I want to thank all of the readers and reviewers for their support. You all give me the strength to keep on writing. Even when you dislike what I have written, which I think most of you will hate me after reading this chapter.
I hope you all have your tissues at the ready. I went through a whole box of puffs tissues when I wrote this, and then again when I went back through my editing process. If you want, listen to Farewell to Lorien from the Two Towers soundtrack, or Wisdom and Courage from the BOTFA soundtrack while reading it. It will make the tears flow down your face like rivers.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or LOTR.
Remember: Years are approximate and rounded. 12 years till LOTR events, and 5 more chapters to go till then!
Khuzdul. Sindarin.
Aliena- 50 years old.
Frerin & Durin- 45 years old, looks 24.
Kelda- 41 years old, looks 23.
Balder-40 years old, looks 23.
Toril- 39 years old, looks 23.
Freya- 38 years old, looks 22.
Rìka & Kilian- 37 years old, looks 22.
Karys & Fergys- 33 years old, looks 21.
Vân & Solen- 29 years old, looks 21.
Maiti & Yuri- 25 years old, looks 20.
Elleon- 24 ½ years old, looks 20.
Tanis- 23 ½ years old, looks 19.
Raina- 21 years old, looks 18.
Bofur II (Bo)- 16 ½ years old, looks 13.
It has been fifteen years since the volunteer army came back from Moria. Each year, the harvests have been plentiful, and Dale and Erebor have prospered. Yet the darkness to the South of Dale and Erebor has begun to grow. From this darkness, the trading agreements between Dale, Erebor, and Rohan have begun to fall apart. Bain, Lord of Dale, has tried to reestablish the trade agreements with Rohan to no avail. However, with the last shipment of goods from Rohan, before the heavy winter snows, came an illness that only a few people had ever seen before.
Erebor, Healing Halls...
Inara, dressed in a brown wool dress with a box style neckline and long sleeves, is seated on a stool next to an ill dwarfling. She dabs at the little one's forehead in a vain attempt to lower the dwarfling's fever. The dwarfling's breathing is labored as he sleeps. His little body is covered with red rashes, which at first had Inara thinking that maybe this illness was chicken pox or scarlet fever. But Inara isn't sure if those illnesses even exist in this world. It wasn't till she was able to do an autopsy on the human tradesman from the Rohan caravan a month ago, did Inara discover what the illness was. For it was one that she herself had as an infant.
"Emulhekh." Healer Aert says softly to Inara as he approaches his queen and her patient. "I have bad news about the boys' parents."
Inara closes her eyes and lets out a defeated sigh before responding. "They are dead. Aren't they?" She opens her eyes to look at the healer.
"Yes. We found his amad dead in her sickbed. His adad, we found dead on the floor in their home. I wish I had better news for the little lad." Aert says as he comes to the other side of the sick dwarfling's sickbed. "I just wish we knew of a cure for this retched illness. Dwarrows are a hearty folk, rarely ever being brought low by illness. Yet this illness is nothing like I have ever seen before."
"I have seen it." Inara says as she places the wet cloth back into the bowl of cool water that is on the floor next to the bed. "I, myself, once suffered from this illness as a child, but I survived it by some strange miracle."
The little dwarfling's breathing begins to shudder, and Inara takes his little hand in one of hers as she uses the other to brush through his soft brown hair. Aert takes hold of the other hand of the dwarfling. Both adults watch as the little child takes his last breath before going silent.
"His struggle is over." Aert says solemnly as he looks over to his queen. He watches as Inara closes her eyes and allows a few tears to run down her face. While learning the healing arts, Aert was taught not to become too attached to his patients. Yet seeing his queen shed tears for every dwarf, dwarrowdam, dwarfling, woman, man, and child that has died has him questioning that idea.
"He will be buried with his family." Inara says before bending down to place a kiss to the dead dwarfling's forehead. "May Mahal and Yavanna guide you to the halls of your forefathers, little one."
"There has to be something that can be done, Emulhekh. What kind of medicines were you given as a bairn to see you through this illness?" Aert asks as he moves to cover the little body with the bed sheet as Inara moves to stand up.
"That is the thing. I don't even know what they were." Inara says softly before picking up the bowl of water up off of the floor. She carries the bowl of water with her as she moves towards one of the private healing rooms.
