Day 1
Nestad leaned against the back wall of his cell, one leg pulled close to his chest and his arm draped over his knee in a casual pose. His deep blue eyes, however, were anything but relaxed. They darted from corner to corner, following sounds around his cell and checking for any weaknesses in the walls. Alas, none presented themselves. There wasn't even a window that he could possibly squeeze through; the only light in the cell came from the elf in the corner, shimmering in his dark hair.
He had been here a week. In that time, he'd been as much trouble as possible, forcing his captors to take extreme cautions around him, resulting in his time in this dark cell alone. They'd said something about it 'breaking his proud spirit', and he could see what they meant. He didn't like being in a place where the sun never warmed his face and the stars remained outside his vision.
His eyes darted to the door as he heard sounds outside it. 'People?' he thought, deciding against rising. He hurt too badly from the last time he'd messed with the guards. 'I thought this was the cell no one else touched.'
There was the sound of keys in the lock, and then the heavy metal door swung open, admitting several guards. Two carried between them a slumped figure, rather small and slim looking. It was a woman, her head hanging between her shoulders and her long black hair obscuring her face. They were dragging her, so she must have been unconscious. The men ignored the elf in the corner as they brought the woman to the other side of the room and fastened iron shackles to her wrists and ankles.
Nestad's eyes clouded with worry as he looked at the woman. She looked pretty badly beat-up, from what he could see of her. She was dropped in the corner when the guards were done shackling her and left alone. One of the guards had remained in the doorway, sword drawn and his eyes locked on the elf, wary of any sudden moves. Nestad wasn't chained to the wall, exactly, but he was loaded with four sets of chains per limb; he'd been really troublesome. After some murmured conversation (the elf could hear it, but not understand it; the foul Easterlings were speaking in their own language), the guards left, closing and locking the big door behind them.
Nestad scooted close to the woman and pulled her long hair away from her face carefully. "And who do we have here?" he murmured aloud.
The woman's skin was pale, and her eyes closed. There was a large bruise forming on her left cheek. But despite all that, she was rather pretty, and had a noble look about her, even though she was dressed in the clothing of a servant girl of Gondor. As she lay there, her forehead creased with pain, since her consciousness was slowly returning.
Nestad was a healer by birth and trade. He couldn't watch anyone in pain and do nothing. Holding his chains in one hand, he placed the other on her forehead. "Sîdh," he murmured, absorbing her pain and sending a wash of relief into her slender body.
The woman trembled and moaned softly. Her eyes flickered open and she startled when she saw a strange face in front of her and a strange hand touching her. She jerked away, her eyes wide with fear. "Get away!" she cried, trying to move away from the strange looking man, but she found it difficult, and was even more frightened when she saw that all her limbs were bound with heavy chains. She looked frantically about, trying to find any way of escape.
"Easy," Nestad said, moving away from her a bit, giving her room to move and get used to him. "I mean you no harm, lass."
"Who are you? Where am I?" she demanded, trying to scoot even farther from him, but the other ends of her chains were secured to large rings in the floor, and they were preventing her from moving any farther. She was terrified. And in her state of mind she was not thinking clearly.
"I am Nestad," the elf replied, sitting back on his haunches and watching her with impassive eyes. "And if I understand the geography correctly, you are in a dungeon in the land of Rhûn."
The woman stopped and looked a little closer at the elf, trying to decide what he might be. "You are not…not a Wainrider?" she said. "You are not an Easterling, are you?"
"No, neither an Easterling nor a Wainrider. I am a prisoner, as you are."
"How long have I been here?" the woman asked, starting to calm down.
"A few moments, no longer." Seeing that the woman had calmed down a bit, Nestad moved a bit closer. "Who are you, my lady?
The woman was about to answer when she paused and regarded the strange man for a moment. "I am called Aewen," she said hesitantly, and then glanced away.
"Mm." Nestad knew the signs of a hastily made up name when he saw them, but if she didn't want to divulge her identity, it was no problem of his. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Aewen," he said, pressing one of his chained hands over his heart and bowing slightly.
The woman looked around some more, though she couldn't see much in the dark cell. "How long have you been here?" she asked.
