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 Reuel 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

Some graphic descriptions of wounds in this chapter- please be forewarned.

Cirashala's eyes grew wide as she unbuttoned Kili's long underwear top and pulled it back, the full extent of his injuries now visible in the dim light.

"Mahalu-me turg," she breathed, face draining of color as she finally realized just how badly the fall in Goblin town and their subsequent pounding in the under-mountain stream had hurt him. His entire left shoulder was badly bruised, the skin purplish black ringed with yellow, and black bruises mottled his entire torso, the ugly marks more prominent on where she remembered the broken bones were.

Amidst the bruising were the several scratch marks from the lynx's claws, which stood out bright red and puffy. Surrounding them was smeared blood, much of it already drying, though some of the scratches still had tiny rivulets of blood seeping out. Some were shallow, but a few of them on his chest were fairly deep and she could tell they would require stitching. She could also see that two of his breaks were misaligned again, causing an unnatural protrusion underneath the skin.

A wave of dizziness overcame her, and she tasted stomach bile in the back of her mouth and had to swallow several times to keep from vomiting again.

He- he saved my life when we fell, she realized as she looked at the young dwarf, his face twisting in pain. If he hadn't protected me from the rocks, I would have been killed.

Kili suddenly cried out, and her gaze moved back toward his chest, where the old woman had begun to scrub the mud out of his wounds. A white, damp cloth was suddenly thrust into her line of vision, and she glanced up to see the old woman staring at her.

"The wounds won't wash themselves," she said, placing the white cloth into her hand. Cirashala's gaze moved back toward the scratches, and she quickly reached down and started cleansing the wounds as well, taking care to make sure they were as clean as possible. A guttural scream escaped the young dwarf's throat as he arched his back, his fists clenching so tightly the knuckles turned white. His breaths came very quickly as beads of sweat formed on his brow, and the sound reverberated through her ears.

"Wait," she said, causing the old woman to stop and look at her as she paused. "C-can you give him something for the pain first? Please?"

Meril looked at her for a moment, her expression unreadable, before glancing back down at the young prince. He laid there panting with his eyes closed, his face ghostly pale other than his fevered cheeks. He was covered in a sheen of sweat, face twisting in pain as whimpers sounded from his throat, and the old woman sighed.

"There is some shaved bark in the bag on the table," she said, dipping her rag into the water again. "Crumble some into a cup of water, swish it around and see if you can get him to drink it."

Cirashala nodded, standing to her feet. The room spun, and she gripped the table behind her with her good hand to steady herself. Inching around it, she managed to reach the bag and searched through it until she found what the old woman described. Glancing around the room, she spotted some tin cups on the shelf that originally housed the bag, but were just beyond her reach.

As she stood on her toes to try and grasp one, the rushing sound in her ears grew louder. The room suddenly spun as the young woman felt the blood rush from her head.

The next thing Cirashala was aware of was the feel of floor boards under her hands as tin dishes rained down around her.

XXX

Meril's head darted up at the sound, only to spot the contents of her shelf, including the shelf itself, scattered on the floor. Rising to her feet, she stalked over to the mess, only to find the young woman trying to push herself off the ground with one hand.

"Look what you've done to my shelf!" the woman exclaimed. "My tin- it's all bent!"

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered weakly. "I-I couldn't reach—"

"Why didn't you just stand on a chair?" Meril asked angrily, reaching down and picking up a cup. As she looked up, her eyes grew wide as the young woman's face suddenly drained of color.

Nothing but stomach acid came up as she lurched forward, her body violently retching. Cries of pain sounded in between, and tears fell down her cheeks as her whole body trembled. Meril's stunned gaze followed her as the girl sat up and leaned against the leg of the table panting, her face still very pale.

"Y-you've not eaten anything today?" she asked slowly, gaze glancing between the mess on the floor and the girl, and Cirashala shook her head. Reaching up to wipe her tears with the back of her still trembling hand, the old woman suddenly noticed the splint, and how the same fabric was used to wrap her torso.

"I'm so sorry," the young woman whispered, sniffling. "I didn't mean to knock things down. I-I got really dizzy."

The old woman stared at her with wide eyes, before standing and grasping the bark off the table. Moving to the water barrel, she quickly filled it and pinched the bark in the clear liquid, before returning to the young woman and crouching down in front of her.

"See if you can get him to drink this," she said gently, before turning back toward her task.

Nodding, Cirashala grasped the cup with her right arm, holding it to herself as she scooted back toward the injured dwarf with her left, hoping that whatever was in the cup would work quickly.

XXX

Meril watched out of the corner of her eye as the young woman carefully slid her right arm under his head, pausing in her own task so the dwarf would remain as still as possible. Bringing her trembling hand up, she placed the cup against his lips. The dwarf opened his mouth and drank it, coughing a bit as he did so, and Meril frowned.

