I do not own any of the characters or the Hobbit (just the AU storyline and my OC) those are the work of the esteemed and brilliant John Ronald Reull Tolkien, and without his genius, this and many other fan fics would not be in existence.

Please review! I love getting them-they keep me encouraged! J

Note- I am really, really sorry for not posting for a few days. It has been rather hectic, and though I have an idea about how the story goes, this particular spot has been giving me some trouble, and I ended up with a tiny writer's block. But I will try to see if I can manage two chapters today to make up for it!

After Hûredhiel left to send for Lord Elrond, Cirashala laid back and tried everything in her power to focus away from the pain until the tea had a chance to work. Her aching head was spinning a bit still, and she had no doubt that she was likely severely dehydrated. She was also fighting a losing battle with nausea, which didn't help matters, and began to seriously regret saying she would be fine alone for a few minutes.

She tried taking deep, slow breaths to try and quell the nausea, but the movement pulled at her wounds, making her wince. She hated nausea with a vengeance-she had been very sick for the entirety of the time as she carried both her daughters, and had needed quite a lot of medicine to keep her from ending up in the hospital several times with each. She swallowed heavily, and looked toward the slightly opened windows. Perhaps some fresh air would help, she thought.

She slowly sat up, head spinning and swallowing repeatedly. Her legs felt leaden as she tried to bring her feet to the edge of the bed without twisting her abdomen. Shaking arms supported her weight as she finally managed to sit alongside the edge of the bed.

She glanced down, realizing for the first time that she was no longer in her stained and ripped undergarments but rather a light blue elvish silk nightgown. She hoped that she wouldn't trip on it, since it was surely too long for her short stature. Taking as deep of a breath as she could, she placed her right hand on the table with the glass basin for support, and pushed off the bed.

Her bare feet met cool stone, but she hadn't realized just how dizzy she was. The room began to tilt dangerously, and before she knew what was happening, she fell to the floor with a loud cry. As she fell, her hand swiped against the glass basin, sending it flying off the table and past her, shattering into many sharp pieces as it smashed into the stone floor.

She landed on her uninjured side, breathing heavily and her stomach lurching. Somehow, she had missed the shards of glass scattered across the floor. Fighting desperately to keep the tea in her stomach, she did not notice the loud footsteps echoing just outside her door.

XXX

Kili rushed down the hall, up the stairs, and through the corridor. He was sure the company would be in the dining hall so close to noon. He did not desire another lecture from Thorin about going off by himself among the elves. As he rounded corners, he grabbed onto pillars to keep himself from sliding on the smooth floor. A few elves moved out of the way with some mutters, but he paid them no mind.

As he was passing near the healing room where the injured girl was, he heard a loud crash and a familiar cry. He skidded to a sudden stop, eyes wide as his head turned toward the door where the sound emitted from. Realizing it had indeed come from the girl's room, he turned and burst through the door, his hand on the hilt of the hidden knife inside his tunic.

He stopped short when he didn't see her in the bed, before realizing the blankets had fallen toward the side away from the door. Not seeing the glass on the floor, he ran around to the opposite side of the bed, only to step on a large curved shard and fall hard on the glass covered floor.

He barely managed to hold in his cry of pain, biting his lip against it as a sharp piece of broken glass imbedded itself into his forearm. He had landed on his right arm hard, and sucked in quick breaths through his tight lips. Reaching a trembling hand to the broken glass, he pulled out the shard in one swift motion, before clamping his hand down on the deep cut. He cradled his arm close to his body, putting pressure on the wound.

Raising his head, he caught sight of the girl in front of him lying on the floor, her face twisted in pain as she doubled over with her arms wrapped around her abdomen. The light blue nightgown she wore pooled around her, one pale shoulder slightly out of its sleeve. She glanced at him, and their eyes met, before she turned away from him and threw up on the floor, losing her battle with nausea. He managed to shift his body until he was sitting up with his back against the side of the bed, closing his eyes as he laid his head back and fighting his own urge to vomit. He had always struggled with not getting sick when someone else was, and he hated himself for that weakness.

She finished quickly, and sat back, panting, before glancing back up at Kili. The dwarf glanced at her shoulder, and looked quickly away. She glanced down, and straightened the nightgown, whimpering at the pain the sudden movement caused. His head turned, and his face wore a concerned expression.

