The Carrock was a large stone manifestation that rose in plains of tall green grass. The eagles alighted there, and the company began to leap from their backs.
"Gandalf!" Thorin stumbled toward the wizard, Bilbo in his arms. Both king and hobbit were dyed a dark red by now, blood still leaking from the wound in Bilbo's side.
"Give him here." Gandalf received Bilbo with an air of calmness that was belied only by the worry in his eyes. He set Bilbo down on the stone and knelt over him, grimacing as he pulled back Bilbo's shirt.
A deep gap stretched into his right side. It seemed the vital organs had been saved only by Bilbo's bones, which had broken under the heavy metal of the goblin sword. Gandalf cursed as he surveyed the damage.
"Here." Amelia began to pull bandages from her bag, and she pressed them against Bilbo's side. Bilbo groaned but she didn't let up, trying to staunch the bleeding.
Gandalf nodded in thanks. "Fetch my bag," he ordered her as he pointed to where it sat some distance away. "I have some medicinal herbs. Oin, get over here!"
Immediately Oin hurried over, and Amelia grabbed the wizard's bag. She rifled through it, pulling out everything and anything that looked like it might be of use. Oin set to work with Gandalf aiding him, mouth puckering in a frown as he did what he could for Bilbo. Amelia and Thorin were shooed away, and they stood back with the rest of the company and wrung their hands anxiously.
Off to the side the eagles rustled their feathers impatiently, and Amelia sighed and went to speak with them. She approached their lord, Gwaihir, giving him a small bow that only hurt her back slightly.
"Thank you for your aid," she said, speaking in the eagle's language.
He cocked his head to the side.
"I was intrigued," he told her. "When a small pigeon flew into my domain this morning and told me that a young woman claiming friendship to Gandalf the Grey sent for my aid. Especially when I learned that, like Mithrandir, you speak the tongues of the wild beasts."
Amelia nodded. "I do. I am glad my gift piqued your attention enough to draw you to the mountains."
Gwaihir ruffled his feathers. "I did not enjoy waiting so many hours," he scolded. "But I think, perhaps, it was worth it."
Amelia smiled. "Thank you, again."
She turned back to the others as the eagles flew off. Thorin stood anxiously near where Oin and Gandalf knelt over Bilbo, the others not far behind. Fili and Kili stood beside their uncle, Fili's hand on Thorin's arm reassuringly. Kili was staring, like everyone else, at Bilbo's limp form, but his eyes were somewhat unfocused, glazed over. As Amelia approached he tensed, and after a moment walked away. Amelia sighed.
The sound drew Thorin's attention, and he whirled toward her, fury in his eyes.
"You," he snarled. "You did this."
Amelia gulped and resisted the urge to take a step back.
"You're angry," she said softly. "I understand. You-"
"Do not tell me what I am or am not!" Thorin's voice rose so high that Amelia was sure the sound carried for miles. "You have no say here! Not anymore!"
Gasps ran through the company. Bifur was the first to respond.
"Thorin," he pleaded.
"No!" Thorin sent a deadly glare at Bifur as he responded in Khuzdul, then turned to Amelia. "I would translate for you, Phoenix, but it has come to my attention that you already know our sacred languages!"
Amelia gulped. Off to the side Bifur shifted uncomfortably.
"You asked me to give you until we had crossed the Misty Mountains," Thorin snarled. "And I have. You have failed us at every turn; you have put the lives of me and my company in peril. Bilbo is on the edge of death, and you are the one who put him there!"
Thorin stopped suddenly, panting. His eyes burned with a cold fury, and he spun and stalked away, staring with blank eyes out over the trees.
"You are to leave my company," he declared softly. "Immediately."
"She will do no such thing," objected Gandalf loudly. He stood back from Bilbo, as it seemed Oin didn't need his help at this point, and glared at Thorin.
Thorin turned back. "Do not bother with your threats, wizard," he spat. "I care not if you depart with her. Just that she leaves."
"No." Bifur came to stand by Amelia, glaring at his king. "She will stay."
"She will not."
"She didn't mean for any of this to happen," pressed Ori. He too stepped up beside Amelia, giving her a small smile. "She's been trying to protect us. Things just went wrong."
"Get away from her, Ori," demanded Dori.