Nestad shrugged slightly, rattling his chains. "When one cannot see the sun, it is difficult to be sure. About two or three days, I think."
"And…what do our captors want with us, do you know? What have they done with you so far?" She wanted to get as much information on the situation as possible. She always wanted to be prepared.
Nestad smiled, an oddly grim expression in his fair face. "Thus far? They have attempted to 'break me', as they put it. This cell is part of it, I understand. These men are slave-traders. From what I have seen, they train slaves to make them worth a good deal more."
"Slaves?" the woman called Aewen said, her eyes widening. "They can't make a slave out of me, I won't let them. And my father will…." She stopped and glanced up at the man. "Will be worried…" she said softly.
"I can imagine he will be," Nestad said, his tone neutral. "I hope you have a strong will, Lady Aewen. I have seen those who think themselves strong break like hardened clay under these circumstances."
Her grey eyes flashed. "I have a strong will," she said.
Nestad's eyebrow rose. "I am glad to hear that," he said. "It will serve you well, though it will bring you pain here."
"What do you mean?" she said. "Do you mean that giving in to their demands will spare me pain?"
"I mean, in the short run, yes, giving in would spare you a bit of pain. In the long run, however, keeping your will strong will keep your mind from being unbroken. Perhaps enough to find a way out."
"Well, I won't be giving in to anything they say or do to me," she said. "I am strong enough to last some time. Have you noticed any possible ways to escape?"
Nestad smiled ruefully. "My lady, in the time I have been here, I have been either unconscious or in too much pain to pay much attention to the area around me. As of this moment, nothing presents itself."
"Oh…" She fell silent for a while, turning her attention to herself and her condition. The bruise on her cheek was throbbing, and her ribs hurt badly. She couldn't remember much about her capture, but she must have been beaten pretty badly. Her uncle would be furious when he found out. These Wainriders made a big mistake capturing her.
Nestad shifted uncomfortably as Aewen's pain registered on his sensitive senses. He tried to ignore it, but gave up. "My lady, I am a healer. Will you allow me to help you with the pain?"
"What can you possibly do?" she asked. "You have no herbs or bandages." She winced when she pressed her fingers to her ribs.
"No," he admitted. "I have neither. But I have my own healing power, and please stop pushing against your ribs. That hurts me too."
Aewen looked up at him, furrowing her brow. "Healing power?" she said. "Are you a wizard?"
"No, just a healer," Nestad replied calmly. Had she not noticed that he was an elf? Well, he supposed, it was dark enough to not notice small details.
"I have never heard of a healer with 'healing powers'," the woman said, eyeing the strange man carefully. "Not unless he is referring to his herbs, which you do not have."
"Then I suppose you have only heard of human healers."
The woman looked at him in silence for a moment, not sure what to think. Was he implying that he was not human? "What are you?" she asked warily.
Nestad made sure he was out of hitting range before he answered, "An elf." His level blue gaze never left her face, wondering if she had learned the stories of hate sometimes taught humans.
Aewen didn't make any noticeable reaction to his words. She just stared at him in silence, not sure what to think about that. She had never met an elf, though she had heard many stories. She wondered how he had come to be in this prison, so far from any elven realms.
Nestad met her gaze steadily for a few moments. "Will you allow me to help you, my lady?" he asked quietly.
The woman finally nodded slowly, but she didn't move from her spot. Nor did she bother to notice if he could reach her where she was. She was still staring at him, not sure what to think.
Nestad moved closer and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. While in contact with her, he could feel that her ribs were badly bruised, and two were cracked. "This might sting a little," he cautioned. "You have two cracked ribs; I will need to set those properly."
Aewen felt like flinching away from his touch, since it tingled slightly, but she stayed still. "All right," she said with a slight not. She clenched her teeth; waiting for the pain she knew was coming.
Nestad closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, letting his power trickle into her body. Before setting the ribs, he carefully removed feeling from that area for just an instant, long enough to set the cracked bones, and pushed relief to cover the pain. Once the bones were taken care of, he soothed the worst of the bruises in her body before withdrawing and opening his eyes. His natural light was a bit dimmer after his efforts, but he knew that was only temporary.
