January 17th, 2022
Original Authors Note: Haha, just OVER two hours. Sorry, I was finishing the last episode of Loki. :) Anyway, here. This should appease you for the evening.
Three chapters in one day?! Oh yes! All for you guys.
Chapter Eight
Nightmares for Kili had been an ongoing struggle since his return two months ago, but they were getting fewer and fewer as he healed mentally and physically with Tauriel's help, but they still happened. So, it was not unusual to be woken suddenly in the night covered in sweat and breathing heavily, his heart hammering away in his chest. This night, however, felt much different. His mind was filled with a sense of alarm and terror that had him leaping to his feet, grabbing his sword from the stand beside his end table, and looking about the room for intruders. His eyes widened as Tauriel too snapped up and grasped at her head, crying out in pain.
"Amralime?!" He looked at her with worry which doubled when she dove out of the bed and ran from the room without a word or answer. Sword still in hand, Kili followed her instantly as she pushed the door to Finli's room open with so much force it hit the wall behind it with an echoing 'BANG'.
Kili was having difficulty registering what was going on with the pain in his head that only increased with each passing minute, making it difficult to focus on anything except for the intense feelings running rampant through his system. It was Tauriel's cry that grounded him as she looked him straight in the eye. "He's gone."
"WHAT!?" Kili stormed into the room and looked into the empty bed, now feeling his own panic rise in him. He looked around the room as if searching for the missing dwarfling. "Could he have gotten out?"
Tauriel's head shook. "You know he cannot get out without Kaw's help, and our raven has yet to return from Mirkwood." Pushing the pain and fear away, Kili grabbed at his wife's shaking hands. He could see her fear and anger radiating off of her. "We will find him." She nodded her head and Kili pulled away from her, jumping into action and running from the room into the halls, calling back at his wife. "Go get mam and uncle! I will speak to the guard."
Tauriel rushed into the room across the hall and burst into Dis's chamber. "AMAD! Someone has taken Finli, he's…he's gone, get Thorin, please! I am going to wake Fili and Naurfaer." Dis sat up taking half a second to register what Tauriel had said even as she saw her daughter leave the room. Dis had no need to get Thorin though, the warrior in him was already out of his bedchamber, axe in hand and rushing past Dis into the hall.
Tauriel then flew into the next room without even knocking already yelling for her dwarven brother. "FILI! FILI wake up!" Tauriel was running through her brother's sitting room even as Fili raced up to her, daggers in hand as if he had sensed the frantic eleth even before she entered the rooms. He took in the frantic being in front of him. Her hair was all over the place, obviously from her swift exit from bed. She was pale, paler then usual he amended, and her eyes were wide and alert. "Hey now…what is it!? What's wrong?"
He carefully looked her over once again as tears were gathering in her eyes and came the immediate conclusion that it was either Kili or Finli. Judging by the fact he could hear his brother yelling at the guard, it had to have been Finli. "By Mahal Tauri! Finli?"
Tauriel nodded. "He's just…gone Fili. He isn't in his room, our room, or anywhere in our chamber." Her hands flew to her hair as she tugged at it to help bring some relief to her panicked mind. Her baby was not just calling out to her, he was screaming for her. It was so hard to focus with all the screaming in her mind distracting her normal calm demeaner. Why can't she just focus! She was over 600 years old and have easily taken charge in times of great emergency. But now she felt as if she was being taken over by fear she could not control.
Viltarra came into the room not seconds later, Hiril trialing behind as she stepped up to Tauriel and listened to her continue to speak to Fili. "What has happened?" The young dam asked. She looked to her husband then to her sister.
"Finli. He's just, gone. His cradle is empty. I do not…who?" She was working herself up even more.
Fili pulled her into his arms for a moment. "Hey now. We will find him." Tauriel tried to calm herself, but until her baby was back in her arms, the adrenalin will continue to feed her frantic system. Fili tightened his arms around her shaking frame before releasing her. He gave Viltarra a look and all three of them, and the warg, rushed out of the chamber and into the main family sitting room.
