Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza

Posted: **Sat Aug 22, 2020 4:06 am**

On the outskirts of Edoras, only a few minutes’ walk from the city’s bustling heart, lies a derelict farmstead. Dotted with ramshackle wooden outbuildings and overgrown meadows strewn with wildflowers, a large tent has been set up at the farmstead’s center. One of the nearby pastures is still occupied by a trio of waist-high, spoiled-looking miniature horses who crop the grass busily, or doze beneath a spreading tree. Chickens scratch about in the dirt, searching for seeds or insects, and a ginger cat lounges in an open doorway. On this particular very early morning, the air about the Infirmary still smells strongly of smoke--though the fires that ravaged Edoras did not reach this far, the scent is a sobering reminder of the night's trials.

EDORAS INFIRMARY--ALL WELCOME a sign in front of the farmstead’s central tent announces. The letters are coupled with the outline of a mortar and pestle, to indicate the tent’s function to those visitors who cannot read.

A cookfire in front of the tent is burning merrily despite the early hour, and the wholesome smell of steeping herbs rises from a pot set above the flames. On a wooden drying rack, strips of linen bandages and cotton gauze are set out to bleach once the sun has fully risen. Beside the entrance to the tent, a small table has been set up, on which rests a pitcher, washbasin and large cake of lye soap scented with lavender. BEMA WANTS YOU TO WASH UP, another sign proclaims, coupled with the hastily sketched image of two suds-covered hands.

Within the tent are two rows of tidy camp beds, partitioned off from one another by sheets draped over lengths of rope. A few are occupied, though most sit empty, waiting until such a time as they are needed. At the back of the tent, a long row of shelves has been set up, stocked with the tools of a healer’s trade—glass bottles filled with dried herbs, horse hair and steel needles, rolls of bandages, and small earthenware crocks of honey.

If you are visiting the infirmary for medical assistance, please post in blue (#0000FF), and indicate that you are a PATIENT beneath your name. A healer will be with you shortly.

If you are visiting the infirmary as a trained healer seeking a brief trade refresher course, or are an individual with no prior healer’s experience who is seeking comprehensive training, please post in brown (#804040), and indicate that you are a PROSPECTIVE APPRENTICE or APPRENTICE beneath your name. A healer will be with you shortly.

If you are at the infirmary seeking a place of temporary residence due to adverse life circumstances, please post in purple (#804080), and indicate that you are a PROSPECTIVE RESIDENT or RESIDENT beneath your name. Should you take up residence at the Infirmary, you are free to RP your daily life on the grounds within this thread, and to interact with the staff and any of the recovering patients, so long as you don't make a nuisance of yourself and keep out of the way in emergencies.

If you are at the infirmary for trade reasons, general roleplay, to visit a patient, to make non-medical inquiries, or to seek employment (as a healer or in another capacity), please post in black, and indicate that you are a VISITOR beneath your name. A healer will be with you shortly.

If you are visiting the infirmary on Cavalry-related business, please post in gold (#FFBF00), and indicate that you are CAVALRY beneath your name. Keep in mind that weapons are strictly prohibited on Infirmary property, regardless of affiliation or rank. A healer will be with you shortly.

Healers post in green (#008000), and will indicate their role beneath their name.

For veterinary assistance, please visit the Wæftfald and Hofhus (Show Ring and Stables) RP Thread, located here: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=482

The Edoras Infirmary is an independent establishment that welcomes visitors from any kingdom from Middle Earth. In the interest of maintaining peace, it is the Infirmary's policy that upon arrival, ALL weapons must be relinquished to the Lead Healer. They will be kept safe and returned at your departure. NO exceptions will be made, and any who fail to abide by the rules of the Infirmary will be sedated and restrained until such a time as they can be escorted off-site. A second violation of the no weapons rule will result in a ban from Infirmary property.

Very light godmoding may be undertaken by healers at times--settling patients onto beds, leading them to locations, dispensing treatments etc. However, if a patient is in dire medical straits, confused, or unconscious, healers may be required to quickly act in their best interests without previously requesting permission.

CURRENT STAFF

Thalionwen Hunigfolm, Lead Healer
Alwin of Sailes, Healer’s Assistant (NPC of Thalionwen)
Sigrid, Trial Healer (NPC of Winddancer)

The Edoras Infirmary is seeking trained healers of any kingdom in want of employment. If you are interested, please inquire!

Posted: **Sun Aug 23, 2020 4:30 am**

Thalionwen
Lead Healer
The Evening of the Fires

Reeking of smoke and leading a pony with an unconscious man slung over its back, Thalionwen trudged across the Infirmary's grounds. She steered clear of the tent where most patients were housed, instead heading for a disused cow shed in a remote corner of the farmstead, out of the way and hidden behind a stand of young trees.

Alwin, her assistant, heard the sound of hooves and appeared at her side as she traipsed on.

"Concussion and broken ribs, I think," Thali said, without Alwin having to say anything. "And trouble with the Cavalry on top of that. I'm putting him in the north shed for safekeeping. Don't let anyone know he's here. You'll need to strip and disarm him, and wake him every half hour or so through the night. Get him to drink as much water as you can, too--and maybe give him a brew of thyme and peppermint with honey, for the smoke inhalation."

"What's happening in the city?" Alwin asked as they reached the north shed. He helped Thalionwen ease Frost from the pony's back and into the shed, where a tidy cot had been set up, along with a nightstand, washbasin, and a rocking chair.

"Fires," Thali answered simply. "I was in one myself, and I saw flames in at least one other part of the city as we left. I'm going straight back to the tent to fetch as many supplies as this pony will carry, then heading back into the city to help. Can you manage?"

Alwin cast a critical eye over Frost, lying prone and still unconscious on the bed. Frost shifted a little and muttered though, and Thali let out a sigh of relief. That was a good sign, at least.

"Aye, I can manage," Alwin said. "You go. I'll look after things here."

Wearily, Thali left the two behind. Loading up the pony, she turned back towards Edoras, and to a night of fire and fear.

With that, we move this Infirmary thread on, to the morning after the Edoras fires, just before dawn.

Posted: **Mon Aug 24, 2020 3:26 am**

Bereth
Prospective Apprentice

Ber was weary to bone, but sleep proved elusive, so she decided to try and put her hands to work again so her mind wouldn’t keep wandering across the landscape of the previous days. Now was not the time to continue her training, but surely there was SOMEthing she could contribute to help.

The problem was, speaking was still very painful. She’d been faithful to drink warmed sage tea with honey and a pinch of salt, and it had begun to improve somewhat, especially for the duration of swashing about in her mouth. And she’d carried a handful of cloves to suck on. If nothing else, she smelled delicious.

Seeking out the Head Healer, Thalionwen, she handed her a hastily scribbled note, wincing as she cleared her throat as discretely as she could manage.

“Burned my throat, yes I’m fine, know I cannot act as healer, empty bedpans or some such to help out a few hours?”

Posted: **Mon Aug 24, 2020 9:45 am**

Laewyn, Apprentice

Yesterday - in the stables with the pregnant Mina

The little horse was panting, occasionally straining, and suddenly she was on her feet, turning round, and ah! There was the rush of birth fluids, and there were some hooves - soles down, thank goodness! Mina lay down again, exhausted after that initial burst of effort, and Laewyn waited, waited, waited, but Mina seemed to be too tired to do more without encouragement.

"C'mon, mama," she murmured, moving closer to help. She had never done this on her own before, though on the few times she had the horse always seemed to know what they were doing. Perhaps this was a first pregnancy though? She felt the hooves, but was reluctant to pull them. She was on the verge of calling Alwin when a few moments later, Mina's body strained and the foal's head came clear on the next strain. This was no time to be pausing though, and with another little strain the little foal was out, laying slippery and wriggling in Laewyn's arms. She laid the foal down on the hay by its mother, and as the foal began breaking the membrance, Laewyn removed it completely, taking the opportunity to check for abnormalities. There didn't seem to be any, and she breathed a little easier, especially as the foal was breathing well too.

The little foal was black, unlike its dun mama, so the papa must have been distinctive. It was holding its head up a little now, looking for mama, who was too tired to stretch round so far.

Laewyn brought the little colt closer so Mina could reach to scent her baby without straining and as she did so, rearranging its legs more comfortably, she noticed it was a boy. It was a sweet sight, and Mina bonding with her foal was all that was necessary right now. She rubbed the baby's coat with hay, drying it a little, enough that he wouldn't feel a chill, and took a step back again, quickly, letting the tired mama and baby enjoy each other's company. She felt quite relieved, honestly, for it could not have gone better; she felt a bond with Mina for having such an uncomplicated birth.

Laewyn went to collect some clean fresh water and feed for Mina, no doubt she would be hungry soon. She would have gone to tell Alwin, but it seemed he was already aware of the delivery, from his easy smile.

About an hour later the little colt was standing on his own, a little less wobbly than he had been and ready to suckle, and his little mama was clearly delighted with him as she stood eating, occasionally turning round to nose at her feeding baby. Her face aching from smiling, Laewyn gently picked up the membrane as the placenta made its way out, and she dropped them off to the side away from the bonding pair, sure it would be useful somehow.

The morning after the fire

Laewyn stumbled into the infirmary late morning, looking like death warmed up. She had taken a dip in the river at dawn this morning, to remove the stench and grime of a night spent firefighting, but her anticipated brief crash in her tent had been longer than she'd meant, and subsequently she'd slept in. Full-on panic had set in when she awoke, disoriented and wildly unprepared for the day. She had eaten a few hard biscuits with a drink to stifle the gnawing hunger in her belly, and rushed off, thinking perhaps that the Infirmary was probably somewhere she should have considered going last night!

"I beg your pardon," she apologised to Thalionwen. "I overslept."

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2020 1:44 am**

NEW PATIENT
Old Mama Mute (whose real name has yet to be discovered) arriving in style

The queenly old lady's arrival was heralded not by horns or declarations, but by the squeaky creak of an old, rusty wheel. Some poor unfortunate cavalry Æthelwigend (Grimm) had been recruited to transport her here and blushed a little at the undignified manner of her arrival, but somehow the regal older lady managed to transform the rickety old wheelbarrow that was her perch into a stately carriage just by the way she had seated herself upon it; her knees locked together and tucked to one side in the manner of a lady, her hands folded casually across her lap where a worn buckler and well-loved pipe lay, her crocheted blanket wrapped around her shoulders like regal robes and her nightgown pulled down to protect her dignity with all the self-assured technique that might fool the eye into thinking it a delicate dress of lace and not simple, thin cotton. Even the sling that held her left arm and the bandage around her right ankle seemed to gleam a little brighter white in her aura.

She bobbed her head from side to side as thought the protesting creaking of the wheel were music, but in no beat or rhythm that might match the squeaky noise. In fact, on considering her again and the way she tapped her foot and waved one finger minutely to herself like a composer's baton, it would appear to an outside observer that she was humming, for certainly her neck seemed to twitch and shiver as though in the effort of humming, however no noise was uttered. Just as she had spoken not a word not vocalised any sound last night during the fires, even when her own life or the life or another was in grave danger, she similarly offered no speech or song now. And in the rising light of the dawn, away from the smoke and shadows of the night, it now became blatantly apparent why she could not; a thick white scar marked her throat and ran down her front to disappear beneath the neck-line of her nightgown; an old war-wound from her younger days, when an enterprising Haradrim had attempted to cut her throat and failed to drive the knife quite deep enough to snuff out her life, and had (unfortunately for him) paid a lethal price for the error. The wound was gruesome and on many others would have still proven lethal even after surviving the initial assault, but if this one thing had remained true of this old woman throughout her turbulent, long life, it was that she was a fighter. She had fought infection and injury to recover from the wound and even now in her later years she did not appear in any rush to allow age or senility to usher her from her mortal coil without her putting up a damn good struggle in the process. She may have lost her voice in the incident along with any hope of serving in a military organisation again, but even through the intervening years she had lost none of her wits or passion.

None here know her tale; it was likely that any who might would have done so either died long ago or they would fail to recognise this wrinkled, venerable woman as the folk-lore shield-maiden who had fought hand-to-hand with a Haradrim and come out the (much bloodied, but surviving) victor. None now knew her name; she went by the title 'Old Mama Mute' among her neighbours because any complex or detailed form of communication had been lost to her long ago when she lost her voice, and even more so lately as those she knew passed on or moved away, mostly because she lacked the ability to read or write and no-one had engaged her long enough to develop an alternative method of communication. But this did not seem to have held her back much; she had continued to eek out a living as a local herbalist/healer in the poorer residential district of Edoras' Auld town, selling many of her belongings to get by during poorer periods or harsh winter months until she had only a few meagre possessions to her name, and losing much of that last night in the fire but for the precious items she bore with her now. But despite her poor fortune, her pleasant and upbeat attitude was infectious, and she continued to face every challenge placed before her with calm, practical sensibilities. Despite having sustained a broken wrist and sprained ankle in the fires last night, on being deposited at the makeshift infirmary set-up by Thali between Throne Room and Riddermarket, she had promptly dismissed her attendant to attend to more urgent patients and set about fixing herself up with a purloined hæland kit, and had even managed to see to another patient suffering from an overuse of alcohol; she had thereafter refused to be removed from the scene until it was clear that there were no more perilous cases coming in, and she was probably exhausted by now. But this was a woman who had proven time and again that she refused to be a victim, and who had no interest in people pitying her; she had perfected 'the look' so well by now that her gaze almost felt like a physical force, and a point like a physical jab; her expressions and movements confident and accentuated to convey as much as possible with minimal effort. So it was that as she was wheeled into the reception area at the Infirmary the smile she gave everyone such a warm, dignified smile that it made those who saw her feel like somehow - despite all logic and physics contradicting the fact - *she* was looking down on *them*, and not vice versa.

