Chapter 18: The Power Within
"Can you not do something?" Fili's voice was desperate as he and Bofur did their best to soothe the writhing form of Kili as he twisted and yelled in agony.
"I need herbs", Oin grumbled as he bustled around them all in a fluster ", something to bring down his fever."
Ariel was sitting a little way off with Bard at his dining room table and sorting through all the herbs his small family owned. She nodded off as each one passed under her inspection, and she quickly made to list down on her notepad all the more important plants that could be used to treat any of the symptoms she had seen Kili struggle through.
"I have nightshade. Feverfew," the bargeman was listing as he pulled out small bottles filled with the respective dried plants and handed them to Ariel to check.
"They're no use to me" Oin shook his head with a sigh. "not with this kind of injury."
But then suddenly, Bard paused and turned sharply to Ariel.
"You said that you were close to him when he was first shot, yes?"
Ariel nodded with a small frown.
"Did you happen to see what the arrow looked like? Was there anything odd about it?"
Ariel's brow furrowed deeply as she tried to think back. Back at the Great River, she had dragged Kili up onto the bottom of the elven gates and had yanked the arrow out. She had only gotten one look at it, but she could still recall that it was dark and had dirty black crow feathers on the fletching, and a strange black substance had coated the arrowhead underneath the blood from the-.
She gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth. Of course, poison! How could she have been so stupid?! If that had been a normal arrow, Oin would've most certainly been able to heal it by now. That was the only reason nothing they tried was working.
But if so, then what kind of poison was it?
"What is it, lass?" Bofur asked urgently, and even Fili looked up to watch as Ariel ran a hand over her head, thinking hard and fast.
However, for all the good it did, she could not think of anything that could cure a poison…nothing except…
She heard a small voice in the back of her mind, and she bit her lip and shut her eyes as she tried with all her might to focus on it.
As she did, she could see her clearly in her mind's eye, an image of her mother in her jeans and a T-shirt, with large gardening gloves, muttering to herself as she pottered about the back garden, cutting at a large green bush with tiny white blossoms.
Then suddenly, Ariel could see herself, or rather a much younger childish version of herself, running up to her mother with a curious tilt of the head.
"Mom, whatcha doing?"
"Oh, I'm just trimming this plant. It's a bit stubborn." Her mother had replied as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
But Ariel could remember tilting her head even more at this statement as she pointed to the shrub her mother was tending to.
"But mom, that's weed!"
Her mother had then chuckled fondly down at her.
"A lot of people think that Ariel. But that's because only they just don't know that it is, in fact, a very special weed."
"Special?"
"Oh yes, very special indeed. You see" Ariel looked up at her mother, who smiled widely and took one of the small sprigs of white flowers and tucked it behind her small ear. "It actually has the power to heal the sick and injured."
"what's it called?"
Ariel's eyes widened as the vision faded from her mind's eye.
"Kingsfoil…" she mouthed silently to herself.
"Pardon?" Bard blinked from his spot opposite her.
Ariel quickly reached out to grab at her notepad and scribble down the word in large all caps letters that they could read even from halfway across the room where the dwarves were huddled around Kili.
"Kingsfoil", Oin breathed, his eyes widening in astonishment. "Of course. Kingsfoil! Why didn't I think of that?"
"Kingsfoil?" Bard's brow furrowed. "But that's just a weed. We use it to feed the pigs. Hey! Where are you going?!" he called out loudly as Ariel rushed past him to grab at her coat before dashing to the front door.
"Ariel!" Fili cried out but too late. The door had slammed shut behind her.
The young blonde dwarf balked to try and run after her, only for his brother's hand to reach out and grab at his own.
"No…Fee", Kili coughed as tears of agony coursed down his face. "Fee, stay, please."
Fili turned as he felt a familiar hand clap on his shoulder. It was Bofur, and his voice was gentle as he murmured.
"Don't worry, laddie. I'll find her and keep her out of trouble. I promise"
"Thank you" Fili nodded, his eyes wells of relief as they watched his friend quickly make to follow the path that the young girl had just taken and out the front door.
"Don't worry, Kee" Fili gripped his brothers hand tightly in his own as another bout of pain consumed him. "We're gonna help you. Just hold on."
The night was still over the surface of the lake. The residents of Lake Town were sound asleep in their beds, happily oblivious as thirty hulking shadows silently crept like cockroaches over their rooftops.
