A face appeared, raven hair pulled back, pale, with dark brows and storm blue eyes. The figure crouched, extending a hand to her as he did so, the movement fluid , like water brushing through a river. "Hi, little one. Come here, the orcs are gone."
Mir eyed his hand and edged towards a small back opening in the bramble thicket. She carefully slid out and bolted. In her hurry she failed to notice a man standing beside the back opening. Strong hands caught her as she tried to escape. As soon and the hands made contact with her, she thrashed, trying to escape the confines of those hands. They're going to get me too! I have to run! RUN!
In a last ditch effort, Mir bit the hands holding her. They loosened their grasp, enough for her to dart away. In her hurry, she realized her ankle hurt, really hurt. Enough for her to tumble and fall face first into the dirt. She laid there for a second, in disbelief and pain. Gaining her senses enough she screamed when the hands grabbed her again, more firm and careful to stay out of the range of her small, blunt teeth. "Don't eat me, don't eat me," she sobbed.
"Eat you? Little one, why would we eat you?" the voices replied. She looked up to see double. Blanching, she shrunk, confused and dazed. "Ah, brother, she's never seen a twin, she must have thought we were orcs." Mir shifted her eyes between the two, both on one knee closer to her height. The one with his hair pulled back spoke in shushed tones to her, like one would a spooked horse. "We slew those orcs, sweet one, no harm will come to you now. We can see you have injuries; may we have your permission to help you?" Mir quietly thought and answered, with a timid nod. The one who spoke stood, and motioned the other to bring her through the trees.
After a few minutes of walking they stopped and gently set her down, one going to a pile of bags, the other starting a fire. Mir looked around, still terrified and shook, tremors racing through her body. The one tending to the now present fire walked over, and crouched bringing a hand to the scratches on her arms. "Brother bring a blanket, and the mint salve, please." The other offered no response as continued rummaging was heard behind where Mir sat. "Now, my name is Elladan, small one, and the one with his hair in side braids is Elrohir. We will help you to the best of our ability. What happened to you?" Mir watched him for a moment, and decided he would not hurt her. She relayed what happened, from her father to the beings chasing after her.
As she told Elladan the story, Elrohir came up and sat to her front right, supplies in his hands. Handing a bowl to his brother he set a kettle on the fire, a small stand suspending it above. They sat, listening to her quiet words as the water boiled. Elrohir added a few herbs to the steaming water as Mir finished. She sat in silence, shifting herself to make herself more comfortable. As she did, the movement jostled her injured ankle causing her to wince. The twins missed nothing, noting her expression and the ankle rapidly swelling with a deep bruise forming.
Elladan reached for her ankle, as he did, Mir flinched and tried to scuttle away. He withdrew his hand and asked in a soothing tone, "May we tend to your ankle? I know it must pain you, little one."
She stared at him, with her doe like green eyes. Slowly she nodded, scooting closer to allow easier access. He grasped her ankle gently, poking and prodding. Mir hissed when he touched a particularly painful area. Elladan gestured for Elrohir to feel as well at the right side of her ankle where the bruising was the darkest. They both sat back, looking like two marble statues, beautiful and pure. She looked up at them, waiting.
They both spoke to each other in a lifting, beautiful language before turning to her and saying, "Sweet one, we believe your ankle is cracked in two places on your bone, and we would like to splint it to prevent further damage. Would you mind if one of us held you? For it will be painful."
Mir nodded quickly, for her ankle was starting to throb and make her irritable. She held her arms out as the one with braided hair, Elrohir lifted her into his lap. Elladan shifted so he was in front of her as Elrohir held her arms, restricting her movement.
She stiffened and turned her head into Elrohir's chest. Elladan shifted her ankle so it was in proper position, prodding the sides to ensure all bones were in their original positions and nothing was missed. He lightly put her foot on the forest floor, while reaching for a bowl behind him. He gently rubbed the oily substance on her aching feet ensuring the cuts and tears from the thorns would not get infected. He wrapped her foot in linen bandages with the splints on the side, making her foot feel heavy.
A sweet smell hit her nose, making her feel sleepy and relaxed. She could feel all the tension leaving her body as the scent seemed to envelop her. She grew drowsy, lightly dozing as she felt gentle hands applying paste to the cuts and scratches on her small arms and face. When they were finished Mir shook herself out of the daze and looked up at Elrohir, still holding her. She tried to rise, remembering about her father and mother, and little baby sister, and how the twins rescued her, while her family was still out there. At the sharp pain in her foot she sat back again leaning against Elrohir.
Elladan turned to her as he was tidying up the supplies and asked, "Young one, what is your name? Where is your parents?"
Mir timidly replied, "Father sent me away for a walk. I am Mir."
The brothers exchanged a glance over her head. "Could you perhaps show us your cottage?" Elrohir asked, rising with her in his arms. She nodded, pointing in the eastern direction, recognizing the ridge, behind which her father's favorite fishing spot lay, several hundred yards away from the trail to their cottage.
They headed there based on Mir's directions, thin whips of smoke curled around them. As they stepped closer, and closer the very air around them became hazy and made Mir's throat tickled. She grasped Elrohir's sleeve as a lifeline and felt the soft material under her fingers. Soon they arrived over the ridge. Smoke wafted over, the closer they got the thicker it was. Realizing that the place near her house was smoking Mir sat straight up. Mama told me be careful with fire. It gives off smoke and burns really fast. A gust of wind gave Mir a better look at the cause of the smoke. A pile of bodies lay in their yard, one mounted on a thick stick.
NOTES: Hi guys! Gave another chapter a little earlier since I'm really enjoying writing. Leave a review, let me know how I'm doing.