Inside of the private healing room is two of Inara's grandchildren, along with her sister-in-law. All three had come down with the illness two weeks ago, and Inara has made it her mission to see the three of them through it.
Raina was the first of the three to contract the illness, but was now in the early stages of recovery. Her read hair is fanned out around her head as she sleeps peacefully in her sickbed. She is only given broth and water at mealtimes since her stomach is weak from the illness. The rashes that were on her back, chest, and feet are beginning to disappear.
Bo, caught the illness a few days after Raina did. He, however, still has the fever and is laying half-awake in his sickbed. The only rashes on his body are all over his back, and nowhere else. On the table next to his bed sits a wooden toy that Bifur had carved for the lad only a few days ago.
Dis, is lying awake in her sickbed. Her salt and pepper colored hair is matted to her sweat covered face. Even though she is ill, Dis still refuses to allow herself to be beaten. Her face has blotches of the rash, as does all of her limbs.
"How are you feeling?" Inara asks quietly to Dis as she moves to dump out the old water into a pail.
"I have been better, Inara. This illness will not get the better of me." Dis says in a confident manner as she watches Inara refill the bowl with fresh water from a water basin. "How is it you have yet to get this illness after spending all your time with the sick?"
Inara lets out a soft chuckle before retrieving a clean cloth from a small cabinet in the corner of the room. "I have had it before. I somehow have an immunity to it; unless the illness mutates in some fashion."
Moving to sit next to Dis, Inara dunks the cloth into the cool water. She wrings the cloth out lightly before handing it to Dis.
"Thank you." Dis says as she wipes her fevered face. As she does this, she notices that Inara's eyes are red rimmed. "You have been crying."
"Yes. We lost another dwarfling a few minutes ago." Inara says as she sits on the chair next to Dis's bed with her hands resting in her lap "His parents were found dead earlier today."
Dis reaches her left hand to place it on top of Inara's hands. "You can't go blaming yourself for the deaths. Mahal knows Thorin will be doing just that. He blames himself for this illness coming inside of Erebor."
Inara looks at Dis's face before speaking. "He did what was best. If he had closed the gates any sooner, than we would not have the extra supplies to see us through the winter months if need be."
"This is true. But my nadad is stubborn as you well know. He will still blame the deaths on himself." Dis says before handing the now warm wet cloth back to Inara. "Last I heard over four hundred of our people have perished in the past two months from this illness."
"As of today, four hundred and twelve." Inara says as she gets up out of her chair to place the wet cloth back into the bowl of water. "It is too many."
"Inara." Dis says before a knock on the door interrupts what she was about to say.
The door opens to reveal a pale colored Fili with an unconscious Maiti in his arms. This causes both Inara and Dis to gasp.
"Uncle found her this morning lying on the floor of her bedroom. She wouldn't respond or wake when he tried to rouse her." Fili says in a very worried voice.
"Place her on the cot over by Bo." Inara says as she moves quickly to gather a few items from the cabinet.
Fili walks over to the only open cot left in the room. It is next to Bo's sickbed, but opposite from Raina's sickbed. He gently sets her down, being mindful of her head and neck.
Inara rushes to the other side of the bed, and quickly begins to check Maiti's neck and limbs for any signs of the rash. The back of Maiti's neck is covered as his her legs.
"She has it. Possibly just in the beginning fazes." Inara says before looking up at Fili. She notices that he has dark circles under his eyes, and his body is swaying slightly. "Fili are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Fili slurs as his eyes begin to blink rapidly before his body falls to the floor.
"Fili!" Dis cries out from her bed as she sees her son fall to the floor.
Inara rushes around Maiti's bed, and she quickly rolls Fili onto his back. She places a wrist against his forehead and feels that it is burning up. Being careful, Inara brushes his hair away from his neck. What she sees there causes a cold shiver to run down her spine.
"Shit." Inara says as she moves to haul Fili up from the floor. With one of his arms places around her shoulders, Inara half-carries, half-drags Fili over to the chair that sits next to Dis's bed.
"What is it?" Dis asks as she watches Inara place Fili in the chair.
"He has it too. Damn it." Inara growls out as tears fill her eyes.
"Inara. Focus." Dis says in a tired voice.
"Let me go get another cot for him." Inara says before rushing out of the room. She moves quickly through the rows of sick patients. She finds Aert with two other dwarves by the bed of the dwarfling from earlier.
"We have a problem." Inara says as she stops to stand by Aert.
