Longer chapter? Some of the past and background comes out in this, but not all of it. Most of it will be revealed in bits and pieces. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Chapter Three
They were everywhere. Ghastly, sickening creatures were swarming around her wielding terrifying swords. All were after one thing: her.
Her horse lurched forward, she slipped down slightly from the saddle. One of the beasts ran forward at the opportunity, sword raised, face twisted into a grimacing smile of triumph.
But it was in the past.
She sat up, breathing harshly and searching her surroundings for any trace of the nightmare. The candle at her bedside, long burnt out, sat innocently next to her. The bare walls and plain floor held no danger.
She looked down at the sheets that had been entwined with her legs while she slept. A sheen of sweat glittered off her. After finally reassuring herself of safety, she lay back down and curled into her side, attempting to escape into a dreamless sleep.
A window was open. Imlosel brushed the hair back from her face that had been blown by a strong breeze from the balcony. The doors were unbolted and latched into place with fixtures on the wall. A blurry shape was endeavoring to also hold back the curtains, which had begun to swing and fly aimlessly on their own fixture.
"Ah, you're awake!"
The blurry shape, abandoning the hopeless task, walked towards her. Upon closer inspection, Imlosel could see it was an elleth. Her silver hair was completely tied back in a long braid that reached her waist. A few wisps had escaped, probably due to trying to subdue the balcony, and danced happily about her cheerful face.
"You seem to be looking better than before, I shall return shortly with a tray," she said, quickly turning on her heel and marching dutifully out the door. She had left so quickly that Imlosel wondered if she was even real, only the rampant curtains giving evidence to her existence.
As she had promised, though, she returned a mere minute later bearing a small tray. There looked to be a cup of some type of brew, and a little plate of biscuits. Imlosel's stomach turned at the sight of the biscuits, she did not think she was quite ready to tackle so much food.
"Come now, we'll have you up and eating before Camen gets here, you'll need your strength," the elleth told her. She set the tray on the bedside table and leaned over to help Imlosel sit up, pulling back the coverlets.
As she did so, Imlosel noticed something peculiar about her own movement. She wasn't wearing the leggings she had put on so long ago. Or the tunic. Startled, she glanced down at herself and saw a tan colored dress, more like a shift, that ran all the way down to her ankles. She could almost hear the mirth in the elleth's next words.
"We had to remove your clothes to treat some of your other injuries. You do not mind dresses, I presume?"
Imlosel nodded numbly. In fact, she favored wearing a dress over a tunic and leggings. It was just simply impossible to ride a horse at full gallop in a dress, surely she knew that.
"By the way, I am Hwineth. You have been assigned to me as my charge until you are well enough to leave," she explained.
Leave. The word echoed in her mind. Yes, if she could only make it back to the village, she could forget every memory of what had happened. The message was safe. She was… relatively unharmed. Imlosel looked up to see the elleth staring at her strangely.
"You are certainly a quiet one. Come now, what is your name?"
"Imlosel," she croaked, her throat pleading for water.
"A charming name. It suits you, I think. Now, lean forward a bit…"
With Hwineth's help, Imlosel was sitting up straight against the headboard, cushioned by numerous pillows. Hwineth helped her to drink and then promptly handed her a biscuit.
"Eat," she commanded. Imlosel looked at her doubtfully.
"What is wrong? Have you never eaten one before?"
Imlosel was saved an explanation as Camen entered the room, filling the small space with his large presence. A healer entered beside him, one she had not seen before, bearing a bowl and fresh bandages.
"Feeling better, I presume? I see Hwineth has you up and about already. You'll soon be well enough for an audience with the Lord and Lady," he commented, arranging the things that had been brought in.
For some reason, her stomach lurched as she imagined what he had just said. She definitely did not want to get involved with anything serious concerning the letter that had been sent. Diplomatic affairs were not her expertise.
Her mind wandered from that back to the current happenings when Camen lightly removed the linen from her midsection. Bracing herself, she looked downward at the revealed area.
Imlosel was amazed at the amount of damage that had been repaired just overnight. The wound had already closed and merely retained a reddish color and slight soreness upon touch. He cleaned the wound again, applying more herbs as needed, and put another bandage on, lighter than the last.
"Eat, though you may not feel like it. It will help you recover more quickly," he added. With a wink, the gentle healer gathered some things and turned to leave. The elf that had accompanied him gathered the rest.
Imlosel caught the glance shared between Hwineth and this other healer, and she sensed a connection. The healer simply nodded curtly to Hwineth and turned to follow Camen out of the room. Imlosel looked quickly back to Hwineth to see a blush spreading across her face.