Ori ignored them, reaching up to take Amelia's hand in his. "She stays," he demanded.
Thorin's lip curled. It seemed a cruel remark was on the tip of his tongue when another voice came from the side.
"Thorin." Kili stepped to the front of the company. He was still refusing to look at her, but his gaze was steady as they met his uncle's. "You say she has done nothing for us, yet she nearly died taking an arrow for you. When Bilbo fell in the tunnels, it was her who defended the two of you until Gandalf arrived. Under threat of torture, she refused to give up mine and Bilbo's presence in the mountain, or our rescuing of you.
"Many plans she has made have gone astray, yes. But I recall many of yours faring just as poorly. Our early days in the Blue Mountains were no easy feat. It was only by staying together that we managed to prevail. We must do the same now, or risk losing everything."
For several long moments Kili and Thorin locked eyes, both refusing to look away. Everyone except Oin and the unconscious Bilbo watched them warily, waiting to see what would happen next.
Everyone's heads spun as Oin stood, grunting as his old joints creaked. Immediately Thorin jumped forward, blue eyes frantic.
"How is he? Will he live?"
Oin sighed. "He's not good. I've done what I can, but I simply don't have the supplies."
The company began to murmur worriedly.
"We still might have a chance," Gandalf announced.
Thorin turned icy eyes on Gandalf. "What?" he asked. "What must we do?"
"Beorn," guessed Amelia.
Beside her Gandalf nodded.
"It will take several hours to reach his house, assuming we move briskly," Gandalf told the company. "But he is the closest person who may help."
"Then what are we waiting for?" growled Thorin. He glanced over to Bilbo, who had for now stopped bleeding but was still deathly pale.
Gandalf sighed. "Beorn is a… unique person," he said. "There are certain things that must be known about him before we approach his home."
"Such as?"
"He is a shape shifter." Amelia stepped forward, ignoring the glares the majority of the company was aiming at her. "He takes the shape of a bear when he transforms. He is sharp tempered to begin with, but when he transforms especially so. We must reach his house before nightfall, when he prowls his borders in his bear form, or he will kill us."
"So basically run fast?" asked Dwalin. He rolled his shoulders.
Gandalf chuckled lightly. "There are certain rules of Master Beorn's house which we will have to adhere to while we are there. All the animals within his borders are under his protection, and he cares deeply for them. If any harm comes to them he will not be convinced to forgive us. You must hunt nothing."
Thorin nodded stiffly. "Let us be off," he said. "Quickly. We stop for nothing."
With that he himself grabbed Bilbo off the ground, lifting the hobbit gently into his arms.
"This is not over," he said, turning briefly back to Amelia. Then he was gone, starting down the stone steps carved into the side of the carrock.
The rest of the dwarves began to follow, but Amelia signaled for Ori, Kili, and Bifur to hang back.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I know I don't deserve what you've done for me, but-"
"Stop it." Bifur placed a hand on Amelia's arm. "You underestimate your worth. Events may have gone askew thus far, but you will change matters. You will see."
With that he started after the company, and Ori followed. It was just Amelia and Kili left. The young dwarf stared after the others, dutifully avoiding Amelia's eyes.
"Kili," she started.
"We should join the others." Kili wouldn't let her say anything. "You heard my uncle; we stop for nothing."
With that he darted after the rest, and with a sigh Amelia came after him.
Amelia knew immediately when they reached Beorn's lands. The grass seemed greener, as though the shape shifter's presence allowed more things good to grow. The animals were larger and fuller of life; they ran past the company with no fear of arrow nor trap.
Amelia sighed in relief- though it was hard since she had been running for well over an hour at this point and breathing itself was difficult. Her back was burning, and it felt as though the entire company was banging around inside her head with war axes.
She kept running though, because Bilbo was dying.
The sun was just reaching the top of its arc when the house came into sight. It was relatively small, made of wooden planks fit snugly together. Despite the horses Amelia could see grazing in the fields to the north, there were no stables for the steeds.
As they approached the house the company paused, each taking several moments to regain their breath. At last Gandalf cleared his throat, signaling for them to gather round.
"I shall go in first," he declared. "With the Phoenix by my side. We shall explain the situation briefly to Master Beorn and ask for his aid. You shall all remain here; do not enter the house until I send for you." Gandalf took a moment to peer around the company, shooting all a dark look. "Understood?"
