Listen while you read: "Please Be My Strength" by Gungor or type in youtube and add /watch?v=QX0bhq6FM5g
Chapter 7
Kili stirred through the night and at one point moaned that he was ravenous, struggling to lift himself out of the bed, but Fili would not let him leave. He insisted that Kili rest and Fili tiptoed through the hallway past the other rooms and down the stairs to see what he could find.
Fili could see no light outside the window and the room was thick with black, but he remembered seeing it in the daylight and remembered that tables and chairs filled the floor-space. He froze for a moment, wondering how to navigate the lightless place without tripping over the chairs and tables, when a small candle appeared behind him.
To the right of the stairwell was a tavern-style, and behind the counter was an archway into the kitchen. Nur stood in this doorway with the candle which had illuminated Fili at the right moment.
"I thought I heard footfalls." The corner of Nur's mouth turned up into a sideways grin and Fili could see from the skin under her eyes that she had not slept.
"Is it morning yet?" Fili walked toward her, trying to get a peek through the window at the moon's position.
Nur shook her head. "It's not even the second watch."
Fili placed his hands on either of her shoulders and touched his lips softly to her forehead. "Why are you still awake?"
"Probably for the same reason you are." She sighed.
Fili frowned a little and nodded, holding her hand, and ushering her into the kitchen with him.
"How does our physician, Gulm, fare?" The prince asked, glancing around the little kitchen and thinking of what he might bring back to his brother.
"I don't know, Gren offered to watch over him and I couldn't refuse when Karta needed help, too."
An entire wall was covered with cabinets and another wall made way for a large stove. On the stovetop was a crude pot which simmered and began to bubble. There was a thin soup inside of it, obviously of Nur's make, and there was enough for multiple servings, as though she knew there would be more people in need of food at that hour.
Fili's fingers brushed against Nur's shoulder again, smoothing out the wrinkle of a sleeve she had folded up to her elbow. "I wish you hadn't come with us."
Nur glowered at Fili, her mouth moving before her words came.
But Fili went on before she could be affronted for long, "It's bad enough that you're exposed to those who are sick—I fear to watch you fall ill yourself! But then we are in a worse danger than I would have expected—"
He was cut short by her sudden movement to hold him tightly in a small hug with the side of her face pressed against him and her eyes squeezed shut. "I don't know why I convince myself sometimes that you're trying to offend me." She laughed. "I always look back and realize you never mean harm. You should take better care with your words."
He rolled his eyes and patted her back. "Durin's halls, I've already told you I'm no poet." He pulled her away from him and held her hands in his, gripping them to show his seriousness. "I'm going to get you out of here."
She raised an eyebrow. "Who says I want to leave?"
The pot began to boil over and Fili turned quickly to grab a towel and pick up the handle of the pot, removing it from the fire and throwing the towel to a side table.
"I want you to leave." Fili grumbled.
Nur crossed her arms and grinned. "I'm waiting to hear why before I let myself get upset with you again."
"I want you to be safe." He put his weight against a countertop, leaning his back against it and crossing his own arms.
"Why?" she prodded him mischievously, a gleam in her eye. Fili could tell she was playing with him, but then she was concerned she'd taken it too far and displayed sympathy, walking toward him and putting a hand on one of his crossed forearms. "I only want to hear you say it."
"I need you to be safe. I need you to be untouched by evil, something wholesome and pure. I'm surrounded by darkness and I need you to be my hope, my light. It is a selfish thing that I ask of you; but it is because I am so often thrown into hate and fear and woe that I need to feed on your kindness and love to keep afloat in such an unsteady ocean. Forgive me for all the things that I am not and have compassion on me when I am weak-willed, but know this: my weapons protect you from danger, my arms will shield you from cold, and my heart will never fill unless you are near me."
Nur was woozy while the words settled into her head and she steadied herself on his arm, looking into his face like it was far away. She'd been silently asking him to romance her and he'd certainly exceeded her expectations.
"Is someone making stew?" A voice called from the dining hall, interrupting the glaze that had fallen over Fili and Nur's eyes. Nur stepped away, but Fili held her hand and stood away from the countertop, answering, "Yes, if there is someone in need of it."
Dul passed the doorway and into view. He bowed to Nur politely. "I assume that broth is for your sick companions?"
"Yes," Nur said, walking to the stove and spooning portions to different bowls.
"Then I hope you will not object when I ask if you would also give them this." Dul's large arm held out a circular bottle with a blue liquid inside. Nur eyed it tentatively and reached to receive the bottle delicately from Dul's massive hand.
"What is it?" she asked, unable to hide her hesitation.
"It is called vol—it is a flower that buds at the base of the mountain."
"I know of this flower, its oil is for…" Nur's voice trailed off and her forehead wrinkled as she leveled her eyes at Dul.
Fili's confusion was not nullified in that moment, but he saw Dul nod at her as if to answer a question.
Dul clapped a hand on Fili's back and said, "I hope your brother's health returns speedily," before leaving the room.