"A-are you all right?" he asked her, eyes glancing toward her abdomen before coming back up to her face. He swallowed and felt his cheeks warm in embarrassment as she glanced at his injured arm, remembering his rather graceful entrance into her room a moment before. He turned and ducked his head, hoping she didn't notice his embarrassment behind the stray hair that fell around his face. He heard a slight shuffling and looked up at her in surprise as she began to scoot toward him.

She had grabbed a small roll of bandages that had also been swiped off the table when she fell, and, using her other arm, carefully brushed the broken glass out of the way before shuffling over to him. They locked eyes, then she looked down and reached for his arm with her left hand. He hesitated, unsure of what to do, before relinquishing his hold and allowing her to hold his arm.

He looked down at his arm and watched as she pushed his sleeve up to his elbow and shakily wrapped the bandages around his cut. She wrapped several layers around it, before tying the end of the bandage tightly. She leaned the side of her head against the bed, taking shaky breaths, before looking up again at the stunned dwarf. His eyes were wide as he stared at her, before dropping his head. His fingers trailed over the bandage.

"Thank you," he whispered. She nodded, before grasping her abdomen again and wincing in pain. Kili opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the door opened. A loud exclamation in elvish sounded through the room, before three sets of feet hurried over to the side of the bed, careful to avoid the broken glass.

The young dwarf and the girl looked up as Lord Elrond came into view, followed closely by Gandalf and Hûredhiel. Their eyes widened, and Lord Elrond immediately stepped between the bits of glass to help the girl get back into the bed. Gandalf reached over to Kili, who refused his help and stood up on his own. He pulled the sleeve of his tunic back down as he did so, before stepping off to the side.

Meanwhile, Hûredhiel ran into the side room, before returning with a broom, a mop, and a bucket, and began to clean up the glass shards and vomit. Lord Elrond and Gandalf stepped gingerly over the broken glass and moved to the other side of the bed. The elf made sure the girl was settled back against the pillows, before turning angry grey eyes toward the young dwarf.

"What happened here?" he asked sternly, standing up to his full height as he glared at the dwarf. Kili glared back as he stepped forward.

"I was going to ask you the same question. I was on my way to the dining hall to meet my kin and heard a crash. I ran in here to find her alone on the floor getting sick with broken glass everywhere," he bit back, conveniently leaving out the part where he had slipped and fell on said glass.

"Then why is there fresh blood on your arm and on the floor?" Lord Elrond retorted, moving closer to the dwarf. Kili's eyes widened and his hand moved subconsciously to cover the torn wet spot on his tunic. He swallowed, backing up a couple of steps.

"I-," he started, shrinking a bit as three pair of eyes were suddenly on him. How was he going to explain how he slipped and fell again without making himself look clumsy and foolish in front of the sure footed elves?

"He was trying to help me, and cut himself on the glass," the girl whispered. Four pairs of surprised eyes turned toward the pale girl.

"I-I was feeling ill, and tried to get up and get fresh air, and I slipped," she continued, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break the bowl." She looked down at her lap, eyes downcast. The room was quiet for a moment, before Gandalf broke the silence.

"That is quite all right, my dear. I am sure Lord Elrond has many more glass bowls and will not miss this one," Gandalf replied, smiling warmly at the girl, then glanced at Lord Elrond with an eyebrow raised. The elf sighed, before looking at Kili.

"Forgive me, master Kili. I fear I may have misjudged you," he apologized to the dwarf. Kili nodded in response, accepting the apology. Lord Elrond then turned toward Hûredhiel, anger again in his features.

"Why was she left unattended?" Lord Elrond snapped sharply, and Hûredhiel swallowed nervously, twisting her hands.

"S-she woke up this morning, and s-seemed fine," she stammered, face turning crimson. "I asked her if she w-would be fine while I fetched you, a-and she said she would be."

Lord Elrond responded in streams of elvish, and Hûredhiel shrank into herself, turning redder by the minute. Kili had no doubt that he was severely scolding her, if his tone and demeanor were anything to go by. She nodded in reply before leaving the room quickly, tears threatening in her eyes.

Kili could not deny that he felt some satisfaction in her embarrassment after the way she had embarrassed him last night, although he felt a bit guilty for it. He glanced at the girl in the bed, and blue eyes met brown.

