Chapter Four
~*~*~*~
The healers looked on upon her, huddled together and whispering. She was unconscious. If she lived through the night, it would exceed their expectations. They hadn't seen someone in such bad shape. She had spent an estimated two months in those horrid dungeons. None of the lashes on her back had healed all the way and many were still bleeding. Only two of her ribs remained unbroken. Most were fractured in multiple places. They suspected that one of her lungs was punctured. Her mouth was bleeding profusely and bruises covered her face. A long slash, probably done with a knife, crossed her face and went over one eye. She might loose the eye, one of them had said. The bones in one hand had been smashed to bits. The wire that had been encircling her wrists had cut through a vein.
If she wasn't going to die of blood lose, there was no knowing in what state her mind was in. When she had last been conscious, though unable to speak, with the yes or no questions she had been asked, it was clear she was unsure who she was, where she was, how she had gotten there, or what had happened to her. She was suffering from multiple concussions.
She had coughed up blood for the last hours before she had fallen asleep. Her breathing was slow and raspy, like that of someone who had breathed in too much smoke. There was not much hope for her.
~*~*~*~
Veralia awoke when light crept on her. She opened her eyes and blinked, sunlight momentarily blinding her. A softly muttered oath, cursing the cheery mood of the outer forest. She was in no mood for flowers and sunshine. She needed to get to Mirkwood, hand Legolas over to his family and go happily - or not so happily - on her way. Legolas was still sleeping. Happily curled up against Mundo's warm body. Veralia gazed at him in silence. She hugged her legs to her body and rocked back and forth in silence. She should not have gotten so attached to him. Her attachments and relationships to people had been what had led her to her doom.
Veralia sighed. She would need to wake the child, who slept so happily in his innocent ignorance. //An ignorance to the horrors of the world must be a bliss// Veralia thought. From the day she had born and opened bleary silver eyes she had been burdened with her mother's pain and shame, and then her own.
Veralia shook her head. They needed to be moving. 'Ai'er, it is time to wake up,' Veralia said softly.
'Are we going on now?' Legolas asked, sitting up and blinking.
'Yes, we will be walking along the bank of the Anduin river, go through the outskirts of Lothlorien and then north into Mirkwood,' Veralia replied. They ate a light breakfast and continued on their way. They walked up the Anduin, and within the time of a week, came within the sight of the Golden Wood.
***
'We will camp here tonight,' Veralia said, picking a reasonably sheltered place to set up camp. 'Tomorrow we will reach the outer wood of Lothlorien. Go around it and then enter Mirkwood.'
Legolas scrambled up to the top of a boulder, gazing down the hill at the forest before him. 'It's so beautiful,' he murmered.
'Yes, I have heard rumors of its beauty. I, myself, have never been this far north. I have never seen any of the Elven kingdoms,' Veralia replied.
'When we reach Mirkwood, I will show you around! You can meet my father and my brothers!' Legolas said happily.
'We will see,' Veralia answered absently, staring into the distance. //You don't want to meet his family. You can't, attachments to people will get you hurt, or killed// Veralia told herself. //But you are already attached to Legolas, are you not?// the bitter part of her answered.
~*~*~*~
The healers looked on upon her, huddled together and whispering. She was unconscious. If she lived through the night, it would exceed their expectations. They hadn't seen someone in such bad shape. She had spent an estimated two months in those horrid dungeons. None of the lashes on her back had healed all the way and many were still bleeding. Only two of her ribs remained unbroken. Most were fractured in multiple places. They suspected that one of her lungs was punctured. Her mouth was bleeding profusely and bruises covered her face. A long slash, probably done with a knife, crossed her face and went over one eye. She might loose the eye, one of them had said. The bones in one hand had been smashed to bits. The wire that had been encircling her wrists had cut through a vein.
If she wasn't going to die of blood lose, there was no knowing in what state her mind was in. When she had last been conscious, though unable to speak, with the yes or no questions she had been asked, it was clear she was unsure who she was, where she was, how she had gotten there, or what had happened to her. She was suffering from multiple concussions.
She had coughed up blood for the last hours before she had fallen asleep. Her breathing was slow and raspy, like that of someone who had breathed in too much smoke. There was not much hope for her.
~*~*~*~
Veralia awoke when light crept on her. She opened her eyes and blinked, sunlight momentarily blinding her. A softly muttered oath, cursing the cheery mood of the outer forest. She was in no mood for flowers and sunshine. She needed to get to Mirkwood, hand Legolas over to his family and go happily - or not so happily - on her way. Legolas was still sleeping. Happily curled up against Mundo's warm body. Veralia gazed at him in silence. She hugged her legs to her body and rocked back and forth in silence. She should not have gotten so attached to him. Her attachments and relationships to people had been what had led her to her doom.
Veralia sighed. She would need to wake the child, who slept so happily in his innocent ignorance. //An ignorance to the horrors of the world must be a bliss// Veralia thought. From the day she had born and opened bleary silver eyes she had been burdened with her mother's pain and shame, and then her own.
Veralia shook her head. They needed to be moving. 'Ai'er, it is time to wake up,' Veralia said softly.
'Are we going on now?' Legolas asked, sitting up and blinking.
'Yes, we will be walking along the bank of the Anduin river, go through the outskirts of Lothlorien and then north into Mirkwood,' Veralia replied. They ate a light breakfast and continued on their way. They walked up the Anduin, and within the time of a week, came within the sight of the Golden Wood.
***
'We will camp here tonight,' Veralia said, picking a reasonably sheltered place to set up camp. 'Tomorrow we will reach the outer wood of Lothlorien. Go around it and then enter Mirkwood.'
Legolas scrambled up to the top of a boulder, gazing down the hill at the forest before him. 'It's so beautiful,' he murmered.
'Yes, I have heard rumors of its beauty. I, myself, have never been this far north. I have never seen any of the Elven kingdoms,' Veralia replied.
'When we reach Mirkwood, I will show you around! You can meet my father and my brothers!' Legolas said happily.
'We will see,' Veralia answered absently, staring into the distance. //You don't want to meet his family. You can't, attachments to people will get you hurt, or killed// Veralia told herself. //But you are already attached to Legolas, are you not?// the bitter part of her answered.