I must say that I enjoy the enthusiasm in reviews. I ran into a bit of a dilemma with this chapter and then ended up with a massive headache from work. This was supposed to be longer but you've all been waiting so patiently, I decided to split it into two parts instead. Sorry for the wait!
Look at me rambling... read on! :)
"Your body is broken." The bear-man pointed an accusing long arm towards the female dwarf. "I can tell by the way you breathe. You hide it well, but your eyes show everything."
The dwarves turned to Éla with worry. None got up from their seats in fear of Beorn's actions. The air became stiff in the oversized room and Éla started to feel claustrophobic. She broke away from their gaping stares and focused on the wooden grooves crafted on the table. It was too much energy to keep in contact. She held her cloak closer to her stomach, coughing in the process.
"Éla."
Thorin rose from his chair. He received no response. Concern washed over the dwarves, including Thorin himself. The animals had stopped bustling about the room only to watch the events unfold in silence. As intelligent as they appeared, they wouldn't advance unless directed by their master.
Someone barely touched her shoulder before Éla stood up shakily.
"I need to get out of here." She whispered more so to herself than anyone.
"You need to be fixed." Beorn proclaimed.
How the skin-changer heard her words, she did not know. She thought it a mumble, not normal speech. The thought transitioned into panic as his booming voice continued to echo through the halls, through her ears, her body. It became a vicious cycle with the pain augmenting a course within every inch beneath her skin. Gasps and screeching chairs followed as the dwarf maiden stepped away from the table.
She couldn't overcome the light-headedness associated with the sudden drop from her blood pressure. Too much was happening at once. Her body unable to support its weight, collapsed onto something soft.
Spontaneously, and a bit confused, Éla regained full awareness once her body was more levelled with gravity. She jolted upright only to fall back in pain, holding her side.
"Easy."
Every sensory returned as perspicuous as day. She still felt weak but was relieved to hear and see clearly again. Éla tilted her head towards the voice which rumbled through her back. Thorin was holding her upright. He studied her face in distrust and concern. She had lied to him, and he knew it. If eyes were the gateway to one's inner emotions and being, Éla figured she would have received some form of chastised remarks from the future king. None came. Whether it be her gender or age, scolding was unnecessary at that point.
"The pain will multiply tenfold as you mend." Beorn added. "The procedure will be excruciating."
Éla's eyes jumped to Beorn in fear. Were they really going to try and fix her?
"What?!" She tried holding back another cough but couldn't.
The skin-changer laughed. "What do you mean, 'what'? Would you prefer to remain broken or do you want to continue your journey with your friends?"
She nodded to the later. Without further questioning, Beorn whispered in an unfamiliar tongue to one of his white ponies before it trotted out of the hall. The dwarves remained seated with Gandalf and their hobbit, except for Thorin who was knelt on the ground supporting a weak, trembling Éla.
"Then it is settled!" Beorn stated to the company. He pointed to Balin and Dwalin before proceeding to the door. "You and you, follow me."
The two dwarves followed him into the next room, leaving the others to ponder what would happen next. Thorin carefully lifted Éla in his arms and followed. Despite his best efforts, every movement reverberated with pain. He could feel her heavy breathing trying to accommodate the panging sensation.
Beorn marched back to the doorway so he could visibly access the entire company as a whole.
"Be warned: this will get loud. I suggest the younglings cover their ears. In fact, it may be best for everyone."
The hobbit looked at Gandalf in question. "What are they going to do to her?"
"Fix her, if you've been paying any attention at all, Master Baggins."
"Yes, I get that, but how?"
The wizard took out his pipe from under his cloak pockets and started puffing out rings of smoke before answering. "Not every injury bleeds. Élarinya must have a broken bone from our fight with the goblins. If it is accessible, they will break it back into its rightful position."
The detailed description must have disturbed the hobbit as he fell silent, gaining Gandalf's attention. Bilbo held his hands together in his lap, not saying another word.
"She'll be alright." Gandalf said after a moment.
"That is, only if the bone hasn't started to mend itself." Beorn explained from across the passage. "If your tale holds true, she still has time."
Grumbles and whispers hushed over the dwarves.
"He makes it sound like she's dying." Bilbo murmured.
Gandalf raised a brow in surprise at the hobbit's remark, but let it slide while taking another puff from his pipe. The dwarves soon occupied a more lively discussion as the skin-changer spoke intangibly to the animals, which resumed bringing out the dishes and food. Beorn proceeded to walk back to the head of the table that now turned into a dining hall.
In the next room, Balin had carefully removed Éla's outer clothing and belts as Thorin aided in supporting most of her weight. They gently laid her on the wood flooring, head resting on her cloak.
