Chapter 22
News of Fili's physical recovery spread through the Company quickly. Bilbo planned a quick party and had everything organized by that evening. It really was rather simple in retrospect. All he had to do was say the word "party" around Bombur and Bofur after sharing Fili's news and suddenly everything was being done. Mostly, food and a few kegs of ale were brought up to the royal wing into the large reception room. The table was set for a grand feast that evening and soon everyone was filing in.
"I saw that," Thorin murmured in Bilbo's ear, coming to stand next to him and pressing close while wrapping an arm around Bilbo's shoulders.
"I wasn't trying to be sneaky," Bilbo replied as he licked a deep purple sauce off his fingers. His brow furrowed. "That's a different flavor. I'll have to ask Bombur what it is. I don't recognize the taste."
"And here I thought desserts were to be saved for last," Thorin said with a smile.
"Life is short," Bilbo reminded him. "It seems silly to wait until after a meal to eat dessert when we are celebrating the final recovery of a battle that reminded us all of that fact a little too much."
"You make a good point," Thorin said and he reached over to his own place setting where a small pile of vanilla bean crème patissiere filled profiteroles drizzled in a purple sauce waited for him to eat. He selected one and ate it in one bite. "Blackberries," he said with the bite tucked into his cheek. "Tastes like blackberry to me."
"Are you sure?" Bilbo asked, looking back at his own pile of profiteroles and ignoring Thorin's bad manners. "It didn't quite taste like that. A bit too sweet for my taste really."
"Perhaps yours came from a different batch that had too much sugar added," Thorin said.
"Possibly," Bilbo said.
"There he is! Took you long enough!" Kili called as the door opened and closed.
Bilbo and Thorin looked over and saw Fili walk in, an old swagger back in his steps. Bilbo could only remember seeing that particular confident stride back when Fili had walked into his smial back in the Shire. The grin Fili wore, was a bit wider now than then but there was a strained feel to it around Fili's eyes.
Everyone greeted Fili warmly. Tankards of ale and fruit juices (for Bombur's dwarflings and young Gimli, much to his displeasure) were passed around and slowly everyone made their way to the table.
"A toast," Thorin declared, staying on his feet before everyone could start eating, "to success beyond all our imaginations. Smaug is dead, the mountain reclaimed, and we all survived without losing a single limb."
"Axes not included!" Bifur called.
A great cheer went through the group and they lifted their tankards in salute before quaffing them.
Thorin took his seat and everyone started eating. Rolls flew across the table. Plates of roasted meets, dishes of sautéed vegetables (mostly things like onions and mushrooms), tureens of a thick beef stew, and slabs of a chicken pie were passed around. Drinks flowed generously and stories of the journey were told once again. And nothing was embellished. Not a single thing. They would never do a thing like that.
Bilbo enjoyed the rest of his profiteroles through the dinner but didn't bother trying to wipe up all the sauce as he normally would. He didn't fancy the too sweet flavor but he did enjoy the pastries themselves. He noticed Thorin had eaten all of his as well. For some reason, Fili and Kili seemed to take this as permission to start with their desserts as well but were stopped when their mother noticed and smacked their hands almost absently as she laughed at Balin's description of Dwalin's protests when the goblin king's body had landed on them. The two princes looked a bit petulant for a minute before shrugging and digging into the rest of their dinner with gusto.
"Your Highness?" Tauriel asked him quietly sometime later. "Are you well? You seem a bit flushed."
"Do I?" Bilbo asked and took another sip from his tankard. His mouth felt so dry and his head was starting to ache. "It feels a bit warm in here, doesn't it?" Which was odd because Bilbo was almost always cold in the mountain.
"Seems perfectly all right to me," Thorin said. "Are you sure you're well?"
Bilbo looked over at Thorin and blinked as he seemed to fall out of focus slightly. Bilbo shook his head to clear it and almost tipped out of his chair before he managed to grab the edge of the table. "What was that?" he asked. "What were we talking about?"
Thorin leaned closer to Bilbo, studying his face, concern furrowing his brow. "I think we should get you to bed," Thorin said. "You don't look well."
