Chapter Two: Stay with the light
"Can you get to her?" The gravelly voice man shouted at the other man who was on the branch inching his way to the girl.
The girl screamed again. "Please somebody help me!"
"There's no one to hear you, little flower." The man above her called out.
"Leave me alone! I am not your little flower!" She spat as she tried to appear tough.
The man wagged his head. "We can't leave you. Because if we do, that would cut our profits down." The man sneered.
To the girl's horror, the added weight made the branch creaked dangerously. This also made the second man stopped his movements and waited for the branch to settle before resuming in reaching out for the girl.
By the edge of the forest, Estel watched with difficulty, as the light over the area grew dimmer. He could hardly make out the dark figures standing on the edge of the shallow ravine yet it was still deep enough to cause injuries. His attention was then diverted to his right as his brother, Elrohir and his steed moved away from the protection of the thick foliage behind them. Upon the command from his owner, the horse stopped at the middle of the calm stream and waited the next command. Elladan had his bow out and an arrow notched ready for its release as he called out with authority.
"Leave the girl alone! These borders are protected. You are not welcome here."
The lead man huffed. "Pay no attention to him." He told his partner and instructed him to get the girl quickly so they will be off.
Without warning, the man on the branch made a wild grab for the girl's wrist. This caught the girl in surprise as she was easily hoisted up. She wriggled from his vice-like grip but it was no use.
"Quickly, throw the girl to me!" The gravelly man ordered as he positioned himself to catch the girl.
However, before the second man could swing her, Anathea in desperation bit the man on the hand. What happened next was instantaneous and alarming.
The man automatically released his hold of the girl in surprise. Unfortunately, it also led Anathea to realize that she wasn't able to grab hold of anything this time around in order to break her fall. She did manage to escape from certain thralldom but her action also cost her own life!
Cold air rushed around her now and Time slow down. The feeling of heavy doom pressed down on her made every part of her body stiff. Panic did its best too, with its invisible hands; they have successfully frozen Anathea's arms for she could not reach out the branch again which a moment ago was her lifeline from certain death.
Now, she could feel her eyes would pop out from their sockets as terror raced through her body. Another scream filled the area and for the next while, a faint sickening thud was heard. Elrohir witnessed the girl's fall to the ravine's stony ground and coldly released the arrow and it found its target. The man on the branch soon fell to the ground in a heap.
The lead man shouted something in his language as he shook a fist in the air. His other men readied their arrows and targeted the intruding elf nearing the bank below. However, before they could release their arrows, they fell in their places with shafts sticking out of their chests.
The gravelly voiced man squinted in the dimness and saw another elf emerging from the forest on the other side of the bank. He could not deny the unnerving sight the Elves have. With a growl, he left the edge, fearing for his life more but fuming. He put two fingers near his lips and a clear whistle came. Soon, a sound of hoof beats was heard and a lone horse arrived. The man mounted the gray stallion and they rode away from the edge.
Elrohir knew who took care of the other three men and was grateful of the cover provided by his brother although he was certain that Elladan have been watchful all the time. Now, his attention was on the little girl who landed on the ground several feet away from him. His heart beat with urgency as he leaped from his horse the moment they reached the bank and rushed to the girl's side.
His keen eye saw that she fell on a thick bed of pine needles and reasoned that it may have cushioned her in the fall. However, it also might not be enough.
He gently turned her over and instantly saw a red line traveling from the corner of her mouth down to side of her chin. Blood. His heart went out immediately for the little girl and carefully made a cursory check for any broken bones on the girl's body. Both of her arms were intact although when his fingers were lightly pressing the side of her body, he noticed that the girl winced in pain in that region and it was tender to touch. Elrohir hazards a guess that there was a possibility that one of her ribs was broken.
Ordinarily, a longer inspection is usually done to ascertain any more wounds but Elrohir had a bad feeling that if he stayed longer than necessary, he would surely lose the girl. He quickly made up his mind and started to scan the immediate area for a piece of wood to make a splint for her right ankle that have already appeared swollen. Other than that, there were not any more serious injuries, he could easily discern. Thank the Valar for little miracles. He thought. Still seeing blood coming from the girl's mouth worried him.