Naurfaer was beside Kili, he must have heard the commotion and came out on his own, or Thorin or Dis had retrieved him while Tauriel got Fili. Tauriel came to a stop beside her husband just as Naurfaer was placing his hands on Kili's shoulders trying to calm the prince who instantly just shook him off. With one failed attempt and seeing her now enter the room, Naurfaer instead turned to his granddaughter.
"Tauriel! Starlight! I have just been telling Kili that you BOTH need to calm yourselves!" He was pleading with Tauriel, imploring her with his eyes to listen to him.
"Calm! Finli is missing and you expect any of us to be calm!" Thorin growled as he yelled for the guard to go get Aeodhen and Dwalin, immediately.
"Yes! I am telling you to be calm, specifically those two!" Naurfaer snapped, turning to Tauriel. "You two can find him faster than anyone in this mountain IF you listen to me carefully." Tauriel turned her panicked and angry eyes to Naurfaer but took a breath and nodded, giving him the only indication he had her full attention now. "You know he is connected to you both. Focus your minds and let him tell you where he is. With you as parents, I am sure he is clever enough to do so."
Tauriel stared at Naurfaer for a moment and tried to force her breathing to calm. Her baby was missing, her precious star, and he was calling desperately for her. How exactly was she to calm herself when all she wanted to do was rip this mountain apart stone by stone until he was found then KILL whoever had taken him. She felt something slip between her fingers and Tauriel looked over at her other half, who was visibly trying to force his breathing to come out evenly. It was Kili's hand that grounded her in that moment, and she willed her ferociousness down.
"We need a plan." She heard Fili say in the background, ignoring the pair and looking to Thorin.
"How could someone do such a thing." That was Tarrah, her and Vin had just ran into the sitting room.
But then there was Naurfaer's gentle guiding voice in her ear, pulling her away from the distracting noises in the room and helping her to push away the feelings surging through her system. "Focus starlight. What is he showing you?"
With some effort, Tauriel pushed the noises away and focused solely on Finli. Between bouts of pure panic, she saw muted yellow surroundings with bits of purple being projected to her in a way she has NEVER experienced. Forcing her wonder away at her son's ability to do something so advanced even for her, Tauriel thought hard about what she was seeing. Nowhere in the mountain has she seen those kinds of colors and for a moment she feared he had been taken from Erebor completely…until she remembered the bright colors common with the visiting Ukdam and came to a conclusion.
"They have him." Tauriel gasped. "The Ukdam have our son."
Thorin who had heard her looked over at them, dismissing the guard to go and search the rest of the chambers just moments before. "Are you certain Tauriel?"
"I believe so as well." Kili breathed, still having a hard time calming his heartrate. Or maybe that was Finli's heart he felt? His little son. He will get him back, tonight.
"Then let's go!" Fili yelled as he threw Tauriel a few knives.
Thorin nodded, grasping the handle of his axe tightly in one hand, while orcrist, his elven greatsword, made itself visible in his other. "Viltarra, Dis, you along with Tarrah go do a run through of the rooms just in case he is still up here."
Dis nodded. "Of course."
"Do you want Hiril?" Viltarra asked before turning to her assignment with Dis and her mother. Thorin looked at the warg but shook his head.
"Take her with you and begin searching the mountain once you finished up here. Alert me if you find anything." The dams all nodded. "Vin, can you and Naurfaer take the south entrance to the Ukdam's hall? We will take the main at the north entrance. I don't want anyone heading off." The two males nodded in agreement and Naurfaer pulled his blades. Thorin passed his axe to Vin who nodded in gratitude.
"Fili, I need you to go to the stables and make sure nobody has left. Tell the guard NOBODY is to leave this mountain. Any who do, are to be put in a cell. I do not care who it is. That is an order." Fili gave a small bow of his head and ran from the room.
