- Chapter 36 -
"Is she alive?"
"Is she conscious?"
"How bad was she hit?"
The constant flow of questions followed him as he carried her to the healing tents, but he wished they would stop. His mind was already whirling enough as it was. Galdiron was already waiting for him, as was Thranduil and Gandalf; their faces drawn tight. The messenger he'd sent ahead wasted no time in notifying the healer of the situation. Seeing his father there, though, was a little surprising. Still dressed in his armor, the King looked exactly as he had when he searched out Legolas on Ravenhill not long ago. He'd been called back to the city promptly once he ensured his son was alive. The duties of the King were never ending.
The second he stepped inside the tent, the glow of the lamplight illuminated her pale frame and the three of them made room so he could set her down on the cot.
"She has been in and out of consciousness," he explained to Galdiron, who instantly sank down on her other side and began examining her arm.
Her eyes were fluttering as she struggled to stay awake, and she took a gasping breath.
Galdiron shook his head and frowned. "The poison has had plenty of time to work," he stated unhappily. He turned to his aid and rambled off a list of items he would need before rising and rolling up his sleeves.
"I need time and space to work," he told the three of them but his eyes were on Legolas. "I will send word when I have some answers."
The Prince looked up with a frown, but before he could argue, Thranduil placed a hand on his shoulder.
"There is work to do in the meantime," the King said, subtly reminding his son that they had an entire army that needed their attention. "She is in good hands, and there is nothing we can do here."
Nodding, Legolas allowed himself to be removed from the healers tent, and Gandalf closed the flap behind them, cutting out the light from inside as they stepped out into the bustling streets.
"See to your captains," Thranduil ordered, his tone not allowing room for argument. "Gather their reports and return to me in one hour. I expect a fully detailed report."
Giving a curt nod, Legolas disappeared into the crowd and headed straight for his tent. He knew the reports would already be flowing in from the companies. If he was not mistaken, that meant Sidhel would already be at work tallying the numbers. They needed to know how many were dead, who was among the dead so families and loved ones could be properly notified, who was injured, who was alive, and what kind of supplies and equipment they would need. They'd been unprepared for a battle of this magnitude, and his heart sank. Every life lost would be a major blow to the Woodland Realm. Even Tauriel's absence by his side would be felt, and he wondered how Sidhel would adjust to his new position as his second captain.
He was not in any hurry to pour over the reports he was sure were stacking up, but his father only gave him one hour before he had to return with numbers, and his head was already aching at the thought. His tent was just ahead, only a short ways down from the King's, and he could already see guard's entering and leaving just as quickly as they came. His feet halted and he took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.
The four guards posted outside of his tent stood tall and regal looking, their armor reflecting the lamplight within the tent behind them. Duty was calling, despite wanting to turn back around to the healer's tent. Odd, how strong the urge to turn around was. But, seeing her lying there looking like that chilled his bones in a way he'd never felt before. The way she'd been curled up in his arms, so small and fragile looking made his heart ache. She was so light and small for an elf that it was almost unnatural.
Yes, the poison had plenty of time to take hold. Even if whatever she'd been struck with hadn't embedded itself into her person, it just meant the poison would work a little slower. She probably hadn't even felt it until later on, and even in the midst of battle, he knew how easily an injury - no matter how small - could go without much attention and suddenly leave you crumbling hours later.
Galdiron was a skilled healer and she was in good hands, but that didn't ease the throbbing sensation inside his chest. Taking another deep breath, he had soldiers that needed his attention, reports to write up, numbers to tally, and that was only just the beginning.
Sidhel looked up from his seat behind the table with a frown when Legolas entered. Already the reports were stacking up on the table. For many years the two of them had been close friends, but now the guard seemed distant and far too absorbed with his work. It wasn't hard for Legolas to see something was wrong.
"I understand if you wish for another to assist you," Sidhel said when he turned back to the table. He ceased writing only momentarily and the Prince frowned.
"Do not think for one moment that I blame you, mellon."
"I would not blame you if you did."
Legolas shook his head. "You know me better than that."
"I failed a direct order," the guard argued. "I was not able to keep an eye on her."
"Unless you are forgetting, she snuck out from under your watch while my father was there."
