Author's Note: I am sincerely sorry for not updating in such a long time,
I know many of you must be exasperated with me. Where we last left off, I
had reached a turning point in this story and it seems that a wall of
writer's block came out of nowhere to hit me smack in the face.
Thankfully, I seem to have overcome this painful obstacle and am now ready
to install the next chapter for you all to read.
Note to the Story: As I have recently realized, my references to Anwanárë's age are somewhat out of line with Tolkien's profile of elves. When I say Anwa is "7 years old" I really mean that she looks 7, but could quite possibly be older as elves are immortal. So from this point forward, any references to age are just to help you all picture Anwa in your minds. :0)
Disclaimer: I do not own Legolas or LotR, but the graceful figure of Anwanárë is my own creation. No copying! :0) Enjoy the story.
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"Anwa! Anwa! Come quick!" A tall elven girl with long blonde hair and light blue eyes came skidding to halt in the doorway to the room. She was dressed in a rough garment that indicated her status as a servant, but her natural beauty and good-nature shone through the dowdy outfit. Her abrupt stop and anxious calls drew the attention of the elf in the room, who raised her eyes from where she was washing the floor of the room.
Brushing back a stray curl of black hair, Anwanárë raised amber-colored eyes to meet her friend's blue ones. "What is it, Eámanë?" she asked calmly. Nólaindo observed the scene with sleepy eyes from his position on the floor against the wall.
"Prince Legolas of Mirkwood has just arrived with his wife and two children!" Eámanë exclaimed excitedly.
"Well, that is hardly any reason for me to rush outside. I still need to finish two more rooms and help the stable boy with the horses before dinner." Anwanárë rose slowly from her kneeling position and picked up the bucket of dirty water.
"No, no, you don't understand, Anwa! The prince's youngest son is ill, and Lord Elrond has requested your assistance to heal him." At her friend's comment, Anwa's head snapped up quickly and her amber eyes lost their fatigue.
"Why cannot the palace healer handle the boy?" Anwa asked carefully.
"He is busy with one of the council elders who was struck by a poisoned arrow. Lord Elrond would have taken care of the boy himself, but he is drained from healing those elves that were on their way to the harbor last night. The palace healer especially recommended you to Lord Elrond as a healer for the prince's son." Anwa's bucket dropped as she picked up her skirts instead.
"Aiya! What are we standing her for then? Quickly, take me to the boy!" As the girls rushed out the door, Nóla stood to follow them. Remembering him in a flash, Anwa turned around and said, "Nóla, I can't take you with me. Amin hiraetha, mellonamin. Please wait for me at the stables." With that, she turned and took off at a dead run after her blonde friend.
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Prince Legolas leapt off his horse as soon as he entered the palace walls of Rivendell. He turned to his entourage of soldiers and gently lifted his son from the makeshift litter they had made. Pressing a gentle kiss to the boy's blonde head, he turned to rush into the palace. He was halfway up the stairs when the doors burst open and Lord Elrond strode out to meet him.
"My lord, I beg you, please help my son!" Legolas whispered fervently to Lord Elrond as they rushed through the front hall.
"I am sorry, my son, but I have no more energy after last night's healing. The palace healer is likewise unavailable as he is helping a council elder. But he did recommend someone to help your son." Lord Elrond was about to direct Legolas into a room when Eámanë and Anwanárë came running around the corner. Eámanë skidded to a stop and dropped a quick curtsy to the elven lords, but Anwanárë rushed to Legolas' side immediately.
"Valar help us." Anwanárë muttered a quick prayer as she checked the boy's pulse and breathing. Legolas watched her ministrations with surprise and then disbelief. He turned stormy blue eyes towards Lord Elrond.
"Elrond, you cannot be serious! She is younger than I am! She cannot possibly handle this sort of task!"
"Legolas, uuma dela. She has trained with the healers for a few years, and she certainly has enough talent," Elrond responded in a soothing tone.
Anwanárë met Legolas's troubled blue eyes with a steady, confidant gaze. "I assure you, Prince Legolas, your son will be fine. Now, my lord prince, do you have any idea as to what could have caused this?"
"It was not any enemy or foreign danger, if that's what you are thinking!" Legolas demanded angrily.
"My lord, calm down. I was not questioning your ability as a father, I was merely wondering what happened to your son," Anwanárë responded patiently. Legolas closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.
