"His fever has not gone down. I've done all that I can to help him. The rest is up to him." Oin informed the group in Thorin's study.

Balin and Dwalin stood to one side of the desk, Fili and Kili sat in the chairs in front of the desk, and Dis sat at the desk, with all eyes looking to her for guidance. Kaleria stood against the side wall, listening to Oin's advice, and contemplating what they should do for Thorin.

"What else can we do?" Dis asked.

"Make him comfortable. Allow him to rest," said Oin.

"We're supposed to leave him in his room and hope he wakes up?" Though he was next for the throne, Fili was distressed by the idea of taking it so quickly.

Oin looked at the young prince. "The best thing for him now is sleep."

"We can't leave him alone," argued Kili.

"Aye, someone should stay with him," agreed Dwalin.

The group fell silent as they thought over who would be the best option to watch over the king. Kaleria looked from person to person, then realized the answer was obvious.

"I will stay with him." She saw all eyes drawn to her in a second.

Kili shook his head. "Shouldn't Master Oin stay with him?"

"And abandon his post as lead healer? I believe the last thing your uncle would want is to inconvenience anyone else. I have no responsibilities here. Let me help him."

Fili and Kili remained skeptical, while Dwalin gripped his axe, agitated by the entire situation. Balin smiled at her as he thought over her suggestion, and Oin said nothing. Dis held an unreadable expression as she thought over Kaleria's argument.

Dis sat back in the chair. "Though you haven't known him long, you seem to know exactly how Thorin would think. I believe your argument is accurate and you are the most logical choice to watch over my brother."

"I will inform you all on his condition daily." Kaleria nodded to Dis.

"Alright," Dis stood from the desk, "back to work. We have a mountain to run."

The others exited the room as Dis walked over to Kaleria.

"Keep an eye on him. He can be stubborn." She warned.

Kaleria patted Dis' arm. "He will be alright. I won't give him the chance not to be."

Kaleria left Dis smiling at Thorin's desk as she walked out of the room. She felt better knowing Dis trusted her to care for Thorin, though she wasn't certain how she was going to care for him. Since he had been lost in sleep for a few days, it appeared he wouldn't be waking anytime soon; but, she could hope for the best.

Kaleria rounded the corner and approached Thorin's bedroom. This time the door was unlocked and she let herself in, closing the door quietly behind her.

Thorin slept soundly on a mountain of pillows in his large bed. His face looked contorted in pain, while his body laid perfectly still. Kaleria had never seen Thorin look so weak, but that was the only way to describe him in his current state. She wanted to reach over and smooth the wrinkles in his forehead, thinking maybe it would relieve his pain. Instead she wet a cloth and pressed it against his lips to provide some source of water. Then she pulled a chair to the side of his bed and sat down to watch him sleep.

"I think I like you better like this: silent and willing to listen." She smirked, but the king under the mountain offered no rebuttal.

"I am told you're stubborn," she continued. "I suppose that is the reason you haven't woken up yet. You feel you need to punish yourself for your outburst, so you're locking yourself in a deep sleep."

Kaleria watched his face for any sign of acknowledgment, but Thorin remained motionless. She shifted in the chair to lean on her elbow and study him closer.

"Can I tell you something?" Kaleria checked the door as if another person would walk in, then returned her eyes to Thorin. "I thought my father was crazy for wanting me to come to Erebor. I didn't see how sending me away from my home would help, but once again, he knew what was right for me.

"I wouldn't be happy in the Blue Mountains now. I would have been removed from my house by my cousin and his family. I would have had to sell all my belongings to afford a new place to live. And, I would have been alone." Kaleria picked at the end of her sleeve as she thought about how lonely she would have been.

"I should thank you for giving me a family. Dis, Fili, and Kili are as dear to me as if they were my own blood. I would do anything for them." Kaleria reached forward and took Thorin's hand. "Maybe you can't hear me right now, but you needed to know how grateful I am to be here."

Kaleria didn't expect Thorin to magically awaken from his slumber at her words, but the lack of movement was disappointing. She hoped whatever kept the king in his deep sleep would let go of him and return him to his family. Seeing Dis and her sons upset by Thorin's condition made Kaleria want to shake him until he woke up and make him apologize for putting them through so much pain. All she could do was sit beside his bed and wait for Thorin to decide he was ready.

Two days of waiting for any sign of change became two days of disappointment as Thorin remained asleep. Dis had arranged for servants to bring Kaleria food, and Dis would watch Thorin for periods of time to allow Kaleria to bathe and change clothes. Kaleria would take as much time as she needed, then return to Thorin's bedside to watch him sleep.

Kaleria had established a routine of sleeping for a few hours, then waking to check Thorin's condition and wet his lips with water. She would read to keep her mind busy, but mostly she studied Thorin, trying to detect any sign that he would wake up.

Although it was the middle of the night, Kaleria remained half awake, afraid if she slept for too long, something might happen to Thorin. She propped her head on her hand as she watched.

A groan from the bed drew her attention.

She sat up to see Thorin's eyes half open, and she had never been more happy to see blue. "Thorin can you hear me? How do you feel?"

He shifted his eyes to her. "Like I've been sitting in a forge."

Kaleria touched his forehead. "Your fever finally broke. You've been burning up for three days."

Thorin tried to sit up, but she pushed his shoulder down.

"You need to rest," said Kaleria. "What can I do to make you comfortable?"

Thorin closed his eyes as he assessed his comfort level. "Could you change the pillow behind my head?"