"[quiet]" a rumbling voice hissed to the night, and the Orc pack stopped quickly and quietly as they pricked their ears to listen in the still night air.
There just barely a couple of streets away, they could hear someone calling out:
"Lass! Lass! Wait up"
Then there was the soft but distinct pitter-patter of smaller feet running haphazardly over wood.
The orcs drew back to hide behind the rooftops' gutter pipes as a girl suddenly ran into the wooden pathway below, only to stop for one moment to look side to side before quickly running off to a path on the right.
The orc at the head of the hunting pack leered maliciously as he silently raised a and signalled to two of his swarthiest henchmen, who quickly nodded before quietly sneaking off to follow the girl discreetly from atop the roofs.
Oh, come on! I knew I had seen a pig stuffing itself stupid somewhere around here!
Ariel bit her lip as she finally came to a stop. She seemed to have arrived somewhere close to a closed bakery surrounded by many smaller houses and boats.
But there were no pig troughs, nor any other sign of anything living anywhere to be seen for a good long way around her. She was completely alone.
Oh no…
She felt her heart sink as she began to cough and retch once more. Her throat was searing with pain, and it felt like every breath was barely managing to slip through to her lungs.
It didn't help that the ground beneath her seemed to shake and rock for a good second.
She fell to her knees, doing her best to grip onto a wooden post to hold herself upright as she looked about herself.
She could've sworn she'd heard Bofur running behind her only just a few moments ago.
Where could he have gotten to? Unless I lost him…oh crap…
Ariel gulped as she looked about herself again. She didn't know anything of where she was at all. Heck, it was so dark she could barely even see where the house of the Lake Town's master stood high above the rest.
A fine mess you've gotten yourself into, Ariel!
She scowled at herself just as something behind her made to crack.
She wheeled about and saw to her great delight a massive fat pig trot across her path before making its way around a corner.
Without even pausing to think about her throat, Ariel dove straight for the animal, almost crashing around the corner and into an ally way…but also the chest of a large, dirty, bloodsoaked-
ORCS!
Ariel's mouth opened in a silent scream as she bounced off the chest armour of the foul creature that stumbled a little from the impact. As soon as it caught sight of her, it began to chuckle wickedly as its hands drew out a cruel, roughly forged blade.
"[got you green witch]" it snarled in its feral tongue as it made to advance upon her.
Ariel quickly backed away, her eyes streaming over in fear as she felt her back hit the wall of the ally way behind her.
She quickly turned her head to look for an escape route only to see another orc suddenly hop down from the shadows of a high porch and lunge at her.
She winced and cried out silently in pain as she felt a large claw-like hand wrap itself securely about her small throat and begin to grip it tightly.
"Pity you can't scream," the orc sneered down at her. "You look like quite a squeaker."
Ariel's eyes shut with fear as she saw the large sword raise higher and higher in the air, readying itself to strike.
Then suddenly, it thrust forwards.
Ariel clenched her teeth, preparing herself to feel the dig of sharp metal in her guts tearing her body apart…only nothing came.
Instead, something like a pair of strings twanged loud and clear above the roars and snarls of the two orcs.
Her eyes opened with a snap as she heard a familiar voice growl angrily.
"Leave her alone, filth."
Ariel could've wept for joy as she caught sight of an elf with long blonde hair and a fair face leap down from on high off the top of the building above her.
Legolas Greenleaf's eyes flashed with burning wrath as he fitted another arrow to his bow and loosed it straight into one of the orcs' heads.
Then at the speed of a bullet, he rushed at the orc holding Ariel. She ducked as the elf sliced at her attacker's throat in one clean, precise swipe with a knife from his back before yanking it off the poor girl and tossing it into the waterway.
"Are you alright?" he asked as he gently pulled Ariel up to stand to her feet.
She nodded shakily, only to double over into loud coughs and hacks.
"There will be more coming. You must leave this town at once before any more can find you. Undoubtedly they are more than keen to drag you back to your old prison," he whispered. "I can take you back to the Woodland Realm. You will be safer there-"
But Ariel at once began to vigorously shake her head even as she sank to her knees and retched harshly.
"Still as stubborn as a mule, I see" Legolas gave a small smirk as he deftly made to scoop the girl up into his hold despite her protests. "Will you just hold still!"
No! I have to find Kingsfoil for Kili!
However, no matter how much she struggled in the elf prince's arms as he all but dragged her weak body around the corner.
