Elrond was waiting impatiently in the courtyard. Scouts had reportedly seen
his sons on their way home, and this time, Elrond noted with grim
satisfaction, they had Krystal with them.
As the thoughts flashed through his mind, the sound of hoot beats echoing on the cobblestones jolted him out of his thoughts. Glancing up sharply, his eyes rested on the four shadows galloping out of the forest's into the courtyard of Rivendell. His eyes raked over all of them, pausing to linger on a particularly large, misshapen shadow. When they drew closer, Elrond frowned. Elrohir, carrying Krystal, who had begun her tremors and tears again, appeared to be the great distorted silhouette.
His eyes narrowed at the bruises and pitiful way Krystal, still caught in sleep, clutched at his son. This was most unlike the girl and it bothered him. The girl was strong, or so she liked them to believe.
Jerking to a halt, Elrohir quickly locked eyes with his father. "Ada," he muttered quietly, gently handing the limp girl to his father. Nodding in greeting and flashing the rest of his son's party a quick look, he clutched Krystal to his chest and started pacing towards his chambers.
Handing off their horses to the stable hands, the boys quickly caught up with their father.
"How long has she been asleep?"
"She's fell asleep about halfway home, several hours ago." Elladan answered swiftly. He knew his father wanted the most information about his patient's condition and as quick as possible - he had been through this procedure numerous times with Elrohir and Aragorn for brothers.
"What are her injuries?"
Aragorn tackled this one, attempting to do it in one breath. "She has several bruises clotting on her face, and she has a black eye. She received 20 lashes to her back, but the bleeding has stopped." Pausing for a quick gasp, he continued, "Her ankle is broken, and her thigh is infected. The infection is slowly traveling up her body. I treated her with altheas and it soothed her pain for a while, but I fear its affects are wearing off. I didn't have enough of the herb to do much but ease her pain for a while."
Shaking his head slightly in disgust, Elrond slowed his pace so his steps wouldn't shake the tiny girl in his arms. "Tell me about the ride home," was his next question fired at the four boys following him.
"She was awake and talking for the beginning, but eventually fell asleep. About a half hour after her eyes closed, she began to shake and jerk around. It was all I could do to stay in the saddle. After Aragorn used the altheas, she got better, but now tears began to fall. Silent tears, her face remained wretched in pain. We could think of nothing to do for her, but eventually, decided singing was our last option. She finally fell into a dream and out of her nightmare, but as we approached Rivendell, it began to get worse." Elrohir replied rapidly. Legolas nodded in agreement, rushing ahead to open Elrond's door.
The half elf rushed in quickly, softly laying the shaking girl on the bed. As her back touched the creamy sheet, she squirmed in pain, groaning. Her eyes shot open for the first time in hours, darting round in supreme panic. Worming out of Elrond's grasp quickly, her face contorted in pain and she grimaced slowly.
"What--?" she whispered softly, her eyes darting around in panic. Elrond quickly smiled gently at her. "Peace, young one. It's all right now."
To his utter and complete surprise, Krystal's eyes glazed over and she shook her head rapidly. "No," she whispered in agony. "No, no. It will *never* be alright.." her words made no sense other than to disturb and Elrond frowned.
Holding a hand to her forehead, the half elf grimaced and muttered a few indistinct words and Krystal's eyes shut gently. Slowly, her tears increased and sobs began to wrack her body. She tried to curl into a ball, but the pain in her body stopped her and she cried out. Her eyes darted open again and latched on the nearest face- Legolas. Elladan and Elrohir were currently very busy, the eldest twin organizing a case of herbs and ointment, the younger mixing a crimson liquid in a golden goblet.
The elven prince frowned as her eyes called out to him. "Please," she whispered softly. "Please."
Legolas glared anxiously at Elrond. "Do something!" he urged. "She's in pain."
Elrond ignored him, but Aragorn put a comforting on his arm. "Let us get out of Elrond's way. Ada knows what he's doing." The prince snatched his arm away as Elrohir gently held a goblet to Krystal's parched lips. "Drink this," he murmured softly. She frowned and shook her head, but he caught her eyes. "Please."
Sighing, she closed her eyes and took several sips, wincing in disgust at the taste. She kept her eyes closed as she leaned back against the pillow, her chest slowly ending it's dramatic sobs and falling into a steady rising and falling.
"What is that?" Aragorn questioned as Elrohir put the goblet to the side. Elrond, with several herbs and a smoky smelling lotion in hand, approached Krystal's ankle and thigh softly, his gently hands probing gently, frowning as he felt the unnaturally hot skin.