It was only when he was finished that Aewen noticed that she had closed her eyes. She had felt some stings and dull pain, but nothing like she expected. She looked at her healer, and now that he was closer, she could tell that yes, perhaps he was an elf. Though it was still too dark to tell much. "Thank you," she whispered.
Nestad smiled slightly. "Gladly," he murmured back, sitting back on his heels. He felt a little tired after that, but not badly so. Setting ribs was a lot easier than setting arm or leg bones. He shook his black hair off his shoulders, annoyed at its gentle tickling.
"What was your name again?" the maiden asked, feeling a little embarrassed that she had forgot it. But when he gave it earlier she hadn't been paying much attention.
"Nestad of Mirkwood," the healer replied, settling himself as comfortably as he could against a wall. "And you are…Aewen, yes?"
She nodded. "Yes…that is what I'm called," she answered, but said no more.
'If maiden?' Nestad wondered. 'What a strange name to give a lovely young woman.' He shrugged slightly. Maybe humans used the Elvish terms differently than elves themselves did. "And you are from Gondor?"
She nodded. "I come from Minas Anor. Do you know of it?"
"The Tower of the Sun," Nestad nodded. "I have never seen it myself, but I have heard much."
She nodded. "I grew up there. But I have family in Rhovánian, and was there when I was taken by these brutish Wainriders."
"You were close to my own home, then," the healer noted.
"Where is your home?" Aewen said, beginning to relax a bit in the presence of this elf. She was starting to feel that he most likely would not harm her.
"North Mirkwood. But I am rarely home, as I am one of the border guards." Nestad could feel the young woman relaxing and was glad of that. He disliked it when people were afraid of him; it caused a tenseness in his own being that was most uncomfortable.
"Mirkwood?" Aewen said. "But my people live just in the far south of that forest. Do you know of us? The North Men we are sometimes called."
One of Nestad's eyebrows rose slowly. "Aye," he replied. "We patrol to just above your lands."
"In all my life I have never seen a single elf. And yet you live so close. I visit those lands all the time."
Nestad smiled. "Well, we see you on a regular basis. But unless they want you to see them, elves are usually very hard to see."
"And why are elves so elusive?" the maiden asked. "Why not make yourselves known to us more often?"
The healer considered this. "Because many humans regard us with fear or hatred," he said after a moment. "It is often so, when two peoples are different."
"But it wasn't always so," Aewen said. "I read that-" she stopped, staring at him, and then quickly looked away.
Nestad looked at her curiously. "What did you read?" he inquired.
"I…I heard," she corrected herself. "I heard that once Elves and men were allies, and often were friends."
"That was before the Last Alliance," Nestad said sadly. "When many men and elves died in the fight against Sauron."
"But what changed?" the maiden asked. "Why are we not allies any longer?"
Nestad thought about that. He'd been young at the time of the Last Alliance, only about five hundred, but he had been good at sneaking around and listening to adults' conversation. "As I understand it," he said slowly, "elves blamed men for what happened, and men blamed elves." That was extremely condensed, but true.
Aewen nodded. "It's too bad," she said. "I have read-heard many stories of kinship and loyalty between men and elves."
"My lady, a suggestion, if I may?" Nestad said, arching an eyebrow.
Aewen looked at him. "What?"
"Choose reading or hearing as your primary source of information and stay with it. It makes your story more plausible."
The maiden blushed and looked away, feeling very much like a fool. She was not used to telling stories.
Nestad smiled. "You will get better," he assured her. "Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes. So will it be with reading or hearing that we will stay?"
"I am just kidding myself," Aewen said. "You probably haven't believed a single word I've said to you."
"I believe most of it," Nestad said. "You are from Minas Anor, and you have kin in South Mirkwood. You know a good deal about the Last Alliance, which suggests you either have very good ears or read a lot of history."
The corner of the maiden's mouth turned up in a half smile. "And what don't you believe?" she asked. "So that I might perfect the telling of my story."
"Well, one part should not be a problem, unless some among our captors speak Elvish. I highly doubt, however, that your parents named you 'If maiden'."