"What is it?" the healer asks wondering what has the queen worried.
"Prince Fili has the illness." Inara says to the healer.
Aert gives Inara a crestfallen look and lets out a sigh. "I feared this would happen. Just not so soon." Aert looks towards the two dwarfs that are carrying the wrapped up body of the dead dwarfling. "We will do everything we can to help the prince."
"I suggest bringing a large tub of cool water into the room. That way we can get him in it to help cool down his body." Inara says before leaving Aert to head back to the room. Once she arrives, she sees Tauriel is preparing a cot for Fili next to Dis's sickbed.
Seeing the confused look on Inara's face, Tauriel walks over to Inara and whispers. "I promised Kili that I would look after Fili."
"You could catch this, Tauriel." Inara says to the elf.
"I received word from Thranduil that elves seem to be immune to the illness. He and several of our healers are down in Dale helping those who are ill." Tauriel says. "Besides, Sigrid was threatening to come down here herself to see to Fili. She had a suspicion that he was ill."
"Well that goes to show that he is a stubborn dwarf." Inara says as she moves towards where Fili is seated next to Dis.
"How bad does Fili have it?" Dis asks Inara as she watches Inara and Tauriel move Fili out of the chair.
"I won't know for certain till I can get a really good look at him." Inara growls out as they move Fili towards the sickbed.
Being very careful, Tauriel and Inara place Fili onto the sickbed. Tauriel moves his head onto a folded towel to help make laying on the cot more comfortable. Meanwhile, Inara begins to undress Fili down to a light tunic and underclothes. This causes Dis to become uncomfortable a bit mostly due to the fact that Inara is married as is Fili. Yet she can understand that Inara is doing this in a very clinical manner as a healer.
Once Inara has finished with her task of undressing Fili, she and Tauriel search his body for any more rashes. The only one they see is the one on the back of Fili's neck after turning his head to lay facing the right.
"This is might be just the beginning of the illness, or this might be that his body is putting up a very good fight." Inara says as she brushes Fili's hair up and away from the rash.
"So he might not be as bad off as everyone else?" Tauriel asks as she gets up to fetch a bowl of water and cloth to wipe Fili's face.
"Possibly." Inara says before whispering a small prayer to Mahal.
"Amad?" a weary Maiti says in a fevered state from her bed.
Inara hearing the young lass, gets up from her spot on the edge of Fili's bed and makes her way over to her adopted daughter. Sitting down on the edge of Maiti's sickbed, Inara takes Maiti's clammy hand in hers.
"I am here, Mudùmel." Inara says softly while forcing a smile on her face.
"I am so hot." Maiti croaks out. "It hurts to move."
"I am sorry, but you are sick. You need to rest, Mudùmel." Inara whispers to Maiti as she brushes a few stray red strands of hair off of Maiti's face.
"Ok, Amad." Maiti whispers before closing her eyes again.
Inara feels a lump form in her throat as she tries to keep her emotions at bay. Yet, she knows that she will eventually need to let them out.
"I brought some fresh water for her." Tauriel says as she hands Inara a bowl filled with cool water and a cloth in it. "I will tend to Fili. Maiti needs you."
Inara nods her head in agreement before taking the bowl of water out of Tauriel's hands. After placing the bowl onto the ground, Inara takes the cloth and wrings it out before dabbing the sweat off of Maiti's face.
After two weeks of being in the sickroom Dis, Raina, and Bo are allowed to leave after having beaten the illness. All three of them have been sent back to the royal halls to be with the rest of the family. However, Fili and Maiti are still in the healing halls, and no one else of the royal family has come down with the illness.
"I am feeling much better." Fili says hoarsely before going into a coughing fit.
Inara chuckles at Fili's stubbornness. "Oh really? You had gotten over the illness only to come down with a flu."
"A flu?" Tauriel asks carefully from her spot at Maiti's sickbed. She had been helping the young girl with eating some broth.
"Yes a flu. The flu is similar to a cold that humans suffer from, but a flu is more severe. That is what Fili here is just starting to get over." Inara says with a chuckle in her voice as she hands Fili a bowl of broth.
Fili gives Inara a pleading look. "Do I have to eat this?"
"If you want to get better and leave this place. Then yes." Inara says as she hands him a spoon. "I expect you to eat it all. And no trying to give it to Tauriel, Maiti or dumping in on the floor under your sickbed."
