Chapter 20
Her left shoulder throbbed at the precise level that made one want to roll and twist but not with enough severity that she couldn't resist such behavior. She curled in her blankets, twisted so she wouldn't touch the injured shoulder but leaning to that side almost instinctually to guard the weakness almost.
She was glad that something had arisen from the encounter in the wood. It did add a positive note to the day which had been branded the day she led the orcs to the safe haven. He must have been pretty seriously injured though, to need both succor and silver fern. They were two of the most potent plants she knew of, the only stronger healing was the southern magic but accompanying all magic was the odd side effect.
She was still tired. There must have been poison on the arrow that had hit her. She had all but forgotten that she had been hurt in the first place. From the start, she had been too preoccupied helping prepare for the long siege that had been predicted. She should have known better. The cries of orcs and occasionally that of the careless or unlucky elf prevented sleep lest exhaustion was upon you. The death screams and black tongue smote her ears, with a darkness she had never encountered and never wished to. She pulled the covers higher over her ears and her hand sought out her blade, tucked under the edge of the blankets beside her. Should they override the defenses she would not be left to their cruelties. She was descent if only for the quality of the blade and the trained reaction to block the first strike, regardless of all else. She clutched the sword tightly.
A weight registered near her waist on the cot. The sword clicked almost imperceptibly as the small catch unhitched from the scabbard. A hand caught hers through the blanket though, sheathing the sword before even an inch of the sharp side of the blade could be withdrawn. She jerked to the side, snapping the blanket taunt and causing the hand to loose it's grip as well as any indention that might mark her movements. She drew back again, but the hand closed around her wrist moments after the catch was popped out of place.
She struggled to breath normally. What could detect her movements so easily? An elf! A northie, northern spells! It certainly wasn't Tanielle either! She started to panic, the shield spell sign formed with her other hand, the activation word on her lips be there need. She watched as a slender fingered hand reached past her eyes to softly trace the curve of her hair. The caught a whiff of his scent. Legolas!?! She froze in surprise at the new information just as the weight on the cot and both hands abruptly removed themselves with a startled yet quelled surprise.
Her eyes opened in confusion, the scene before her made her try to sit upright on the cot, but after a few moments of dizziness, she settled back down. Seluils stood knees bent apparently just having pulled Legolas, who was standing at the head of the bed off. The intense glares they traded were so fierce she pulled the blanket up even more, in a pointless but instinctive gesture. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the poised warriors, her nervousness growing to worry and then fear. What if one of them got hurt? What if they traded stories about her? What will my mother think if grown elven men see me in my nightgown? Wait Legolas already has.and more. She winced at the thought but her attention jumped back to the stand off at that moment.
~What. Were you doing?~ Seluils snarled. His dueling knife wasn't drawn yet but his hand lurked just above it, threatening a quick rebuttal if the other elf gave the wrong answer.
~I think the question is what do you think you were doing.~ He stated with dangerously calm. His hand was also hovering just over the hilt of his belt knife.
~That's easy, I was catching up to one of the visiting archers when he accidentally wandered his way onto the third level, which I'm sure he must have forgotten is open to the colony only. Now what were you doing touching her as if you had the right?~
~The right is mine.~
~She wasn't downstairs when you were, and although I'm sure you clarivoyance is as clear as the next elves, no one in all the recorded history has been able to sense their other half before they met them.~
~We've met before!~
~Pray tell, what is her name then?~
Silence. ~I thought so, Leave. Now!~ Legolas's hand settled on the hilt of his knife. Both weapons were out in a flash. No!
She was about to interrupt when Iiten returned with a bowl of soup and a cup of warm wine. He stepped into their room at the same moment as Seluils raised his knife to block an attack from Legolas, his forearm connecting with the wooden vessel. Tanielle who was following behind Iiten received the would be contents of her dinner. Iiten flushed red and began to stammer an apology as she studied her dress in shocked silence that turned to rage. Lilluil covered her smile with the blanket, Tanielle although quiet usually didn't stand for fighting, of any sort among elves. She would sort it out.
Sweeping past her newly discovered soul mate she strode up to Seluils and Legolas who had both arms bracing knives that were locked together at the hilts. She calmly walked under their raised arms and pistoned both arms out, hitting both elves directly in the stomach due to her shorter stature. Both staggered back, clutching winded tummies. Now that they were both sufficiently immobile she walked up to Seluils, grabbed his knife and sheathed it in his belt before slapping him clear across the face.
The befuddled warrior gave her a look of pure confusion and covered his reddening cheek with a slim hand gently testing the severity of the wound. ~What did I do?~
However she was already advancing on Legolas, who although stood his ground, sent several nervous glances at Seluils, or rather Seluils's face. Her hand whipped around, but when it stopped just in front of his face only a finger was extended in silent warning, she tilted her head forward slightly and then pointed at the ground. He obediently sank to the floor, quietly putting away his knife in the process.
~You.~ She pointed at Seluils. ~Go get a bucket and a scrub brush and clean that up.~ She stated.
~Tani-~ he began to protest.
Her fingers snapped and the glare intensified. Seluils hurried off. ~Now. Who is he?~
~That's Legolas, Lilluil is his.~ Iiten interjected. Tanielle sent him a withering stare. ~I mean he is hers...err.uh. what I mean is they're.each others.yeah. I'll go now shall I?~
~Yes, Iiten.~ He turned and ran, leaping the mess of fallen stew.
