Eruthaiwen waited anxiously, twirling her locket in her hands as a nervous habit, listening with sharp ears for Acurith. For a time, she heard nothing but the normal sounds of the camp until a muffled howl of pain reached her ears. She looked over at the gate. There came Acurith, dragging a gagged orc behind her, blood flowing from one of its legs and seeping into the ruddy ground, just another stain on the landscape. Eruthaiwen backed away from the creature as she approached. Leothross similarly shies from the creature, avoiding looking at it.
Leothross followed her gaze, "Do you think this is going to work?" Eruthaiwen whispered a reply, "I don't know."
"Well... did you learn anything?"
As they watched, the filth struggled against the woman's grip before she threw it at their feet. "And you had so little faith. Now comes the fun part." A dangerous gleam entered Acurith's eyes.
Throssian snarled at the orc while Mariym cast a disgusted look at the creature. Leothross beckoned her a ways off, "Ok then. I think we don't want to distract you from this part."
Acurith looked around. "Best not do it right by the camp, though." She ground the heel of her boot into the injury she made, twisting the orc's leg at an odd angle. It groaned and squealed against its gag. Nodding at it, she dragged the thing down the till toward the craters for some privacy. The now lone elf of their group looked away even at the minor bit of torture, but her face remained expressionless, devoid of emotion, a thing either scary or pitiable. Mariym shielded her face from the sight of the orc.
Eruthaiwen’s voice was flat as she leaned against the rock face, staring down at her feet. “I think it best to leave her to it. I doubt any of us will be of any use in this.” She tried to be stoic, putting up walls around her emotions to keep them in check
Leothross nodded quickly, and Mariym added, "Sure!" He glanced briefly down the hill toward Acurith. "I am worried about this. If we do... if we do find that Zargodon is captive," he shuddered, "We are going to need more warriors."
Eruthaiwen nodded. "Possibly." She wondered now if it was safe to have Mariym here, barely more than a child even by human standards, not mentioning her own people’s.
Leothross scratched at his beard, "Do you think the camp we heard of the night before last would be able to help? Gabil... I forget."
“The camp of the rangers? Gabilshathnur I believe it was.”
"Yes, that was it. What is that... a day's ride back?"
“I could hardly say it's even that far, perhaps on the southern edge of the waste? But that is not my specialty.”
Leothross grumbled to himself, turning over the options in his mind, "Well, we could send someone back for help then. It should be an easy ride... we didn't see anything on the way here."
Eruthaiwen looks up at him sternly. She knew she would most likely be sent back as she was the one in the group least able to defend herself, but she would not leave, not now when Zargodon was likely in danger. She couldn’t fathom the idea. "I'm not going. I am going to see this through, help or no." Her sensitive ears caught a shriek from the orc. She winced slightly, but returned to her stone-faced expression, looking at her feet.
Leothross nodded, "Of course, of course... well…do you think you could make it?" he asked Mariym. The girl did not seem thrilled about the idea of leaving the excitement, but the shriek seemed to catch her off guard, "I.. I could make it! But, can't we make it on our own?"
Eruthaiwen closed her eyes and listened for a moment. The cacophony coming from the camp might have been interpretable by one of the others, Zargodon or Ramield, but she gained nothing from it. She looked toward Mariym. "Perhaps, perhaps not. We have no idea how many are in there, and my untrained ear cannot estimate a number from all the noise."
Leothross shook his head, "If that is the case, I cannot see how we could. We are scarcely warriors anyway, besides Acuirth there. If there is very many we will have a tough fight." Mariym sighed heavily, "Fine. I can make it." Eruthaiwen gave Mariym a smile, but despite her efforts, it was devoid of the cheeriness or encouragement she wished to endow it with. "Thank you, Mariym."
Leothross anxiously looked down the hill toward Acurith again, "Maybe it will not be necessary... maybe he is not captive... It is taking her an awfully long time." However, at that moment Acurith ascended the hill. Her hands had been washed of blood in one of the pools, but remnants of it could still be seen on the hems of her sleeves. Leothross made a movement toward her, "Well?"
Acurith looked down the hill. "Oh, he's here alright.” Eruthaiwen felt something crack in her, the flimsy walls around her overflowing emotions. Seargildin was here, in the hands of the orcs. All at once, happiness that they had found him and dread at how they might find him poured through “But there may be another...concern.” the woman continued, “A certain captain has...noticed our presence." A sick look came over Leothross's face. "Great... it looks like you are going to have to make that ride, Mariym. And what's this about a captain?"