"A potion for a dreamless sleep," Elrohir answered softly. Elrond, glancing up, caught Elladan's eye. The eldest twin had stepped out of the way to let his father work, but now stepped forward quickly.
"Elladan, I need you to hold her shoulder. The wound in her thigh wasn't cleaned before medication was applied and instead of improving her condition, the medication has only made it worse. I need to drain it before I can do anything and it may be painful."
Nodding impassively, Elladan quickly walked over to the bed and leaned over, his hands firmly on both of her shoulders, whispering soft nothings to soothe her.
Legolas glanced at Aragorn. "They didn't clean it?"
Aragorn's mouth had slowly dropped. "How do you treat a injury without cleaning it first?" he asked in shock, then slowly shook his head. "I saw nothing when I examined the area...I naturally assumed...whatever poisons are in there are buried deep."
Legolas frowned, and Elrohir shot them a look. "Quiet," he admonished gently. "Please."
Elrond did not look up from his work, but his face was grim as he muttered. Gently, he prodded the edge of the wound and Krystal immediately contracted away from his touch, groaning. Elladan held her down as his father continued searching the area, but his face was conflicted with pain. "Ah, ha." Elrond whispered triumphantly, holding something miniscule up in his hand.
"What is that?" Aragorn whispered in confusion, his eyes darting from his father to Elladan.
"A pine needle," Elrond said bitterly. "It was deep in her flesh, no doubt put it when the wound was originally opened. Whether by oversight or intention, that is no doubt the reason our friend is in so much pain."
Glancing at the pained faces of his adopted son and his friend, he sighed. "Perhaps you two should wait in the hallway. This may take awhile."
Legolas shook his head adamantly. "It is our fault she lies in this position, we will not leave her again."
Elrohir half smiled. "Legolas, you're only leaving her so Ada can work in peace. It is hard enough to concentrate without having you two in the corner wincing."
Elrond sighed, and gently fingered the smoldering bruise on her ankle. She bit her lip, crying out in silent pain and Legolas tensed rigidly.
"Boys, leave now." Elrond commanded quietly. "This is going to be a long night."
-------------
Okay, Okay - I know it was short. But my muse is apperantly busy doing something or other and I'm not really feeling up to writing. Plus, I would have *liked* more reviews for my last chapter...*hint hint, wink wink, cheesy grin* so then next one will be a good chapter, I promise.
As the thoughts flashed through his mind, the sound of hoot beats echoing on the cobblestones jolted him out of his thoughts. Glancing up sharply, his eyes rested on the four shadows galloping out of the forest's into the courtyard of Rivendell. His eyes raked over all of them, pausing to linger on a particularly large, misshapen shadow. When they drew closer, Elrond frowned. Elrohir, carrying Krystal, who had begun her tremors and tears again, appeared to be the great distorted silhouette.
His eyes narrowed at the bruises and pitiful way Krystal, still caught in sleep, clutched at his son. This was most unlike the girl and it bothered him. The girl was strong, or so she liked them to believe.
Jerking to a halt, Elrohir quickly locked eyes with his father. "Ada," he muttered quietly, gently handing the limp girl to his father. Nodding in greeting and flashing the rest of his son's party a quick look, he clutched Krystal to his chest and started pacing towards his chambers.
Handing off their horses to the stable hands, the boys quickly caught up with their father.
"How long has she been asleep?"
"She's fell asleep about halfway home, several hours ago." Elladan answered swiftly. He knew his father wanted the most information about his patient's condition and as quick as possible - he had been through this procedure numerous times with Elrohir and Aragorn for brothers.
"What are her injuries?"
Aragorn tackled this one, attempting to do it in one breath. "She has several bruises clotting on her face, and she has a black eye. She received 20 lashes to her back, but the bleeding has stopped." Pausing for a quick gasp, he continued, "Her ankle is broken, and her thigh is infected. The infection is slowly traveling up her body. I treated her with altheas and it soothed her pain for a while, but I fear its affects are wearing off. I didn't have enough of the herb to do much but ease her pain for a while."
Shaking his head slightly in disgust, Elrond slowed his pace so his steps wouldn't shake the tiny girl in his arms. "Tell me about the ride home," was his next question fired at the four boys following him.
"She was awake and talking for the beginning, but eventually fell asleep. About a half hour after her eyes closed, she began to shake and jerk around. It was all I could do to stay in the saddle. After Aragorn used the altheas, she got better, but now tears began to fall. Silent tears, her face remained wretched in pain. We could think of nothing to do for her, but eventually, decided singing was our last option. She finally fell into a dream and out of her nightmare, but as we approached Rivendell, it began to get worse." Elrohir replied rapidly. Legolas nodded in agreement, rushing ahead to open Elrond's door.
