Chapter 28
Fili clung to Bilbo while trying to maintain a grip on the large stallion. He had never ridden such a magnificent creature in his entire life. The horse was incredibly strong and fast. The two of them were a blur of motion.
Bilbo was moaning. The hobbit wanted to scratch at the bite. It felt terrible and incredibly itchy. However, he dare not let go of the saddle. This was terrifying. The ground moved at a speed he had never experienced before. The tree limbs seemed to reach down to try and knock them off their perch. Darkness seemed to be everywhere as the thunder crashed around them. Bilbo closed his eyes, praying that he would not vomit. His only comfort was the solid warmth of Fili tightly holding him close. Bilbo leaned into his arms as much as possible trusting to Fili to keep him safe.
Fili lost track of time. The horse apparently had unlimited stamina. The distance grew between them and Tauriel. Finally, the oppressive feeling of the forest began to give way. One incredibly loud rumble of thunder later, it began to rain. With this the stallion dropped to a trot. He too sensed the change.
Fili felt comfortable enough to glance over his back. Nothing followed. Fili gave a sorrowful glance back then turned his attention toward Bilbo. The halfling was squirming trying to reach the bite on his back.
"It hurts." Bilbo fussed and wiggled but his fingers could not reach the damnable spot. Fili tugged on the reins. The stallion finally relented to the dwarf's authority and paused. Covered in sweat from exhertion, the horse stopped.
Fili slid off and guided Bilbo down. He led to the two to the cover of a huge tree. Bilbo still squirmed.
"Here let me see it." Fili moved Bilbo's hands gently. He helped his friend out of his outer garments. Bilbo didn't care about the freezing rain. The water felt good soaking into his undershirt against the wound.
Fili pulled the shirt up. He didn't like what he saw. The bite area had swollen into a huge red sore. The center was filled with pus and blood. Around the wound was another reddish circle. Fili frowned racking his brain for how to treat it. He knew whatever was in the vial Tauriel gave him had worked. He suspected that Bilbo would be unconscious otherwise.
Bilbo squirmed some more. "Fili, please, just scratch it!"
Fili thought spider bites were to be treated like a normal wound. Clean it, put healing herbs on it and above all, don't scratch. But this looked unlike any bite he or Kili had ever encountered.
Bilbo was looking over his shoulder at Fili and whimpered. Fili sighed, he couldn't deny the hobbit any relief. "I'm going to check the horse for medicines. Tauriel is sure to have some. I'll be back and doctor it. Don't touch it."
Fili ran over to the horse who just seemed to have become a statue. Fili hated what he was doing. Rifling through Tauriel's things did not seem right. Neither did leaving her and her companions. Finally, he found a bag containing various herbs, bandages and ointments. He had found it.
"Bilbo, stop!" He yelled as he turned his attention back to Bilbo. The hobbit was about to rub his back against the huge pine. Bilbo hesitated. Fili's voice was commanding.
Fili rushed over and grabbed the hobbit. He tried not to force him down too harshly. "I'm sorry Bilbo, but you'll just end up infecting it or worse."
Bilbo shoulders went down. He felt defeated and miserable. "Fili, I"m sorry." The halfling shuddered and sneezed.
"C'mon. Let me get you doctored. Then I'll get you out of this rain."
Bilbo nodded and let himself be guided to the relative dry area under the canopy. Fili spoke to Bilbo as he began to sort the herbs out. "Itching is normal. Nothing to be worried about."
Again, Bilbo nodded. Fili continued, "Kili got bit more than once as a dwarfling. I got bit once too. But look at us now. No long term harm done."
Bilbo rolled his eyes to Fili as if to say, "Really?" but said nothing. Fili's gloveless hands were gently probing his back. After a few seconds of inspection, Fili made a decision.
He grabbed Bilbo's coat and wrapped the hobbit's front with it. "I'm going to drain the wound. I think it will stop the itching. Then I'm going to put some of these herbs on it. I know a few of them and this," he held up a fresh looking batch of leaves, "is good for wounds. Stops them from getting infected."