"Ah… well then, like he said, 'tis time to eat," she said, looking flustered. She hastily retrieved the tray from where it had been sitting at the end of her bed and placed it on Imlosel's lap.
The broth was not so bad. It smelled of some type of meat and was flavored with several sharp herbs. The biscuits, surprisingly, were not bad at all either. Once Hwineth was satisfied with what she had finished, she took up the tray and balanced it on her hip.
"You would do well to rest, I shall check on you this afternoon," she stated. Her skirts swished as she merrily left the room, braid swinging behind her. With a heavy sigh, Imlosel leaned back into the pillows and attempted the impossible.
"So you were not terribly delayed by this incidence?" Lord Celeborn asked, looking up at his March warden from a letter that had recently been delivered.
"No, my Lord," Haldir replied. An image of the elleth they had found danced into his mind, making the corners of his mouth turn up slightly. Perhaps he would go and visit her, to make sure she was well…
"Very well. You will have a month's rest here before returning," he commanded. Haldir bowed and dismissed himself from the council hall. His mood, which had been getting steadily better after dreaming of a warm bath and cozy bed, worsened immediately at the sight of a melancholy elleth standing listlessly at the edge of the entrance hall.
Her head turned as he exited, catching sight of him. He repressed the urge to ignore her when he saw that there were no others in the hall with them. It would only be the gentlemanly thing to do to escort her back to her talan.
"Good evening, Eglaneth," he greeted her. She answered with a small smile.
"Oh, Haldir, how lovely to see you home and safe again," she said. She sighed despairingly, making her previous statement seem insincere. An awkward silence ensued.
"'Tis late for you to be out. Shall I accompany you to your talan?" He asked, hoping she did not mean what he thought she did. He really did want that warm bath, and soon.
"Yes, that would be nice," she answered softly. She tucked her cold hand in his arm and he set off for her talan, setting a brisk pace. Fortunately, Eglaneth was the kind to discourage all forms of conversation, unless it was about a certain topic.
The walk was understandably silent, and the farewell at her door was formal and stiff. Haldir practically bounced back to his own residence, relieved as the towering mallorn came into view minutes later.
The familiar setting of his home was more welcoming than any sight he had ever beheld. He knew his brothers would no doubt drop by the next day and visit.
The weapons he had been carrying were hung in their proper place on the wall. He took off his cloak and draped it on the back of a chair, making a note to get it cleaned soon. A wonderfully warm bath was already waiting for him in his chambers, and he gratefully slid into the calming water, letting the bath soothe his tired muscles.
Yet again the elleth reappeared in his head. Camen would have surely seen to her, but he had a nagging curiosity to check up on her and see her progress. What was her name? Imlosel, he remembered. He would visit her the next day, and put an end to the deliberation.
After maybe an hour's worth of useless sleep, for she was never able to slip into a deeper reverie, Imlosel looked out the open window and determined that it was not even noon. Or if it was, the trees shaded so much light that it appeared darker than what it really was.
She began to realize how some patients went mad while in recovery. With nothing but tan colored everything and a candlestick, things tended to get quite dry. The once vibrant curtains seemed to be mocking her by swaying lazily in the breeze, as if to mimic her own lethargic attitude.
With nothing physical to stimulate her attention, she let her thoughts drift mindlessly about in her head. Could she even return home? No, she would not think about that. The village would not dare refuse her return because she had been sent on a necessary interference.
Then again, they had been quite adamant about not receiving help. Perhaps they would someday see the importance of what she had done. They would also take into account her plight. Where else could she go?
Her ears picked up a sound from down the hall. An ellon was speaking to someone in the atrium. His deep voice carried through the ward. Moments later two sets of footsteps were making their way down the hall.
Curious, Imlosel sat up straighter in her bed, smoothing the sheets over her. The footsteps stopped outside her door.
The wooden door opened a crack and let in Hwineth, who looked slight confused. She stepped forward, looking at Imlosel as if in a new light.
"There is someone to see you," she announced, her tone slightly disbelieving. "Are you strong enough for a visitor?"
Truly at this point, anything Hwineth offered, besides a candlestick and more tan colored accessories, Imlosel would have taken gladly.
"I think I shall fare well enough," she replied. Imlosel could not think who it was that would want to see her. Perhaps it was Nestad, for he was the only other elf who she knew the most.
Hwineth nodded and backed out of the room. Seconds later, the door opened again and admitted a broad, tall-looking ellon. As he turned around to face her, Imlosel realized that perhaps there was something worse than being alone in a room with nothing but tan and a candlestick.
Being in a room alone with tan and a candlestick, and also having to make conversation with Lorien's March warden, now that was something worth going mad over.
Be kind, review.