Chapter 2

I spent longer than I had planned in the Lone Lands. On my way East I had stopped in Ost Guruth, a small settlement. There I met the wizard Radagast, who had discovered great evil in Agamaur to the Northeast, and I played a large part in dispelling it. The Red Maid was no more, and Eriador had one less threat to worry about. Word came to me from Saeradan, a Ranger in Breeland, that I was needed in Esteldin to meet with Halbarad. He was a Dunedain of high rank, currently in a place of leadership normally reserved for Aragorn.

It was yet another detour, but I could sense the urgency in Saeradan's letter that I could not ignore. Although the ranger was a mere acquaintance, he had helped me out a few times with some tasks in Breeland. I smirked as I recalled an instance where I was fleeing from an angry group of boars, and he hid me in his little cabin in the woods. He managed to shoot one of them and we cooked it up for a delicious meal. It would be nice to see him again, despite the circumstances. I sent a message to Elrond, apologizing for my tardiness and explaining what had happened.

I needed to pass through Breeland to get to the North Downs, which took me by Candaith's camp in the Lonelands. I hesitated at whether or not to stop for a visit, but ultimately decided to give him my greetings. When I approached, the sun had passed below the horizon, leaving a cloudy darkness in its wake. I idly wondered if it would rain soon. I hailed from a short distance who I was, as I had no desire of a repeat reception of a dagger at my throat!

Instead of a hello, I heard a slight groan. I pulled out my knives, moving quickly but soundlessly to his camp, mentally thanking the tailor in Celondim for making the soft boots I now wore. I swept my gaze across the surrounding area, looking for any threat. The fire was out, adding to the gloom. Sensing none, I rushed to the tent entrance to see a wounded Candaith just inside. I could see he had been shot with an arrow at the very least but couldn't get a good look at him in the dim light. He had attempted to bind the wound but was clearly unable to do much with his injuries.

"Candaith! What has happened?" I hissed, not wanting to draw attention to their presence.

"Gwin-Gwinthilnel? How have you…come to be here?" Candaith moaned, clearly in great pain.

"Clearly Elbereth is looking out for you because I almost continued on without stopping here! Tell me where you are hurt. Is there any chance I can light a fire? I cannot see well in this darkness."

"It-it is too…risky. Enemies may…be nearby," he gasped. "Can you not see…with your p-perfect Elven eyesight?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to downplay my growing panic. He was shivering and felt feverish."I know speaking is difficult, but can you tell me what happened?"

Taking a moment to catch his breath, he said, "I was…scouting Weathertop because I noticed the light of campfires at the summit. Imagine my…surprise when I came across many…orcs on the path. I backtracked a-and scaled the rocks on the other side. My luck held, but then I was f-forced to fight and was…shot with an arrow. I…don't know how I managed it, but I was able to…climb down and stagger back to my camp." He was clearly short of breath, almost gasping with each one. I worried about a punctured lung. With his strength nearly spent from simply telling his story, he laid on his back and focused on staying conscious. The story made me nervous; we had fought together on Weathertop previously, and I thought we had eliminated the orc threat. It sounded like they had returned once more.

I took a fortifying breath and used my dagger to cut away his shirt. I could see where an arrow had pierced his left abdomen, which he had removed himself and stuffed with linen. I picked up the arrow and was relieved to see the tip was intact. There was a long but shallow cut on his right arm, with some bruising on his torso. I prodded his ribs gently and could tell some were cracked. "What were you fighting, a cave troll?" I muttered. I slowly turned him on his side, softly apologizing for the pain, and saw that the arrow had not pierced his back. There was a deeper gash near his spine, which concerned me the most.

Squinting in the dim light, I was unable to determine if the wounds were infected or poisoned. Rummaging through my bag I found a blood-replenishing potion I had purchased in Ost Guruth. "Drink this please," I requested, and he was able to choke it down. Unfortunately, I had run out of athelas potion. "Candaith, can you move your legs for me?" I sighed in relief as I noticed him shift them around slightly; as a member of the Guard, I had some experience with fellow soldiers would had lost the use of their legs due to an injury of the spine. I was glad to see it would not be the case for Candaith.

"Do you have any dried athelas?" He weakly pointed to his bag, and I found a small pouch of the fragrant leaves. I crushed a few in a small bowl with some water. Instantly the fresh scent filled the tent. Finding some linen bandages, I dipped it in the water and wrapped it around his torso so it covered the arrow wound and the deep cut on his back. I was worried the blood would soak through the linen immediately, but thankfully it remained white, for now.

"The other cuts are shallow and have already stopped bleeding. I think they will heal well without stitching, but I cannot be sure. Once I have better light, I will be able to take a closer look." He nodded in thanks, still clearly in pain but wanting to hide it. "I do not have any potions for the pain, but I am sure there will be some at the Inn-"

Candaith cut me off, "No there is no need for those, I will be fine. Also…I am worried about being left alone for too long, as my injuries will make it difficult to…defend myself should the need arise. I…know you likely want to…move on…but could you stay for the night?"