That sounded odd, she thought to herself. She did not have long to dwell on it, however. It only took a moment before his eyes fluttered shut and his body relaxed, the effects of the willow bark tea taking hold.

"G-Gisli?" the young woman said shakily, her eyes growing wide with panic as she shook his shoulder. The dwarf did not respond. "Gisli!"

"Hush now," Meril said softly, causing the blue eyes to turn toward her in confusion and growing distrust. "He's merely asleep, that's all." Rinsing her rag in a second bucket, she dipped it again and moved toward the bite marks on his hand, careful to scrub all the mud and dirt off.

"Thank you ma'am," the young woman whispered as she cleaned the wounds on the right side of his body. "For helping us, and…and not causing my brother to suffer more than he already has."

The old woman looked at her for a moment in silence, before reaching toward the misaligned ribs, setting them quickly with a loud crack.

"It's Meril, and…thank you for helping to save my granddaughter's life as well."

XXX

The pair quickly finished cleansing the wounds in silence, and Cirashala looked up as Meril set aside the bloody cloths in the bucket and picked up a needle and a spool of thread. Gesturing toward the deepest wound, which was bleeding again now that it had been scrubbed clean, she spoke.

"Hold the sides of the scratches shut if you can," the old woman commanded. "While I stitch it closed."

The younger quickly moved to do as bidden, her concerned gaze fluttering between the wound and the sleeping dwarf's face as she pinched the edges of the scratch shut with her left hand. Noticing that she made no move with her right to aid in the task, the old woman's suspicions were confirmed.

So her right hand or wrist is broken, Meril thought to herself as she began to swiftly sew the wounds closed. And these bruises on the dwarf aren't new either. Most of them are at least a week old.

Taking a much closer look at the two as she finished stitching up the gashes, she found herself wondering just what the injured pair had been through before they crossed paths with her granddaughter and the lynx.

XXX

The two women finally finished bandaging his wounds, the young prince still unconscious, and Cirashala sighed with relief. His breathing was still labored, and she lightly brushed his bangs back, eyes widening in surprise. He was still feverish, but not nearly as hot as he had been before.

"W-what was in that tea?" she asked as she looked up at Meril, who was placing the bloody cloths in the washbasin. The old woman glanced up at her as she reached for Kili's soiled tunic.

"Willow bark," she replied, setting the tunic in the hot water. "Helps with pain." Cirashala nodded.

It must be a fever reducer too, she thought to herself with relief. If I see any more willows, I will be sure to get some more bark. Goodness knows I could use something like that since I lost the elvish pain tea!

The young woman glanced out the window on the southern wall, noticing that it was long past sunset. She could see Meril move over to pick up the tin dishes out of the corner of her eye, setting the shelf back on its pegs as she did so, and wondered why she didn't mention them being dented again when she had been so angry before. Glancing back at the sleeping Kili lying on the floor, she swallowed heavily.

We need to find somewhere to sleep tonight, but….where? He's out cold, and I can't carry him by myself.

"Excuse me, ma'am," She said quietly, causing Meril to turn toward her.

"What is it?" the old woman asked, placing all but one tin cup and plate back on the shelf. Cirashala's brow furrowed in slight confusion as she saw them sitting there, but she was too exhausted to try and make sense of it, and looked back at the elder.

"I, um…w-we don't have a-anything of value, but…I-I would do chores t-to pay for it, and your dishes," she stammered quickly, biting her lip as her gaze fell to the floor. "But…is-is there anywhere, a b-barn or shed or something, where-where we could sleep? Just for tonight? We won't bother anyone, I swear."

"No one would let you," the old woman replied, setting a small loaf of bread on the plate. Cirashala's mouth watered at the sight, and she had to force herself to look back at the old woman even as her stomach growled loudly. "My people, they don't like dwarves. Haven't for a very long time."

Cirashala's eyes filled with tears even as she stared at the old woman in shock, and she closed them, fighting the urge to just scream and kick like a small child even as she swallowed several times over in frustration.

We finally found a village, and we're right back where we started- no food, no supplies, not even a weapon now, and Kili's badly hurt. Is this- is this why Gloin and the others dislike humans?

"I am sorry we bothered you," she whispered, her voice wavering even as she tried to keep her composure. "I….i-if you would help me wake him, we will leave at once. I-I cannot carry him myself. But…please let me wash the bloody rags first, to allow me to repay your aid, and d-do anything else you need done, as I have no coin or gold."

A yawn escaped the young woman, and a few tears escaped, trailing down her cheeks, which she quickly swiped away. The dark circles under her eyes were visible in the dim lamplight in stark contrast to her pale face, and Meril paused for a moment.

She is clearly hurt and exhausted, as is he, and yet she's offering to work in exchange for aid? She can barely stand without fainting.

"Why were you in the woods?" the old woman asked suddenly, causing Cirashala's head to come up in surprise at the unexpected question.

