*edited*
Hello y'all,
Please let me know if you notice any inconsistencies! *heart emojy because for some reason it won't let me "less then +3"*
-Theonewhoseeslives
Light shone through the open curtains. The linen swirled in the cool breeze as Lord Elrond moved around the room, gliding between the bed and his own makeshift medical table. He sat wearily and gently lifted the washcloth off of Naniel's forehead. Fever had burned through the man, his face flushed, his breathing rhythmic.
During the few times he had awoken, he had been weak. As Naniel's wound got infected, Elrond was unsure if he would recover. He hadn't gotten much information during the times that Naniel was awake, only the man's name and the fact that he was afraid, very afraid. The last time he had awoken, he had whimpered and grasped at his back. Elrond had practically leaped out of his skin when he saw the man's wide terrified eyes, the saliva dripping out of one side of his mouth, his silent scream. Elrond had stood useless as the man writhed, not knowing if it was the Dark One's connection that was causing the man such pain, or if it was simply some crazed nightmare. Now the man was stuck in this half-conscious state, awake but unmoving, alive but unresponsive.
A quiet knock came from the door and Elrohir popped his head through. He stood pensively in the doorframe, watching as his father dabbed the wet cloth on the man's brow.
"How is he?" Elrohir asked.
"Come in fully, there is no need to stand in the shadows," his father chided. The Elf-Lord was tired, the beginning signs of bags under his eyes and the fact that his hair was beginning to lose it's healthy shine were astonishing. How had healing this man taken to much energy out of Elrohir's father?
"Very well," Elrohir came up to the bed, gently caressing the man's limp hand. "How is he?" He asked again.
"Better, his fever has receded and his breathing is cleaner than before." Elrond handed his son the water-logged washcloth and ice bucket before standing up. Elrohir took his father's place, gently washing the man's pale face. The early morning birds sang their song warbles and tweets through the shaded room, the sound grounding as Elrohir met Naniels open eyes.
"Naniel," Elrohir whispered, gazing into the wild face of the feverish man below him. "Naniel," he called, again with no response. "There must be more we can do for him, Ada, we can't let him die."
"Elrohir, be reasonable." Lord Elrond approached the bed with a vial of golden liquid, "Now, where is your brother? You two are usually attached at the hip."
"He is- I don't know Ada, I have not seen him today. What is that?" Elrohir played with Naniel's shirt cuff.
"This is what will hopefully revive our friend." As Elrohir leaned over to get a closer look, but Lord Elrond pulled the vial away. "Now, remember when I explained how dangerous it can be to mix Fae and earth medicine."
"Yes Ada, this can't be-"
"Yes. And no, I am not letting Naniel die. However, the danger caused by mixing fae and earth magic is something that I do not risk lightly. While I would not prefer to resort to such extremes, I believe it is high time our friend wakes up. See to it that nothing disturbs me." Elrond gently sat on the bed next to Naniel as Elrohir bowed softly. As he did most of the time he left Naniel's chambers, Elrohir glanced back, just in time to see his father pour the golden liquid into the man's mouth.
As the door closed behind him, Elrohir felt his father's powerful Fae brush against his and he gasped. He ran as quietly as he could, down the leaf-littered hallways, across the rumbling waterfalls, and up mossy stones until he reached the far other side of the house. Since Naniel's chambers were located in one of the many open cliffside rooms, if Elrohir strained his eyes, he could catch glimpses of what was happening inside. He continued following the stone balcony until he was able to see through a part in the side window's curtains. There he saw fleeting flashes of his father's deep blue robe and a limp pale hand.
He continued to watch until he felt a sudden tickle on his neck. He jumped back to see his grinning twin holding up a twig of pine. Elladan stepped away from the fuming Elrohir, twirling the now defenseless needles in his hand. "Come now brother, you had been ignoring me the whole week! This is payback, our scales need to be even." He joined Elrohir, leaning onto the stone beside him, "In order to keep peace between the valley, you and I had to be one of the same. That's what Ada used to say." Seeing as how Elrohir did not respond, Elladan bumped him with his shoulder.
"Oh, come on. You can not really be angry with me! I apologize, I should not have startled you. There, now are we even?"
"Yes Elladan, we were even, just don't do that again." Elrohir sighed.
