Morning dawned over the tired household. Three of the five sleepers managed to drowsily rise, wash, and eat; two yawned their way out the door and down the path towards Balin's; one remained in the kitchen, setting aside two breakfasts that would keep without heat, and went about her day as usual. The remaining two were not seen nor heard from until the old wooden clock that Bofur had carved years ago showed mid-morning; a bleary-eyed Thorin was the first to make an appearance.

"How is she feeling?" were the first words to be spoken yet that day, only to be met with a groan as Thorin stumbled through the kitchen, searching for coffee. Dis was still shaken from the events of the night previous – she could only imagine how her brother fared. It was not long enough ago that they would wake each other with cries in their dreams all too similar to how Reina had so recently done. She could hardly imagine what horrors her niece had seen to invoke such a strong effect – to all accounts she hadn't actively seen much of the attack – that was only yesterday!

Dis was startled from her reverie by her brother's words, though it took a long moment to recall their reason.

"She's still asleep. She seemed overly warm last night, which may account for the dream she had, but she cooled down some once she was asleep again. I can only hope that's the last of it – she'll rest today, and I'll bring home some tonic or other from Oin tonight. You will keep tabs on her, won't you sister?"

"Of course, Thorin. But are you sure you must go in to the forge today? You don't look well either."

"I must go, Dis. There's too many orders to be filled for me to miss a whole day – Mahal knows we need the work, though it could do for a bit of spreading out."

And with that the matter was settled. Dis watched in mild amusement as her brother ate, checked on his daughter, dressed, looked in on her, pulled on his cloak and spent another minute in the doorway watching her sleep It took some effort not to laugh as she shoed hi out the door, though she knew she could sympathize entirely with his worry.

Warm. That sensation of being entirely comfortable was all Reinga could feel. She didn't know where she was, but nothing else mattered so long as she didn't need to move.

The muffled cacophony of rummaging around in the kitchen brought Reina to full wakefulness – only to look around in a daze and try to figure out why she was not in her own bed, and why her head ached. It took another moment to remember the events of the night previous; Reina flushed as she remembered the feeling of being carried by her father – she was much to old to be carried like that, not if she was well. Which, in reflection of the previous few days, did seem to be the determining factor. In any case, it was certainly time for her to rise and face the day.

"Good morning, Cousin! Or should we say good evening?" Fili's jovial tenor only served to counter the rhythm her own pulse was pounding in her temple. It took three deep breaths for Reina to keep from snarking back in her irritation - oh, where did Aunt Dis keep the chamomile? – simply settling for a glare and a pointed glance to the clock on the wall.

"I'm afraid you are mistaken, brother, unless you slept much longer than I during Balin's lecture on courtier honorifics. 'Tis still only just past mid0day, or have you already forgotten the lunch you are making?" Kili's energy and mischief took careful aim and struck true in his wit, earning a scoff and a buffet across the head from the elder. Then his eyes turned to the younger and took note of the mug of tea which sat forgotten in Reina's hand as she massaged her own forehead.

"Are you sure you should be up, Reina? You don't look as if you feel well just yet."

"Yes, hooligan, I'm well. I've just got a headache." Reina groused back. She was beginning to regret leaving the warmth and comfort of her covers. "If you two half-wits could keep your voices lower for a bit that would be an immense kindness."

The twin looks of sympathy she received did little to abate her irritability. She could only wonder at this point where her aunt was – the tea she'd found wasn't helping in the slightest.

As if thought conjured, into the kitchen came Dis with a basketful of greens from the neighbor's shared garden. She took one look at Reina's pitiful grimace, and whisked the mug out of her hands

"And who told you that you should be up, young lady? You gave us quite the scare last night, you know. It's not any wonder you're looking poorly now, what with the fever you had last night."

Dis continued to chatter away whilst making up a fresh tea with some herbal mixes she had no hand. "Here you are, dear. Try this tonic, and then back into bed with you. Thorin will be home soon enough, and he'll throw a fit himself if he finds you had overexerted yourself today.

"Aunt, I feel fine, I've just a headache" Reina groaned as another wave of exhaustion peaked as she spoke. "I'm just a bit tired, I'm not sick.

"No arguing, even still. You finish that tea before it cools, and then straight back to bed. There's no harm in a little extra rest when you've been ill. As for you two" Dis mothered, turning to her boys. "Kili, stop putting bread crumbs in your brother's hair; Fili, go get cleaned up. Then both of you, off to your lessons.

Reina let her aunt's voice blur into noise as she sipped on the tea in her hands. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to go back to bed for a lie-down – she was quite a bit more tired now than she was when she woke up. Finishing the last drop of honeyed warmth in the mug, she lowly rose to place it in the sink.

The ground tilted under her, and her vision blurred as she fell, not even noticing when she hit the ground.

Reina!"

Her unconscious form lay prone on the stone floor s the boys and Dis fumbled to respond at once. Dis quickly took command and began calling orders as fast as thought.

"Fili, prop her feet up. Kili, get that mug cleared off the floor, and then run for Oin."

Dis rested her palm on Reina's forehead for only a minute before pulling back in shock. Reina was dangerously warm! She would have to work quickly to get her fever dons "Fili, get the big pot and fill it with cold water; bring it to your uncle's room, quick now!"

Fili ran for the water as Dis maneuvered her niece to where she could be easily lifted. The girl was afar too light for a dwarrow child her age! She carried her back to Thorin's bed and got her settled down Justas Fili came back with the pot of water and a soft rag. Dis sent him out to fetch Dwalin to relieve Thorin at the forge – she knew better than to wait for him to return at the end of the day to tell him Reina was ill.

Reina didn't so much as stir; not when she was picked up, not as she was settled back in bed, not as a cooled cloth was wrapped around each hand and foot and one placed over her eyes. If it weren't for the even rise and fall of her chest, Dis might have feared the worst, with how still she was.

Not when Thorin burst in only to freeze at the sight of her pale form, looking somehow even smaller in the nest of quilts around her, did she even move a finger. Thorin stood in the doorway panting heavily, parental terror etched deeply into his brow. Fili came in only a moment later, having clearly run the entire way too and from the forge He sagged in momentary exhaustion and slid to the floor as his uncle slowly moved towards the figure on the bed. Never had Fili seen anyone collapse form illness; now his cousin who was as close as a sister was so very still, so suddenly. He began to pray, though he knew not what or to who.

Only a few moments later Kili returned at a run, carrying Oin's herb satchel. Oin himself was only a step behind. Kili joined his brother on the floor, and the door closed between them and the rest of the family.

"Ya think she'll be alright, Fi?" Trust Kili to ask exactly the question he was trying to avoid.

"I dunno, KI. She didn't look too good."
"You don't think she was hurt by those goblins yesterday and we just didn't know?"

"Mahal! I hope not. "

The boys fell into worried silence as they waited for news or further commands. It was going to be a long night, they could just feel it.