Elladan was already beside the girl as he felt for her breathing.
"It is very shallow," Elladan remarked as he passed a finger under her nostrils.
His brother nodded in acknowledgement. "Elladan, hold her while I will set her ankle," Elrohir instructed. He had seen how his father treated Estel when the boy would come home with an injury after another. It was usually a result of their rough housing that it became a common incident at the house.
The girl moaned as Elrohir completed the task and gently carried her to his waiting steed.
Elladan helped his brother wrapped the sash around his body that would act as brace for the girl's limp form. They also folded the arms of the girl into the protective makeshift brace that will prevent the girl from being thrown forward during their journey home to Rivendell. With his one free hand, Elrohir held on the girl's head.
A frown reflected both the twins' faces since they knew it was still a long way from home.
"Let's go." Elrohir said trying to dismiss the foreboding feeling and the brothers galloped back into the protective embrace of the trees.
After a few moments of travel, Elrohir was forced to slow down to a canter when the girl began to cough out blood and under his touch, he could feel the coldness creeping in her body. Another moan escaped her lips.
"Stay with me, young one," Elrohir softly whispered to her ear in grey tongue.
Elladan glanced back when he heard the galloping sounds of his brother's horse decreased. He found Elrohir navigating through the path for a smoother passage.
Elrohir looked ahead of him and saw his brothers' concerned look.
"I can not go any faster." He told them in a loud voice. "The child was coughing out blood."
Elladan slowed his horse that fell in step beside his brother's steed. "Haste is still needed." Catching the deep concern reflected in his brother's eyes. However, before Elrohir could say that he was aware of the urgency. His older twin spoke again.
"Give me your reins and I will be the guide. I believe it would be easier." Elladan said and caught the reins of his brother's horse when it was handed to him. With another hand free, Elrohir's attention was no longer divided which made it easier for him to concentrate in keeping the girl stable in the saddle amidst the movement of the horse.
"Stay with the light, little one. Do not let go of the light." He urged still whispering closely to her ear in grey tongue when the coldness spiked under his touch once more.
The response that came afterwards was almost imperceptible for a human to notice inescapable to an elf.
"I...will...stay...with the...light," the young girl haltingly mumbled, her lips barely moving at all.
The coldness seemed to ebb, her groans lessened and the distress in her breathing slowly disappeared, replaced by a faint rise and fall of her chest. The passage through the forest seemed to drag out more than usual but Elrohir noticed that they have made better time despite of it.
Finally, the brothers' reached the gates of Rivendell and Elladan set Estel down so he could inform their father ahead of what happened.
By the time they arrived at the main entrance of the house, their father was waiting with Estel by his side. Quickly, the brothers followed their father into a spare bedchamber that was hastily prepared for the girl. A servant was waiting inside to assist.
"Leave us. I will see to her now." Elrond told them and the servant closed the door behind them. The brothers wanted to wait around but Estel was hungry so they all went to the kitchen to eat. They decided to return after eating their meals.
The young girl's condition had not changed since the travel, Elrohir once said to him. So very young. Elrond thought as he checked the wounds received by the girl. She was pale and her eyes were unfocused. A servant removed the tattered and soiled clothes of the young girl and could not help eliciting a gasp.
Elrond's frown deepened when he saw the girl's back was covered mostly with bruises just like her mid-section. His touch seasoned with centuries of the applying the healing arts, delicately probed the girl's chest and found two broken ribs. Fortunately, none had punctured a vital organ. After applying a special herb medicine to the immediate area in order for it to heal faster, he bandaged much across the girl's torso to set the bone. Later, he began attending her other bruises, cuts and scraped knees. Soon after the elf lord's administrations, the servant dressed her in a soft green gown.
"Fetch more wood," Elrond instructed as he noticed the girl's lips tremble from the chill.
The servant obeyed and left the room to get more wood to feed the chamber's fireplace.