The Æthelwigend cleared his throat loudly as he finally put down the handles of the wheelbarrow - the old woman carried herself with all the grace of an experienced rider such that she did not even appear to be shifted by the manoeuvre - and declared loudly "Patient Delivery as ordered by the cavalry. One, er... Old Mama Mute" he declared awkwardly, a little embarrassed that it was the only name he had been able garner for the woman, despite making enquiries with numerous people "... left homeless by the Edoras fires. She is attending with a broken left wrist and a sprained right ankle and, er... general signs of undernourishment and neglect" he was reciting the words by rote as they had been given them by a cavalry healer, but even as he completed the final sentence he blushed awkwardly, the woman turning to regard him with a raised eyebrow that made him feel very much like he was washing someone else's dirty laundry in public against their wishes. He glanced around quickly, hopeful that someone would quickly relieve him of his patient before she gained the ability to hurt people with a look; an absurd thought that all the same in the moment appeared to him like this fierce woman was perfectly capable of achieving.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2020 2:55 am**

Taethowen
Before Dawn, After the Fires
'Sneaking' into the Infirmary as a Visitor

Taeth was weary in a way she had not felt in a long, long time. Not since she'd been severely ill in Gondor, honestly, nearly a decade before. She stumbled through the warm, muggy darkness along the outskirts of Edoras, with no moonlight or starlight due to the lingering storm clouds still obscuring the sky, and she desperately wished for a lamp or a torch to light her way. Her bow and quiver were strapped in place on her back again.

Thali had said Frost was in a shed on the south of the property of her new infirmary and Taeth, to be honest, had stood there gaping like a fish as Thali gestured in a vague direction outside of Edoras and then flittered away like a hummingbird, tending to her other patients once she knew that Taeth wasn't in need of any medical intervention. But the existence of Thali's infirmary, a mere two days after she'd insisted to Taeth that she was leaving Rohan would have to pondered later.

She had, fortunately, escaped the fires with nothing more than bruises, mild burns that were the equivalent of sunburns, some minor smoke inhalation, and irritated eyes. All things that would subside with time and rest. But she was soaked, though. And while the sudden storms had been a blessing, enabling them to finally contain the fires, her soaked clothing beneath her leather armor was uncomfortable.

But there was one thing she needed to do before she could go home and rest, and that was make sure that Frost was actually alive and breathing. Finally, she saw firelight in the distance, though not the large flickering blaze of uncontrolled burning buildings, but rather fire from a lamp or candle. As she approached, she saw that a man (Alwin) was carrying a lantern, and for a brief moment the light illuminated a sign which read Edoras Infirmary.

Taeth paused in the darkness and watched for a second as the man started to turn toward the back of the property, and while all the events of the night told her she should just follow and stay hidden, she didn't really want to frighten the poor man, and she doubted she could stay completely out of sight once she reached wherever Frost was housed.

"Excuse me?" she spoke up, and stepped closer to the lamplight. "Thalionwen directed me here, to check on a patient that she brought earlier. A man with long black hair. I'm..." she paused for a second, a thought and a memory passing through her mind.

That's an image I've been hoping to see for six years, Frost had said. And she'd seen him pause, stumbling over her name, many times over the last few days. If he was confused at all right now, he probably had not asked for Taethowen, if he had asked for her at all.

"Lomiel," she continued. "I'm Lomiel."

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2020 4:50 am**

Alwin
Assistant Healer

with Taethowen

Good to his word, Alwin had done what Thalionwen asked. He'd stayed by Frost's side all through the night, waking him every half hour to ensure he didn't pass into a sleep there was no waking from. And the last time, the Numenorean had been rather irritable over the constant disturbances. It was at that point Alwin decided a cup of tea was in order for both of them. He'd left the injured man to start a small cookfire and boil water, then felt guilty about leaving his charge. While the water heated, he'd just check in again, to reassure himself.

It was on his way back to the hidden hut that he happened upon a woman, with wide, haunted eyes.

Lomiel, she said. I'm Lomiel.

And Alwin knew her at once, for the black-haired man in the hut had muttered her name in his uneasy dreams.

"I know who you're looking for," Alwin said quietly. "Herself--Thalionwen--she's not here now. She hasn't made it back from the city yet, and seeing to the wounded there. But I can show you the way. Follow after me, and don't tell herself that I let you on the property with that bow, or she'll give me a scolding the like of which you've never heard. She's particular, when it comes to weapons near her patients."

Leading the way across rolling meadows and through a small copse of trees, Alwin stopped before a tumbledown shack in the lee of a small hill. It was a lonely, out of the way spot, chosen precisely for its seclusion. Fumbling with an iron key and padlock, Alwin swung the door open for Taethowen, revealing a sparse interior--just a cot and a nightstand, with a lamp casting a faint glow over the black-haired form of the bed's inhabitant.

"Herself said he's got to be kept locked up," Alwin offered apologetically. "Said he might run off otherwise, and do himself further injury, and that if he did she'd kill him. I'm off to fetch some tea now, and I'm afraid if you want a visit, I'll have to lock you in too, just till I get back. But I'll bring you a cup as well, shall I'? You look worn out."

Thalionwen
Lead Healer

with Bereth

Trudging back onto the Infirmary's sprawling land as the eastern horizon began to grey, Thali let out a bone-weary sigh. The pony she'd borrowed and not yet returned was still in tow, walking along at her heels, but it wasn't only the pony in her charge now--the beast had been harnessed to a small cart, within which lay the sad, lonely bundle which was all that remained of Gléonild. She'd need to be washed and dressed, and made ready for her last rites. There was a spot Thali had in mind for the poor woman--a quiet place that overlooked the pond, where she could be buried and a stone cairn put up. Wind would blow over the little hill, and wildflowers grow, and skylarks sing as they flew past. It was a good resting spot. And while Thali had hoped not to have to make such a decision for months or even years yet, it would be a fit place to lay any who passed within her care.

Staving off a wave of sorrow, Thali swallowed back tears as she arrived at the Infirmary's tent. Time to cheer up. There were patients to look after, and bright spirits were a medicine of their own.

But rather than meeting with stragglers who'd been injured in the fire, Thali found Bereth, alone on the tent's threshold. The idea of having the gentle woman's support on a day like this one sent a wave of relief washing over Thali, and she took the note Bereth offered, scanning its few lines hastily.

"Oh Ber, I'm sorry about your throat," Thali said softly. "And I...I have one thing you could help with. I wouldn't ask if it was anyone else, but you and I, and those who've lived in the Mark as long as we have--well, we've seen our share of trouble. We know how to bear up under it. I'll be needed here in the tent today, but I've brought back a job with me that won't keep."

Leading Bereth to the back of the wagon, Thali lifted the blanket briefly from Gléonild's still, pale face.

"This is Gléonild," Thali said, her voice breaking a little on the name. "She's the woman who died last night, who left all the little ones behind. They'll be coming down later to see her laid to rest, and...I need her washed and dressed properly for them. I won't have them seeing her like this, still streaked with smoke and blood. She should look peaceful, for their sakes. As if she's gone on to something better. I've got a fresh white shift we could dress her in, and there's a field with simbelmyne growing among the grasses, out past the pasture. Perhaps you could braid some into her hair? I don't know. Whatever you think would be best. Oh, Alwin, a moment."

Thali stopped her assistant as he strode past on some errand of his own. "Could you help us?" she asked. "We need to get Gléonild here into my hut--I don't want anyone seeing her as she's being made ready."

With Alwin's help, she gently moved Gléonild into her hut and gestured to Bereth to join them. It was a single room, with a hearth and a bed and a rocking chair and not much else, but the door had been thrown open to catch the dawn light as it strengthened to gold across the hills, and the well lay only a few paces away. Set back a little from the main tent, it was private enough, yet within an easy distance of all that went on at the Infirmary's heart.

Settling Gléonild down, Thali dismissed Alwin with a word and smoothed dark hair back from the woman's cold forehead.

"It won't be too much for you, will it, Ber?" Thali asked. "If it will, just leave her, and I'll come back to tend her as I can, but I--"

At that moment, a voice rang out across the Infirmary yard, and Thali was reluctantly summoned away.

with Old Mother Mute

A broad-shouldered, somewhat grim-looking Aethelwigend stood outside the infirmary tent with...an old woman in a wheelbarrow? Thalionwen frowned at the sight, wondering if lack of sleep had damaged her wits. But then, as dim morning light fell across the woman's face, she recognized her--the mute Ealdramoder, from back in Edoras.

Hurrying forward, Thali took the Ealdramoder's hands gladly and helped her from the barrow, bearing nearly all her weight, for she weighed no more than a child.

"That's a job well done, Aethelwigend, I can take it from here," Thali said, and the wigend immediately turned back for the city, a look of relief on his dour face.

"Well now, Mother," Thali clucked over the elderly woman. "I don't like to put you in the tent with all the invalids, not when you've got so much life left in your bones. And I expect you're here because you need a place to stay and a bowl of something hot. So let's do this then, shall we? Let's settle you in a little place of your own."

Glancing closely at the old woman, Thali made a quick decision.

"Here we are," she said, helping the Ealdramoder only a few steps from the Infirmary tent, to an old cowshed that stood beside the gate into the horse pasture. "This is just the place for you. You can see all the comings and goings from here, and keep tabs on everyone for me. What do you think of that?"

Not bothering to wait for answer, Thali led the way inside. In true Infirmary fashion, the shed had been outfitted with the usual hearth and cot and nightstand, though this one also boasted a rocking chair in one corner, on which a ginger cat lay dozing. There was a small shelf beside the hearth, empty and disused, and a pair of linen curtains framed a small window.

"That's just right, I think!" Thali said, her brightness a little less forced than it had been since the fires broke out. "I can hear someone calling for me, but why don't you settle in, and I'll see about finding you some breakfast, and perhaps a bath and something clean to wear?"

Leaving the old woman to make herself at home, the healer hurried off.

with Laewyn

"No matter," Thali said to Laewyn, as the young woman apologized for her lateness. "But I'm glad to see you, for I've some good news--the Infirmary's nearest neighbor, Wæftfald and Hofhus (Show Ring and Stables) is in want of a veterinary apprentice. I'm afraid I've grown too busy here with folk to tend to do a credible job for our four-legged friends. Beoric, who oversees animal care at the Hofhus, is willing to take you as apprentice if you'd like--you can go to him whenever you're ready. I've told him your progress here has been excellent, and that you've shown a good deal of aptitude for the work."

(OOC @Lirimaer: I'm getting a little bogged down with haelend stuff at present, so Allacan has offered to take on veterinary apprentices in the Stables thread. If you're still interested in training, you can continue over there! It's been lovely having you, and I think Laewyn will make an excellent caregiver for four-legged friends of all sorts)

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:38 pm**

Bereth
Prospective Apprentice

Time is a Tailor . . .
Each tick of her hand
Perforates the silence.
Cool steel flashing
As she pulls along the silken thread of memories
Through your absence,
Embroidering a soft, fine gown
Around forever.

Ber kept her face as stolid as she could, though her knees wavered as she realized what Thali was asking of her. It wasn’t that she hadn’t participated in this last preparation for memorial and burial before, nor upon those closer to her heart or more challenging to care for, though it had been a while. She blinked back hard against the tears, for as they rose up in her throat she worried it would swell shut entirely and she wouldn’t be able to breathe at all.

Her hand had nearly embossed grooves into the wood of the wagon frame as she had gripped it to keep from swaying as she’d peered into the ashen face. As Alwin departed, she had nodded mutely at Thali and then reached her hand to grasp her shoulder, rasping barely above a shaky whisper, “Aye, leave her to me. But allow me enough time to do a proper job of it.”

Drawing a very deep and steadying breath, Ber set out to fetch several buckets of warm water, enough to wash the lady several times, an armful cloths and towels, and the aromatic strong lye soap she knew worked best for cleansing flesh. And camphor for the last wash.

As she cut away the ruined clothing, and threadbare as they were, they offered little resistance. Ber guessed she’d forgone indulging her own needs for the sake of her children, and she began to hum a gentle lullaby as she worked, humming high into the roof of her mouth for the least strain on the soreness. Covering Gléonild as best she could to preserve her dignity, despite there being little risk of someone inadvertently intruding, she first attended to her hair, giving extra attention to the wounds. She had to pause and regain composure as she uncovered each section she had mentally divided the task into, grieved at how little it had taken to snuff the life out of her. She could not have suffered much, she hoped not, at least. As she gently wiped the worst grime from her face, a fresh wave of tears arose. She looked so much like the young lady who had come asking about her ‘Mem’ by the Inn. And the boy ...

Steeling herself, she swallowed emotions and continued, repeated, and came to the last washing with a small bit of camphor. It would hopefully mask the metallic smell of any remnants of blood. Smells were such memory triggers, she dearly hoped to avoid that for the children.

