A/N: i am NOT attempting to write a story soley based on Tolkien's world. i'm making my own characters that would be losely based on Tolkien's own so i hope this AN would remove all reviews that tell me that my story is inconsistent to Tolkien's cause it is MEANT to be inconsistent.
Chapter 02 – Pain Transcends
Amidst the swirling afternoon rays of the sun, eveyrthing in the forest seemed to be at peace except for the hurried crisp crunching of the autumn leaves beneath two frantic warriors' feet. Legolas, mangled physically by the deadly blow that had struck him was being carried in Aragorn's arms as fast as the ranger could take his friend without inflicting more pain. Blood had seeped right through his own tunic and was running down his trousers, made even more filthy by the passing grime of the forest.
The ranger came into a stop after five hundred paces from the battleground that they were in moments ago and into a large clearing seemingly protected by large beech trees forming a strong circle. Most of the afternoon light was filtered by the trees setting a soft glow into the clearing. At the far end of the northern side of the circle lay a small brook, as well as boulders as large as hills and as strong as cave troll's bodies and mithril combined.
Not pausing to take a breath, Aragorn called out to the wind, "Iradiel, I seek your help!" Gimli stepped back at the sudden words of his companion calling out to a maiden. "Iradiel, I beg of you, I need your help," he shouted as he walked towards the boulders that he knew was the stronghold of the healer.
A weak wisp of wind carried autumn leaves off the forest ground. Cool air rose from the seemingly enchanted state of the place when they heard a silent swishing of skirts come near them, yet was not seen. "Who dares to step into my home? Do you not care for pain that may be inflicted upon you and your companions?"
"I would not risk our lives if it was not of great importance that this companion of ours should live," Aragorn answered urgently with a grave edge lacing his voice. There wasn't much time before the elf would cease to gasp for breath, his once-azure eyes were beginning to take on a duller color, and his face becoming pallid in complexion.
"I have ceased to be the servant of any creature," a strong voice answered. "Your request falls in vain, stranger. You must leave."
"Good lady, a friend of ours is mortally wounded, he must receive immediate help!" Gimli protested, anger lacing his voice at the rough refusal that was given to them. "Every passing second might be his last, it is not his destiny to pass through this eart just yet!"
"And who are you to pass judgement on who shall live and who must die, stranger?" the voice questioned with a harder egde. "It may be your friend's fate and you must leave it at that."
"You healed me once Iradiel and you know that my intentions are of noble intent. It will be a crime for you not to heal a fellow elf who in the brink of death! Show yourself to us for you to see who seeks your help," Aragorn demanded to the faceless voice.
From behind the clearing, Iradiel walked out from the trees wherein she blended in so well without being seen. It was true that she did not know who was asking for her help. Coming closer to the two half-crazed travellers, she nodded towards them before placing her right hand on the elf's chest. If not for the Dunedain's advanced hearing, he would have not heard her sharp intake of breath seconds after resting her hand on the elf's. "It has been a long time since Aragorn, come with me quickly. He has no more than a few minutes to live," she said. She walked towards the boulders and reached for the opening of a secret door which was covered with vines and flowers.
Another door leading to a smaller room was open. There, a bed with pristine white covers and downy pillows lain. Iradiel glanced at the elven prince as gasped for another breath, his eyes wildly dilating and moving about his sockets, and arrests had dawned on his chest. "Lay him down and close the door as you leave. Do not open the door," she warned him, folding her dress sleeves up her arms.
"Don't lose him Iradiel, please," the man asked the healer darkly. Upon seeing her nod, he closed the door shut, and barred them from the outside.
He is a strong one to live this long, but still, too much had been lost, she thought to herself, closing her eyes to begin healing the wounded elf. Blinding white light emanated from the body of the healer, her head arched back, her hair flowing above her head, only the whites of her eyes could be seen. Blue light came from the palms of her hands. They were above the torn midsection of the elf, knitting every torn sinew of flesh, connecting the bones that were broken, and tying the severed nerves.
Excuciating pain shot through every pore of Iradiel's small frame, the pain of her patient transferring to her own body, inhaling it to consume it. It was as if her own flesh was being ripped from her body, blood pumping out of her, organs ceased to functing well. Only short gasps of breath were the only indication that she was holding on to her own life. The hardest part was over, the ceasing of the flow of blood from his body. The wave of nausea passed through her but was quickly swallowed. There was still much to do and he was still not yet out of the woods.
After barricading the room from the outside, Aragorn quickly walked back to Gimli to the door of the boulder house. "We must leave Gimli," he said wearily, grabbing his pack as he passed by the entrance.
"Aragorn, you do not mean to leave Legolas with that...that witch healer!" Gimli protested, yet following Aragorn outside of the place. "We do not know what she may do to him while we are not there to protect him! He is wounded and cannot protect himself!"
"Aye Gimli, for if we stay inside, we too, will die from Legolas' pain," he said grimly to his companion. Just as the front door closed, blue light seeped from the cracks of the door, touching Gimli's arm. The dwarf yelped in pain at the contact before briskly walking towards the human who stated himself a few paces from the entrance. "She is healing him now, he is in the best hands in Middle Earth," he said with a grim smile, remembering his own healing.
"Who is she Aragorn? She is an elf yet why is she alone in these woods, they do not separate themselves from their kin," Gimli said, avoiding the blue light coming from the door. He reached for his pipe in the pack and lighted it, a frown creasing his wrinkled brow.
"I know not much about her, only that she has healed me before," Aragorn answered, before lifting the left sleeve of his tunic, showing the dwarf of the darker portion of the arm. "Hydaras poison killed my flesh, she assisted her mother in removing the poison. Lunthaniel died because of the extraction," he said, with a trace of remorse in his voice.
"Her mother died because..." the dwarf trailed in confusion. "How? She merely healed you."
The ranger shook his head, "Nay, she extracted the poison into her own body to heal me. That is the way of the Auvreatylars, the highest order of healers in Middle Earth. She failed to control the poison and it overcame her body, killing her."
"You mean, Iradiel's mother...you?"
"Yes, it was because of me that he mother died. Gandalf begs to differ, of course, but to know that you are the cause of a parent's death, it makes you feel low," he said bitterly.
The two companions rested comfortably outside the boulder house in an uneasy silence. Both were scared of the outcome of what might happen to their comrade but at the same time thinking of the connection between Aragorn and Iradiel's family. Hours passed, the sun began to set and yet, the unceasing blue light from the house did not falter.