I'm sorry, Legolas
Ariel's fists clenched, and before Legolas could register what was happening, she had kicked her legs out of his arms, head-butted him in the nose and then gave him a hammer fist to the groin.
But I'm not going to leave my friends behind again.
The Elf prince let go at once and stumbled backwards, clutching at his privates.
"Wait! Ugh!" he winced in pain, noticing too late that the girl had grabbed at the handle of a sword on his hip and had tugged it from its sheath before running as fast as she could over a nearby bridge.
Finally, this looks familiar.
Ariel sighed as she ran helter-skelter back onto the main waterway that ran all the way up to the Lake Town, Town Hall, and its wooden Clock Tower.
AHA! There it is!
Ariel ran over towards a pig's trough and cried out silently in joy as she caught sight of a familiar small patch of green and white amidst the other weeds. She snatched as much as she could but only managed to find barely a couple of sprigs.
At least it's something. Who knows, maybe Bofur has found more on his rounds. Oh god, Bofur, I hope the Orcs haven't attacked him too.
Ariel ran down the wooden walkway, nimbly jumping between the few boats moored outside their owner's houses. As Nori would say, the key to getting away was to keep moving forward and don't look down or back.
Ariel could hear the elf's light footsteps somewhere above her, but she still didn't look back or stop. Not until she was running towards the front steps to Bard's house.
As she began to climb them, the front door opened, and the bargeman's eldest daughter Sigrid poked her head through.
"Da? Is that you? Oh, Ariel." the young girl blinked as Ariel quickly ran up the stairs towards her "what are you doing here? I thought you went to look for Kingsfoi-AH!"
The high pitched scream rent the air as suddenly a large orc jumped down from above and right in-between the two girls.
Ariel quickly raised the sword in her hands and was momentarily surprised to see a familiar blue, glowing blade. She had been so keen on getting back to the house that she had not even paused to look at the weapon she had taken from the elf's side.
The Orc before her was just as surprised as she was and jumped back, screeching loudly at the top of his lungs.
"The biter! The witch has the goblin cleaver!"
Ariel barely registered Sigrid's screams of terror as she made to quickly shove Orcrist deep in the orc's chest just as another Orc jumped down behind her.
Ariel swung about quickly, kicking the orc still impaled on her weapon at her new attacker, who stumbled back down the stairs crushed under the new weight.
As quick as lightning, Ariel grabbed Sigrid's arm and dragged her back inside, only barely shutting the door behind her as what appeared to be a cruel dark blade pierced straight through the wood.
"Ariel!" Ariel turned and saw Fili running towards her from Kili's bedside, his blue eyes wide with horror.
But Ariel did not have time to chat, not when another orc made to burst through the house's back door.
It snarled and licked its lips hungrily as it caught sight of poor Bain and Tilda, who had just darted out of the kitchen to see what all the fuss was about.
The poor little girl screamed with terror as the foul creatures made to grab at her and her brother.
They were saved when Oin made to charge at the Orcs from behind, expertly flinging bowls and pots at the creatures heads.
But his efforts were not enough.
There was a roaring sound mixed with wood splintering, and everyone looked up to see two more orcs hopped through the ceiling brandishing dark weapons.
"Get down!" Fili yelled as he dove at both Ariel and Sigrid, forcing them out of the way of an orc's blade as it made a violent sweeping slash at them.
He tackled it headfirst into the floor, quickly grabbing its knife from it and slashing it deftly.
"Quick hide!" he yelled at the two girls, and Ariel was quick to push Sigrid under the table before rounding on the three orcs cornering Tilda and Bain who was doing his best to swing about a heavy frying pan in his hands as his little sister tried her best to fling whatever she could at their attackers.
Without even a moment's thought, Ariel rushed forwards, jumping up onto one of the dining room benches and using it to spring down from on high.
She managed to hack Orcrist deep into the neck of one of the attacking Orcs, whose roar of pain quickly was stifled by a horrible gurgling splutter as she made to slice his head clean off with her second strike.
His other fellows rounded on Ariel, their eyes alight with malice, but it was enough of a distraction for Bain to push his little sister under the table with Sigrid.
Ariel ducked quickly out of the way of an orc's rather ferocious stab as the younger boy made to pick up a dining chair and smash it hard over the back of another orc's head.