A small smile tugged on the corner of Sidhel's mouth but then he shook his head.
"She is exceptionally brave," he said, and Legolas couldn't help but grin a little. "Leave it to your she-elf to disobey the King right in front of him."
"Do you wanna talk about boys?" Mom's sly smile peered down at her from where she lay sprawled out on the grass. Her fingers splayed out over the ground beneath her but then Mom had to go and ruin the peaceful moment.
Rolling her eyes and feeling her face blush, Shyloh sat up and crossed her legs underneath her. "No," she said flatly.
Mom was persistent though. "How about warriors?"
Shyloh shook hear head. "No."
"Princes?"
"Nope."
"Handsome Princes?"
"They're all the same person, so no."
"Oh come on," Mom pouted, and she sat back and mimicked Shyloh by crossing her legs underneath her. "You gotta give me something here."
"Do we have to talk about guys right now?" Shyloh asked, her shoulders sinking.
Slumping in defeat, Mom gave in. "Fine, but we will talk about this...right? I mean, you bonded! I have been waiting for this for ages!"
"No you haven't!" Shyloh snapped, but she had a hard time keeping the smile from playing at the edges of her mouth.
"Yes I have! You two are so cute together," Mom squealed and Shyloh's face flamed bright red. "Not that you've actually been 'together, together' for more than a few minutes, but you know what I mean."
"Seriously," she sighed. "It's weird enough as it is."
"But he's your soulmate," Mom sighed dramatically. "You two were born to be together! The Valar did a good job with this match if I may say so myself."
"Great, so we were arranged? Like an arranged marriage? Do you now how weird that is? Love at first sight? Come on Mom, this is not natural."
"It is here!"
Shyloh shook her head. "I don't think I want some other forces messing with my emotions. They're unstable enough as it is without throwing a Prince into the mix."
"You're overthinking this, girl," sighed Mom, and she spread her legs out in front of her and looked up at the stars. "Think of it as fate giving you a little...push."
"I don't want to be pushed, pulled, or shoved in any direction; at least not in the direction of a man."
Mom fixed her with a serious look. "You don't like him," she stated in a flat tone, and Shyloh's eyes widened.
"No, it's not that."
"He's too tall?"
"No..."
"Too handsome?"
"Mom!"
"To warrior-ish? Honestly, a man in uniform is pretty easy on the eyes if you ask me."
"What? That's not a word, and seriously!"
"Come on kid, help me out here. I'm trying to figure out what you don't like about him." The humor in Mom's eyes only fueled Shyloh's annoyance.
"I never said I didn't like him."
"But you're still not happy? Come on kid, we don't have a lot of time, and I want to help you figure this out."
Shyloh sighed and rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. Mom was right, they didn't have a lot of time and she should be spilling her guts to her while she had the chance. But, talking about boys wasn't something she'd ever been great at doing.
"Okay," she sighed in defeat. "Okay, let's talk."
Mom's smile widened and she pulled her feet back underneath her like a giddy little girl. "Okay, great!"
"I've only been in Arda a few years. I'm still trying to figure out my life and where I'm supposed to fit in. I have family back in Rivendell, and I miss them like crazy. Am I just supposed to leave them behind now? What's supposed to happen with Legolas and I? Okay, we bonded, but are people going to expect us to like, get married? I'm not ready to get married. And then there's Iamben; he positively hates me, and I've never even talked to him. And what about the dwarves? I came all this way with them -,"
"Okay, okay," Mom said, holding up her hands. "Let's start with first things first. No one is going to expect you and Legolas to get married immediately, and definitely not so quick. Only a few people know you two bonded. Take your time, get to know each other. Go back to Rivendell, be with your family. He will understand. This is why most elves bond after they have known each other for a little while. You two were kind of thrown into it at first sight."
"Love at first sight," she muttered, and Mom smiled sympathetically.
"Very few people bond at first sight. It just goes to show you two were meant to be together. Your love will be real and true and strong. Unbreakable. Give it time to let it grow and flourish, there is no rush."
"This sounds like a really poorly written romance novel. Whoever is writing this needs to do some major rewrites."
Mom snorted. "We each write our own stories, sometimes we just need a little help."
Shyloh twisted her hair between her fingers thoughtfully. "So, I'm overthinking this whole 'relationship' thing and I should just let it play out one day at a time?"