Once she tugged the white tunic down into place, tying the drawstring into a bow, she smoothed on a lavender scented cream to brighten the pallid cast of her face and the smallest ghosting of pink to color the cheeks slightly as she ever so gently messaged the facial muscles to try and relax the mask of pain to one of more peace. She then slowly combed through the terribly matted hair. Patiently. She found herself not wanting to stop, not wanting to let them take the woman away. She treasured this, to work at the knots as gently as if she were a small child who cried at every tug. But at last the comb flowed freely, and Ber began at the peak of her forehead to plait two small braids into the dark tresses, wrapping around the sides to behind her head, picking up stands as she went but leaving much of it loose to cascade down her shoulders. Hiding much.

Then she remembered Thali mentioning simbelmyne to adorn her hair, and exiting the room, blinked against the bright sun, almost disoriented that the world still went on so merrily. Severing a goodly bundle of the snowy white flower, she returned to tuck little nosegays in intervals along the plaits, and drew the woman’s hands across her belly, twined fingers together and set the rest of her floral harvest into their grasp.

Stepping back, she released a small sad smile, and decided that Gléonild looked - beautiful.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:58 pm**

Taethowen/Lomiel
Before Dawn, After the Fires
Locked in the Shed with Frost

"The bow's unstrung anyway," Taeth reassured Alwin. He apparently hadn't caught sight of the sheathed daggers in the darkness, but she wouldn't draw attention to them anyway.

As the man led her across fields to a shed tucked beside a small hill and under some trees, Taeth was grateful that she'd approached him. The property was larger than she'd thought, and even if she'd followed Alwin at a distance, she likely would have missed seeing exactly where the building was in the darkness.

Alwin opened the door, and apologized for the lock, and if Taeth hadn't been utterly exhausted, she would have laughed with glee. As it was, she simply chuckled, the corner of her mouth twisting up. "It's quite all right," she said as she stepped inside. "Thali's right, he would run off. It took him collapsing in the first place for him end up here.

"A cup of tea would be lovely," Taeth nodded as she set down her bow and removed her quiver, before bending over to unbuckle the daggers from around her thighs. "You... wouldn't happen to have a spare sack lying around would you, that you could bring back with you? Something I can put my weapons and armor in? And it's fine to lock me in."

I could get out anyway, despite the lock, if I really need to, she thought. This place is practically falling down. The only reason it's even holding 'Zagar right now is because he's unconscious.

Alwin ducked out then, promising to return soon with the tea and a sack if he could find one. Taeth heard the clinking of the key on the padlock, then the quiet snick as it locked in place. A glance at Frost showed that he seemed, at the moment, to be asleep. Quietly, she tucked her bow, quiver, and daggers in a shadowed corner, then began to remove her leather armor. When she finally unbuckled the cuirass and slipped out of it, she breathed a sigh of relief to finally have it off. Her red linen shirt clung to her, damp from the rain yet, and she wished she could strip it off and let it dry. She also wished she could take down her hair, but she didn't dare try and unpin it and un-braid it without a comb at hand.

She turned back to Frost then, wiggling her shoulders to force the tension from them, and then took the few steps required to come up next to the cot. Reaching down to test the strength of the frame with her hand, she let her eyes wander over his form. His shirt was lost in the fire in the pub, but she spotted a dark pile of fabric next to the nightstand, along with a pair of boots, and realized that Frost was covered with just the blanket.

If he's going to be in Rohan for a while, I need to make him some clothes, she thought as she carefully took a seat, balancing on the edge of the cot. It wasn't terribly wide.

His hands rested on top of the blanket, one flung across his stomach, and the other, closer one fisted at his side. Gently, Taeth loosened his clenched fingers and slipped her hand, palm to palm, against his, then reached up with her other hand to smooth her thumb over his brow.

"Dôlguzagar," she called in a low, quiet tone. "I'm here. Lomiel."

Posted: **Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:53 am**

Zarâm
Before dawn/after the fires
Visitor/Trying to find a place to hide

Zarâm thanked her lucky stars that she had been able to find the aforementioned Infirmary. Unlike the majority of those in Rohan, she did not have the luxury of asking for directions, at least after the night of infernos that Edoras had just had. But then, these humans had no idea what fire really was. As hot as an alcohol fire was, it was nothing to compare to the fires of Mount Doom.

And so, that was how she found herself hiding in a bush just inside the Infirmary, looking for Thali. She spotted an exhausted Taeth walking onto the grounds. Zarâm let out a slight sigh of relief that the woman Frost was so infatuated with had made it through the night without any damage, aside from a slightly singed appearance. And that also meant that Frost was likely around, hopefully a bit more cognitive than she had seen him last.

Zarâm poked her head just above the green leaves of the bush, wondering if Thali was around anywhere. She didn't dare go in search of the woman. Even though the sign said "ALL WELCOME" she doubted everyone would welcome an orc. It was best to stay in hiding until either she spotted the Rohir who was a friend to Mordor or Thali spotted her.

@Thalionwen Hunigfolm (Feel free to spot Zarâm and direct her to a safe hiding spot. Thanks for opening up this space for the Mordor contingent to hide until it's safe)

Posted: **Thu Aug 27, 2020 9:43 pm**

NPC Beda
Visitor

The night had drawn to an end, with no sign of the siblings. Weary and needing to get to the Infirmary, Beda had bid a thankful goodbye to Amhran for the time being, telling her she would like to be alone when she went to see her mother. Although she was slightly worried about not finding her brothers and sisters, she was not yet panicked. Likely some kind person had taken them in. She would conduct a door to door search after she had seen Mam.

She found the Infirmary exactly where the hælend had directed her. Beda paused just outside, gathering herself together as best she could. Her face was smudged with soot, and her hands were almost black.

Inside, she waited for someone to show her where to find her mother. “May I please wash my face and hands before I see Mam?” she asked when approached. “I do not want her to see me like this.” Beda understood that Mam could not see her, but it felt wrong to go to her side like that.

(OOC: @Amhran @Thalionwen Hunigfolm @Bereth Thali, I saw your OOC post in the firefighting thread and I actually wanted to get this in before you moved the time along. I left it open-ended as to who directs Beda to her mother's side--you or Bereth--to allow you room to play it however you wanted. Once one of you has led her there, I will make a post that will begin with her sitting by her mother's side and end with it being later in the day, which will then not interfere with you advancing your thread as you planned.

Posted: **Thu Aug 27, 2020 10:12 pm**

Thalionwen
Lead Healer

with Bereth

Taking leave of Laewyn, Thali returned to her own small, unprepossessing quarters, where Bereth was still with Gléonild. Knocking gently so as not to startle the gentle woman she'd entrusted with the sad task of readying a patient for burial, Thali stepped inside.

A soft gasp escaped her at the sight of the work Bereth had done.

"Oh Ber," Thali sighed. "She looks so lovely. Like she's at peace. The children will..."

Thali's voice faltered, and she fell silent, shaking her head after a moment as if to clear it.

"Look at you, though," Thali fussed, turning her attention to Bereth herself to ward off grief. "You've been up all night and done this sad work, and you're worn out. Not to mention you're nursing an injury yourself. Come sit in the Infirmary tent for a little--I'll fix you a fresh cup of tea and you can lie down. Maybe even sleep, if you're able. There's no one who needs us too badly just yet, and I've got to run back up to the city--I'm nearly out of willow bark here, and had a fresh bundle of it delivered to my shop in the Riddermarket yesterday. I don't dare be without it, should someone badly hurt come in, so off I go again. Gléonild will rest easy here--you've done so well by her, and she'll be safe in my little hut."

Thali held out a hand to Ber.

"Come, won't you?" she coaxed. "Those who do a healer's work must catch their rest as they can."

with Zaram

Having parted ways with Bereth, Thali took her satchel and made ready to journey back to Edoras yet again. Though she was past weary herself, her own rest would have to wait. Heading for the outskirts of the Infirmary property, she stopped abruptly near a small thicket of bushes as something prickled at the back of her neck.

Someone was watching her.

Parting the bushes, Thali startled at the sight of Zaram's familiar face.

"Zaram!" she said in alarm. "You can't be out here--it isn't safe. After the fires there are Cavalry everywhere. I've only just had someone brought down from the city by an Aethelwigend. We've got to find a better place for you to hide."

Taking her friend by the hand, Thali glanced this way and that to ensure there was no one present. Not for the first time, she sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the sprawling and secluded nature of the property she'd assembled her Infirmary upon. Hurrying furtively across the grounds, Thali led Zaram to an out of the way copse of aspens and pines. In the shadows of the trees stood the Infirmary's largest and most ruinous building--an old manor house, enormous by Rohir standards, with ten rooms and several root cellars. The whole thing had an air of wistful neglect, and in places, the roof had given way. But Thali had gone all over the old house before, and none of it showed signs of collapsing just this minute, though if it were left for much longer, the whole thing would eventually succumb to nature.

"Here," Thali said, gesturing to one of the yawning, shadowy windows. "This should do well for a hiding place. Just keep quiet and don't attract any notice, and you'll be alright. I'll get back as soon as I can and bring you something to eat, but for now I've got to get up to Edoras to fetch something. Do you need anything, before I go?"

(OOC: @Bereth @@Eléowyn Ber, can I prevail upon you once again and have you direct Beda to Gleonild, and put off the suggested rest to sit with her while Thali's gone? Thali'll be back in a flash, I'm just desperately trying to retcon her timeline, as at some point during this morning she also appears in the Riddermarket to tend a stabbing victim >_< Which is a thing that took place prior to the fires thread and the Infirmary, so I need to find a way to jam it in amongst everything else that's going on. Let's just say this particular 24 hour period is VERY TAXING for one Thalionwen Hunigfolm. But if Ber can direct Beda to Gleonild and @Dimcairien Luiniel wants to slide in a response to Thali from Zaram, I can then move the Infirmary on to a little later in the morning/early afternoon and actually re-situate Thali on the grounds)

Posted: **Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:07 am**

Bereth
Prospective Apprentice

Ber slowly shook her head at Thalionwen’s kind offer, politely yet stubbornly. The thought of rest and sleep, while deliciously tempting, seemed a selfish indulgence. She kept touching and rearranging the gaunt woman’s hair, for some reason drawing an inordinate amount of peace from the gesture.

Haltingly, she whispered, “I’ll stay with her. Tea would be nice, though. I’ll fetch it, you go.”

Ber was surprised when the skillful Healer declared the plain little woman beautiful. She’d thought it had just been her labors that lent that opinion her own. But there was no doubt the pristine white tunic and sprays of white against the raven hair, simple as they were, did make her seem almost otherworldly. She fluffed our the sides of the gown again to disguise the leanness of her frame, and backed away. It was so hard to leave.

But the tea beckoned to her, and reluctantly, after tidying the room to her satisfaction, she exited to seek a cup of it, hoping it was readily available. She carried an armful of the soiled linens, unsure of where to bring them. She would wash them herself a bit later. She was tucking them next to two large wooden barrels used for laundry when she overheard the young lass ask to clean up. Once again, her knees went weak, and it took a fair amount of what remaining strength she still had to make herself move towards her.

She wanted to reach out, to grasp her hand, but the last time she had tried that had proven the wrong thing to have done. With genuine tenderness, she rasped, “there’s sweet wildflower soap and fresh towels this way - “ She paused, trying to recall if she had overheard her name, hoping that informing her of her name she might offer her own and be put a bit more at ease. “My name is Bereth.”

Posted: **Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:45 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

The woman who met her at the door looked weary, and sad, but her eyes were tender and Beda immediately felt at ease. Her voice, however, was hoarse and strained, and Beda wondered if she always sounded like that.

She gratefully followed the woman, who had introduced herself as Bereth, to a washbowl filled with clean water. “I am Beda, daughter of Gléonild,” she replied politely, taking soap in hand. Mam sometimes made soaps to sell alongside the candles. Beda lifted it to her nose and inhaled deeply, wondering if this was from their shop. The scent was a pleasant contrast to the smell of ointments and salves that otherwise permeated the infirmary.

After scrubbing longer than was necessary, Beda turned her bloodshot eyes to Bereth. “I am ready now,” she announced in a quiet but firm voice. “Could you please take me to see my Mam?”

@Bereth

Posted: **Fri Aug 28, 2020 4:22 am**

Zarâm
Hiding in an Abandoned Building

Zarâm wasn't certain how long she had been behind the bush when Thali suddenly appeared. The woman clearly looked exhausted. Clearly the fire, or more accurately, fires had taken their toll. Thali grabbed her by the hand and pulled her from the bush while exclaiming something about the Cavalry being on the lookout. "I know," Zarâm retorted, "which is why I came here!"

The pair quickly walked across the Infirmary grounds. Zarâm shuddered slightly at the abundance of greenery. The time in Rohan had been well-spent, but she was looking forward to going back to the dust and ash of Mordor. The fire in the After Party tent had been pleasant, but the one in the abandoned pub had been a bit of a fright. Eventually they arrived at a rather dilapidated old building that looked as if it were on the verge of falling down, though perhaps not right this minute.

As Thali gestured towards the building and told Zarâm to lie low inside, she turned towards her friend and said, "You look like you could use some of that coffee drink. Did you bring any with you from On the Rocks?"