I nodded in agreement. I knew he was a hardy man, but I feared for his safety. "You will need help should those who attacked you come looking." I was feeling stressed, but tried not to show it. My errand to Halbarad was very urgent, but so was Candaith's condition. I could not leave him at such a crucial time; he could easily bleed out if his wounds were not closely monitored. I knew Elves healed much faster than Men, so I could not be certain how long it would take for him to recover sufficiently enough to be left alone.

"Try and rest for a time, you will need it to help you recover". I murmured distractedly, running a hand through my tangled dark hair. I was trying to determine how best to keep watch. A fire would aid me in seeing the surrounding area, but it could also attract unwanted attention. It was just after sunset, and the sun would not be rising for many hours.

I decided to sit just inside the tent; it would give me a large enough field of vision to see any immediate enemies, but would also keep me somewhat concealed.

Candaith chuckled weakly, "I have always found it funny how Elves have a faint glow about them."

I laughed softly. Candaith was exaggerating the "glow" somewhat; I never found it to be so bright as to attract enemies.

I decided to humor him, "It can be a bit of an issue when on watch. Just have to keep myself covered as best I can." I went to wrap my cloak about myself when I noticed the ranger was shivering. Instead, I laid it over him and tucked it around his body. He weakly protested but I could tell he appreciated the warmth. "I can see you are cold; you cannot fool me." His lips twisted into a small smirk and he started to drift off.

Thankfully no threats arose the rest of the night. I was glad when the sun rose and took a chance to move away from the tent. The glow of the sunrise looked beautiful; it turned the sands and mountains a multitude of colors. I turned back towards the tent when I heard a faint rustling of blankets.

Gasping I rushed over to Candaith. He was attempting to drag himself out of the tent! "Stop what you are doing or I will stop you myself. You could cause further injury!" He looked so much like a scolded child that I had to keep myself from smiling.

"I just wanted to see the sunrise…" he growled; his voice scratchy from disuse. Shaking my head, I handed him a waterskin and helped him to slowly sit up next to the tent. "This is the best I can do for the moment, as I would think standing a poor idea." He didn't reply except for a small sigh. I smiled as I noticed him relax as he looked about the sandy landscape.

"When I came to this land, I never expected to stay long. I was tasked with scouting Weathertop for any threats and anticipated I would leave soon after, but something held me here. There was so much to be done, and I wanted to help. The people here are hardened by their struggles; it is not an easy land in which to live. So many orcs and wargs have spilled into it, and Agamaur…what an evil land it is." I went on to explain what happened there, and he was relieved to hear about the Red Maid's awakening. I had to be honest however; there was much to be done to fully cleanse the land of evil, if it was even possible.

"So, you said you were passing by and decided to visit me. Where are you headed?" he questioned.

I hesitated briefly before saying "I am off to the North Downs, but have some business to attend to in Breeland while on my way".

When I didn't give any more details, he pressed, "The North Downs are where many of my kin currently reside. Why are you traveling there? I think I deserve to know."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say you deserve to know? It is an errand I was told to keep secret." Even as I spoke, I felt my resolve begin to waver. I could trust him…couldn't I?

Sensing my discomfort, he backed off. Hesitating for a moment, he reached out and grasped my shoulder, "Then you must keep silent. I do not wish to bring any trouble upon you. Perhaps when your errand is complete, we may speak again?" His touch felt warm, and I wondered at it for a moment before pushing away the strange thought.

I nodded and smiled slightly, "It may be a very long time before that happens." Turning toward him, I squared my shoulders and schooled my expression. "Now, let's take a look at those bandages."

I stayed with Candaith for two more days. Once I deemed him well enough, I reluctantly said my goodbyes. It had been nice to take a break from the road, despite the reason for it. Candaith had many interesting stories to tell about his past travels with his kin and the things he experienced. For some reason I felt I needed to keep the events of my life close to my chest; some things felt too personal, even things that had happened centuries ago. I still grieved the loss of my family and the many Elves of the Guard. I could tell Candaith wanted to ask questions about my past, but thankfully held back.

"Farewell Candaith. I am happy you are healing well, and I hope you will stay safe." I will miss you I wanted to tell him, but felt it was a little too friendly.

He had no such reservations, "Despite the reason we spent time together, I am glad we did. I will miss your companionship and hope you will be well. I…I wanted to thank you for helping me. I don't know what I would have done without your aid." Was that a faint blush on his cheeks? Deciding I was simply imagining things, I nodded my head and turned towards my horse. Mounting up, I headed out, giving a small wave as I departed.

I felt his eyes on me until I passed beyond his sight.

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