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Bofur knocked on the door loudly.
Bard opened his door to find Bofur and Oin there, with Fili and Kili supporting Alenia behind them.
"No. I'm done with dwarves. Go away." Bard said, moving to close the door, before Bofur slams his foot inside.
"No, no, no! No one will help us; Ally's sick. She's very sick." Bofur said.
Bard took another look at Alenia, and saw that she was pale-faced, sweating, and barely conscious.
"Alright." Bard said, stepping to the side, allowing the dwarves to rush in.
Kili paused to say, "Thank you."
Bard nodded, before he turned, gestured to the table and said, "You can put her here."
Alenia moaned in pain, before she reached down to clutch her leg. "Shit."
"On the table, now." Oin said, as she started to thrash.
"Whatever w-was supposed to happen... it's happening now." Alenia grunted out. "By the Valar, that hurts."
"Can you not do something?" Kili asked, as Bofur rushed over with a bowl of water.
"I need herbs, something to bring down her fever." Oin said, rubbing his face.
"Athelas." Alenia mumbled too quietly for anyone to hear.
"I have nightshade, feverfew..." Bard said, as he rustled through his medicine bag.
"A-Athelas." Alenia said louder, causing Kili to look down at her.
"Do you have any athelas?" Kili asked, looking over at Bard.
"Kingsfoil." Oin clarified. "Athelas is the elvish name."
"I don't care what it's called so long as we get it." Kili said, moving to pin down one of Alenia's thrashing arms.
"Do you have any Kingsfoil?" Oin repeated.
"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs." Bard said, setting the bag aside.
"Pigs? Weed? Right." Bofur said, before turning and pointing to Alenia on the table. "Don't move."
Bofur and his hat disappeared from the house, as he ran out into Laketown to search for the herb.
A sharp pain shot up Alenia's body from her leg and she yelled, her upper body shooting into the air. Fili and Kili shoved her back down and held her there, as the pain intensified, increasing her movement.
"Shit." she breathed, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Just hold on." Kili said, brushing a piece of hair out of the half-elf's face. "Just a bit longer."
"Stay." Alenia croaked, as her thrashing diminished.
"Always." he promised, pressing a kiss to her temple.
The building shook then, dust falling from the ceiling. Each reverberation rattled the floorboards and furniture, causing everyone to look up.
"Da?" Sigrid asked.
"It's coming from the mountain." Bain said.
Fili moved from where he stood at his brother's side. "You should leave us. Take your children and get out of here."
"And go where? There is nowhere to go." Bard said, shaking his head.
"Are we going to die, Da?" Tilda asked.
"No, darling." Bard reassured.
"The dragon, it's going to kill us." Tilda said, shaking a bit.
Bard stood silently for a moment, looking at his children worriedly, before he reached into the rafters above his head and pulled out a black arrow.
