, I wanted to try and reproduce my aunt's recipe. Going to the vegetables stands I was greeted warmly by the dwarf lady who had gotten used to see me around.
That evening, Bofur and Bombur came by and I was glad I had prepared enough of my dish to feed an entire regiment…or five dwarves and a tiny human. They were all waiting as noiselessly as dwarves could be and I served my dish proudly.
"Black pudding! It's been awhile since we had some!' Ori happily exclaimed before paling slightly and taking a closer look at his plate.
-What's…this?" Bofur asked, glancing at Dori and Nori.
Dori and Nori exchanged a look that clearly said "she did it again…" Seeing as the dwarves were suddenly silent I looked at them, once more slightly disappointed in their lack of enthusiasm in regards of my cooking.
"It's just black pudding and apple.' I sighed while sitting next to Nori.
-Apples?' Bombur at least seemed curious.
-Why…why would you do that?" Ori stammered forlornly.
I looked at Nori who seemed to see how disappointed I was. In reaction he quickly tasted my dish and said quickly.
"It's delicious…really nice. Awesome cooking Amelia. Wonderful, really."
I smiled at him. Nori always seemed ready to be nice and sweet with me. I wouldn't lie, I was grateful, even though I knew it was all lies.
Quickly Dori, and Bofur followed suit and complimented my dish, though they clearly didn't appreciate it nearly as much as what they said. Bombur was the only one who really seemed to enjoy it actually and it apparently scared his brother.
"Ori, try it. It's good. It's different, but good.
-It's apple…with black pudding…"
I sighed. Obviously, for Ori's sake, I'll have to try and tune down my habit to mix tastes and to cook vegetables and fruits.
Nori discreetly patted my shoulder and I turned to face him. His face showed he felt sorry and concerned at my reaction. I smiled at him, letting him know I wouldn't let such a thing bring me down for long.
After that event I did try to avoid cooking as much vegetables, but I just couldn't forgo them completely. In the end, we all made compromises and more often than once, I prepared vegetables for me and exclusively meat for them. I was extremely pleased though, each time Nori would insist to try my veggie dishes. It was obviously costing him, and each time I would thank him with warm smiles. When I said he was nice, I didn't lie.
Even Dori tried to eat some vegetables from time to time.
All in all my days were full and I came to really appreciate the time in the evenings, when we'll just sit in the living room. Nori and Dori would light their pipes and smoke, while Ori and I would discuss about one topic or another. More often than not other dwarves came to visit us, especially Bofur, Bifur and Bombur and the evenings were always spent in laughter with them.
Bofur, I discovered, was a great musician, as were almost all of them really. Their merry songs would lull me to peaceful slumbers as I'd witness them dancing and laughing around the living room, that is, when I didn't join in the merriment.
The only thing I would have done gladly without were the nightmares that still plagued me. Even though they had slowly started to ease away, I couldn't count the number of times I had awoken in Nori's or Dori's arms. Yet it didn't bring my mood down.
Each time I would awaken because of my fears, the three brothers would sooth me and Nori would spend hours with me, listening to my blabber about what was once my home. Sometimes, we wouldn't even speak and he'd just hold me close to him. Little by little, I realized some time later, those talks helped me to accept the loss of my previous family.
I can honestly say that the three brothers helped me in more ways than one. Their simple presence was a rock I could hold onto.
"Nori?" I asked once when we were alone together after one of my nightmares had occurred.
He hummed, simply to let me know he was listening, and I felt his chest rumble against my shoulder and back.
"Thank you…for being there."
He remained silent but I felt his arms tightened slightly around my waist. He hummed once more and we didn't exchange anymore words that night. He silently let his head rest on top of mine. My cheek was resting against his shoulder, my nose buried in his beard that had such a comforting smell for me. It had become a familiar mix of tobacco and leather with something else I couldn't identify but that altogether made Nori's scent.
We never spoke of those moments. It was as if what occurred in the darkness of the night was ours only. Or at least I liked to think so.
