"You need to know something," said Fili, taking her face in his large warm hands. "You will always have me. Even if the Valar take you away tomorrow, I will always be your brother. I want you. I'm going to fight Thorin for you, but even if I lose, y...
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Chapter 55: Poison
"What's wrong with him Oin?" asked Sara, almost shouting as she fought down the panic rising like acid in her chest. Kili jerked under their hands again, his spasms growing stronger. The moment she, Thorin, Fili, and Legolas had arrived back at the bargeman's home it was clear that Kili had taken a fatal turn. There was panic in Ranson's face as he ushered them inside and then shewed Bain and Tilda to the back bedrooms.
Sara had never seen these kinds of symptoms before outside of movies and television, and seeing them now in person was terrifying. Despite Kili's extreme temperature, his face was drained of all pigment save his bloodshot eyes, which were rolled back in his head. His hair lay plastered to his face amidst the perspiration that drenched his entire body and the black veins that had covered Kili's outer thigh earlier in the day had crept around to his inner leg and were now spreading over his hip and up to circle his navel. Not only had the veins spread, but they were also noticeably raised above his skin, like small tentacles that had wound their way under his skin. Sigrid had backed off, utterly exhausted and at a complete loss of what to do. Oin didn't appear much better as he answer her.
"I don't know lass," he said, wiping his brow. "This illness is unfamiliar to me, and it doesn't act like any other I have encountered. It doesn't respond to anything I do. It's not natural"
"You have to do something!" urged Fili as they held Kili down lest his spasms cause him to jerk and fall off the table.
"I am aware of that," snapped Oin. "But what?" Kili flailed again, his head bouncing on the table before Sigrid came and held it down, grunting with effort.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" asked Sara, her eyes searching the faces of her companions. She was met with fear, and more terrifying, resignation. It wasn't until she looked to Legolas that she found a modicum of hope. "Legolas?" He stepped forward, a thoughtful frown pulling at his lips.
"Hold him as still as you can," he instructed.
"What do you think we're doing?" asked Fili, gritting his teeth as Kili jerked once again. Legolas ignored him, bending over Kili's leg and placed three fingers over the wound, muttering something in Elvish. Kili let out a strangled cry of pain and fell limp, his breathing ragged and short. Legolas's cheeks paled as he pulled back.
"What happened to him?" demanded Fili, watching his brother with frantic eyes. "What did you do?"
"It wasn't him Lad," assured Oin. "It was the end of the fit."
"How many has he had?" asked Legolas?"
"This has been his third one thus far, and so far, the worst.
"What do ..." began Thorin.
"I will return shortly," said Legolas. "Your healer is correct. This is not a natural illness. I can not believe we missed this before, but I have only ever heard of such wounds, never seen one in person."