"If maiden?" she said, looking at him, slightly perplexed. "It must be a mistranslation on someone's part. My father told me it means 'bird-maiden'. But perhaps he was wrong."
Nestad squinted slightly before smiling. "Ah, the 'aew' mistake. I cannot tell how often that mistake is made. 'Ae' means 'if', and 'aew' means bird. Combined with 'wen', it is difficult to tell which is meant. Bird-maiden is a bit more plausible."
Aewen smiled with relief. "I do not know much of the elf speech myself," she said. "So I would not know. My father knows some, and it is from he that I get what sparse knowledge I do have. He calls me Aewen because of my great love of birds. Do you believe this part of my tale, Master Elf?"
"I think so, but I do not believe that to be your true name." Nestad shrugged slightly. "But that is for you to decide. As for what else I disbelieve…" he looked at her for a moment. "Despite your clothing, I do not think you to be a maid."
"You are perceptive," she said softly. "But for now I am a maid. And so I must remain while I am here."
Nestad bowed his head slightly. "Then so shall it remain, my lady," he murmured in reply.
Aewen inclined her head in thanks, and then pressed her hand to her ribs again. They were only a bit sore now. Whatever the elf had done seemed to be working. Then she examined the chains about her wrists. "What are they afraid of anyway?" she mumbled.
Nestad smiled. "Anyone put down here is a troublemaker, or so I was told. You must have put up quite a fight, Aewen; they fear you escaping."
She chuckled slightly. "I must have," she said. "Though I don't remember much about the capture. Maybe it will come back to me eventually. All I remember is my company being surrounded by Wains. Many of my company died before I was taken."
The healer winced. "I am sorry to hear that, my lady," he said quietly. He hated wasted life, any wasted life. He didn't share his people's dislike of humans; he found them interesting and worthy of life, just like any elf.
She nodded slightly. "A dear friend of mine was with me…I don't know what happened to her. The last I saw her she was taking my horse and riding off as fast as she could go. I was hid in the trees…but they found me anyway."
He looked at her sympathetically. "I hope she managed to break clear," he said.
"So do I," Aewen said softly. She clenched her jaw and blinked her eyes rapidly. "So…now what? Do they feed their prisoners at all?" She was quite hungry and wondered how long it had been she was captured. If they were in Rhûn then it could be even four days or more.
"Yes, they do. As a matter of fact…" the healer's voice trailed off as he heard footsteps. "Food is on its way as we speak," he said, rising and standing protectively in front of Aewen.
Aewen was surprised at his actions, but grateful nonetheless. She also stood, though a bit shakily, waiting for who knows what.
"Stay down," Nestad whispered. "I have seen how they treat women. Perhaps if they do not notice you…" He was interrupted by the sound of keys in the lock and the door opening.
Aewen dropped back to the floor with a grunt and kept as low as she could. She wished she had some sort of a weapon.
Three guards entered with a servant bearing food. They tensed immediately when they saw the slender, black-haired elf standing, hands clasped in front of himself and his eyes sparking with danger. "Stay put, you," one snarled, drawing his sword.
Nestad resisted the urge to roll his eyes at their stupidity. Even weighed down with chains as he was, he was still faster and could have disarmed all three of them in the time it took to speak a ten-word phrase. He had decided against it, but that didn't mean it wasn't tempting. Instead, he moved closer to Aewen, standing protectively above her as the servant put the food down.
The guards had planned to have a little fun with the servant maid, but with the elf obviously setting himself as her defender, they thought twice about that and decided against it. Instead, they muttered some vague threats and left the room with a slam. Nestad let out a sigh of relief.
Aewen looked up when she heard the door close. She was still surprised that the elf would protect her so forcefully like that. "Thank you," she said softly, sitting up and rubbing her knees slightly. "You didn't have to do that."
Nestad grabbed the food and sat beside the maid. "Yes I did," he said with a small smile. "When I became a guard, I swore to defend the defenseless. You may not be completely defenseless, but there were three of them."
She smiled slightly. "If it weren't for these chains, then I would have showed them a thing or two myself."
