Together, Elrond and Gilraen eased their shared son into a clean nightshirt and tucked him into bed. Once a fire had been lit and the room cleared of extraneous people Elrond drew up two chairs to the bedside. Gilraen sat, watching him expectantly. "What are you withholding Elrond? I saw your face when you examined that cut on his head."
The healer berated himself for allowing the concern to show. But then, perhaps it was simply that Gilraen had known him too long and was too astute. With a nod of acknowledgement, he returned his attention to their charge. "Estel has struck his head quite firmly. The bone of his skull has been damaged and a shard is depressed, causing pressure upon the brain matter beneath. I do not yet know whether this will be further complicated by blood pooling beneath it."
Gilraen's hard won composure slipped and she stifled a soft cry with her hand. Swallowing, she asked the important questions. "Will it damage his brain? Can it kill him?"
Elrond considered his hands for a moment as he composed his thoughts. "The depression is small and quite shallow so we may be fortunate to find little or no subdural bleeding. However any sustained pressure upon the matter of the brain can cause the death of that area, resulting in any number of effects upon physical or mental processes. The size and placement of the injury will determine what those effects will be and their duration. Additionally, bleeding within the cranial cavity may cause pressure upon a larger area than is indicated by the size of the external injury."
Gilraen looked down upon her beautiful child, trying to imagine her life without him. That he was flesh of her body and only son of her departed husband was reason enough to love him. But as he grew in knowledge and grace she loved and respected him even more, for the man he was becoming. She dashed away tears as she lifted her gaze to probably the only person in Middle earth with the skill to prevent her child's death. "What can you do?"
"There is a technique I have performed before. It entails lifting the bone fragments back into their proper place and dispersing any blood clots. I cannot, however, reverse any damage caused to the brain matter. Even I do not have the gift to return life that has already fled." Elrond's voice was compassionate but grave.
"Dear Este aid us," the lady prayed. "Do what you can, Elrond. He can be in no better hands." With those words Gilraen took each of those hands, bestowing upon them her mother's benison of a kiss.
Elrond was humbled by such a display of trust. At an unvocalised request Lindir appeared, crossing to the bedside to bow to the lady and his lord. "How may I assist you, Hirdir?"
"I am about to perform a healing that may require all my attention. You have aided me in the past so know what is required. Please prepare whilst I explain matters further to the Lady Gilraen."
The slight elf merely nodded before settling himself comfortably at Elrond's feet, dropping his head onto his upraised knees and closing his eyes.
"Elrond?" Gilraen nodded questioningly at Lindir.
"The manipulation I perform does not involve surgical instruments. I intend to use my will to repair the damage. However it requires much energy and concentration and when the healing trance is deep my body may forget to breathe or pump blood. Should that occur, Lindir will assume those functions for me."
Gilraen's eyes widened. "You would put your life at risk for my son?"
"At any time." Elrond smiled. "But upon this occasion, with Lindir's assistance, there will be little risk to my health. His presence is a precaution only. I would ask you not to disturb me during the procedure, however. To be forced from your son's fae suddenly would be detrimental to the health of both of us."
Gilraen nodded her awed consent. After nearly eighteen years it seemed there were still things to be learned about elves.
Elrond placed one hand upon Estel's head and dropped the other to rest upon Lindir's shoulder. The younger elf reached up to cover it with his own and then both took several deep breaths. By the fourth they were in perfect synchronisation and Elrond's head dropped forward too, as though in sleep. The room grew quiet, but for the crackling of the fire in the hearth.
Even had he not the touch to guide him, the fae of Aragorn, son of Arathorn and distant scion of the house of Elrond's own brother, Elros, would have been easy to locate. It outshone his mothers' and glowed almost as brightly as those of elven kind. But even as he paused to admire its power, Elrond could see a small shadow growing infinitely slowly to mar its light. He homed in, feeling the reassuring presence of Lindir at his back, quiescent but alert.
Slipping delicately between the damaged cranium and brain sheath Elrond applied a light but steady pressure. Slowly and smoothly the shard of bone moved up and back into its proper conformation, already beginning to knit together under his gentle encouragement. He did not dare expend much more energy upon that as his resources were finite, even with Lindir's support. He would trust nature to finish what he started.
Pushing deeper Elrond navigated between the first two layers of membrane beneath the injury site. It was some relief to find only a small rip within their fabric, causing the haemorrhaging of several delicate vessels within the inner layer. Searching diligently he located each tiny capillary and sealed it, then moved on to the dark gelatinous clot depressing the softness of the brain beneath. Questing further within Estel, Elrond triggered the release of the body's own chemicals to break it down, speeding their delivery. It would put a strain upon the youth's already taxed anatomy but the resulting weakness was a fair exchange for the prevention of further damage to his brain. As a final touch the healer drew some of his own considerable strength and fed it into his charge to support the process, gratified when Lindir thought to bolster his efforts.
Gilraen was unaware of all of this and her concern grew with each silent minute. She straightened in hope when Lindir finally showed signs of returning to the world. He blinked and then stretched before glancing up at his lord. Elrond followed only half a breath behind and leaned forward at once to thumb open Estel's eyes. Both healers were peripherally aware of Gilraen watching them expectantly. Accepting a glass of water from Lindir, Elrond leaned back in his chair once more.
"I have repaired the skull, although there is some healing yet to do. There was indeed a blood clot which I have encouraged his body to disperse. We were fortunate. Were it bigger I would have been forced to resort to surgical measures to remove it. Further healing is now wholly dependent upon Estel's will and physical strength."
Lindir offered Gilraen a glass of water too and she sipped it gratefully, feeling a little light headed now that the initial anxiety began to drain from her body. "Was there damage to his brain?
Elrond watched her sip in silence for a few moments then rose. "Yes. But as yet I do not know the extent. There is also a broken rib, although it appears to be in no immediate danger of damaging internal organs. The break in the bone of his right forearm is clean as well. Splints and a sling to prevent movement is all that is required there."
Once more, Lindir anticipated his lord's needs, helping him to splint and immobilise the injured limb. When they were finished they rolled Estel onto his side and propped him there with pillows. "What happens now?" Gilraen asked quietly when they were seated once more and Lindir was clearing away the remains of bandages and salves.
"Now we wait" Elrond replied calmly. "We cannot assess the damage done to his mind until he awakens. I would rather that happened within the next few hours but I will not force it yet." He smiled ruefully. "I would suggest that you take some rest but I know that you will refuse."
Gilraen only made herself more comfortable in her chair.
Elrond settled too, allowing his mind to wonder where it would, secure in the knowledge that Gilraen would succumb soon enough to sleep. With no stimulation and the inevitable relaxation as her body dispersed the last of the chemicals that had kept her alert throughout the previous hour, sleep was inevitable.