Chapter 24- The Carrock

The mountain plateau the great eagles had sat them down on rose high with rock ledges and a tree lined sloap off to one side. The great Anduin river split around the carrock running between the stone. "Gandalf ,Thorin is hurt really bad we need to do something." Philicia pleaded with the wizard. "Thorin is stubborn and I highly doubt he will let anyone near him. The wizard huffed. "But Gandalf. " She continued. "When I had my hand on his side it was covered in blood he's bleeding from that warg bite. If he doesn't get it treated it will get infected. Do you have any idea how filthy there mouth's are?" Philicia again pleaded with Gandalf. "Fine", she huffed. "I will go and talk to Oin." So she went to the chief healer and was told the same thing. "Besides we have no clean water we need that before anything can be done." Oin told her. "Ok ."She said. "So the first thing to do is get him some clean water. "Hey," Philicia hollers getting everyone's attention. "Who want's to go down to the stream and get some clean water so some can be boiled to clean Thorin's side." The dwarves all turned their faces to their king."No!"he grunted his side hurting more than he let be known. "No fires here we are too visible."Thorin glared at Philicia to let it go. "Oh I don't think so, not this time,no way baby." She reached into her purse and grabbed the prescription pain killers she had for headaches and marched over to Thorin. "Here these will help with the pain." She said handing him the little yellow tablets."I am fine." he growled at her. "Bullshit, Thorin you have four gaping wounds in your side and God knows what else." Philicia wasn't giving up but Thorin would not let her check his side. "Would you at least get these down ,please." Thorin took the pain killers now all they had to do is wait for them to take effect." Gandalf I gave Thorin some very strong pain medication when he get's sleepy we need to get him off of here so he can get those wounds cleaned out." So while the dwarves rested from their ordeal with the goblins and eagles Philicia watched The dwarf king closely. "Philicia." He called to her." What did you give me?" He asked her, his voice groggy. "How does your side feel,does it still hurt?" Philicia asked Thorin helping him stand." I feel woozey," his words slurred. "Ok everyone let's go now." Philicia hollered out to the company. So with Dwalin to his left, Fili in front and Kili behind they all held Thorin up and started decending the steep steps. Thorin stumbled and almost fell a few times but within a short time they were at the bottom. " Bofur went to get clean water for boiling while Gloin and Bilbo started a roaring fire. They had set up camp for the night in a small clearing surrounded by thick tall trees. The thicket would conceal the smoke from the fire and offer them some hidden protection."Here is the hot water my lady." Gloin said handing Philicia the small bucket. "Thank you"adknowledged taking the clean steralized water. Philicia went over to Thorin. "Now are you going to cooperate or do I have Bombur sit on you?" She told the cankerous king. Thorin did not even meet her eye's he was a bit perterbed at the moment so he sat silently . "Thorin please you say that you love me, then let me do this, let me help you."Philicia got down on her knees in front of him. Thorin looked at her then the tears falling from her deep purple eyes were his undoing."Very well."He consented. So Philicia had him sit on a flat rock."Hare you doing?" She asked upon hearing Thorin take a pained breath when he sat down. "I am fine." He hissed when she raised his clothing and applied an antiseptic to his wound's. "If I didn't love you I wouldn't be doing this. Thorin those deep puncture wounds must be cleaned out." "How do you know, forget I said that." He said turning his face away. Philicia touched him on the cheek her fingers barely brushing his skin."Because I was right behind you when that thing sunk it's teeth into you and then tossed you against that rock like a rag doll." Philicia cried into his lap. "How, I left you high in the tree." Thorin cupped his battle worn hand under her chin lifting her face to his. "Bec- because I knew what was going to happen. I squirted that orc in the face with mace I hope he is blind,permanently." She said fresh tears falling."I had your sword in my other hand I would have killed that thing myself if he touched you." Thorin was shocked at her bravery. His beautiful Philicia who couldn't stand the sight of blood without being sick had taken on Azog all in the name of love for him. Thorin gazed into her eye's and his misted with moisture also." Do what you must azynugal." Thorin softly kissed her lip's. So She helped Thorin with his great coat lying it to aside, then the outer shirt, then the mail shirt, till after only one more layer his side was bared for her to really see the extent of the damage. "Oin could you come over here ,please and bring my black bag with you" Philicia hollered to the chief healer. "Thorin." Oin said coming to stand next to Philicia "What have we got?"He asked his hands examining the four gaping wounds on Thorin's side. "Oin wait, don't touch them yet." Philicia stopped him as she got her small bottle of hand sanatizer. "Hold out your palm,"she ordered. Philicia squeezed a glob of the clear gell into Oin's hand. "Now rub them together till it's dry," she said rubbing the gell into her own hands also. "What is that strong smelling gunk?"he asked . "It will steralize your hands." She answered him. Oin just gave her a pecualier look and began seeing to Thorins wound's. He had four gaping holes where the warg's primary teeth had sunk in and brusing all along the side and up into the chest area."Thorin I am going to push