CHAPTER 32
Atina wakes in stages. She feels the soft glow of the sun on her face... but she cannot wake up. Then she feels the cool of night... but she cannot wake up. Even with the heat of flames, she cannot quite swim into consciousness. When she finally feels weightless, she assumes that death has found her. That her pain-filled life has been brought to an early end. It isn't until gravity is reintroduced and she meets the ground gently that she becomes aware that she is alive. The night's events slam into her mind like a freight train and she knows that she is beyond lucky to be alive. Everything hurts; her face especially. Her back will heal. She can feel the tug of stitches but it is bearable. She doesn't like that her back is exposed but the group is a bit away from her. It isn't privacy but it's at least something. Her cheek is another story.
Her face scrunches in pain as someone waves a hand over her face, brushing her lashes with a whisper. Dragging herself out of the deep waters of mental exhaustion takes time but she makes the agonizing trip. Her eyes... no... her eye flutters open and she groans, immediately shutting it again. She is on her belly and it hurts to even look around. 'If I'm on my stomach, then my secret is safe for now.' She can hear mumbles and worried whispers but nothing is clear. Her vision and hearing are off on the damaged side and she's sure something is fractured, if not broken. She begins to gingerly climb up to her knees, only for gentle hands to guide her back down. A warm compress is placed against her upturned cheek and she feels dried blood that had caked the wound shut being wiped away. It'll be hell to clean and she sullenly accepts that she'll more than likely have a scar.
"Eh... eh... ahd?"
She blinks at the sound. 'Is it bad?' is what she intended to ask but a rasping whisper is all that escapes her. Reaching up to her neck, her back protests but she does so anyway, she feels a bandage securely placed. Reaching under it slightly, she feels the gagged and uneven indentations of a severe rope burn. Remembering that she'd quite literally been hanging by her neck, she's impressed that it isn't broken. Shielding her face from the risen sun, she opens her good eye to see where life has dumped her this time.
"Welcome back, lassie." she blinks at Gloin, allowing him to clean the blood off her face. Her stomach rolls but she fights it down. Now is not the time for her to fight "To answer yer question, no. It is not as bad as it looks, or feels. None of yer wounds are life-threatening... Rest."
"..." Feeling the grass beneath her, Atina wonders where they are. The gentle sound of nearby water and soft whispers of wind leave her confused. 'How long was I out?' Eyeing the sky through the trees she slightly turns her head and spots a giant bear-shaped rock. 'Ah.' She hazards a guess "Ca...r-r-rah?"
"What? Lass, enough questions. Ye mustn't speak or work yerself up. That neck of yers..." the rag comes away still bloody and he tsks "Do not move. I know it's not ideal but yer back is breathing, let the stitches settle. My brother is speaking with Thorin now and he won't be a mite happy to know yer undoing all his hard work."
He continues to clean her face and she grinds her teeth at the sensation. Although necessary, it HURTS. All Atina wants to do is sleep. Badly. But she can't until she at least has a proper shirt on. With her bindings cut, all the dwarves have to do is turn her over her belly will be obviously rounded. 'How they got me down Carrock to lay beside the Anduin without noticing is beyond me.' She's not as big as she should be given the advancement of the pregnancy but if someone were to look at her straight on she is still obviously with child. The dwarves would refuse to take her any farther, leaving her with Beorn. She just has to make it into Mirkwood... At least into Mirkwood. Allowing her caregiver to finish cleaning her wound, the girl takes stock of her body and surroundings. Her cloak is settled under the good side of her face. Her ribs ache but it is nothing she can't handle. Her eye is swollen shut because of the wound on her cheek, so that's of no concern either. Hopefully, the damage to her throat won't be permanent.
"Eh... this too. we'd hoped I wasn't so bad but... Aye. My brother will be back in a moment to stitch up that cheek." dabbing at her face one last time, the dwarf nods at his work before turning away to dump the dirty water. The moment he does, Atina shuffles into a sitting position with the cloak securely draped over her shoulders with the ends gathered at her front. With her clothes cut at the back, they flow loosely and without form at her front. Good "We haven't anything for the pai-... What did I just say, lassie?"
