Laurel
Bard led us through the house and into a small room. Singrid was the one to clear the bed and start to close all the blinds. At this point soft moans started to flee from Kili's throat. "Shhh," I murmured pushing his hair back to press my hand to his burning forehead, "it will be alright soon. I promise."
There were dark bags under his eyes in high contrast against his pale sheen skin. It was a terror to look at. His hair was already half soaked in the sweat. Fili was pressing his hands over various areas on his brother's body. "I need my bag," I shouted out to no one in particular. "There are herbs in there that could help."
Bard fled the room and slammed back in through it with a box full of different vials and sacks. "I have Elderberry and Burdock," he started to hand me the items. Bain stood in the corner watching fearfully as his father continued to sort through the box. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Kili twitching and grunting more loudly.
"Bain," I called softly. The teenager took a few steps towards me. "I need you to go to the Master's house and get Thorin Oakenshield. He is the Master Dwarf with blue eyes and loose black hair. Tell him that Kili is sick. Tell the hobbit Bilbo Baggins that I need my bag. Hurry, please!"
Immediately the boy turned and fled. If nothing was damaged in my bag I should still have a bulb of Kings Foil. "Bard, I need a pot ready. Do not put water in it, I have soaked water to use, I can't dilute it," I placed a hand on the man's arm. He stood tall once more and left the room. The two girls were huddled in the corner digging through laundry.
A pained scream echoed through the room as Kili trashed harshly. Fili clamped both of his hands over his brother's shoulders as he continued to convulse. I pulled my fingers through his hair as I brought our foreheads together, "Shh, fight through the pain. I'm here with you, I'm not going anywhere."
It only seemed to calm him a fraction, but not enough to stop his erratic movements.
Soon the heavy thudding of running feet bellowed all around us and shook the house. The first face to enter the doorway was Thorin. Electric blue eyes blazed as they narrowed in on his nephew. Kili choked, his body bending and twisting more viciously. In two steps Thorin was beside Fili putting his hands on Kili to keep him from moving too much. Bilbo pushed his way through all the dwarves to get to me, bag in hand. I took my eyes off my dwarven prince to receive the sack and tear through it. Wrapped tightly and still intact was the bulb of Kings Foil. I carefully handed it to my distant uncle or cousin, "Bilbo I need you to open this and pour all of it into the pot that Bard has prepared. Once it is bubbling bring me the entire pot."
Moments passed until the room was crowded with more than it could handle.
"Everyone who is not immediate family go wait in the other room," Balin thundered. His deep commanding voice sent shivers down my spine.
Did that include me? I hesitated before moving, slowly making my way to the door. Snarling and the sound of a scuffle bounced around the room. "No Laurel, you stay," Thorin boomed.
My body moved at the command so that I was before Kili again. Balin was holding both of Kili's feet, Fili was holding Kili's right arm, while Thorin was holding his left arm right next to me. I got to work by taking my knife and starting to cut out his pants where the wound was. Breath left me, leaving me gasping at the sight of the black purple bruising covered in thick black blood. It smelled of decay and death, like a deer that was out in the woods for weeks. Each of the veins around the wound were thick and black. It was the poison working its way through his body.
His skin was scorching now, so much that I could barely touch him without hissing myself.
"Are you having the hobbit boil weeds," Bard burst through the room confused.
My brows scrunched as I shook my head, "Its Kings Foil."
"We feed it to the pigs!"
"Tell one of the dwarves I need more," I shouted.
Even with his family watching I placed my knife at his chest and tore through the material of his shirt.
It revealed more horrors of black veins. How long was he letting this work up before he said something? Even if he didn't know the arrow was poisoned he didn't have to pretend it was nothing! Self-consciously I sent him a glare. Even then his eyes were wild and wide, teeth grit while he starred on at me.
A roar of a howl screamed through his lips as he writhed against the hands holding him down. As softly as I could I placed my ear against his burning chest and felt the erratic beat of his heart. If it was pumping so quickly in that way he was working the poison closer and closer to his heart without even knowing it. Again I looked to his face, only to feel my own heart beat erratically.
This is what death looked like.
With my chest in my stomach and no air to fill my lungs, I trembled for a moment. Kili was dying. The burn in my eyes started, I couldn't live in this world without him.
Bilbo burst through the door with a steaming pot. Once he sat it down on the table next to the bed I screamed as my hand met searing water. It didn't stop me as I scooped up the soggy weed and removed it. Without waiting or warning I shoved it into his wound.
He screamed inhumanly and vaulted off the bed. A few more dwarves popped their heads into the room and then entered to aid us in keeping Kili still. "Someone get me a mug and a rag," I screamed.
My chest actually hurt with how hard my heart was pounding, my hand throbbed with pain from the scalding water I put it into. Though without trying I was able to tune it out and become numb. Still my eyes were trained on his deep brown ones filled with pain.