Elrond then moved to the foot of the bed to see the twisted ankle. He removed the splint, cleaned the cuts and applied another healing herb salve on the affected spot. He then set the ankle in the splint to keep it in place.
He walked back to the head of bed and sat on the chair that was beside it. He laid a hand on her forehead and began stroking the girl's head. The action calmed the little girl and an easy sigh came.
"Do not retreat from the light, child," Elrond whispered and saw a tear falling down from the side of the girl's cheek. He wiped the tear away with the back of his finger and spoke once more. "You are safe now. You can rest." He knew that the girl understood him and the frightened features fell away to show a very vulnerable child. He then fixed the blankets to keep her warm and continued stroking the girl's hair.
The elf lord soon glanced up just as the servant re-entered the room carrying with her an armload of wood that she set to one side on the floor, near the fireplace. She fed one log into the kindling fire and new sparks danced at the new addition. Soon warmth radiated from it, spreading through out the room. He also saw his sons walking right behind the servant's heels and Elladan was about to speak when his father silenced him with a forefinger across his lips.
Before leaving the room, Elrond spoke quietly to the servant and requested her that she stay with the young child and to make sure the young girl does not bother her bandages at all times. The servant nodded and finally Elrond left them.
Elrond approached his sons who stood by a veranda near the room and they soon faced their father.
"She will survive this ordeal," Elrond slowly began. " But I fear it will take long to overcome the nightmares," answering their unsaid question as he directly glanced at Estel.
"What do you want me to do, Father?" The boy eagerly asked and sensed that he has a task for him.
Placing his hand on the boy's head, he smiled. "I would like you to be her guardian for a while, Estel. Visit her all the time and if you can, stay with her as much as you can, that would be good to her." He said in an afterthought.
"The strange surroundings may startle her and I am unsure if she has seen an Elf so close in her young life. You can become her bridge to healing and a strength regaining what she lost."
"I can do that," Estel smiled. He slightly was puzzled at what his father meant by the last remark but he anyway, agreed.
However, Lord Elrond feels a hidden threat and the person to get the answers from is trying to heal.
"Can you get to her?" The gravelly voice man shouted at the other man who was on the branch inching his way to the girl.
The girl screamed again. "Please somebody help me!"
"There's no one to hear you, little flower." The man above her called out.
"Leave me alone! I am not your little flower!" She spat as she tried to appear tough.
The man wagged his head. "We can't leave you. Because if we do, that would cut our profits down." The man sneered.
To the girl's horror, the added weight made the branch creaked dangerously. This also made the second man stopped his movements and waited for the branch to settle before resuming in reaching out for the girl.
By the edge of the forest, Estel watched with difficulty, as the light over the area grew dimmer. He could hardly make out the dark figures standing on the edge of the shallow ravine yet it was still deep enough to cause injuries. His attention was then diverted to his right as his brother, Elrohir and his steed moved away from the protection of the thick foliage behind them. Upon the command from his owner, the horse stopped at the middle of the calm stream and waited the next command. Elladan had his bow out and an arrow notched ready for its release as he called out with authority.
"Leave the girl alone! These borders are protected. You are not welcome here."
The lead man huffed. "Pay no attention to him." He told his partner and instructed him to get the girl quickly so they will be off.
Without warning, the man on the branch made a wild grab for the girl's wrist. This caught the girl in surprise as she was easily hoisted up. She wriggled from his vice-like grip but it was no use.
"Quickly, throw the girl to me!" The gravelly man ordered as he positioned himself to catch the girl.
However, before the second man could swing her, Anathea in desperation bit the man on the hand. What happened next was instantaneous and alarming.
The man automatically released his hold of the girl in surprise. Unfortunately, it also led Anathea to realize that she wasn't able to grab hold of anything this time around in order to break her fall. She did manage to escape from certain thralldom but her action also cost her own life!
Cold air rushed around her now and Time slow down. The feeling of heavy doom pressed down on her made every part of her body stiff. Panic did its best too, with its invisible hands; they have successfully frozen Anathea's arms for she could not reach out the branch again which a moment ago was her lifeline from certain death.