"Ah..."
She taps her finger on her lips, signing the universal 'shh' to which he ignores and shakes his head. Having completed his task, the dwarf decides to avoid the headache and simply gets his brother. Leaving the girl's side, he approaches the healer and his companions. The company is settled on the other side of the clearing in varying degrees of discontentment and worry. Not a single dwarf was unaffected by watching Atina's torture. Each one struggled and strained to aid the girl but ultimately each one failed. This knowledge in itself would have been enough to sully their mood but to have their king struck down as well was a solemn event. The eagles had saved them and the King was still in one piece but the young woman would not wake. Even when the Wizard offered the same treatment as he did for Thorin, her eyes merely fluttered. The company could only wait and hope that she would come back to them.
"Sorry to intrude." Gloin nods to the group and they eagerly look on. They know something has happened, she sits upright, and hope for good news. The wizard smiles gently, the halfling tears up, and the king and his guard stand frozen. Gloin points over his shoulder at the girl rather than yell for the deaf dwarrow. For all else, he speaks normally "She has awoken."
"We can see that!"
"Thank goodness!"
"Is she alright?"
"Has she said anything?"
"She can sit up on 'er own and is well enough not to listen when told to rest." taking the burst of questions one at a time, the dwarf answers rapidly "'Er voice is nearly gone, so she hasn't said much. Seems she can only mumble nonsense and 'er face is in serious need of closing."
"What did she mumble, if I might ask?" the wizard questions curiously "It might have been important."
"Eh, some sound... uh Ca... Cara!" he waves dismissively. Grasping his brother's shoulder, he gestures towards his face and then the girl "Now, come on, Oin. That cheek needs doing before we go."
With his task upon him, Oin departs the group with his brother in tow, leaving the group to breathe a sigh of relief. They'd been discussing how the next steps would be significantly slowed due to the injuries the company received last night. Although Thorin and Atina suffered the worst, many of the others obtained burns from the trees and the odd gorge or scratch from the wargs and goblins. No one walked away unscathed. There aren't enough supplies to go around and they only just obtained access to water to treat their wounds. They will not come across another settlement to purchase any necessities for some time. The wizard, however, is chuckling to himself as the brothers walk away.
"What tickles you so today, Wizard?" Dwalin asks in annoyance "Do you know of this 'Cara'? Are they friend or foe?"
"Neither, Master Dwarf." he says with a smirk "She didn't speak of a "Cara' but rather 'Carrock'."
"Is he a friend?" Biblo asks hopefully before frowning a bit "Or a... foe."
"Carrock, my friend, is the formation at our backs." his amusement dips a bit as a sad smile ghosts his face "... She was asking if we were beyond the Carrocks... She was asking if we were safe."
It's a somber request that could only be answered as: For now.
ATINA POV
My face hurts.
Granted, it hurt before but now it HURTS. What had been a dull, almost numb, ache has evolved into a ferocious migraine. It is no doubt due to having received stitches on my face without any anesthetic. There was none to be had. I'd be granted a serious infection if the cut had been left open though. Still could get one, what with Oin's medical supplies having definitely been dumped on the ground in Goblintown. I bring my hand to my head but don't feel a fever, so there is still hope that I'll get out of here alive. I will, however, kill each and every one of the dwarves if they continue to treat me like glass. I'm in a pretty fragile state, yes. I need a hell of a lot of assistance to Beorn's place, true. I need my groupmates to be attentive because I can't shout if I need help, granted.
BUT!
They are all aware of the injuries to my back. When they offer assistance, they try to stabilize me at my front which causes me a huge problem. Shooing them away doesn't work because I need the help and my biggest weapon when they get too close is out of commission. So I had to come to allow myself a distasteful solution. When Dori swooped me into his arms as I stumbled for the umpteenth time, I only struggled a little. If he's carrying me, then everyone else will leave me alone. So here I am getting carried by Dori again. Like an infant. A helpless newborn. If all my blood wasn't already in my face and going towards healing said face, I'd be red with embarrassment. As it is, I just stare angrily into my lap and keep my cloak tight.
