Disclaimer: it ain't mine, I'm just borrowing it. Don't bother suing, all I've got is my Next Gen DVDs. No Elves or Rangers were harmed in the writing of this Fanfiction. I put them back how I found them…honest! As all ways a huge big thank you and hug for my beta reader. Thanks, I love you lots.
Ambush - Strange Things
'Mum, you know you said to tell you if we found anything strange?'
'Yes Joel, I did say that.'
'Well…I think we might have found something strange.'
'Oh for heavens' sake, Joel. Stopped going on and tell me what you've found. Can't you see I'm busy?'
'We've found a man, Mum, he's washed up on the riverbank.'
'Where, which side?'
'On the safe side mum, you told us not to go to the other side. He's down there near the falls.'
'All right Joel, show me.'
The small boy scurried ahead, carrying an equally small bow and arrow. Although it looked like a child's toy it was in fact deadly in his hands, and had provided food for them on several occasions. As they went down the slope towards the small cove she could see what did indeed look like a man's body sprawled on the beach, his arms outstretched as if trying to claw his way further onto land. Her daughter, Eyomn, was standing guard, semi-hidden in the bushes lining the riverbank with her bright eyes never resting, always scanning for danger. It wasn't right that children so young should be like this, she thought. They should be playing. When Eyomn saw her mother and brother approaching, she stepped from her hiding place.
'He hasn't moved, Mum. Looks to be in a bad way.'
She nodded, moving closer to the man, he was tall- she could see that- dressed in a ripped grey tunic and trousers. One boot was missing and long dark hair hung across his face, hiding the features. She pushed the hair back, and then sat back with a sigh. They'd not found a man, they'd found an elf. That was all they needed, here they were squatting on the edge of some Elf Lord's private domain, and they had one of them wash up at their doorstep. Maybe he'd be dead, and then they could just push him back into the river. She rolled him over onto his back. No, he was still alive. But not for much longer by the look of him. His face was grey- nearly the same colour as his clothing.
'What you going to do, Mum?' queried Joel. 'Is he an elf?'
'Yes he's an elf, and I suppose we'd best do what we can for him. Mind you, I don't think that there's a lot anyone can do for him. He looks pretty ill.'
'Wound in his stomach by the look of it,' said Eyomn, 'Bad one as well.'
Again she nodded. Why did her children have to have this knowledge of warfare?
'Let's see if we can get him into the warm at least.' They both nodded.
'I'll make some willow tea, it might help,' said Eyomn. Upon a nod the girl headed back towards the cave. Now, how to move him?
'Come on Mr Elf man, I can't carry you, you're much too heavy.' She tested the strength of the tunic, yes, it seemed strong enough, so she could drag him. And so she did, but this seemed to wake the elf, who began to struggle to stand. She let go of his tunic and pulled him to his feet, where he stood swaying dangerously.
'Come you elf, let's get you into the cave out of the wind. You must be freezing, your clothes are all wet and torn.' She began to lead him towards the cave, but he had other ideas.
'No this way, we've got to go this way,' she insisted.
'Ú chenion, glamhoth anglennar,'[1]he said.
'Yes, whatever you say, but we've got to get to the cave.' Great. Not only an elf, but one who couldn't speak the common tongue.
'Orqu!'[2]
'Them too, come on, nearly there.'
She didn't know how she did it, but finally the tall elf was up the slope and steered to the back of the cave, where with a little gentle pushing she got him to lie on the bed. Well, the pile of bracken with a blanket spread over it that served as a bed, anyway. Eyomn handed her a rough wooden cup filled with willow tea,
'That's nearly the last of it now, Mum.' She tested the tea with her little finger and then, lifting the elf's head and cradling it in her arm, she gently tipped the cup to his lips. His eyes, a lovely deep brown, opened to stare up at her.
'Ias naa amin?'[3]
'Mum…he's talking!'
She quickly relieved the girl of the cup and shooed her away to get a closer look at the elf.
'Shh, you're safe here for a bit, I'm going to have to cut these clothes off you,'
Using her knife she cut the seams to the tunic and drew the cold and clammy cloth away from him. The boot came off easily and the trousers slipped from his hips leaving him naked on the bed. She quickly drew another blanket, the only other blanket, up over his shivering body. She helped him to drink the last of the tea; he seemed to be drifting towards sleep now. His colour had improved a bit, no longer quite so grey. Quickly she lifted the edge of the blanket to look at the stomach wound. It wasn't bleeding, but looked burnt. She reached a tentative finger to the reddened skin surrounding the wound. The elf reacted violently, contracting his body around the lesion. His eyes flew open.
'Celebrían man agorich?'[4] he gasped.
'I'm sorry! I don't want to hurt you- lay still.'
'Manen noo lle sinome? Lle gwannathich'[5]
Now he was crying, and there was nothing she could do for him. She couldn't even talk to him. He was in agony and she couldn't ease his pain. She began to stoke his forehead. It wouldn't help any but at least he would know that someone was there- someone who cared that he lived or died. He rapidly quietened under her caress, relaxing and drifting into sleep. Her healing touch her mother had always called it. She didn't care what it was, it had taken away his pain… for now.
[1] I don't understand. Orcs are coming
[2] Orcs!
[3] Where am I?
[4] Celebrían, what are you doing?
[5] How are you here? You left.