"Kili, Tauriel, let's go." They ran from the room and down the stairwell, Kili and Thorin keeping up with the speeding eleth with ease. As Tauriel descended flight after flight of stairs, the pain in her head became more prominent, which she hoped meant they were getting closer to her son.
"Sire?" Tauriel paused only a moment at the gates as Thorin began ordering the guard about, getting a report on who has come and gone.
It was at the entrance to the Ukdam, watching Thorin gather the guards at this entrance, that Tauriel pick up on soft but persistent crying underneath the currents of never-ending music. "Finli…" She cried out as she ran past Thorin and the guards, into the hall with Kili hot on her heals.
Tauriel weaved through structures, trying to pinpoint the location of her son when Kili stopped and staired at a yellow tent with purple patches covering it. There, that is where he was being led. Those were the colors he kept seeing flittering across his head. If that dammed music was not so loud! He can't hear a thing, yet everything in his mind called him to that tent.
After only a moment of hesitation, Kili ran for the yellowed canvas shelter and without even a warning, burst inside. It was there he saw his son screaming as his child pushed himself away from a blonde, hatted dwarf. Finli's head turned as his brown eyes filled with tears, zeroing in on Kili. He instantly began to struggle harder, now fighting to get to his father; one hand pushing at the chest of the dwarf and the other reaching as far as he could towards Kili.
"DAAAAAA!"
Kili growled and whipped out his sword as Tauriel ran in behind him, two blades in her dangerous hands glinting menacingly in the light of the lanterns on a table.
"MAMAMAMAMA!" Finli was gasping for air as he sobbed uncontrollably. The blond dwarf holding him had his own look of panic gracing his face for good reason. Three of those reasons were the weapons now pointed directly at him.
"For your welfare, I suggest you RELEASE MY SON!" Kili roared, he radiated anger and power.
"Now, I don' wan' no trouble!" Gronti pleaded. "I assure ya, this is no' wha' it appears and is all jus' a misunderstandin'."
Even as he said it, he was lowering the crying babe to the floor and finally let him go. Finli for his part immediately toppled to the ground as he tried to stand, but righted himself and ran straight to his mother who sheathed the daggers she had into the tie about her waist, then swooped down to gather him up. She pulled him to her chest and began to force calming and soothing thoughts into his terror filled mind.
Kili, not relaxing his stance, kept one eye on the dwarf who had his hands up as beads of sweat dropped down his face. The young prince did not even look at Tauriel as he breathed out. "Take him up, Tauriel."
"NO! Yeh can no'!" The small dwarfling cried out.
"TOKI ENOUGH!" His father roared silencing the dwarfling.
Without even a look Tauriel swiftly escaped the tent passing Thorin, Fili, Naurfaer, Vin, and Dwalin. Thorin took a moment, signaling for the other three to stop as he took Tauriel and Finli in, the eleth pausing before the head of the family. "Thank Mahal. Nâtha, is he alright? Who took him?!"
Tauriel clutched Finli close to her, the youngest son of Durin burying his face in his mother's hair. She could still feel the tears streaming down his cheeks and the spasming hiccups escaping his lips as he gasped for air, his small frame trembling and shaking with so much force it racked her own body. "He is terrified but unharmed as far as I can tell. I am taking him up. Is Viltarra and amad still in the chambers?"
"Aye lassie, they were jus' getting ready teh start searchin' the halls. If yeh go now, yeh can head them off." Tauriel nodded gratefully to Dwalin.
"They are in that tent, the yellow one. The ones who took him." It was the last thing she spoke before rushing from the hall and out of sight. "Dwalin, go with Tauriel. Make sure she gets up safely and stay with her until I return." Thorin ordered. His friend and brother in arms gave a simple, "Aye." Then ran after the eleth.
"I will go too." Vin stated. Thorin nodded gratefully as the baker turned on his heals and followed Dwalin.