Soon a whole month had passed without me realizing it.
In that time I had adapted fairly well and was now looking as much like a dwarf as I could. Considering I had no beard and had slightly thiner bones it was quite a feat to manage that level of similitude already. I was now wearing dwarvish dresses that were warm and fitting; Danà had told me dwarves women were used to those form fitting clothes.
"You should be proud of the forms Mahal gave you" she had emphasized making me blush.
The seamstresses had delivered the breeches and long tunics I had asked for and even Dori had to admit it was entirely appropriate, if unusual, to wear them. He did ask me to wait a bit before wearing them in the halls though. I quickly got to love them, they were comfortable, warm, and form fitting but the long tunic would hide what the dwarves would deem inappropriate to see.
Yet, I wore mostly the dresses, I didn't want to stand out too much, especially now that I was officially Oin's apprentice and I respected Dori's opinion.
So here I was. A month after my arrival in the Halls, wearing a nice blue dress and white apron I always wore in the wards.
"So, which one is it?' Oin was holding a bunch of dried flowers in front of me.
-Hem…fewfever?
-It's Feverfew and no, this isn't it.
-Equin…something…a ?"
Oin sighed deeply, clearing wondering why I just couldn't get it. Still those were dried plants. Dried, as in all brown coloured and shrivelled to an unrecognizable size. I could see Oin was slightly disappointed when he shook his head desperately.
"Think before you talk. You should know about that. There's something clearly lacking on this plant that makes it impossible to be feverfew or Echinacea.
-Ah…Echinacea that's what I… Right. Concentrate. Focus."
I'm ashamed to admit it did take me quite some time before blurting out.
"There's no flower! There's no flower!
-Good. But that doesn't tell you what plant it is and how to use it."
Killjoy.
"Maybe,' I hesitated, 'maybe I could try and write down what you teach me? It'd be easier to remember like that.
-You know how to write?' he seemed genuinely surprised.
-Of course." I scoffed.
And starting that day I meticulously started to write down in a little notebook all the information Oin gave me. I even asked him if I could sew in the thick parchment some pieces of the dried plants, to help me recognize them.
The master healer was happy to see me so serious about my studies, that much was obvious.
Ori was extremely pleased when I first asked him to give me one of his blank notebooks and I remember clearly how Dori and Nori had exchanged a worried glance.
"Amelia, do you plan on writing everything on this book?' Dori asked sweetly.
-Well, yes. I'm used to write things down to help remember them. It's too hard just trying to recall discussions.
-You'll need quills and we'll have to buy more ink too.' Ori seemed enthusiast. 'I'm sure you'll need more notebooks too.
-Yes, probably." I smiled at him.
I was with Ori while he was writing down a list of items we'll need when I heard Nori mutter in a slightly scared and resigned way.
"We got two of them now."
It took me around another month to be able to recognize with undeniable certitude all the dried plants we had in our usual stocks. All things considered, we didn't have that many in the stock and I hadn't really memorized or seen the other medicinal plants that could be used. To say I was surprised about the sheer diversity of useful plants would put it mildly. Of course I had known that some plants had medicinal properties and that they were used centuries ago in my own world. But still there's a difference between knowing about it and witnessing it. Besides there was no course in med school, that covered how to recognize dried sage from goatweed.
The notebooks had been immensely useful and I now had several of them, full of information and dried plants. I would often reread them and Ori would from time to time ask me questions about the plants, helping me greatly to memorize all that knowledge.
That particular morning had been spent with me finally learning how to prepare my very first ointment. Well I had been observing and assisting Oin mostly. I was quite proud of my achievements so far and Oin was even prouder, saying I was the quickest apprentice he'd seen. I'm sure he was saying it only to be nice and when I had told so to Dori, Nori and Ori they had simply told me that to become a healer, it usually took twenty years of apprenticeship.
Twenty years. Right.
Not going to happen.
