All I've ever known

56

Bofur, Kili, and Fili pushed past Bard and into Sigrids face,"You cleaned Mivera's wound?" Sigrid was overwhelmed by all of them asking again and again at once,"Uh, I um yes?" Bofur grabbed her shoulders, firmly but not tightly,"Please you have to tell me what it looked like." She tilted her head,"Why should that matter?" Kili was aggravated and snapped,"It matters!" Fili pulled his brother back,"Please, we just would like to know." He smiled gently and this seemed to coax Sigrid. She wrung her hand and furrowed her eyebrows in trying to remember.

She looked at them,"I remember Da brought her in that bundle, and set her in the guest room. Then he went out to watch your company and I pulled up her tunic. Her stomach was wrapped in a moldy cloth and was sopping with blood. When I unwrapped it the skin was greying and splitting so I poured alcohol on it to stop the bleeding and cleaned it. It took me a while but I finally got it out." Bofur tilted his head,"Got what out?" Sigrid nodded over to the room,"The arrow head." Bofur dashed over to the room, nearly knocking the poor girl over. It took him no longer than a second to located the black arrowhead on the small table by the window.

He held it up between his pinched fingers and mumbled,"Oh no." Kili hurried in,"What? What is that?" Fili looked over from helping Sigrid up and his face went pale,"That's a Morgul shaft." Kili looked at his brother,"What does that mean?" Bofur's eyes were wide with alarm,"It means by some miracle Mivera is not choking on her own blood. We need to get to her. Quick."

Fili rushed after Bofur as he ran out the front door,"And what will we do if we do get to her?" Kili was right by him,"Yeah how will we help her?" Bofur was digging through the shrubs, ignoring the strange glances he got from the lads. He knew what he was looking for, and he would find it.

Understandably, Bilbo was very hesitant to go in. Mivera offered to accompany him, Thorin refused,"You are staying here with me. He signed the contract, this his job." Mivera rolled her eyes,"Fine. I will stay, but let me at least wall with him the chamber. Then I will come straight back."

Thorin was about to say no to that as well, luckily Balin said he would go with. Mivera rolled her eyes at his worried glance,"I will be fine Thorin." She turned around and took a step to the open door, but the second her foot landed on the ground it crumpled beneath her and she slammed onto the hard rock floor.

Thorin was at her side when she lifted her head,"Are you alright?!" She spit the dirt out of her mouth,"Yes, I just, slipped on a pebble." She gratefully took Thorin's hand up and brushed off the dirt from her new clothes. She squeezed his hand and let go, following Balin and Bilbo into the tunnels.

Bilbo looked up at Mivera,"You want me to find a jewel?" Mivera nodded,"A large white one, yes." The hobbit looked somewhat perplexed,"That's it? I imagine there are quite a few down there." Mivera chuckled,"There is only one Arkenstone, and you will know it when you see it." Bilbo nodded, still holding the confused expression on his face.

Balin coughed,"In truth lad, we don't know what you will find down there." Bilbo stopped and gulped. Mivera took hold of his shoulders,"You can turn back, there's no shame." The hobbit stood frozen for a moment, but shook his head,"No, I promised I would do this." The old dwarf chuckled and Mivera tilted her head at him,"What?" He shocked his head with a grin on his face,"It just ceases to amaze me." Bilbo was now more confused than ever,"What?" Balin smiled warmly,"The courage of hobbits." A few moments later they were in front of an opening to the main throne room. Mivera pat his back,"Go." And he did, one slow step at a time.

Now walking back and Balin chuckled slightly,"I do hope that there is no live dragon in there." Mivera didn't answer, the hall remained silent. Balin chuckled again,"If there is, I pray he does to wake it." Again, Mivera did not answer. She didn't answer because she could not here him. Mivera was down the corridor, following the brave hobbit.