Thorin led Fili and Naurfaer towards the tent, stepping inside and had to force the shock from his face. This was not what he was expecting. Scanning the room, he saw Kili, sword drawn as he stood listening to a beefy blonde who was attempting to stand in front of two rather young dwarflings while trying to disarm the furious dwarf in his tent.
"I swear it on my place in the grea' hall's above. I dinna know wha' go' over 'im. E's just ten. E' don' understand." The blonde looked up, recognizing the regal dwarf in the room and falling to his knees trembling. "Meh Lord, 'ave mercy. It is no' what it seems. I swear it. Tell this dwarf teh please put down 'is weapon. We mean no 'arm sire. My lad was jus' tryin' ta 'elp is mam. The babe would never 'ave been kept, 'e would have been returned as soon as I foun' out who 'e belonged to. I swear it."
Thorin had every desire to throw this dwarf into a cell and toss the key into long lake and let him rot, but something here was not right. He turned from the dwarf on his knees to the dwarflings huddled behind him. One looking almost as frightened as his father while the younger was glaring at Kili. Thorin then turned enough to see the cot where a dam lay oblivious to the unfolding drama around her.
"Kili." He placed a hand on Kili's tense shoulders and signaled to the cot.
Naurfaer caught on faster and was immediately beside the dam, kneeling down to look her over. "What…Valar above how long has she been ill like this?"
"Since me brother was born an' died my Lord, two weeks ago." It was the elder of the two dwarflings who spoke, his voice low.
Naurfaer turned to Thorin. "The illness. Whatever is plaguing them, she has it. I would bet my life on it."
"Fili, go get Oin. Now!" Without a word, Fili ran from the tent, nearly colliding with Sudri who had heard tell of a commotion in the area and rose to come see to what was happening.
Fili glared at the leader but with an order from his uncle, he had somewhere to be, so he rushed around the stunned dwarf and ran out of the hall.
"Will someone explain what in the makers forge is going on?" Sudri stepped into the tent, ending up just behind Thorin and froze at the scene. He turned wild eyes to the king under the mountain. "What is the meaning of this! I believe we agreed to speak on you seeing our ill in the morning! This is an act…"
"If I were you, I would wise up and close your mouth. You are speaking to the high king of the dwarves, Sudri, in his own mountain, and you are on grounds for being held in contempt." Kili growled, his eyes not leaving the family he still held at sword point.
Thorin took in the terror in the family and watched Naurfaer look over the dam. "I do not believe we will get anywhere until we find out just what is happening here. So, can someone explain what is going on or do I need to put everyone in this tent into a cell for some time to think." Folding his arms, Thorin stiffened to full height. Eyes of everyone inside turned to the youngest dwarfling who still held Kili's glare. If this were not such a dire situation, Thorin would find the youngling amusing and quite spirited.
"Please, if yeh jus' lower yer sword…" The eldest blonde begged.
Thorin sighed. "Kili, lower your weapon." Kili whipped his head to Thorin, his eyes filled with a furious anger; one that screamed he was ready to run into battle. Thorin placed a hand on Kili's shoulder, and the prince relaxed his stance and lowered his sword to the ground, but kept it out. Thorin could not fault him at that.
"Now. Explain. Who was it that took the babe?" The king growled low.
"I did it and I am no' sorry fer it, bu' you will be!" Toki yelled before his brother slammed his hand over his younger brother's mouth before he could say more.
"He is confused mah Lord." Regar pleaded as tears began to fall. Toki ripped himself away however and ran at Kili. His father tried to grab at his wayward son but the dwarfling was both too small and too quick, easily evading his grasp. Instead, Toki ran headlong into Kili, hitting every part of the dark-haired dwarf he could reach. For his part, Kili just narrowed his eyes and leaned down to use one hand to push the dwarfling away, holding him at a distance by the collar of his shirt. The small being still attempted to get a whack at the very tall dwarf, who was currently trying to remain angry when a great deal of amusement was seeping through his mind, as he now struggled to keep a straight face.
