Memory Loss

by Slaede

Author's Note: This idea came to me really strangely. I never thought of anything like this before :) I hope you enjoy (I can't say too much about it or I'll spoil the story for everyone)

Disclaimer: any characters that I didn't make up contained within, and the places that I didn't make up are copyright the Tolkien family :) my creations are, of course, mine!!

Part 2

Archer awoke sometime later, or at least it seemed like it, to the same smell of cooking meat and felt a gentle tickle in his stomach that told him he was craving some of it. He opened his eyes slowly, noticing that his vision was a lot clearer than it had been, and also that there was no lancing pain behind his eyes. He raised his head gingerly, testing it's stability. Finding he was much less dizzy than during his last waking moment, he moved to support himself on his elbows, giving him a better view of the room. The first think he noticed was that it was a bit larger than he had thought, and not nearly as scarcely decorated as he remembered. There were ornaments and filigrees upon the walls, and the door handles were ornate, with deep-set carving, as were the doors themselves. There was a bookcase on the wall behind him, and the words along the book's spines were in a language Archer didn't comprehend.

As he was reintroducing himself to his surroundings, the front door opened and in walked Aslin, carrying what appeared to be two loaves of bread and a satchel of some sort. She smiled at him when she saw him.

"Ah, Archer," she said, making you way toward the hearth to drop her goods. "It's good to see you're awake." She then came to sit at a stool that he now noticed beside his bed, and began to unravel the thick bandage there. "You were quick to heal, young one." She said as her unraveling neared it's end. She poured over his wound, now nearly just a spiderweb scar that splayed from his temple, and smiled. "You heal very quickly indeed." Then she turned her eyes to meet his. "Have you remembered anything?" she asked quizzically.

Archer shook his head, an ability he was glad to see he had gained. "Unfortunately not. though have remembered the feel of hunger." He smiled jestingly.

Aslin chuckled gently. "Then by all means, archer, let me feed you." She moved back to her purchased goods and opened the satchel. From his angle, he noticed it contained an amalgam of different smaller pouches. She reached for one, paused, returned it to the satchel, and grabbed another. She raised it to her nose and seemed to sniff. She then seemed satisfied, and moved to the fire, over which was roasting a very delicious looking fowl. Aslin then opened the small pouch and poured a brownish power from it into her palm. She then sprinkled the powder of the bird, and muttered something almost inaudible. he noticed when stray grains of powder hit the first, the sparks were bluish in color.

After her ritual, Aslin carefully removed the spit on which the bird roasted and removed it to a plate. She retrieved a knife and two-pronged fork from the satchel she had entered with, and brought the finished meal to his bedside.

Archer looked apprehensibly at the offered meat. "What have you done to it?"

Aslin smiled. "It is imbued."

"imbued?"

She nodded. "Yes archer. You are in need of many energies and powers from the earth that our quail friend is unable to supply. I have made him capable if providing this nourishment for you." She offered the plate again. "Now eat."

Archer took the offered plate. The roasted quail smelled wonderful, but something inside him warned him against trusting imbued food. His brow crinkled in a bit of confusion and curiosity and he looked up to her again. "Who are you, and what is this place?"

Aslin reached under the bed, pulled out a three-legged stool, and sat down, then her eyes met Archer's. She smiled. "I am a Healer. As for this place, it is Duchlar, the capital city of Lessien."

She had spoken the world 'healer' as though it were a race, much like 'elf'. that was strange and he intended to inquire, but first he would tackle this confusion of location.

"I do not know this Lessien that you speak of." He said, and took a bite of quail.

"I would not expect you to, child. You are not of this land." Her eyes drifted over him as though taking him in for the first time, then she met his gaze again. "You are tall, as are our people, and you possess the slender features and pointed ears that mark our race, but the similarities stop there. You have lain on this bed," she patted the straw mattress on which he lie, "for nye on fifteen days and there is not so much as stubble grown upon your cheeks."

"Of course not!" he said, sounds very offended. "I am not of the race of men."

"Nor are you of the southern elves." The voice came from the front entry. Both heads turned toward the sound. Aslin smiled lovingly, and Archer was dumb struck. He had never seen a woman as beautiful and majestic as this. Her hair was the color of matured wheat, her eyes were depth less emeralds, her skin was ivory, her features where statuesque. "Hello, Archer."

He had no words. The goddess had spoken. He simply bowed his head to her knowing he looked the fool for doing so, but wanting a chance to impress none the less.

She swept in, as though she needed no effort to propel herself, came over to Aslin, and kissed her lightly on the check. "Good even, Mama." and the she turned into the next room, shutting the door behind her.

Aslin watched after her, then back to Archer. "My daughter, Slaede. She is rather striking, isn't she?"

Archer pulled his eyes away from the door that had stolen the angel and nodded. "Y-yes, she is ... she is a jewel to look upon."

Aslin smiled and stood. "Eat well, Archer. You will need your strength." She moved off and busied herself. Archer returned to his plate, wondering how he would ever prod himself to words around this most beatific of women. He had no answer for himself.

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*Duchlar is pronouced doochlar (lar rhymed with far) *Lessien is less e in

And now, review responses!!

*faey wolf star: Thank you, Faey! I'm glad you like it soo much! here's the second part!

*Concetta: glad you like it, and I didn't really get up the second part very fast, but I did get it up! and No, it's poor Archer. don't spoil it for everyone! SHH *wink wink*

*Alorae: glad you liked it. and you've just read more!! :)

*Moon Maiden: glad you like it so far. I hope your waiting restlessly didn't affect your sleep! :)