"I do not doubt it. But the fact remains that the chains are there." He offered her the food. "Eat all you can," he added. "You need strength to make it here."
"Thank you," she said, taking the food from him. She looked at it for a moment a bit hesitantly. She was about to ask what is was, but then just decided to eat it. She was starving, and right now anything seemed good.
Nestad took what looked like a piece of stale bread and munched on it with every sign of enjoyment. He knew he needed strength to keep this woman safe, and he intended to do so to the best of his ability.
Aewen ate the food without complaint, even though it tasted awful. When she was finished, she looked up at the elf. "So…now what?" she asked.
Nestad picked up the plate and threw it like a Frisbee at the door, smiling at the clang it made when it hit the door. "Now you rest," he said. "I got your body started on the road to recovery, but it is not completely finished. Rest and heal."
Aewen stuck out her lower lip in a slight pout. "But I just woke up," she said. "I want to figure out a way out of here."
Nestad couldn't hold back a soft laugh. "You will think clearer after a few hours' worth of good sleep."
"You're not laughing at me, are you?" she said, eyeing him closely. "You're probably thinking that humans are weak…especially human women…aren't you?"
Nestad sighed. "No, I was not," he said. "I make even the heartiest of the elven warriors rest after I heal them. The body needs to heal."
Aewen looked down. "Oh…sorry," she said. Then she looked around for a comfortable place to lie down. But as far as she could tell, there was nothing but a stone floor.
Nestad had come to the same conclusion an instant before. Even his cloak had been taken from him, and he couldn't remove any clothing without tearing it. He hesitated, not sure how she'd react to the only other solution he could see.
Aewen felt around on the floor, hoping that it was at least dry right where she was. She lied down, trying to at least get a bit comfortable. It was difficult because her ribs still ached a bit, and the simple fact was, she was lying on stone. But she wouldn't complain about it.
Nestad could feel her bodily discomfort. "If you want, you can lean against me," he offered quietly. "I am a little more comfortable than a stone floor, I think."
She looked up at him, a bit uncomfortable with that idea. "It's all right," she said softly. "I don't want to put you out. I'll be fine."
"If you are sure," Nestad said, leaning against the wall and staring off into the middle distance.
Aewen watched him for a moment, but finally closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She shifted her position, trying to get more comfortable. Then she tried arranging her chains so that she wasn't lying on them.
The healer listened to the maid shift around, trying to find a comfortable place. His heart warred with his mind: she wasn't comfortable touching him and he wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of her warm body against his. But she needed to sleep, and she wasn't getting comfortable enough on the floor to sleep like she needed to.
Aewen chuckled softly and stared up into the darkness above her. "Too bad you can't conjure up something soft," she said in a jesting tone. "Or pull some sleeping herbs out of the air…that would be nice…" She shifted her weight again. "I'm sorry, I'll try harder."
Nestad laughed. "I'm good, but not quite that good," he replied, moving a bit so that his head was resting against his shoulder, watching the young woman through half-closed lids.
Aewen sighed and then sat up, leaning back against the wall. It was just too cold and hard to lie down. She leaned her head back against the stone wall, and closed her eyes, trying to get drowsy.
Nestad closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep himself, but with Aewen's squirming, that was almost impossible. He cracked one eye open and looked at her again.
In her new position, Aewen managed to be a bit more comfortable. At least the floor wasn't pressing against her sore ribs. So she slowly began to get drowsy; because, no matter what she might say, she was exhausted and needed rest. Her head began to nod, until it fell all the way over onto her chest and she didn't move again.
Letting out a brief sigh of relief, Nestad drifted into a half-asleep place, still keeping an ear out, but otherwise dead to the world.
It was about three hours later when Aewen woke again. She startled awake, realizing that she had fallen over and was now lying on her side. She sat up slowly, feeling very cold. Night must have fallen outside. But what had woken her? Could she hear voices?
Nestad lifted his head and listened intently. "Someone approaches," he murmured, rising. "And they do not serve a meal so soon after the last one."
"Do they come for any other reason?" Aewen asked softly.
"Not for me," Nestad said, standing protectively in front of the slender woman. "At least not lately," he added with a grim smile.