"I only did that one time, Inara." Fili says sheepishly.
"And if you try to do it again, I will personally force it down your throat." Inara threatens with a laugh as Fili begins to eat the broth with gusto.
"Careful, Mudùmel." Tauriel says to Maiti as she sees the little dam trying to guide the spoon in Tauriel's hand back to the bowl.
Inara watches her adopted daughter with a sad look on her face. Out of most of the patients who have recovered, Maiti is one of a few who has been stricken with an adverse after effect from the illness. Even though her eyes are still hazel in color, Maiti can no longer see any more. Inara had sent this information back with Dis to let Thorin know. So far, she hasn't received any word from Thorin about Maiti's disability.
Watching Maiti struggle with trying to eat, Inara feels her eyes begin to fill with tears that want to be shed. Making to escape the scene before her, Inara steps out of the room and into the healing halls.
"Emulhekh." A rough, male voice is heard just to the left of where Inara is standing outside the door.
Turning to look to her left, Inara is shocked to see Gimli standing there with a grim look on his face. Immediately Inara becomes worried as to why he is in the healing halls.
"Gimli? What are you doing here? Tell me that you are not sick." Inara says as she moves to check Gimli's forehead for a sign of a fever.
"I am not ill." Gimli says as he bats away Inara's hand away from his face. "It is amad. She passed early this morning."
Inara looks at Gimli with a shocked expression on her face. "I hadn't known that she was ill."
"None of us did. She was complaining of joint pain last night, so adad brought her here to be given something for the pain. They gave her a draught, and had her rest on a bed. Before dawn, adad heard her last breath." Gimli says as tears start to fall down his cheeks.
"Oh Gimli." Inara says before pulling the dwarf into her arms. "I am so sorry." Inara presses her face into his shoulder, as he cries into her shoulders.
She holds Gimli for a bit till a haggard looking Gloin comes towards the two.
"Gimli." Gloin says with a rough voice. "We need to go, lad."
Inara looks up from Gimli's shoulder and releases the dwarf from her arms.
"I am so sorry Gloin." Inara rambles out while wiping away a few tears from her cheeks.
"Aye." Gloin says with a hiccup in his voice. "Come, Gimli."
Gimli backs away from Inara and walks over to Gloin with his head handing low. His hair covering his face in a vain attempt to hide his tears.
Inara watches as the two dwarves make their way through the sea of sickbeds till they leave the healing halls entirely. Brushing her hands against the apron that rests against her black skirt, Inara pulls herself together before entering the healing halls.
Tauriel is tucking Maiti into her sickbed since the lass has fallen asleep after eating her broth dinner. Meanwhile, Fili is sitting up in his sickbed writing something on a piece of parchment paper.
Looking up as Inara enters, Fili notices that something is bothering Inara. Setting his paper and graphite pencil onto the ground next to his bed, Fili waves for Inara to come over to him. He watches her as she moves from the door to the side of his bed in a trance-like state.
"What is it?" Fili asks as pulls at Inara's hand to make her sit down on his bed.
"Gimli came by." Inara says as she fights against the lump that has formed in her throat. "He told me that Skuld passed away this morning."
Both Fili and Tauriel are shocked by this news. Fili because Gimli is a distant cousin, and he has always respected Skuld for the warrior that she was. For Tauriel, it is because the dwarrowdam never seemed to be afraid of anything or anyone, and was always there to give sound advice as to how to handle a warrior husband.
"Was it the illness?" Fili asks as he looks at Inara's face. He can tell that she has been crying and is wondering just how much more Inara can take before she cracks.
"I believe so. This illness has many different variations to it. Most of the patients have contracted the Hib meningitis strain. For their symptoms are the same as to what I had as an infant. Where I come from, though, there is a vaccine to prevent this strain. But here there is no vaccine, so it can be deadly. However, I believe that there is another strain that is running rampant here. Meningococcal meningitis is the more severe of the two. I think that is the one that has been decimating our numbers here in Erebor and in Dale." Inara says to Fili and Tauriel. "I also think that it is what caused Skuld's death."
"Is there a way to get rid of it?" Tauriel asks Inara with interest.
"Not that I know of. However, getting people to see a healer at the early onset of it can help increase the chance of survival. What I can't understand is why the older ones are getting it. It usually hits only infants, youths, and young adults. Or at least that is what it did back where I am from." Inara says in frustration.