It didn't knock the vermin out, but it did buy time for Fili to hit it by throwing a sharp meat cleaver from across the room before he was set upon by another attacking orc.
Oh god! Just how many of them are there?!
But even as the thought crossed her mind, there was a scream, and Ariel turned round to see the dining table flipped over by an orc who roared with bloodlust at the sight of the two cowering girls on the floor.
Oh no, you don't, you bastard!
Ariel rushed forwards, her face livid as she made to charge at the Orc, who looked up in surprise just in time for the blade of the goblin cleaver to run right through its chest. It fell to the ground with a pig-like squeal of pain, but already Ariel had turned to slash at an Orc that had tried charging her from behind.
She blocked the attacks that came as best she could, but there were just too many opponents from all sides.
Shit, that was close!
She squeaked internally as she barely managed to dodge as an orc's sword sliced so close to her hands that she nearly dropped her sword. She quickly recovered, however, and with an upward slice of her blade, chopped off one of her opponent's arms, noticing only too late that while she had retained her weapon, the Kingsfoli she had kept a grip on had slipped from her and had landed on the floor.
"NO!" she cried out silently as yet three more Orcs, seeing the fall of their comrade rounded on her, one of them crushing the sprigs Kingsfoil beneath its armoured boots.
Then Ariel saw nothing but red. She opened her mouth in a silent battle cry and lunged at the orcs before her slashing at them without mercy.
Many of the orcs began to fall back in surprise as the young woman managed to hew three orcs down in a row, her face livid and her eyes flashing as her red hair flew about her scratched up face, the ring on her left hand glowing with an eerie green light.
Ariel, however, didn't care. She'd absolutely had it with orcs and their cruel, destructive ways, their harsh laughs, their malice. She wanted nothing more than to be rid of the despicable scourges once and for all.
"Lass! Look out!" Oin yelled in panic, and Ariel turned her head only to see a dark shadow looming over her, a blade raised high over its head.
Twang!
Tilda gasped from her sister's arms as a slender arrow soared through the air and straight into the back of the monstrous head.
It was no ordinary arrow.
It took you long enough!
Ariel could not help but roll her eyes as she caught sight of Legolas jump through the holes in the roof just as the tall redhead of Tauriel ran through the now almost decimated front door.
Now the orcs really turned nasty. Such was the nature of their loathing for elves that the mere sight of the fair folk made them go into an absolute frenzy. They began to charge at anything that moved. Ariel was forced to back off, Orcrist held high in her hands as Sigrid and Tilda hid behind her.
"Kili!" Fili cried out as his brother struggled against an orc, trying to drag him off his bed.
At the call, Tauriel quickly whipped about to fling her knife at the attacking orc. It let go at once as it dropped dead to the floor, and Kili scuttled away from the corpse, his face horrified as he looked about himself.
It was absolute pandemonium. Furniture was being shattered and thrown about the house, orcs were roaring, children were screaming, and Tauriel was struggling with an Orc.
Without even pausing to think, the young injured dwarf leapt off the bed and dove right for the attacking orc. Quickly he stabbed it with its own knife before toppling to the floor, clutching his thigh desperately as he yowled in pain. He couldn't help it. It felt as if a white-hot flame was burning him from the inside out.
Tauriel gasped as she looked down on the struggling dwarf, and desperately she looked about for help.
The Orcs were beginning to evacuate the building in terror as Fili, Legolas and Ariel all made to chase them out the door whilst Oin did his best to usher Bard's three children to a small safe corner just as a horrible voice roared from outside in a hideous language.
"[Fall back! Regroup at the bridge!]"
All the orcs squealed and screeched like frightened pigs on route to a slaughterhouse as they poured out of the small house and back onto the streets to follow a mysterious hulking shadow in the distance.
They're leaving us…why?
There was a footstep behind Ariel, and she turned quickly, swinging her sword about only for it to be blocked by one of Legolas's knives.
The elf prince's eyebrows rose as he caught sight of the fiery blaze in those light green-brown orbs.
"You are a perplexing child." He murmured as he lowered his blade from hers carefully. "One moment, you are as timid and as frail as a small faun, and the next, you are as fierce and bold as a wolf."
Ariel's brow furrowed in confusion. Was it just her, or was there something akin to admiration in the elf's voice?
He almost smirked before reaching down to the empty sword sheath tied to his belt. "Here, you'll be needing this"
Ariel took Orcrist's sheath with a small nod just as Bain made to stand to his feet with his sisters.