Mom nodded. "You can't force love, my dear."
Silence followed Mom's words for a little bit and they both turned to look up at the stars.
"I know you said you don't get to choose when you come and see me, but I'm glad you got to tonight. Although, I wish it wouldn't have been so long in between visits."
Mom smiled then turned serious. "Well, you did get poisoned. Honestly, you have to be a little more careful."
Shyloh nodded slowly.
"Good thing your knight in shining armor was there to save you."
Shyloh looked away and blushed. "He saved me twice, remember?"
Mom nodded. "I remember."
There was another pause and Mom was thoughtful. "As far as Iamben goes," she said, her face darkening a little. "I don't believe he's bad or evil, just extremely suspicious. Still, I would be careful and try not to find yourself alone with him if you can help it. I'm still your mother and I expect you to listen to me on this."
Shyloh nodded. "Does he know if Legolas and I bonded?"
Mom shook her head. "I'm not sure, but he knows there's something going on between the two of you. Whatever he's got going on in his head, it was enough to make Sidhel question his own King's commands, and I don't think Sidhel's ever done that before."
Shyloh licked her lips. "I'll be careful."
"See that you are. I don't think Elrond will like to hear he's being questioned or accused by Thranduil's counselors either."
"Probably not. I definitely don't want to cause a rift between Rivendell and Mirkwood."
"Thranduil's smart and so is Elrond. They've been through the motions enough to know when someone is trying to start something. Not much gets by those two."
Feeling a little more at ease, Shyloh laid back down on the ground and looked up at the stars. "I have another question."
Mom laid down too and took up her daughter's hand in her own. "What's that?"
"At first I thought it was just my imagination, but then it happened two more times."
"You're talking about the voice you heard."
Shyloh's head snapped towards her mother. "Was that you?"
Mom shook her head but she smiled. "No, but I know who it was."
Propping herself up onto her elbow, she looked down at Mom intensely. "Who was it?"
"I can't tell you. That's something you'll have to wait and find out on your own."
Frowning, Shyloh plopped back down on the grass. "Not fair."
Mom chuckled. "All good things to those who wait, dear girl."
"Is it someone I've met before?"
"Nope."
The ground shifted and Shyloh squeezed her mother's hand tightly.
"Love you Mom."
"Love you Shy-girl."
Sunlight seeped into her closed eyelids but the smell of rain drifted up her nose and she scrunched her face as she blinked. The white walls of the tent met her as did the sounds and voices outside. Dale was alive with activity and the noise drummed in her ears, making her head hurt. Horses snorted and their hooves clopped on the stone streets. Men and elves alike shouted to one another and occasionally the smell of something burning floated in under the gaps of the tent and it made her scrunch her nose with dislike.
She rolled and stretched her aching legs, then turned to look at her arm. It was sore and the muscles were stiff she noted, as she tried to flex her fingers and make a fist.
Groaning, she looked around her tent and realized that she wasn't in the healing tents like she expected but instead inside her own. In the corner was the little chair and table, and hanging from the poles of the tent were the dresses she'd donned earlier in their trip to the city. A big round tub was sat at the end of her bed and the steaming water made her perk up immediately.
Before she could pull the blankets off of her, the tent flap opened and an elleth walked in, closing the flap behind her. Her long dark hair was braided back in a plait down her back and she held a bundle of towels in her arms. When she turned, her eyes widened a little when she saw Shyloh awake, and she dropped into a curtsy.
"My Lady," she said softly. "I am Arossel, I will be your lady's maid. Galdiron said you would be waking shortly, and I was just preparing your bath. He was just in here to check on you."
"Shyloh watched her step into the tent and place the towels on the end of the cot.
"Where is Galdiron?" she asked and the maid looked up.
"He is back with the other healers my Lady. He sends his apologies that he could not be here when you awoke, but he is needed with the other wounded."
"No worries," she muttered, then rubbed her head.
"Are you feeling well my Lady?"
Blinking, Shyloh nodded. "Just stiff and sore. How long was I asleep?"
"Understandable, and for two days. Galdiron insisted you needed the rest, especially since the poison had spread so much. The water is still hot, and I added some herbs to help with your muscle aches." She gestured to the tub and Shyloh found herself throwing the blankets off of her. Her bare feet touched the cold ground and it sent an uncomfortable shiver up her body.
