Kings and Masters

Chapter 15

It was early morning when Kili was awakened to what sounded like noises in his room. Blinking, he sat up as he strained to listen. The moans seemed to be coming from the wall... the room beside him... Fili's room!

Gasping, the brown haired dwarf stumbled out of bed, scrambling to pull his tunic and trousers on before bolting out the door and knocking on Fili's door. "Fili? Are you okay, Brother?" No answer. But the moans and labored breathing were definitely coming from inside.

Kili burst into the room and stopped short, trying to discern what could be happening. Fili was sitting up in bed, gripping the metal rails that hung from above his bed. In the dim candle light, Kili could vaguely see his brother's silhouette hunched over and shaking ever so slightly.

After lighting a few torches and illuminating the room fully, Kili hurried to his brother's bedside and looked him over. Fili gasped as if in the most terrible pain, he gripped the rails so tightly Kili could see his white knuckles. His eyes were squeezed shut, his teeth clenched, and his brow glistening with sweat.

"Fili..." Kili put a hand on his brother's back, puzzled as to what could be happening.

"It hurts..." Fili murmured through clenched teeth. "Oh mahal it hurts..."

"What hurts, Fili? I don't understand."

Fili moaned loudly, panting as it was clear whatever pain he was in was hard to endure, "back..." he choked out through clenched teeth. He let go of the rail and slowly moved his hand to touch his back, in the middle of his spine, trying to indicate where he was hurting.

"I'll get Oin," Kili said, concern and fear gripping him. As he turned, his hand brushed against the lump in the bed that was Fili's leg. Instantly the blonde dwarf gasped, "ow!" he exclaimed, writhing a bit.

Kili's breath caught in his throat, turning back to his brother, "you... you felt that?"

"Yes I..." Fili trailed off, meeting his brother's eye as he realized the implications. "I felt it!"

Kili nearly fell over himself trying to scramble to the door, "Uncle!" he cried at the top of his lungs. "Oin, hurry!"

Moments later found Fili laying in bed on his belly while Oin examined his back. Kili and Thorin looked on, standing together, both barely daring to breathe.

Oin poked the blonde dwarf's legs a few times with his finger and each time Fili reacted with pain. And then, Kili caught the sight of movement. On that last poke, Fili moved his foot.

"Ah the swelling in his spine is subsiding!"Oin proclaimed, a big smile on his face. "You're healing, Lad."

"You mean... he can walk?" Thorin asked.

"Well I had hoped this swelling would have gone down in time, but I had feared it may be permanent," Oin explained. "Only time could have told. And Laddie, you won't regain use of your legs right away, they'll need time."

"But... I won't be crippled?" Fili asked as Thorin moved to help Oin roll him onto his back. Kili didn't miss the hope in his brother's tone and he couldn't help but feel it too.

"I think once the swelling goes down completely, you will have complete feeling in your legs again, Lad," Oin confirmed.

"Why is he in so much pain?" Kili asked, feeling a pang of sympathy as Fili winced hard.

"Because now that the swelling and numbness in his back is going away, he is feeling the pain caused by the back injury itself," Oin explained. The old healer pulled a vial of medicine out of his bag and helped Fili to drink. "This should help. You'll be sore for quite awhile."