"Perhaps the illness has a different target range here?" Tauriel says thoughtfully to try and relieve some of Inara's frustration.
"It is possible, I guess."
"Before Ori left for Moria, did you have him write down anything about illnesses that affected where you are from?" Fili asks.
"We never got around to it. Ori mostly wrote down stories that I remember reading or hearing as a child." Inara replies.
"Then perhaps we should have you speak with an archivist about the illnesses. That way, in the future, if this happens again they will know what to do for the sick." Fili says with some enthusiasm.
"Perhaps tomorrow, after we take you home, I will stop by the library and speak to a scribe." Inara says before getting up off of Fili's bed. She pulls the covers up towards his chest like a mother does to a child.
"I can to this myself." Fili says as he slides his body down so that he is laying down. He hastily grabs the covers from Inara with a scowl and a blush on his face.
"I know you can, but seeing you blush is so worth it." Inara teases and Tauriel lets out a light chuckle of her own.
Seeing Fili settles in his sickbed, Tauriel and Inara settle in a pair of chairs near the small fireplace that sits a few feet away from the door. The logs of the fire are softly glowing, which give some light to the room once the candles have finished burning.
Tauriel pulls out one of her daggers, and begins to gently clean the weapon. She keeps her eyes to the weapon in her hand as she ever-so-often looks towards Inara. She can see that the past two months of caring for those who have this horrible illness has taken its toll on her friend. Inara's brown eyes have dulled as well as having dark circles under her eyes. The brown hair, that was once so vibrant, now is dull with a few greying hairs near the temples. She is also thinner in body as well, and the round, full cheeks on Inara's face have hollowed.
It isn't just Inara's looks that have changed. Tauriel has also noticed that Inara doesn't eat as much as she used to. The woman keeps giving others her share of food, or refuses to eat when food is offered. This has Tauriel worried that Inara's body will eventually give out. Promising Kili to look after Fili wasn't the only reason why Tauriel came to the healing halls. She had also promised Thorin to keep an eye on Inara. And since making both promises, Tauriel intends to see them through.
Inara, sitting in the other chair, fell asleep almost immediately after sitting down. Her head leaning towards her right shoulder, which is slumped downwards. Hands laying on Inara's lap are resting with the palms against thighs.
"Might want to cover her with a blanket." Fili's voice says from where he is resting.
Tauriel looks over her shoulder to see that Fili is looking towards them. "You should be sleeping, Fili."
"I can't. Probably because I have slept so much for so long." Fili says with a chuckle.
"Perhaps. Or you are worried about something." Tauriel replies as she sets her dagger down onto the floor before standing up from her chair. She carefully makes her way over to the cabinet to retrieve one of the old quilts from the lower shelves. Pulling out a brown and black patchwork quilt that has a tan backing to it, Tauriel carries it over to where Inara is sleeping. She gently opens the quilt and spreads it across of the sleeping queen.
"She looks thin. Don't you think?" Fili asks as he watches Tauriel cover Inara with the quilt.
"She has many things on her mind lately." Tauriel replies as she finishes tucking the quilt around Inara. Then she makes her way towards Fili's bed. "Do you require anything?"
"To leave this bed and go home?" Fili says with a grin on his face.
"Tomorrow. Now try to sleep." Tauriel says as she walks back to her chair.
For the rest of the night, it is quiet in the room save for Fili's snores. Outside of the room, there are many who are battling the illness or those who have lost their fight. Several of the healers keep a constant vigilance over the sick, and to call for the dead to be removed. By morning, another thirty patients lose their lives.
"I can't wait to be home, finally." Fili says as he shuffles alongside Inara as they make their way through the hallway that leads to the royal family halls.
"I have to agree." Inara says as she looks back to where Tauriel is with Maiti. "Though, you shouldn't overdo it. Take the next couple of days slow for you are still recovering."
Fili chuckles his reply. "Yes amad." Seeing Inara's scowl has Fili breaking out into a full blown laugh.
As they make it to the doors to the royal halls, all four can hear a lot of movement behind the doors. Curiosity gets the better of Fili, and he reaches out to open the door. The sight before him causes Fili's stomach to drop. All of the children are in the main living area with Kili.
"Nadadith?" Fili asks as he shuffles into the room.
Every head turns and the looks on their faces look grim.