The simple thought of spending twenty years without approaching a patient and simply grabbing tools for Oin was not really in accordance with my personal projects.
Still, Oin affirmed I was quick in my learning, even though the first stage had taken me quite some time to achieve and we still had many things to cover. I would admit we had actually barely scratched the surface of what I should learn about plants.
That day though, Oin had been happy to see I had no problem measuring proportions and I was quick in catching how to do an ointment. What should I say, between home cooking, chemistry and such stuff, it really didn't seem that complicated to measure quantities of plants and mix them together. Seeing my progress were faster than he had expected, Oin had told me I could go home earlier that afternoon, besides there wasn't much to do in the ward.
I was about to leave when the most awkward and strange thing happened. It started with a low, deep and faraway rumble that seemed to echo in the corridors and Halls. Then there was a sort of tremor that ran in the stone. I felt it in my very bones and could hear some of our copper tools clinking against each other slightly.
It was the first time I experienced such a thing and I turned toward Oin questioningly.
I felt dread start to pool in my stomach when I saw the expression on his face.
For the first time since I had known him, Oin was very pale, as if all blood had left his face, and I could see fear in his eyes. Before I could even react he jumped toward me, grabbed my arm, and yanked me toward the far wall, the one that was against the mountain side.
"Oin what is it?" I asked, scared by his behaviour.
He didn't answer and seemed to wait for something. At that time only, I realized there was an eerie, unnatural silence in the whole Halls. For the first time ever I couldn't hear the booming voices echoing from who knows where, there wasn't any faraway clanking sound or any sound really.
Just complete silence.
And then I heard the chaos.
Yells and shouts echoed and came to my ears, distorted by their journeys through the corridors.
"What is it? What happened?' I asked once more.
-A part of the halls, probably in the mine, just collapsed." Oin answered before rushing around in the ward.
I remained unmoving for maybe ten seconds before rushing alongside him, preparing bowls of water and clean linens and threads for bandages and sewing the wounds. I didn't even think about questioning his certitudes about the collapsing of a part of the mines.
"What shall I prepare?' I asked and thank god he heard me clearly.
-We'll need honey. Start preparing infusions of yarrow too. It'll help slow the bleeding. I'll prepare the salves and ointments we'll need.
-I come from the kitchen, they'll bring the pots of honey they have immediately."
This new voice startled me and I took a second to glance at the person who had just entered the ward. I guessed it was the second healer who came only when needed. From the fine black beard with just a few streak of grey and the curves in the body that were prettily enhanced with a grey dress, I guessed she was a woman.
I know…I could mostly guess correctly thanks to the dress.
I didn't take much time to ponder on this though as I was busy preparing herbs for infusion.
"Oin, should I add Echinacea or lavender or something?"
The woman answered me instead of the dwarf who was currently busy with his hands full of pots and jars of all sizes.
"Use the Echinacea but add chamomile instead of lavender. The soothing effect would be more important.
-Alright, hem…"
In my rush I suddenly wasn't sure which plant was Echinacea. I should have been able to recognize it though because Oin had particularly insisted on me knowing this one on sight. Behind me the woman was observing me with keen eyes, I could feel her stares burning a hole in the back of my head. I took a deep breath to calm my anxiety and finally be able to focus.
Thank god it worked.
My mind was clearer and I had no trouble grasping the proper amount of Echinacea that would once ingested help the patient to strengthen his immune system. I went to prepare the infusions and only saw her nod approvingly from the corner of my eyes. Apparently I had just passed some test I hadn't known was occurring.
I was still preparing the infusions when the first echoes of rushed steps came to my ears. Soon enough four dwarves came in holding a stretcher. A bloodied body lay on it, unmoving and silent. They managed to quickly put the dwarf on one of the beds and went back running. They had left the room for a second when a second group came in, then a third, a fourth.