There was the sound of a key in the lock, and six men entered, all with drawn swords. They were followed by two burly men without weapons. "Stand back, elf," the leader of them said. "Up against the wall."
Nestad didn't move. "What is your purpose here?" he asked coolly, his natural light flaring up a bit.
"Our business is none of yours," the man spat. "Now step to the far wall or we will put you there ourselves."
Nestad stepped backward a bit, but stopped just in front of Aewen. "If the business concerns the lass, it is of my concern," he said.
"Get back!" The man yelled to the elf, and motioned to his companions. Three of the men came forward, ready with their swords.
Nestad brought his chains up in a blinding motion, smashing them across the face of the closest guard. So often, people didn't think of chains as a weapon. Nestad liked to put them straight.
The other guards stepped back beyond the reach of the elf, while the guard who had been hit crumpled to the ground. "You will regret this, elf," the leader spat. "Next time we come, you will regret this terribly." He motioned for some of his men to take away their fallen comrade, but they were too afraid to get that close to the elf again.
Nestad reached out with a foot and shoved the fallen man toward his friends with a plainly derisive look on his face. "The regret will not be mine," he replied quietly. "Now get out."
The men grabbed the injured man and dragged him from the cell. The door was locked securely behind them. Aewen looked at the elf, very grateful that he was there. "Thank you," she whispered.
The healer smiled as he sank down beside Aewen again. "Gladly," he replied just as softly. "Though you may not thank me later," he added. "These lads have a tendency to remember offenses a long time."
"What did they want, I wonder. I think they were coming for me."
Nestad glanced at her. "Well, you are very beautiful," he said honestly. "And I know they do not see many beautiful women around here."
Aewen blushed softly when he said she was beautiful. "I cringe at the thought of one of them touching me," she said.
"So do I," Nestad said. "It would be like throwing a fine dagger into a mud puddle."
Aewen cocked her head and looked at him, smiling slightly. "I think you exaggerate, Master Elf," she said. "Either on their ugliness or my beauty."
Nestad put a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "I rarely exaggerate, my lady," he said. "They reek constantly, and you are a fine jewel in this place."
She smiled slightly and glanced away. "I guess that is an extra compliment, coming from an elf. Aren't your maidens more beautiful than any other creature? Or so I have read."
"They are beautiful," Nestad admitted. "But when one is surrounded by beauty, one's eyes become callous to the beauty. Only when in such a rough place does one notice true beauty." He bowed slightly toward Aewen.
She smiled again. "You're too kind, sir," she said softly. And then she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered slightly. "It must be night time. It's gotten quite chilly in here."
Nestad glanced at the ceiling briefly, consulting his inner clock. "Yes, about two hours after sunset," he confirmed. He reached out and gently touched her shoulder, passing some of his warmth into her. That was more or less instinctive now; he always helped cold people when he could. It didn't even take much in the way of strength.
Her head snapped up and she looked at him with wide eyes. "What are you doing?" she asked.
The healer pulled his hand away immediately. "I am sorry," he said. "I thought you might like some extra heat in this chilly place."
"Extra heat? What do you mean? What were you doing?"
"I was giving you a bit of my strength and warmth," he replied.
"Oh…I'm sorry…you just startled me is all," Aewen said softly.
"I should apologize," Nestad said. "I am accustomed to doing so around people who are used to me. I forgot that not everyone is used to receiving warmth from someone else."
She shook her head. "No…" She paused for a moment, but after shivering again, she looked up at him. "I wouldn't mind," she said. "Now that I know what you were trying to do. I am grateful."
Nestad smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder again. "Relax," he murmured, letting the equivalent of a warm fire pass through him into her. He had plenty more where that came from, and he didn't like to see her shivering.
Aewen shivered one more time, and then she began to feel the warmth flow through her body. She breathed in softly in mild surprise, but soon felt too good to care. She closed her eyes, relishing the warmth that was flowing from his hand. She had never felt anything quite like it.
"Feel better?" Nestad asked softly, watching her carefully for any signs of overheating.
The maiden nodded. "It's amazing," she said, opening her eyes and looking up at him. "It's like…I can't describe it."