"Nadad." Kili says as he hurries to Fili's side. He pulls Fili into a stiff hug.
"Fili." Thorin says as he comes down the stairs at the far end of the living area.
"Uncle?" Fili says as he notices that Thorin's facial features show no emotion. "What is it?"
Thorin approaches his blonde nephew and pulls Fili into an embrace before saying one word. "Sigrid."
Fili pushes away from Thorin after hearing his yâsith's name. He looks carefully into Thorin's face for any kind of hints, but seeing none has Fili starting to panic. Taking several deep breaths, Fili somehow finds the strength to run up the stairs, towards the living space he has shared with Sigrid for the past forty-one years.
"Fili!" Thorin and Kili shout after the blonde dwarf, but they do not pursue him.
"How bad is she?" Inara asks as she approaches Thorin.
"She has been taking something to help with the stiff feeling in her neck. Last night she went to bed early complaining about a headache." Thorin answers solemnly.
"She has it. Doesn't she?" Kili whispers softly to Inara, trying hard not to worry all the children who are now welcoming back Maiti.
"I would need to see her before I can say for certain." Inara replies. "Who is with her now?"
"Dis." Thorin replies. "She didn't want Sigrid to be alone."
Inara nods her head before slowly starting to make her way towards the stairs that will lead her up to where Fili and Sigrid's rooms are. A sinking feeling in her gut has Inara moving at a slow pace as she tries to steel herself for the inevitable.
Upon reaching Fili and Sigrid's rooms, Inara sees that the door has been left wide up. She enters the lounge area before making her way to the bedroom.
Dis is standing just inside of the door, watching her son speaking softly to his yâsith. Hearing a pair of footsteps from behind her, Dis turns to see Inara enter the room. She steps over to her sister-in-law and whispers to her.
"She has been in and out of lucidness. Inara. I fear that her death may break Fili." Dis's eyes have filled with tears at the thought of seeing Fili in pain.
Inara nods her head and places a comforting hand on Dis's shoulder. "I suggest you prepare the children."
Dis lets out a soft hiccup at hearing Inara's words before leaving the room.
Walking slowly towards where Fili is sitting on the bed, Inara tries to give Sigrid a smile.
"How are you feeling?" Inara asks Sigrid as she looks down at the woman.
Sigrid's hair had turned to a soft, light silver color over the past ten years. Her normal cream colored skin has taken an ashen look thanks to the fever. Yet her eyes still shine like they did when Inara first met Sigrid back in Laketown.
"S'tired." Sigrid slurs out as she closes her eyes.
"Sigrid? Miz Kurdu?" Fili softly asks Sigrid as he continues to hold her right, clammy hand with both of his.
"M'sorry, Fili." Sigrid says softly as she opens her eyes slightly.
"No. No." Fili says in a heartbreaking voice. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Everyone gets sick from time to time. You just need to fight this. Take medicines and get plenty of rest. Then you will be back to normal in no time."
"Fili." Sigrid says while tears begin to fall from her eyes. She knows that her time has come and from the look on Inara's face, it will happen. "Fili. My lion prince. Don't despair. We will be together again."
"Don't say things like that." Fili says with a childish whine to his voice.
"But we will. They all are waiting for me. Ma. Da. Bain. Tilda. It is my time." Sigrid says as she tries not to hurt Fili any more than she already is.
"You can't leave us. You can't leave me." Fili says as tears flow down his cheeks. Hearing that Sigrid had taken sick was not the coming home that he was hoping for.
"I never will." Sigrid says as she feels sleep start to pull her in. "I will always be with you, Fili. Inara?"
"Yes?" Inara asks from her spot as she looks down into Sigrid's barely open eyes.
"Take care of him for me, please."
"I promise." Inara says, allowing all of her conviction to fill the words of her promise.
Sigrid's eyes close and she falls into sleep with a small smile on her face. As she sleeps, both Fili and Inara do not leave her side. Inara keeps watch of Sigrid's pulse via the neck pulse point. Fili keeps Sigrid's hand in his and never looks away from her. They stay like this for hours.
Just as night begins to fall Sigrid takes her final breath, and Fili lets out a heartbreaking cry that seems to echo throughout all of Erebor.
Inara, who has stayed by Fili and Sigrid, whispers out a prayer while watching Fili pull Sigrid's lifeless body into his arms one last time.