The half elf rushed in quickly, softly laying the shaking girl on the bed. As her back touched the creamy sheet, she squirmed in pain, groaning. Her eyes shot open for the first time in hours, darting round in supreme panic. Worming out of Elrond's grasp quickly, her face contorted in pain and she grimaced slowly.
"What--?" she whispered softly, her eyes darting around in panic. Elrond quickly smiled gently at her. "Peace, young one. It's all right now."
To his utter and complete surprise, Krystal's eyes glazed over and she shook her head rapidly. "No," she whispered in agony. "No, no. It will *never* be alright.." her words made no sense other than to disturb and Elrond frowned.
Holding a hand to her forehead, the half elf grimaced and muttered a few indistinct words and Krystal's eyes shut gently. Slowly, her tears increased and sobs began to wrack her body. She tried to curl into a ball, but the pain in her body stopped her and she cried out. Her eyes darted open again and latched on the nearest face- Legolas. Elladan and Elrohir were currently very busy, the eldest twin organizing a case of herbs and ointment, the younger mixing a crimson liquid in a golden goblet.
The elven prince frowned as her eyes called out to him. "Please," she whispered softly. "Please."
Legolas glared anxiously at Elrond. "Do something!" he urged. "She's in pain."
Elrond ignored him, but Aragorn put a comforting on his arm. "Let us get out of Elrond's way. Ada knows what he's doing." The prince snatched his arm away as Elrohir gently held a goblet to Krystal's parched lips. "Drink this," he murmured softly. She frowned and shook her head, but he caught her eyes. "Please."
Sighing, she closed her eyes and took several sips, wincing in disgust at the taste. She kept her eyes closed as she leaned back against the pillow, her chest slowly ending it's dramatic sobs and falling into a steady rising and falling.
"What is that?" Aragorn questioned as Elrohir put the goblet to the side. Elrond, with several herbs and a smoky smelling lotion in hand, approached Krystal's ankle and thigh softly, his gently hands probing gently, frowning as he felt the unnaturally hot skin.
"A potion for a dreamless sleep," Elrohir answered softly. Elrond, glancing up, caught Elladan's eye. The eldest twin had stepped out of the way to let his father work, but now stepped forward quickly.
"Elladan, I need you to hold her shoulder. The wound in her thigh wasn't cleaned before medication was applied and instead of improving her condition, the medication has only made it worse. I need to drain it before I can do anything and it may be painful."
Nodding impassively, Elladan quickly walked over to the bed and leaned over, his hands firmly on both of her shoulders, whispering soft nothings to soothe her.
Legolas glanced at Aragorn. "They didn't clean it?"
Aragorn's mouth had slowly dropped. "How do you treat a injury without cleaning it first?" he asked in shock, then slowly shook his head. "I saw nothing when I examined the area...I naturally assumed...whatever poisons are in there are buried deep."
Legolas frowned, and Elrohir shot them a look. "Quiet," he admonished gently. "Please."
Elrond did not look up from his work, but his face was grim as he muttered. Gently, he prodded the edge of the wound and Krystal immediately contracted away from his touch, groaning. Elladan held her down as his father continued searching the area, but his face was conflicted with pain. "Ah, ha." Elrond whispered triumphantly, holding something miniscule up in his hand.
"What is that?" Aragorn whispered in confusion, his eyes darting from his father to Elladan.
"A pine needle," Elrond said bitterly. "It was deep in her flesh, no doubt put it when the wound was originally opened. Whether by oversight or intention, that is no doubt the reason our friend is in so much pain."
Glancing at the pained faces of his adopted son and his friend, he sighed. "Perhaps you two should wait in the hallway. This may take awhile."
Legolas shook his head adamantly. "It is our fault she lies in this position, we will not leave her again."
Elrohir half smiled. "Legolas, you're only leaving her so Ada can work in peace. It is hard enough to concentrate without having you two in the corner wincing."
Elrond sighed, and gently fingered the smoldering bruise on her ankle. She bit her lip, crying out in silent pain and Legolas tensed rigidly.
"Boys, leave now." Elrond commanded quietly. "This is going to be a long night."
-------------
Okay, Okay - I know it was short. But my muse is apperantly busy doing something or other and I'm not really feeling up to writing. Plus, I would have *liked* more reviews for my last chapter...*hint hint, wink wink, cheesy grin* so then next one will be a good chapter, I promise.