Ambush – Nettles and Red beet

When she awoke some time later, she was surprised to find she had been covered with a comforter, and fresh fruit and bread had been left on a small table to one side. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she became aware that she was being scrutinized by a pair of violet eyes. Elrond was appraising her from his position and she blushed, not being used to such intense observation.

'There's no need to blush, I was lying here thinking how like my wife you looked.' he said.

'You're married?'

'Yes, but she left for the havens over four hundred years ago. She had been hurt, and couldn't stay in Middle Earth. If you'd have been here, we could possibly have healed her. I still miss her now.'

'I'm so sorry. I lost my husband only a year ago. There say that time heals, but not always.'

Elrond nodded, time dulled the pain, but it never went away, he could still summon up the image of Celebrían as she sailed away. He pushed the memory away but not quickly enough as a tear wound its way down his face.

Eoela seeing her patient upset immediately became the healer again. 'Now, come on, you have three strapping sons. Surely they must help you?'

Now Elrond looked puzzled? 'Three sons…oh, you mean the twins and Estel. He's not my real son, I adopted him nineteen years ago. He's father was killed and his mother came here for sanctuary. I do have a daughter, though.'

'Well there, what more could you want when you have a daughter? How old is she? Is she married yet? What's her name?'

'No, she's not married yet. Her name is Arwen. She's still young, well for an Elf she's still young.'

'How old is she then?'

'I'm sure she was…' his brows creased '…two thousand, seven hundred on her last begetting day.'

'You are joking, aren't you?'

He smiled, 'No, my two strapping sons, as you call them, are nearly three thousand.'

'Well I am definitely not going to ask how old you are.' she laughed. 'I feel quite the baby here, I've only just turned forty. Now hold still, I want to check your dressings. Do you need anything?'

As she reached across the pull back the cover her hand brushed against his skin.

'Are elves normally that hot?'

'No, I fear that I am running what you would call a fever.'

'Great, it must be the blood that bled into your stomach before we could stitch it up again. Do you have any willow bark? I'll make some tea, that'll help to bring the fever down.'

'Stop fussing woman, for the Valar's sake. It's just a slight fever, give me a couple of days and I'll be fine. And yes, I could do with something to drink. Is there any wine left?'

This helped to calm Eoela, who poured a generous measure of wine into a clean goblet, and then realised that she had Elrond virtually imprisoned lying on his side. Her thoughts were broken by the noisy arrival of Estel, clutching his prize, fresh nettles and red beets.

'I've got the making for the tea,' he crowed. The seeing his father awake, 'Ada, you're awake! Thank goodness. I've collected some nice fresh nettles and red beet for you. I thought I'd brew up that lovely tea you always make me drink when I've spilt some blood.'

Elrond glared at his son. 'Rather than fooling around why don't you help Eoela?'

'I'm sorry Eoela, do you need help? Maybe you don't know how to make the tea?'

'No Estel, I need help moving your father. He's been on his side long enough and we need to get him sitting up a bit so that he can take some fluids.'

'What, like nettle and red beet tea?'

'I'm not taking any nettle and red beet tea!' exclaimed Elrond.

'Hang on,' said Estel. Then going to the door of the room, he opened it and shouted into the house in general. 'Glorfindel XE "Glorfindel" , come and give us a hand in the healing room please.'

Elrond looked at Eoela with sorrow in his eyes. 'I did my best to bring him up correctly, but he just won't learn. Ever since he came here he's had the house in uproar.'

'Who's had the house in uproar?' asked Glorfindel XE "Glorfindel"  as he walked into the room. 'Oh, Elrond, you're awake. How are you feeling? Don't you dare move.'

'We need you help to roll Ada over, Glor. You see we need to give him some nettle and red beet tea-'

'Estel,' growled Eoela. 'Pack it in. Act like a grown-up for a while.'

'Sorry, Eoela,' he said sheepishly. 'All right, what do you want us to do?'