No one looked happy, but a nod went around the company that the wizard would be obeyed.
"Come." Gandalf signaled to Amelia, and the two started off at a brisk pace for the house. As they approached they could hear the sound of dogs braying, and the door to the cottage swung open just as they reached it. Dark eyes loomed down at them.
The man standing in the doorway was tall, massively so, with a mane of shaggy dark hair that coated much of his body, which was clothed only in well-worn trousers. There was wisdom to the eyes that locked first with Gandalf's, and then with Amelia's, but also a savageness there.
"Come in," Beorn said at last. He stepped aside, pulling the door open further as he did, and both of his guests stepped indoors.
It was dark, though there were plenty of windows to allow the sun to filter in. Their host quickly lit candles, then turned and frowned sourly upon them.
"Your face is familiar," Beorn told Gandalf. "But I do not know it."
Gandalf nodded. "It is perhaps Radagast the Brown you recognize in me, for he is my kin."
Beorn nodded. "I have heard of the five wizards," he rumbled. "You are then Gandalf the Grey." He waited for Gandalf to dip his head in acknowledgement, and then he turned to Amelia. "And who are you?"
Amelia stepped forward slightly. "I have many names, but go primarily under the title Phoenix."
"I have not heard of you," Beorn said at last. He surveyed her deeply for many moments. "You are very old, despite what youth appearance has granted you."
Amelia nodded.
Beorn sighed. "You have brought dwarves with you," he proclaimed. "I can smell them from here. I warn you, I dislike those from the mountain. Tell me, what are your reasons for their presence?"
"It is quite a story," Gandalf said. "I would gladly tell it to you; however I fear that we require your immediate aid. One of our company is mortally wounded. You are his last hope."
Beorn's bushy eyebrows rose in surprise. "How was he so injured?"
"He was felled by a goblin of the Misty Mountains protecting another of our company," Amelia said.
The change in Beorn was immediate. A dark shadow crossed over his face, and a feral look overcame his eyes. Amelia's hand inched toward where her dagger would appear should it be needed.
"I have little favor with dwarves," Beorn said. "But with goblins I hold naught but derision. Bring your friend; I shall do for him what I can."
It was then that the door burst open, revealing Thorin with Bilbo in his arms. Panic was in the dwarf's eyes as he rushed into the house.
"Thorin!" snapped Gandalf. "What did I say?"
Thorin ignored Gandalf, turning instead to Beorn. "Please," he pleaded. "He will die. His condition has worsened in the past minutes; he has not long left. Save him for me; I beg of you."
Amelia glanced over. Beorn was quickly recovering from his shock at the sight of the hobbit, and he quickly took Bilbo from Thorin. As he did Amelia examined the burglar herself.
He did indeed look worse. His skin, which had been pale earlier, was now cold to the touch and wet with perspiration. His breaths came harshly, but they were shallow and could not possibly be bringing enough air into the hobbit's lungs. The bandages Oin had wrapped around Bilbo's side were stained a dark red, and it had begun to dribble downward onto Thorin's arms.
Beorn swept a few items off the table and laid Bilbo down upon it. Quickly he undid the bandages, then hurried off for cloth to staunch the bleeding.
"Wizard," he commanded as he returned. "You shall stay to aid me. The rest of you, leave. If you have among you one who is skilled in healing send him in. We are not to be disturbed until you are sent for."
Amelia nodded. "I shall send in Oin," she told Beorn. She backed toward the door, then pulled on Thorin's arm as the dwarf remained where he was, staring at Bilbo's limp figure.
"Oin!" Amelia trotted back to the company. "They want you inside. The rest of us are to stay here."
Oin nodded and headed for Beorn's house. The dwarves all pounced on Thorin with questions, and Amelia sat some distance away. She faced the house of Beorn, watching the doors and windows for some sign as to what was happening within.
Eventually Bifur came to sit by her side.
Are you ok? He signed.
Amelia shrugged.
Bifur sighed and rubbed a hand soothingly along her arm. Amelia felt tears come to her eyes at the gesture, but she held them back.
Thank you, she signed.
Bifur nodded, smiling understandingly. The two made no further efforts to communicate, turning their attention to Beorn's house as they waited for news of Bilbo.