~Lets try again. Who are you.~
Her left shoulder throbbed at the precise level that made one want to roll and twist but not with enough severity that she couldn't resist such behavior. She curled in her blankets, twisted so she wouldn't touch the injured shoulder but leaning to that side almost instinctually to guard the weakness almost.
She was glad that something had arisen from the encounter in the wood. It did add a positive note to the day which had been branded the day she led the orcs to the safe haven. He must have been pretty seriously injured though, to need both succor and silver fern. They were two of the most potent plants she knew of, the only stronger healing was the southern magic but accompanying all magic was the odd side effect.
She was still tired. There must have been poison on the arrow that had hit her. She had all but forgotten that she had been hurt in the first place. From the start, she had been too preoccupied helping prepare for the long siege that had been predicted. She should have known better. The cries of orcs and occasionally that of the careless or unlucky elf prevented sleep lest exhaustion was upon you. The death screams and black tongue smote her ears, with a darkness she had never encountered and never wished to. She pulled the covers higher over her ears and her hand sought out her blade, tucked under the edge of the blankets beside her. Should they override the defenses she would not be left to their cruelties. She was descent if only for the quality of the blade and the trained reaction to block the first strike, regardless of all else. She clutched the sword tightly.
A weight registered near her waist on the cot. The sword clicked almost imperceptibly as the small catch unhitched from the scabbard. A hand caught hers through the blanket though, sheathing the sword before even an inch of the sharp side of the blade could be withdrawn. She jerked to the side, snapping the blanket taunt and causing the hand to loose it's grip as well as any indention that might mark her movements. She drew back again, but the hand closed around her wrist moments after the catch was popped out of place.
She struggled to breath normally. What could detect her movements so easily? An elf! A northie, northern spells! It certainly wasn't Tanielle either! She started to panic, the shield spell sign formed with her other hand, the activation word on her lips be there need. She watched as a slender fingered hand reached past her eyes to softly trace the curve of her hair. The caught a whiff of his scent. Legolas!?! She froze in surprise at the new information just as the weight on the cot and both hands abruptly removed themselves with a startled yet quelled surprise.
Her eyes opened in confusion, the scene before her made her try to sit upright on the cot, but after a few moments of dizziness, she settled back down. Seluils stood knees bent apparently just having pulled Legolas, who was standing at the head of the bed off. The intense glares they traded were so fierce she pulled the blanket up even more, in a pointless but instinctive gesture. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the poised warriors, her nervousness growing to worry and then fear. What if one of them got hurt? What if they traded stories about her? What will my mother think if grown elven men see me in my nightgown? Wait Legolas already has.and more. She winced at the thought but her attention jumped back to the stand off at that moment.
~What. Were you doing?~ Seluils snarled. His dueling knife wasn't drawn yet but his hand lurked just above it, threatening a quick rebuttal if the other elf gave the wrong answer.
~I think the question is what do you think you were doing.~ He stated with dangerously calm. His hand was also hovering just over the hilt of his belt knife.
~That's easy, I was catching up to one of the visiting archers when he accidentally wandered his way onto the third level, which I'm sure he must have forgotten is open to the colony only. Now what were you doing touching her as if you had the right?~
~The right is mine.~
~She wasn't downstairs when you were, and although I'm sure you clarivoyance is as clear as the next elves, no one in all the recorded history has been able to sense their other half before they met them.~
~We've met before!~
~Pray tell, what is her name then?~
Silence. ~I thought so, Leave. Now!~ Legolas's hand settled on the hilt of his knife. Both weapons were out in a flash. No!
She was about to interrupt when Iiten returned with a bowl of soup and a cup of warm wine. He stepped into their room at the same moment as Seluils raised his knife to block an attack from Legolas, his forearm connecting with the wooden vessel. Tanielle who was following behind Iiten received the would be contents of her dinner. Iiten flushed red and began to stammer an apology as she studied her dress in shocked silence that turned to rage. Lilluil covered her smile with the blanket, Tanielle although quiet usually didn't stand for fighting, of any sort among elves. She would sort it out.
Sweeping past her newly discovered soul mate she strode up to Seluils and Legolas who had both arms bracing knives that were locked together at the hilts. She calmly walked under their raised arms and pistoned both arms out, hitting both elves directly in the stomach due to her shorter stature. Both staggered back, clutching winded tummies. Now that they were both sufficiently immobile she walked up to Seluils, grabbed his knife and sheathed it in his belt before slapping him clear across the face.
The befuddled warrior gave her a look of pure confusion and covered his reddening cheek with a slim hand gently testing the severity of the wound. ~What did I do?~
However she was already advancing on Legolas, who although stood his ground, sent several nervous glances at Seluils, or rather Seluils's face. Her hand whipped around, but when it stopped just in front of his face only a finger was extended in silent warning, she tilted her head forward slightly and then pointed at the ground. He obediently sank to the floor, quietly putting away his knife in the process.
~You.~ She pointed at Seluils. ~Go get a bucket and a scrub brush and clean that up.~ She stated.
~Tani-~ he began to protest.
Her fingers snapped and the glare intensified. Seluils hurried off. ~Now. Who is he?~
~That's Legolas, Lilluil is his.~ Iiten interjected. Tanielle sent him a withering stare. ~I mean he is hers...err.uh. what I mean is they're.each others.yeah. I'll go now shall I?~
~Yes, Iiten.~ He turned and ran, leaping the mess of fallen stew.
~Lets try again. Who are you.~