"W-we…" she began, before blinking back her tears and fighting to keep eye contact, hating that she had to lie but knowing that it was crucial that the quest be kept secret. "We were with some merchants traveling from the Blue Mountains to see our kin in the Iron Hills. Our group was attacked in the mountains, and my brother and I were separated from the others." Meril nodded.

"Is that where your hand was broken?" she asked, gesturing toward it. Cirashala shook her head.

"Th-that happened after," she said quietly, fingering the splint with her left hand. "It was an accident."

"And his bruises and broken ribs- were those from the attack?" Meril asked, and Cirashala nodded.

"Aye," she replied quietly, her gaze moving toward the sleeping dwarf. "We fell down a cliffside during the attack, and my brother protected me from the fall. That's how we got separated from the others." Meril's eyes widened.

"Those bruises are at least a week old," she whispered, before looking closely at Cirashala. "How long have you two been out in the wild alone?"

"I-I'm not sure," the young woman replied honestly. "It might have been a week, I don't know. We've been trying to head east, hoping to find the others, but…" Her shoulders slumped as she hung her head, and the old woman stared at the pair in astonishment.

"Neither of you have eaten in a week?" she replied, and Cirashala shook her head.

"We found some wild raspberries one day," she said quietly. "A-and we found a broken down wagon with some old beans and a little meat that were still good, but that was yesterday or the day before, I don't remember for sure…what was left is back where the lynx attacked my brother."

"And yet you still helped Freida?" Meril asked quietly, eyes wide. Cirashala nodded.

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked, brow furrowing in confusion. The old woman's eyebrows went up.

"W-well, you're dwarves," she stammered, feeling her own cheeks flush slightly in embarrassment. Cirashala shook her head.

"A child is a child," she replied quietly. "I would have died before I'd ever allow harm to come to her, and so would my brother." Her eyes moved toward the young dwarf, her gaze softening slightly. "It doesn't matter what race a person is. If someone needs help, and I am able to give it, I will."

XXX

Meril stared at the two in front of her for several minutes, unable to find words. Memories flashed back in her mind, of dwarves and woodsmen and angry words, of weapons being drawn and shouts, and a funeral bier burning.

And yet, these dwarves had saved Freida from being brutally attacked by the lynx. They had been lost in the wild for a week, they had been injured, especially the one she called Gisli. They never demanded payment, they never asked for gold. All the young woman had asked for was her brother's life, and for medicine so he wasn't in pain and a place for them to sleep. And she offered to work in exchange for what aid Meril had given them, despite being exhausted and hurt.

They hadn't even asked for food, though the hungry, longing look the young woman had in her eyes as Meril placed the bread on the plate did not go unnoticed. Her gaze traveled toward the two doors on the northern wall of the cabin, before focusing on the left one.

That room had been her grandchildren's after their father and mother died, and it was in that room that Gelin succumbed to his infection. The door had been closed since his death, and Freida had come into Meril's room afterwards and been there ever since. Meril sighed, swallowing heavily, before a movement caught her eye.

She looked up to see the young woman struggling with the heavy washboard, trying to place it into the hot washbasin, and quickly moved toward her.

"Not tonight, child," she said quietly, taking the washboard out of her hands. "It's late, and the rags need to soak." Cirashala's eyes widened slightly.

"B-but, I need to repay—" she began, and the old woman pushed the plate of bread in her hand, silencing her.

"Eat," she commanded gently. At the young woman's wide eyed stare, she nodded, nudging the plate a bit.

"I…b-but are you…are you sure?" she whispered hesitantly, and Meril nodded.

"Just be sure to eat slowly- you haven't eaten in a while, and you do not want to be sick again."

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A response to guest reviewer Ri-chan: I'm glad :D I'm hoping to update more as ideas come a bit faster, but real life is still very busy so I will do what I can. He has lashed at Thorin a few times, but now that he's more awake there will be more interaction in Beorn's house. But yes- real life is quite busy- got most of my garden planted (need to get more pots for my herbs and potting soil, and find a place to put all the excess rock from my garden so that I can clear the last part for pumpkins and melons), but now am focusing on finishing that up, and cutting down a bunch of shrubs that seem bound and determined to not die (they're too much work, dense with spiders and nothing to show for it, so I'm replacing them with berry bushes). Still a LOT of work and sewing to do!

A response to guest reviewer Kaia- nope, it's at Beorn's (I would be more specific, but some people don't want spoilers and they might see it here). Fili's arm was very badly injured and he and Thorin both need to have some time to heal before they continue on, leaving time for that other thing you mentioned to happen :)

A response to guest reviewer guest: I apologize for the delay :( I've been trying to get this chapter out for four days, and it's rather difficult to do when my daughter has a totally different movie on in the background! But I'm trying- honest :)

Thanks to all who review, favorite, and follow- seriously where would I be without you all? :D :D :D