Take My Pain Away

Chapter 4

For the next few days Abrâ stayed at the back of the line of ponies. She had a desperate fear of being touched again. At mealtimes, she would retreat to her bedroll. Occasionally, Bilbo would sit and chat with her. Eventually, Fili and Kili migrated to her sleeping area as well. Abrâ made certain that they stayed well away from her, but she had come to appreciate the company.

Fili and Kili, nephews to his majesty Thorin, were a silly pair. Often, their chatter would end up in a wrestling match, or persistent punches to the shoulder; quite often Bilbo had to dodge out of the way. They were like a pair of puppies; lovable, but sometimes you wanted to send them into their corner.

One evening Kili continually asked why she stayed far away from everyone. Abrâ's simple "I don't like to be touched" did not satisfy his curiosity. He grabbed her by the wrist and tried to pull her to the campfire.

She let out an agonized groan and pulled away from him, clutching at her jaw. She fell to her knees, and proclaimed, "How can you stand this pain?"

Kili stood over her and shrugged. He was baffled, how did she know about his toothache? He hadn't told anyone besides Fili, who he was sure would not spread it around. He didn't want anyone thinking he couldn't handle a little pain.

"I-I-It's just a little toothache..." Having it brought up made him aware, once again, of the actual pain he was feeling. "It's not that bad."

"Not that bad?" Abrâ scrambled to her feet. "Not that bad?" She was screeching. "Oin!" She stomped toward the campfire. "Oin! Get your tools. Kili needs a tooth extracted!"

The camp broke down into mayhem. Dwarves were scattering, others were watching the proceedings in confusion. Oin was shaking his head at the dam, "What are you talking about, Lassie? Kili has no said anything about no toothache."

Abrâ was still clutching at her jaw, she had turned pale and was breathing heavily. "Trust me, he needs this," she opened her mouth and pointed at her back molar, "tooth pulled."

"Are ya sure it's no you who needs the tooth pulled?"

Abrâ shouted across the camp, "Fili, get your brother and bring him here!"

Fili, knowing about the tooth, grimaced at his brother and declared, "Alright brother, it is time to take care of it."

Kili was backing away, inch by inch, and was just about to make a run for it when Dwalin wrapped his big arms around him and lifted him off the ground. Kili was drumming his heels against Dwalin's shins and wriggling, trying desperately to get free; but there was to be none of that.

Meanwhile, Abrâ was sitting, rocking back and forth moaning, "How can you live with it? Mahal, it hurts!"

Thorin was hovering over her, asking how he could help. "Just hold your nephew down!"

By now Dwalin had deposited Kili on the ground against a tree, he was sitting on Kili's feet while Bofur and Bifur were holding his arms. Oin had his pliers at hand, but Kili was refusing to open his mouth. Until his uncle stood before him, hands on his hips, glaring at the younger Durin.

Kili groaned and gave up, opening his mouth wide. In minutes it was over and Kili was fascinated, looking at his molar. Abrâ was still in pain and, pulling her medicine pouch over her head, handed it to Gandalf while she muttered about using it.

Gandalf took the pouch to Oin, who was preparing wrapped pieces of cloth for Kili to bite down on. He sprinkled some of the herbs on the cloths and handed the pouch back to Gandalf.

He was about to return it to Abrâ when he noticed a tile sewn into the pouch. It appeared to be a rune. Gandalf wasn't fluent in Khuzdul and the Dwarvish variants of the language, but he knew someone nearby who was...He copied the rune and tucked his copy into his bag for safe keeping.