He glanced down at his arm, then back at her, and nodded, a grateful look in his eyes. She looked confused for a minute, before recognition dawned in her eyes and she nodded back.

He's thanking me for sparing him further embarrassment, Cirashala realized, before Lord Elrond drew her attention again. She looked up at the elf lord with wide eyes, unable to believe that she was actually looking at Lord Elrond himself, and wondering how on earth, or was it middle-earth, that Thorin of all people had been convinced to stay in Rivendell for longer than the one night.

She blushed as she realized the elf lord had asked her a question and she hadn't responded, and looked down at her hands sheepishly. Lord Elrond smiled slightly at seeing the girl so flustered. It was not unusual for someone to be startled at seeing elves for the first time. He kindly repeated the question.

"How are you feeling, young maiden?" he asked her. She swallowed, wincing as she shifted a bit.

"It h-hurts," she whispered, her hand going to her wound. He nodded.

"It will likely hurt for a while," he replied, and spoke something to Gandalf in elvish. Gandalf went into the side room, and, like Hûredhiel earlier, emerged with a warm cup of tea. He handed it to her, and she checked the temperature first with her finger, before drinking it thirstily. Lord Elrond reached out and placed his hand on her arm.

"Slow down," he commanded, "You will get sick again if you drink too quickly." She nodded, and began to sip it more slowly. Normal color began to return to her cheeks as she felt the warm healing draught course through her. By the time the cup was empty, she could feel her pain lessening. Lord Elrond took the cup from her and placed it on the table beside the bed.

"I will need to look at your wounds to make sure they are healing properly," he stated, before shooting a glance at the dwarf. Kili nodded and started to turn around, but Lord Elrond stopped him.

"Master Kili, your kin are at the training ground near your quarters. Your king has requested to speak to her when she awakened. Since I sent Hûredhiel away, would you be willing to send for him while I tend her wounds?" he asked, hoping the dwarf wouldn't take offense at being asked to bear a message. Kili nodded, and left the room. Lord Elrond turned back toward his task, hoping that infection had not set in.

XXX

Kili hastened along the corridor, his mind even more confused than before. He fingered the bandage under his shirt as he walked, twisting around elves until he turned into an unoccupied hallway. He stopped for a moment and leaned against the wall, trying to make sense of his jumbled thoughts.

He looked up, and through the arched window in front of him, he could see the bright sunlight sparkling off the many rivers and waterfalls in the valley. His fingers felt the sticky wetness of the bloody tunic, and he realized that he had better change tunics before the company saw his injury and mustered to arms.

Why did she do that? He wondered. She was obviously in pain, and yet she not only bandaged my arm, but she saved me from admitting that I got hurt because I was clumsy again.

Her actions continued to puzzle him. At least one of his questions had been answered-she did speak Westron. But it seemed for every question that was answered, several more questions would plague his mind.

What happened to her to make her so frightened when he first found her? He thought about the trembling, near silent, injured girl he had found back in the troll cave.

Was she attacked by thieves? He thought, remembering her disheveled state and her strange clothes. A long forgotten memory suddenly entered his mind.

His mother was doing laundry, and seeing the white garments hanging on the line that he had never actually seen her wear. When he had asked her what the strange white clothes were, she had told him that they were special clothes that women and girls wore under their dresses. "Wike my long unnerwear?" he had asked, and she nodded. He had been a very small child at the time, and the matter was forgotten in a matter of seconds as he spied a cricket in the corner of the room.

His eyes widened and his cheeks turned crimson as he realized that, though the style was different from his mother's, the strange clothing the girl wore when he found her must have been her undergarments. He was glad he had not realized this before, otherwise he would have been far too embarrassed to be of much aid to her at the time.

Not knowing that she came from another world entirely, and that it was her unfortunate fall down the riverbank that caused her lack of a dress, he came to the only conclusion he could think of. His jaw tightened and his fist clenched in anger as he could only think of one thing that could result in a frightened woman in such a state out in the wild, and he vowed that if he ever laid eyes on the thieves that did this to her, they would pay with their lives. Dwarves were very protective of their women, and an offense like the one Kili thought of would be punishable by death.

That explains why she was so frightened of us, he thought to himself. Taking deep breaths to calm himself, he hurried to his room to change, hoping that none of the company was in there to spot his bloody tunic.