A/N: Love you guys for the reviews and for bearing with me on such a huge cliff hanger last time.
I usually only have time to work on these fics on my phone while my son is napping so I can't tell you how much each of your comments motivates me!
Keep the lovely words of encouragement coming xoxo
There was a split second of shocked silence before utter pandemonium erupted.
People began screaming hysterically; those at the back of the hall unsure of what had happened, started for the exits while others began to duck for cover.
Nearly a dozen armed guards tackled the assassin in the crowd who looked positively calm and peaceful as the first dwarf in golden armour took him down with a sickening crunch of bone.
Briseis felt numb as the chaos ensued around her, she was barely an inch away from the King and did nothing to save him as the small look of shock that played upon Thorin's features resonated in her mind.
Somewhere within the dregs of her consciousness, she managed to notice Fili and Kili.
Both brothers as still and unmoving as she was while they watched with wide, unbelieving eyes as Thorin curled his fingers around the hilt of the dagger and pulled the crimson soaked weapon free from his chest.
An abrupt yelp of protest escaped her lips as she took an involuntary step toward the dwarf - removing the weapon could cause him to bleed out even faster!
A small voice at the back of her mind sneered; it would serve him right to die in a pool of his own blood while she stood by and did nothing.
By the look of satisfaction on Fili's face, it was clear that he was thinking the same thing.
The King of Erebor's cerulean eyes widened momentarily before he dropped the dagger onto the platform, staggering backwards unsurely as he tripped over his own feet.
He landed with a resounding thud on both knees before her and pressed onto his wound with trembling fingers, taking away his hand only to find it covered in crimson fluid.
As though of their own accord, her legs stepped forward and she bent over to pick up the plain, metal dagger that had been dropped only seconds ago. The smooth hilt was still warm from the assailant's grip and she stared at the blade - it was nearly four inches long and each serrated edge seemed to cut through her thoughts.
Kill him. Do it for yourself and for every other woman before you.
No. You are a Healer. You save lives, not take them.
He would kill you without a second thought.
Do it.
She realized that her hands were shaking and that she hadn't moved an inch, still staring at the dagger as she clutched onto the weapon like a lifeline, coming to stand before the injured Dwarf.
Everything she learned and practiced under Auntie Nora forbade her to take a human life - but this was no man; he was a monster.
The King looked up at her, his cloudless blue eyes as bright as ever when they flicked towards the knife in her hand.
"P-please…"
Briseis felt a white hot rage envelop her at the sound of his plea, assuming that the sick bastard had the audacity to beg for his life even after he would have forced his nephews to rape her.
As if seeking permission, her grey eyes found Fili who gave her a pointed glare and nodded his head infinitesimally while Kili swallowed hard, slowly coming to the realization of what was about to happen; tears running freely down his cheeks as he watched in silence.
And if Thorin had not opened his mouth to speak once more, the girl would have slit his throat.
But before the adrenaline consumed her, and before she wound up to kill the King under the Mountain, Thorin gave her a look of heart wrenching agony.
"Kill me...please."
Briseis blinked in shock, recoiling slightly as though he had slapped her with his words.
"Please, finish it." The King's voice cracked with emotion as he screwed up his face in a final desperate plea to the girl who stood before him. "KILL ME!" He roared, lunging for her.
The girl stepped back, narrowly escaping his grasp as her will faltered with each passing second as she stared into the frightened, weary eyes of a sick man.
"Shit!" She spat, finally losing all resolve and lowering the weapon.
Fili grabbed her wrist.
The Prince of Erebor glared at her through frenzied eyes, his expression dark. "What are you doing?"
The two locked gazes for a moment, neither of them blinking.
"I'm going to save him."
Briseis surprised even herself at the words which left her mouth, and knew that the straw haired dwarf understood the double meaning to her statement.
She knew after Thorin's plea for death that she could not kill him. Perhaps she was simply loathe to give him what he wanted - a quick and simple death would be the easy way out.
No. He deserved to live.
She was going to bring him out of whatever madness he'd been drowning in and make him face the consequences for each choice he'd made over the past decade.
She was going to set things right.
Fili was reluctant to release her, but she gave a firm tug on his grip and he relinquished his hold on her wrist, still scowling.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"No. But I have to try."
And with that, the stoney eyed girl turned to Thorin.
