Sally and the Line of Durin

Chapter 5

"Bard," Sally chattered. "I appreciate what you have done for us, but really? Through your toilet?"

She was wrapped in a blanket, trying to get warm. Bard's daughter Sigrid was handing around old clothes, hoping some would fit the dwarfs. Sally was almost as tall as the girl, and though a bit wider, fit into her offerings quite well. The same could not be said for Bilbo, he had to take an offering from Bard's youngest daughter Tilda. Most of the dwarfs were outfitted with spare clothing, whereas Dwalin and Thorin could not be fitted with anything that would cover the breadth of their chests.

Thorin was standing by the open window. Bilbo wandered over to talk with him. As she followed her nephew's movements she realised just how little Thorin was wearing. Her pupils widened, taking in the sight of the dwarf king's powerful chest. She was mesmerised by the smattering of hair that rose on his pecs and continued down in a line, down into his low slung pants. His belly was obviously rock hard, honed from years of swinging a hammer toiling in the blacksmiths. She followed his chest back up to his shoulders, wide and strong; and then followed the line of his arms. His biceps were well developed, not as massive as Dwalin's, but firm and smooth.

Bard's son Bain interrupted her reverence. "Miss Sally?" She looked up at him in a partial daze. "I have found the kingsfoil you requested."

Sally snapped to attention, "Thank you Bain. You have been most helpful."

She moved to the table in the middle of the room and started her preparations. With mortar and pestle she ground the flowers of the weed into a fine powder. The stems, she ground only to a pulp. Bain fetched her a pot of boiling water, into which she stirred the powder. This mixture she put back on the stove to boil down to a paste. Once that was prepared, she stirred the stems back in with the paste and bid Fili, Bofur, Bifur and Nori to carry Kili to the table and hold him down.

She instructed Oin to clean the wound thoroughly and, once that was completed, she took spoonfuls of the mixture and dropped them onto the gash.

Kili screamed in pain and Fili tried to sooth his brother, "It is alright baby brother. Sally is, I am sure, being a gentle as she can."

Sally took a deep breath, gave Fili a look of sympathy and started pushing the mixture into the wound. Kili screamed again. "I'm sorry Kili! I have to get this all the way into the wound." Suddenly the screaming stopped as Kili fainted. Sally breathed a sigh of relief.

Still massaging the mixture into his leg, she started chanting, "Menno o nin na hon; i eliad annen annin; hon leitho o ngurth." (May the blessing that was given to me be sent from me to him, may he be released from death.)

As she continued chanting the humans and remaining dwarfs turned to watch. They were stunned as Sally started to glow from within. Dwalin whispered to Thorin, "Thorin, what is she?" He could do nothing but shrug in reply.

Thorin watched in pride and, to be honest, a little bit of horror. He knew that this woman was made for him. She could be nothing but his One, however how did she know how to do this and why was she chanting in Elvish?

As Sally completed her chanting, she sagged. Thorin leapt forward to catch her. "Sally!" He cried as he swung her up into his arms. "Move!" he said with authority to everyone milling about. He carried Sally to a bed in the corner of the room and set her down gently. He brushed her hair off her face with his big hand, "Rest, my darling girl-"

Sally tried to sit up, saying "His wound must be bound..."

"Oin will see to that. You need to rest." He propped her up and sat himself at the head of the bed, wrapping both arms around her. "You are shaking like a leaf. Ori?" The young dwarf made his way over to the king, eager to help in any way he could. "Please fetch Miss Sally a blanket and a cup of water."