Xelloss – Glad you like it, all will become clear in time

Falasiel, lily, Tholhidhwen, LadyJanelly andFaceted mind, - Thank you all for your comments, I'm glad you are enjoying the tale

Prism – Thank you for your comments, point taken

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gil-Galad rose and wordlessly beckoned the healer to follow. Outside the door Finuial and Gil-Galad stopped.

"He is Sindar," the healer said.

"Without a doubt, though given his colouring I would not have believed it had I not heard him speak"

The healer observed him curiously, "there are also fair haired Noldor," he said with a shrug.

Gil-Galad laughed, "I know, but it is still unexpected, I assumed too much, but knowing this I believe I now know who he is"

"You do?" the healer asked in surprise.

"Aye, there was a company of Grey Elves who were attacked near the Nimbrethil a few days before we found him, none survived, or so we thought."

Finuial frowned, "if he witnessed their deaths it is no wonder that he is so scared" he mused allowed.

"Indeed," Gil-Galad replied, "I have a meeting to attend but I will visit him later today, and perhaps Rosuil should speak with him."

"As you wish My Lord." The healer bowed his head as Gil-Galad swept down the corridor. Finuial stopped a servant and bid her fetch some broth, and to summon Rosuil to the healing house. ((Lord Gil-Galad was right; it might comfort Erestor to speak with the Sindar elf))

The healer smiled when he entered the healing rooms, the two elflings were curled up together, and they made such a pleasing sight, complimenting each others colouring so perfectly, their hair intermingled, gold and black, it just looked right, the healer thought. Not wanting to disturb them, Finuial began to prepare the herbs and mix the salves.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rosuil entered the room silently, he had been expecting bad news when the maid had given him the message to come to the healing house, but now he was here, he could not help smiling broadly to see the elflings curled up together, and awake.

Finuial silently beckoned him out of the room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the healers returned, Rosuil carried a tray, which he placed on the side table near the window.

Finuial asked Glorfindel to help him collect some herbs from the garden.

Glorfindel glared at him, but the look on the healers face would broker no argument, so he made a promise to Erestor to return quickly and reluctantly released the dark haired elf from his embrace.

Rosuil kept an eye on the small elf as Finuial and Glorfindel left the room. The elfling had instinctively tried to make up for the loss of comfort he had found in Glorfindel's arms by hugging the bedding to himself and curling up in a ball.

"Suilad (greetings) Erestor, I am called Rosuil, I am a healer here"

The dark eyes observed him warily.

"Are you hungry?"

The elfling shook his head.

"You must eat, young one, you are too thin" the healer replied with an indulging smile. He brought a cup of broth to the bedside and urged Erestor to sit up and helped him to drink, when he reluctantly did so.

"Better?" he asked

The emotionless dark eyes stared at him.

The healer allowed the elfling to continue to observe him in this manner, though it was quite disconcerting.

"Do you remember what happened?"

The guarded veil fell away from Erestor's eyes for a moment and they exuded pain and fear.

"Aye, you remember, don't you?" the healer answered with sadness.

Erestor shook his head absently, and the guarded eyes observed him once more.

"We came upon the bodies near the Nimbrethil," the healer continued.

The elflings eyes remained neutral but then briefly slipped closed.

Erestor knew what was happening, they believed him to be one of a party of elves they had come upon by the woods.

Hidden in the branches of an evergreen, they had thought they were saved. They had observed the company of elves, thinking them to be Sindar, and that they might help them. But they had waited and watched to be sure, five elves there were in total, three males and two females. They had been about to reveal themselves when a cry of alarm had gone up in the camp, and the wolves had come, and they had hidden their eyes against the attack.

They waited so long, but when all had been quiet for some hours they had dared to come out from their hiding place. There had only been two bodies left there, and so badly disfigured it had frightened them, and they had run.

He felt Rosuil sit upon the bed and wrap an arm about his shoulders. He looked up at the healer with watery eyes.

"There was nothing I could do" he said in a weak voice and allowed himself to weep openly.

The healer buried the elfling in a comforting embrace and allowed him to cry his fill.

As his distress began to lessen, Erestor considered his position and offered up a silent pray for the spirits of those five elves and begged forgiveness from the Valar for the deception he was about to create.

"Were they your kin, Erestor?" the healer asked softly.

The elfling nodded, his gaze downcast, "I was scared, please" he looked at Rosuil with pleading eyes, "I cannot speak of this, may I rest?"

"Of course you can rest, young one" Rosuil replied, releasing the elfling and tucking in the bed covers about him.

The healer continued to stroke the elflings hair, hoping it would give the elf some measure of comfort.

"Why do you serve a Noldorin Lord?"

The healer looked at Erestor in surprise ((that is an odd question)) he thought, but answered regardless, "I serve Lord Círdan of the Teleri."

The elfling still looked at him quizzically, "You do not serve Gil-Galad?"

The healer frowned, "Lord Gil-Galad was my Lord's student and now rules this isle when Lord Círdan is on the oceans, so aye, I serve him too, why do you ask these things Erestor?"

The elfling sighed, "I wonder what is to become of me" he replied, which was not wholly a lie, and not wholly the truth.

Rosuil felt his breath hitch in his throat at the young elf's confession, and his wide watery-eyed stare almost broke his heart, realising how utterly alone this one must feel. Seeking to reassure him he said, "Erestor, you have made friends here already and Lord Gil-Galad has visited you each day since you have arrived, you have no need to fear what the future will bring, all will be well."

Erestor fell silent, he wanted to believe the healer's words, he really did, and the persistent voice in his head told him that the danger he was in was lessened, and provided they never discover who he truly was, he would be safe. The voice quietened and he felt a small measure of peace that was increased further when Glorfindel returned.