Mixedblood - Chapter 2

An unexpected help


Early in the morning the two brothers were on the road again. Having spent the night in a comfortable bed, they felt well rested and up for a long day of walking. They followed the main road that lead downhill from Orcfeste past the cascades and further through small villages towards the coast. Soon they would come to a crossing and take the road leading south with the mountains to their left until it reached the Gulf of Lhûn. They wouldn't follow the road to its end though, but take another turn and cross the mountains, directly reaching Thórin's Halls – their home.
Steadily the dwarves made their way through the forest, the river running with white foam to their left. Suddenly the blonde dwarf, who walked a few steps ahead of the other, stopped and held his arm out to make his brother halt as well. “Huh?” The younger dwarf looked at him surprised, but the older gestured to the river. “Look.”
A few steps from the sandy riverside was a rock, partly being swept over by the current. On the flat top of it lay a whitish something that didn't look like it belonged there. Without a word the brothers left the road and hurried to the waterside. “Looks like a girl!” the dark haired dwarf exclaimed and threw his bags and weapons unto the ground. Then he waded into the shallow water. Reaching the rock, he climbed up and examined the person in front of him. “It is a girl.”, he shouted over to his brother. “And she is wounded.” The girl was hardly taller than the dwarf himself and lying on her stomach, the legs partially floating in the stream. Her white dress was drenched in blood and water. Carefully the young dwarf turned her so she'd lie on her back, no longer being in the danger of drowning – if she was still alive. When he spotted another bleeding wound at her temple, he let out a surprised shout. “Fíli! I know that girl! I've seen her yesterday in the town!” The other dwarf frowned. “Right. But is she still alive?!” The younger dwarf bit his lip, a bit ashamed to be reminded of the most important thing right now. He leaned in, neither feeling nor hearing any breath. Her skin was cold when he reached for her hand, but he could sense a very weak pulse. Quickly he took off his mantle and covered the girl with it. Then he slid back into the water, pulled the girl from the rock and carried her to the riverbank. “I can feel her pulse but she's not breathing!” The blonde dwarf came over and knelt down beside the girl. “She probably almost drowned. We need to get that water out of her.”
With silent understanding the brothers tried their best to reanimate the girl. After a while Fíli quickly drew back and turned the girl's head to the side – just in time as she finally started coughing up the water she had swallowed. The brothers looked at each other relieved and then back to the girl, who lay helplessly in a coughing fit until Fíli supported her back and helped her sit up slightly. “Try talking to her, Kíli. We need to know how bad her condition is”, he ordered while closely eyeing the head wound. The girl's eyelids fluttered open and Kíli gazed into glassy blue-green eyes. Apparently she couldn't focus yet. “Hey,” he started. “Can you hear me?” The only reply was a weak moan, but a reply it was. The dwarf smiled. “That's great! You're safe now, don't worry. We'll take care of you now. Just don't give up, okay? Can you speak? What's your name?”
The girl's eyes wandered aimlessly, her head aching. But she could hear someone’s voice. Her name... She tried opening her mouth in an attempt to answer. However nothing came out. Her eyes rolled back and the world turned black once again.

* * *

“Hurry up!” - “I am!” - “You wanna switch?” - “Nah, it's fine. How far?” - “Should be there any time now...” - “Good.”

The sun had risen to its fullest behind the gathering clouds. In dim light the brothers hasted towards the nearest village, one carrying the girl, the other their bags. Kíli had slightly fallen back as he had noticed the girl's wounds to bleed more heavily. It must have been from the movement. If she kept on bleeding like this, was there even a chance she'd make it?
“Ah! I see houses!” Fíli, who had hurried ahead, gestured towards one of the buildings hidden between the trees. “That must be the doctor's!”
There was a garden full of herbs and plants around a simple wooden house. Through one of the windows fell light and a branch of herbs decorated the door. If this wasn't the doctor's house, at least someone with an understanding of healing would live in there. Kíli followed his older brother to the front door where the blonde dwarf was already knocking against it heavily. “Please open up! This is an emergency!”
The door opened and an elderly woman looked at them questioning. Then she spotted the injured girl and stiffened slightly. “Oh my! Just when my husband isn't at home!”, she mumbled. The dwarves looked at each other worriedly. “Is there a way you can help us?”, Fíli asked. But the woman only shook her head. “I cannot. But if you follow the road to the market place of the neighbouring town, you should find my husband there. He went out to treat the ones who cannot come to our house at central places. It's not far, maybe the quarter of an hour if you hurry. But wait a moment.” She looked at the girl again, then opened the door widely. “Come in, I will tend to that bleeding as good as I can before you carry on.”