I'd planned to warn them about the chase with Beorn on top of Carrock but I was out of commission. I'm awake now but with my voice shot to hell. It makes things a tad bit more complicated. I'm sure I can get the 'Bearman' out with a picture or something but it's the chase Id have trouble describing. Do it wrong and it'll look like Beorn is going to kill them. Do it right and they'll expect to sing Kumbaya and get freaked out when he's not a teddy. My brain fizzles as we finally stop for a break and Dori puts me down. I give him a nod and walk off, not feeling the need to antagonize anyone.
"We will not delay." I glance in Thorin's direction but continue to think. I don't have much time "In five minutes, we move out!"
"..." I watch as Bilbo sits for a rest. He seems to be doing well, all things considered. I watch as he gently strokes his pocket but pays it no mind. In his other hand, he holds a walking stick which he lazily drags it to settle on his lap as Gandalf comes over to speak with him. I could draw, yes, but there are two separate and competing ideas... hm... I walk over to the pair and wait for his attention before gesturing at his accessory.
"Would you like to walk with it?" he asks almost sadly. I shake my head softly and do 'gimme' hands again "A-alright... ?"
Taking it quickly, I point down at the ground once his attention is on me. I do a little wrist flappy 'come closer' hand looks cautiously between me and the wizard but they both come a little closer and look at the ground. Rolling my good eyes, my bad eye can still roll beneath swollen meat, I begin to draw. Holding up one finger, I draw the image of a pile of-
"Gold?" I look at the sudden appearance of Bofur but give him a thumbs up. Drawing a line from the pile I draw a single circle. Silence. I have to add details and another circle before he tries again "...Moon and Sun?"
"No..." It is Bilbo's turn to speak up "No, I think it's a coin."
"Ah!" I whisper in affirmation before drawing an equal sign and two more circles. In one I draw a man and in the other, a bear. I also add a happy and mad face next to them before changing happy to more... neutral. Pointing at the images, I gesture to our way forward "Born."
"A vision?" Bofur asks, peering down at it before frowning deeply, clearly judging my art skills "A bear, a man, and coin? Riches enough to make a man fight a bear?"
"..." its my turn to frown. Turning to Gandalf, I point at the ground, then hold up 2 fingers and twist them before miming a coin toss "...Tuhn"
"Two coins..."
"A flipping coin..."
"No. No. Maybe a coin toss?"
"Two coins flipping..."
Gandalf says nothing as Bilbo and Bofur toss out guesses and I'm becoming annoyed. I'm two seconds from throwing my hands up when Bilbo finally gets it
"Two SIDES of a coin?"
"Oh, you speak of Beorn?" I mouth 'yes' to Gandalf repeatedly even as the other two males still stare at me expectantly. I swear he was just waiting for me to lose my cool before stepping in but then remembered that I'm at my best right now. He chuckles down at my scribbles before waving them away with a tap of his staff. Gesturing at the staff in my hand, he returns it to its owner. To my surprise he puts a hand on Bilbo's shoulder and starts to guide him away "That's correct, he lives in these woods. I expect us to run into Master Beorn sometime today. Hopefully, he's in a good mood."
The hobbit chuckles along with him, not fully understanding the joke. I don't try to redirect Bofur as he compliments my game and gestures for me to return to my dwarven carriage. Gandalf doesn't want me to warn them that our host is going to try to use us as toothpicks and I can't draw fast enough to argue. Glaring as he aims to make Bilbo a true burglar, I submit myself to the insanity that is to come.
Seeeee, she's fine. You all were worried over nothing. Here is a list of her injuries from top to bottom along with how badly the hurt HER. NOt me, not you, HER. This is Atina's pain scale so don't tell me its wrong.
Minor cheek fracture. Pain 4/10. Untreated
Cheek gash. Pain 4/10. Treated with stitches
Neck Constriction ligatures. Pain 6/10. Currently unable to speak. Treated with salves
Bruised ribs. Pain 3/10. Treated with salves
Welted back. Pain3.5/10. Treated with stitches
Hip gash from an arrow. Pain 1/10. Treated previously with stitches