The festivities ended that night and the following morning, the Master had his servants ready the company, fitting them with tunics and cloaks and armor, gifting them with plenty of weapons, and gave them a boat to sail the rest of the way across the lake to the base of the mountain. Thorin had woken Halien up and told her it was time to go. She nodded and they were ready to leave within minutes. As they descended the steps of the Master's estate, Halien almost hoped that Bard would be there. She did not see him anywhere as the crowds cheered as they walked through the streets.

"You do know that we are one short," Bilbo said to Thorin. "Where's Bofur?"

"If he is not here, we leave him behind," Thorin said.

"We'll have to if we are to find the door before nightfall." Balin pointed out. "We can risk no more delays."

The company continued to the boat readied for them. They loaded themselves onto the small boat, but Thorin stopped Kili before he could get on.

"Not you," Thorin told him. "We must travel with speed and you will slow us down."

"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you." Kili said, thinking his uncle was joking with him.

"Not this time," Thorin told him, shaking his head. He knew that Kili wanted to come with them, but his injury was too severe and he was too weak to be able to make the rest of the journey.

Kili would not hear of it. "I'm going to be there when that door is opened." He insisted. "When we first look upon the Halls of our fathers, Thorin…"
"Kili," Thorin said, trying to make him understand. "Stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed."

"I'll stay with the lad," Oin said. "My duty lies with the wounded."

Fili looked up at Thorin. "Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain, tales you told us! You cannot take that away from him!"

Kili shook his head. "Fili…"

"I will carry him if I must!" Fili said, begging his uncle.

"Fili, one day you will be king and you will understand," Thorin told him. "I cannot risk this quest for the sake of one dwarf. Not even my own kin."

Halien put a hand on Thorin's shoulder. "Fili, understand how hard it is for your uncle to leave your brother behind. We all want to be there when we find the door and it is opened, but Kili is hurt and I have done all that I can to heal him right now. Oin will take care of him- he has learned what I have taught him about healing well- so please, do not worry."

Fili looked at her and nodded, then looked at his brother. He stepped up off the boat, but Thorin stopped him.

"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the company."

"I belong with my brother." Fili retorted.

"Thorin, let him go. If he wishes to stay with Kili, then let him. It will mean you are short a few members of the company, but it will mean that Kili is well looked after and can join you sooner." Halien told him as he looked up at her.

He smiled and nodded. "Will you be alright here? I know that you wish to come with us, but you understand why I need you here?" he asked.

Halien nodded. "I am nearly six months along, but I still some time before the babe is ready. I will be alright, graceful and nimble as ever."

He put a hand on her belly, feeling the child growing within her womb. He felt a pain in his chest, but he looked up at her. "I need you safe. While you have been doing fine thus far, the path to the mountain is much more treacherous and rough since the day Erebor fell. I know that we could make use of your magik against the dragon, but I still need you here, safe, not just because I do not want you to get hurt and we risk losing our child, but I need you to look after Kili for me."

Halien knew he was right. She knew that Kili needed her more than they would need her on the mountain and Thorin was only thinking of what was best for her and their son. She nodded and kissed her husband.

"I will be just fine, little king. I will look after Kili and keep our son safe. If you need me, though, you have to but think it and I will know." She told him.

Thorin kissed her once more and nodded. "Of course. If things do not turn out as well as we hope, I will warn you. If the dragon awakens and comes for Laketown, I will warn you. If Smaug does come for the town, will you protect them until we can return?"

Halien hugged him tightly. "Of course, my love. Now, best be off before you lose the light."

Thorin nodded and boarded the boat, shoving off with one last look at Halien before she used her magik to whip up a current to take them quicker down the waterway.

The Master bid the company farewell and they were off. As they rowed down the canal to reach the vastness of the lake, Halien heard Bofur as he reached her, Kili, and the others.

"Bofur, I am sorry, they could not wait any longer. Thorin asked me to stay behind to take care of Kili. He's very sick and I cannot do much to heal him with my current skill." She said to him.

Bofur looked after the boats as they disappeared from view. He sighed, but then his attention was immediately drawn to Kili as he began to grimace in pain and groaned.

Halien looked at him in fear and knew immediately from the progression of his illness that he had been hit with a Morgul shaft. "Oh no, ancestors no!"

"What, what is it?" Fili asked.

"We need to get him somewhere safe, now," Halien said, helping Kili up. She hoisted his arms around Oin and Fili's shoulders, then led them through the streets towards the only place that she knew was safe and had someone who could help.

They ran to the Hall of the Master and Fili called out to the Master.

"Please, wait!" he asked. "Please. We need your help."

Halien looked to the Master. "Good Master of the Lake, we need your help."

"My brother is sick," Fili said, looking at him desperately.

"Sick?" the Master asked. "Is it infectious? Get back. Alfrid, Alfrid, don't let them get any closer!"

"How dare you, you pathetic little Men!" Halien said, gathering up her skirts and marching up the stairs to Alfrid, ignoring the guards. "That is my nephew! How dare you deny us aid when we have promised to deliver so much to this place to rebuild it anew and bring back the trades of old? How can you be so despicably heartless and cruel?"

"Please, we need medicine!" Oin asked.

"Do I look like an apothecary?" Alfrid said with a smirk. "Haven't we given you enough? The Master's a very busy man, he doesn't have time to be worried about sick Dwarves. Be off with you. Go on."

Halien became so infuriated that she began to spark with blue flames as she reached back and threw her fist straight into Alfrid's face, breaking his nose. "I will see to it that you and your idiotic Master will be removed from office and stripped of all your titles. You will regret ever crossing the Dwarves of Erebor and you will regret ever crossing me. As Queen of Erebor, I have the necessary power to do so, and do not even think for a second that I won't."

With that, Halien Greenleaf left a bleeding Alfrid, and the Master whimpering on the staircase as she turned around and marched off with the others following close behind her. "Come, I know of one place that we can go to get help."