I looked to were my numb brain perceived the fighting to be and saw the Orcs battling a single man. "Hopefully he'll have better luck then I did." I whispered, praying that he did. The alert side of me noticed that he was clad in forest colors and a gray cloak. The man fought with a longsword that flashed in the sunlight.
"Anduril!" I silently thanked whatever force that had sent my idol, Aragorn to my rescue. I had always idolized the Ranger side of the King.
I watched, elated as he killed the final Orc, (Gorg!) with a quick slash across his neck. Aragorn turned and came to me, with concern in his gray eyes.
"Aragorn..." my failing voice murmured.
"Shh. Yes I have come." Aragorn spoke as he knelt beside me. "Lay still Emily, I must see what they have done to you."
I obeyed, relaxing into his hands as he lowered me onto the forest floor. Still, I couldn't help crying out with pain as my shoulder and arm moved. He looked at me sadly, easing off my filthy, bloody coat and inspecting the wound underneath. It turned out to be in tatters, along with my shirt.
Aragorn carefully pealed away the cloth and said "When did this happen?"
"I am not sure, I think that it was yesterday." I said softly.
" Can you move your arm at all?" he gently inquired.
" Not since last night." I said, " I think that my wrist is broken."
He felt every inch of it and sighed, looking very grave.
"I'm afraid that it is badly hurt." he quietly told me. Aragorn then said "I am going to help you sleep so I may tend it without causing you any more pain." The last part was almost a question and I nodded as I looked at the Ranger, conveying with a look the absolute trust I felt for him. He looked into my eyes and saw the feeling I had there and smiled sadly.
"Close your eyes." He put his cool hand over my eyes and murmured a Elvish phrase that I barely heard. The world spun as I slipped off to a deep sleep.
The sun was shining when I awoke, giving me a feeling of peace. It took me a moment to remember where I was. Even the slightest movement caused my shoulder to ache and I lay still, remembering the events of last night. I opened my eyes, and saw Aragorn leaning over me.
"Good morning." he said, smiling at my awakening. "Do you feel better?"
I looked at my shoulder and found my shirt cut away, and it bound it thick white cloth. "Much better, thank you." I replied, and then winced as I felt the dryness of my mouth. Aragorn noticed and reached over, supporting my back as he helped me sit up. I leaned against the tree and closed my eyes as the world spun before me. After a moment I opened them again to see the cup of water he was offering to me. I reached for it with a shaking left hand and tried to grasp it, but failed. Aragorn leaned forward and held it to my lips as I drank greedily.
"That was a lot nicer then that draught the Orcs gave me. " I said, with a improved voice.
"I would hope so." replied the Ranger. "Are you hungry?"
His mentioning of food made my mouth start watering and I finally noticed how empty my stomach felt. "Well considering that I last ate two days ago, I would say yes." I told him as my stomach growled in consent.
Aragorn smiled and returned to the fire, and poured the contents of a small bag into a pot over the fire. "It contains dried herbs and noodles. They make a filling and simple meal for those traveling in the wilderness." Aragorn said as he stirred the pot and allowed it to boil for several minutes.
"It sounds wonderful." I grinned as I watched him, thinking of the sort of dried meals that I had eaten before: those cheap and worthless noodles in a cup or something like Mac and Cheese.
He glanced at me with a questioning look so I said "I was remembering the similar foods that I had at home. Dried soups with no nutritional value, though they were pretty tasty."
"Hopefully you will find this equally good, and I assure you that it will only help speed your body on the way to recovery." Aragorn replied with a small smile as he brought bowl and spoon over to me. I reached for it with my left hand and stopped with a sigh as I realized that my arm wasn't going to be steady enough to eat without spilling half of it. Aragorn seemed to know exactly what I was thinking and he began feeding the soup to me. I was a little frustrated at being fed like a baby, but soon I only thought about how good the food tasted. I did notice that my jaw felt very stiff as I opened my mouth, and when Aragorn had finished, I said "Is my face as bruised as it feels?"
The Ranger sighed and stood up, rummaging in a pack until he produced a small mirror. He brought it back to me and held it in front of me.
"Oh darn, it is." I thought as I looked into the mirror, seeing two blue eyes looking back above a very swollen and dark jaw and neck. I then remember the Orcs slapping me the night before.
" It should heal quickly, if you will allow me to tend to it." Aragorn said with concern in his gray eyes.
"Oh, I would hate to look like this longer then necessary. And besides, you don't need my permission." I replied with a wince, feeling just how sore my neck felt.
"You would be surprised at how touchy some women are about their looks. Sometimes they refuse to let me help, believing that scars will fade without a strange man's medicine." the Ranger grinned as he sat back down.
I grinned too, knowing women like that from Alaska. Some of the girls at my school had been very protective of their beautiful faces. "Don't worry, I promise not to be stubborn, at least for matters like this."
"You had better not be." he replied with a teasing tone. I watched as he pulled several small leaves out of a hidden pocket and breathed on them, and rubbed them between his palms.
I recognize that plant." I thought. "Athelas." I said as if stating a fact.
Aragorn looked up, surprised and answered "I believe we have much to talk about. It will wait, however until you have had more rest." He finished rubbing the Athelas and said "It would greatly help aid your healing if I massage this into your neck."
"Be my guest." I replied, remembering how good my best friend had been at giving back rubs. We had done it many times, especially in her hot tub. I relaxed, leaning against the tree as he gently put his hands on my sore neck and rubbed the sweet smell of the ancient herb into my skin. I felt very sleepy as he massaged, and closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of the plant and that of Aragorn.
Aragorn, I thought. How many times had I dreamed of meeting him and having him do this very thing? I wondered if he is King yet. I would have to be careful asking him, as I wouldn't want to interfere with the critical events of "The Lord of the Rings". I remembered reading a book about how stories change with one person affecting them. "Well, first I will find out what time I am in. Hopefully it will be after the War of the Ring, and I can act without caution since I have little knowledge of the future events." I grew sleepier by the minute with the touch of his gentle hands. Aragorn could tell, and he soon stopped and helped me lay back down, his hands supporting my back. He then lifted my head and put some thick cloth underneath, coushining my much improved neck.
"Goodnight, Emily." he murmured "You will feel much better when you wake." I sighed and drifted of to sleep.