In less than fifteen minutes, we ended up with a dozen of patients, all hurt to various degrees. To allow Oin and the woman time to concentrate on the most serious cases, I had instinctively started a triage of sort at the entrance as soon as the fourth injured dwarf had come in.
Then I quickly took care of those who had minor scratches and cuts. The dwarves coming with the stretcher had apparently quickly caught on what I had asked them for they continued to dispatch the wounded according to their apparent injury's status.
After a while some women came in and Oin ordered me to let them take care of the bandages, asking me to instead sew the wounds and help with the gravely injured.
Time flew without me noticing. My thoughts were entirely focused on the wounds I cleaned, disinfected and sew back before applying honey ointment and bandages on them. I had no memories of ever having to face such an intense situation before.
At some point though I ended up with no dwarf to help and I felt slightly lost. Looking around I could see Oin shaking his head in front of one unconscious dwarf and I automatically went to join him.
"What is it?
-He's bleeding inside I think' He said pointing at the rapidly darkening skin on the dwarf's stomach 'There's nothing I can do for him."
I looked at Oin, stunned. Did he mean he wouldn't do anything?
"Oin, we can open and see if it's possible to shut the wound. It might not be enough but…
-Opening him? How would that be useful?' The healer sounded almost horrified.
-Please, let me try. I know it could work. I'll just need a clean, sharp blade and lots of linen to absorb the blood, threads and the smallest needles we have. I'll need something to keep his abdomen open too.
-Are you…are you certain it could help him?' He clearly was doubtful.
-It's often done in my world." I simply answered.
Oin seemed to hesitate but seeing as this dwarf was the last one requiring immediate treatment and as there was nothing Oin thought he could do, he allowed me to try my 'barbaric method'. As a healer he really couldn't refuse to do everything that could possibly be tried.
"He has to remain unconscious and completely still.' I told Oin who nodded.
-I still have some poppy juice left." Oin simply said before rushing to grab a very small vial.
He had told me already that poppy juice was extremely sparse and had to be bought from southern states. We didn't have much and to think he'd give some to a patient he thought would die, just showed me how much confidence he had in me. It made me nervous.
I looked at him forcing some of the juice in the dwarf's mouth.
My anxiety suddenly rose.
Soon I found myself with a blade in shaky hands. That wouldn't do. I needed to be focused and precise in all my movements. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I tried to replay in my mind diagrams, schemas, pictures and video samples I had studied about internal wounds' treatments. They were all blurry in my memories. Fear, uncertainty, anxiety were rushing through me and I had to shut them down. This dwarf needed all my attention, he needed me to be strong and focused.
The diagrams and other schemas steadily became neat. Slowly the various procedures and their steps unrolled themselves in my mind.
I could do it.
When I opened my eyes next, sounds around faded into nothingness and my hands were steady again, my grip on the blade firm and I knew my every move would be precise. Narrowing my eyes I started to literally butcher the poor unknowing dwarf.
I have no idea how much time passed or how many dwarves came and went around me. I think I remember barking for more light at some point as well as more linen bandages. I had found the bleeding originated from his liver and had sewn as best as I could the wound in his organ.
The weird object Oin had given me to keep the wound I had made open was quickly removed and I stitched the unconscious dwarf back. Once it was all done I used the last drops of adrenaline in my blood to tell Oin he needed to be given something to help replenish blood and help his blood coagulate properly.
I stood idly silent next to the bed. My hands and forearms were red from blood, as was my chest. I probably looked like a mad butcher at this moment. The injured dwarf though was still breathing and I had hopes my little stunt would work. After all dwarves were a tough lot.
I managed to stand for a few minutes, unable to move, with my arms falling limply at my sides. And then I suddenly realized what I had just done. For the first time in my life I had operated someone, unsupervised and without any proper monitoring of the patient's conditions. I even did it in an unsterilized environment with doubtfully clean tools.
Oh dear lord.
I was most certainly the most foolish and stupidly stubborn person ever. My mind was whirling with lists of complications that could happen and I cursed myself for taking such risks with someone's life.