"You killed them all."
"Nay", Legolas shook his head as he looked out of a window and into the streets below. "There are others out there. Tauriel, come. We must catch them before they escape."
But Tauriel hesitated, her face a mask of fear and worry.
It didn't take Ariel long to figure out why.
She felt her eyes sting as her heart sank as she saw that Kili was writhing on the floor, his face paler than ever before as his brother and Oin did their best to hold him down securely.
"No, please! We're losing him!" the old dwarf looked up at both the elves, who each exchanged a look.
Tauriel was concerned, as was Legolas though he wasn't keen to let it be known.
He was about to turn his back to leave, but Ariel grabbed at his sleeve desperately.
He looked down at her, and his eyes softened with pity at the young girl's pleading expression.
May all Valar above damn me for my weakness!
The Elf cursed himself mentally as he sighed heavily in defeat and nodded down at Ariel.
"Very well then…we will do what we can."
Ariel sighed with relief and opened her mouth to thank him just as something came thundering up the steps.
In the flash of a second, Legolas whipped out his bow and set an arrow to the string as he pointed it into the face of a very startled, very pale Bofur.
"Whoa there! Umm…" Bofur gulped, and both his hands flew up in surrender just as Ariel made to push down Legolas's bow.
Legolas quirked an eyebrow at her but acquiesced to her silent request before striding back inside the house to help Fili and Oin lift Kili onto the reassembled dining table.
As soon as he was gone, Bofur let out a grateful sigh though it was quick to morph into a look of sadness as he stepped into the house.
"Bofur, did you find it?" Oin barked only to stop dead in his tracks.
It was then that Ariel noticed there was nothing in the Bofur's hands.
"Forgive me…" Bofur turned his face down to the ground in shame. "I tried to find it, but there was none of it left."
Ariel's heart fell, and her eyes welled up with tears.
"No Kingsfoil? No, that cannot be true!" Fili breathed, "Bofur tell me it's not true."
But Bofur shook his head despondently.
"I'm so sorry…but the orcs destroyed every last bit of it as I was trying to fight them off…I tried to salvage what I could but…alas…"
Fili's blue eyes were now streaming over as he glanced between Kili and Bofur and then surprisingly to Ariel, who he stared at blankly.
"You could make some."
What?! Me?! I don't have any powers anymore!
Ariel blinked as Fili strode over to her and grabbed her shoulders.
"You could use your powers. You could grow the Athelas yourself"
Ariel's eyes widened in alarm, and she shook her head wildly. However, this did not deter Fili, who now began to shake her lightly as he looked up at her desperately.
"Ariel, please, I know you can do it! Please, you have to try! I'm begging you!"
"Stop!" Tauriel barked sternly as she wrenched the dwarf's hands off the girl. "If she says she can't do it, then she can't do it."
"Yes, she can,"
There was a silence as everyone turned to see Legolas now walking towards Ariel, holding her notepad in his hands and the crushed sprig of Kingsfoil he had picked up from the floor.
"Can you not, Ariel the Green? That is your title, is it not?"
Ariel looked up at Legolas and shook her head, tears streaming down her face, as she mouthed silently.
"But…but I can't…"
"Yes, you can" Legolas's eyes flashed fiercely. "I have seen you do it before."
What? what the hell is he saying?
But even as Ariel's eyes widened, the elf made to pull out something from his tunic pocket.
It was a small flower, in full blossom. Everyone stared at the sight of it. Its petals were a pure snowy white, and it seemed to glimmer brightly from within.
"It has not stopped blossoming since you were found", Legolas murmured. "So tell me, young Istari. Why would it still bloom like this if you've lost your powers?"
Ariel's mouth opened and shut like a goldfish as she looked between the flower and Legolas's face and backed down again as he put it into her hands.
As soon as the plant made contact with her skin, Ariel felt a rush of lightning pulse through her body, almost like a tidal wave in its intensity. Then suddenly, she gasped loudly as pain erupted from her left side.
What? What is happening?
Ariel frowned as she pulled up her left hand. The runes were all glowing their venomous green as the iron thorns dug into her flesh. But within the opal set into the bands, barely visible against the dark magic, bright white light of energy was swirling.
It almost felt like, though it could've been her imagination, that the magic in the stone was somehow…stuck…and the iron bands were the chains that restrained it.
