The spiders of the Greenwood possess a venom which contains a potent toxin that disables sense of feeling in the limbs and extremities. The venom of selected species is also capable of inducing necrosis in the area around the bite. These include ...
The morbid subject of Uilossiel's current reading did not deter her in the slightest. At the moment, she sat upon a wrought-iron bench in the garden, brow furrowed in concentration. Occasionally, she would scribble down a few notes in a small notebook to her side. She and her fellow healers were still no closer to finding an antidote for spider venom which actually had the potential to work, but she would not cease to study until they had made progress. Perhaps, though, it would be of more use to ask those who had treated such injuries than poring over the same books again and again? Pushing back a stray lock of hair that had found its way out of her bun, Uilossiel put down the tome and took up her notebook, flipping through the pages to see if there were any other notes on spider venom and its treatment.
There was a nearly imperceptible rustling in the fir tree nearby, and suddenly Tancamir appeared at her side, fir-needles stuck in his hair. Uilossiel shrieked in surprise, upsetting both her books onto the grass below.
"Studying, Uilo? Do you never rest these days?" Tancamir regarded her with amusement, eyes glinting. "Look around yourself - do you not see the leaves budding on the trees, and the flowers upon the sward? Why immerse yourself in books when the entire world is awakening?"
She glared at her brother, one hand on her hip. "That is entirely my own business, Tyelco. Why are you here? Should you not be out training with the other Arrows? I do not think your lord would be pleased with an archer absent from target practice." Yet as she bent down to pick up her books and pencil, a furtive smile grew on her face.
"Go pick up my pencil, Tyelco. It is all the way over there, near that rose-bush. And then you will sit on the bench here, " she indicated, "and tell me about what you have been up to this winter. After you found your own lodgings in Imladris last autumn, I have seen precious little of you."
Tancamir obeyed, not wanting to provoke his sister further, but his eyes danced with amusement as he strolled over to the rose-bush and retrieved the pencil.
"Archery practice is over for today, or else I would not have come. I am not as much of a rogue as you think, Uilo." He walked over to the bench, but instead of sitting down he flopped down upon the grass, staring contentedly at the blue sky above, dotted with small cottony clouds.
"I should think that Lord Dolthafaer would have kept you up-to-date on what we Arrows were doing. Why do I not see a ring yet? Perhaps he is stalling, as we are to be off to war soon. But I say, late is better than never." Folding his hands behind his head, Tancamir grinned up at his sister.
Uilossiel gave her brother a pained smile. "We have ended our courtship, if you must know. He is so busy with work for the Arrows, and I with my duties for the Library and the houses of healing. I wish him well, though. Tell me, how does he fare? "
For a moment, Tancamir stared at the sky, expression blank. An awkward beat of silence passed as he seemed to turn the matter over in his head. All merriment gone from his face, he sat up and put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "I am sorry to hear the news, though I will fault neither of you for it. And yes, the Arrow Lord is as hale as ever, leading our drills and practices as usual. You seem well enough, I never would have guessed it. I am glad at least one of my sisters has the sense not to turn into a fount of tears when such a thing happens."
Uilossiel smiled quietly. "The tears have gone now. There is no time to look back on what might have been, for we must look ahead to the coming days. Lord Estarfin is mending well, and lady Norliriel has joined us as a healer. She plays the harp magnificently, as well. Eliriael and I have had much to talk about, you may imagine. We healers are still no closer to finding an antidote to spider venom, which was what I was studying before you so rudely interrupted me." She poked her brother's shoulder playfully. "But why stay away for the entire winter, Tyelco? I had begun to think you had gone away again."
Tancamir's face grew serious at her words, and he moved to sit beside her on the bench. Rather awkwardly, he placed one hand on her own.
"In truth, I was avoiding you this winter, for I did not quite know what to say to you. When I left home, you were still a young girl with her head in her books, and now I hardly recognize you. I have not been the best brother - in fact I can hardly blame you for not remembering you had a brother when I was away. But now, we have each other. Do not think I will ever leave you again." He fell silent, eyes clouding with sorrow.