"Good, just, get on with it!" Bilbo snapped. His patience was at his limit.
"Bilbo, this is going to hurt."
"Do it already."
"Fine. Grab the tree."
Bilbo reached out hugging the tree trunk. Fili took out one of his knives. He didn't want to think on it too much. Quickly he made a clean cut at the center of the wound. The pus and blood burst open in a horrible gelantinous mass. It stunk. Fili couldn't stop himself from cringing and turning his head away for a moment.
Bilbo cried out. First at a sharp agony rippling through his shoulder blades. Then it turned into a pleasure/pain. The relief from the pressure and the poison was instantaneous.
Fili wanted to gag from the smell. The venom had eaten away at the muscle and skin. Black and blue dead tissue needed to be removed. The wound needed to be cleaned. Fili knew without Tauriel's remedy, he would have lost his friend this day. Fili's hatred of spiders was renewed tenfold. If it wasn't for the elves, he would burn down this entire forest. He wanted those eight legged monstrosities dead.
Fili felt Bilbo shudder. He was amazed at Bilbo's ability to withstand all the pain. "Bilbo, you're going to be okay." Fili tried to soothe as he began tending the site. He received no reply. Fili gently shook Bilbo, but realized that his friend had finally passed out.
zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Kili sat at the table in his room. He was busy shoving in another of Bombur's biscuits. He felt so hollow. Like he hadn't ate in days.
Bombur, Bifur and Bofur had joined him. Oin had left to prepare more potions. Balin and Thorin were dealing with the first arrivals of Dain's company.
Kili had just awoken from a nap. He felt a hundred times better. But he was rather confused at everything.
"So, you're telling me we're in Erebor?" He asked as bits of biscuit flew out. He grabbed his cup. "Water? "C'mon. I'm thirsty. A little ale will do me good." He pleaded with Bofur. If anyone could appreciate needing some ale, it would be the miner.
Bofur smiled at the cheeky lad. He hated that Kili had lost his memory, but a part of him welcomed back the scamp who had kept everything so lively on the quest. It did his heart good to see Kili smile again.
"I'll see what I can arrange in a bit." Bofur relented.
Kili rolled his eyes and drank the water. "I'm holding ya to it. Erebor, right?"
Bifur started up in Khuzdul. Kili turned his attention to the warrior. Bifur went on for a few minutes before he finally finished with a dramatic shout and thrusting of his spear in the air.
Kili stopped eating. "Damn. Azog's dead. The damn orc from Uncle Thorin's past. Killed by a hobbit?" He half frowned, "You lot think I'm wonky."
Bombur and Bofur exchange smiles. "When you remember Bilbo, you'll know to expect the unexpected with the lad. He has the courage of any dwarf."
Kili scratched his chin, frowned at the lack of scruff, then held his bowl back to Bombur. Bombur jumped up at of his seat. It felt so normal to have a Durin boy always hungry and begging for more. He ladled more stew from the pot he'd brought.
"We're in Erebor, had amazing adventures,
Bifur interrupted again with more words.
Kili then continued with what Bifur told him, "fought trolls, orcs, goblins and spiders." He leaned over and put a hand in his head, "I don't remember a second of it."
Bofur leaned over and patted the youth on the back. "Now laddie. Don't ye be worrying none. Oin says yer memories will be back. Give it time."
Kili straightened and Bombur placed another bowl of stew in front of him. Kili blew out a breath. "I hope so. I still don't understand something. Why did this Bilbo leave? He sounds like the sort of person who fits right in. Why did Fili take him back alone? Couldn't they wait for me? I mean, Fili always waits for me." Kili's brown eyes went huge and puppy dogged.
Kili hadn't done that since Rivendell. Bofur sighed. Those eyes worked on everybody. Even Bifur smiled sadly at the lad.
"Well, Kili, there is more to story, but I do know Fili hates being away from you as much as you do from him."
Kili frowned. "What is it? I mean, there is something everyone isn't telling me. I don't like it. Fili being gone. My hair.." Kili stopped. He blinked several times. His three friends glanced at each other.