"Creators of this world, I ask that you welcome Sigrid home. Allow her family to greet her before the gates of afterlife." The sound of the bedroom door opening causes Inara to turn towards it.
There in the doorway are Balder, Freya, and Solen. Balder's face is unreadable, but his eyes speak volumes of the pain he is feeling. It takes a few minutes before he leaves the doorway and disappears. Freya, moves into the room towards Fili. Tears are running down her cheeks as she comes to stand next to the bed. Solen follows Freya towards the bed, but stops at the foot of the bed. He takes hold of the bed post before sobbing.
Inara leaves the family to grieve and makes her way out to the hallway. She leans against the wall before she starts to hyperventilate. Then the emotional dams break and Inara slumps to the floor with body shaking cries. She doesn't know how long she was on the floor, but a pair of strong arms pulls her up. Soon she is being held tightly, and the smell of pipe weed and spicy musk lets her know that it is Thorin that is holding her to his chest.
Thorin doesn't say a word as he allows Inara to cry into his chest. He knows what has happened for it was Fili's cry that had Thorin send the three children up first before coming up himself. Finding Inara on the floor in tears sealed the truth.
"Thorin?" Dis says softly as she carefully approaches her nadad.
"Sigrid's body should be seen to." Thorin softly says as he tries to keep himself calm while Inara's body trembles from her crying. "Kili and I will see that the royal tombs has a place for her body to rest."
"Of course." Dis whimpers out while wiping away tears from her eyes. "I will see to it."
"I will have a raven send word to Brand. He will want to know that his aunt has passed to the halls of Mandos." Thorin says after having to clear his throat from the emotional lump that had formed there.
Dis gives Thorin a grim looking smile before entering her son's chambers.
"Adad?" Frerin says as he and his siblings come towards their parents.
"We will be entering into a period of mourning." Thorin says as he gets up off the floor with Inara in his arms. His knees make a pop sound from the movement. "Come. Leave your cousin's to mourn the death of their amad."
Thorin's children follow him as he makes his way to the bedroom that he shares with Inara. Frerin opens the door to the chambers, and Durin opens the bedroom door for Thorin. They all watch as Thorin places Inara onto the bed.
As soon as she is placed onto the bed, Inara curls up into a ball and continues crying.
Thorin leaves her there to see to their children.
"Will amad be alright?" Rìka asks with eyes shining with unshed tears. Seeing Inara on the floor has scared the young girl.
"Give her time. Sigrid was her friend." Thorin says solemnly. "Frerin, I will need you to help by taking over Fili's duties till he has ended his mourning period. Your first task will be notifying all of Erebor of Sigrid's death."
"I will do as you ask, adad." Frerin gives Thorin a bow before leaving the room to do as he was asked.
"Durin. I need you to bring me a parchment and something to write with. I need to send a letter to Brand."
"Of course. Shall I also bring you Aslan?" Durin asks Thorin.
"If you could." Thorin replies with a grateful but sad smile.
Durin nods before leaving the room to complete his task.
"What should we do?" Vân asks softly.
"Just be there for your cousins. That is all any of us can do for them." Thorin answers as he gently pulls Vân into a quick hug.
"Come. Let us help serve supper. I am sure everyone is needing to eat." Rìka says as she takes hold of Vân's hand to lead him out of the room.
Thorin lets out a sigh after seeing his children wanting to help. If there is one thing that Thorin is grateful for is that all of them have inherited Inara's generosity. Thorin heads back towards the bedroom and looks inside. A small smile graces his face as he sees that Inara has fallen asleep. He decides to allow her to sleep, especially since she has been caring for the sick for so long.
Thorin leaves his chambers and makes his way back to the main living area of the royal halls. He sees Tauriel and Kili's children are seated at the dining table, eating their supper. By the fire place, Kili and Tauriel are holding each other, and Thorin isn't about to disturb them.
As Thorin keeps walking he finds himself wandering the hallways till he realizes that he is in weapons' forge. Usually, the weapon's smithies are gone in the evening, yet one of the forges near the back is lit.
Standing next to the forge is Balder, who is hammering on heated metal that looks to be in the early stages of becoming a sword. The twangs of the hammer echo through the empty area.
"Balder?" Thorin says as he approaches where the young dwarf is working. "Lad, are you sure this is what you should be doing?"
"Where should I be?" Balder huffs out as he continues to hit the red metal. "I can't be there. I don't want to be there. She shouldn't have died."
