Daughter of a King

Chapter 28: The Carrock

(Thorin's POV)

"UNCLE!!" Fílí and Kílí shouted at me.

I quickly spin my head around and I see Arulla lying on the floor, eyes closed, and a worried look plastered on both of my nephew's faces. I quickly run to her and flip her over onto her back.

I notice how tightly her arms at clasping her stomach and how red they have been dyed. I carefully move her arms out of the way and all of my breath is gone. I quickly look to her face and I notice now how pale it was. How could I not see this!

"Arulla." I spoke, she didn't answer. "Arulla!" I shouted now. I moved my hand to cradle the back of her head and I shouted her name again.

She fluttered her eyes open for only a moment as they locked themselves in my gaze. Then they fluttered closed, "No no no! Stay awake Arulla! You must stay awake!"

Arulla opened her eyes again, and she looked at me pleadingly, "Adad.." She croaked, I quickly deter my eyes from her wound for a moment so I could meet her clear blue eyes, "I'm here Haban. I'm here."

She smiles weakly, "It hurts Adad. Make it stop."

My heart dropped, she has never said that to me, in a very long time. I smiled as my lips quivered, trying to keep the tears from falling, "I will âzyung. I promise." s

She smiled at me and I laid my hands on top of her stomach so I could see her wound again.

"Oin!" I yelled.

Oin came quickly and kneeled on the other side of Arulla's body. "Oin, where is your flask of ale?" Oin thought for a moment, and then ordered his little brother to give him his pack. When Oin snatched the pack from his brother's hands, he quickly went searching through it until he found a brown copper tin filled with liquid.

"Here." Oin said and he handed me the flask. I looked over at Arulla who by my surprise was still able to keep her eyes open.

"Fílí! Kílí! Cradle her head!" The brothers did as I told them and rushed to Arulla. I looked at my daughter with sympathetic eyes, "This will hurt Arulla. You can hold my hand if you wish."

Arulla nodded and I outstretched my hand for hers. She took it and my other hand began to unscrew the copper flask. Then as quickly as possible, I poured the ale on top of the bleeding wound, and bracing myself for her screech.

It didn't take long. As soon as the ale touched her, she thrashed and screamed and gripped my hand so hard that I couldn't remove it.

"Fílí! Kílí! Hold her down!" Gandalf shouts.

Fílí and Kílí comply.

When her thrashing is over I look at the wound again. It didn't look like it was getting better at all. And by how much blood she has lost already, Arulla could die.

Gandalf came over to me and kneeled to look at my almost unconscious daughter. "There is a possibility that I can save her. But it's very risky. The pain would be excruciating. Painful enough that it's possibly fatal."

I shook my head, "No!" I see Arulla smile and she opens her eyes for only a moment to look at me, "Let him Adad. If he does not, I am dead anyway."

I smile weakly and cup her cheek, tears streamed down my face. "I don't want to lose you again." She smiles, "I know. And you won't. I'm not going anywhere. I still want to see my old room after all of this."

I chuckled and turned to Gandalf and gave him a slight nod, "Alright Gandalf." Gandalf quickly moves to the other side so he can have a clear view of Arulla's wound.