When Thalil turned to leave, Zarâm called after with one last question. "Has Frost shown up here?" She wouldn't exactly say that she cared for the man, such vocabulary was beyond the average orc, but he was an interesting fellow and a mastermind of both chaos and cruelty. It wouldn't due to see anything negative happen to him due to the infernos of the previous day. But for now, she would enjoy some time spent in a dark place. The sun was far too bright at the moment.

@Thalionwen Hunigfolm (Life sure has been exciting in Edoras recently. Hopefully Thali can get a much needed rest soon.)

Posted: **Mon Aug 31, 2020 2:45 am**

Bereth
Prospective Apprentice

“By the stars, this young soul has steel in her brave little spine,” Ber thought as she watched her scrub the worst of the grime from her hands, respect for her growing. At the mention of the possibility of the soap being crafted by her mother’s own hands, Ber took a moment to turn away under the ruse of tucking the towel into a basket, swallowing down emotions, wishing of all days that she had better rest and health and sharpness of wit about her. She leaned back on instinct and will. And the kindness that had guided her all her life.

She stole furtive glances around to see if Thalionwen has returned. She would be far more adept at handling this, and more verbal, if that were what Beda needed. But she did not see her, guessed she had not yet returned.

Reluctantly, she turned and met Beda’s gaze. Could anyone truly be ready for such as she was about to face? With the gentlest of smiles, she spoke barely above a whisper, “Come, then, Beda.”

She wanted to say more, to bestow wisdom, to grant comfort, to squeeze the fledgling’s hand. Her throat burned fiercely, and she knew there was little she could say to Beda to truly prepare her, nor to soften the loss. But she would stay close, and do what she could. It was all she could bear to think of for the moment. There was only this moment.

Pushing open the door, the light flooding into the small room, Ber stepped aside and allowed the reunion to unfold, trying to remain in the shadows.

@Eléowyn

Posted: **Mon Aug 31, 2020 4:03 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

Beda had no idea what to expect when she saw her mother. There had been injuries, of course, and the thought of seeing Mam bloodied, or worse, made her want to turn and run.

She closed her eyes as Bereth opened the door to the room, counted in her head to five, then opened them. What she saw was not a grotesque corpse; instead, there lay Mam looking as if she were only sleeping. More amazing still, she looked not like the worn out, sad Mam of recent years, but instead as Beda remembered her when they were a happy family.

With eyes glistening with tears, Beda turned to Bereth and whispered, “Thank you. She is beautiful.” She could say no more to express her gratitude, though deep it was.

A few short steps and Beda was at her mother’s side. She sat on a low stool and gathered Mam’s hands into hers. “I am so sorry, Mam,” she said softly. “I should not have left you. I was thinking only of myself, how I wanted to be important, to do something that would make me feel more grown-up. And now I want nothing more than to be your little girl again.”

Tears were now running down her face, and she paused long enough to wipe them away.

“It is my birthday,” she continued at last. “I am thirteen now. I know you wanted to make me a cake, but it is alright. I do not need ...” Emotion finally overtook her and she could not continue. She lay, sobbing, with her head upon her mother’s chest, until the sweet solace of sleep overtook her.

@Bereth

Posted: **Mon Aug 31, 2020 4:28 pm**

Frost

Dreams were strange. Often, they were nothing more than random bits of memory stitched together all backwards, upside down, and inside out, but on occasion, they can be something far more erratic and terrifying. Frost was in the middle of a dreamscape, he wasn’t sure exactly how he knew he was in a dreamscape but here he was. The ground was wet and sticky, the air hot and humid. The sun was gone, replaced by howling winds and ominous thunder clouds. It was difficult to see, but Frost was certain he stood at the base of a tower, partially ruined with age and covered in ash. Bats flew about the ruin, the sound of their fluttering wings was almost like a hurricane in its volume and intensity. There were words they, he just couldn’t make them out. He shouted for someone (who?) to appear but the only answer to his call was his own echo and the sound of the bats.

“Dôlguzager…”

He heard his name, his real name reverberating from somewhere outside his sensory realm. The dream world began to shift and fade. The tower dissolved and the clouds ruptured and tore apart until he was back in the infirmary.

He swallowed hard. His throat was dry and parched, it felt like sharkskin was trying to force its way down his throat. He coughed. Light flooded his eyes when involuntarily opened them, it was far too bright in here. He winced and moaned angrily. He remembered his name being said aloud and realized that was not part of the dream. He blinked away the grogginess that blurred everything and made it hard to move. He was surprised by how exhausted he felt. He had been woken every few hours to have tea forced down his throat and check up on in the most invasive of manners. All he bloody wanted to do was sleep!

Who was in the room with him? He squinted, trying to make his eyes adjust to the light. “Who…,” his voice sounded like a rasping hag. He coughed. “Lomiel?” as recognition set in, a slow smile appeared on his face. “That’s not your name though is it?”

He tried to sit up, pushing himself up until his ribs felt like they would explode. “You ought to be careful how you use that name,” he said, realizing now where it had come from. “It’s not a name I like spreading across Middle-Earth like a brushfire.”

He sighed slowly, letting the air gingerly out of his lungs. He smiled at the woman next to him. For once it wasn’t Thali or her assistant. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon.” He winced a little, rubbing his side tenderly. “ How long has it been exactly?”

Posted: **Tue Sep 01, 2020 11:54 pm**

PATIENT AND TEMPORARY RESIDENT
Old Mama Mute (whose real name has yet to be discovered) arriving in style

She smiled pleasantly in greeting as the hæland Thali considered her initially with a frown until her expression brightened with recognition. She gratefully accepted Thali's aid (and Grimm's diplomatically well-timed tipping of the wheelbarrow) to help her to her feet and then shuffled alongside the healer as she was helped indoors, pulling her crochet blanket about her shoulders, tucking her precious pipe into her sling and passing the buckler to the healer momentarily as they travelled the short distance. She smiled contentedly and nodded along to the comforting nattering of the other woman; it had been too long since she had been in the company of casual conversation, for so many youngsters these days mistook inability to speak for ignorance and slow-wittedness and most never thought to engage with her in idle chatter.

She hesitated on the door of the cowshed and poked her head through the door curiously, glancing at Thali with a mischievous look as though wondering if some sort of prank awaited her - Bema knows it had been too long since she had been pranked also! - but at the sight of the homely scene within, her face broke into a wide grin. She immediately pushed off from Thali's steadying hand to hobble confidently and eagerly over to the rocking chair, carefully reaching down her good hand to acquaint herself with the sleepy cat, who yawned and blinked bleary eyes at her fingers, sniffing them curiously, then rolled onto its back and purred loudly as she began scratching it between the ears and rubbing its cheeks. The woman herself was clearly enlivened and joyous at the presence of the feline creature, but after a few seconds of ingratiating herself to the cat she stood up and stretched, looking around the room with keen eyes as she assessed her surrounds.

She smiled contentedly, and looked almost like she might break out into purring herself, if she could. She looked back to Thali with a contented smile, and nodded while she blinked slowly and then yawned, clearly more than satisfied with the room. She then shuffled over to the bed, extricated the pipe from her sling to place it carefully on the bedside table, and accepted the healer's assistance as she climbed into the bed and arranged the blankets about herself, her own crocheted one placed atop the rest in a self-assuring manner that made her feel at home.

Just then there was a voice that called Thali away to her duties, but the old woman waved her over before she could be about her business and, extricating her buckler from the woman and taking the opportunity while doing so to pull her close and plant a soft kiss on her cheek before drawing back to pat her hand companionably and nod that she could go.

As Thali rushed off, automatically pulling the door to as she went but instinctively not closing it entirely so that cat could find its egress and so the old woman would be able to keep half an eye and both ears on the comings and goings without having to lift herself from the bed. It was only a short time before those outside could hear soft snoring emanating from cracked open doorway.

Posted: **Wed Sep 02, 2020 11:13 pm**

Taethowen/Lomiel
Before Dawn, After the Fires
Locked in the Shed with Frost

Taethowen watched as Frost stirred, clearly perturbed at being woken, and he coughed and groaned, squeezing his eyes shut against the light. I should have just let him rest, she thought, tensing as irrational panic made her heart begin to pound. This was a mistake.

But then Frost roused, and his eyes, however unfocused, fixed on her. He coughed again, though, and the sound of it still worried her. But then a smile slowly spread across his face. "Lomiel? That's not your name though is it?"

The panic gave way to relief, though not for long as Frost tried to sit up and she did her best to help him so that he didn't hurt his ribs further. "You can call me whatever you like as long as you're not dying," Taeth muttered as she adjusted his pillow behind his back. "In some ways Lomiel as as much my name as Frost is yours. If you call me by it, I won't be offended."

"You ought to be careful how you use that name," Frost said then, and for a moment she was confused, before she realized he was talking about his name. Dôlguzagar. "It's not a name I like spreading across Middle-Earth like a brushfire."

"Don't worry," Taeth spoke quietly as she settled back on edge of the cot. "There's no one else to hear it right now. I figured from the way you told me your name that you didn't want it shared."

"I didn't expect to see you so soon," Frost said as he smiled at her again, then winced as he rubbed his side. "How long has it been exactly?"

"Several hours," Taeth answered, her gaze fixed on him, making sure that he was all right. Trying to replace the thought of him, collapsed and unconscious, with this one. Alert and smiling, even if pained.

"It's not even dawn yet, though," she continued, waiting for relief to wash over her and feeling a numbed sense of dread when it didn't. "I don't know how long there is till dawn."

She'd thought she was okay. She thought she'd see him and be on her way and be all right till morning or whenever she had distractions of the day to keep her mind occupied, at least. But as her own voice began to feel disconnected from her, as the room blurred and swam around her, she realized she was not okay.

A gasp escaped her as she realized her face was wet with tears she hadn't even known were starting to fall. Frost watched her with wide eyes, and just a bit of panic and bewilderment, and suddenly she found it was hard to breath, chest going tight as her shoulders slumped, and she twisted away, about to stand--or at least try to stand--and maybe just... go sit in the corner and cry until she felt a little more like herself again.

"Taethowen," Frost said, and she felt his hand latch around her right forearm, holding her in place. She kept her face turned away as she fought the fluttering anxiousness in her chest, wishing her hair was down to fall around her face and hide her. "Âsh woman! What in the roiling hells is going on?"

For just a moment, as Frost uttered that single, strange word--âsh--the room seemed to darken and shrink around her with a heavy weight that maybe should have seemed crushing, suffocating. But for that moment, as Taeth struggled not to lose herself within herself as everything else became overwhelming in its existence, the weighted darkness pulled her back from the edge. The world around her diminished to just her. And Frost. And the weight of his hand on her arm.

When the darkness receded, she found it took away the tightness in her chest, as if loosening bands of iron that had locked around her. She could breath again, and though she still kept her face turned away from Frost, her shoulders relaxed visibly.

"It's been a very long day," Taeth answered when she could finally speak, voice faint and barely trembling. Though the panic was subsiding, in its place an overwhelming weariness was taking hold. But she turned back to face Frost, no longer feeling the irresistible urge to hide like a wounded animal.

"Because of the liquor stored in the pub, it took a very long time to get that fire under control," Taeth began to explain the events she knew of, voice going flat as she struggled to keep it all straight in her mind. There was so much--too much--that had happened and she was struggling to keep what was important and what wasn't parsed in her thoughts, unsure of what would escape her completely by the time she was able to write anything down. "The pub fire spread to the Campian, then to the Dragon Room--the Cavalry headquarters--but fortunately a thunderstorm swept through before everything became completely uncontrollable.

"And after... well... the party tent and the old pub weren't the only fires tonight. Someone also set fire to the inn--from what I heard as I passed by, it seemed to have started around the same time as the pub, so I'd be shocked if that one was caused by any of your... acquaintances--and at least one person died when it spread into the residential homes."

Frost's hand was still on her arm, and as exhaustion and dizziness wash over her, Taeth reached down to grip the edge of the wooden cot. The world felt like it was falling out from under her feet, though she wasn't even standing. She took a deep breath, and though her lungs don't feel constricted anymore, there was a sharp ache in her sternum and her eyes pinched shut in pain. She tightened her grip on the cot frame with her right hand--the same arm that Frost was holding--and slowly reached up with her left hand, attempting to rub away the ache.

"I'm so tired," she whispered. "But if I stop to rest before I can write things down, I'll forget. There's too much that happened. There's too many important things. I can't afford to forget them, and I don't know what to do."

Frost's hand slid down her arm, and with gentle fingers he pried her grip loose from the cot and wrapped his hand around hers. "Stop," he said, squeezing her hand gently as she fought with every bit of strength she had to keep from swaying where she sat. "It's okay."

She opened her eyes, regretting it almost immediately as tears flooded her vision again. She wanted... she wanted to believe what he said. But past experience told her it wasn't. The last time she'd been this distraught, this exhausted... she'd forgotten three entire days. But that time... she'd not had anyone around her she could trust.

Three days... if she forgot three days this time, she would lose him, she realized. Not just that day, because as much as the fight they'd had put her in distress, it had been important. She'd not written it down earlier because she'd wanted know the conclusion to it first, and that especially she did not want to forget. You are my equal Taethowen Anhyrne. And my opposite. Especially that. She did not want to forget that. There was some meaning there she still needed to parse out. It felt important. So very important.