The maid helped her strip out of the nightdress she'd been put in and she stepped into the tub. The smell of lavender wafted up her nose and she breathed in a heavy sigh.
While Arossel washed the dirt and grime from her hair, Shyloh went to work on her body and scrubbed herself clean, careful of the bandage that was wrapped around her upper left arm still. After her hair was rinsed, she was wrapped in heavy towels and dried off. For days she'd craved a hot bath and while she wanted nothing more than to soak in the warm water, it quickly grew cold and she had no problem getting out and into clean clothes.
She opted for the dark blue dress with silver trim, since there was no sign of clean leggings or a tunic anywhere, and instead of being a bother, she reluctantly stepped into the gown. Arossel combed through her hair with a soft bristled brush while she sat in the chair and fiddled with her skirts.
"Thank you," Shyloh said hesitantly. "For...for helping and being so nice."
"It is my pleasure my Lady," Arossel said softly. "It is my understanding that your last two lady's maids were not so very kind."
Shyloh grimaced, and the maid took that for a yes.
"When Narril found out how poorly they had treated you - she is head of the housekeepers – she sentenced the two of them to dungeon detail. Our King is known for his temper, but Narril I fear is far worse in some ways. It is never wise to displease her," Arossel explained gently. "Especially if you do not want to be scrubbing the dungeons from top to bottom."
Shyloh sat stone still in her seat and chewed on her bottom lip. "How did she find out?"
"When you put them in their rightful place that morning, the door was open to your room, and the guard outside heard the exchange. Narril is his cousin you see, and they are very close since his parents sailed West when he was only an elfling. He is not one to listen in on private conversations, in fact, it is a rule of being a guard so to speak, but he could not stand aside quietly while they treated you so. If you had not spoken up, he would have scolded them himself. Tempers run in Narril's family tree, if you catch my drift, that is the only reason the King allowed Narril to deal out their punishments instead of himself."
Shyloh's guilt must have shown on her face because the maids eyes softened.
"It is not your doing my Lady, but what they brought upon themselves. The dungeons are vast, and they will be kept busy for quite some time."
"It was never my intention to cause so many issues. Between the guards being banished and now the maids, I feel as if everyone should hate me."
"Hate is a strong word. Wary would be more appropriate, as we do not get many outsiders anymore, and find it harder and harder to send our own to council meetings in other lands. Our borders are always under attack it seems, and it is not always safe for travel. The guards deserved their punishment, and will serve their time without complaint. They are lucky they were not banished permanently. It was disgraceful and dishonorable, for both the guards and maids," Arossel said. "Besides, I believe the maids had it coming anyway. They're very bitter and I believe they had some encouragement."
"What do you mean?"
"I am not a gossiper my Lady, and do not thoroughly enjoy spreading it around, however I feel it is only fair that you know Lady Lastril was most put out with you at the feast when the Prince would not give her any attention. It is not your fault of course, but she is young and a bit foolish, and has not spoken very nicely about you."
"I don't even know who she is, I've only heard about her."
"You were kept rather busy the entire night," she said with a knowing smile. "So I am not surprised you did not notice her. She will be here soon though, as the King has ordered extra supplies and aid to be brought in to help with the wounded."
Shyloh's eyes widened. "I don't enjoy gossip either but I especially do not enjoy drama."
"I will point her out for you if you like. I am afraid many Ladies of the court are spoiled and can sometimes act like it," smiled Arossel. She finished Shyloh's hair and parted some of it so it hung down Shyloh's front. She then placed a circlet on top of her head, making sure it was centered on her forehead. "If it is not too bold to say, it is also my understanding the Prince could not take his eyes off of you at the feast."
Shyloh blushed furiously. "I don't know what you mean."
Arossel's smile grew mischievously and said gently, "Of course my Lady."
ro781727 - yes, about time Legolas clears the air! Thanks for the corrections.
LDiana - She's slowly coming into herself. She's only been in ME for a short while but she's growing. More Legolas and Shyloh to come.
Thanks for the reviews and messages. I have a few more chapterswritten that I just need to attempt to proofread.
-S