Now that she thought about it, the small stone looked an awful lot like the crystal that had once been set into her staff.
Sauron used the stone in my staff to make this ring. But why? Surely he could've used any other gem? No, wait, he wanted to turn me into one of his servants and use my powers for himself. And the only way I could ever use my powers was through using my staff…like how he used the One Ring as his conduit…The Ring…wait a moment, that's it!
Her eyes widened as she traced the swirling surface of the opal. If Sauron could use magic rings to channel his power, what stopped Ariel from doing the same with hers?
There was a loud groan, and Ariel's eyes flittered over to where Kili was still struggling in pain.
She shut her eyes tight as Oin's and Fili's voices both wafted over her brain.
"We're losing him"
"Please, Ariel, you must try."
It hadn't been long ago that she, Ariel, had been like that. Frantic, scared, desperate, so desperate that she was willing even to travel worlds away from her home and family. The pain that came in her heart was not something she would wish on anyone ever, especially the dwarves and Bilbo.
"What is she doing? Why is she waiting?" She vaguely heard Bofur hiss somewhere nearby as he helped Fili try and move Kili's still struggling form.
Ignoring the pain in her hand and the frantic whispers around her, Ariel reached up to her clock necklace and quickly opened up the back. At once, the three small seeds that Beorn had gifted her fell into her hands. Quickly she took one of them into her hand and put away the other two, tucking the necklace back beneath her brown coat.
Okay, Ariel, you only have one shot at this. Let's make it count.
A voice in the back of her mind nudged her gently just as another made to hiss darkly.
But what if it doesn't work? What if Sauron's hold is too strong?
But the first voice was stronger.
You'll never know unless you try.
But there's still a chance nothing will happen? The second voice sneered, And then what? Your precious little friend will die, won't he?
Ariel's brow furrowed as she concentrated with all her might onto the seed in her hands.
You won't be able to save him…
Sauron's voice hissed, and she felt the scars on her throat burn as an invisible burning hand reached out to try and restrain her. But still, she kept her eyes shut and focused all her might on the seedling in her palms which had slowly but surely begun to grow.
She could feel the energy trickling out bit by bit, but it wasn't enough. She pushed harder, almost straining against the evil burning hands that tried desperately to cling to her only to slip, teeth gritting as the Dark Lord's voice whispered:
Once this young one's soul fades into the shadow, he will become a prize jewel ripe for the picking. Just think about it. Durin's sons finally right where they belong under my thumb, and then the rest of the race of dwarves will follow soon after-
NO!
Ariel's nostrils flare, and she felt something like a long straight vine in her hand's twist and writhe into a much larger stick-like shape.
NO! You will not take him! you will not touch any of them ever again!
And how are you going to achieve that, little girl? Sauron hissed.
When you've already let me take your dear older brother.
Ariel's eyes snapped open. She could feel the energy bubbling deep within her gut, just beneath the surface.
Almost there…COME ON!
The strong voice that was her own in her mind roared fiercely as it began to push at the barrier hard.
Wait…What are you doing?! No. NO!
The voice of the dark lord began to snarl as the dark barrier he had cast struggled to keep its shape. But Ariel did not back down. She only began to push harder, her grip on her new staff tightening as the ring on her finger burned.
She could do this. If Sauron wanted to make a magic ring using her power, then he'd have to reap the consequences.
She felt like she were a volcano ready for its first eruption. The energy from below suddenly began to surge harder against the earth's strain above. The pressure was building, climbing higher and higher.
No-you wouldn't dare?! You are my servant. You belong to me! AH!
There was a cry of pain inside Ariel's head, one that wasn't her own. She was also vaguely aware of a large snapping sound quickly followed by another and then another.
Just a little bit more…Just one more push Ariel
Ariel's teeth grit as she inhaled one big deep breath and pushed her mind with all her might.
It was as if someone had taken a sledgehammer to a glass wall. The energy that burst forth from the broken barrier was so intense, so mind-numbingly strong that when Ariel opened her mouth, she actually bellowed.
But it wasn't the silent bellow of a mute voice, nor was it the rasping choke of a sore voice. No, this was a yell, with a strong voice that started in the back of the throat and landed deep within someone else's.
Legolas stepped back in alarm as the green glow about Ariel suddenly turned white-hot, quickly pushing back Fili and Bofur, who had balked forwards at the young woman's yell. Tauriel likewise backed away to shield Bard's children, who were all watching wide-eyed behind her, unsure whether they should hide or stay where they were.