Having the girl bandaged around head and abdomen, the dwarves carried on to the next small town. Indeed they found the doctor at the market place, treating patients in front of a white tent. When they reached him, he was talking to a man about how to use the contents of a small bottle. Fíli looked at the girl his brother was carrying, then went straight up to the doctor, cutting in on the talk: “I'm sorry to interrupt doc, but we have an emergency.” The doctor, a tall man with white hair, looked up and gazed into the direction the newly arrived dwarf gestured. He frowned. “Indeed. Please excuse me, Mister Barn. But this seems to be serious. Just trust your wife with the preparations, she knows what to do.” He got up, greeted the other man and pulled the curtain at the entry of the tent aside. “Bring her in”, he ordered the dwarves and went to get his tools. “Put her down on the table and wait outside.”
Carefully the brothers laid the girl unto the examination table. “Do you think she'll make it?”, Kíli  whispered to his brother who only shrugged. When the physician returned from his preparations, the two left the tent, searching for a place to spend their time of waiting.

The sun had almost reached midday and the queue in front of the doctor's tent had grown. Fíli and Kíli sat in the shade of a big oak in the middle of the market place and observed the happenings, talking quietly once in a while – with Kíli complaining about his slowly drying boots more than once. By now, the brown haired dwarf gazed yearningly over to an inn. “I can smell roasted pork from there...”, he mumbled. His brother only rolled his eyes in reply. “Not now, Kíli. He could be comin' out any time now.” The younger shot him a glare. “But I'm hungry!”, he protested. “One could go and get us something to eat. Waiting is worse than walking!” Fíli looked at his grumbling brother and couldn't help a chuckle. “Very well, Mr. Starving. Go and get us something to eat then.” It was fun as always to watch the rapid change from sulking to a huge grin on his brother's face. But just when Kíli jumped up to run towards the promising scent, his brother held him back. “Wait. The doc's come out. Let's deal with this first.”
The dwarves picked up their belongings and went over to the man who was looking around in search for the previous interrupters. When they arrived, he lead them into the tent, his expression serious. “What relationship do you have towards this girl?”, he asked. The brothers looked at each other and Fíli replied: “No more than seeing her once in town and finding her at the riverside.” The physician nodded. “So you don't know who she is?” Kíli shrugged, frowning. “A girl from Orcfeste, but else no idea. Did she make it?” His eyes met the doctor's, but no clear answer was showing. “I don't know if she will make it. I treated her as good as I could, but she has lost a lot of blood and body heat. If she makes it through the night, the chances are good that she will recover. But there is no guarantee that this will happen.” He eyed the dwarves in front of him. “A girl of Orcfeste you said... I suppose you want to travel on and got delayed by this – which I'm sure the girl will thank you for if she recovers. I will keep her here for the night and see what I can do in the morning.” Fíli nodded and wanted to leave just when his brother shot him a side-glance and spoke up: “Thanks, doc, but it's alright. We're gonna leave her in your care for now and check on her tomorrow – if she's fine by then, we can bring her back.” Fíli stared at his brother and the doctor frowned but didn't say anything about it. Usually dwarves weren't the caring type if it wasn't for their family or business. “Very well”, he agreed. “I will see you in the morning then.”
The dwarves bowed politely and left the tent. They walked a few steps away from the crowd, then Fíli snapped: “What on earth did you just-” “Ooohhh, now we can finally go and have something decent to eat, dear brother!”, Kíli cut in on his brother's scolding and beamed with anticipation. “Now I'm really starving, come on!”He grabbed his fellow dwarf's arm and dragged him towards the inn, blabbering on about what he'd like to eat now while his brother desperately tried to lecture his sibling. “Kíli! Kíli!! Shut it for a moment and listen to me! For once, FOR ONCE!! we're not in delay and here you are, telling that doc that we'd take care of someone we don't even know?!? Kíli! I don't mind helping people, you know that, but this is going too far! He was already taking over! No, I don't want beef right now... hey! Are you even listening to me?!” “Of course I am”, Kíli grinned. “No beef you said. How about pork then? - ouch!” He ducked as the blonde dwarf hit the back of his head and laughed. “C'mon, Fee. We'll be home just in time, don't worry. So pork it is?” Fíli sighed and shot his brother an exasperated glare which said one took as a “yes”. “Great! There's a free table over there. Let's eat first, you're too hungry to think, bro.” “Oh, you're the one to talk”, the older dwarf murmured and reluctantly followed the other to the free table.

