Chapter 14: Why
When Erebor's door opened to let the men leave, Cartel was struck by an arrow in the side. Her scream echoed through all of Erebor. Legolas picked up Cartel and ran to find Oin the healer. Oin found that it was an elvish arrow that struck Cartel. Thorin was not surprised, they were probably aiming for him. Bard and his men decided that they could not leave Erebor when it was vulnerable to an attack. So they stayed and stood guard by the gates.
Mean while in the near forest Thranduil was furious. "Who shot Cartel?" None of the elves answered him. One elf was extremely nervous, he didn't mean to shoot Cartel she got in the way. He was aiming for Thorin. Thranduil saw the elf and ask in a voice as sweet as honey, "Did you shoot my pride and joy down to the ground and made her cry in so much pain that it could be heard in the mines of Erebor?!" The elf didn't look at him but he nodded. Thranduil hid his anger very well at times but not today, Thranduil was so angry that the elven guards had to hold him back from beating any more crap out of the elf. Thranduil had the elf locked up for the rest of his miserable life.
Cartel's wound got infected it was a sickly purple. She was in and out of consciousness for a week. Thorin never left her side even when he was called for by his nephews. Cartel's fever finally broke and she was awake. Thorin was sleeping by her side. She looked around the room. Legolas was seated in a chair by the fireplace, thinking she thought, Legolas never slept when she was sick. There was a knock on the door, Legolas stood up in a flash. Thorin grabbed a dagger that was by the bed.
Legolas opened the door and glared at his father. "Why?" Legolas asked "Why did you shoot Cartel?" Thranduil said with a voice full of guilt "The elf that shot her was aiming for Thorin, Cartel stepped in front of the arrow's path." Legolas replied angrily "Well now the wound is infected and she is sick thanks to him." Thranduil looked in the doorway to see his daughter in a pathetic state.
She was bandaged from chest to waist showing the seriousness of the injury. "I wish to see her." Thranduil said with his voice cracking. Thorin glared at the Elven King, why should he see his daughter in the state he put her in. Cartel spoke in a hoarse whisper "Ada?" Legolas rushed to Cartel's side "Shh, it's okay Cartel I'm here, Thorin is here, and Ada is here."
Thranduil was surprised to be allowed to sit next to his daughter after what he had done to her. Cartel was still weak but strong enough to hear her Ada's side of the story. She asked for the elf's finger to be cut off so he would never wield a bow again. Thranduil fulfilled this request to a T.