The healer let the flow continue for a few moments longer before letting the connection go. "I am glad it helps," he said honestly. "If you need more, I have more."
She smiled. "Elves are blessed," she said. "Thank you for sharing."
"Any time." Nestad's hand was still on her shoulder; he noticed it was and pulled it away, slightly embarrassed.
Aewen smiled out of the corner of her mouth and glanced away. "I need to…stand up for a moment…" she said, struggling to stand up. Oh how she was sore from sitting on the hard cold floor for so many hours!
Nestad rose gracefully and helped Aewen to her feet. "Careful," he cautioned. "Your legs are probably asleep from so much sitting. Lean against me; they will not get better if you continue sitting on them."
Aewen held onto his arm as she stood, putting her other hand to her head since her vision went spotty for a moment. He was right; her legs were asleep and very numb. "Thank you," she whispered.
Nestad nodded absently, reaching down with one hand to gently rub some life back into her calves. "Easy there," he murmured, treating her with the kind of gentleness usually associated with fragile eggshells.
Aewen was surprised by his forwardness, and felt slightly uncomfortable, but she didn't move, letting him help her. She wondered if it was just him or if all elves were so familiar.
Nestad kept working until he sensed that her legs were strong enough to hold her up on their own. Straightening, he looked at her. "You all right?" he asked. A corner of his mouth twitched. "Besides the obvious that we are trapped in a cell twelve feet by twelve feet and cannot get out, I mean."
She nodded, trying to regain her composure. "Yes…fine," she said, feeling her cheeks burning, and she hoped it was too dark in there for him to notice.
"You are blushing," Nestad commented. "Is that a normal human reaction to being fine?"
Aewen looked away, blushing even more. "No, it's just…I'm sorry, I don't mean…I mean…" she was quite flustered.
Nestad smiled. "I understand," he said, releasing her carefully and stepping back a bit. "See how your legs are working now," he added.
Aewen took a few steps, testing her legs. They felt much better. "It feels very nice to stand," she said. "I'm not used to sitting on the hard floor for so long."
"Be careful," the healer warned. "Those chains are rather short, and it would not be fun to land hard on the floor."
"I can feel them," she said. And she was moving her legs carefully so she was not taking too large of steps. "I am curious," she said. "Are all elves so intimate in their touch of others?"
That caught Nestad off guard sufficiently. He blinked at her and the tips of his ears turned faintly red. "Um…not as a normal rule," he admitted, "but we healers get used to it after a time."
"Oh…I see," she said with a slight nod. "I'm sorry…I'm just not used to such contact from strangers."
"Nor should you be." Nestad forgot for a moment that he was wearing chains and rubbed the back of his neck, wincing at the clatter of chains next to his ear. "I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable. That was not my intent."
"It's all right," she said quickly. "All you've done is help me. I appreciate it, really. Thank you."
Nestad smiled sheepishly. "Glad to help," he said.
After a moment, Aewen sat down again, tiring quickly. She leaned back against the wall. "How did you get here?" she asked him. "How were you captured?"
Nestad sat beside her, settling into a relaxed pose. His eyes, however, showed that the topic was a bit painful. "I am a healer on the border patrols of Mirkwood," he said quietly. "Two weeks ago, we were on our easternmost border and were attacked. I was the only one kept alive." His fingers found the badge he always wore over his heart. "They knew enough about us to know that this badge means I am a healer. That is the only reason I was left alive while my kinsmen died around me."
"They wanted to use you?" she asked. "To heal their own?"
Nestad nodded slightly. "Their own and the slaves they captured. They discovered that healthy slaves sell better."
"And…are you cooperating with their plan? Are you healing them?"
"Not the Wainriders. I decided that whatever happened to them was on their own heads, and may the Valar have mercy on them. But the slaves they bring in…" Nestad's voice trailed off. "See, Aewen, I have been trained since birth to never ignore the call of the wounded and helpless. I do what I can for the slaves."
"Good," she said softly. "But I feel no pity for the brutes who captured me. They have done my family much grief in the past."