Or Karîbâri. She still had to figure out what it meant.

"But what if I forget you?" the words escaped her almost without thought. She still couldn't bear to look at him, but she also wasn't sure she could turn back toward him without losing her balance.

"You're not." His voice, at least, soothed her in a way, though she didn't understand why. But her mind kept twisting his words, telling her it was impossible. He could make no such guarantee, and she'd be a fool if she trusted him to do so. A sudden surge of anger, frustration with herself, gave her the energy she needed to shift, turning to look him in the face again, heedless of the tear tracks on her skin.

"How can you know? I can't even trust myself..." her voice trailed off for a moment as she the weight of what she'd just revealed sank in, but no matter now. She'd... hinted at it before, she thought. If she was remembering rightly. She thought she'd told him, that first night, that there were times her memory was like a sieve, though she'd only hinted at the severity of it. A first night--perhaps even an only night--had not been the place to speak of such an issue. But now... "Will you help me remember?"

"If you need it. I will," he answered. His grip on her hand was still steady, and she tried to let it ground her.

"Do you promise?" There's a desperation to her voice that she didn't intend, and she's frightened--so frightened--by the intensity of what she feels from him so quickly, so soon. "You won't just walk away, thinking that it's easier if I don't remember you? Do you promise not to take that choice away from me?"

Taeth watches him as she waits for his reply, looking for any sign of hesitation or deceit, because all her instincts whisper to be wary. She knows he's dangerous, knows in a way that even Thali wouldn't, as much as Thali might think she knows Frost.

"I will not take that from you," he said quietly, firmly, his own eyes meeting hers, and she saw traces of worry in them, but also a somberness which reassured Taeth that this was an oath she could trust.

Finally, Taeth felt relief and it was so palpable that she almost fell off the cot. "I think... I should rest for a bit, before I try to walk home," she whispered.

Carefully, without letting go of Frost's hand, she shifted to sit on the ground next to the cot. "Thali's assistant should be back soon, with tea," she said, words just barely slurring as she tried to string them together. "I don't think I have the strength to help you lie down again, you'll have to have him do it. I'm sorry."

She crossed her left arm under her right, on the edge of the cot, and looked Frost over one more time. "Will you tell him to wake me just before dawn, whenever he next comes to check on you then?"

Her head was so heavy, and she finally gave into the urge to settle it on her arms, savoring the warmth of Frost's hand over hers.

"I need to remember that Allacan is Fyrefly," Taeth whispered as her impossibly heavy eyelids drift shut, despite pouring all her effort into keeping them open just a moment longer. "Fyrefly... pæth..."

Quickly, her breaths become deep and steady as slips into dreamless slumber, just before Alwin could be heard messing with the lock on the door. When he slipped inside, three cups of tea balanced on a tray and a large burlap sack in hand, she didn't even stir.

Nor did she stir when, after setting down the sack and tray, Alwin helped Frost to recline again, despite carefully muffled oaths of pain.

I would say godmodding done with permission from @Hoarfrost but in all honesty he wrote all of Frost's dialogue for this post and approved all actions taken by his character, so proper crediting would be that this post was co-written. Thank you, @Hoarfrost, for your help and time with it today.

@Thalionwen Hunigfolm if you want to RP Alwin coming in and waking Taeth just before dawn, you can, but I can do it myself tomorrow as well, I just had to stop this post here because it's an 1800 word beast and my brain is fried.

Posted: **Thu Sep 03, 2020 3:08 am**

Thalionwen
Lead Healer

with Zaram

Thali stopped dead in her tracks and blinked as Zaram commented on her presumably haggard appearance. The last few days had been a sleepless mess, but Thali was a haelend. No one noticed if haelends were worn out. Or if they did, it was only to grow angry with them, for not being as gentle or patient as they ought.

"Oh, I'll be alright," she said, brushing off the comment to hide how it had touched her. "And yes, Frost's here--I've got him in a shed at the outskirts of the Infirmary grounds. If you want a word, I can take you to him, once it gets dark. In fact, I may move him in here, as there's certainly enough space for him. Perhaps it won't be safer to keep both of you in one place, but it'd make my life easier and truthfully I could use that, at present. For now, though, I'm off."

Pausing a few steps away from the ruined manor house, Thali glanced back at Zaram, who stood in the shadowed doorway, her startling blue eyes gleaming in the dim.

"You know, I'm glad you're here," Thali said softly. "No matter what happened in the city last night you're just...you're someone I feel I can count on. And there are a lot of people I like, Zaram, but not many I trust."

Nodding as much to herself as to her friend, Thali turned away, and carried on towards Edoras.

*****************************************************

Returning at midmorning

with Beda and Bereth

It never rained but it poured.

Or so Thali thought grimly as she returned to the Infirmary, having spent far more time in the city proper than she'd planned. It would be her, who all but tripped over a stabbing victim in the Riddermarket, not twelve hours after a deadly fire. Heaving a sigh, Thali shook her head. Well, at least she'd managed to find an obliging Aethelwigend to reunite the pony she'd borrowed the night before with its rightful family.

Peeking in at Mother Mute's cottage, Thali couldn't help but smile, weary and heartsore though she was. The old woman was little more than a bundle of blankets and wisps of white hair, snoring softly and clearly very much in need of the rest. All was well in the Infirmary's main tent as well--Thali drifted down the central aisle, smoothing foreheads and distributing mugs of honeyed tea and stopping to examine a few of the worse burns that had been brought to her. When she'd done everything possible, even going so far as to start the evening's vegetable stew to simmering, she could put off her final destination no longer.

Time to look in at her own cot. Presumably Ber had chosen to sit with Gleonild there--she wasn't in the Infirmary tent, and Thali had suspected when she pressed Bereth to rest that her advice would fall on deaf ears. Walking the little distance between the tent and her own hut, Thali let herself in.

"I'm sorry I'm so late," she said gently as she shut the door behind her. "I was waylaid in the city--oh."

At the sight of Beda, fast asleep at her mother's side, her small pale face still troubled even in dreams, Thalionwen fell silent.

"She said she has brothers and sisters, poor lamb," Thali whispered to Bereth at last. "I only hope they're somewhere safe, too. I haven't heard a word about them since yesterday--it won't do to wake her, but I'll ask if she's found them once she wakes on her own. If no one's seen them yet, I think it's past time the Cavalry got involved."

Posted: **Fri Sep 04, 2020 2:41 am**

Bereth
Prospective Apprentice

Ber hung back, out of the way, outside the frame of the door, out of Beda’s line of view. Outside the edge of grief. But not beyond the weight of it.

It grew very quiet, and Ber wondered if Beda had perhaps fainted. But before she could move to check on her to ensure she was OK, Thalionwen had arrived. Ber leaned in close to whisper back, “today is her birthday, Thali. By the stars, I pray she can some day celebrate her day without this stain of grief overshadowing it.”

When Thalionwen spoke of siblings, and that they had not yet been located, Ber squeezed her eyes closed briefly. “How ... how many were there? Was there a babe?” The foreboding returned like a cloud. She hoped the Cavalry would find them. Yes. Find them. Alive.

@Thalionwen Hunigfolm @Eléowyn

Posted: **Sat Sep 05, 2020 3:22 am**

Taethowen/Lomiel
After the Fires, Dawn
Locked in the Shed with Frost, then Departing

"Miss?" A large heavy hand (Alwin) gently shook her shoulder. "It's almost dawn. The man said to wake you."

Something was pinching in her side, and Taeth realized as she jerked awake that she wasn't lying in her bed. She was seated on the floor, leaning on... a cot. Where the hell am I? she wondered for a moment, tensing as the hand on her shoulder stilled.

Fractured, disjointed memories began to shape in her mind. A party... a fight, and a kiss, and an endearment. Kâribâri. A fire... and Frost. No... Dôlguzagar. Another woman, who seemed similar to him. Well, darling, I'm Númenórean, too. So I hope that means I also count as yours. Another kiss...

Bema's horn, what exactly happened last night? Taeth wondered, and then a chilling image pushed its way to the forefront of her mind. Thali, looked ragged and grieved, injured people all around, and a body covered with a sheet tucked away in corner, as she told Taeth where to find her injured lover.

A second memory filled her with almost as much horror, but it was disjointed as well and all she knew for certain was that last night--a few hours ago?--she'd said... things to him. To 'Zagar. Things that probably should have waited until she knew what kind of relationship they were actually pursuing.

Mortified, she pushed herself away from the edge of the cot, wincing as her pins and needles prickled through her legs from toes to hip. Hopefully, the memories would keep coming back to her. But for the immediate moment... she remembered that she had come to Thali's infirmary to check on Frost. A glance at her lover showed that he still slept--or slept again.

"He's all right?" Taeth asked. "He'll be all right?"

"Aye," Thali's assistant said. "He just needs time. I woke him just before I woke you, but head injuries just need rest."

She sighed, and turned back to the corner where she'd left her things, and swayed just a little on her feet. She'd slept some, but she was still so tired, and she would have to walk all the way around the city walls, back to the city gate, and then all the way into Auld Town to reach her house.

"Do you have time to walk me into Edoras?" Taeth found herself asking, as she spotted a burlap sack--not quite remember that she'd asked Alwin to bring it in the first place--and took it up with a quizzical glance. The assistant nodded, and Taeth placed her daggers and cuirass in the sack as she continued. "I'm just... not sure I'll make it completely on my own. It was an exhausting night."

"Certainly, miss," the assistant nodded. "The gentleman should be fine until I return."

"Thank you," she sighed, setting the sack down before she bent down to pick up her quiver, and found herself struggling with the weight of it.

"Here, miss. You just worry about the bow." The assistant came over and pulled the quiver from her hands, and picked up the burlap sack before going to stand by the door. "I'll wait outside while you... well. I'll be outside."

Taeth blushed as she picked up her bow, and noticed the gleam of her pæthfindian insignia beside it.

Frost was asleep. There wasn't anything she would do.

But still... with her bow in hand, Taeth paused for just a moment, watching as Frost breathed in his sleep, though he still held a hand protectively to his ribs even as he slumbered. Carefully, so as not to wake him, she smoothed his hair back from his face. Rest well, Dôlguzagar, she thought, and then slipped away.

She waited, leaning against the shed, as the door was locked, and then she fell silently in step next to Thali's assistant. The sky was grey when they came upon the main buildings for the infirmary, and Taeth thought she glimpsed Thali ducking inside of one, but she didn't call out. She was too tired, and there was too much she still needed to think through about the day before.

As she and the assistant exited the infirmary grounds, Taethowen finally spoke. "I'm sorry... I never learned your name," she said.

"I'm Alwin, Miss Lomiel," he said.

"Ah-" Taeth grimaced as she heard that name fall from his mouth. "Is that how I introduced myself? Would you... keep that name secret? It's not one I ever used in Rohan, and I would rather Thali didn't know of it. At least not yet. My name is Taethowen."

"Certainly, miss," Alwin nodded, but Taeth spotted a bemused glance in her direction.

"What?" she muttered, a blush coloring her face again.

Alwin then got a teasing twinkle in his eye, before he leaned toward her just so slightly and whispered, "is he a secret lover?"

Oh dear Bema... Taeth silently groaned. "Of a sort," she confessed. "But only because Thali is astoundingly oblivious at times. And also because it's... new."

"How new?" Alwin asked, and Taeth was pleasantly surprised to see that they were approaching the city gates now. The walk really was going more quickly with a companion.

"Barely three days," Taeth whispered. "Well... four. If you count one day, six years ago."

"And you feel this strongly for him already?" Alwin asked.

"Aye." It was strange, even to her. But she couldn't shake it. She'd never been able to shake the regret of walking away in Umbar. And she didn't know what fate had brought him across her path again now, but she wouldn't dare to walk away again.

Taethowen and Alwin fell silent as they entered Edoras. The eastern sky was bright now, though the sun was still just below the horizon. Further east, just before passing through the gate, Taeth caught sight of the charred remains of the M. Meduseld tent. The city itself, though, seemed to be finally quiet except for a few Cavalry 'wigends still keeping watch over the burned down inn and residential area.

She was certain who was behind the burning of the M. Meduseld tent, and she knew that the pub fire had been an accident--that much, fortunately, had not escaped her, and the image of a makeshift alcohol lamp being shattered after it was knocked off a counter was clearly nothing more than an accident--but the inn... that was strange.

Alwin trailed silently just behind her, patient as she slowed her steps and observed the damage. Taeth didn't linger long, though. She was tired.

When at last they approached the street which held her house, Taethowen almost opened her mouth to tell the man to return home when she caught sight of a Cavalry 'wigend at her door.

"Are you looking for someone?" she asked, wearily, as they approached, wondering what else could have possibly gone wrong.

"Pæthfindian Taethowen Anhyrne?" the 'wigend asked.

"Aye," she answered, lifting up the insignia she still held. "What is it?"

Her eyes widened as the 'wigend snapped into a salute. She returned it, and a moment later the 'wigend handed her a letter with the First Marshal's seal. "You're to report to the Dragon Room this afternoon, ma'am," the 'wigend said. "To receive the rank of Second Marshal of the Mark."