"Apparently our travels in Angmar have not gone unnoticed. I will just have to make sure to deal with him as well as cause enough of a ruckus to draw any potential guards that might be around the elf."
Leothross raises his eyebrows, "That doesn't seem safe... Mariym is riding for help. We can just wait until they send some rangers."
Acurith brushed her hands off on her clothes, opening and closing her hands in preparation for the battle ahead. "Don't worry about it. Trust me, they'll all take the bait. I know these lands as well as any of them, if not better. I can make my way myself back to those rangers if needed. I assume you don't need my help to get that far at least?"
Mariym shook her head confidently, "Nope. I can make it." Leothross looked uncertainly between the two, "Alright then... I don't like it, but what choice do we have? Good luck, Acurith."
"He's really here?" Eruthaiwen chimed in, the conflict of emotions evident in her voice. Acurith nodded. "Wait for my signal. Or rather, wait til you hear a loud ruckus; that'll be sign enough." Acurith jogged toward the camp after giving them a confident nod. Closing her eyes, Eruthaiwen listened again to the sounds of the camp, listening for that soft sound that seemed so out of place.
Mariym rode off at a gallop to the south. Leo swallowed hard and glanced at Throssian and then Eruthaiwen, "Well... are you ready?"
Eruthaiwen hugged her arms to herself, trying to contain a slight quiver. "I am; I have to be. This will work, won't it?"
Leothross opened his mouth then stopped. Finally he said, "Of course it will. And Mariym rides quickly, we will have reinforcements shortly."
Eruthaiwen she looked at her hands. "I have to be ready if he needs my help." Her ears finally made out the sound she had latched onto, a soft breathing that she was familiar with. She called softly, hoping that elven ears would hear her. "Seargildin? A'maelamin?"
Zargodon was tied to the stump hammered securely into the cracked earth, his head bent down as a few stray locks of his usually cared for locks cobweb over his face. His hands and feet were bound to the stake, affording him very little space to move. He seemed unconscious for the most part, or caught in a form of delirium. Zargodon muttered in his state, perhaps feeling Eruthaiwen's presence close by, as he shifted painfully against the stake. His bloodshot eyes opened narrowly, letting only the faint smoking light of Anger to meet his vision once again.
Eruthaiwen heard a sudden clash and grasped at her locket instinctively. Wincing, she puts her other hand to her temple as a splitting headache erupts, blurring her vision. “Gah, that has to be Acurith. We need to go.”
Leothross also started at the noise and pulled free his staff and sword. "Aye, that is our cue." He ran quickly toward the entrance, not looking back, and the bear followed, quickly overtaking and passing him. Eruthaiwen stumbled the first few steps, her headache subsiding, but follows quickly behind. Inside, the camp was cleared out. Here and there, things had been overturned as if they had all been in a rush to leave. Food had been left over open fires and work had been discarded before it was finished. However, she could hear stirrings in the distance; only a part of the camp had given chase, and the others would soon want to see why. With renewed purpose, Eruthaiwen turned toward the steady but pained breathing she could only think was Seargildin.
When she saw him, she gasped and ran to him. The mistreated elf had shifted his head to the side, bloodied and bruised, as he scanned the empty camp behind him. Eruthaiwen cupped Zargodon's face in her hands, brushing her thumbs along his cheeks trying to rouse him. "Seargildin? Seargildin!" Zargodon looked up at Eruthaiwen, a look of disbelief his eyes, as a loving smile formed over his lips. "I am coming, it won't be long. The boats of Valinor beckon me."
Leothross ran up, gasping, "You found him... Blazes... how is he?" Zargodon seemed near the point of death, preciously clinging to this existence. Across his torso could be seen a bloody gash that had torn through his leathers and cruelly into his flesh. Yet as his eyes focused on hers, he asked: "Is this real, is it really you?"
Eruthaiwen smiled past the tears streaming from her eyes. "Don't you remember? You have a vow to keep." She placed a kiss on his forehead before frantically working at the knots tying him there, weak hands working in vain. “You can't leave these shores just yet.” Leothross quickly moved to help with his sword, carefully cutting the bonds.
