As predicted all whom had come ill had recovered within a few days time. No one of the people of Erebor or Dale had succumbed to the illness. Both cities were in jubilation of the events. King Thror had thanked the elves for their quick and marvelous aid. He even went as far as the pay them for their deeds. But the were requested to depart once the ill were fully mended. In the stabled, Lady Alyna and her daughter prepared for their departure. However, Datray accompanied them this time, as the previous ten years and brink of death had been more than enough time separated from his family. They prepared for their return journey in the stables, where Balin located them in a stricken panic.
"Lady Alyna, Lady Validhreniel!" he called, rushing toward their horses.
Vali stepped from her horses side and met Balin. "Balin, what's wrong?"
"Tis Prince Thorin, milady." Balin answered. "He is a very bad way. You must come, the both of you, quickly."
At Balin's request and hasty exit, Vali and Alyna followed Balin from the stables to the prince's chambers. Thorin lay in his bed, blankets drawn to his barren chest. Thrain knelt by his sons side and only lofted his head upon their arrival. Alyna and Vali quickly approached Thorin's side. Sweat blanketed his entire body, running down his face and neck. His dark hair clung to his forehead, doused in sweat.
"How long has he suffered like this?" Alyna inquired.
"Two days." Balin answered. "He did not leave his chambers from the fever. Today he could not leave the bed."
"Thorin, can you hear me?" Vali gently placed the back of her hand to Thorin's head, but he remained unconscious. "He is deathly feverish."
"Is it possible he had contracted the same illness that was treated?" Thrain asked.
"Possible, but he would have shown the signs much sooner, my lord." Alyna answered. "This is different, dated back to the day we arrived."
"And the day they departed for Mirkwood." Balin said.
Alyna turned to Validhreniel. "Vali?"
Vali was silent as she stared at Thorin. She heard every word as to what was happening. Nothing was making sense to Thorin's sudden diminishing condition. "Two days worth of a fever. Labored breath, intense sweating, unresponsive...no evidence of its poison."
"What poison?" Balin asked.
"Liante." Vali answered.
Alyna's eyes grew wide.
"What are they?" Thrain asked.
"You said nothing about them." Alyna stated.
"We stumbled upon a stragglers lair." Vali replied. "The spider was upon us instantly, but it was never given a chance to poison either of us. What ales Thorin is something different from the plague of spider venom. It's almost as if..." Her words came to an end as she searched her memories. She recalled her last known encounter with Thorin...and Balin. Back in the hall after their return. "It began after our return. The fever was just setting on when i confronted him two nights ago."
Balin nodded. "I recall that, milady."
"When he parted with you, did was there nothing else that caught your attention?" Alyna inquired.
"Aye there was." Balin replied. "Thorin walked with a limp. It was only slight, but it was enough to catch my eyes."
"Which leg?" Vali asked.
"Left."
Alyna drew up the blankets from the foot of the bed. She quickly pushed the fabric of Thorin's trousers to his knee. From the base of his knee down to the ankle, the skin was red and terribly inflamed. A large, jagged scar adored his flesh, horribly infected. The wound itself was a dark red color, hinting toward green near the edges. Alyna lightly prodded the wound. It was hot and tender, as Thorin groaned from the action but did not rouse.
"Good heavens." Alyna gasped.
"How could he walk on such a wound?" Balin asked.
Vali shook her head with anger. "That stubborn half-witted utinu en lokirim."
"Vali, that won't help." Alyna scolded. "Where's the journal?"
"In my pack in the stables." Vali answered.
"I'll go an retrieve it, can you manage on your own?" Alyna inquired.
Vali nodded. "Yes."
"Datray, come with me." Alyna suggested as she headed toward the door. "We'll need some herbs and ointments from the healers chambers."
Alyna and Datray quickly left the chambers.
"How could his wound grow so grave so fast?" Bain asked.
"A spiders lair holds more than the toxin of a spider. The decaying remains of previous victims, floral fungi, anything imaginable grow in the lair. A single scratch can unleash the horde upon the victim. Two days was more than enough time due to the severity of the wound...and the Princes stubbornness."
"What are his chances?" Thrain inquired, ending his silence.
Balin and Vali turned toward the lord.
Vali walked around the bed and knelt beside the royal. "I will not lie, my lord, you're son is gravely wounded. We have treated wounds like these before. Some lose their legs or arms. Others are not as lucky to survive at all. But I swear to you, we will do all that is in our power to help him. At your word, sire."