None of them had ever seen the magic of any kind ever before, let alone such a powerful burst of energy.
They all stared open-mouthed as the seedling in Ariel's hands began to grow, the vines lengthening and thickening into a long wooden rod, the petals of a flower blooming and solidifying as something like a green ball of flames swirled in the centre of them all, matching the green glow of the stone in the ring on her hands.
"Well, bless my beard." Bofur gaped open-mouthed along with Fili as with a sudden twirl of her hands, Ariel slammed the bottom of the new staff straight onto the floor, eyes flashing green as she looked around the room.
All the world was in a grey shadow once more, the outlines of the four dwarves and three other children vaguely visible as silhouettes against the world. However, when Ariel's eyes swept over Legolas and Tauriel, she paused. Their forms were not shadows, but bright figures of pure white, like starlight, made solid.
This is…this is just like when we were back under the misty mountains…
Ariel breathed heavily as she looked down into her hands, only to gasp loudly. Her body that had once been a shadow like the others was now glowing a bright green like the orb in her staff and like the tiny dot that glowed on her finger. She was quick to ignore them as she once more looked around the room, and her eyes fell upon the nearby kitchen table.
The table…
Oh no, Kili!
Her eyes widened as she looked at the injured dwarf. His shadow, unlike the others, was almost translucent. She could nearly see through him to the surface of the wooden table he was lying on.
"He was right. He's fading…" A raspy voice whispered from her mouth.
"Ariel! Your voice-" she heard Fili say, but Ariel wasn't listening as she looked once more into her one open hand, where a sprig of something green and white lay waiting for her.
She quickly turned towards Tauriel's bright form. She could faintly see the female elf's face as she gave a steady nod.
Right then…god, I hope this works.
Ariel turned her attention back to the seed in her hands and concentrated with all her might on one simple command.
Grow…
Kili, son of Boli, second heir to the throne of Durin, gasped for breath as several hands, many hands made to grab at his body and hold him down.
He howled in pain as their fingers almost scorched against his skin, branding him in their heat and intensity.
Dragons surround me…
He thought wildly as he struggled against the burning heat.
Smaug has trapped me in his clutches…Fili, where are you?! Fili!
"Kili!" he heard his brother's voice, but it was strangely distant.
"Fili!" Kili tried to speak, but it only came out as a garbled groan. It was almost like he was drowning in mid-air, his lungs burning even as he made to gulp down oxygen.
"Keep him still", he heard a voice speak as a pair of slender, gentle hands made to press into the horrible, agonising wound on his thigh.
He knew that voice…he had heard it often in his dreams of late. It was a fair voice, calm melodious as it began to chant words of a tongue so fluid and so pure that it brought peace to all hearts that could hear it.
But it wasn't the words that the young dwarf was interested in.
Kili's eyes were a blur as he opened them and looked up into the face that hovered above his.
And there she was. Her red hair was loose about her shoulders, and her green eyes were kind and soft as she looked down on him.
Kili couldn't help the way his breath caught in his chest as he gazed avidly into that face.
So…so beautiful…so bright…Brighter than starlight…precious and pure…
He gazed in wonder as she continued to chant, her whole form seeming to shine brightly from within as the smallest of smiles graced the corners of her mouth.
"Tauriel", he whispered and was surprised to feel that it didn't hurt to speak anymore.
Indeed his voice was leaving his throat freely, and the burning was ebbing away from his body as air, wholesome and sweet, flowed through his nostrils and into his lungs.
What have I deserved to be blessed by such a being?
He sighed heavily as he felt himself melt back into the wood beneath him.
It was a hard and unforgiving surface that many people would not be able to rest their elbows on. But to Kili's now jelly-like body, it almost as comfortable as his bed's mattress back home.
He breathed deeply, doing his best to keep himself awake as his vision slid in and out of focus.
He could hear people talking about him.
"I've heard tales of the wonders of elvish medicine. And I must say that was a privilege to witness Prince Legolas" Oin's gruff voice spoke softly as the smooth, but the terse voice of a man mumbled.
"I am glad you think so. It is not so often such skills of our kind are praised. Let alone by a dwarf."
"Ah well, healing is healing, no matter what race you come from."
Kili blinked up to the blurred ceiling above him as he pricked his ears as the sounds of someone familiar reached his ear.