on your side you must remain still, Philicia hold his hand's lass, talk to him." So she told Thorin how brave he was and how she couldn't wait to see Erebor and how much she loved him. "Ready now,"Oin said pushing hard into Thorin's side."No ,No, please that hurt's."Thorin cried out in excrushating pain. "Thorin I am afraid you have got a few broken ribs." Oin informed him.I am aware." He groaned every breath agnoizing. "What do we do about it?" Philicia asked not taking her eye's off the Dwarf King. "I can clean the wounds and apply a salve to prevent infection ,but the rib's they must heal on their own." He told her looking at Thorin also. "Can we wrap them?"She asked. "No then that would make breathing even more difficult." "Ok,"she said still holding Thorin's hands in hers. Oin applied the ointment and Philicia also put on her triple antibiodic creme just in case .By the time they were done Bombur has supper cooked and everyone was quite hungry."How is my uncle doing?"Fili asked sitting down next to Philicia. "Is he going to be alright?" Kili asked taking the spot on her other side." He has four puncture wounds and a few broken rib's but Oin assures he will be fine, with time" She told the Durin prince's trying not to break down. So while everyone ate Philicia set out the bedrolls and gave Thorin as much coushon as she possibly could. A few of the dwarves offered their bedrolls for exta softness and Philicia gladly accepted. She made there bed next to the fire making sure Thorin was comfortable. "How are you felling? Do you need more Pain killers?"She asked. "No Oin gave me a drout to drink for the pain,I prefer that . What you gave me this morning was ,well it was." "Sorry." She said looking at Thorin. The company was gathered around the campfire telling stories and singing songs . The evening passed swiftly for Thorin and Philicia the Dwarven King falling into a deep sleep cradled withen his future queen's loving embrace. Philicia woke in the middle of the night cold and shaking she had been dreaming of the battle with the wargs and the warmpth had left her. Spotting Thorin sitting on a rock she quietly made her way over the to where he was trying not to step on anyone while she was at it."You should be resting how do you expect to get better when you don't sleep." She sat down next to him and let her head rest on his shoulder. "I am fine,you need not concern yourself with me." He said dryly to her. "I like being concerned for you, Thorin,I know you are not used to someone caring for you like this but please don't push me away, it really hurt's when you do that." Thorin looked at her then and saw the tear's forming in her eye's and very slowly so not to move to quickly he encircled his arm's around her. " I am sorry and you are right I am not used to being cared for. That is what comes from being alone for so long." Thorin touched his forehead to hers before catching her lip's in a tender kiss. She wrapped her hand's around his neck opening her mouth so she could let Thorin know she wanted him to kiss her with more ardor. The minute his tounge touched her's she latched on and kissed him back their mouth's twisting and overlapping sucking and nibbeling."Oh ,my love." He moaned into her mouth trying to muffel the sound. Thorin was burning his lower body tightening making the breeches uncomfortable in the middle . "Philicia come let us go lay back down." Thorin got up carefully and led her back to their bedroll. She let him lay first then she laid down next to him their noses almost rubbing together. "Are you hurting?" Philicia asked before embracing the Dwarven King in her arm's. "I am alright the drought is still in effect without making me so sleepy I can barely talk." "Yeah, about that it was the only way to get you off the top. I had to." He didn't say anything but leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers kissing her accepting her apology. "I love you so much." She said twisting her fingers in his long raven locks." I love you so very much it would kill me if anything happend to you. Do you know that?"She kissed him then pouring everything she felt into it. Philicia kissed a path down to his collarbone ,up the side of his neck before taking his earlobe in her mouth sucking gently on it. Thorin about came undone when she did that. "Be careful my love dwarves have very sensitive ear's." Thorin told her his hand's stroaking her side before reaching up and tenderly cupping her head searching for her lips in the darkness. "I love you also more that I ever thought I could ever love anyone. You have brought me a happiness I never knew possible and a love worth fighting for." Thorin looked into Philicias eye's deeply letting her know he was laying his heart bare for her to see. "When we retake The Lonley Mountain I will show you a world you could not even imagine. Halls fillled with golden light. The market place busting with vendors and the great forges where I will make you a crown worthy of a queen. I want to give you jewels to match the color of your eye's and diamond's and sapphires for your ear's. Would you like those thing's my love?" He kissed her again his lip's moving to kiss away the tears drying on her cheek's. "To lose you would ... I would be lost without you." Thorin stumbled over his word's as he turned pulling Philicia underneath him. She could feel how much Thorin wanted her and she wondered how long she could keep these strong emotion's in check. Everyone was awoken from their sleep by the sound of a warg howling in the distance. "Thorin", Philicia said her voice trembeling."Was that what I think it is?" She snuggled into him closer. By now everybody was awake and murmering quietly together. "Master Baggins go and see if you can spot the orc pack." Thorin