Now, she could feel her eyes would pop out from their sockets as terror raced through her body. Another scream filled the area and for the next while, a faint sickening thud was heard. Elrohir witnessed the girl's fall to the ravine's stony ground and coldly released the arrow and it found its target. The man on the branch soon fell to the ground in a heap.
The lead man shouted something in his language as he shook a fist in the air. His other men readied their arrows and targeted the intruding elf nearing the bank below. However, before they could release their arrows, they fell in their places with shafts sticking out of their chests.
The gravelly voiced man squinted in the dimness and saw another elf emerging from the forest on the other side of the bank. He could not deny the unnerving sight the Elves have. With a growl, he left the edge, fearing for his life more but fuming. He put two fingers near his lips and a clear whistle came. Soon, a sound of hoof beats was heard and a lone horse arrived. The man mounted the gray stallion and they rode away from the edge.
Elrohir knew who took care of the other three men and was grateful of the cover provided by his brother although he was certain that Elladan have been watchful all the time. Now, his attention was on the little girl who landed on the ground several feet away from him. His heart beat with urgency as he leaped from his horse the moment they reached the bank and rushed to the girl's side.
His keen eye saw that she fell on a thick bed of pine needles and reasoned that it may have cushioned her in the fall. However, it also might not be enough.
He gently turned her over and instantly saw a red line traveling from the corner of her mouth down to side of her chin. Blood. His heart went out immediately for the little girl and carefully made a cursory check for any broken bones on the girl's body. Both of her arms were intact although when his fingers were lightly pressing the side of her body, he noticed that the girl winced in pain in that region and it was tender to touch. Elrohir hazards a guess that there was a possibility that one of her ribs was broken.
Ordinarily, a longer inspection is usually done to ascertain any more wounds but Elrohir had a bad feeling that if he stayed longer than necessary, he would surely lose the girl. He quickly made up his mind and started to scan the immediate area for a piece of wood to make a splint for her right ankle that have already appeared swollen. Other than that, there were not any more serious injuries, he could easily discern. Thank the Valar for little miracles. He thought. Still seeing blood coming from the girl's mouth worried him.
Elladan was already beside the girl as he felt for her breathing.
"It is very shallow," Elladan remarked as he passed a finger under her nostrils.
His brother nodded in acknowledgement. "Elladan, hold her while I will set her ankle," Elrohir instructed. He had seen how his father treated Estel when the boy would come home with an injury after another. It was usually a result of their rough housing that it became a common incident at the house.
The girl moaned as Elrohir completed the task and gently carried her to his waiting steed.
Elladan helped his brother wrapped the sash around his body that would act as brace for the girl's limp form. They also folded the arms of the girl into the protective makeshift brace that will prevent the girl from being thrown forward during their journey home to Rivendell. With his one free hand, Elrohir held on the girl's head.
A frown reflected both the twins' faces since they knew it was still a long way from home.
"Let's go." Elrohir said trying to dismiss the foreboding feeling and the brothers galloped back into the protective embrace of the trees.
After a few moments of travel, Elrohir was forced to slow down to a canter when the girl began to cough out blood and under his touch, he could feel the coldness creeping in her body. Another moan escaped her lips.
"Stay with me, young one," Elrohir softly whispered to her ear in grey tongue.
Elladan glanced back when he heard the galloping sounds of his brother's horse decreased. He found Elrohir navigating through the path for a smoother passage.
Elrohir looked ahead of him and saw his brothers' concerned look.
"I can not go any faster." He told them in a loud voice. "The child was coughing out blood."
Elladan slowed his horse that fell in step beside his brother's steed. "Haste is still needed." Catching the deep concern reflected in his brother's eyes. However, before Elrohir could say that he was aware of the urgency. His older twin spoke again.
"Give me your reins and I will be the guide. I believe it would be easier." Elladan said and caught the reins of his brother's horse when it was handed to him. With another hand free, Elrohir's attention was no longer divided which made it easier for him to concentrate in keeping the girl stable in the saddle amidst the movement of the horse.
