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He came to with a soft gasp and tried to sit up, only to be pushed back down by gentle hands. Opening his eyes, Bilbo meets the harried gaze of Balin and tugs lightly at his wrist.
"Easy there, my lad. Can't have you disrupting all the work that the healers have done now."
Balin's mouth opened soundlessly before the Dwarf forced himself to swallow and looked away from Bilbo towards something that was beyond his line of sight. Bilbo then became aware of the fact that something felt very wrong and different with his body like he couldn't move any of his limbs for some reason.
Where were Thorin and Dwalin?
"Balin, please tell me what happened," Bilbo pleaded quietly. "Did something happen to Thorin, Dwalin, Dis, or the boys?"
"They're alright, Bilbo. It's you that everyone is most concerned about, after what just happened."
"What did happen, Balin. Why can't I move? Everything tingles unpleasantly." Bilbo asked.
Balin slowly reached up and put his hand on Bilbo's hand, quiet again before he decided on an answer.
"There was an attack on you at the Feast. An assassin tried to kill you in front of everyone with a poisoned dagger before managing to slip in the chaos. Thorin has the Mountain on alert and looking for the attacker; he's staying away to lead the search with Dwalin, Dis, and her boys."
"And Frodo? Where is he?"
"Frodo is fine. He's with Dori and Ori in his rooms under heavy guard."
Bilbo sighed softly and stared at the ceiling above him before looking back at Balin.
"Is the poison the reason that I can't feel anything at the moment?"
"For the most part. One of the new healers decided to see if bleeding out the toxins of the poison would help you. Oin and Gloin are currently shouting at the lad for attempting the idea without proper supervision," Balin said, his expression and eyes dark as he watched Bilbo before moving to help him sit up. "I've gathered it might be some time before you're able to move about without help."
"Wonderful. Who knows what Thorin or Dwalin will do to the lad when they find out about this part of the situation." Bilbo muttered.
"Indeed. Quite angry no doubt." Balin responded quietly. "And then they will no doubt be here beside you as the healing begins. You'll have no shortage of helpers soon enough, Bilbo."
"Well, one can hope that you silly Dwarves won't ground the Mountain to a standstill to help me every day. Surely one of you is sensible enough to keep it all up and running if Thorin is distracted," Bilbo replied with mock haughty tone and grinned when Balin chuckled loudly.
"Oh, I'm glad to see that this incident hasn't dulled your sense of humor, Bilbo. No doubt about it, my friend, some of us will be distracted. The Lady Dis has volunteered to keep an eye on things with the boys at her side." Balin answered.
He looked away then, falling quiet again; Bilbo followed his gaze to watch as one of the scowling royal guards silently trailed a nervous servant around the quarters he shared with Thorin and Dwalin.