"TOKI! STOP!" Yelled his father.
"She's goin' teh die now and it's YER FAULT!" Toki yelled. "We would 'ave taken care of the babe. I would 'ave been its brother. Mama would 'ave wanted ta live. Now she's goin' ta die all cause of you!" Great tears began to form and fall down his face as he gave into his sorrow and fell to the floor, sobbing.
Kili's brows furrowed, and he lowered himself to the crying being on the floor. "You cannot replace one life for another, little one. It is not how it is done." He was trying to smother his anger. Maybe this really was not what it seemed.
"He…was the one who took him?" Thorin pinched his nose as he tried to make blades or hilts of what was going on. "A babe…stealing a babe. Is this what I am being told? What are your names?"
"I am Gronti, my Lord. Son of Gorho. These are me sons, Regar and Toki." He then gestured to the cot where Naurfaer now stood over. "An tha' there be me wife, Tooka. She took ill nay.."
"Gronti!" Sudri interrupted. "I believe that is all he asked."
Thorin, however, turned a menacing glare at the leader who stood his ground, meeting Thorin's look with one of his own. Without turning back, Thorin addressed Gronti. "Please, continue with what you were saying. Your wife…?"
Unsure of what to do, Gronti spent a good minute closing and opening his mouth, not knowing whose orders he had to follow.
"Mama took sick when me brother was born. The elders said it were her heart tha' got sick cause she 'ad no babe. They're sayin' she's willed 'erself ta pass into Mahal's gates as her spirit is too sad ta wan' ta live here anymore." Toki wiped the tears from his cheeks and turned his green eyes to the cot. "I thought if I go' her a babe…she won' wan' ta die."
Silence filled the room. "Oh Toki." Gronti sighed sadly. "Yer mams no' givin up lad. She's as strong as they come or she would no' 'ave made it to now."
It was Oin and Fili entering the room that stopped the conversation. "By my beard. Wha'…"
"Master Oin, I believe we have inadvertently stumbled upon one of the ill. Please see to her." Thorin then turned to Gronti who was giving the newly entered dwarf a wary look. "This is Oin, our head healer at Erebor and one I trust explicitly." Gronti only nodded and Thorin gave Oin the okay to press forward.
"Aye." Oin agreed and went straight to work, hefting his bag further in and pulling instruments out.
"Is 'e goin' teh heal 'er?" Regar asked, hope filling his voice.
Thorin wanted to be curt, he wanted to snarl and yell and growl. He wanted to throw someone into a cell, but this was an act he could not find fault in. As wrong as it was, it was made with the purest intentions. "I cannot promise that, but I can promise we will do all we can to help." He then turned to Sudri. "Looks like we are stepping in. I suggest you give my healers full access. Anything less and I will put this entire situation on you."
"ME!" Sudri instantly bellowed.
"Oh aye." Fili folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the Ukdam's leader. "Even I know a leader takes responsibility for his or her people. Had you allowed us to step in, this entire situation would have been avoided. Now you pissed off my brother and his wife, in doing so, you pissed me and my uncle off. I cannot tell you how big of a mistake that is. Nobody TOUCHES my nephew."
"Nephew?" Gronti blanched. He was up at the un-packing. He knew who the blonde was. Crowned prince Fili. The dark-haired dwarf he knew nothing of. But it sounded as if they were related.
"Oh aye. Did you not know whose child you took? Or who the child himself was?" After a moment of silence, Fili continued. "This is prince Kili, my brother, an heir to Thorin Oakenshield himself. The babe you stole was none other than Prince Finli, also an heir to this mountain and at this moment, set to one day be king himself. You have no idea the gravity of what you have done."
Gronti stared at Kili in shock then turned frightened eyes to Toki. Will they take him? Will he be forced to watch his ten-year-old son be put in a cell or worse, have his head put on a block?