He pushed the bowl away. "I think I need to rest. Thanks for keeping me company. And the food. Bombur it was good. But I feel real tired."
The three kinsmen looked at each other and quietly stood up. "Well then, we'll leave ye to yer rest. Is there anything else we can do fer ye?" Bofur asked.
Kili gave a sad laugh, "Bring me my brother." Then he seemed ashamed to having voiced it aloud. "I'm fine. I'm going to sleep."
They gathered their things and left Kili alone.
Kili slowly made his way to his bed. He laid down. Kili couldn't stop the sense everything about Erebor was wrong. Everyone was putting up a friendly, happy pretense. The quest was a success. Thorin was King. They had all survived. By why was everyone so tense? It wasn't just from his battle. And the fight with the orcs to recover Erebor must have taken place months ago. So his legs could still be recovering given the nature of the wound. But nothing else about his memory loss and weakness made any sense. Orc poison would have killed him or been out of his system along time ago.
What was his uncle and the rest keeping from him? What was the real reason Fili had been gone so long? Kili knew, he knew, that Fili would have allowed others to return the hobbit, especially if Kili was wounded. Had he shamed Fili in some way? That was the only reasonable answer his mind could find to answer all the questions. He felt heart sick. Whatever he had done must had been so terrible, so awful that the others were ashamed and Fili could no longer be by his side.
Kili pounded the wall in frustration. He had to make amends. He would find out what he had done. Then he'd beg forgiveness, do whatever it took to make things right, even if it took the rest of his life.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Bilbo awoke to the smell of campfire. His back was sore, but thank the Valar, he was not itching any more. Bilbo blinked away the grit and started to sit up.
"Careful, my friend." Bilbo felt Fili's hands gently assist him upright.
Bilbo stopped moving, but his head didn't. It took several seconds for him to feel on solid ground and not in a river laden barrel. He was warm as well, even though he could smell the rain, hear it.
Bilbo twisted his head lightly. Their shelter was small. It was made of bent trees and growing vines.
"Where are we?" Bilbo asked quietly.
Fili grinned, "I think it's an elf camp site. I found it nearby. It's keeping the rain out."
Bilbo stretched and turned his neck. A satisfying pop was heard.
"How do you feel?"
Bilbo blinked. "Much better, thank you. My back is very sore, but that's to be expected."
Fili nodded as he poked at the fire. "Yes, I'm afraid you're going to have quite a scar."
"Well, I've collected a few over the past months. What is one more to add to the collection? I'm alive." Bilbo half smiled. "I hope Tauriel and the others made it out."
Fili lost his smile. "I do too my friend."
"The spiders are more aggressive. And I saw something. At least I think I did."
Fili looked back at Bilbo, "I did too. A dark shape. Large, fast and strong."
"Do you have an idea what it was? It was absolutely terrifying."
"No," Fili stopped and stood up. He held out his hand indicating Bilbo should be quiet. The dwarf frowned and silently pulled his twin swords.
Bilbo grew alarmed. He strained his ears and he heard it. Something was outside. He pulled Sting out a bit. No blue glow, not orcs something else.
Fili felt his heart begin to speed up. He had screwed up. Fili had hoped this elven spot was almost impossible to spot. Yet, someone else managed it.
Fili was about to climb up the small flue to reach the outside. Instead, the two heard greetings in Sindarian being called out.
Bilbo shared his expression with Fili. "Elves." They said together.
Fili sheathed one sword and lowered the other. "I'll go out to greet them, but stay ready."
Fili made his way outside. The rain was now just a slow steady stream, it was almost dark. In the twilight though the elves seemed to shine with their golden hair and white horses.
Fili hope it was Tauriel and her men. Instead, it was a group of elves he did not recognize except for one.
"Legolas?"
Poor Bilbo. I hate spider bites.
I'm trying to update a little more often, so I'm doing like half chapters. Hope that's ok.
Thanks to all. Hugs
