Little Elf
Chapter forty-four
8th Astron 3017
To the north and south was a heavy expanse of green, to the west was the rise of the Misty mountains and to the east was the steady flow of the Anduin and then the large green foliage of Mirkwood.
Elle has left Lothlorien two days ago and she had become acclimatised to the chilling wind battering her face.
Her eyes scanner the horizon, there being no real difference ahead. The sun was slowly rising over Mirkwood, sweet bird song travelling melodically to so far a place.
*What is that?* Elle thought her eyes fixing on a large black…blob nearer the river.
Reigning in Anarmir she narrowed her eyes to see what is was *A… person?*
"Should we go and investigate?" Elle wondered aloud.
Anarmir snorted in response "Shall I take that as a yes?" There was another snort in reply. They took off in a gallop towards the 'person'.
When they arrived Elle realised that the man was unconscious his face down in the grass. From his back protruded an arrow, so deep that and good centimetre or two of the shaft was embedded as well.
'Oh shit' Elle cursed *trust my luck*. Anarmir trotted up to her and Elle took a saddlebag off, which was full of healing materials to help her during her stay with Elrond.
A water bag was taken out hurriedly as well as a mortar where herbs were quickly crushed into a paste.
Elle examined the arrow; it was crudely made of splintered wood, which had been stained from with charcoal, red and black arrows at the end of the shaft. Congealed blood stained the area around the wound and Elle wondered just how long this man had been lying there. Checking his pulse she noticed that is was lower then it should be, yet it still had a strong beat.
Tearing a long strip of white linen she prepared to pull the arrow out "remember, one hard tug." She muttered to herself, now having pulled out up to 20 arrows from different places of elves bodies. Putting one hand around the shaft and another braced against the man she gritted her teeth and pulled. The arrow came out and she swiftly stanched the wound to stop the flow of blood.
Holding the linen down firmly with her left hand she took a handful of poultice and prepared to apply it to the injury.
Lifting the makeshift bandage se applied the salve and out another clean piece of linen over it. "Now how to wrap this bandage around him?"
Reaching around the mans neck she unclasped his dark green cloak and threw it aside. Next came a lather coat, well worn, soft and supple. A slate shirt was next; this seemed to be a problem. Turning the man on his side she unlaced the collar at the top before pulling it up only to be hindered by his arms.
Bending one of the arms she got one arm out of the shirt. The shirt then went over his head and pulled it off the other arm.
'Oh for gods sake! How many layers have you got on?'
There was lastly a thin white cotton shirt, the back stained slightly with blood. Elle hoisted this up, not bothering to actually take it off.
Rolling the man over and then sitting him up and leaning him against her shoulder *Heavy*. She checked the poultice was in place before wrapping a long bandage around his torso several times. She then laid him on the soft grass before looking over the man.
He looked to be in his thirties though he had a beard, which could always disguise many a sin. His hair fell to below his chin in waves of brown. Elle frowned at him but turned to his clothes. They all seemed to be normal for what most men in the wilds of middle earth wore, the only odd thing was the mini armoury her carried around consisting of two swords, long and short, 2 knifes, and a bow and arrows.
Looking at the cloak she noticed something odd. The clasp was a blue six-pointed star 'A ranger!' Elle exclaimed "a Dunadan!" *what is he doing to the east of the misty mountains? Unless…*
She grabbed his left hand and what she saw confirmed her suspicions. On this index finger was a ring of silver depicting two serpents, one consuming the other, supporting a crown of golden flowers. The serpents had eyes of Emerald and twinkled in the light *the ring of Barahir!*
Elle looked at the man again in surprise "Aragorn!" *Utuaya estel, she didn't mean find hope, she meant find estel! As in Aragorn!*
* * *
10th Astron 3017
It had been a long night and Elle has been awake throughout. She had filled the time by sewing up various holes in Aragorn's clothes.
At the time Aragorn had not stirred, sleeping through out the previous day and night. Elle found herself wondering how such a man could have an arrow in his back, form an orc or goblin so far away from the peaks of the misty mountains.
He seemed to have no horse, but that could of fled.
Elle suddenly looked upon him as he started to stir. He groaned and Elle kneeled down beside him. Grey eyes suddenly snapped open "Arwen?" he questioned
'Nay' Elle replied *He is definitely delirious, comparing me to the evenstar*
'Who are you?' he asked sitting up, he winced though he tried to cover it.
'My name is Elle and what is yours?' she asked softly offering him a water skin, which he drank from gratefully.
'Strider' he replied only just noticing that he was only wearing an undershirt and his trousers. 'What happened?'