"Enough Fili." Kili's voice rang out. "I believe Gronti was not at fault as it would appear, young Toki here was trying to save his mother the only way he knew how. Something I think I can understand…and forgive. As long as he promises to never take a babe again." Fili gave Kili a look laced with disbelief. Had his brother gone mad?
Kili, however, waived his brother's look off and turned back to Toki who was peering up at him. His bright green eyes made Kili think of his spirited elf he loved with his entire being and more. "Look. I think what you were doing was for someone you loved. It is hard losing someone you need so much in your life, especially at this age. I lost my da before I ever got to know him. But, look behind you.." He signaled to the two standing against the far wall of the small tent. "They love you with all that they are. You will never be alone, just as I was not. I had my mam, my brother, and my uncle to protect me and guide me. Don't give up on your mam just yet, but, never forget they are there for you too." Kili gave him a look then turned his eyes to Regar then back at Fili. "There is also something to be said about elder brothers as well." Kili smiled at his best friend, his most beloved brother. The one who protected him, looked after him, and who never gave up on him, who still never gives up on him. Kili placed a hand on Toki's trembling shoulder. "You will never ask for a better friend, confidant, or protector than an older brother." Toki looked back at Regar then focused on Kili once again and nodded.
"No more stealing babes?" Kili lifted a brow and asked with a smirk.
"Aye meh Lord." Toki nodded. "No more."
"It's Kili." Kili ruffled Toki's blonde hair and stood straight clapping his hands. "I think that is that."
"Aye it may be…" Oin sighed, "…bu' we go' bigger problems than a dwarflin' nicking a babe."
"Oin?" Thorin had his full attention now.
"Jalai'migi." Was all Oin said as he stood and lifted his horn to his ear. Everyone in the room gasped. Naurfaer looked down in worry then up at Thorin. The king turned to Sudri, furious. He grabbed him by the tunic and hauled him to his face.
"It is not just affecting the women is it!?" The leader stood his ground and remained silent and still. "ANSWER ME!"
Sudri shook his head. "It is no plague. Just an illness sweeping the clan." He tried to cover. "Not so many have reported illness, our focus has been on the dams for obvious reasons." Thorin released him, Sudri having to catch himself before he fell. The eldest son of Durin then ran his hand through his silver and black mane.
"Kakhf! How many!?" Sudri took a step back as the furious king stalked back towards him in the tiny space they had in the tent. "I SAID HOW MANY?!"
Gulping, Sudri tried to think. "I…I do not know."
"Are you telling me, you brought a plague to my mountain, and have no idea how many are infected?" Sudri had no answer. Thorin whipped his head to Oin. "Any reason to believe it is easily transferable?"
Oin sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, I can no' say. Bu' we should proceed as if it is."
Thorin rubbed his temples then turned to Fili and Kili. "We need to find out how many are contaminated, close this part of the mountain off, and keep everyone in their quarters for the time being. The marketplace is to be shut down temporarily until we know what we are up against, the eating hall too. Meals will be sent directly to chambers." Thorin thought for a moment. "Oin. Do we know exactly what this is we are dealing with?"
The old healer sighed again. "Nothin' good. It looks jus' like the disease tha' wiped out an entire clan in the mountains east o' Moria durin' me granda's time. We grew up hearin' about it cause his brother an' his entire family was lost to it. Granda' was never the same. He was the only one tha' made it in the entire family." Oin shook his head.
This was not good news, not good at all. Mahal, they had just got their mountain. Shouldn't they be given at least fifty years or more to settle before tragedy hit...again?
"I do not believe all is lost." Thorin lifted his head and looked at Naurfaer. "I cannot be sure, but, I believe it to be something a group of elvish healers had been able to cure. If it is what I think, it has been referred to in story as I'beleg Nienor."
"The great sorrow?" Kili asked. Fili looked from the dam, Tooka, to her husband and sons then thought about the lost babe. He can understand why it could be called as such.