The King was still on his knees, eyes fluttering lazily as blood oozed out from the wound in his chest like dark molasses, staining his crimson robes in an ever growing pool.
She thanked the heavens for the slow exsanguination while wondering how on earth the knife had managed to miss a major artery.
She knelt down beside the injured man and grabbed both of his hulking shoulders, firmly pushing him back onto his rear.
He slowly looked up at her, blue eyes burning.
"T-the Dragon...I can't fight him," he whispered, grabbing onto one of her wrists with an iron grip. A look of potent anguish washed over his features as the Healer stopped her ministrations for a split second. Thorin pulled her in, his expression suddenly wild and desperate. "Just end it, please!"
Somewhere deep within herself, the girl felt a fleeting pang of pity.
Thorin took a deep breath and let go of her, his eyes closing and his hands leaving dark red stains on her skin as she felt his entire body go limp.
Shit.
"Bring me that, and prop him up against it," she ordered, quickly pointing to one of the chairs while supporting the immense dwarf with everything she could muster.
She saw out of the corner of her eye as Kili's boots darted over, the sound of scraping wood making its way closer while she inwardly blessed the young prince.
They propped Thorin against the Oak frame, his head lolling backwards as Briseis gingerly peeled back the slick cloth from the stab wound and tugged on the expensive silk, the material coming apart in her hands with a loud rip.
"You,"-she barked at a nonplussed guard who stood frozen with shock a few feet away from where the assassin was now being bound and chained-"go find as much warm water and salt as you can."
After screwing his face up at her, wondering why in the blazes he should have to take orders from one of the Privileged, Fili shouted at him in the guttural language of their kin and the golden armoured guard scampered away without another word.
Almost reflexively, Briseis reached down to tear a strip off her hem when she was met with glittering rubies and delicate lace applique.
"Oh for fucks sake," she cursed loudly, turning around herself to search for the end of Thorin's already ripped tunic when another sound of cloth tearing filled the air.
"Here," Sel's familiar voice approached her from behind and the girl nearly smiled; so much for not causing a scene.
Briseis turned and pulled the long, flowing strip of bright blue fabric from the woman's hands, registering the look of shock on her pretty face.
A part of the girl wanted to console and comfort Selene, to tell her that the King would be fine, but the other half which had nearly slit his throat stopped her from uttering such condolences.
"Fili, I need you to apply direct pressure to his wound - as steady and hard as you can until I say otherwise."
The straw haired prince looked frazzled; as though a part of him wanted to watch Thorin bleed out and die. It took him a moment of deliberation before grabbing the wad of cloth and kneeling down beside her to press onto his uncle's chest with both hands.
"Barely missed his heart…" Fili muttered, his tone was level but the look of regret in his eyes betrayed him.
Briseis had no time to dwell on it though as she turned back to Selene.
"Can you go get some warm blankets and clean cloth? I need them as soon as you find them."
The woman from Khand nodded tersely and left without another word, a quick nod to her left resulting in a pair Privileged following her out of the deathly quiet hall.
She hadn't noticed it before, but the crowds hadn't disappeared at all.
Those who had scrambled for the exits were now all huddled together, watching the small group on the platform from the doorways while the others did the same from within the chamber.
Even the guards who had the balding, unconscious attacker shackled in their arms were waiting and watching.
No one looked sad or even worried, rather she could detect the unmistakable glimmer of hope from more than one pair of onlooking eyes amidst the sea of spectators.
"What do you need me to do?"
Kili's voice crept up on her, making her jump slightly as she tore away from the audience to address the youngest son of Dis.
His olive eyes were still watery and red, the tip of his pointed nose matching her dress as she gave him a half hearted smile.
"To tell me I'm doing the right thing."
Kili looked at her with pure admiration.
"I know you are."
Briseis let out a shaky sigh of relief, thankful that at least one of the brothers believed in her choice to spare the King.
Just then the guard she had sent for water returned with three others, each hauling a side of a bronze tub as they hobbled into the gallery.
"The salt?" The girl asked, stealing a glance behind her at Thorin and Fili.
The blonde was still staring morosely at his uncle, his fingers stained crimson, as was the once blue cloth from Selene's gown.
The guard pushed a heavy stone jar at the girl who immediately ran to the bronze tub and emptied its contents into the steaming water.