Zargodon glanced behind him at Leothross, having heard his voice, "My friend, you have come!" he exclaimed in surprise as he took his hands out of is cut bounds and almost topples forward. Eruthaiwen caught Zargodon as he fell, falling to her knees with him. She let out a shaky breath and looked imploringly at Leothross. "Help me get him up." Leothross shook his head, "You didn't think we would leave you here, did you?" Zargodon lowered his head as he braced himself against Eruthaiwen. "It has been a long time, my friends. One does wonder" he almost joked.
Leothross took Zargodon’s left side, carrying most of his weight. Zargodon folded his other arm around Leothross' shoulder, sufficiently keeping him on his weak feet, which were practically powerless. Eruthaiwen took his other arm around her shoulders, her free hand, holding his tightly, briefly entwining her fingers with his. She looked around to Leothross. “The way we came, will that still be open?”
“Hopefully. If we hurry.”
Zargodon tightened his hand around the familiar hand of Eruthaiwen, closing his eyes as a wave of relief washed over him, sinking him even deeper into this oblivious state he was left. "Let us go out of here..." he muttered, closing his eyes as he was dragged along. Thinking it their best chance, the three and Throssian plodded back toward the gate as quickly as they could. Ever a healer, Eruthaiwen looked over Zargodon’s injuries as they walked. Zargodon slid his bare feet along the earth, his tattered breaches and chest caked with blood, most of which seeped from the most horrific laceration on his chest, cut deeply through the leathers. His face was almost unrecognizable beneath the taint of red.
Eruthaiwen paused at the gate. "Is it safe to go the way we came? Won't they see all the horse tracks?” A good sized pack of orcs could be seen in the east, likely trailing Acurith. Leothross grunted as they came to a stop. "Yes. Eventually. I don't know how long Acurith bought us. I hope she managed to get out alright."
"Where to? The craters? The hills? The forest?"
Leothross looked desperately around, murmuring, "Well... Can we make it to the forest, trailing behind the orcs? They are not likely to look behind them... right?" Eruthaiwen cast a concerned look at Zargodon's gash. "Quickly. We have to treat this quickly."
"Alright lets go. Slower now though."
They were practically carrying Zargodon at this point, the cut on his abdomen bleeding once more profusely as new waves of crimson stained his frayed leather armor. Even so, they made decent time, but Eruthaiwen halted some distance from the edge of the forest. She frantically motioned to Leothross to turn left. He too noticed the barricades around gorge ahead of them and whispered, "This way, that looks like more orcs..."
Not too far to their east, they found a secluded ditch where the land was changing from the yellow sulfur of the wastes to black, hard ground. Eruthaiwen was exhausted, as she was sure the Leothross must have been also, and knew she needed to treat Zargodon before he bled out. "No further; we have to do something about this cut before we move again." She gently began to set Zargodon down.
Leothross worked with Eruthaiwen to lay him down gently, pulling his cloak off to use as a pillow. He nodded at their surroundings, "This should work. How bad is it?" Zargodon grunted out lowly as he was dragged down, the blood already soaking his breaches and dripping down his leg from underneath his tattered leather. Eruthaiwen blanched as she inspected the gash in his right side, running her fingers along the edge, not caring about the blood that had been soaking into her clothing. "Not good" was her only reply. Kneeling down, the healer pulled salves and bandages from her bag. "All these...this may take more from me than I have."
Zargodon lay there with the help of the others, his head sinking into the folds of his cloak. With his leathers mostly in a mess of lose folds and cuts, one in particular was devastating: A huge section was sliced over his chest and along the muscles of his abdomen. It was deep and the blood spilled out of it like a torrential flow of crimson water. Leothross pursed his lips and mutters some exclamation under his breath, "Dang it Zarg... What can I do to help?"
Zargodon muttered under his breath as his hand searched for Eruthaiwen's, clasping it tightly, affectionately. Eruthaiwen gives his hand a quick, tight squeeze, her own hand shaking. Quickly assessing him again to make sure he has no more serious injury. She begins unlacing the leather to gain access to the wound on his chest. "Lift him up a bit."