Naurfaer nodded. "It comes with a dark story. There was a clan of wood elves who lived on the outskirts of a dwarven city many, many years ago. They were for the most part, secluded from one another, at least until a few dwarves came riding into the elven city in desperate search for a healer. An illness, a plague had been ravishing the dwarven city and had devastating effects on their numbers. Moved, Lord Cathas sent his best healers with the dwarves, but the disease had already done its damage. It took months to put together a remedy which took just hours, if not a day or two to take affect once administered; but it was too late. The plague had already done its work. When the dust cleared, there were a mere 50 survivors in a mountain which had once boasted well over 15,000 inhabitants."
"Are we goin' ta die da?" All eyes turned to the dwarflings in the room, the youngest peering at them with fear in his eyes.
"Not for a long time little one, and not in my mountain." Thorin tried to sooth. "Fili, I know Tauriel sent Kaw to Ivethin, but I want you to send a raven to Thranduil. Explain the situation and see if he is willing to have Ivethin and her healers look into this. I hate the idea of having to rely on them yet again because I feel as if it is becoming a habit, but I will not watch my people suffer and die when they may be able to help. Kili, send a missive to Bard as well. It would be best we keep distance until we get this situation under better control as we don't know the effect it has on manish folk."
"Aye." Kili and Fili nodded and left to go to the raven room.
"Naurfaer, am I correct in assuming elves are immune?" Thorin asked after his nephews left the room.
Nodding, Naurfaer looked sadly at Thorin. "But I cannot guarantee Tauriel is, nor Finli."
"But 'e 'as elvish blood? Surely…" The old healer began.
"Not enough." Naurfaer interrupted Oin. "Anyone could see he favors his father and his dwarvish heritage far greater than his elvish. I think it has much to do with Tauriel and her…well…connection to Kili and the family."
He need not say more for Thorin to understand. This was a nightmare in the making. Finli was right here, in this tent and likely had direct contact with the infected dam. In fact, now his entire family had in one connection or another. Thorin did not want to think on that now. Let them see if they can get this flame smothered before it became an inferno.
"Sudri, I will give you a chance to redeem yourself." The leader had the audacity to begin to stutter arguments but one look from Thorin had him shutting his mouth with a snap. "No one is to come in or out of this hall or mountain until I say, and if the elven healers come, I expect you and your clan to give them the upmost respect and honor. It is likely them who will have a cure much faster than we will and to them, many if not all of you will owe your very lives."
"Elves? NO! Bu' they will eat our hearts! Please don' let the elves 'ere. Tell 'em Regar!" The elder brother shuffled his feet and turned bright red. Ducking his head at his father's angry stare.
Oin chuckled and Thorin rolled his eyes.
"Perhaps if your heart was made of leafy greens or lembas bread." Naurfaer laughed out. "Elves do not have a taste for such things as dwarfling hearts…unless you steal their babes that is." He lifted a brow at Toki. "That little one you took, his mother is an elf. I think it best you steer clear of her for a bit. She has a temper that matches her hair when those she loves are involved." Toki's eyes were wide and fearful.
Thorin, however, nearly corrected Naurfaer. He knew Tauriel well enough to know she would easily forgive…once she was told the circumstances behind the situation. But, maybe it be best to let him have a little punishment. Maybe it will help him think twice before doing such things again.
"I suggest you put all the infected on one side of the hall and keep those who are not showing symptoms on another level altogether, and for Mahal's sake keep them away from each other. We will speak when I have more information to give. Oin? Naurfaer?" Thorin looked to the other two in the room who nodded, and both followed the king out. There was much to be done.
Original Authors Note: Yelly Thorin is smexy Thorin. Poor Finli, he's gonna be a bit out of sorts for a bit. Got more to come, as usual. Not sure if I will post tomorrow or Wednesday, but hang tight. See you in a bit. :)