Chapter 9
On Ravenhill:
"Bilbo."
"Don't move. Don't move. Lie still. Oh. Mm. Mm."
"I'm glad you are here."
"Shh, shh."
"Unh. I wish to part from you in friendship."
"No. You are not going anywhere. You're going to live."
"I would take back my words and my deeds at the Gate. You did what only a true friend would do. Forgive me. I was too blind to see it. I am so sorry that I have led you into such peril.
"No, I'm glad to have shared in your perils, Thorin. Each and every one of them. It is far more than any Baggins deserves."
"Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books. And your armchair. Plant your trees. Watch them grow. If more people valued home above gold this world would be a merrier place."
A voice interrupted them. "Did you get it all off your chest, Dwarf King? Or do you want me to come back later and heal you?"
Bilbo looked up tearfully. "Perci! Thorin! Perci's here!"
Perci moved forward and used the water from the broken ice, placing her hands fully on Thorin's body. Perci met the Dwarf King's slightly glassy eyes.
"Thorin, Kili and Fili are alive and they are going to need you. So fight, you stubborn dwarf. Don't let a little cut be the thing to do you in." Thorin smiled slightly.
"I have missed.. your humor… my friend."
"And I have missed your stubbornness." As they had talked, the water had begun slowly healing the worst of Thorin's wounds. "My power is healing you, Thorin, but since you have such grave wounds and since I've spent most of my power on Fili and Kili, I will only be able to heal you to a point where the elven healers will be able to take over for me. But until then, don't you dare die on me, is that understood?"
Thorin couldn't speak as the days of being under the gold sickness, the battle, and his wounds finally caught up to him as he was almost asleep.
Finally, Perci leaned back on her heels, knowing that Thorin was in no danger of dying at the moment. She caught her breath, exhausted from all of the healing she had done for others and fighting orcs and goblins herself.
Now that she could breathe, she couldn't help but worry over where Legolas might be.
She couldn't help but also be glad that she had sent the thestrals, lions, statues, and Draco, away when it looked like the battle was almost over, especially with the arrival of the Great Eagles.
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In the ruins of Ravenhill, Thranduill swept through, looking for Legolas and finally finding him.
"I cannot go back." Legolas barely looked over his shoulder at him.
"Where will you go?" Thranduill asked.
"I do not know." Legolas replied.
"Go north or go west. If you go north, find the Dunedain, they will lead you to the son of Arathorn, whom was a good man. His son might grow to be a great one."
Legolas began to consider going north. "What is his name?"
"The rangers call him Strider. His true name you must discover for yourself."
"And the west?"
"She will be found there." Legolas began to walk away but paused as his father began speaking again. "Legolas. Your mother loved you. More than anyone. More than life."
Then Legolas was out of sight and all Thranduill could was watch as his son left him.