Even Throssian looked concerned. He lay a few meters off watching closely as the pair worked, Leothross lifting as Eruthaiwen opened the leather armor, peeling it back from the sticky blood so that the wound and most of his midsection is exposed, letting it hang off his back. Deftly, she took the bandages and wrapped them completely around him, over and under, around an around. "This...at least...should stem...the bleeding. For now." Zargodon moaned as he was lifted, cringing in pain. Leothross gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. A long breath escaped through his teeth with a hiss. Eruthaiwen tied off a tight not, wincing knowing that would hurt.
Zargodon winced in pain, grunting as the fabric wrapped around his wound. His vision drifted in and out of focus. Leothross lowered him gently back down as Eruthaiwen finished tying off the bandage. Eruthaiwen worked past the blood that now covered her and the tears seeping from her eyes at the sight of Seargildin in pain and the fear of loss. Finding other, less severe injuries, she applied salves and bandages as needed. She stopped once to brush the cobweb of hair from his face. "You're going to be fine. I'm going to..." She bit her lip, unable to speak anymore, but touched her forehead to his and took a shaky breath before continuing. Leothross sat by, helplessly watching her work, whispering half to himself, "Hang on, you elf."
Satisfied that the major injuries have been seen too, the elven healer heaved a shaky sigh, releasing a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. She thanked all the Valar that he was an elf; any human with those injuries would most certainly have died twice over. Leothross was looking at her expectantly, "Well? Now what?" Zargodon braced himself up on his back, his arms pressed against the ground. His breathing was labored but steady. "Thank you. I really didn't know what was going to happen. I don't even know how long I've been there" he croaked softly, his lips parched, "Can... I get some water?"
Eruthaiwen leaned over Zargodon, brushing some more stray hairs from his face. "Of course. We had to come get you." She turned her gaze to Leothross. "Do you have some water?" Leothross reached quickly for a little canteen, "Yes, here." Eruthaiwen lifted Zargodon as best she could to a position where he could take a drink, nodding to Leothross with the canteen. He opened it and placed it carefully to Zargodon’s lips tilting it up slowly. Zargodon grabbed the water and swigs at it thirstily, water cascading over his chin. "Thank you" he muttered, "We should get out of here"
Eruthaiwen shook her head. "No, we can't move you yet, not with that gash. It's bandaged, but it will still bleed profusely if we move you too much."
Leothross nodded in agreement, "We will have to spend a night here, I'm guessing. Perhaps the rangers will find us..."
Zargodon looked up at Leothross, then Eruthaiwen. "I will be fine. I'm a bit weak, but I'm confident I will be ready in the morning. I just... need rest" he softly replied, his hand taking Eruthaiwen's as he smiled warmly up at her for a second. Eruthaiwen held his hand between her own. "If I can help it." she said with a strained smile.
Leothross murmured, "Yes. Rest. Alright good. I am going to see if I can still see that pack of orcs..."
Eruthaiwen slumped her shoulders, realizing how weary she too had become, taxed both physically and emotionally. She waited until she knew the elf was resting quite soundly before she stood up from where he lay, releasing his hand next to his sleeping form. Giving him another look over to make sure she had done all she could at the moment, she stepped around him and up the hill toward Leothross, clearly looking weary. Eruthaiwen sighed, shakily at first, but by the end it is a calm and even breath. “Do you see anything?”
Leothross crouched looking out over the landscape trying to catch a glimpse of the orcs he knew must be out there. He turned his head to regard Eruthaiwen as he hears her sigh. He shook his head firmly, "Thankfully, no. It seems Acurith is keeping them very busy indeed."
“Let us hope it distracts them enough that they ignore their missing prisoner.”
"I hope they will have bigger problems... Ideally, being dead." He grimaces, "I'm not sure how else she is going to survive."
Eruthaiwen looked back at Zargodon with concern. Knowing his injuries and not knowing what he had been through, she was positive he would not be better by morning. It would take some of her greater healing arts to accomplish what was needed so that they could at least find better shelter. "How are we going to do this? A healer like myself and you a scholar? We are more suited to a library than a battlefield. At least Acurith should be able to take care of herself in a land like this.”
Leothross let out a long breath, like an extended sigh, apparently trying to relieve the tension that clearly showed on his face, and in his periodically clenching fists. "You are right, you are right... We need to get him back to civilization. How far do you figure a healer, a scholar, and a bear can make it with a wounded elf before being spotted?" He looked out towards the paths they have travelled.