"Bring it over here," she ordered, scrambling towards the King and nearly tripping on her accursed gown.
Before she tore the damn thing off and lit it on fire, the girl reached for the dagger again and slashed at the hem, chopping off the glittering jewels and lace until both of her ankles were visible.
The guards stared at her as though she were insane, but did as they were told and set the tub down beside Fili.
Briseis knelt down beside the blonde prince, quickly washing her hands in the cistern.
"Alright Fili, you can ease off with the pressure now."
The young Dwarf either didn't hear her or simply neglected to move, his sea green eyes wide and unblinking as he continued to stare at his uncle.
"Fili?"
When there was no sign of him even acknowledging her presence, the girl grabbed his hand firmly, his eyes finally meeting hers.
She registered the tears which stained his cheeks.
"I loved him like a father," he whispered solemnly. "And I would have let him die without as much as batting an eyelash."
"You did what anyone else would have done," interjected a familiar voice. The girl looked up to address the speaker, about to tell him to piss off when she met the black gaze of a tall man with a fierce expression. His dark hair was pulled back neatly from his face, exposing a strong, square jaw and a series of scorch marks on his thick neck. His once handsome features were marred by years of worry and stress, making him seem well beyond his years and even despite his commonplace dress, Briseis instantly recognized him.
He was the one from the painting in the East Hall; the man with his black arrow, wreathed in flames.
"How can you be so foolish as to let him live?" The intruder asked Fili viciously. She noticed the look of confusion, anger and sadness creep into the Prince's features.
He was clearly in turmoil, unsure of his conflicting emotions in regards to his uncle. Fili would have let him die, but now felt a delayed guilt for feeling such hostility towards someone who had raised him like a son.
"And you," the strange man turned to Kili who was standing by Briseis. "To follow the orders of some girl so blindly! Do you not see what she has done?"
The girl in question jumped to her feet, grey eyes flashing dangerously. "If you're not going to help, then I suggest you remove yourself from the area."
"What would you do?" He scoffed, eyeing her up and down as though amused.
"Try me," she challenged as the two glared at each other before Kili stepped between them.
"Let her work, Bard. She's wiser than us all," he remarked, steering the Lord of Dale away from the fuming girl.
Sighing inwardly Briseis gently knelt down to face the seemingly catatonic prince once again, grabbing his face with both hands as she forced him to look at her.
"We are going to save him."
"What if we're making a mistake- what if...what if he hurts them?"
A moment of confusion passed before Thorin's previous threat to Fili rang in her mind loud and clear:
That little Laketown bitch of yours and her unborn child will be dead before sunrise.
Suddenly she understood his dilemma with the crushing weight of an anvil. He feared for his beloved and their child. He feared that in allowing Thorin to live, Fili would be directly responsible if the insane King did anything to harm them in the future.
She locked eyes with him and brushed the hair from his brow gingerly.
"We won't let anything happen to them," she soothed, "We're going to save your uncle - together. We will pull him out of his madness."
"What if we can't?"
Briseis paused, weighing her words carefully.
"Then I will kill him myself."
Finally placated, Fili nodded at her.
"Now I need you to let go."
Pulling back as though each arm were a Mountain, the blonde dwarf slowly eased away from his sallow faced uncle.
Briseis immediately slipped between the two and cautiously pulled away the ball of soaking cloth, nearly throwing Fili an incredulous look as she did.
Whether it was the effects of shock or simply a testament to his strength, the sheer amount of pressure the blonde had applied to the wound had all but stopped the bleeding.
The cut was deep and gaping, exposing a layer of fat, but was otherwise a clean and straightforward injury.
The girl stole a glance at Thorin, her heart thudding wildly when she saw just how pale and clammy his skin had become.
She needed something warm to wrap the King with.
And as if on cue, Selene's glowing figure reentered the chamber with a bundle of plush blankets in her arms while the two women who had followed her out, now trailed behind, each with a basket filled to the brim with bandages and crystal jars.
Briseis jumped up and ran to meet the dark haired beauty, nearly crashing into a group of shell shocked spectators in the process.
"Get these people out! I'm not performing tricks up here for them to gawk at," she said angrily, shoving a man to her left a little harder than necessary.
Sel nodded, handing over the blankets before turning to find the cluster of guards who had yet to remove the assailant from the crowd.
Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, like a shroud of vultures eagerly awaiting the death of their next meal.
Jumping back onto the platform, Briseis sidestepped Fili and began tucking the blankets around and under Thorin's body, careful not to push the chair he was leaning against back any further.
The two other women had followed her and set the baskets down, their delicate features quickly turning into masks of shock as they registered the amount of blood which had seeped into the wood beneath their feet.
The girl quickly rummaged through the wicker containers and pulled out a large bowl and a few fats of cloth, mentally thanking Selene's sharp wit.
Clearly the woman from Khand was more than just a pretty face.
She reached into the bronze tub and scooped out a bowlful of the briny mixture, setting it down beside Thorin as she dunked the thick square of fabric, wringing it out over the King's chest.
She repeated the process again and again and again, quickly losing all track of time and her surroundings. The only thing that resonated in her mind was that with each wash, the water trickling from Thorin's wound became less and less red until finally it ran clear.
Sighing mightily, the girl sat back on her aching haunches, a pool of tepid blood-tinged water surrounding her as she flexed her stiff fingers, which were as shriveled as a pair of old prunes.
The Dwarf King had a fraction more colour to his skin than before, but still looked too much like a corpse for the girl to relax. She needed to elevate his legs - get blood pumping to his heart. But with his wound so close to the vital organ, she couldn't risk moving him until the injury was sutured.
A strong hand gripped her shoulder and broke the intense concentration which consumed her.
She turned to meet Fili's red rimmed eyes, his expression unreadable as he slowly pried her away from the still unconscious Dwarf.
The hall was blissfully empty aside from herself, the blonde prince, Selene and Kili; the latter of the trio holding a small tray of fruit and a goblet of water.
"What is it?" Briseis asked, vaguely irritated at being interrupted. Was there an emergency elsewhere?
"You need to take a break," Fili urged, mustering a small smile at the derisive snort which escaped her lips.
"You've been at it for hours," Kili chimed in, coming to brandish the tray at her.
"I don't exactly fancy the taste of Dwarf blood with my grapes, thanks," she replied cheekily, earning a scowl from the dark haired Prince.
"I'll feed you, here-"
Briseis dodged a dark red cherry with a grimace; it reminded her too much of a blood clot to eat right now.
Kili looked scandalized by her rebuff, and she nearly laughed.
"I promise, as soon as I'm done here you can put anything you want in me," she replied, ignoring the dirty minded woman in blue who nearly choked at the remark.
The young prince's cheeks flushed scarlet but he made no further move to shove food in her face.
"What I do need is some boiled thread and a needle," Briseis asked hopefully. "I need to stitch him up before we can move him."
Selene pointed towards one of the wicker baskets still on the platform.
The Healer stared at the other woman in slight disbelief.
"How did you know to bring it?"
"I raided the old medic's wards," she explained, smiling sheepishly. "We literally threw everything we could find into those baskets."
Old medic?
Briseis had half a mind to ask what had happened to him but thought it best not to waste more time.
Zipping back to the King, she fished out a series of small sacs from the creel and peered inside.
A number of curved metal needles jingled happily and she delicately extracted a single one from inside the pouch before moving onto find an airtight phial filled with sturdy thread.
Perfect.
A few crystal vials filled with unknown liquids clinked together and she hastily perused through the labels, plucking out buckwheat honey and essence of calendula.
Washing her hands in the half empty cistern, Briseis called for an assistance.
"I need you both to hold Thorin down, in case stitching him up rouses him."
Fili and Kili nodded, both brothers rolling up their sleeves before taking a seat on either side of their uncle, strong arms clamped onto his biceps and forearms in anticipation of a rude awakening.
"Sel, can you help me with the supplies?"
The woman came to her aid at once, bundling all of the items the Healer had retrieved from the baskets with a clean cloth, careful not to touch the needle and thread with her bare hands.
Briseis smiled; she would make a decent apprentice.
The next hour was spent sewing Thorin's skin together, the Healer trying her best to answer the questions tossed at her while she slathered the King's wound with honey and calendula before they bandaged his chest tightly.
She sat back and wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, trying her best to straighten the kinks in her neck and back from being stooped over for so long.
"Now what?" Kili asked, finally releasing his uncle's arm - the skin beneath his fingers were bright red from his vice-like grip.