Thorin lets out a sigh as he recognizes the frustration that the lad is going through. He remembers doing the same after Frerin, his nadadith, and Vrili died. Then after Thrain's disappearance, Thorin found himself hiding more and more in a forge.
"Do you need any help?" Thorin asks carefully of the young dwarf.
"I would prefer to be alone right now, uncle." Balder growls.
"As you wish." Just before Thorin leaves, he notices that the young dwarf's dirty face has streaks from where river of tears have flowed.
The next day all of Erebor enters into mourning at Sigrid's passing.
Dis and Freya had cleaned Sigrid's body and dressed the body in the royal robes befitting Sigrid's station as Fili's wife and a princess of Erebor. Her dress is royal blue in color with silver trimmings. Her hair is decorated with many gold beads that have Fili's sigil on them. A plain necklace, which once belonged to Sigrid's mother, lays against her neck and chest. In her hands, Freya and Rìka placed a small bouquet of thistle tied with a bright blue ribbon.
Once the cleaning and preparing of the body was done, Fili and Solen carried Sigrid's body down to the royal tombs upon a pallet. Along the way many dwarves dropped thistle, or any other flower they had, upon the ground before Fili and Solen passed them. As they reached the tombs, they placed the pallet carrying Sigrid's body over top of the grey granite casket that Thorin and Kili had spent most of the early morning preparing. A sheer, black cloth is placed over her body by Inara and Tauriel.
The funeral begins as Thorin begins speaking the burial rights in Khuzdul. Many have come to pay their respects, not only to the royal family, but to the others who are burying their dead loved ones today as well.
Fili is standing there next to Sigrid's body in a trance-like state. His face is pale and his eyes are shining from unshed tears. He is wearing his princely mourning clothes, which seem to fit his mood.
Next to Fili is Balder, who is wearing the dark mourning clothes, looks like he is about to hit someone. Beside Balder is Freya, who is constantly wiping away the tears from her cheeks. Solen is standing on Fili's other side, and is in a shocked state still from the passing of Sigrid.
As Thorin finishes the rites, Fili and his sons gently lift the pallet up so that Kili, Frerin, Durin, and Dwalin can remove the granite lid from the coffin. Once the lid is removed, Fili and his sons lower Sigrid's body into her coffin. Once her body is laid inside, the coffin is sealed as the lid is placed on the coffin.
A lot of dwarves offer their condolences to the royal family, and that evening a mourning feast is held in honor of those who have perished from the illness. Yet there are two people missing from the feast.
Fili tightens the cloak around his shoulders after he finished tying his pack onto the back of a tan pony.
"Where are you going?" Inara says as she carefully approaches where Fili and his pony are. Her dark, wool mourning dress, trimmed in a silver color, contrasts against pale skin which is usually a light tan color.
"I can't stay here." Fili says as he lifts a saddle bag from the ground to place it upon the pony's back.
"What about your children?"
"I have asked Kili to keep an eye on them till I return."
Inara lets out a breath that she didn't realize that she was holding. "Well, at least you plan on returning. For a minute there I thought you weren't."
"I don't know when I will be back, Inara. But I can't stay here. It hurts too much." Fili says as he finishes tying down the last pack. "Promise me that you will not tell uncle that I have left when you return to the feast."
"Who says I am going to return to the feast?" Inara replies, allowing sadness to flow in her words.
"I will return, Inara. That I promise to you and uncle." Fili says as he pulls Inara into a quick hug. "Take care of everyone for me."
Fili lets go of Inara and walks over to where his pony is waiting.
"Why do I feel as though you are making a mistake?" Inara asks as she watches Fili mount the pony.
"I need to do this." Fili says as he takes the reigns in his hands.
"Be careful out there."
"I will." Fili gives Inara a small smile before sending his pony into a quick trot out the gates of Erebor.
Inara runs up the stairs that lead to the ramparts, and watches Fili till he disappears into the dark of night. She stays there on the ramparts for a few minutes. She takes a shuddering breath before whispering into the night air.
"Spirits of this world. Help guide Fili and keep him safe from harm."
As I stated before, this chapter is one of the saddest ones I have ever written when it comes to fanfiction. So go ahead and
Reviews are welcomed, loved, and cherished. Even the negative ones.
Selene
The next chapter will focus on Thorin and Inara's children. So it should be a happier chapter for you all.