"Perhaps that's best," Bilbo said around a tongue that didn't seem to want to cooperate and his mouth felt dry again. Why? He'd just had a drink. Hadn't he? He let Thorin pull him up from his seat and guide him towards the door.
"Oin?" Thorin said quietly, touching the healer's shoulder as they passed. "Would you come look over Bilbo? He seems a bit unwell."
Oin looked up and nodded. The three left the room and went to Thorin and Bilbo's rooms.
"I'm fine," Bilbo slurred. "You should go back to the party or Fili will get upset."
"Fili will understand," Thorin told Bilbo.
"No!" Bilbo protested. "You have to go back. We don't want to upset anyone."
"Bilbo," Thorin started.
"Please! There's nothing wrong. Just go back and-" he staggered slightly, as they came close to the armchairs in front of their fireplace.
"Go on," Oin urged Thorin. "I'll send for you once I know what's wrong with him. Better to keep him calm for the time being so we don't aggravate whatever it is that's bothering him."
Bilbo sank into his armchair. He felt off. Something was wrong. And his stomach was starting to hurt. Hobbits never got stomachaches.
"If you're sure," Thorin said hesitantly.
"Off with you," Oin said. "I'll send word."
Not too much later Oin rushed into the party again and went straight to Bilbo's seat. He looked over Bilbo's place settings until he noticed the plate where the profiteroles had been. Thorin frowned when he picked up the dish and sniffed at it.
Oin cursed loudly and threw the dish into the fireplace.
"Don't let Uncle Bilbo catch you doing that," Kili called with a grin.
"Bilbo's been poisoned," Oin snapped. "The sauce on the pastries. It's banewort."
Everyone's eyes turned to their own plates where almost everyone had already eaten at least one of the profiteroles.
"Have we all-?" Ori started to ask.
"No, lad," Oin said. "Mine, at least, was just blackberry sauce. Did anyone else's taste different to them?"
Everyone shook their heads. Gloin tasted Gimli's sauce and Bombur checked the sauce on the plates of his own dwarflings.
"Blackberry," Bombur confirmed. "But how did this happen?" He turned to Thorin, alarm on his face. "Thorin, Your Majesty, I would never-"
"Peace," Thorin said as he stood. "I know you wouldn't Bombur, but I want to know who did. Work with Nori and Dwalin. Figure it out." He turned to Oin and swallowed. "Bilbo?" he asked, fearing the worst.
"He'll live," Oin said. "He's in for a very uncomfortable night at the very least and probably tomorrow too. I can send for a nurse to-"
"Nonsense," Thorin said. "I'll take care of him." He left the room.
He found Bilbo curled up on their bed, moaning in pain as he curled up around his stomach.
Oin had apparently followed him. "Whoever did this, they didn't get the amount right. Maybe if Bilbo had eaten all the sauce it would have killed him but, as it stands, he'll be uncomfortable all night, taking a lot of trips to the bathroom. I suggest you walk with him. His balance will be poor. He may also hallucinate or be delirious. If he gets any worse, let me know. Let him drink as much water as he wants and it will be a lot. The poison will dry his mouth out something fierce."
"Thank you, Oin," Thorin said as he sat down next to Bilbo and started stroking his hair.
"I wish there were more for me to do beyond what I've already done and what his body will do on its own, but I don't know as I dare mix anything with what he's already ingested. I'm not sure what will make it worse. Not much is known about banewort because of how potent it is. I don't know of anyone that's done much, if any, experimenting with it."
"You've done plenty for us, Oin," Thorin said, keeping his voice gentle for Bilbo's sake. "Thank you. I'll send for you if there's a change."
Oin nodded and let himself out of their rooms, promising to check in the next morning.
"I'm dying," Bilbo moaned a bit later as Thorin pulled his boots off so he could be more comfortably wrapped around his husband.
"Shh… No, you're not. It just feels like it."
Bilbo cracked one eye open. Just as Thorin had noticed at the table, Bilbo's pupils were fully dilated, barely any color visible around the black. "Not helpful," he said and groaned as he curled into a tighter ball.