'You were shot in the back, by goblins or ors. I saw you yesterday on my horse.' Her eyes darted to Anarmir who was standing a few metres away eating tufts of grass. 'I came here, took the arrow out and bandaged you up, now how do you feel?'
'Like I have been shot in the back' he replied sincerely.
'Now that is good to hear, take off your shirt' Strider rose a brow 'I need to redress your wound.' Elle explained
Strider obligingly took his shirt off, wincing as his ack moved 'Now I could sew it up or leave it, what would you prefer?'
'You may be an elf but I do not trust you enough to be using sharp implements around my body.'
'My being an elf is enough reason for you not to trust me!' Elle laughed 'Though you are a ranger, I suppose you are more trusting of other races compared to other men'
'What makes you think that I am a ranger?' he asked guardedly
'That six point star holding your cloak around your neck gave it away'
'You have met other rangers before?' he asked lightly
'Something like that. Now sewing up or not?'
'As I said earlier, you may be an elf, but sharp objects in my skin…'
'I am a healer by the way. I am travelling to Rivendell to learn mote from Lord Elrond'
Strider grinned 'Well the you know what you are doing'
Elle sighed *this man is so annoying! He knows that I don't know how to heal edain! Oh well…it seems that pain I his option*
'Fine! Seeing as I want to leave tomorrow I'll sew you up. Now…' Elle got out various herbs; popping a few into her mouth she started to chew before placing it over the wound, which had already started to heal.
Taking a needle from some cloths she placed it into the now dying fire. Now sterilised she threaded it and started to sew. Strider sat quite still while Elle sewed, and a few stitches later she was idly humming an elven song she had heard at the spring festival.
'Glad to see you are concentrating'
'Hmm' Elle snapped the piece of string before rewrapping the bandage around Strider's torso. 'You might as well put your clothes on' she threw his grey shirt at him.
'When do you intend on leaving?' Strider questioned
'Tomorrow morning' Elle replied packing her supplies away 'Where are you going?'
The ranger grinned 'A town near the river Hoarwell'
'That is south of Rivendell if I am not mistaken. The Bruinen and the Hoarwell are tributaries of the river greyflood.'
'For a healer you certainly know a lot of the geography of the area' he said this lightly and Elle smiled in reply.
II have had over 2000 years to look at maps'
'The land changes'
'Aye, that is true but rivers change their courses slowly and will not change so that they run north rather then south.'
'I was always lead to believe that elves from Lorien cared little of what was going on around them'
'You missed out the talk of an elf-witch' Elle quipped 'but, the geography does affect us' Elle enforced. 'And we do know what is going on in the outside world. We just choose not to openly notice it' *He's testing me! Annoying little so and so! Well, I never thought I'd call Aragorn that…* 'and what of the rangers? The Dunadain? Whichever you prefer to be called. Why do you hide and pretend you do naught? You allow yourself to be scowled ay my men and women alike who think of you as little more then trouble makers, and yet you are actually the very people that keep evil at bay.'
'We do not ask for recognition, knowing that what we do it good and just is all be need'
'Yet why do you all hide? That is not needed'
'We are humble people' the ranger grinned his eyes far away
'Who knows what could hide among you' Elle smiled *Oh I can see why Galadriel likes being enigmatic*
'What do you mean?' he asked guardedly eyeing her somewhat warily
'Nothing my dear Strider. Did you have a horse with you?' she asked changing the subject.
'Yes I did. Though she has apparently decided that I am not important enough to risk her life for'
'Indeed. Well I suppose you'll be travelling with me then. Anarmir can bear both of us easily meaning you won't strain your back with endless walking and I can be sure that you heal successfully.'
'How do you plan to travel through the mountains?' Strider questioned checking over his weapons.
'The high pass' Elle replied
Strider nodded 'I do wonder. Even I know that it is rare for elves to travel on their own. Especially female elves' he grimaced realising the clouded insult
Elle laughed 'the lady decreed that I would travel alone, so that is what I must do. However, I am not totally incompetent when using both the bow and daggers, I can protect myself if needs be, though I hope that that knowledge will not need to be drawn upon. I am a healer not a fighter'
'Indeed. Though I fear I must tell you, as a dunadain I have a black cloud of trouble that hovers around me like an un-swatable fly, intend on annoying and hindering me'
'I am sure I can cope' Elle replied 'Now I'm sure you are hungry' she threw a piece of dried meat at him.
A/n Ok, that's the chapter done unfortunately I don't have time to answer reviews- if I do I won't be able to post until tomorrow and I'm sure you wanted the chapter now…
Gwilwileth