Taethowen's eyes widened, as much as they could in her weary state, and she opened the letter, not quite sure that she believed it. But there, in writing, it was stated clearly. And it seemed that her fellow pæthfindian--and fellow judge from M. Meduseld--was to be Third Marshal as well. The letter also stated that while the promotion ceremony would be held that day, the actual rank was effective immediately.

Second Marshal of the Mark. When she'd been refused reinstatement as Third Marshal just a few days before. What was going on? And then she realized that the 'wigend was still waiting for a response.

"Of course," she nodded, and then dismissed the 'wigend, before turning back to Alwin.

"Thank you for carrying my things," Taeth said, as she retrieved her door key from where she'd added it to the chain she kept the medallion on around her neck, but hesitated for a moment. "Would you... be willing to do me a favor? I don't know how much time my... newly issued Marshal duties will take up. I had hoped to come and visit the infirmary while Frost is there, but now I don't know. Would you... perhaps be willing to take some letters for me? In a few days?"

Once again, that teasing twinkle appeared in Alwin's eye. "Of course, Second Marshal," he winked. "Anything for love."

Taeth laughed weakly as she unlocked the door, set her bow inside, then turned to take her cuirass and the burlap sack from Alwin. "Just... please don't say anything to Frost yet, about the promotion," she requested. "I'd rather tell him myself."

Alwin, of course, noted that Taethowen didn't say anything about not telling Thalionwen. "Of course," he agreed, before bowing his head slightly, and watching as she closed the door behind her. "Of course."

And with that, he headed back to the infirmary.

@Thalionwen Hunigfolm I decided this could neatly wrap up into how Thali knows Taeth is a Marshal already at the Riddermarket later with the stabbing incident.

Posted: **Sat Sep 05, 2020 3:44 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

Sleep had overtaken Beda due to sheer exhaustion and the weight of grief. A soft whispering of voices was now pulling her back to consciousness, though slowly and laboriously. She felt as if she were under water, with the sounds muffled and words indistinguishable.

Her eyes tried to open, but the lids were swollen and reluctant to release their hold. Beda groaned and stirred slightly, and felt a pair of hands beneath her head. For a moment Beda thought she had fallen asleep with her head in Mam’s lap, but the hands were cold and unyielding. A whiff of camphor, mixed with lavender and, more faintly, other medicinal smells, brought Beda fully awake.

She managed to open her eyes, and she was glad to see that she was not alone. Though she felt a very different person from the girl who had run out to help fight fires the night before, she still felt very small and unequipped to handle the life that was now facing her.

“I thank you both,” she said to Thalionwen and Bereth. “For taking such care with Mam. I suppose we now have to bury her?” She reached into a pocket and pulled out the three gold coins that she had acquired just the morning before. “These are all I have,” she said. “Will they be enough to pay you for your services and for the burial? There are candles in the shop I can still sell if it is not sufficient, and I will learn how to make more. That was … that was Mam’s job.”

She blinked hard to stem a fresh tide of tears. There was no time for that now, she had to be strong. “Are my brothers and sisters here?” she asked. “And Sheemie?”

@Thalionwen Hunigfolm @Bereth @Aodh Hammerhelm

Posted: **Sat Sep 05, 2020 2:03 pm**

NPC: Sheemie Rheus (Visitor)

Ordinarily Sheemie kept far away from hospitals; memories of his ma treating him for every bump and scrape (and countless imagined maladies) as a young lad had made him terrified of healers. If they had rough hands like ma, and awful tasting medicines like she brewed up, he'd rather be sick, thank you very much.

But today was no ordinary day: Edoras was all black and stinky with smoke, and Sheemie had received awful news when he dropped off the Dwarves’ breakfast at Worthy Cottage. Malachite Copperstick's gruff voice had sent him scurrying through Auld Town, so instead of doing his morning gardening by the river, Sheemie came now to the Infirmary in search of Beda.

The bulky lad stood by the sign to the hospital for a long time. Someone thoughtful had made sure those who couldn't read knew what to do, and where to go. He patted his unruly hair into shape, washed his hands carefully, then shambled over to a big white tent. He could hear voices under the canvas; the scent of medicines and herbs wafted out the doorway.

Fearful that the doctors might mistake him for a patient, Sheemie stood at the tent entrance wringing his freshly washed hands, wishing he'd brought Cal' along to help him.

--
@Eléowyn @Bereth @Thalionwen Hunigfolm

Posted: **Sat Sep 05, 2020 6:54 pm**

Frost, Locked in a Shed

Frost’s eyes sprang open. His head ached. There was a dull throbbing pain behind his ears that spread over the back of his skull. He was groggy and sluggish. He tried to move his hands but he felt like he was moving through molasses. Sounds, light, and air filtered through the cracks in the wall. Everything was dim and slow. The edges of his vision were blurred and smudged. Vaguely, as he ran his finger through his hair, he thought he was trapped in some sort of bad painting or perhaps a nightmare. The pain was too real though. He took a deep breath, and winced as his ribs reminded him of another reason he was not in a painting or a dream. He wished he was, no matter how bad the dream or painting could be, reality seemed to malleable, too fluid right now. Everything was too slow, his sensory perception was off. Was that a hangover from the effects of the night before? Or just a result of his constant lack of sleep through the night? Both, he surmised. What had happened last night? He swallowed and took a slow, deep, tentative breath. Had Taethowen come to him at some point? He blinked and rubbed his temples. Surely, surely that had not been a dream had it? He groaned. His body ached. His tongue was thick his mouth, it tasted vaguely of over steeped tea. He wanted to spit but all the moisture in his mouth was gone. He smacked his gums unhappily.

Taethowen had been here. He pushed himself up, suppressing a growl as his ribs objected. He looked down at himself. He was, at the very least, shirtless. Wound among his tattoos was a horrid purple blob. He touched it, and winced. Why in Âsh’s name had he thought it was a good idea to compete in the Campian? Melees were never his preferred form of recreation. He growled angrily. Memories of the night before came to him slowly, ink spilled over the canvas of his mind and things began to make more sense. He had probably had too much to drink at the After Party but it was a party and that’s what he did. He remembered the argument, everything that precipitated, and everything that had happened afterward. He remembered finding the abandoned building, the Mordorian sigil scrawled on the door. He remembered, though was still very confused, by the melodramatic performance of the woman that brought them all there. She admonished them for “not being careful” and herself decided to declare her allegiance to Mordor… then to Rohan. She then tried to kill herself. Nothing had been solved or discovered in those few minutes. As far as Frost could tell the entire endeavor had been pointless. This trip had turned into a nightmare that he simply could not escape. It was one weird, random occurrence after another.

Taethowen had been a light. She had been there last night. His memories were shredded and unbalanced but he was certain something important had happened. She called him his name. The sound of it had rang uncouth in his ears. Had he made a mistake telling her? Was she going to use it overmuch now? He grimaced and forced himself up. No one here knew his name and it couldn’t be connected to anything he had done before, but there was something alarming in how often she spoke it.

He stood up. His head swam and he nearly toppled over. He took a deep breath and focused on a single point on the ground until the world stopped wobbling.

There had been something wrong with Taethowen last night. Something beyond worry and exhaustion. There was something very deep seated that had come out of her last night. He rummaged around the room, well the closet, and found his effects. He put his shirt back on, shrugging his shoulders as the shirt shifted over to a more comfortable spot. He sighed and rubbed his head again. His hair was tangled and knotted. He needed a comb or a bath. Both preferably but he was unlikely to get either here, sequestered away in a shed somewhere. He cursed under his breath. He didn’t remember the end of the night very well. Had Zarâm made it out? The last he remembered he had been forced to leave her to her fate with the unstable Rohir. What about Zôr? They’d only just met a day ago but a protective instinct had formed around her. He knew she hadn’t needed any of his protection but his heart overruled common sense. Had she made it out? Where had she gone? Was he ever going to see her again?

The door was locked. A genuinely angry growl escaped his throat as he stared at the handle. Recklessly, Frost kicked the door. It gave, but did not open. He cursed in the language of the Snowmen, and kicked the door again. It gave more, squeaking and groaning. A third kick sent the door flying open.

Light flooded in and blinded him momentarily. The smell of farm greeted his nostrils. He groaned and rolled his eyes. Gathering up his belongs, Frost exited the building.

He moved sluggishly, still trying to get his bearings after a night fitful, unrestful sleep. Where in the roiling hells was he? Did Thali have a hospital here? He remembered something about it, maybe. He shrugged. He didn’t want to be here either way.

He realized he was out in the open, and very conspicuous. His head hurt and he didn’t care. What were these strawheads going to do to him anyway? He scoffed, then winced, releasing a snarl from back of his throat.

The sooner he was out of here, the better.

Posted: **Sat Sep 05, 2020 8:34 pm**

Thalionwen
Lead Healer

with Bereth and Beda

Thali shut her eyes briefly as Bereth mentioned that today was Beda's birthday. But fear poured ice through her veins as Beda woke and inquired after her siblings. Still lost then, unless this Sheemie had found them. It was past time the Cavalry get involved.

"I'll go take a look out at the Infirmary's main tent, and see if your friend Sheemie and your brothers and sisters have arrived," Thali said smoothly, betraying none of the panic she felt. "As for that coin, just you put it away, my lamb. There's no charge for Infirmary services. We'll look after your Mam soon, but I'll check on your family first, shall I?"

Drawing Bereth out the door, Thali spoke to her in a low, worried voice.

"Ber, I need you to keep Beda occupied just a little longer. Perhaps fix her a cup of tea, and see if you can coax her into eating an oatcake? If her brothers and sisters haven't turned up, I'm sending Alwin to find someone from the Cavalry who can get a search going. It's been far too long since those children were last seen."

@Eléowyn @Bereth

with Sheemie

Hurrying up to the front of the Infirmary tent, Thali nearly collided with her assistant, Alwin, who stood waiting.

"There's someone new here," Alwin said quietly. "Big lad, but he looks nervous. I thought you'd be best suited to speak with him."

Thali nodded. "Yes, I think that's Beda's friend Sheemie. She doesn't know where her brothers and sisters are, Alwin. If this Sheemie hasn't seen them, I want you to go for the Cavalry, and tell them a search needs to be started."

Turning away from Alwin, Thali slowly approached the lad waiting outside the Infirmary tent. Not wanting to frighten him, she let out a trembling breath to still her own nerves and put on her practiced haelend's smile. Truth be told it was wearing a bit thin after so many hours of constant use, but through force of will, Thali managed to infuse her greeting with genuine warmth.

"Are you Sheemie?" she asked, holding out a hand. "You must be--Beda's spoken of you, and said she thought you'd come. I'm Thalionwen Hunigfolm--just Thali's fine, though."

Something about the big lad's demeanor and anxiousness made her want to take extra care with him, so Thali chose her words cautiously.

"You haven't seen Beda's brothers and sisters about, have you?" she asked, keeping her voice light. "Only I expected them to be here by now. But if you haven't seen them, I'm sure they were just waylaid, and will turn up shortly."

It was at that incredibly inconvenient moment that Thali glanced past Sheemie only to see a tall, familiar figure striding across one of the fields. Eyes widening, she beckoned to Alwin to join her.

"Sheemie," Thali said, "this is my assistant, Alwin. He's a good fellow, and you can tell him about Beda's family--whether you've seen them or not. Once you do, he'll take you right to Beda, and if you like, he can fix you a cup of tea or find you something to eat. Isn't that right, Alwin?"

"Yes," Alwin answered in his gentle way. "That's right. Why don't you follow me, Sheemie?"

Without waiting to see how the two of them were faring, Thali cut off across the fields, setting herself on a collision course with Frost.

(OOC @Aodh Hammerhelm: I hope Sheemie's alright dealing with my NPC Alwin for a post or two, Thali has to be in a lot of places at once at the moment, but she'll be back as soon as possible, and Alwin's very capable!)

with Frost

Given the Numenorean's height and the length of his stride, it took Thali several minutes to catch up with him, and she was forced to break into a run to do so. It was obvious from his posture and the bloodcurdling noise that had just escaped him that Frost was in a foul temper, but Thali was past caring. She ducked in front of him and stopped dead in her tracks.

"You can't leave," Thali said, her voice trembling. "First there were the fires last night and then this morning, a woman was stabbed in the Riddermarket. I know, because I'd run up there to fetch something, and naturally, I tripped over her and had to patch her up myself. But the Cavalry are sure to be on the lookout for anyone suspicious. You might not care, and you might think you can fight your way out of the kingdom, but I don't think you can--not when you've already taken a beating. You're my friend, Frost, please just stay and let me look after you. I can't...I can't bear the thought of losing someone else on my watch, not after--oh, Bema's horn."

Tears pooled in the haelend's eyes and she hid in her face in her hands, mortified at the loss of her carefully maintained composure. But with the fate of Beda's siblings still hanging in the balance, and the ordeal of Gleonild's burial looming before her, Thali couldn't manage any longer. She dropped down in the grass, pulled her knees to her chest, and began to sob.

Posted: **Sun Sep 06, 2020 4:10 am**

Zarâm

From her spot in the abandoned building, Zarâm thought she could hear the sound of footsteps hurrying past in the distance. She poked her head up to one of the windows and saw a flash of blonde hair fly past. "Was that Thali?" she wondered. "Why was the woman in such a hurry?" She put her head a bit further out the window (this particular window was simply a hole in the wall) and looked in the direction of the running woman. She thought she saw another figure and she would recognise that hair anywhere.