"You cannot always have what you love, Uilo. I learned that the hard way, in Esteldín. Sometimes the best you can do for one you love is to let them go." He drew out a worn brass case from his pocket. With a touch of the hand, a spring opened the lid to reveal a tiny needle mounted on a pivot, under a thin covering of glass.
"A north-stone? Where did you come by such a thing, Tyelco? I did not remember you being so directionally challenged when we were young." Uilossiel leaned on her brother's shoulder, peering inquisitively at the small compass. "It looks to be of Númenorean make, in fact. I would say it dates from at least the late Second Age. But the engraving upon the inside of the lid - that seems to be added later."
"Aye. It was a gift from one of the Dúnedain of Esteldín, when I sojourned there for a time." Tancamir sighed, a nostalgic smile slowly playing over his face. "Her name was Ruinel - she ambushed me in the wood when I was out hunting. In fact, much in the way I surprised you earlier. This was her father's, and his father's before him. Who knows how many times her gift had been passed down since the drowning of Númenórë in the west?" He turned the lid so that it glinted in the mellow sunlight, reading off the inscription graven on the inner lid.
Farongil - Star of the Hunter - was inscribed in careful Tengwar around the top of the lid. Tancamir read the Sindarin inscription on the lines below with a lowered voice, as if recalling memories both painful and sweet. " 'May your arrows fly true, and your paths ever lead you home.' You would have liked her, Uilo. Such a remarkable scout and archer - I swear she was as wood-wise as any of the Nandor. Ruinel - Blazing Star - she lived up to her name, with a head full of auburn hair and a wit to match. But the shadows of Angmar blotted out her fire in the end." His voice trailed off as he bowed his head over the compass in his hands.
Uilossiel scooted closer to her brother and put an arm around his broad shoulders, glancing sadly at the trinket in his lap. "I am sorry for your loss, but I cannot pretend to understand how that feels, Tyelco. May your Ruinel find peace beyond the Outer Seas. "
They remained in silence for a time, fair hair and raven-black falling over their shoulders, heads bowed together. Finally Tancamir spoke.
"Did I ever tell you of my time in Lindon? I had a dear friend there, and his older sister was like a second mother to me. She sent me a letter last winter. I have a mind to visit Lindon once more, before the Arrow and all of the House goes to war, for do not know if I will ever see her again."
Uilossiel considered this silently, mouth twisting into a thoughtful expression. Distractedly, she tapped her nose a few times with her pencil.
"It has been a long winter for me, and I would see the western shores of Lindon before I follow our warriors eastwards to war. Can you not take me with you, Tyelco? I think that even my research would benefit if I could go over the collections in Lindon and see what manner of books on healing may be found there. I never paid any attention to such books when I was last there, on matters of business for Lord Erestor." She smiled up at her brother. "Naneth and Tinwen both say I spend far too little time out-of-doors to be healthy. And I look forward to meeting this friend of yours. What is his name?"
Tancamir winced slightly. "His name was Falasgil, but he was slain on the plains of Angmar. His sister Ningloriel lives still in Mithlond. " His face lightened slightly as he recalled more joyous news. "She and her husband have a young daughter, scarcely a year old. I think you will like her, judging by what Ningloriel said in her letter."
Giving her older brother's shoulder a sympathetic squeeze, Uilossiel stood up, collecting her books, journal, and pencil.
"I am so very glad you startled me today by dropping out of that tree, Tyelco. I begin to feel like I have my older brother back again. And yes, I would very much like to meet Ningloriel and her family." She gave her brother one last embrace and started off towards the house. "I am going to see if I can arrange for a few weeks' leave from my duties, and you ought to do the same for yourself. And please do try not to make me drop anything when next we meet!"
With a wave of her hand, she disappeared around the corner of the garden. Tancamir stood leaning against a tree, watching his sister leave. The afternoon sunlight slanted through the budding branches above, illuminating the round dial of the compass in his hands. With a rueful smile, he closed its lid and tucked it into the pocket of his tunic. It was time, as Uilossiel had said, to leave the past behind and look ahead. Falasgil and Ruinel would have told him as much, if they could speak still. And on the shores of Lindon, he hoped to find both closure for the past and hope of renewing acquaintances for the future.
