Hiraeth - Thorin Oakenshield

𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈 . 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝

Mylaela accompanied the Dwarves to the boat that had been prepared for them, standing behind Bilbo.

"You do know we're one short?" Bilbo questioned, glancing around, "Where is Bofur?"

"If he's not here, we leave him behind," Thorin answered, Mylaela furrowing her eyebrows, "He is part of the company! We can not leave him behind."

"We'll have to, if we are to make it to the door by nightfall" Balin responded, "We can risk no more delays."

The Dwarves began loading the ship, Mylaela preparing to step onto the boat before Thorin stuck his arm out, "Not you. We must travel at speed. You will slow us down."

"Excuse me?" Mylaela scoffed, looking at the Dwarf in disbelief, "I am coming with you, Thorin."

"You can not make it."

"Even if I can not, I have to," she argued, though his decision was not open for debate.

"Thorin, you can't be serious," Kili piped up, witnessing the dispute, "She is part of the company."

"She must rest."

"After everything?" Mylaela faltered, "After everything I have done for you and this company? You will cast me aside?"

"I have no choice. I can not risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one Elf."

A sharp pain stabbed Mylaela in the chest at his words. That was all she was to him now? Just one Elf? Mylaela gulped down her anger, stepping aside to allow the other Dwarves to load the boat.

"I'll stay with the lass. My duty lies with the wounded," Oin announced, stepping back onto the dock. Mylaela looked at the Dwarf sadly, regretful that she was preventing him from joining.

Kili stepped out of the boat, Thorin quickly grabbing his arm, "Kili, don't be a fool. You belong with the company."

"Mylaela is part of the company," he argued, only for Mylaela to raise a hand to dismiss him, "Stay with them Kili. You deserve to be there when the doors open."

Kili scowled at Thorin before joining Mylaela, "I will not leave you here alone."

"Kili, please, stay with Thorin."

Kili refused to respond, standing his ground. Fili jumped up as well, Thorin giving him the same speech as Kili, "I belong with my brother."

"I can not carry the burden of preventing you from staying with the company," Mylaela begged, Kili walking up to her, "You should carry no burden, it is my decision."

"Bilbo!" Mylaela quickly called, crouching down by him, "Listen to me. Dragons love riddles and complex wording. Smaug will spend time deciphering every word you speak. If he is indeed in there, and you wake him, use your words carefully. It may be your only hope. I am regretful that I can not aid you in this task."

The Master bid his farewell, and off the company went to finish their quest. Mylaela slumped onto a crate behind her, Oin rushing to check on her wound. A familiar figure popping up next to them caused Mylaela to roll her eyes.

"So you missed the boat as well?" Bofur laughed, seeing the two remaining in Lake-Town. Mylaela nodded off slightly, beginning to slump forward. Kili and Fili were quick to grab her shoulders, Oin shooting a glance at Bofur, "She needs medical attention. Now."

Fili and Kili helped to support Mylaela as they rushed through the crowd, making way for the Master's hall.

"Please wait!" Fili shouted after the Master as he approached the doors, "Please! We need your help! Our friend is sick!"

"Sick?" The Master sputtered, shying away from the Elf in disgust, "Is it infectious? Get back! Alfrid! Alfrid! Don't let them come any closer!"

"Please," Oin pleaded, approaching Alfrid, "We need medicine."

"Do I look like an apothecary?" Alfrid seethed, "Haven't we given you enough? The Master's a busy man. He hasn't got time to worry about a sick Elf. Be gone. Will you? Clear off."

The guards began shoving the group, Mylaela stumbling forward, muttering out Bard's name. Kili and Fili shared a nod before heading towards his home.

Mylaela slumped onto the ground outside of Bard's door as Bofur knocked repeatedly. Bard opened the door, "No. I'm done with Dwarves. Go away."

"No, no, no. Please!" Bofur shouted, forcing the door back open, "No one will help us. Mylaela's sick." Bofur stepped out of the way to reveal Mylaela's crumpled form, "She's very sick."

"Bring her in," Bard ushered them in, calling his children out to assist, "Lay her on the bed."

With the help of the four Dwarves, they successfully got her onto the bed. Mylaela cried out in pain as Oin examined her wound, cleaning the blood from around it.

"Can't you do something?" Fili pleaded, watching the Elf writhe in pain, Oin shook his head, "I need herbs. Something to bring down her fever."

"I have nightshade. I have feverfew."

"They are no use to me. Do you have any kingsfoil?" Oin questioned, Bard looking at him strangely, "No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs."

"Pigs?" Bofur piped up, a thought popping into his mind, "Weed. Right."

"Don't move," he ordered to Mylaela, who growled back at him, "Where would I go, you bastard!"

"I'm going to ignore that because you're in pain," with that, Bofur sprinted out of the house in search of the herb.

A few moments passed, and the house began to shake, and if it wasn't for the excruciating pain Mylaela was in, she would have been just as worried as the others.

"Da?" Sigrid questioned, Bain taking a glance out the window, "It's coming from the mountain."

Fili left Mylaela's side for a moment, approaching Bard, "You should leave us. Take your children. Get out of here."

"And go where? There is nowhere to go."

"Are we going to die, Da?" Tilda asked in fear, her father immediately shaking his head, "No, darling."

"The dragon, it's going to kill us."

Bard reached to a rafter, pulling down a black arrow, "Not if I kill it first."

The Man ran out of his home with his son behind him, leaving the Dwarves to tend to Mylaela. Only a few moments after Bain returned, the ceiling began to creak awkwardly, followed by Sigrid's scream.

Despite her pain, Mylaela painfully shot up, much to Oin's complaint. The Elf drew her blade, an Orc falling through the ceiling.

"Under the table!" She ordered the children, digging her blade into an Orc's chest.

Orcs continued to fall through the ceiling, the four warriors doing their best to fight them off. Mylaela cried out in pain as she sliced her sword through another that had broken through.

A patch of red hair from the door brought a smile to Mylaela's face, Tauriel was there. Following her, Legolas dropped through a hole in the ceiling, aiding in their fight. Mylaela was shoved back, harshly being thrown against the wall.

With that final blow, Mylaela sank to the ground with an agonized gasp, her vision fading to black.

~

Mylaela's eyes fluttered open, the Elf immediately sitting up, "Are the children safe?"

Her eyes settled on Bard's children, a breath of relief leaving her lips. Mylaela glanced at the one binding her waist, her eyes widening to the sight of Legolas.

Mylaela slowly laid back down, her light-headedness taking over, "Why? Why are you here?"

"You were poisoned," he simply stated, finishing the bind, "I knew the Dwarves were too dim to heal you."

Mylaela chuckled at the insult, "Thank you."

Nearly an hour later, Mylaela was already feeling better, but the house shaking stole all of their attention, knowing exactly what it was.

"Smaug has left the mountain."