"What had you so high strung? It can not be that mortal?" Elladan turned around, bending over the railing backwards.
"Yes, in fact." Elladan sat up in surprise. "Don't look at me that way, I'm sure he is innocent of any evil."
"How? What has he done to prove he is innocent?" Elladan asked aghast.
"What had he done to prove he is guilty?" Elrohir countered. "I think- something- he- well-"
"Don't tell me, your loins are burning?" Elladan teased slowly, before bursting out laughing.
"Shhhh, Ada requires quiet. He was healing the man now." Elrohir swatted at his brother. Elladan sobered up but still persisted.
"You can't be! And all this time you were chiding me on where my trousers led me, while yours had an adventure of their own." Elrohir couldn't help but chuckle at the imagery and Elladan leaned against him once again.
"Now I don't mean to tease, but Elrohir, what if he was-. I just wanted to protect you. Please keep in mind that we know nothing." Elladan clasped his shoulder before sitting himself down on a nearby boulder, and pulling a book out from underneath his belt band. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching as the sun loomed down across the sky, morning turning into afternoon and afternoon cascading into evening. By the time a servant came to light the paths along Imladris, Elladan set aside his book and joined Elrohir on the railing again.
"No brother, I did not love him. I was simply curious beyond a nature of my own, something else had drawn me to him, both in that day and even now. He holds a great future." Elrohir spoke softly. Elladan said nothing in return and felt no need to.
"Naniel."
It was his name, he remembered that much. Light and dark, warmth and cold, black and white, opposites collided together in him. Melding together into an overbearing moment, an overbearing name. Suddenly, gold flushed through the bright abyss, rushing in a stream of force that turned his mind around.
A weight was lifted off of his shoulders, the tension in his neck subsided, his eyes relaxed, he could breathe again.
"Naniel."
It was his name again, this time deeper, commanding. They wanted something from him. They wanted him for more work. They wanted to use him. He curled inwards, pulling away from impending pain, sheltering within the gold.
"Naniel."
Again, his name commanded him. But he was so confused. Commanded him to do what?
"What do you want from me?" He questioned, not hearing his voice.
"Wake, Naniel."
His eyes opened, his lungs breathing in the sweat air as if he was drowning for the second time. His eyes focused on the tall, dark-haired, stranger sitting beside him in an ornate chair. The stranger's eyes were closed, his lined face tired and pensive. He was dressed richly, a deep, blue, robe hung down like a dress. His dark hair was perfectly straight, and across his brow was a circlet of gold. A green over-cloak was thrown over his robe, lined with the same pattern as a leaf, secured with a golden pendant on the stranger's broad shoulders. Tapered ears caught Naniels attention, and he stiffened. This stranger was no man, but an elf.
Naniels breath rose quickly, his head whipping over his pillow, searching around the room. Pain bloomed all over his skull.
"Now, what has you so quick, young one?" The stranger's deep brown eyes opened and he calmly set an empty vial on the table next to him.
"Who-" Naniel divulged into a fit of coughing, curling over as darkness once again invited him back.
"No, stay awake! I did not endanger myself just for you to kill yourself over a coughing fit. Stay put." The elf gracefully rose and gently coerced the grimacing Naniel to sit. The elf brought a crystal glass of water, handing it to Naniel, helping him sit up gently and moving the pillows to cushion his back. Naniel's whole body felt like it had been boiled, his skin was sweaty, he was too warm, he felt so weak, his back and backside muscles twinged.
"Drink slowly or you will choke. Where does it hurt?" Naniel tipped back the small amount of water hungrily, heeding the words of wisdom yet making sure that not a drop was wasted. The wound on his shoulder pulled uncomfortably.
"Everywhere," The elf refilled Naniels glass again, "Thank you." Naniel remembered his manners before tipping back the second glass, grimacing.
"You drink as if you are expecting the mortal mead, don't worry, this is only water. The purest and cleanest from our glades."The elf took the glass away from him and gently placed it on the bedside table
"Where am I, sir?" Naniel asked carefully, wary of the powerful elf in front of him. With his weakened state, there was no simple possibility that he could defend himself against the elf.