"My apologies. I am just worried for my son, that is all."
"It's perfectly understandable. Now, can you tell me what happened?"
"It was the second day of our journey, and I was riding with my boys on either side, both atop of their ponies. Suddenly Valandil cried out and fainted. Luckily I was able to catch him before he fell, but we had to stop and fashion a makeshift litter for him. I sent a messenger ahead to request assistance, and we resumed our ride."
Anwanárë listened carefully, and when Legolas finished she nodded slowly. Then she closed her eyes and raised both hands above the boy's body. A serene look overcame her face and the air beneath her palms began to glow. She slowly moved them in the air above the boy's head, all the way to his toes, scanning for the source of his ailment. Her hands paused above the boy's right thigh, and remained there for a few seconds. The glow receded and she opened her eyes. Reaching for the boy's trousers, she tore at a small hole on the outside of his thigh. She revealed a 5-inch scar along the boy's thigh.
"Legolas, how long has he had this scar?" Anwanárë asked in a low and urgent voice. In her concern, she had dropped all levels of address. Legolas, surprised by her question, answered with an uncertain waver in his voice.
"He was injured there by an orc arrow when he was seven. That would mean a year and a half ago." Anwa leaned closer to examine the scar, and as she lifted a glowing finger to touch it, the air sizzled. With a hiss, she withdrew her finger as if burned. Legolas watched, confused. "I don't understand. What does his scar have to do with anything?"
"My lord, this scar has never healed properly. The poison was not fully drained, and so it has lain dormant in Valandil's body, only resurfacing now that it has had a time to multiply in the boy's system."
Legolas sucked in a breath at the sudden news. "What must you do to heal him?" he asked in a hesitant voice.
"I will have to cleanse his blood internally and sweat out the resulting fever." Anwanárë began listing various ingredients and materials she would need to herself. Suddenly, she looked up and asked, "Lord Elrond, what room may we use for the prince's son?"
Elrond motioned for some of his attendants to take the boy from Legolas's arms. They whisked him away down the hall with Anwanárë walking alongside, holding a hand over the boy's heart. Legolas was left standing silently with Elrond and Eámanë, watching anxiously as his son was taken around the corner and out of sight.
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/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
Aiya! = Oh!
Amin hiraetha, mellonamin. = I'm sorry, my friend.
Uuma dela. = Don't worry.
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Review, pretty please!
Note to the Story: As I have recently realized, my references to Anwanárë's age are somewhat out of line with Tolkien's profile of elves. When I say Anwa is "7 years old" I really mean that she looks 7, but could quite possibly be older as elves are immortal. So from this point forward, any references to age are just to help you all picture Anwa in your minds. :0)
Disclaimer: I do not own Legolas or LotR, but the graceful figure of Anwanárë is my own creation. No copying! :0) Enjoy the story.
/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
"Anwa! Anwa! Come quick!" A tall elven girl with long blonde hair and light blue eyes came skidding to halt in the doorway to the room. She was dressed in a rough garment that indicated her status as a servant, but her natural beauty and good-nature shone through the dowdy outfit. Her abrupt stop and anxious calls drew the attention of the elf in the room, who raised her eyes from where she was washing the floor of the room.
Brushing back a stray curl of black hair, Anwanárë raised amber-colored eyes to meet her friend's blue ones. "What is it, Eámanë?" she asked calmly. Nólaindo observed the scene with sleepy eyes from his position on the floor against the wall.
"Prince Legolas of Mirkwood has just arrived with his wife and two children!" Eámanë exclaimed excitedly.
"Well, that is hardly any reason for me to rush outside. I still need to finish two more rooms and help the stable boy with the horses before dinner." Anwanárë rose slowly from her kneeling position and picked up the bucket of dirty water.
"No, no, you don't understand, Anwa! The prince's youngest son is ill, and Lord Elrond has requested your assistance to heal him." At her friend's comment, Anwa's head snapped up quickly and her amber eyes lost their fatigue.
"Why cannot the palace healer handle the boy?" Anwa asked carefully.
"He is busy with one of the council elders who was struck by a poisoned arrow. Lord Elrond would have taken care of the boy himself, but he is drained from healing those elves that were on their way to the harbor last night. The palace healer especially recommended you to Lord Elrond as a healer for the prince's son." Anwa's bucket dropped as she picked up her skirts instead.