The old dwarf looked long and hard at the half-elf. He had seen the miracle her mother and herself had procured. Now with his son's life hanging in the balance, there was nothing more for him to do than pray they could work the same miracle upon his son. "By your lead, milady."
At the lord's words, Vali quickly set to work. "Balin, bring me the wash basin. My lord, we need to elevate the leg to allow the basin to sit beneath it. I'll also need a dagger, or knife. Something to reopen the wound."
"How will that help my son?" Thrain inquired. He removed a dagger from his waist belt.
"The wound must be reopened to drain the diseased blood before it can heal properly." Vali answered.
Balin moved swiftly to the side table and retrieved the basin. Vali and Thrain steadily elevated Thorin's leg. Balin set the basin beneath his leg. Vali took the knife into her hand and held it over the torch mounted to the wall. The blade quickly began to glow from the heat.
"Balin, my lord, I need you to restrain Thorin." she said. "His reaction to a mere touch is enough to suggest reopening with cause a more extensive reaction."
Thrain and Balin stood on either side of Thorin. Vali knelt beside the bed, carefully holding the hot blade. She took a calming breath and pressed the blade to the wound. The knife cut into the diseased flesh, releasing the toxins. Blood immediately began to seep from the wound and collect into the basin. As predicted, reopening the wound caused Thorin a lot of pain. He groaned in agony, even tried to fight back. Balin and Thrain held Thorin to the bed. Vali opened the wound completely and began cutting away the infected tissue. Blood pooled into the basin. The chamber door opened and Alyna and Datray entered quickly. Alyna joined her daughter on the ground and set her armful of supplies on the bed.
"Blast, we grabbed no rags." Alyna muttered.
Vali glanced at her sleeves. She quickly ripped away at the flounce of her sleeve and passed them to her mother. "I've reopened the wound and drained the toxins."
Alyna nodded. "Good girl. We need to clean the wound. Balin, another basin and a pitcher of hot water. Hurry. Datray, take his place by the prince's side." She set a leather journal upon the bed and opened it up.
Balin rushed back into the room carrying an empty basin and pot. He set the pot over the fire. "The waters on to boil." He placed the smaller basin beside Vali.
"Excellent." Alyna said. she removed the bloodied basin from the bed. "Take the rags and cover the wound, we can't allow him to lose any more blood."
Balin gathered the rag and pressed it to Thorin's leg beside Alyna's hand.
"Vali, the buds, quickly."
Vali grabbed a handful of yellow buds brought from the healers storage. She bit off the tips one by one and squeezed the contents into the smaller basin. Each bud contributed several drops worth of liquid. Vali dropped each empty bud to the floor and took up the herbs next. She ripped them apart with her teeth and dropped them into the basin. She picked up the dagger and cut up the dried herbs. With a flick of her wrist she turned the dagger over and began crushing the herbs together. When the herbs were well crush, Vali switched to using her fingers, working the herbs into a paste almost. The water by the fire had finally boiled. Vali quickly poured a few drops into the basin. Carefully she placed her fingers back into the mixture and completed the paste.
Alyna placed several rags into the hot water and let them soak for a few moments. "Balin, help me cleanse the wound." She retrieved one of the rags and turned her head toward Thrain and Datray. "Be ready, this may cause a violent response." And with that, she pressed the hot cloth to the wound.
The action caused quite a response. On reflex, Thorin's leg tried to move from the hot rags. He jerked from Datray and Thrain's grasp, but the men held firm. Alyna and Balin pressed the rags to the wound several times over, fighting Thorin's reflexes with great difficulty. Vali retrieved the last rag and coated the paste with it. Alyna and Balin removed the rags and made room for Vali. Quickly, Vali pressed the rag to the wound, pressing the ointment into the wound. Thorin groaned painfully, but whatever gave him strength had left, easily their difficulty. Alyna hesitantly released her hold on the princes leg. She nodded to the others do follow suit.
"We will need something to hold the ointment to the wound." Alyna said. She began looking for anything they could use.
"Mother." Vali called, motioning to the rag.
Alyna held the rag for Vali as she ripped her second sleeve flounce from her dress and cut it into ribbons. Vali tied four ribbons around the rag, holding it to the wound. Alyna gingerly lowered Thorin's leg back to the bed and removed the basins. She pulled the blankets back over and gently laid them down. "We have done all that we can for him, my lord. If Prince Thorin is to live, it will be his task to do so."
Thrain nodded. "Thank you for your aid."
sorry I haven't updated for some time, it took me a bit to finish the chapter.
utinu en lokirim- son of snakes (meant as an insult to a dishonest person)