"None of that, you had nothing to fear here. I was Lord Elrond, Lord of Imladris, the Last Homely House East of the Sea. My sons brought you here 5 days ago, you were injured." Lord Elrond sat back in his chair, folding his hands neatly over his lap.
"I remembered someone calling my name." Naniel said slowly, "Someone told me to wake up!"
"Then you were less on the brink of death then I thought, that was good. Yes, you did hear correctly, that was me. I reached through my Fae to your Fae, which brings me to my question. Who are you?" The Lord patiently watched as the young man's face paled.
"I am a simple soldier."
"Do not lie to me boy, it is by my good grace that you are alive, much less conscious so soon after your sickness." Lord Elrond leaned forward on the chair. "Let's try this again, who are you?"
"I am Naniel."
"Who are you, Naniel." Lord Elrond pressed, "While we here at Rivendell abstained from using harsher methods, I will employ them if you try to play coy. Boy, I had seen the mark on your back, I know you are in league with the Dark One. So tell me, who are you?" Tears welled in Naniels eyes, his mouth opened and closed like a fish, his chest tightened with repressed pain.
"I am…" Naniel began
Lord Elrond sat back with a sigh, watching Naniel closely. The young man had finally gotten some color back into his skin and he could sit up on his own. He cradled a crystal drinking glass in one hand, taking periodic sips as he watched Elrond.
"You-" Elrond started, "Why should I believe you?"
"M-my Lord?" Naniel sputtered,
"If you are as you said you are, what are you doing here? If you were so valuable to him, why are you here? I do not believe that he would let you go so easily." Lord Elrond's sharp face pierced Naniels soul.
"He- he didn't. He, well. To put it this way, he does not need me. He was still not strong enough to have a physical form, therefore our union was only political. I am forgotten most of the time, but there were times where he did employ my uses." Naniel grimaced, "Meeting with dignitaries, maybe a court event here and there, however I would mostly be leading my own battalion on the front lines."
"Battalion?"
"Yes, I was-am a Captain General in his army." Naniel leaned back, "Maybe I should have started a little sooner. I was Prince Aaric of Menegic, a sizable tribe ransacking the Haradwaith. I was one of 11 siblings, 6 brothers, 5 sisters…" his voice trailed off, staring again softly "My mother was the daughter of a neighboring tribe that my father had destroyed, they met while she was begging for her first children's lives." He chuckled softly, the chuckles died as his eyes filled with tears, "He did not spare them. I was married only a little before my 27th birthday and sent away to live in… his kingdom. I was given a new name, an elvish name and along with my father's allegiance, he also gained the leverage of having my whole family move as well. I could not disobey him for fear he would..."
A silence stretched between them, Lord Elrond stared patiently as Naniel quickly wiped black tears away from his eyes. Straightening, Naniel caught his image in the mirror. The same tan skin, clammy from sickness, the same oily, black hair, the same dark brown eyes, the same strong nose, and stout lips. Unchanged after so long.
"He's done something to me. I have lived 149 years since I wed him, I cannot escape." He whispered. "I cannot die."
Silence stretched for minutes.
"So, it would seem that his hold on you is weak, or weaker than it had been. If it were stronger, I doubt you would even be alive to speak of who you are. You have valuable information to use against him, I take it that you also have knowledge of his strength, his army, his fortesses, his entire kingdom. That mark on your back... if you were to remain here at Imladris, you would keep your past a secret, however I did not know if the magic of the elves could hide you here. You might have to be prepared to leave." Elrond kindly placed a hand on Naniels shoulder as he rose. "In the meantime, I will return periodically to test you, we must learn how much he can see through you, if anything at all."
Guilt gnawed at Naniel, flipping over in his stomach and rising up his neck and ears. He stared into Elrond's kind gaze, his brows drawing together in worry. His pulse quickened, and he couldn't look into Elrond's eyes anymore. The tall elf-lord cast a shadow upon Naniel.
"There was something you have not told me yet," Elrond's voice lost its warmth in a moment, turning as cold as ice. Naniel hesitantly shook his head yes. His hands began to tremble and he hid them underneath his blanket.
"So? Go on." Elrond commanded.
Chapter 2 done, I swear I am working on chapter 3, by Valar give me strength!
Please feel free to comment and let me know what I can change!