"Aiya! What are we standing her for then? Quickly, take me to the boy!" As the girls rushed out the door, Nóla stood to follow them. Remembering him in a flash, Anwa turned around and said, "Nóla, I can't take you with me. Amin hiraetha, mellonamin. Please wait for me at the stables." With that, she turned and took off at a dead run after her blonde friend.
/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
Prince Legolas leapt off his horse as soon as he entered the palace walls of Rivendell. He turned to his entourage of soldiers and gently lifted his son from the makeshift litter they had made. Pressing a gentle kiss to the boy's blonde head, he turned to rush into the palace. He was halfway up the stairs when the doors burst open and Lord Elrond strode out to meet him.
"My lord, I beg you, please help my son!" Legolas whispered fervently to Lord Elrond as they rushed through the front hall.
"I am sorry, my son, but I have no more energy after last night's healing. The palace healer is likewise unavailable as he is helping a council elder. But he did recommend someone to help your son." Lord Elrond was about to direct Legolas into a room when Eámanë and Anwanárë came running around the corner. Eámanë skidded to a stop and dropped a quick curtsy to the elven lords, but Anwanárë rushed to Legolas' side immediately.
"Valar help us." Anwanárë muttered a quick prayer as she checked the boy's pulse and breathing. Legolas watched her ministrations with surprise and then disbelief. He turned stormy blue eyes towards Lord Elrond.
"Elrond, you cannot be serious! She is younger than I am! She cannot possibly handle this sort of task!"
"Legolas, uuma dela. She has trained with the healers for a few years, and she certainly has enough talent," Elrond responded in a soothing tone.
Anwanárë met Legolas's troubled blue eyes with a steady, confidant gaze. "I assure you, Prince Legolas, your son will be fine. Now, my lord prince, do you have any idea as to what could have caused this?"
"It was not any enemy or foreign danger, if that's what you are thinking!" Legolas demanded angrily.
"My lord, calm down. I was not questioning your ability as a father, I was merely wondering what happened to your son," Anwanárë responded patiently. Legolas closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.
"My apologies. I am just worried for my son, that is all."
"It's perfectly understandable. Now, can you tell me what happened?"
"It was the second day of our journey, and I was riding with my boys on either side, both atop of their ponies. Suddenly Valandil cried out and fainted. Luckily I was able to catch him before he fell, but we had to stop and fashion a makeshift litter for him. I sent a messenger ahead to request assistance, and we resumed our ride."
Anwanárë listened carefully, and when Legolas finished she nodded slowly. Then she closed her eyes and raised both hands above the boy's body. A serene look overcame her face and the air beneath her palms began to glow. She slowly moved them in the air above the boy's head, all the way to his toes, scanning for the source of his ailment. Her hands paused above the boy's right thigh, and remained there for a few seconds. The glow receded and she opened her eyes. Reaching for the boy's trousers, she tore at a small hole on the outside of his thigh. She revealed a 5-inch scar along the boy's thigh.
"Legolas, how long has he had this scar?" Anwanárë asked in a low and urgent voice. In her concern, she had dropped all levels of address. Legolas, surprised by her question, answered with an uncertain waver in his voice.
"He was injured there by an orc arrow when he was seven. That would mean a year and a half ago." Anwa leaned closer to examine the scar, and as she lifted a glowing finger to touch it, the air sizzled. With a hiss, she withdrew her finger as if burned. Legolas watched, confused. "I don't understand. What does his scar have to do with anything?"
"My lord, this scar has never healed properly. The poison was not fully drained, and so it has lain dormant in Valandil's body, only resurfacing now that it has had a time to multiply in the boy's system."
Legolas sucked in a breath at the sudden news. "What must you do to heal him?" he asked in a hesitant voice.
"I will have to cleanse his blood internally and sweat out the resulting fever." Anwanárë began listing various ingredients and materials she would need to herself. Suddenly, she looked up and asked, "Lord Elrond, what room may we use for the prince's son?"
Elrond motioned for some of his attendants to take the boy from Legolas's arms. They whisked him away down the hall with Anwanárë walking alongside, holding a hand over the boy's heart. Legolas was left standing silently with Elrond and Eámanë, watching anxiously as his son was taken around the corner and out of sight.
/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
Aiya! = Oh!
Amin hiraetha, mellonamin. = I'm sorry, my friend.
Uuma dela. = Don't worry.
/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
/ \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
Review, pretty please!