I wasn't authorized to perform such things in my world. What folly had made me believe I could do it here?
Black spots started to cloud my vision as I hyperventilated. I turned around to look at the mess in the wards. Injured dwarves were still lying on the floor because we didn't have enough beds; there were bloodied bandages, pieces of rocks, woods and other materials we had removed from the wounds. Overall it was chaos around me and it wasn't the moment to feel faint.
The woman healer came to me in quick strides and guided me toward the only empty corner in the room. Forcing me to sit down she then brought some clean water and linen to help me wash the blood from my arms and hands.
"Did some of them die?' I had no idea why I asked that question, my stupidity knew no limits.
She looked me in the eyes, she had clear, icy blue eyes that reminded me of someone else but that I couldn't quite place.
"Yes. We lost three good dwarves when the ceiling of one of the minor mining tunnels collapsed. We couldn't retrieve them. In the wards, we lost two."
Five. Five men had died in the last hours. That reminded me of my inaptitude at keeping tabs of the time.
"How long…I mean what time is it now? It was just the afternoon when…
-It's well past midnight. Dawn will be upon us soon enough."
My eyes widened at that. I couldn't believe I'd spent so much time in here. I looked up and counted the bodies I could see. The woman seemed to guess what I was doing and answered my unasked question.
"There are eight of them in the wards. Seven more are lying in the second room nearby where we put some makeshift beds. Ten were sent back to their homes with minor injuries."
I did the math quickly. Twenty-five people had been injured, five had died. That wasn't such a good result in my book. I wished we could have done more.
"There was nothing else to do and yes, you're as easy to read as a book right now so don't quirk that eyebrow at me. We did well today. Mines accidents happen, it's sadly a part of dwarves' lives."
I nodded, still saddened and wondering if I could have done something more, something different. Thank god I hadn't witnessed any death myself. My gaze fell on the dwarf I had operated and an awful voice whispered in my head. I hadn't witnessed it…yet.
Hands cleaner I rubbed my forehead, exhaling an exhausted sigh. There was still a lot to do. First it was of utmost importance to clean the ward. Then we had to monitor the wounded and the absence of monitoring tools put an impressive damper on my already forlorn mood.
"We'll have to keep close attention to the wounded but for now there's nothing you can do without some sleep. Go back home."
The woman said before I shook my head no.
"I'll help clean the ward, and then I'll go take some sleep. We could as well put a makeshift bed for one of us around. It'd be better to be close in case of emergency."
She seemed to seriously ponder my ideas, which I was grateful for. She then gave a strict nod before telling me.
"We don't need your help, I asked a few dwarves to come and clean the room. Don't worry about it and just go back home to have a full sleep.' I went to protest but she stopped me and continued 'After you come back in six or seven hours minimum, we'll think some more about your other idea and we'll see with Oin whether we put it into practice or not."
I sighed. Honestly I was really exhausted and the prospect of falling asleep right here and there was already really tempting. I couldn't say no to my own comfy bed that was waiting for me welcomingly.
I stoop up, helped by the woman's strong hands and as I was leaving she gave me a light tap in the back.
"You did well."
I took a few steps before turning at the door to face her again.
"I don't even know your name.' I said simply.
-I'm Dís.
-Amelia.' I simply added.
-I know."
I nodded and left. Our greetings had been different than any I had had with dwarves before, clearly direct and to the point and without any added politeness. Well we just had spent hours close to each others with others' blood flowing between our fingers.
Who cared about decorum and politeness after that?
A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews! It helped me a lot and cheered me when I most needed it earlier this week :) Thanks too to all the new followers and favorites!
So this chapter is kinda huge and I hope you enjoyed it.
I know that the last part with the operation might appear entirely too far-fetched but I honestly believe it's still possible and not too unrealistic. If you disagree, please let me know though.
Thanks again for everyone's support! It's really appreciated :)
I'll update the next chapter sometime tomorrow.
