Where is Jailil? Why is he not here?

Jailil shut his eyes. Of course he was happy for Hyrondal, but he could not bear to be in the same room, watching Hyrondal celebrate. Hyrondal had fought through a ravine for his dream. What had he, Jailil, done to fight for his dream?

Nothing. He had done nothing to achieve his dream except read a book so ancient, half the plants were extinct.

Jailil leaned his head on his knees and rocked to shake up the grief within him. The forest floor bit into his thighs; pine needles and sticks and the kindly tree behind him tried not to scratch his back with its bark.

"Jailil"

Go away, Thranduil, Jailil thought.

"I will not call you twice when it is disgusts me to be here!"

Jailil's head jerked up. Head Healer Avaron! He hesitated to peek around his tree, but the elf found him in the deep green shadows of the trees behind the stables. Avaron held his white robe away from his ankles as he took mincing steps.

"What kind of healer are you if you detest the woods?" Jailil demanded.

"Ouch," said Avaron. "That was uncalled for; I do not take insults from my apprentices."

"Well," Jailil snorted. "Lucky for me I am not your apprentice!"

"No," Avaron said. "But you should be. Your dedication to your friend was admirable."

Jailil rested his head on his knees. "It was not much. I only did for Hyrondal what I could not do for my family. I suppose I would rather give up my dream and see Hyrondal live his."

Avaron looked at the damp forest floor and seemed unable to sit down on it. "We healers live our dreams every day so others may live theirs."

"Forgive me, but it did not seem like you were dedicated to your craft as seeing as you were willing to cut off Hyrondal's arm at the first end of ideas!" Jailil cried. "What kind of healing is that?"

"The kind of healing I will not teach you. Now scrape yourself off the forest floor and find your pride."

Jailil spoke into his knees. "Do you mean it?"

"I do not joke when it comes to whom I offer apprenticeships to," Avaron said. "Yuai made me realize it is good to recognize passion."

Jailil shifted. "If I agree to be your apprentice and you pinch my ears or hit me, you better be careful of drinks you leave lying about or you may find yourself in an unfortunate situation."

"You little minx!" Avaron exclaimed. "You would not dare!"

Jailil smiled as he stood. "The first book of Herbal Lore is laced with plants that do inconvenient but harmless little things."

Avaron held his robe off the ground until he and Jailil reached the grass beyond the forest line. Avaron said, "You will be the youngest apprentice I have had yet."

Jailil paused before he passed the stables. "Um—as your apprentice—will I stay at the healing ward?"

"No, indeed! As my apprentice, you will stay with me."

"Ah," Jailil said. 'Then you must excuse me; I cannot leave my things here."

Jailil trotted to collect his few belongings and the books Thranduil had lent him from the palace libraries. He thanked Geoda for his kindness and met Avaron with his arms full of books.

"You had better return the books to the palace library," Avaron advised. "We have copies." As Jailil peered over the stack in his arms to see the ground, Avaron added, "You had best give me some books to carry else you will drop them into a puddle or, worse yet, horse dung!"

Jailil chuckled and slid three tomes into Avaron's outstretched hands. "After I am settled at your home, may I have a moment to see my friends?"

Avaron smiled and his black eyes twinkled. "Of course."

Avaron led Jailil to his home; a vast stone building behind the healing wing. With a small garden and a single apple tree, a stone path connected the house to the healing ward. Jailil soon found himself facing a soaping bath in the cool of the house. He turned and Avaron stared at him with folded arms.

"I will get in, I swear," Jailil said. "Please shut the door."

"I will check behind your ears," Avaron said, and shut the door behind him.

Jailil shed his garments and sat in the tub with his back to the door, feeling his back stretch, and refused to look over his shoulders as he scrubbed down. His hair wet and pasted to his skull, Jailil wrapped himself in a towel and peeked out into the hall.

Avaron straightened from where he leaned against the right-hand wall and beckoned him to a small room off the hall. "This is to be your chamber. My room is at the head of the hall and off limits."

Jailil nodded before he ducked into the sunlight of his new room. The purple curtains were tied back at the lone window, but light flooded the bed opposite. No dust on the wardrobe and dresser.

Jailil fingered the white robe spread out on his checkered bedspread before he dropped his towel and pulled the cloth over his head. His smile grew wider as he belted it with a red strip of cloth.

"I am a healer's apprentice," he whispered.

Elsewhere in the palace, Hyrondal tucked his father's scroll under his pillow and tried to relax. It was hard to sleep when, even with the curtains drawn, he knew it was midday outside. The slugs still suckled at his arm, but his flesh felt cool to touch now so he knew the fat creatures were doing something.

The door creaked open and Hyrondal raised his head as Yuai stuck his head into the room. "Are you up for some company?"

Hyrondal stuffed another pillow behind his back. "I have been told to sleep, but you might as well open the blinds."

Yuai swept the curtains back to the edges of the windows and the curtain rings grated. He drew up a chair. "I have brought you some books I want you to look at."

Hyrondal looked at the two slim books Yuai put in his lap. "Why?"

"These books," Yuai said patiently. "Are stories and songs about ancient warriors."

Hyrondal glared at the elf. "And perhaps half of them are missing body parts?"

"Perhaps," Yuai answered. He patted Hyrondal's knee. "Warriors are all missing parts of themselves, if only in the heart. Killing leeches away character."

Hyrondal winced. He opened the first slim book and looked at the beginning text. When he looked up, Yuai's dark eyes met his and Hyrondal demanded, "What?"

"I must make the most of the time I have with you, be you in bed or not," Yuai replied.

Hyrondal shut his book. "Well, I cannot concentrate with you glaring at me. And I do not agree with you."

Yuai raised his golden eyebrows. "About what?"

Hyrondal waved his good arm. "About what you said about killing leeching away a part of you."

"It does, Hyrondal," Yuai said.

"I know I do not have the experience to say so," Hyrondal replied. "But it seems to me the way of the blade is not about hurt but about help."

Yuai snorted. "If you still hold to the same attitude a couple years from now, maybe I will consider your view. Read up."

"It is marvelous to know you!" Hyrondal called after him as Yuai shut the door.

Will you be my 100th reviewer?

It is incredible to think we are on the 29th chapter of this tale! Thank you all so much for sharing this creative writing journey with me. As always, I love hearing from you.

Next Chapter: Jailil risks his apprenticeship.