"What can I do?" Thorin asked as he curled back around Bilbo, his boots now discarded on the floor.
"Water," Bilbo said. Thorin reached over to a pitcher Oin must have left behind or sent for and poured a glass before handing it over. Bilbo drank it all and handed it back before curling back up with another moan.
"Sleep," Thorin urged, pressing a kiss to the top of Bilbo's head, worry and nerves squirming in his stomach. Beneath it all, he could feel fury trying to build but he pushed it aside. He could rage and scream and demand someone's head be served up on a pike later. Bilbo needed him now.
"I'm never eating a profiterole again," Bilbo declared, pressing his face into Thorin's chest. "They're all poisoned."
"That's just paranoia speaking," Thorin told him. "Not all profiteroles are out to get you."
Bilbo glared up at him. "Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean there isn't someone out there trying to kill me through poison-laced pastries."
"That is indeed the case this time," Thorin conceded, "but not every time."
Bilbo opened his mouth to retort before he suddenly turned and tried to leap from the bed but staggered and almost fell before Thorin could catch him, rushing him to the bathroom. Someone was going to pay for the agony they were putting his consort through.
Bilbo spent the next week in his rooms and greenhouse, not daring to leave their safety during his recovery. The attempted poisoning was kept as quiet as possible. Dwalin interrogated the entire kitchen staff only to discover that a young, unknown dwarf had been working in the kitchen that everyone just assumed was someone else's apprentice. The dwarf had disappeared that evening. Dwalin got a pretty good description and handed it off to Nori as well as to members of the guard.
Even after Bilbo recovered, he made extra sure he didn't go anywhere without someone in the company and only ate the food he or Bombur prepared and was either hand-delivered by one of the Company or that Bilbo retrieved himself. Thorin took the same precautions for himself.
Dwarrowdams continued to Challenge for Fili's courtship and even a few human women did as well, all wanting the prestige of being married to Erebor's next king. Dwalin beat every single Challenge he was present for but, on a few occasions, he was called away and couldn't fight. Usually, his stand-in defeated the Challenger, but sometimes they were beaten.
Fili rejected every single gift that was presented to him. As each gift was presented, his expression became more and more contemptuous and Bilbo couldn't blame him. A crown? Really? Did these Challengers not have any imagination at all? Why would the Crown Prince of the wealthiest dwarf kingdom want another crown?
"I know you've got to be someplace this afternoon-"
Bilbo yelped and spun, the pruning sheers he'd been using suddenly coming up in a defensive stance. He thought madly of trying to make a break for his room to retrieve Sting before he realized his visitor was still talking.
"-but I need to talk to you about something first. Got a minute?"
"Nori." Bilbo heaved a sigh and set the pruning sheers aside, taking a forlorn glance at the dead branches left on his rosebush that still needed to be trimmed away after a winter of lying dormant just outside his greenhouse. "What is it? Not another attempt?"
Nori had been more and more adamant about attacks on Bilbo's life ever since the poisoning, seeing plots where they didn't exist. Bilbo and Thorin had endured a plethora of false alarms since Bilbo's poisoning. It was getting rather tiresome.
"No, not today," Nori said, looking at a small book. "Probably all right for another three days. No, I need to talk to you about a few months ago, when you were poisoned." Here Nori looked up and he grinned with too many teeth. "I have a theory, you see."
"Right," Bilbo said, trying not to heave an exasperated sigh. Another of Nori's theories. "What do you need to know?" he asked as he sat on a bench and waved for Nori to sit with him.
"How well do hobbits know plants?"
"That depends on what you mean," Bilbo said.
Nori tapped his pencil against the little book he held. "How many hobbits would know banewort is poisonous?"
"Banewort?" Bilbo asked trying to think of the plant Nori was talking about. "You mean Belladonna?
Nori flipped a page or two and nodded. "That's another name for it."
"Just about everyone knows it's poisonous," Bilbo said. "We learn at a very young age what plants can hurt us if we eat it."