"Alright, let us see what we're dealing with." Balin said.
The three dwarves crouched down as Balin slowly raised Éla's tunic to her chest. She stifled a small cry as the fabric was lifted. Every touch, every move, was becoming unbearable. She did her best to control her breathing but even so, it was proving difficult. Éla continued to stare at the ceiling, not wanting to make eye contact with the dwarves in fear of losing control of her emotions. She had to be strong, even if tears threatened to cloud her vision.
Silence lingered.
"That's not good." Dwalin noted. There was pity in his voice.
Éla tried to lift her head, but Thorin placed a hand on her right shoulder to prevent her from rising any further. Balin examined the swelled area below and around her left lower ribs with a gentle touch. Éla repressed another yell from parting her lips. The dwarf continued to feel around her bones and stomach for anything unordinary.
She now tried to focus on their faces in hopes of providing some form of comfort. Thorin was unreadable. His eyes remained fixed on Balin's hands as his own still held onto Éla's shoulder. Dwalin hadn't moved a muscle, as always, but he didn't hide his sympathy for the maiden. As for Balin, he was determined and highly focused on the area of injury.
"It appears you're in luck, lass: only two broken ribs."
"O-only?" She stuttered, attempting to sit up on her elbows. Thorin once again impeded her actions with a push from his hand.
Balin smiled as he met her eyes. "I'll need you to remain lying down. This won't take long."
He nodded at the other two. Dwalin braced his arms around her legs as Thorin took hold of her shoulders and forearms. Anxiety swept over her as she was pinned to the floor. There was enough strength to prevent her from moving, but not enough to actually cause harm.
"Ready lads?"
Balin proceeded to place his fingers over a rib, receiving an upsetting groan from the maiden. His touch spread like flames, pulsating within underlying muscle tissue. He hadn't even done anything yet. Her breathing became more rapid. Thorin watched her as he leaned over, blocking her view of Balin completely.
"Hold her down."
Éla struggled to see the one she could not. "W-wait..."
"Thorin, she may-" Balin began but that was the end for Éla.
A shuddering, piercing scream echoed through Beorn's halls as the dwarf had abruptly pressed down on her torso. It was enough to make all three dwarves practically jump out of their skins from the unexpected, deafening noise.
Éla flung her head back, trying to move away from the agonizing pain, and the horrible throbbing which now encased her body. Dwalin and Thorin applied more strength to their hold, doing their best to keep the female as still as possible. If not for Éla's fragile thrashing movements, he would have covered her mouth to muffle her voice. Unfortunately, they would have to pray that their hearing would be spared.
Balin finished in a sigh. "-scream."
He kept a heavy hand on her side as she continued to spasm uncontrollably. Tears flowed down her face. She tried to keep some self-control over the painful tremors with deep breaths.
In moments, a small, fluffy sheep trotted over next to Balin. On its back rested a tray with a small basin of cold water, cloths and a flask bearing unknown contents. The dwarf had a revelation upon noticing the animal, taking a cloth and soaking it in the basin. Draining the excess liquid, he handed it to Thorin before grabbing another one.
"Here. Dab her lightly. It will ease the swelling and temperature."
Éla's skin appeared pale as she was coping with the injuries. Her temperature began to rise as her body fought the damage done, but her limbs remained cold. Thorin gently patted her face and neck. He lifted her so she was sitting, leaning against him.
"Well, she took it better than most." Dwalin stated.
Color seemed to have returned to her sickly complexion as Balin held another cloth to her ribs.
"Never...again." She muttered.
Balin chuckled. Despite going through so much within the past few minutes, she still had some humor added in her tone.
"We'll take it one day at a time, lassie." He winked at Thorin, his sign that the worst was now over.
Thorin eyed the tray on the sheep. "What's in the flask?"
"Not sure."
Balin reached for it and opened the seal. The dwarf took a whiff of the contents inside. He looked it over in suspicion.
"There's a sweet aroma but I can't pinpoint what it is exactly. Might help with the pain though."
He handed the flask to his leader. Éla flimsily reached a hand for it, which was forwarded to her instead. Thorin helped her hold it as she took a drink of the mysterious antidote. By now her breathing had settled, but there were still minor tremors from the throbbing pain that continued to course through her chest.
"It tastes like pineapple." She said softly.
Éla caught the funny look over the dwarf's features, but was having trouble keeping her eyes open. Balin was astonished. The delicate fruit was a good remedy for anti-inflammatory and pain relief. "Ah. Of course."
Her head rested on the soft furs of Thorin's coat. She closed her eyes and passed right out.