Everything blurred until the only sharp image to focus on was him. Finally his eyes closed tight. I tore mine away, feeling the wetness of tears flowing down my face. It was as if my body was humming, I suddenly had adrenaline that I never felt before. I felt as if I could move mountains, but it was no use to me if I lost the love of my life. His body slowly started to stop moving, I could feel him growing weak. My fingers pressed the Kings Foil into his wound a little deeper as I hissed, my lips trembling as my heart broke. "Esta sinome," my voice quivered. "Amin mela lle. Amind mela lle.
"Mela en' coiamin. Poika tuulo' 'kshapsae. Tula sinome. Tula sinome, Mela en'coimin, Amind mela lle!"
Something snapped. Everything became cold at once, goosebumps erupted all over my skin, even the skin not exposed to the air. All the adrenaline I had evaporated causing me to fall to my knees equally as weak. Just as I fell, hands still buried in Kili's flesh, he gasped, torso flinging forward as he came to sit. In moments he fell back into the bed eyes closed and even breathing.
My hands slipped to the bed as I tried to pull myself up. The strong arm of Thorin wrapped under my own as he pulled me up and held me. I put my ear to Kili's chest to listen to his heart beat slow and even. Trembling fingers wiped at the black mess on his thigh, pulling the Kings Foil away.
Underneath was a soft pink scar, surrounded by flush peach skin. There was no trace of bruising or poison filled veins.
Laughter bubbled up inside my chest as I was able to breathe deeply for a moment. The weight that settled on my chest was lifted and I gasped, tears flowing freely over my cheeks as I touched his cheek covered in stubble. His eyes opened, blurry and unfocused. The beautiful brown orbs settled on my face, his mouth moving softly, "No… you cannot be her. She is far away, she is far, far away from me. She watches and dreams of flying in starlight. She is of another world. No… you cannot be her... It was just another dream."
His large palm grasped my face, his hand sliding into my hair to grasp and tug gently on the courting braid he had put in there just mere nights ago. I was memorized as his lips moved again, the sound of his voice like a melody, "Do you think she could have ever loved me?"
The crooked smile I saw on rare occasions took his lips for a few moments before he rolled his face away and promptly slept.
Soon Fili brought a chair into the room, helping me into it because my legs shook too much to do it myself. Eventually Balin and Oin left the room, leaving me with the King and Princes. None of us said anything for a while, we just stared at Kili as he slept peacefully. Bard brought me another pot of water and a rag in which I used to clean Kili's thigh and leg from the poison and blood. At one point I had Fili hold his brother while I coaxed his sleeping form to swallow the warm Kings Foil water from before. Bofur had returned a while ago with more Kings Foil, that I instructed someone to make tea with. If I could get Kili to drink that for at least a day then it will cleanse his blood of the poison.
"Thank you."
I was startled out of cleaning Kili of sweat on his chest. Never have I heard Thorin sound so soft and genuine. In seconds the King was kneeling before me. Taking each hand in my own and meeting my eyes, "I am forever indebted to you. I owe you my life, and the deepest of all apologies.
"From the moment my eyes landed on you, I judged and treated you unjustly. That was my folly. Time after time you have proven me wrong in all my assumptions. Not only did you save my life and the lives of all in the company on more than one occasion, but you saved Kili's."
Tears started to collect in the brilliant blue orbs while the hairs of his mustache bristled.
"Lady Laurel Took," he continued, pressing his lips to each of the back of my hands, "You are brave, courageous, loyal, a huntress, and most of all loving. In honor of your acts, I name thee, Lady Laurel Took, kin of Durin's sons."
Kin of Durin's sons? Kin meant family but who was Durin and his sons? The confusion was evident, because he rose and placed a hand on my shoulder chuckling. Slowly I leaned sideways in my chair to look at Fili to see if I could get an answer.
The blonde prince light blue eyes were wide, his eyebrows almost into his hair. Even his bottom jaw was hanging softly. "Erm, that sounds pretty nice an all, but what does that mean," I whispered, looking between the two.
At once Fili jumped up, wrapping me up in his arms while he laughed, tossing me and catching me again.
"It is the highest honor a dwarf could receive," he shouted. "Even a higher honor since you are not a dwarf!"
I tried my best to untangle myself from him, but he refused to release his grasp on me. Fili's form crushed me to himself, a warm tight hug. "Laurel, uncle is decreeing that you are a part of the royal family," he whispered, "you are not just a dear friend, you are family."
Once his arms fell away, Thorin opened his own and stepped towards me, eloping me in one of the most heartwarming hugs I had yet to receive in my life. As he pulled away he pressed his lips to my forehead, cupping my cheek all the while smiling, "Yes, you are family. I bless the courtship between Kili, son of Vili, and yourself. Once betrothed I will perform the wedding ceremony myself."
After all this time I fought Kili. I finally accepted that I loved him, I accepted his courting braid. Still I grew weary all because of Thorin's wrath. Here and now he was telling me he approved. Giggles were leaving my lips softly. Joy like no other filled me to the brim until I could not stand still.
Soon I was holding hands will Fili and dancing around.
"I have a little sister," he bellowed before dancing away and out of the room. Thorin followed, closing the door behind him.