commanded. "There is a little trail that leads to the edge of the clearing that would be a good place to spot anything moving." Gandalf added. So Bilbo very quietly snuck up the small path till he reached the edge. There were large boulders on both side of the drop off. Bilbo hid behing one hearing a warg houl very close by. As he peeked over the big rock his eye's caught sight of the Orcs just on the other side of the deep gordge. He could clearly see Azog upon his white warg the animals coat shining in the moonlight. Suddenly they stobbed Azog sniffed the air and then motioned for them to continue on. Bilbo ducked behind a boulder as The Defiler looked at the exact spot where he was hiding. He then peeked around again and his eye's took in the sight of the biggest black bear he had ever seen .The animal had it's front paws on the rock like it was watching the orcs and where they were heading. As soon as they were gone Bilbo took off down the trail to where the company was waiting. As he came into view Thorin and Dwalin rushed up to meet him."How close is the pack?" Thorin asked Bilbo immediatly. "Too close, a couple of league's ,no more." Bilbo answered him, running till he got to where Gandalf was standing next to Philicia "But that's not the worst of it." He say's trying to catch his breath from the run down the trail."Did they catch the scent of us?" One of the dwarves asked fearfully."No not yet ,but they will soon. But we have another problem." Thorin looked at Philicia standing next to Gandlf she was shaking, she had been since the houl of the warg had woken everyone up nearly an hour ago. Thorin walked over to her and took off his great coat and draped it over her shoulders putting his arms around her and bringing her closer to his warmpth."I'm scared Thorin, I don't want to have to tangle with those things again." She shook with fear hoping she would not faint . " I know ,do you know what happens next?"Thorin asked her as he leaned in and wispered in her ear. "Something about a house we stay at and someone named Beorn." Thorin started rubbing her arms to stop her from shaking but she just turned in his embrace burying her face in his shirtfront. "Did they see you?" The wizard asked. Bilbo turned to Gandalf still breathing hard."They saw you!" He said shock in his voice. "No, that's not it," he replied. "What did I tell you ,quiet as a mouse. "The wizard smiled . There were several comment's amoung the company with Gandalf's remark. "Excellent burgler material." The wizard addded. "Aye," they all agreed in unison."Will you all just listen" The Hobbit said frustrated." I'm trying to tell you there is somthing else out there". Bilbo got the attention of the dwarves with the desperation in his tone."What form did it take? Like a bear." The wizared asked. "Ye-yes ,but bigger,much bigger."Bilbo stammered. "You knew about this place?"Bofur asked catching Gandalf's eye." I say we double back." He added. "And be run down by a pack of orcs."Thorin spoke his voice laced with fear. That was it Philicia's head spun and she slipped out of Thorins arms as her small body fell to the ground puddled at his feet. "Oin? " Thorin breathed bending down and picking her up. Thorin laid her head on his arm as Oin checked her over checking her leg for infection but she was healing nicely so he determined her faint was due to overwhelming fear. "She will be fine Thorin get a cool wash clothe and wipe her face down." Someone handed him a damp cloth and he spunged down her face till she came to." What happend?" She asked looking into his worried blue eye's."Are you alright?" Thorin asked kissing her softly. "I think so,"she answered sitting up. Thorin, there is a house, not far from here where we might take said . "We all need rest and food." Gandalf added. "What house,are they friend or foe?" The king pushed. "Neither,he will help us or he will kill us"Gandalf said as the company broke out into arguing "Quiet those wargs are too close do you want them to hear us." Thorin said his voice steeled with authority. Everyone listen, It's ok. Thorin The place is safe he will help us please I can't do this much longer." Philicia told him as he helped her to stand up. Everyone was looking at eachother then at Thorin awating their leaders decision."We will go to the house."He said as the sound of a bear roaring made everyone uneasy. "Good, now,run!" Gandalf ordered. They all followed the wizard who seemed to know where he was leading ran out of the rocks and crossed a little stream everyone stopping quickly for a drink before continuing on. They ran across a clearing of green grass and rocky terrain before finally coming to the forest . The warg pack was so close they could hear them howling behind them."Thorin, I can't do this I'm so tired." Philicia stumbled and nearly fell. I can not carry her." Thorin cried out. So Dwalin put her on Fili's back and they continued running. They were sprinting down a hill when Gandalf said. "The house hurry quickly!" In a clump of trees they all could see the house with a high wall around it and a path leading to the front door. Bombur out ran everyone, him and Fili reaching the enormous door first. Bombar smacked into the door and bounced off landing on his back. Philicia slid down Fili's back and and was watching as the rest came running up when a huge black bear came bursting through the schrubs in the yard. Thorin with the tip of his sword unlocked the latch barring the door and everyone rushed inside as the great beast shoved it's snout in the door trying to push it open. The door was pushed shut and the barricade dropped down and the company slid to the floor trying to get a breath. "Rest up, we will be safe here for the night, I hope "Gandalf said going to inspect the place.