Over supper that evening, Beorn told the company stories of the dangers of Mirkwood, which they will pass once they continue on their eastward journey. The dwarves even shared a few of their tales with the skin-changer before he dismissed himself. Some members chanced a glance from time to time at their female companion resting peacefully on a bed in the corner of the room. Bilbo was the most concerned as he's never seen someone in such anguish back home in The Shire.
Balin noticed their stares, so did Gandalf. "Don't worry, lad."
"We dwarves have thicker bones than most." Bofur added. "It takes quite a bit of force to break."
"You're not helping." Dori disputed, seeing the confused look from Bilbo.
"But it's true!"
Argument arose across the table. Thorin heaved a sigh before glancing over at Éla, who stirred in her sleep.
"Enough!"
He had gained their attention. Bombur risked taking a mouthful of bread and cheese, listening intently.
"Let us not waste time on this foolish bickering."
Gandalf rose from his chair. "Agreed. With food in our bellies, I think it is time to settle down for the night."
A fire was soon built in the center of the hall and the food cleared. Night came earlier than anticipated as the dwarves lost track of time, conversing over treasures and plans for their journey ahead. They sat on the floor, close to the maiden. A loud slam came from the front door as it shut.
The sudden noise startled the hobbit, and almost immediately to everyone's surprise, Éla. She brought a blanket up closer to her side for support as she pushed herself upright. The movement caught the attention of the young dwarf princes.
"Look who's finally awake." Fili proclaimed smiling.
The others turned with joy and for some, relief.
"What happened?" The maiden asked, adjusting to the dimly lit room. Earlier it had been brighter. She wondered how long she had been asleep.
"You missed a delicious meal!" Kili added, crawling closer. Realizing his mistake at the mention of food, he all of a sudden felt guilty. "Oh. We didn't think to save you a plate as the animals cleared everything away."
Éla reassured the young dwarf. "Don't worry, Kili. I'm not even hungry. Whatever was in that flask seemed to have done the trick. I still feel a bit tired though, but some conversation would be nice."
The brothers flashed each other a smile.
"What now..."
Fili started. "There is something-"
"-we were wondering." Kili finished.
"Fili, Kili. Let her rest." Thorin spoke in a stern manner, silently warning the two.
Éla chuckled at their antics. "It's alright. I'm perfectly capable to stay up for a little while. Heavens knows how long you've all let me sleep in peace. I assure you small talk won't kill me."
Her words created a reverse effect where Thorin became unspoken. She faced the young princes with a weak smile to continue. The other dwarves took part in the discussion that was sure to follow.
"You have been with us for nineteen days, thus far." The elder brother explained. "So, it's only natural for us to wonder..."
"...where is your beard?"
Realization dawned on the dwarves. They had questioned her lack of beard among themselves upon first meeting the female, but answers were never pursued. Some dwarf women chose to appear clean-shaven like their human counterparts; others took pride in growing it out like the males. These were only a select few who could. Most couldn't grow a full beard though, just enough to line the chin and jaw-line.
"What do you suggest is the cause for my lack of facial hair, Master Kili?" Éla wanted to hear their theories.
Kili fumbled for words, glancing around the circle of companions unsure if he should offer his own assumptions.
"Well, Fili and I thought, and we mean no offense by this," he waved his arms in front, "that you might not be a pureblood. It's the only logical explanation that we could think of."
The hushed voices rendered the young prince uneasy with his judgment. All eyes fell on Éla in question. Kili almost regretted saying anything at all as the air stiffened, awaiting an answer. He caught his uncle searching the maiden for some form of truth to his words. Thorin looked disgusted by the idea. To imply that Éla was part elvish was quickly becoming a dangerous topic to further discuss.
Regardless of a few menacing or loathing stares, mostly from the older members, Éla proceeded to reply in a small laugh while being mindful not to overexert herself.
"You thought I have elvish blood running through my veins?"
Kili shied away in embarrassment.
"Good guess, but I guarantee I am one-hundred percent, dwarf." The maiden noticed the mild hostility, but it quickly vanished.
She caught the relief that spread through Thorin's eyes before taking a swig from his cup of mead. He was good at hiding his emotions, but not good enough for Éla to look up at the right moment and catch it. Her strongest feature has always been her instinct. When something deep inside sends her a signal, she follows through. There was no hiding anything.
"Then, why don't you have a beard?" Ori asked on behalf of everyone.
"I don't really know, to be honest. Both my parents and grandparents had bears, even my brother too." She paused. Their prying gazes waited. "The healers gave surety to my parents when I was younger that I was perfectly healthy. We could only assume that it was a defect by birth. Nobody is perfect."