Eruthaiwen sat down, bringing her knees up to her chest. "At times like these, I wish my brother had not yet sailed away. We could use another skilled fighter and Knight of Eriador." Leothross looked down at her, still crouched and balancing on his toes, "We certainly could," he whispered in response to her wish. She smiled up at the bear near Leothross. "At least we have Throssian. Zargodon may be able to handle himself in time, especially if I can get up the strength to properly heal him, but for now we have your friend to watch over us."
He lifts himself to his feet with the help of the bear's fur, "Yes. Throssian... He has always been there. I wonder how he's survived living with me..."
“How did you come by each other? How does a man come by a bear and thence to an order of knights as a scholar?”
Leothross chuckled, if a bit roughly and forced, and as if unwillingly bringing up the memories, adds, "Ohhh, we go way back. He saved me the first day I remember. And, I guess I still don't know why any of the Knights decided I was alright."
“They do value knowledge; they always have. It is a credit to them. While it is still an order of knights, there has always been a place for the seekers of knowledge such as ourselves. I remember the old librarian from times gone by.” Eruthaiwen smiles nostalgically at the memory of Aulant’s time with the knights and her visits. "He used to say, 'When I'm gone, you'll have to be sure to come and take care of these metal-heads, especially Aulant of course.' and I would always promise that I would."
Leothross let the hint of a smile cross his face, and as it fades, "I am guessing he didn't run off on mad adventures into to the wild chasing dreams."
Eruthaiwen shook her head. "No, but he was a kind soul."
"Good... whatever happened to him?"
“Hmm? Oh, he passed quietly. He was quite old by the standards of men even when I first came to know him. By the end, his eyes could no longer read the books he so cared for nor could he hardly leave his home for long. But from what I heard from those who were there at the time of his passing, he was almost serene in his sleep and then he breathed no more."
Leothross nodded, “Peaceful in life... peaceful in death...”
Eruthaiwen chuckled silently. "He used to...go on tirades against my brother when I would visit and we would go to the historical house. Always was he on him about how he would bend the spines of a book or leave the shelves in disarray. I wonder who will be that problem for you and I."
Leothross finally removed his hands from Throssian's fur, and groaned as he lowered himself to the ground near Eruthaiwen, "I... I don't know. hmmm... That young woman with raven perhaps?"
“That could certainly be the case”
“It seems so long ago that I was even in the Historical House though...”
Eruthaiwen smiles at him, having returned to her old cheerful self. "It has not been overly long, nor shall too much time pass before you are there again."
Leothross raised an eyebrow toward her, grunting, as if trying not to dim her spirits but not totally believing it, "Of course. That is right. It only seems a long time."
“I suppose it depends on one's definition of a long time. I told my family it would not be a long time before I followed them to the Undying lands, but that span I already knew would possibly cover years. Now, I expect it may be a long time before I follow, should we make it home, but I shall be glad of it. There is the difference in a long time to cook something and a long time for a journey, and similarly differences in the perception of that time by man, elf, dwarf, and hobbit.” Eruthaiwen motions with her hands as she speaks, seeming to have forgotten her surroundings
Leothross eyes the elf with a bemused expression, "Yes. Yes, that is certainly true. But I think our journey is a short blip when thinking of being with your family again. Then again, any time seems long when your company has been torn apart and scattered...” Leothross adds with some sourness.
Eruthaiwen nods, recalling their situation. Her smile fades and she looks back at Zargodon, still resting, then back to Leothross. "The anxiety of not knowing how they fare does stretch this considerably."
Leothross shook his head, "Sorry... it burns in my mind. After all, it is my fault we are in this predicament."
Eruthaiwen placed a comforting hand on his. "Do not blame yourself in the least, Leothross. No one was obligated to accompany you, we all do so from a desire to. We would not have come if we did not think you worth the risks."
Leothross’s hand was warm and tensed under her hand, and he seemed strangely uncomfortable, "Of course, I know that. Yet, if I was not here, neither would you. It is the simple fact. I simply did not fully weigh the risks of coming here to begin with. But ... We will get everyone back ...”
Eruthaiwen nodded once to him before withdrawing her hand, sensing the tenseness. "We will, and we will lose no one. I will make sure of that." She clenched her hands together in her lap.
“We will make sure of it...” Leothross pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged and rests his right elbow on a knee and holds up a clenched fist and stares at it, and seems to be flexing it, before letting his arms collapse around his knees. “That is a beautiful piece.”
