From The Ashes

20

Having knocking on his front door, Bard walked slowly over. He could not imagine who would be on the other side, the last thing he expected – or wished – to see was a small group of the dwarves from the main company. "No. I'm done with dwarves, go away!" He said shortly and irritably, he went to shut the door only to have one place his hands against it and tug it firmly, trying desperately to stop him from shutting them out.

"No! No! No one will help us. Kíli's sick." He paused to look over his shoulder at his friend, the one named Kíli was looking close to passing out, his skin had gone a rather sickly pale colour, his eyes looked distantly up at him as if he were trying to figure out where he was exactly. "He's very sick." The dwarf in front of him pressed, Bard looked amongst them and then over his shoulder.

He could not turn away those who were in need, even if they were dwarves, and everything that which entailed. Nodding backwards he moved aside and watched as they carried Kíli into his home. He looked around the streets beyond his home before shutting the door quickly behind him. No one paid mind to this happening, for the most part it seemed the crowds which had gathered to wish their kin farewell, were now dissipating to continue on with their normal routines.

"Make room," one dwarf shortly said while taking it upon himself to start sorting out a bed for his younger friend.

Bard tilted his head to the side and looked to his children, they looked at a slight loss. The dwarves had seemingly made themselves quite at home. As soon as he was placed on the bed, which was quickly made against one wall in the corner, Kíli groaned and fidgeted painfully. Even when laying down whatever was plaguing him didn't disappear. Something was wrong with the dwarf, something terribly wrong.

The agonised noises from him didn't disappear as the day dragged on. They all did what they could, but there really wasn't a whole lot to use in the house. Every so often one of the children would change the basin of water for them to use to cool his fever, but other than that there was nothing.

"Can you not do something?"

"I need herbs, something to bring down his fever." The dwarves at this point looked to him.

Bard turned and hurriedly rummaged through the cabinets behind him. "We have nightshade, feverfew..." he listed while scattering things on the table in front of him. He looked quickly up when his offerings were rather quickly shot down.

"They're no use to me. Do you have any Kingsfoil?"

"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs." Bard said with a frown, he was rather sure if Alassëa was present not only would she know what to do with this situation, but she would also give him a lecture about the term 'weed'.

"Pigs?" Came the rather distant yet thoughtful word. Watching as one dwarf took to pottering around, Bard simply watched as he looked to Kíli. "Weed? Right. Don't move," at this Kíli just looked at him strangely before leaving the house.

—

"Excuse me?" Alassëa watched the pottering figure shuttle past the window she was standing at. She was watering some of the plants and watched as the figure backtracked and looked up at her. "Did you get left behind, Master Dwarf?" She smirked and placed the watering can to one side.

"Kingsfoil, where is it?" He asked while placing his hands on the windowsill and looking up at her.

Alassëa frowned, "What do you need that for?"

"My friend, he is sick," he explained quickly while watching as she plucked her coat from the coat rack and pulled it on roughly. "No, no! Just tell me where it is I can find it myself." The dwarf said rushed while clearly not wishing her to accompany him.