A big portion of meat and ale later, the brothers leaned back in their seats full and content. At least one of them. As Kíli had assumed, his brother was calmer with a filled tummy, yet the latest decision concerning their travel route was still bothering him. The young dwarf could feel his brothers eyes on him and looked up from his drink, questioning returning the glance. Fíli only raised one eyebrow as there was no need for words. But Kíli only sent him a joyful smile and turned his attention back to his beverage. The older sighed and leaned forward, folding his arms on the table and fixed his gaze on his brother to regain his attention. Kíli sent him an innocent glance. Time for a serious talk.
“Now, dear brother... since we're not the type to go back on our words...” - and he couldn't help a scolding glance at this - “... won't you tell me what made you so caring for that girl we found? Hm?” Still partly hiding behind his beer mug, the spoken to mustered an indifferent expression and took another gulp. “Me? Caring? Dunno what you're talking about.” Fíli grimaced. “You changed our schedule. Why?” The younger dwarf shrugged and looked around the room, searching for something to distract the other with. Obviously he wasn't very fond of the topic. “I just liked that town she comes from. 'twas pretty and I'd not mind visiting it again.” “Kíli!”, his brother groaned. That for sure wasn't the reason. He kept his gaze unmoving, when the younger suddenly pointed at something. “Oh, what's that? Look at that, bro! Over the-” “NO. Quit trying to avoid the talk. If we're delayed, I will be the one who will have to answer to questions. So at least give me the reason so I know why we're doing this!” Now Kíli shot his brother a guilty glance and squirmed in his seat. There, that was more likely to become a real answer. Fíli's tensed expression softened ever so slightly and he watched his sibling take another drink before turning towards him. “Well...”, the dark haired dwarf started and offered his brother an embarrassed puppy-glance, “... I'm not really sure bout that either, to be honest...” Fíli stared at him dumbfounded and Kíli replied with a sheepish grin. “... thing is, she... didn't tell me her name yet... and... ah, I don't know.” Nervously he scratched his cheek while his brother couldn't bring himself to change his expression. “I, uh... y'know... I just felt like helping her... uhm... taking care of her... err... something like that...?” He peered at his brother who clearly wasn't very happy about his explanations. And right now, by trying to voice his reasons, Kíli felt quite stupid as well. Ashamed he gazed down at the table and mumbled a quiet “sorry.” What more could he say now?
After some minutes of silence, Fíli suddenly spoke up again: “Very well, Kee. Since you felt this way and offered the service of bringing her back, we'll do it.” Surprised the younger dwarf looked up. His brother's face was neither showing the hard nor the flabbergasted side, but in fact a rather amused one, which confused Kíli quite a bit. Fíli met his sibling's gaze and locked eyes with him: “But YOU will be the one who takes care of that girl. YOU will explain things if anything else happens connected to this matter. YOU will take the responsibility for this. Got that?”
The younger stared at his brother for a moment, then he laughed out loud and apparently relieved. “Sure, bro! Don't worry bout that, I'll take care of it!” Then he smiled at the blonde dwarf: “Thanks.”

* * *

There was a bright light and searing pain. Such a bright light that it was already blinding her and made darkness swallow her up. From afar she could sense a dull ache as she drifted further into the dark. She felt neither cold nor warm, there was no light, no sound around her. Was she sleeping? There was no time in this place. Only a shapeless floating in darkness.
All of a sudden, something strong pulled her upwards. Light flooded her senses. Coldness. A raging pain exploded in her head. The sound of water. Then a sudden sensation made her body jerk, her lungs burn. Air! What was happening?? She couldn't orientate herself, there were only shudders and coughs shaking her body. Until someone lifted her and the heavy movement ceased. Who was it? A voice. Someone was speaking. She forced her eyes open to see but only colours and blurred shapes came into her view. Where was she? Something was moving in front of her. Another voice, talking to her. Hearing? Yes. She could hear. The shapes slowly sharpened. A man? Dark hair. Was she dreaming? Her name. He asked for her name. The colours started swirling and turned black. It must have been a dream. Darkness welcomed her back and everything else faded.

When Malithrá opened her eyes she was met with a greyish ceiling. Dim light filled the surroundings. Was it night? The blurry colour made her head ache. She closed her eyes again and shifted slightly. Ouch! That hurt, too! A groan escaped her and her eyes flew open again. What... Slowly she lifted her head from the soft cushion it rested on and tried to ignore the spinning feeling while getting an overview of where she was. A grey tent. Several instruments a physician would use on a bench. A separating curtain towards other parts of the tent. A seat in one corner and someone sitting on it. Malithrá's vision blurred slightly. Dark hair? Getting dizzy she let her head fall back a little too abruptly. “Ah! Ouuu.....” That hurt as well. Apparently her whole body was aching once she moved it. Or put it back to rest. Just what had happened? She felt worn out and very tired.
From behind the curtain the sound of footsteps came closer and a tall man entered. He looked at the girl and smiled. “Now that's a pleasant surprise – you're awake.” He came over to her side and Malithrá sent him an unsure glance before closing her eyes again. Her head felt like it would split. Obviously the man noticed. Quietly he asked her to answer a few questions before going back to sleep and lifted the blankets where they were covering her hand. “I just need you to indicate with your thumb if the answer is yes or no, miss. Are you feeling sick? Yes. You're head aching? I'll give you something to help you sleep. Are you cold? No? Good. Thirsty? Ok. Are you from Orcfeste? Yes. We will get you back there, don't worry. Now, I'll give you some medicine and you go back to sleep.”
As cool liquid ran down her throat, the pain seemed to cease and an ever so slight thankful smile graced her lips when she sank back into the comforting darkness of sleep.