Nori's eyebrows drew together a bit. "Then why did you continue to eat the profiteroles if you knew the sauce was poisonous?"
Bilibo shook his head. "I didn't know it was made from Belladonna. I've never tasted the berries before. Like most fauntlings, my mother warned me away from it long before I tried to eat any. That's what the sauce was made of?"
"Yes," Nori said, "and only a select few dwarrow would ever know that. Just healers and apothecaries really and I've already ruled all the ones in the mountain out as the assassin."
"Then who-"
"No idea. One more thing though before you rush off to see the latest Challenger for Fili. Do you know who supplies smoked herring in the Shire?"
"Haven't a clue," Bilbo said. "I don't care for it. Someone in Bree maybe or one of the families that fishes along the Brandywine, why?"
"Just pieces to the puzzle," Nori said as he tucked his little book away. "Just trying to see if I can figure out how Lobelia Sackville-Baggins managed to start the assassination attempts before the first caravan arrived."
By now, Bilbo knew better than to try to dissuade Nori off his theory that Lobelia was behind everything. Instead, Bilbo just nodded. "Well then, I'd best get changed. Won't do to be late for Fili's Challenger, now would it?"
Nori tailed behind Bilbo. "Lady Dis isn't even going," he said. "She's in a council meeting that Thorin decided didn't warrant his attention."
Bilbo just shrugged. Dis had started avoiding the Challenges, unable to watch Fili's growing despair and anger. Bilbo couldn't blame her. He could, however, blame Thorin for having Dis take over Bilbo's duties. Yes, there was danger in the Mountain, but he couldn't very well hide in his rooms forever, even if there were days that he wanted to do just that.
After changing his clothes, Bilbo went into the sitting room where Nori waited. "You being my guard today then?" he asked as they left the rooms.
"Someone has to," Nori said. "Just so happens I have some errands to run around the Mountain that start near the throne room. Walking you there gives me a good excuse to be down that way."
"Right," Bilbo said, trying hard not to think of what "errands" Nori might need to run.
Thorin considered reprimanding Fili for his obvious disinterest in the proceedings that were about to start. Really, Thorin couldn't blame the lad for absolutely loathing the situation and the absurdity of having dwarrowdam after Woman throw themselves at him in such blatant fortune- and power-seeking stupidity. Still, diplomacy mattered and Thorin started to shift to talk to his nephew when he noticed Kili nudge Fili to get his attention just as the doors at the far end of the throne room closed.
Was that happiness? Excitement? Hope. Hope that he hadn't seen in Fili since before The Battle and Fili's injury. There was hope in Fili's eyes as he took in the latest Challenger. Thorin had thoroughly stopped paying attention to who they were at least nine Challenges ago. He looked down the path to see who could inspire such a welcome sight in Fili. Lady Sigrid of Dale, Daughter of Lord (soon to be King) Bard the Dragonslayer, walked forward with her father and a small entourage.
That explained it.
Balin read the Formal Declaration of Intent to Challenge and Thorin ignored it entirely. Balin would attend to those details. That's why Thorin appreciated his presence so much. Balin liked the nitty-gritty details. Ori did too. Thorin detested the paperwork and declarations and whatnot. He'd much rather glower someone into submission or beat them over the head with a war hammer if he had the opportunity. It worked well enough in most dwarven politics. If only it worked with the other races as well. Such was life, he supposed and shifted as he heard Balin winding down in the reading. He really hoped LadySigrid could manage to beat Dwalin but didn't count on it. When she lost, he would encourage her to try again and hint at a specific day when he could make sure someone less accomplished in battle was at his side. Perhaps young Gimli?
He still had a job to do and he considered telling Dwalin to throw the match. Instead, he leaned forward and addressed Bard. "Tell me your reasons for being present for this Challenge," he said, starting into the traditional questioning for the royal family and Bard answered in kind, declaring stronger ties between their nations and so forth. As Thorin only half listened, he watched Fili and Lady Sigrid out of the corner of his eye.