"Now, we move him onto a table and haul him into the nearest bed," Briseis answered, washing the honey's sticky residue from her hands.
Fili immediately bounded for the exit, calling for the guards as a handful of inquisitive faces peeked into the chamber while the group of dwarves filed in.
"Don't those people have anything better to do?" The girl with the grey eyes mumbled darkly - they were like animals waiting around a butcher for scraps.
"They really don't," Selene replied quietly as the two women watched the King being lifted from the platform and shoved unceremoniously onto the wooden table.
The group of dwarves grunted and pulled the makeshift stretcher up, suddenly all turning to look at the Healer.
"What?"
"Which room do we take him to?" One of the guards asked.
"How the hell am I supposed to know? You're the ones who live here - find the nearest empty chamber and toss him in," Briseis retorted brusquely, earning a good chortle from Kili and a small smirk from his brother.
The guard scowled and the girl sighed, regaining a fraction more patience as she tried again with an ounce of added civility.
"Please, just any empty room will be fine."
The group made its way down the corridors amidst a throng of onlookers, all whispering and murmuring excitedly as she tried to ignore the countless stares and phrases which seemed to jump out at her.
After what felt like an age, they arrived at a set of stone doors which Selene pried open, allowing the procession to enter.
The woman from Khand quickly undressed Thorin and covered his legs with a sheet before the men hauled him onto the pristine bedsheets.
Briseis grabbed a few extra pillows and stuffed them under his legs as high as they would go before covering him with the thick duvet.
"Someone get a fire going in here, we need to keep his as warm as possible," she ordered through a huge yawn, the adrenaline and shock of the evening finally exiting her system as exhaustion and hunger caught up with her. "I'll be back in a few hours to check on him."
She made for the doors, planning to take a shower before devouring anything she could get her hands on.
"Where are you going?" Kili asked suddenly, nearly tripping over his own feet as he followed her out into the empty hall.
"Bathing chambers," she replied tiredly, "you planning on joining me?"
Kili couldn't keep the smirk off his face, but was decent enough not to respond to her lewd question.
"I...I just wanted to say thank you."
Briseis stopped, turning to look at the King's nephew.
His dark hair was a mess, his wet fringe pushed back out of his blood shot eyes and his usually sun kissed skin looked pale. His violet tunic was soaked and stained, as were his breeches.
But despite his disheveled appearance, the prince's expression was sincere and warm.
"Are you thanking me for saving him or for stepping up to slit his throat?" The question was posited without a trace of sarcasm or jest - the girl genuinely wanted to know.
"For both," Kili replied seriously. "For being brave enough to volunteer to take his life and for being compassionate enough to know when to spare it."
The girl's grey eyes began to water and she inwardly cursed her traitor tears, instantly looking skyward in an attempt to hide her emotions.
"What if Fili was right. What if Bard was right?" She threw the questions to the night air knowing they wouldn't be met with an answer, but she needed to get it off her chest nonetheless. "I know he's ill, but this isn't anything like I've ever seen before...what if I can't fix him?"
The young dwarf reached over and cupped her face in his hands, staring at her intently as though seeing her again for the first time.
"You are utterly brilliant and you will save him. You're going to save all of us."
She tried to turn her head to the side, ashamed of the hot tears which streaked down her cheeks but Kili's grasp was firm.
"He would have had you and Fili...he was going to make you both…" Briseis' voice faltered as she recalled the twisted plan Thorin had devised and nearly set into action just a few hours ago.
"I would have died before I betrayed you in that way," the prince vowed, his olive eyes burning bright despite the lack of light in the quiet hall. "I swear."
The girl nodded, sniffling like a child but managing to stem the flow of tears, abruptly aware of how close she and Kili had gotten. She was also aware of a strange tightening sensation deep in the pit of her stomach at their sudden proximity.
He seemed to notice the same thing and stepped back from her as though she'd burned him.
A moment of awkward silence passed between the two, Briseis finally able to talk above her hammering heart.
"The man who threw the dagger - he said it was for his girl,"-she recalled the words loud and clear and the question had been in the back of her mind since they'd been uttered-"who is it? Who's his daughter?"
Kili scratched the back of his head before he answered with a name that made Briseis' heart sink.
"Alanah."