She shrugged her shoulders in defeat. There was no other explanation she could think of. The company sat quietly, contemplating the validity of her speech. They were; however, in agreement that no one was perfect. Unless you crafted someone in your own vision and design, that was one of the few things on Middle Earth that was impossible to create. Elves might have been a close exception, but Éla wasn't going to start up that debate. She had enough suffering to deal with.
Ori continued to look troubled, or rather confused. He looked down into his cup, and then met the female dwarf's gaze. "If you're not part elf, how come you're so beautiful?"
Laughter broke out among them, beginning with the young princes. It was too late for poor Ori as he felt humiliated by asking such a thing. Éla's surprised facade didn't help either.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Éla. I didn't mean to..." He bowed his head low. Dori patted him on the shoulder in comfort.
"Come on Ori! First the flower, now that?!" Kili hollered with laughter.
Thorin finally made the connection with the purple clover still held in place by the dwarf's silver braid.
Éla cocked a brow at the young, dark-haired prince. "Charm and simple but kind gestures, are the stepping stones to moving forward in life, Kili. You should know that."
The dwarf looked at his older brother before continuing. Ori hadn't realized he opened a window that could not be closed. "So you are...available?"
"I beg your pardon?" Éla couldn't believe her ears.
Kili kept looking at his brother and then Thorin, who grew more irritated by the second. Bofur, Dori, Nori and Dwalin all choked on their drinks. Bilbo didn't know whether to find their chat funny or uncomfortable. He turned to Gandalf who appeared quite amused, as always these days.
Fili stepped in for his younger brother, attempting to portray a more distinguished disguise. "We're trying to figure out as discreetly as possible, if you're-"
"Please, don't make me laugh."
"Do you have a husband? There, I asked." Fili nudged his brother in success for doing what he could not.
Éla remained immobile, as did the dwarves. Bilbo almost dropped his own mug at the unexpected question. Her lack of response pressed the brothers to instigate further.
"What about suitors?" Kili offered this time.
Gratification spread as the older members hadn't stopped them yet. Thorin scowled at his nephews, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. Curiosity was definitely going to bite them all within the next waking moment.
"You are far too young to even suggest a courtship with Élarinya. Even if it is for your own enjoyment." Gandalf advised.
As the wizard suspected, his statement only peaked their interest that much further. She was amused herself over their poor attempts at flirting, if you could call it that.
"If you don't mind me asking," Dori insisted, "how old are you, Miss Éla?"
Éla gave the wizard a bemused look in thank-you-for-continuing-the-interrogation, type of smile. Gandalf simply winked in response.
"Since you're all so keen for answers, humor me and take a guess."
They looked at her questionably, not wanting to cause offense if they guessed wrong.
"One hundred." Fili estimated first.
The dwarf maiden shook her head.
"One hundred and twenty-four."
"That's too high, Nori!" Dori stressed.
Éla laughed. "Actually, that's too low."
"One hundred and forty?!" Kili blurted, receiving another death glare from Thorin. "Sorry."
She shook her head 'no'.
"You couldn't possibly be one hundred and fifty." Fili declared.
Once more, Éla smiled and shook her head. "Wrong again."
"We give up!" Bofur said in defeat. They were drained from the day's events and attention spans were running thin.
"I'm one hundred and ninety-four. I'll be one-ninety-five in a few weeks."
The dwarves were stunned. They couldn't believe it: she looked younger than she appeared.
"You're bluffing." Kili said after a moment of silence. He chanced looking at his uncle, now knowingly aware the two shared the same age.
"I wouldn't lie about myself." She retorted, still amused by their looks of stupor. "Besides, if it's any comfort to you, this grey braid should be enough proof that I am indeed, aging."
The flames from the fire had died down and were all but glowing, red embers. A few yawns escaped here and there. Gandalf took the opportunity to usher them to bed. It was getting late and they needed rest.
"Do not judge based on appearances. Physically, Élarinya could pass as a young maiden in her prime. But that will be for another day." The wizard commenced. "I would advise that you do not stray outside during the night. It is a perilous place."
Without further questions ado, the dwarves and Bilbo snuggled under blankets already set aside on beds by Beorn's animals. Éla slid back under her covers, allowing sleep to take over her body. Her mind remained fixed on the lengthy conversation. She couldn't shake off an unusual feeling from within. Something had awakened inside. All it took was one look...
More Thorin in the next chapter. A lot more Thorin. I promise...
Apologies in advance for the sudden cut-off, semi-cliff-hanger. This chapter may be revised in the very near future when I'm not dealing with a headache. : )