I settled down into the chair next to Kili again, barely containing my smile. Before I had never put thought into marriage with him, but it didn't sound like a horrible idea. From as far as I could remember it had always been Kili who captured my interest, it was Kili who I confessed my dreams and desires for eight years. The love I had for him would bring me to life without a soul if he were to perish. The only thing that waited for me in the future where I came from was my grandmother and mother. All of whom I never had time to see or speak to.
No I belonged here now, with Kili in Middle Earth.
The youngest girl of Bard entered the room hesitantly, offering me the tea I had requested they made. I accepted it and place it next to me, "Thank you. Do you happen to have hair ties? Maybe three or four of them?"
She returned in moments with a handful. I thanked her again and sighed, tracing Kili's side with my hand. Just an hour or so ago I almost lost him. Now I was ecstatic with Thorin's blessing. With shaky fingers I tied the top of the braid that Kili put in my hair. He said I couldn't undo the braid, but he never said I couldn't cut it.
It took about an hour, and surprisingly no one entered the room—which was a good thing because I feared the wrath I would receive for what I was doing. With painstaking precision and patience I tied off the braid in my hair, cut it half way down, and wove it into Kili's hair behind his ear.
Just while I was re-clasping the bead with his hair in it, he groaned and started to stir. Once more my hands smoothed the hair from his face. "How do you feel," I asked.
"Weak and tired," he muttered. Without even opening his eyes, his fingers wove into my hair again stroking my scalp. His fingers searched for my braid, but stopped short when it wasn't found. That's when he snapped his eyes open.
"Did you take out your braid," he whispered.
"I cut it out."
Anger filled his eyes for a moment, "Could not bear to be bound to me?"
My hands found his, guiding it to his own hair where I had just finished his own braid.
"Just the opposite actually," I whispered. "I almost lost you Kili. It is a miracle you're alive."
His large calloused hand lifted up the elegant braid. It was a sight to see, his dark brown hair blending in almost seamlessly into my vibrant red locks. Different emotions filtered across his face. First he was angered, then bewildered, and finally he was beaming up at me with love.
"Kili I love you," I whispered leaning in close and grasping his hand, "I have always loved you. At first I loved the idea of you, because I didn't believe you to be real. Once I got here I knew that it was real. You were real, my love for you was real—"
Chapped lips were bruising against my own. I had no idea how he moved so quickly. One moment he was laying on the bed, watching and listening, and the next he pulled me into his lap and was kissing me with earnest. On their own accord my hands traveled his bare chest, sliding into his hair while he kissed me with devotion.
Once he pulled away for breath, he touched our foreheads together to look me deeply in the eyes.
"I have waited so long to hear you say that," he murmured, brushing his nose against mine to lean in and kiss me again.
It was natural how his hands fit perfectly on my hips, pulling me closer and holding me there. His lips trailed to my neck, causing me to feel light and fluttery. "Uncle has to let you stay in Erebor with us," he whispered, "I will make him see reason."
"It was already decided earlier she was to stay in the mountain," Thorin's laughing voice came from behind me. Not wanting to be caught in a compromising position with his nephew, I jumped slightly and off the bed. Kili still kept his hand in mine.
"It was? When," he asked confused.
Fili popped his head in the room, entering when he realized that his brother was awake. He bounded over and crushed Kili in a tight warm hug. "You are finally awake!"
"The arrow that hit you was poisoned," Fili continued muttering, "you collapsed in the snow. I heard you and Laurel fighting, once I got there she was trying to get you up. Bard's son went to get the company from the Master's house. Laurel used Kings Foil to heal your wound."
At his words I grasped the tea and urged Kili to drink it. He made a face of disgust but drank it none the less. Balin had popped into the room next, looking equally as pleased to see Kili awake.
"Yes, if it was not for the lass and her Elvish healing magic we would have lost you lad," Balin sighed.
Elvish healing magic? What magic? Kili looked at me with astonishment, but I shrugged my shoulders, "I didn't use magic, I just did what I learned from the herb book I was given in Rivendell."
Thorin shook his head solemnly, "You did as Balin said. We all witnessed it. You spoke Elvish as well."
"No. I was just saying anything I could think of to get Kili to not die. I told him to rest, and to come back to me. That I loved him and to heal."
The others looked at me with odd eyes, those of disbelief. "They speak the truth," Fili urged, "you were speaking Elvish. Perhaps your instincts came to surface when faced with fear."
"You even collapsed afterwards and turned a little blue. Cold to touch," Thorin supplied.
Either way I took Kili's hand and held it tightly. All that mattered was that he was alive with me, no matter how. He pressed his lips to the back of my hand and squeezed back.
"Afterwards Uncle apologized to Laurel, and bestowed kinship," Fili urged excitedly. Kili appeared more surprised than his brother when he heard the words left Thorin's lips.
Soon all the company came in to see Kili and wish him well. I stayed firmly at his side, not wanting to leave him quite yet. Bilbo even hugged Kili and wished him well. His eyes narrowed in confusing as he pointed to Kili's shoulder.
"Is that Laurel's hair," he asked.
Thorin pushed his way forward and grabbed the braid, inspecting and muttering to himself in another language.
"Welcome to the family little sister," Fili hollered.