His Amorem

Bard The Bargeman

The next thing Keerla knew, Kili was lifting her out of the barrel. They were on a rocky shore, just before the river met the lake. As she glanced around, she smiled seeing everyone was alright, but nudged Kili with her elbow.

"Go to Fili," she told him, "He looks upset."

"I'm not leaving you," he refused, but she shoved him away and gave him a stern look.

"Go to your brother, i need to take the arrow head out and i would rather you didn't watch."

Giving in, he moved over to Fili and Keerla turned her back on the others. She unfastened her corset up past the wound so it was easier to get to, and grimaced at the sight. Placing the hilt of the blade between her teeth, she bit down on the leather and took a deep breath.

Without re-thinking, she dug her fingers into the wound, her teeth clamping deep into the hilt, and twisted the arrowhead before pulling it out. The blade clattered to the floor and she gasped for air, sweat trickling down the side of her face mixed with the river water.

Tossing the arrowhead away, she ripped a bit of material from her pants and pressed it against the bleeding wound, groaning. Bofur appeared beside her, his face contorted into a look of concern.

"I'm fine," she breathed managing a smile, hiding how she truly felt. "It's nothing, don't worry, I'll heal fast."

"Even from that?" Kili asked as he and Fili kneeled beside her, opposite where Bofur stood.

"On your feet," Came Thorin's order. He glanced around at his soaking cold company, and clambered across the rocks heading for the edge of the lake.

"Keerla's wounded, her ribs need binding," Bofur piped up.

"No," she said immediately as fourteen sets of eyes fell on her, "I'm fine, I'll be fine, we need to keep going."

"She's right," Thorin grumbled, "There's an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving."

"To where?" Balin asked.

It was the hobbit who replied, "To the mountain; we're so close."

"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it," Balin continued to refuse, ever the voice of reason.

Not understanding, Bilbo suggested, "So then we go around."

Dwalin stopped, having overheard and shot the hobbit a beady glare, "The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves."

Thorin huffed and glanced to Keerla who, unknown to her, was showing her pain through her eyes. He watched her press the material into her side, but even then blood was running freely, staining her skin.

"Bind her ribs, quickly. You have two minutes."

Kili ripped several strips of material from his tunic, while Fili helped Keerla roll the bottom of her corset up far enough. She hissed several times as they brushed over her wound and the area around it, but held the screams she so dearly wanted to let out.

Ori leaned over the lake, emptying his boots of water only to find a man aiming a bow at him. It took the others a little longer to notice, but they quickly jumped into action. Dwalin jumped in front of the young dwarf with a thick branch in hand, ready to charge but the man fired his arrow and hit the centre of it. Kili had raised a rock to throw, but it was immediately shot from his grip.

"Do it again, and you're dead," the man warned, stepping forward so they could see him properly.

"Girion?" Keerla asked, causing the man to whip round and face her, looking horrified. She raised her hands immediately, confused as she eyed the familiar dark eyes and hair, "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else."