His nephew wasn't listening. That much was certain. And by the looks of it, neither was Lady Sigrid though she did not stare at Fili as openly as he stared at her. She had her eyes fixed forward but her focus obviously wasn't on him or Bilbo.
Finally, they reached the part that actually mattered in the proceedings.
"You know what you ask, child?" Thorin asked as he looked at Lady Sigrid.
Almost defiantly, she lifted her chin. Her jaw set in a determined line and the thinning of her lips looked so much like her father when he was being stubborn that Thorin would have laughed outright had he been someone disposed to such things. "I am aware," Lady Sigrid said. "I come seeking the opportunity to court Crown Prince Fili, Son of Dis."
"So be it," Thorin said, regretting what he would need to say next. If he didn't think Dwalin would ignore him, he'd ask his guard captain to go easy on the girl and let her win. "Let the trial begin. Dwalin."
Thorin glanced briefly at Fili when his nephew turned sharply to look at Dwalin, his face paling and again Thorin regretted what was about to happen.
"I'll not go easy on you, lass," Dwalin said and Thorin wished he could kick him.
"I wouldn't want you to," Lady Sigrid said as those around them stepped back to give them room on the narrow walkway before the throne.
Dwalin rushed her as soon as he felt the others were far enough away.
Thorin leaned forward in interest when Lady Sigrid met Dwalin's initial charge, holding him at bay. Her stance spoke of strength and training. The rumors of her killing two wolves could be true then. Thorin watched as Dwalin tried to break through Lady Sigrid's defenses, keeping her mostly from making attacks of her own. He winced when she got too close to Dwalin and he rammed his knee into her ribs, knocking her down. She rolled away and stood again, ready to continue. Thorin almost cheered when Lady Sigrid clipped Dwalin on the side of his head with her elbow. Dwalin turned with her motion and knocked her flat again. Thorin flinched when Dwalin stomped on her unprotected leg and then stepped on her sword, effectively disarming and immobilizing her.
Pushing aside a sigh, Thorin moved to end the match but paused when Lady Sigrid twisted and wrapped her uninjured leg around Dwalin's knees and threw her weight. Dwalin dropped his axes, lurched toward Lady Sigrid, and wrapped a hand around her neck.
That was it then, the end of the fight. Thorin opened his mouth to order Dwalin away.
Lady Sigrid's whistle stopped him and this time, Thorin barked a short laugh when the mammoth of a dog Fili had given Lady Sigrid slammed into Dwalin and knocked him off the young Woman. Lady Sigrid regained her feet and took up her sword again.
"Magnus," she called and the dog looked at her but did not release Dwalin. After a quick hand gesture that looked suspiciously like pebble Iglishmek, the dog returned to her side. She set the edge of her sword at Dwalin's throat. "Do you yield?" she asked, breath coming in heaving gasps.
"Aye," Dwalin growled and climbed to his feet when Lady Sigrid moved her blade away. "You cheated."
"I was told to bring what weapons I would need in a fight," Lady Sigrid said in a way that reminded Thorin of how Dis spoke when she thought someone was being especially boorish. "Magnus, for all that he is as dear to me as a friend, is still a weapon of protection." She bent to scratch the dog's head and face. "Aren't you Magnus? Yes, you're a good boy," she cooed and the dog licked her chin happily.
Kili snorted and Bilbo sounded like he was struggling to cover a guffaw of laughter with a cough.
Grumbling, Dwalin took up his usual position near Thorin.
For the first time, Thorin sincerely congratulated a Challenger for winning the fight. He'd seen Fili's relief when Dwalin had yielded. As Balin continued with the formal declarations of hope for a smooth courtship and the other boring bits. Thorin waited patiently, hoping against hope that Lady Sigrid's gift would be appropriate and not some horrible crown as had been so far presented to Fili.
"I have a gift for his royal highness as well."
And here it came. Thorin watched as she turned to accept a bundle from one of her father's councilors, favoring her leg where Dwalin had stomped on it. Thorin would need to send for Oin to have her leg looked over.