Fili's suspicious eyes followed Dul through the doorway and he was startled out of his glance by a bowl of soup being pressed into his hands.
He watched Nur add a generous amount of the blue liquid into the soup and stir it in. She would not meet his eyes, but pecked at his cheek with her small lips and whispered, "Please don't fret. Just trust me."
This was all she said before she disappeared from the room herself with two bowls of broth. Fili stood there for a moment, alone, and eyeing the bowl in his hands, wondering what he had missed.
He knew of the name of the flower, but beyond that he did not understand its purpose… And Nur had asked him to trust her, which he would do without question.
Striding up the stairs and returning to his brother's side, he had to wake the poor Kili as he had fallen asleep in waiting.
Kili did not even object to Fili spoon feeding him while he sat, he was so haggard and in poor spirits.
Something was tugging at Fili's mind, as though he had all the facts he needed to piece together a thing that was happening in front of his own eyes, but sleep was also tugging and it numbed him from being able to put that puzzle together.
The morning came too fast for Fili and he groaned at the sudden sunlight which had appeared within minutes of his head resting on the pillow. Or, perhaps, it had felt like minutes when it had really been a few hours. Whatever the amount of time, Fili was hesitant to leave the comfort of the blankets which he had all to himself.
His eyes popped open and his head jerked to the side when he finally understood that he was the only one occupying the bed.
Sitting up quickly, he saw a chipper Kili sliding on his boots and strapping the buckles as though he had never been sick.
"Good morning." Kili smiled at him.
"Good morning?" Fili half asked.
Kili stood up straight. "What's wrong?"
Fili's forehead lined and played with confusion. "Are you well?"
Kili's eyebrows knit together; his expression was mocking. "Is that disappointing to you? I could keel over and die if it would make you feel better."
Fili threw a pillow at him. "It's just so sudden."
"Well, you shouldn't be so surprised after the soup from last night." He threw the pillow back at Fili, who took it in the face before standing himself. "It recovered me like no medicine ever has."
Medicine, Fili's thoughts lingered on the word. "I didn't make it, Nur did."
Kili headed for the door. "If you're nearly ready to face the world, then, I'd like to give her my compliments."
The older dwarf leaned over as he sat on the bed and tugged his footwear into place.
They both no sooner left the room than they were met with the sight of many bodies crowding the hallway.
Nur, Thorin, and Karta stood looking into Gulm's room, and on closer inspection Fili noticed that Dul was inside with a sleeping Gulm. Or, at least, he looked to be sleeping…
"What is this?" Kili asked his uncle.
Thorin's arms were crossed and a terrible expression was on his face, mingled with grief and anger. "Gulm is dead."
Fili stepped closer to the doorway to see that Gulm was, in fact, lying peacefully and that Dul had just passed his hand over his younger brother's eyes. Dul looked as though he had been sobbing, though now he wore the countenance of an angered man bent on action.
Dul stood and joined them in the hall and addressed Thorin with a surprisingly clear and calm voice, "He has been poisoned."
Thorin's face displayed a small amount of shock. "How do you know?"
"This outpost has seen the same kind of death. A number of boils begin under the neck after the victim has been exposed to it for a length of time." He moved swiftly to Karta and shoved the fellow's chin upward, startling the unsuspecting map-maker, and revealing light bumps under his jawline.
Kili brushed his fingers under his own chin and felt evidence of the same. Nur moved to sweep a hand under Fili's chin but came up with nothing. "Why does it affect some and not others?"
Dul shook his head. "We found that some are immune. I was never hurt by it, but my wife…"
"He gave me an antidote." Nur spoke up, facing Thorin and trembling. "I made soup last night and he gave me the oil of vol to put into it. Karta was ailing terribly before I fed him and then this morning he was completely healthy."
"Kili's recovery was the same." Fili eyed Dul with remorse. "Thank you for saving my brother. I offer my condolences for yours."
Dul ground his teeth and stared at the ground. "Was Gulm given any of the oil?"
Nur's eyes opened with fright. "Yes, of course! I knew what it was you had given me when you said its name, but I was afraid to worry everyone for the need of such a medicine until we knew for sure. I gave the soup to Gren to feed your brother while I—"
"Someone else was caring for Gulm?" Dul's head snapped up. "Who?"
"Gren," Nur answered, "But I have not seen him since this morning…"
A weight fell over the air as suspicion not only crept into the minds of each, but also caused their thoughts to settle firmly. Thorin was the first to break the silence. "Where is Varak?"
As though the weight before had not been enough, it deepened when they began to fear why Varak was no longer among them.
"I need air…" Nur stumbled and her hand flew to her forehead. Fili took her by the elbow and led her down the stairs, supporting her and guiding her through the dining hall and to the porch of the inn.
Their eyes adjusted to the daylight and Nur thanked Fili quietly, gripping his arm and breathing to steady her heart.
But when their eyes cleared, they beheld something neither of them expected: The gates were fully open and sitting just outside, lodged in the dirt, was a pike with Varak's head on it.