"I can believe it, your family spread as it is between Rhovánian and Gondor." Nestad put aside his own pain; this wasn't the time or place to deal with it.
The maiden nodded. "That's true," she said. "But my family has also gone out to meet the Wainriders in battle, and…they slew my grandfather only four years ago. My father was devastated."
Nestad closed his eyes in sadness. "I am sorry," he said quietly, aware, as he always was, that it wasn't enough. But words could never be enough for such a loss.
"Thank you," Aewen whispered softly. "I am over the loss by now. But still, I carry much anger in my heart. My grandfather was a noble and brave man. And his loss was felt by more than just his family."
"Well, anger is not the best solution." Nestad looked at the young maiden. "A friend once told me that harboring bitterness is like drinking poison and hoping the person you are angry with dies. It never works." He smiled ruefully. "I have had to work to keep that in mind of late," he admitted.
"That is a good analogy," she said. "And perhaps your friend is right. But it is difficult. They have been harrying our people for over nine years now, slowly gaining more of our land. We have lost nearly all of our eastern territories to them, and still they come. What can we do? They are so many." She didn't expect him to offer any solution; she just needed to tell someone her frustrations.
Nestad nodded silently, noticing how she spoke of 'our' land and 'we'. He didn't comment on that, but marked it off as one more thing showing she was truly noble.
"Anyway…" she said, looking down at her hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put all of this onto your shoulders."
"No, it is all right." Nestad touched her knee with his gently. "You need someone to talk to, and I am exceptionally good at listening."
She smiled gratefully. "You are," she agreed. "Thank you." She smiled and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I seem to be thanking you all the time, you're probably tired of hearing it by now."
"Coming from you?" Nestad shook his head. "I like listening to you talk," he admitted. "Even if you do repeat yourself quite a bit," he added, teasing her gently.
She smiled and blushed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot as well. "Well…I'm glad I don't bore you," she said, smiling slightly.
"After the silence of this cell for days on end, nothing could bore me," he said, admiring the way the color stained her cheeks. She really was quite beautiful, he reflected. Not the unearthly beauty he was used to in women, but a gentle roughness, like a well-polished stone. She was fascinating.
"That's good to know," she said, smiling slightly. "I wouldn't want to bore you, being the only company you have." She carefully stretched her arms a bit, and then yawned.
Nestad chuckled softly. "Even if you did bore me, what could I do about it?" he inquired. "This cell is well-sealed, and these stupid chains," he rattled them sharply, "make it difficult, nay, impossible to move silently. But you do not bore me."
She smiled, then yawned again. "I wonder if I could try to sleep some more?" she asked. "I think it's finally catching up with me."
"You should try," Nestad encouraged quietly. "Your body is still healing." He didn't say it aloud, but he was wondering if there was really a point in getting her completely better. He couldn't use his superior strength to save her forever; sooner or later they would bring in a large group, and then where would he be? But he didn't allow any of this to come out of his lips. No sense in scaring her.
Aewen nodded. "I think I will," she said. She rested her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. She brought her arms up over her chest to try and keep herself warm. "Don't be too bored while I'm asleep," she said with a smile.
"I will find something to occupy my thoughts," Nestad promised with a return smile. 'Maybe how innocently sweet she looks while sleeping,' his mind interjected, 'or how full her lips are, or how much you would like to take her walking in the moonlight and see how she looks under proper light.'
"Good," she said still smiling. But gradually, as sleep took her, her smile faded slightly, though not completely, for she felt somehow safe and happy, regardless of her circumstances. She couldn't explain it.
Nestad watched her sleep, warring with his thoughts. On the one side was the analytical part of him that made him a good warrior, and on the other was the heart that made him a good healer. His analytical mind said, 'She's human. They fade away before hardly any time has passed. Don't get involved with her other than on a healer basis, and be careful even with that!'
But his heart replied hotly, 'What's wrong with loving a human? Look at Lúthien and Beren! That's a historical couple, if there ever was one.'
'And look how much heart trouble they went through. Do you want that?'
'Better than to never love at all,' his heart muttered rebelliously.
The mental argument continued until it wore Nestad out, putting him to fitful sleep.