"Frost," she snarled, spitting a bit on the ground. That man was going to go and get himself killed! While she didn't blame him for wanting to get away (she certainly wanted to be anywhere but hiding like a frightened child), there was also this important thing called self-preservation. She knew when to call it quits and right now roaming anywhere in Rohan was likely to end in a painful death. "He wasn't hit that hard," she muttered, "but that's the only reason I can think of for him to be so stupid!"

She marched to the door and flung it open, determined to run after the two in case Frost's idiotic nature prevailed and he continued to head off across the fields. She knew she would be fast enough to catch the man, especially in his current state. Why she suddenly wanted to preserve life was beyond her. Yesterday with the strange woman Allacan and now with Frost? They were two of the only individuals who hadn't judged her for her peculiar ways or looks. Blue-eyed orcs were unheard of, as were ones who could sing, and cared more for causing chaos or pain than destruction. If it were up to her, she would tie Frost up and sit on him until he learned his lesson to not be stupid.

Posted: **Sun Sep 06, 2020 1:30 pm**

NPC: Sheemie Rheus (Visitor)

“Yes, I’m Sheemie,” the burly lad said, to the kind looking m’lady (@Thalionwen Hunigfolm ). “No, ma’am Thali, I ain’t seen Beda or her brothers and sisters since yesterday morning. Well, I only saw Beda, kennit – by her shop and the Golden Hall. I hasn't seen her bairnlets for the longest time, not since I slept at their house before Arthur gave me a room to stay in… and that were in the early springtime.”

Sheemie clamped a meaty hand over his mouth, and blushed. He was blabbering away like a big foolish babbie, and he needed to be strong. But he was right scared for his sweoster, and what he would find beyond the tent door.

Sheemie nodded a thankee-sai to the nice m’lady and looked at her friend, Alwin. Straight away he felt a bit calmer - the lady’s friend was a nice looking fellow, and was about the same age as Sheemie.

“No tea or food,” Sheemie said, following Alwin into the cool shade of the tent. “I just want to see my Beda-sweoster; I got to see that she’s alright and not hurting with a broked-heart. I heard her ma’ got kilt, and I know how that feels! I hope I can find some words that might make her feel a bit better.”

Sheemie froze as he saw Beda sitting by a bed; there was someone lying very still on the bed. “Go find her brothers and sisters,” he whispered to Alwin. “Find them quick before summat terrible happens to them.”

The burly lad waited for the sound of Alwin’s hurrying footsteps to fade away, before he stepped forward and placed a hand gently on the top of Beda’s downcast head.

--
@Eléowyn @Thalionwen Hunigfolm @Bereth

Posted: **Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:09 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

Beda opened her mouth to protest about keeping the coins, but the hælend was gone before she had a chance. Mam would never let them take anything they did not pay for or earn. But the kind lady had said there was no charge for infirmary services, so if no one was expected to pay, then Beda thought maybe Mam would not have objected.

She turned back and sat again at Mam’s side. There were no tears now; they were all spent. She stared wordlessly at Mam’s lifeless hands lying there; a random memory of her mother using those hands to brush through her hair when she was little came to mind.

A hand on her head caused her to jump, and she turned her dull, bloodshot eyes upward and found Sheemie standing behind her. “I am so glad you are here!” she cried, and stood and threw her arms around the big lad’s waist. After a long hug, she said, “She is gone, did you hear? Mam is dead. She was killed last night in the fire. I … I was not with her when it happened.”

She stood silent for a moment, giving Sheemie a chance to take in the news. “Oh!” she said at last. “Did you bring the children along with you? I have to tell them about Mam, though only Almod and perhaps Guthdred will understand.”

@Thalionwen Hunigfolm @Bereth @Aodh Hammerhelm

Posted: **Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:39 pm**

NPC: Sheemie Rheus (Visitor)

Sheemie’s heart felt like breaking, his sweoster looked a fright with her red-eyes and pale face. He held Beda gently by the shoulders as she hugged him tight, and rocked her back and forth.

The bag of honeyed-buns he’d brought along to cheer her up felt like a sack of rocks in his hand now. It had been a stupid idea (M-O-O-N, that spelled LUNACY!) to think sweet treats could chase away the shadows of death and grief. Sheemie dropped the bag on the floor, and shifted it out of sight under the bed with a foot.

He heard Beda ask about Almod and the other bairns, but Sheemie didn't answer straight away. Beda’s dead ma’ seemed to be staring up at him from the bed - he closed his eyes tight and shivered.

He’d seen dead folks before, his own ma’ for one, and not so long ago - just after Arthur Heath had saved him and Missy Eléo from the Big Barrow killers. Old Ælf’ had come and found him in Edoras, and taken him to their village in Eastfold to bury her.

He’d felt scared then, even though his ma’ looked peaceful and he knew she was sleeping safe somewhere over the great big sea. All the village folks had crammed into the cottage after the funeral, wondering what had happened to her. She’d been hale and hearty one day, they said, then dead the next.

Something burst in her brain is what happened! He knewed it, because he’d seen it, in one of those sudden, scary pictures that jumped into his head.

Ma had died all alone in her bed, dreaming greedy dreams of the darkly handsome fella man who’d helped make Sheemie, while a big black crow perched on the gutter outside her window and cawed: "Nevermore!"

The bulky lad knelt and held Beda at arms length: “They’s not with me, sweet-sweos, Almod and the others - I ain’t seen them today or in a long while. The Thali-m’lady and her friend, Alwin are getting people together to go find them. The whole town is all upsee-daisy this morning: quite a few people have gone missing.

Maybe your brothers and sisters got scared last night and went outside of town to find somewhere safe from the fires? I’m sure we’ll find them safe and sound… we just got to know where to look. Have you got a special place you and them like to go? We could look there…”

Sheemie’s words stuttered into silence, his eyes glazed over and he uttered a low moan. One of his mind pictures filled his head now - sudden and shocking.

Water roared and swirled, broken trees and other flotsam smashed and crashed atop its foam-flecked surface. He caught a glimpse of a grove of willow trees and pale shapes tossed upon the flood. A raucous chorus sounded above the thundering of the swollen river and a cloud of dark whirling birds filled the sky.

“No! No!” Sheemie shrieked, tumbling away from Beda and landing heavily upon his back.

---
@Eléowyn @Thalionwen Hunigfolm @Bereth

Posted: **Thu Sep 10, 2020 3:45 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

Beda became slightly more alarmed when Sheemie said the children were not with him. Still, as he said, the town was in an uproar, and likely they had been taken in by neighbors. She could not, however, shake completely the feeling of unease, especially knowing they had been seen outside the city walls. Almod was a good-hearted lad, but he was only nine, and did not always think before he acted. Not to mention, the younger ones could be quite a handful.

Already she felt ten years older than she had the night before. They were her responsibility now, she had to find them, but she also had to take care of getting Mam buried. She hoped Sheemie was right, and that the cavalry would help find them if they were not located shortly within the confines of the walls.

Her mind was so muddled, there was just too much to deal with. She was grateful that Sheemie was there to help. He was what some called simple, but he had a lot of good sense and…. The thought was unfinished. A strange look came over Sheemie’s face, he shrieked, then fell to the floor.

“Sheemie!” she cried, falling to her knees by his side. “Get up! You are scaring me! This is not funny!” In her heart, though, she knew it was no prank. Something had truly frightened her friend.

@Aodh Hammerhelm

Posted: **Thu Sep 10, 2020 1:25 pm**

NPC: Sheemie Rheus (Visitor)

Beda’s face appeared above Sheemie’s; her eyes were wide and her face creased with worry. The burly lad shook his shaggy head and gawped as her voice at last reached him.

“Sorry, sweoster! Sorry, sai, Beda!” he bawled, seizing one of her hands. “Sheemie didn’t mean to scare you… Lawks, no! You’ve had enough frights already, enough scares to last forever and a day.”

Sheemie propped himself up on an elbow and drew his sweoster closer, he thought maybe he should stand so he would seem more like an adult to her, but that would mean seeing the bed, and the dead ma’ with her staring eyes.

“How long do you have to stay here, Beda? Do you have to stand and guard your ma’ till the funeral? Have you eaten any brêkfis this morning? Did you get any sleep..?”

He hugged Beda suddenly, as much to comfort her as to stay his babbled questions.

His poor sweoster had been through a big shock – maybe the biggest she would ever have! – and here he was asking all sorts of things that would make her all confused.

Was it only yesterday (or the day before yesterday?) when she'd had been happy as a lark, showing him her golden coins and saying she knew things were going to get better..?

Now her life had changed forever, everything had gone BAD!

“If you does have to stay and stand guard – M-O-O-N that spells SENTRY! – Sheemie can go off and start searching for the bairns. I know the Cavalry-soljers will be starting to look for them - but you can never have enough eyes, can you!”

When his offer drew no immediate response, Sheemie kissed Beda lightly on the forehead, and gave her a moment to think.

“If you want, we can go together, as soon as you are ready. You show Sheemie the bairns’ favourite places and we’ll see if we can find them…”

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2020 4:01 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

For all his carrying on and throwing questions at Beda faster than she could answer them, Beda knew that Sheemie was trying to help. Unfortunately, she was more confused than ever.

“I don’t know,” she replied, in answer to most of the questions at once. “I … I don’t know if I have to stay here. I do not think so, I think burying Mam can wait. And I have no idea where the children may have gone. They have no favorite places, they only ever get to go to the shop with Mam when she brings a meal or more candles.” Her eyes lit up at the thought. “Did you look there? Or maybe they would have gone to the bakery to try and get some food. They would be really hungry by now, especially Léo, though….” She paused, eyes starting to glisten again with tears. “Though he still gets mainly Mam’s milk. And some porridge or mashed up taters.”

Another pause, to blink back the tears. “I have to find them, Sheemie,” she continued. “I have to go look for them. They must be so scared by now.”

Now that she had made a decision, Beda wanted to get started immediately. “Come on now, get up! We have to start looking!” She was halfway to the door when she looked down at her stained and torn nightgown. “I cannot go walking the streets of Edoras dressed like this in the middle of the day! And I have nothing else to wear! Everything is gone!” The sudden realization of the scope of her loss unleashed a fresh wave of tears that she could not stem this time, not with any amount of effort.

@Aodh Hammerhelm

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2020 6:30 pm**

NPC: Sheemie Rheus (Visitor)

They were halfway to the door when his sweoster pulled up short. “Hi, now, sis!” Sheemie said, shocked by Beda’s sudden flood of tears, but determined to be strong and do right for her. “Sheemie’s going to pick you up, is that alright? He’ll do the walking while you do your grieving.”

Beda did not answer; she was too busy sobbing for that. Sheemie lifted her in his arms, no easy task he found, for she was no longer a wee girl. His sweoster was still young, but she was tall now, nearly as tall as Missy Eléo, and she was becoming a m’lady herself.

“Hush! Hush!” Sheemie whispered through Beda’s smoky hair. “We’s leaving here right now… Alwin and Thali will take good care of your ma’. We’ll go find the bairns…”

Alwin was watching them from the door, and his expression told Sheemie there was no news of Beda’s brothers or sisters. “Tell m’lady Thali, Sheemie’s taken Beda, please. He will come back later and tell her what he found… if there’s news of the children.”

Before the healer could stay him Sheemie stepped out of the tent and hurried away towards the City gates. Beda was still sobbing, and her body shook in his arms, Sheemie had to pause every few steps to get a tighter grip on her.

“Don’t you worry about clothes, sweoster,” he said, as he climbed the winding path towards Auld Town. “Sheemie knows where we can get you washed and dressed with some clean ones. I’ve got the key for Aodh Hammerhelm’s cottage…

The Dwarves are staying there, but they should have gone to the jeweller shop by now. You can have a bit of quiet time there, some food and a bath, while Sheemie finds you a dress and things. Missy Eléo might have left something there? Or that Dwarf lady, Amethyst...

And when youse all spick and span we'll go find your brothers and sisters!”

--
@Eléowyn @Thalionwen Hunigfolm

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2020 6:55 pm**

Frost

Why? When did women decide that crying as an effective weapon in a spot such as this? Thali had crumpled into a mess of crying and blubbering at his feet. Frost was not amused, nor was he moved. With an exasperated sigh, he looked at the Rohir with his hands on his hips. “I am sorry you’ve been so busy lately, Thalionwen. And I’m sorry that you seem so stressed by all the goings on in your city. However, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I have been doing so for much longer than you’ve been alive. It’s not by mere happenstance that I am still alive after 76 years.”

As he finished a cool breeze blew down through the trees and gusted passed them. The air was refreshing and welcome. He spared a moment to smile and inhale. “Thali, get up. You never seemed the kind of woman who would make a list all her problems and then sit and cry about them. You’re stronger than that.”

He was about to step away from her when who but Zarâm should show her face. He looked at her and shook his head, his jawline hard and set in a scowl. He was in no mood to be fighting with anyone today, least of all these two. Not because he was in any way afraid of intimidated by them, but because he actually liked them (unlike his feelings on most Rohirrim on this trip). He did not want to damage his relationship with either of them but neither of them was going to stop him from what he wanted to do. “Go back inside!” his voice boomed, his anger and frustration with this whole damnable trip seeping through.

