The Undecided Title Of Sara Miller *Hobbit Fanfiction* (Thorin/OC)

Chapter 28: Comfort and Secrets

In which there is comfort taken and secrets are not so secret.

The flight to the eagles aerie took a little over half an hour so swift were the giant birds. Sara and Thorin were the first to reach the enormous nests set into the dark gray cliffs, and by the time their eagle had placed them down into the soft interior of an abandoned nest, Sara's arms ached from holding Thorin's bandage in place. She sat up, not yet daring to let off the pressure on Thorin's shoulder though the bleeding seemed to have stopped. He was still unconscious but breathing shallowly. During the flight through the star speckled night Sara had periodically rested her ear over Thorin's heart but found less comfort and more worry in the faint beat. Gandalf arrived, sliding quickly from the back of an eagle and thanking it before rushing over to where Sara sat beside Thorin.

"Ms. Sara," said the wizard. "I'm very pleased to see you are indeed alive and returned to us but we shall have to speak of your misadventure later. Quickly, tell me what has happened to Thorin." While she was explaining all she knew of Thorin's injuries some of the others including Bifur, Gloin and Oin arrived and came to look down at their king. Oin pressed close and took over for Sara giving her a much-needed break as he looked over Thorin. When he sat back again there was a look of relief on his wrinkled face.

"I don't know exactly how you did what you did Ms. Sara," he said, drawing his pack closer so he could rummage inside. "But you may have bought us the time we need to save Thorin."

"Will he be okay?" she asked anxiously, her shoulders sagging with fatigue.

"It's too soon to make promises," said Oin beginning to remove Thorin's clothing so he had better access to his shoulder. "He's lost a lot of blood and the cut is quite deep, to say nothing of his lesser injuries." There was another rush of wind and an eagle landed at the edge of the nest with the two princes on its back.

"Fili! Kili!" cried Sara, relieved to see them…but something was wrong as they slid carefully to the ground. Kili was supporting most of his brother's weight as they stumbled forward.

"Sara," called Kili as she ran to them.

Fili looked up hearing her voice. "Sara," he said, his voice quiet. "You're alive. Thank Mahal." His head fell to his chest and his legs gave out. It was then that Sara noticed the blood stain running down his side and the cuts on Fili's left arm.

"What happened to him?" asked Sara worried, as she pulled Fili's arm over her shoulder.

"That massive white orc happened to him," grunted Kili, hefting Fili higher. Dwalin jumped down from the back of a tawny eagle and quickly came to take over for Sara.

"He took a blow to the side from a winged mace," said Dwalin as they laid Fili down beside Thorin. "Though I think he managed to block a lot of the damage with his arm."

"I had to hold him almost the entire way here or he would have fallen," said Kili, kneeling beside his brother, pulling Sara down to join him. Oin moved to inspect Fili undressing him as Gandalf bent over Thorin, a hand over his face muttering an incantation. Images from Galadriel's mirror flashed through Sara's mind and she fought down the clamoring fear within her at seeing both Thorin and Fili unconscious and covered in their own blood. Sara reached out to move Fili's hair from his face but upon seeing her hand froze.

"Fili will recover with care," pronounced Oin turning his attention back to Thorin. "His wounds are not deep though he is lucky not to have broken his arm blocking a blow like that. I believe his unconscious state is due more to exhaustion, shock, and stress rather than physical trauma."