"Fili, it's alright. He's going to be okay." Ariel mumbled out loud, only to gasp and clap a hand to her mouth.
Everyone turned to look at her in astonishment as she mumbled softly.
"My voice…my voice! Oh my god…Oh my GOD! My Voice! I can…I can speak…"
She looked down at Fili, her eyes wide as they spilled over, tears streaming down her face.
"C-Can, C-can you h-hear me?" she stuttered, and Fili's face at once split into a wide smile.
"Yes. Yes, I can!"
"Aye, yes, lass, we all can!" Bofur laughed out loud before turning to Oin, who smiled cheekily as he pulled out his ear trumpet.
"Uh, what was that lass? I didn't quite hear ye."
There was a loud bark of laughter, and Kili turned his head slowly to the side. His eyes widened slightly as he caught sight of his brother's short blonde head buried into the stomach of a slender human girl as he twirled her around in the air.
He smiled softly as he heard Ariel squealed loudly as she giggled, wrapping her arms around his brother's neck and holding him tight.
Both were looking happier than Kili had ever seen them, and it almost brought him to tears as he caught sight of the pure joy in his brother's blue eyes as he gazed upon the girl in his arms.
The way Fili's eyes sparkled, Kili might have thought his brother was gazing upon the most beautiful gem in the world.
Oh, Fee, just kiss her already and be done with it, you idiot!
But then Kili winced a little as he felt something tug about his thigh and sluggishly turned his head to see Tauriel standing over him, her green hazel eyes cast downwards as she made to bandage his wound over a small smile gracing her lips as she listened to the joyful laughs nearby.
No…but it couldn't be…
"Tauriel", he whispered her name breathlessly, and the elven woman quickly turned to look at him worriedly.
"Lie still", she murmured, but he just shook his head ever so slightly.
Her voice… still felt distant to his ears.
I am dreaming
He reasoned in his mind.
That is why all is well…I am fading away into sleep…I am dreaming a good dream…
He opened his mouth to speak, his voice wistful and soft as a breeze.
"You cannot be her…she is far away…She is far, far away from me…she walks in starlight from another world…It was just a dream…"
Tauriel's breath hitched in her throat as she felt the dwarf's large hands make to reach out gingerly towards her own. His fingers were gentle as his digits carefully sliding up to entwine themselves amongst hers as he breathed.
"do you think she could've loved me?"
There was nothing but silence as Tauriel looked down in shock at Kili, who stared up at her, his eyes a haze of great affection even as they slid shut…his mind falling into a peaceful blackness of sleep.
Then suddenly, there was a loud clattering sound.
"Hey! Where are you going?" came the small surprised gulp as Sigrid came out of the kitchen with Bain and Tilda.
Tauriel quickly looked up just in time to see Legolas striding quickly across the room, his face stony as he made his way towards the front door.
"I'm keeping the first watch. The rest of you stay inside." he clipped to the room at large before slamming the door shut behind him.
"Oy…" Bofur gulped as he sat up from where he'd been lounging on the floor. "What's his problem? Is he sick too?"
"No, I don't think so" Ariel shook her head as she turned to look questioningly at Fili.
But Fili felt his heart sink as she gazed at the very battered front door of the bargeman's house.
That look that had been on Legolas's face…it had been the same look of anguish and heartbreak that had been on Thorin's face when he'd caught him and Ariel saying farewell the day before.
Wait a moment!... Anguish and…heartbreak…oh mahal…
"Fili…What's wrong?" Ariel bit her lip.
Fili opened his voice to speak…but he didn't have time to make the words.
The ground beneath them all shook and trembled violently. Ripples formed in the bowls of water, the wind began to whistle and howl all about them as if a small gale were passing through the entire house, though all had been peaceful only seconds before.
"Sigrid?" Tilda looked fearfully up at her older sister, tugging the doll in her hands tight to her chest just as the ground trembled once more. But Sigrid did not say a word. Her face was as pale as death warmed up as her eyes swivelled round to a window.
Ariel turned to follow her gaze and felt her blood freeze in her body as she saw high up silhouetted against the large full moon, a black shape with batlike wings.
NO one moved. No one dared to even breathe as a voice, a great booming voice as deep as and as guttural as the roar of the largest lions but also as smooth as a hissing snake, rumbled into the night.
"I am Fire…I am…DEATH!"
Oh, Thorin...
A tear ran down Ariel's cheek.
What have you done?