A Tale of Time

Chapter 24: Poisoned Blood

Chapter 24: Poisoned Blood

Fili, Kili, and Gailien leave the Banquet hall as casually as they can but as soon as the door closes behind them, Gailien snatches Kili's arm, wrapping it around her shoulder. It seems that she has broken the façade that he has been putting on as he begins to grunt, limping heavily. Fili takes his other arm as they help him down the short stairs.

"I'm sorry," he whimpers. "I thought I could handle it."

"You don't just handle poison, Kili," she chides, trying and somewhat failing to keep the bite from her tone. "Especially not from a Morgul arrow. Did you even get Oin to look at it?" Kili looks down to the ground in front of them, not answering.

"Morgul?!" Fili exclaims. He looks over Kili's scrunched face. "He's going to be alright, right? What exactly did you see?"

Gailien chews her cheek. She really doesn't want to tell either of them what she saw but she needs them to know the seriousness of what is happening. "What I saw was us reacting too late. I think I can heal him, but I need something first. We just need to get Kili onto a bed and not moving. The more you move, the faster it will spread." If it wasn't already entirely throughout his body, just slowly affecting his heart. "I'll worry about what I need."

Fortunately, their temporary house is not far from the hall at all and Fili kicks the door open. She knows that Kili's number one desire right now is to be with the company. And if Thorin saw exactly the pain that he is in right now, there is no way that he would be allowed to continue. As long as Gailien can find what she needs, Kili will heal just like the rest of the company believes him to be doing.

She debates bringing one of the beds down but it would arouse suspicion if one of the other Dwarves returned earlier than they could return it so Fili and Gailien help haul Kili up the stairs, one at a time.

His fingers dig into hers and Fili's shoulder as he tries to use his right leg. "Don't," Gailien says softly. "We can take your weight." Kili must be tired of denying as he shifts to his left entirely and hops up the stairs with their help. "I can't believe you were dancing tonight," she mutters.

"I was ignoring it well until you brought it up," he grunts as they finally reach the top.

"That's the way of the mind for you."

"Come on, Kee," Fili says, guiding him over to his bed. Gailien kicks her own cot out of the way to give them a direct path and they slowly lower him down onto the thin mattress. He sits on the edge, his fingers brushing over his injured thigh.

"Lie down, Polodren er," she instructs, pressing down on his shoulders softly. Kili lets her, his head falling onto the pillow.

"Polodren?"

"I've taught you what that means before," Gailien says, inspecting his leg. She tries to keep him talking as she does so. "Do you remember?"

Kili frowns, trying to think back to all their little sessions as the bandage around his leg is unwrapped. Her touch is painful as she lifts his leg to pull it away, but he plays with her attempts to distract him. "Does it mean handsome?" he asks, choking on laughter.

Gailien smiles softly. "No," she chuckles. "What about, Ech maethor veleg ar gornen?"

"You called me a warrior," Kili says. "And brave."

Fili looks to Gailien in appreciation as he stands near his brother's head. "Is there anything I can do?" he asks.

Gailien shakes her head, straightening back up. She reaches for her jacket lying over her bed and draws it on. "Stay here and watch over him for me. I need to go find Athelas. It has healing properties that should be able to take this poison out."