He looked back down to Thali, who still had not moved from her spot. “Why should I not just melt into the hills and be on my way. Convince me to stay.”

Posted: **Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:31 am**

(OOC: @Aodh Hammerhelm @Thalionwen Hunigfolm The story will temporarily move to the Life thread since we have left the Infirmary. Beda will be back for her mother later.)

Posted: **Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:52 pm**

OOC: (Roger that. Point me this way if you need Sheemie or other <BAMBU to help out here. ?> )@Eléowyn

Posted: **Mon Sep 14, 2020 7:34 pm**

OOC: ALL (sorry about the ridiculous week-long wait, we started our first official week of homeschool and then the kids and I all caught the stomach flu over the weekend. HOW IS A MYSTERY TO ME AS WE DON'T HAVE CONTACT WITH ANYONE. But I'll make sure I catch up on this thread in the next day or two)

Posted: **Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:26 pm**

Thalionwen
Lead Healer

At Frost's words, Thali got to her feet. She dried her eyes on her apron and looked at Frost levelly, but her gaze was uncharacteristically lightless.

"Opportunity," she said, her voice flat and even. "That's why you should stay. You can run whatever damnable goods you want through my Infirmary and I won't say a word. Furthermore, I'll see to it the Cavalry doesn't come sniffing about. If there's one thing I'm good at, after all, it's being a distraction. But..." For the first time a spark flared in her. "I want a cut of your profits. Thirty percent. This place isn't cheap to run, and I've only had it going for a couple of days. Without a little creative funding, it'll have gone under by summer's end. So don't think of yourself as spending the next little while here as a patient. Think of yourself as looking over a new business venture. Does that suit better?"

Posted: **Sun Sep 20, 2020 9:49 pm**

PATIENT AND TEMPORARY RESIDENT
Old Mama Mute (whose real name has yet to be discovered)

By the time she woke, it sounded like the Infirmary was in the middle of a busy day, which was likely given the likely number of casualties who had been wounded in the fires across Edoras the night before. Instinctively she went to stand and rush to aid the healers, but as she placed her feet on the floor and went to put weight on her bad ankle, she winced backwards in pain, and only then remembered her own injuries. She paused, waited for the pain to kick as sleepiness faded away. When the pain came, it was not as overwhelming as she had dreaded. Distracting and uncomfortable, but bearable. She glanced around the room, lit by the sunlight now streaming in through the gap left open by Thali as she left, and smiled again appreciatively. It was exceedingly homely here; more homely and comfortably furnished than her own bare home had been before it had been claimed by the fire. In many ways, being alleviated of the damp, mouldy, under-tended home was a relief. She had so many memories in that building and it had been home for a long time, but it had become a place of sadness and dereliction, both of building and person. She already felt so much more relaxed and contented here than she had in her run-down building for a number of years. It felt slower here, quieter and more peaceful; a place to heal. She did not even mourn her baking supplies; kneading and baking had become hard work on her tired fingers, tasks done to sustain the self by earning a meagre living rather than through joy any more. She was old, she knew that, accepted it for what it was. Life was slowing down, and her body with it. But her mind; her mind was as sharp as it had ever been, and now she was awake she was curious about the goings on in the infirmary.

She shifted along the bed and looked for something to dress herself in besides her grubby and stained night-shift - the same one she had worn when the kind gentleman had carried her away from the fires. Someone had been considerate enough to provide her with fresh undergarments, a loose-fitting long dress and a pair of soft, down-filled slippers. She unhooked the sling from around her neck and slipped out of her nightdress and underclothes, wincing a little as she caught her injured wrist again one of the folds of fabric, then carefully lifted the fresh garments and lastly the dress over her head, arranging it as best she could about herself before pulling the triangular bandage up through the neck-line and re-looping it over her neck. She slipped her feet into the slipped and and signed with joy at the softness; they were a little large for her, but that was all good and well given her feet had a tendency to swell these days. Then she carefully and very cautiously lowered her weight off the bed and onto her feet. This time she was braced for the pain and let her good ankle take the bulk of her weight and, doing so, she found she was able to stand and shake out the rest of her skirts so they covered her in a more decent manner.

She hesitated, wondering what to do with her grubby garments. The ginger cat that had been sleeping on the rocking chair had woken and stretched, yawning, and was presently washing itself. As she considered it, it turned to look at her, blinked slowly, stretched again and then leapt down from the chair and headed to the door, slipping out through the small gap left open for it. That decided, the mute older lady collected up her dirty clothes in her good hand and carefully hobbled to the door, opening it and stepping into the threshold.

The brightness of the summer day momentarily blinded her, and she closed her eyes for a while and simply basked in the bright warmth of the sun. She had slept most of the morning, she surmised. At last her eyes adjusted to the light, and she looked around the open courtyard, taking in all the sights and watching the goings on with curiosity, her watchful eyes gleaming with intelligence as she took it all in.

Posted: **Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:27 pm**

Frost turned and shouted at her to go back into the building, but Zarâm didn't move a muscle. While Frost might be a friend, he was not her commander and as neither were in immediate danger (or at least she wasn't) she wasn't inclined to listen to him. She glared sharply at him and furrowed her brows, hoping that her blue eyes would pierce some sense into the crazy man.

She couldn't quite make out what he was saying to Thali, but from his body language it appeared that he was frustrated to say the very least. She could tell that Thali was at least standing up again and saying something. "Frost!" she shouted, "when you're done being an idiot, get over here!" She wasn't certain what she would need to say to him, but somehow the two of them needed to figure out what on earth had happened during this summer festival and what their plans were for after it. After all, she didn't plan to hang around much longer, especially as it seemed that Thali had no intentions on permanently moving to the Black Lands.

Posted: **Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:46 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

Beda had felt safe as the young lad guided his horse gently toward the Infirmary. Once they arrived, she waited for him to dismount, then passed Léo into his waiting arms before she herself slid down. She took the babe back, bouncing him in a desperate attempt to quieten him while she thanked Cal.

"You have been so kind," she said, "I do not know how to thank you. But what of you? Were you not on your way somewhere when you came upon us? I do not want to keep you from your errand. We are safe now if you need to be on your way."

Now that they were outside the Infirmary, Beda was loathe to go in. Somewhere inside lay her mother, cold as stone. Léo appeared to have no injuries, but he would not stop crying. Beda needed to gather up her courage yet again and take the bairn inside.

@Calimir

Posted: **Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:03 pm**

Errand-rider if Gondor (visitor)

Cal' held the baby, Leo, as Beda climbed down from Nuthatch. He handed the baby back to his friend , a little relieved. Leo was crying, and the lad from Gondor had no experience with babies. He was an only child. He wished his friend Sofia was here, she was good with children. She had three younger brothers.

Cal' listened and looked at Beda, with her dress that was a bit too long and her hair combed not quite right. He thought how brave she looked and beautiful. A little like Eowyn standing before the Witch King. His friend was a hero in Cal's eyes.

"I do have an errand, to go to Minas Tirith, but it's only to fetch lemons for Marshal Gwai," he said to Beda. The lad didn't mention his other errands. There were messages to take but he thought King Aragorn would understand if they were late. King Aragorn knew about helping friends in Rohan!

"I'll come in with you, Beda and stay with you a while. Let's find a healer and see if they can help Leo."

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:45 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

Beda tried not to let relief show on her face. She felt a little guilty at keeping Cal from his errand, but she was definitely glad to have him with her. She was not sure what lemons were, or why a marshal would need them, but maybe some day she would have a chance to ask the lad about them, and maybe other things about Gondor.

“I thank you again,” she replied. “I am very grateful for your help.”

She led the way into the Infirmary, but once inside she was not sure where to go. There seemed to be a lot of activity, which was not surprising after the events of the previous night. The smell of herbs and tinctures was strong and reminded her of the room where her mother lay. She wanted to run back out the door, but she had to be strong. Mam would be counting on her to take care of Léo ... and the others once they were found.

“I suppose we just wait here for someone to help us,” Beda said to Cal. “I do not think it will be long. Not with Léo making such a fuss.”

@Calimir @Thalionwen Hunigfolm @Winddancer

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2020 5:05 pm**

Visiting @Eléowyn

Cal' gave Beda's hand a quick squeeze. "It's my pleasure," he said to her and nodded to the tent. Cal' followed her into the tent and looked around. He couldn't see any healers about. And Beda seemed quite reluctant to go further.

Baby Leo was still crying.

Cal' thought about calling out "Is anyone about? We need help!" That didn't seem necessary though. With the noise Beda's brother was making someone was sure to come looking what the fuss was about.

Posted: **Wed Sep 30, 2020 8:45 pm**

TEMPORARY RESIDENT
Old Mama Mute (whose real name has yet to be discovered) making herself useful

She watched curiously as a young man led a little lady towards the main reception, her sharp ears catching the sound of the unhappy babe being brought in by them both. She glanced about, wondering at the absence of response from the Infirmary staff who must be swept off their feet after all the influx of patients from the fire; maybe Thali was finally getting some well needed sleep? Either way, the old lady decided this was something she might be able to offer some help with. She cautiously tested her sore foot again, pursing her lips at the ache but grateful to feel most of the sharpness of the pain had faded, before snatching up her crocheted blanket around her shoulders like a shawl and hobbling across the courtyard toward the pair of waiting people.

She nodded politely to both Calimir and Beda and shuffled forwards to gaze down at the wailing baby's face. Her face erupted into a warm smile, and she gestured authoritatively to the pair to come through to a side chamber where there were a few chairs and a desk. She seated herself down beside the desk, carefully re-adjusting the sling on her right arm to keep her broken wrist protected, and then gestured to Beda to place the babe carefully down on the table to be examined, fixating the young lady with a gaze that would brook no questions and allow no arguments.

@Calimir @Eléowyn

Posted: **Thu Oct 01, 2020 3:39 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

Beda looked up at Cal with raised eyebrows, wondering as the old lady shuffled toward them if she could possibly be one of the healers. By appearance, she was more likely one of the patients. But she looked a kindly sort, and she took charge without having to say a word.

Beda followed the woman's directions and laid Léo on the table. "Thank you, Grandmother," Beda said, using the term that Mam had taught her to show respect to the elder women of the village. She began unwrapping the now soiled shirt from the babe, all the while trying to quiet his wailing. "He has been out all night," she began to explain. "We only found him this morning ... well, he was found by someone else. He does not appear to be harmed, but he will not stop crying. I think ... I cannot recall if he said...." Here she looked back to Cal for confirmation. "Did the Wild Man say he had given Léo something? So much has happened, I do not remember."

Turning back to the old Grandmother, Beda continued without waiting for an answer. "He only is fed by Mam, I mean her milk, and a little porridge sometimes. I do not know how I am to feed him now!" She was near breaking down again, but she sucked in her breath and started anew. "His cry is not how he sounds when he is hungry. I think something is hurting him. Can you help him?

@Allacan ob Burzum @Calimir

Posted: **Thu Oct 01, 2020 7:53 am**

Visiting (with a crying baby) >>> @Allacan ob Burzum @Eléowyn

The lad from on Gondor followed the old lady and Beda. The hospital tent was full of smells of herbs and things. It was a pleasant place, he thought. He had never been ill, or hurt enough to be sent to the healers. That made him lucky he guessed. Most of the children he'd grown up with had been sick while they grew up.

Cal' stood and listened to Beda trying to explain about[/b] baby Leo's time out in the open. It had been cold and wet out by the river. He hoped the baby wasn't ill.

" I think the person who found the baby gave him something to drink, old mother," he said to the old lady. He scratched his head and thought about all the conversations that had happened on the hill by the river. Most if it had been about who would be in charge and who would lead the search. Bambu the Wild man had told them where he'd found Leo and not much else.

Posted: **Sun Oct 04, 2020 3:48 am**

NPC Beda
Visitor

Beda watched closely as the old grandmother tended to Léo, whose crying had subsided into sporadic bursts rather than the previous continuous wailing. As the woman turned him front to back, back to front, the girl could see no outward marks to indicate injury. Her worry for the babe, who likely was only colicky after all, now turned back to her other still-missing siblings.

The old woman had worked silently, saying nothing, but clearly she knew how to handle a baby. Torn once again, now feeling the need to be in three places at once, Beda finally said, “Grandmother, I would not ask this except for great need. I have brothers and sisters that I must find still. May I leave Léo in your care while I go search? There are some men looking near the river, where Léo was found, but I need to be there. The bairns will be afraid after being out alone all night, and they need me there to comfort them. My … our mother … she is dead. She lies nearby, awaiting burial.”

The tears that now seemed to wait constantly just behind her eyelids threatened once again. And again, Beda battled them back. Perhaps tomorrow she would have the luxury of giving in to her grief, but for today, she had work to do.

Turning to her friend, who had waited patiently by her side, Beda said, “Cal, may I ask for one more favor? Could you please ride me back to the river? And from there, if you need to be on your way, you can continue your journey.”

@Calimir (@Allacan ob Burzum OOC: I did some minor godmoding of the old mute NPC so I could move Beda along. Feel free to continue with Léo if you wish, or not, as you prefer. Beda will be back later to retrieve him.)

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