Kaleria moved toward the cupboard to find a fresh pillow. Once she had one in hand, she returned to Thorin's side. She carefully raised his head from the pillow he was on, removed it from the pile, and replaced it with the new pillow. Thorin settled back into the pillow, reevaluating his comfort.

"I have another request, but you may not agree to it," said Thorin.

Kaleria gave a slight smile. "Well, tell me the request, and I can decide if I want to help you, or find someone else."

Thorin looked at her. "Would you mind changing my shirt?"

Kaleria pretended to contemplate his question, giving him strange looks until she decided to answer him. "Do you have a color preference for your new shirt?"

He snorted. "No. I'll let you choose."

Kaleria went to his wardrobe and scanned the shirts within for a replacement. She chose a dark blue shirt from the middle, then stopped by the cupboard to collect fresh blankets.

As she returned to the bed, Thorin pushed the blankets down to his waist, unable to remove them any further. Kaleria placed the fresh items on her chair, then grabbed the blankets and pulled them off the bed, piling them on the floor. Thorin started pulling up his shirt, and Kaleria froze.

A long jagged scar ran from his last rib down to his left hip. The flesh was reddish pink hinting at the healing that had taken place, but also at the severity of the wound. Kaleria's eyes traced the line down his torso. She couldn't imagine what could cause such a wound, or how the king under the mountain was still alive. She averted her eyes to Thorin's face and found him looking at her.

"I guess I should have warned you about my battle scars," said Thorin.

"Who did this to you? How—" Kaleria couldn't finish her question.

"How am I still alive?" Thorin replied, knowing that was what she wanted to ask. He sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "I don't know how I survived. I was ready to die when it happened."

"Thorin," Kaleria spoke his name to stop him. She placed her hand on his arm, trying to offer comfort.

He began replaying the memories of the battle in his head. "It happened near the end of the battle. I was fighting Azog, hoping to end it by killing their leader. He had taken everything from me, and this was my chance to take it back.

"He had me pinned to the ground, with his sword ready to strike me dead, so I did the only thing I could in that moment." Thorin paused and swallowed the lump in his throat. "I let him run me through."

Kaleria sucked in a breath at his revelation. She couldn't imagine anyone gaining an advantage over Thorin, let alone having the chance to stab him.

"After his blade went through me, I took mine and stabbed him through the heart. I twisted my blade in his chest, and I watched the life drain from his eyes. I pushed his body off of mine, but his sword remained lodged in my gut. Oin tells me that it probably saved my life, but whether it is true, I don't know." Thorin closed his eyes and shook his head. "All I know is I was ready to die for my family, my people, and for the future of Durin's folk."

Kaleria listened to his confession without making a sound. She knew Thorin was a great leader, and he would do anything for his family. But, she didn't know he had come so close to dying for those he loved and the prospect of a better future for his people.

"Thorin, look at me." She pleaded for him to open his eyes.

He did as she requested and looked in her direction.

"You are alive because it wasn't your time to die. You are alive because after living a hard life, you deserve to enjoy yourself. This world is not done for making up lost time with you, and you deserve every happiness because of what you have sacrificed for your people and your family." Kaleria rubbed his arm, hoping he believed her.

Thorin smiled at her words. "Thank you, Lady Kaleria."

"You're welcome." She released his arm and grabbed a cloth and dipped it in the water basin next to his bed. "Let's get you comfortable. I'm going to help you sit up, and we will change your shirt."

Kaleria leaned in to wrap her arm around his shoulders, then lifted his torso from the mattress. Thorin sat up as best as he could, but his weakened body defied his command. She braced him against one arm, while she worked his shirt free from his torso. With his skin now exposed, she wiped down his back and chest, hoping the water refreshed his skin. After she had wiped him down, Kaleria pulled the new shirt over his head, and laid him back down against the pillows. She laid the new blankets over his body and returned to her chair.

Thorin studied her for a moment. "How long have you been here?"

"Three days."

"Why?"

Kaleria shrugged. "I volunteered."

"Oin could have stayed."

"And you would've left your people without their best healer because you were sleeping? I know you well enough to know you wouldn't have agreed to that."

"Why you then?"

"Everyone willing to stay with you had other responsibilities to Erebor. I have none, so I offered to watch you." Kaleria explained.

Thorin weighed out the options and realized she had been correct in her thinking. "That was good decision making."

"I'm sorry, was that praise? King Thorin has graced me with his approval." She waved her hands excitedly, though he could hear her teasing tone.

He snorted and met her eyes. "You do not seem the kind to seek my approval."

"I'm not."

"What do you seek?"

Kaleria flinched at the bluntness of the question. She had been teasing him, but suddenly he was being very serious with her.

"I think—" She gathered her thoughts. "I think I seek a sense of belonging. Something I could find here in Erebor."

Thorin was silent as he contemplated her answer. "I think we seek the same thing."

"You're the king, You do belong in Erebor."

"Here, yes," he shook his head, " but I feel something is missing."

Kaleria smiled at his honesty. "I hope you find it."

Thorin returned his eyes to hers. "I hope you find yours, too."

The candle on his bedside table flickered, reminding Kaleria how late it had become. She adjusted herself in the chair, leaning against one side, while drawing her legs up on the other.

"You should get some rest," she said. "Your fever may have broken, but you are far from better."

Thorin smiled. "I'll see you in the morning?"

"I'll be right here if you need me." Kaleria affirmed.

"Goodnight," said Thorin.

"Goodnight." Kaleria replied and watched as Thorin closed his eyes. She saw his breathing slow as he quickly fell back asleep. She snuggled into the chair and closed her eyes to join the king in slumber.