"Stay with the light, little one. Do not let go of the light." He urged still whispering closely to her ear in grey tongue when the coldness spiked under his touch once more.
The response that came afterwards was almost imperceptible for a human to notice inescapable to an elf.
"I...will...stay...with the...light," the young girl haltingly mumbled, her lips barely moving at all.
The coldness seemed to ebb, her groans lessened and the distress in her breathing slowly disappeared, replaced by a faint rise and fall of her chest. The passage through the forest seemed to drag out more than usual but Elrohir noticed that they have made better time despite of it.
Finally, the brothers' reached the gates of Rivendell and Elladan set Estel down so he could inform their father ahead of what happened.
By the time they arrived at the main entrance of the house, their father was waiting with Estel by his side. Quickly, the brothers followed their father into a spare bedchamber that was hastily prepared for the girl. A servant was waiting inside to assist.
"Leave us. I will see to her now." Elrond told them and the servant closed the door behind them. The brothers wanted to wait around but Estel was hungry so they all went to the kitchen to eat. They decided to return after eating their meals.
The young girl's condition had not changed since the travel, Elrohir once said to him. So very young. Elrond thought as he checked the wounds received by the girl. She was pale and her eyes were unfocused. A servant removed the tattered and soiled clothes of the young girl and could not help eliciting a gasp.
Elrond's frown deepened when he saw the girl's back was covered mostly with bruises just like her mid-section. His touch seasoned with centuries of the applying the healing arts, delicately probed the girl's chest and found two broken ribs. Fortunately, none had punctured a vital organ. After applying a special herb medicine to the immediate area in order for it to heal faster, he bandaged much across the girl's torso to set the bone. Later, he began attending her other bruises, cuts and scraped knees. Soon after the elf lord's administrations, the servant dressed her in a soft green gown.
"Fetch more wood," Elrond instructed as he noticed the girl's lips tremble from the chill.
The servant obeyed and left the room to get more wood to feed the chamber's fireplace.
Elrond then moved to the foot of the bed to see the twisted ankle. He removed the splint, cleaned the cuts and applied another healing herb salve on the affected spot. He then set the ankle in the splint to keep it in place.
He walked back to the head of bed and sat on the chair that was beside it. He laid a hand on her forehead and began stroking the girl's head. The action calmed the little girl and an easy sigh came.
"Do not retreat from the light, child," Elrond whispered and saw a tear falling down from the side of the girl's cheek. He wiped the tear away with the back of his finger and spoke once more. "You are safe now. You can rest." He knew that the girl understood him and the frightened features fell away to show a very vulnerable child. He then fixed the blankets to keep her warm and continued stroking the girl's hair.
The elf lord soon glanced up just as the servant re-entered the room carrying with her an armload of wood that she set to one side on the floor, near the fireplace. She fed one log into the kindling fire and new sparks danced at the new addition. Soon warmth radiated from it, spreading through out the room. He also saw his sons walking right behind the servant's heels and Elladan was about to speak when his father silenced him with a forefinger across his lips.
Before leaving the room, Elrond spoke quietly to the servant and requested her that she stay with the young child and to make sure the young girl does not bother her bandages at all times. The servant nodded and finally Elrond left them.
Elrond approached his sons who stood by a veranda near the room and they soon faced their father.
"She will survive this ordeal," Elrond slowly began. " But I fear it will take long to overcome the nightmares," answering their unsaid question as he directly glanced at Estel.
"What do you want me to do, Father?" The boy eagerly asked and sensed that he has a task for him.
Placing his hand on the boy's head, he smiled. "I would like you to be her guardian for a while, Estel. Visit her all the time and if you can, stay with her as much as you can, that would be good to her." He said in an afterthought.
"The strange surroundings may startle her and I am unsure if she has seen an Elf so close in her young life. You can become her bridge to healing and a strength regaining what she lost."
"I can do that," Estel smiled. He slightly was puzzled at what his father meant by the last remark but he anyway, agreed.
However, Lord Elrond feels a hidden threat and the person to get the answers from is trying to heal.