Eruthaiwen realized she had been fiddling with her locket out of habit as silence stretched between them, stopping upon the realization. "Oh, yes. I had the pendant made for Aulant to hold the stone I was crafting for him, but since I never had a chance to give it to him, I wear it until I can with the stone as well as a small portrait of him."
Leothross smiled a bit, "To remember him by?"
Eruthaiwen looked down at the locket. "Having it helped me in the years after he left but before I joined the knights for myself. It has been helping me recently too, to ward off these headaches I seem to be getting that only started here in Angmar. I suppose I crafted the stone well." She ran a finger delicately over a nasty-looking dent on the back. She hoped it had not cracked or broken the stone inside, but thought it unlikely.
Leothross looked closely at her, "Headaches? I hope it is nothing serious... it looks like the trip has not been easy on it either."
Eruthaiwen shook her head. "It has not. I only hope its contents are still intact. It was no easy thing to make." With one of her fingers, she drew a circle on the ground and begins tracing elven words in the dust around its circumference and on inwards, words of healing, shielding, and protection. She knew them all by heart for the many times she’d looked at the stone’s surface in the locket.
Leothross watched in silence appreciating the meaning of the words. Finally, he broke the silence, "I suppose we will take to the salt flats again in the morning."
"If Seargildin is capable of travel."
“Of course. If not... we may have to find a better hiding place...” Leothross glanced. uncertainly up the gorge they had entered. Eruthaiwen scanned the relatively unsheltering landscape. "True, there will be no coming back from an attack here, even with a bear to guard us."
Leothross shook his head, "I would not like to see what happens if we are attacked anywhere. Even if we are cornered... I don't know that I - Throssian, could take too many. We will have to stay hidden. I wish there was another way out then the way we came." Eruthaiwen heaved a sigh and looked back at Zargodon, lying where they'd left him. Pushing herself to her feet, she slowly rose. "I think I have collected enough of my strength to begin the greater portion of the healing process. I just hope I am enough."
Zargodon stirred awake on the ground, muttering to himself before he shot up in fear, his breathing hard and irregular. It was only for a moment before he realized where he was. His tattered leathers were still caked with his dry blood. Eruthaiwen hurried to Zargodon's side, seeing his burst of distress. "Seargildin? Worry not, you are beyond their reach for now."
Leothross turned quickly murmuring something unintelligible as Eruthaiwen left, but he turned toward Zargodon as he saw him move. Zargodon looked up as Eruthaiwen strode down the incline, heaving a relieved sigh as he braced himself with his one hand behind against the ground, smiling warmly at her and slipping into their native tongue. "I'm sorry, it was but only mere images. It will pass."
Eruthaiwen hesitantly touched the bandage around his chest, trying not to cause him pain, the dried blood on her hand matching that which soaked through the layers of cloth bindings. “'This, at least, I need to give attention to before we move. The others...”
Leothross sighed and turns back to keep an eye on the plains behind him. He buried one hand in Throssians nape, as he often did. Zargodon breathed in deeply as he felt the slight pang of pain when she reached down to lay her hand on the wound; yet he trusted her and relaxed back, tilting his head up as he braced for what is to come. "(S) Thank you..." he said softly.
Eruthaiwen looked up at Leothross. "How much time to you predict we have, or is that something unknowable?" Zargodon glanced over at Leothross, still speaking in Sindarin, "(S) Do you know what our plans are now? Now that I've managed to almost get murdered and... Where is Acurith?" Eruthaiwen shook her head at Zargodon. "We are unsure. She was able to lead some of the orcs out of the camp, giving us the opportunity to get to you. We cannot know where or what state she is in, but from what I have seen, she can certainly hold her own. For now, we need to focus on you."
Leothross paused for a moment before turning around, taking his hand from his bear and running it through his beard. "We can't have long. I do not know how long, but we need to get home at this point. As Eruthaiwen said, Acurith can take care of herself." His voice was rather unsure at his last statement. Zargodon nodded slightly, keeping quiet. After a while as she started to ply her healing, he asked: "How does our rations look, will we be able to make it back to Aughaire before we perish, as well?"
Leothross sighed, "Well... we should get back quickly. Or find our horses..."