Lady Sigrid handed the bundle to Balin who stepped forward to inspect it before he handed it over to Fili. Thorin looked over, glad his throne positioned him so he didn't have to outright crane his neck to see what the gift was. By Balin's expression, it was much better than anything they'd seen so far from others.
Someone had tipped the girl off, he was sure. Instead of something created by another's hands, Lady Sigrid had gifted Fili with a grey coat, embroidery lined with tiny gems along the edges with what had to be fine silver and gold wire, so thin it almost acted as flexible as thread. Thorin had heard she embroidered and sewed. It seemed that Dis had been telling the truth. Speaking of whom, his sister was going to furious she'd missed this Challenge.
"What fur is that?" Thorin asked when he noticed the dark grey lining the coat.
"Wolf, Your Majesty," Lady Sigrid said, looking up at him.
Thorin's eyebrows rose. "And where did you get it?" he asked. He wanted to hear the wolf story for himself.
"Off the two wolves I killed last winter," Lady Sigrid said.
"You killed wolves?" Dwalin asked. "Or did your hound do it?"
"Magnus was only a few months old," Lady Sigrid said. "I was caught outside when they first attacked. He held one off while I killed the other and then I killed the first."
Thorin waited, holding back a sigh of exasperation. Fili, though obviously eager to anyone that knew him well, was taking his time to deliberate. Or trying to look like he was. Finally, Fili looked at Thorin and said, "I accept," and took his dark coat off to replace it with the grey one Lady Sigrid had crafted. "Thank you, Lady Sigrid. The quality of your work speaks of your desire for success in our courtship. I will strive towards that success."
"I thank you for your consideration, Prince Fili," Lady Sigrid said.
Thorin stepped down from his throne and knew Fili and Kili followed him. Once he reached the Men, he extended a hand. "I look forward to the possible joining of our families, Lord Bard," he said.
"As do I," the bowman said and took Thorin's hand.
Thorin released Bard's hand and turned. "Congratulations Lady Sigrid," he said. "You're the first female to best Dwalin since my sister."
"Only because she cheated," Dwalin groused.
"Don't be a sore loser Brother," Balin admonished, laughter behind his voice. "Sit down lass before you make the injury worse." He pointed to a chair. "I'm pretty sure I saw a runner leave to fetch a healer after your match?" he looked over at Fili and Kili for confirmation. Fili nodded. Good.
Lady Sigrid limped over to the indicated chair and sat, her dog at her side. Oin rushed into the room the moment she was sitting.
"All right. What poor lass do I have to patch up after Dwalin beat her to a pulp in a failed attempt to court the prince this time?" he asked.
"You are mistaken Oin," Balin said loudly. "She beat him though it is her leg that needs looking after."
Oin's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Did she now?" he asked and settled down in front of her. He took her foot and removed boot without addressing her. The swelling around her ankle made Fili visibly cringe.
"Next person to repeat that is going to have their arms ripped off," Dwalin growled and Thorin fought off another smile
"Oh no," Lady Sigrid said, shaking her head and giving Dwalin a wide grin. "I beat you in a fight. I'm taking those bragging rights with me to the grave. If that day arrives sooner than I'd prefer and I'm short a pair of arms, then so be it."
Fili and Kili fell about laughing. Bard laughed as well, years dropping off his face in his mirth. Dwalin's scowl deepened but a hint of humor tugged at the corners of his lips and Thorin lost his fight against the grin as well.
"A bad sprain," Oin finally said after poking at Lady Sigrid's ankle. "Stay off it for now. We'll get you some crutches. Once you have them, come to the infirmary and I'll wrap it up for you."
"Thank you Master Oin," Lady Sigrid said. She loosened the straps on her boot and carefully pulled it back on over the injury.
"We shall allow the time it takes to retrieve them for the two of you to be alone," Thorin told Fili quietly. "I suggest you make the most of it." He smiled a little at his nephew, wanting to congratulate him on the match but unwilling to do so, just in case Thorin and Nori had both misread the signs and Sigrd wasn't Fili's One. Thorin sent a quick prayer to Mahal, asking his blessing to be on Fili for clarity of mind and heart.