Between the three of them they soon had Elrond comfortably propped up on the bed, but not before he nearly passed out from lack of blood.

'I'll be all right,' he kept saying, but Eoela was not so sure. He was still very pale, and his skin was burning up with fever.

'Estel can you give Elrond some of that wine I've poured out? I need to make some tea. And no, it will not be nettle and red beet tea at all.'

Estel flashed her a charming smile and moved to comply with her wishes.

She went through into the pharmacy and looked around to see what sort of stock Elrond held. All the jars and containers were neatly labelled in both what she suspected was elvish and also westernesse. Scanning the shelves she recognised many old favourites of hers- mandrake, echinacea, goldseal, corn poppy, red beet, and alfalfa, and also some she had never heard being used as medicine- lavender, black haw, and wild yam. This satisfied her that she would be able to treat Elrond's fever, and also strengthen his blood so that he could heal quickly.

Gathering together various herbs, she found a kettle and soon had the tea brewed to the strength she wanted. Her basis was willow bark, to which she had added some yellow dock and burdock for strengthening the blood. Later she would collect some fresh alfalfa but the dried would have to do for now. Carefully tasting the mixture she decided that it was just a touch to bitter so added some rose hip syrup to make it more palatable. Then carrying the cup back into the healing room she was pleased to see that Estel had managed to get his father to drink the complete cup of wine.

'I've made some tea, which you've got to drink as well now. It's not got anything bitter in it so just drink it.'

Estel took the cup from her, and to a small sip himself. Pulling a face he turned to his father,

'This is awful Ada, are you sure you don't want me to…'

'Just give me the cup, you child of Mordor.' He reached out his hand to take the cup, but was unable to hold it steady.

'Easy Ada, let me help you.'

Eoela smiled as she watched the rough human gently support the elf's hand and head as he drunk the tea, he then tenderly wiped a drip from his father chin.

'Thank you Estel, that was very tasty. And no nettles at all.' said Elrond. 'In fact, a very pleasant tea indeed. Did I taste rose hips?'

'Yes, I've found that if you use rose hip syrup with yellow dock and burdock it helps the blood to replenish sooner.'

Elrond nodded, 'And willow bark, and alfalfa?'

She nodded, 'But only the dried alfalfa, I really find that fresh is better. It has a lot more of the goodness that you lose when drying herbs.'

'There's a patch of alfalfa in the garden, I can show you where it is later.'

Again Eoela nodded, 'What I need now however is for your father, ada that is, to have a nap.'

'I've only just woken up.' exclaimed Elrond.

'Yes, and now you're going to have another little sleep. It will help you to heal.'

If an elf could be described as pouting that is what Elrond appeared to be about to do as she once again began to stoke his hair and forehead.

'I'd hate to be your husband, madam,' he murmured as he began to drift. 'Every time you touch my hair I fall asleep.' Then his eyes glazed and he drifted into a deep sleep.

'I wish I could do that,' said Estel, 'And ada means dad, if you say adar it means father.'

'Oh. Well, I suppose if I'm going to stay I'd better start learning elvish.'

'It's actually Sindarin, not elvish. There are three main types of elvish, but we use Sindarin here. You can get by in most places with it.'

Glorfindel XE "Glorfindel"  had happily sat himself beside the table with the food and wine, and acted the host passing wine and food to the other watchers. They sat and talked, happy in each other's company, until Eoela realised that the sky was darkening and the stars coming out.

'I haven't seen the children since the morning!' she exclaimed. 'What sort of mother am I?'

'A very good one, from what I've seen so far,' replied Estel. 'The last I saw of your two was them towing along behind the other fosterlings. I think they were off to do plant lore with Hachon. If they're still with the young ones they'll be having dinner now in the children's hall.'

'I must go and find them, and make sure they're all right-'

'I'm sure Elrond will have told you. All children are precious to the Imladris folks. They'll be well looked after.'