Zargodon looked down the gorge, pursing his lips in thought. "I think we should leave the horses. The chances that we'd find them again here in these lands is but dismal. You've seen the creatures that lurk here, if not the orcs themselves." Eruthaiwen knelt down next to Zargodon. Taking a deep breath, she puts her hands over the wound, feeling for its edges. It wasn't hard as the image of the horrible gash is etched in her brain. She began to mumble a tune to herself as she works her hands over the wound. She found that place within her, the well of empathy, love, and compassion from which her healing flowed, diving into it. However, as she tried to accelerate the body’s healing, something in her mind seemed to stab out, pain and sadness. The headache was more acute than any of those before. She winced, placing the heel of a hand to her temple and grasping her locket instinctively with the other, wondering why it seemed to fail her here.
Leothross watched the process curiously, though a worried look still covered his face, "I know we should. But we do not have much for rations otherwise. We will need to scrounge if we can.” Zargodon heaved a sigh as he nodded. "You may be right" he said before uttering a grunt. "We needed Acurith. She knows this place /far/ better than any of us"
Eruthaiwen takes two deep breaths. Something had been done, but very little, that she knew, before the splitting headache had interrupted her. "Sorry, let me try that again." Placing the hand again over the wound, mumbling the same tune. Soon, her voice become strained as the same sensation pierced her brain, She tried to fight past it, but it was not a pain she could hide from. She gasped, placing both hands to her temples and bowing her head.
Zargodon, once again, closed his eyes as he felt now familiar sensation of warmth that struggled to penetrate him. He looked at Eruthaiwen, softly asking "Is... something wrong?" he spoke in Sindarin, a look of affection mixed with worry tainting his emerald eyes. Leothross stepped closer as he hears the strained voice, watching with a concerned look while keeping Throssian back to give Zargodon space.
Eruthaiwen shook her head, responding in the same tongue. "(S) I don't know, it is just..." she switched into the common tongue, "These headaches. I do not know their origin, where they come from or where they go."
Zargodon started to struggle, one hand squeezing half in affection, half for support, upon her shoulder. "I'll be able to move. You should conserve your energy" he smiled warmly down at Eruthaiwen. Leothross murmured quietly, "I am sure the stress... and the evil..." he added louder, "How do you say he is, Eruthaiwen? Can he move safely?" Eruthaiwen looked up at Zargodon cautioning. "You really shouldn't that wound will never close if you do. I can do this, I have to." Leothross stepped to help move the injured elf into a more relaxed position. “'You relax. We will all make it out, but not if you start bleeding all over the place. I'm betting those things can smell the blood.”
Zargodon sighed deeply, relenting his back down on his cloak they used as a blanket. "I cannot ask you to tax yourself unnecessarily, Eruthaiwen. At least if one of us makes it, it should be you." Eruthaiwen looked over at him, imploringly. "Do you really think I...we would be able to make it without you?" Zargodon grunted a soft reply "Yes, yes, you're probably right. I don't know, Eruthaiwen. I don't know if I'd only slow you down, attract more of these monsters" he replied, turning his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Eruthaiwen attempted a smile. "However I make this journey, if I do, you will be there at the end of it." She placed a hand on his knee reassuringly. "I am trying to make sure of that," she said teasingly, falling back into the tones they'd so often used. Her face became more serious as she looks down. "Now, if I can just figure out what I am doing wrong..."
Taking a deep breath and massaging her temples, she tried to search for whatever it was that was preventing her healing. Her locket felt warm on her chest. Stopping, she tilted her head, confused yet coming to a realization. Taking the locket in her hands, she undid the clasp that held the pendant closed. It popped open with the pent up pressure that the dent had been exerting on the stone it had broken, which now fell out in three pieces, settling on the ground between her and Zargodon.
All her strength left her and she fell back, sitting on her heels, looking like a puppet with its strings cut. For in that moment, all the sadness, agony, and despair that had manifested itself as pain came as the things themselves, all-encompassing in her mind.
And she Remembered.
Drip.
There was a new moon; clouds obscured the stars. Even the summer night did not offer warmth as protection from the oppressive darkness.
Drip. Drip.
The only other sound was her erratic breathing. She was shaking. Her hands half covered her face. She tried to look away but was transfixed. The air smelled of copper.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Thud.
He fell in the pool at his feet, one hand still gripped the hilt of the sword in his chest.
“AULANT!”
