All I've ever known

14

They docked across the water, roughly hitting the stoney bank. Mivera let out a cry of pain when the boat landed. Frerin got off first, Dis still trembling and clinging to his neck. Balin and Dwalin got off next and stood by the mast of the boat. They carefully slipped Mivera off of Thorin and laid her on Dwalin's back.

Thorin quickly stepped off onto the bank and reached for her,"Here, hand her to me." Dwalin shook his head, Mivera already on his back,"It's alright I've got her." Thorin nodded and turned to Balin,"Where to?"

Balin pointed off in the distance,"I suppose we will go to the Blue Mountains. Start over, build a village." Thorin nodded and looked back at Erebor, now nothing but a column of smoke. He sighed and followed Dwalin and Balin.

He looked at Mivera from behind Dwalin. Her face looked as if it had tasted something bitter, and it is covered in soot. He felt squeamish when he looked at her back. It was red hot, blisters swelled with pus down her spine. The back of her dress was burnt into her skin, making it look black and dead.

He called up to Balin,"What of Mivera?" Balin answered over his shoulder,"We'll head to a nearby village. Theirs a healer their, Oin I believe is his name." Thorin watched his feet as he walked, could this be the village where Mivera used to live?

They walked for what seemed like hours to Thorin, but in reality it was no longer than 5 minutes. A small village came into view, their were dwarves from the village helping the dwarves of Erebor who had come down here.

A maid ran up to them,"Mivera!" Mivera's eyes opened for a brief second,"Zeri." Zeri looked at the small group,"Come, there's an empty cot over here." They followed her to the cot and gently set Mivera down. She grimaced when Zeri put a cool cloth on her lower back.

A rather old looking dwarf walked briskly in. He quickly looked over Mivera's back and turned around and walked back away. Thorin felt offended, he had half a mind to go follow that dwarf and tell him off for ignoring Mivera. Thorin stood up to do just that when the dwarf came back, carrying a bowl filled with some type of liquid.

He looked at Thorin and Dwalin,"Hold her down please." Thorin carefully put his hands on her shoulders, Dwalin held her ankles. The dwarf had barely poured a speck of it of her before she let out a shrill scream. Thorin yelled at the dwarf,"What is that?" The dwarf grabbed a small cone like thing and put it to his ear,"Sorry." Thorin repeated,"What is that?"

"Ah, this is a supplement made from Kingsfoil. It will help clean and heal the burn." Thorin believed him, but Mivera's screaming made him want to stop the dwarf. Slowly her screams turned into groans and then nothing. Dwalin and Thorin let go of her and Zeri walked forward with clean bandages. All the males left so she could wrap Mivera.

Mivera groaned in protest as Zeri made her sit up. Zeri slowly peeled off the remaining back of the dress."Does it hurt?", Zeri asked as she wrapped Mivera. Mivera laughed,"Being burnt? Yes. The wound now? No." Mivera knew Zeri was rolling her eyes,"Ha ha Mivera, very funny."

She quickly finished and helped Mivera out of her now soot covered burnt dress into some slim fitting black pants and a loose fitting deep red tunic tied with a belt at the waist. Mivera was just tightening the straps on her boots when she heard soft footsteps coming towards her, fast. She looked up just in time to see a pair of big brown eyes before she was nearly choked in a death grip."Mivee!"

Mivera smiled and hugged Dis back, spinning her around in a circle. She put her down and saw Dis had begun to cry. She wiped away the tears,"Dis, what's wrong?" Dis sniffled,"I-I thought you yo- were go-one." Mivera hugged Dis again,"I won't go that easily." Mivera looked up while still holding Dis to see Zeri smiling and Thorin walking up.

Thorin stopped next to Zeri and said something unintelligible into her ear. Zeri nodded and the two walked off by a tre and began talking. Mivera quickly shook off her suspicion when Frerin walked up."Thank Mahal you're okay. You took quite a few hits there." She smiled and stood up, Dis holding her hand. Thorin and Zeri had just come back.

Zeri smiled at Dis,"Looks like you got a little cut on your head, may I make it better?" Dis stepped behind Mivera and gripped her hand tighter. Mivera smiled,"It's alright Dis, she's a good friend of mine." Dis still looked apprehensive, but she stepped out from behind Mivera's legs. She looked up at Mivera with scared eyes,"You won't go anywhere, will you?" Mivera shook her head,"Nope, I'll wait right here for you." This seemed to convince Dis because she let go of Mivera's hand and began skipping, following Zeri.

"Where's Tieal?", Mivera had just realized her brothers absence. Thorin froze and looked at Frerin. Frerin got the message and quickly walked away. Mivera laughed,"Little crud didn't come to help me, boy he won't hear the end of it." Thorin looked at her, and Mivera could see some kind of sadness in them.

He noodled to the cot,"Sit." She furrowed her brow but listened she sat stiffly and gave him a troubled look,"What is it Thorin?" Thorin took a deep breath, he had to tell her, he just didn't know how. He sighed, deciding he should just up and say it. He looked away from her eyes,"Tieal died by the fire of Smaug."

He returned to making eye contact with her. He could see the different emotions in her eyes. Confusion, fear, anger, and sadness. Mivera took a deep breath and looked away, she would be strong. Her eyes failed her as giant tears welled up and fell down her cheeks. She went to say something but it only came out as a severed sob. Her hand flew to her mouth as she began to uncontrollably sob.

Thorin watched the sight before him and it tugged on his heart. He had never seen her so raw. He had seen her cry, but not like this, he witnessed the cry of a scar. This was e cry of a fresh stinging wound. Her shoulders were shaking violently and her hands were clutching something to her heart.

Thorin sat down next to her and put a hand on her back, rubbing slowly up and down. Almost the moment he touched her she flung herself into him, burying her face in his chest. Thorin was taken by surprise, he didn't know what to do. He hesitantly closed him arms around her trembling body. She sobbed again and clung to him tighter. He rested his chin on her head and slowly rocked back and forth, rubbing up and down her back.