Houses of Healing II

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Pele Alarion

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
The Gardens - December 26th, sunrise

She wasn't sure what the odds would have been for any of them to have been aboard a ship before, so it didn't really surprise her that none of them save Gwestion had been on a ship. The glimpse she had gotten of Gladhron and Gwestion's life didn't exactly breathe 'ships', now did it? What was curious, though, was that Gwestion had been on a ship when Gladhron had not. Did they not usually do everything together?

"How come you were on a ship but you never set sail? Were you visiting someone on board?" she inquired first, however, looking at Gwestion. Then she turned her head the other way, curiously looking at Gladhron. "And you were not with him?"

[Pele Alarion]

@Arnyn , @Rillewen
Aislin
The Gardens, sunrise of Dec 26

“Ahhhh,” Aislin drew out thoughtfully when Arnyn explained how sunrises were different, then smiled, and looked back out over the scenery, taking a careful sip from the cup now and again.

When the conversation turned towards ships and sailing, she only shook her head in response while her eyes were all but glued to the scenery below. She thought it would probably be an amazing adventure to go sailing on the Anduin, in some fancy ship. Having not gone to the ball and hearing all the good things after she now decided that it would not do to miss anything else if ever there was an opportunity to attend.

She glanced around at her companions only briefly before looking back at the scenery, while also listening on to the conversation. She did not feel that she had anything to add to it at the moment.

“Delicious,” she murmured after another sip of hot chocolate.

---

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Study

“Hot chocolate is definitely delicious though it does cost quite a bit, so I do not allow myself to have it too often,” Pele said. “But if your nieces have not tasted it yet, there’s always a chance of finding some in one of our inns to treat them.”

Pele stirred the tea thoughtfully for a moment or two and then said: “I think a book exchange would benefit both of us. Learning something new is good for professional growth, besides, there always might be new ways of treating patients, right?”

“Mmmmm. Asthma,” the master healer said thoughtfully, her look serious now. “I am not sure I have identified anyone with this particular issue, though… You do have access to kingsfoil? Athelas? I’ve found it is good for respiratory issues, even if not accompanied with the King’s hands.” Her blue eyes smiled at the last words. “Though the question is if it would resolve the issue completely. It might be worth looking in the books for more solutions.”

She took a sip of the tea and looked at Seri as she then gave a nod of agreement. “I’m sure something could be arranged so you and your apprentice can come up here as often as you like, and perhaps we can all find a more permanent solution for Brooke’s ailment.”

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Pele Alarion

Gladhron, Gwestion, Seri, Brooke, & Chewy
The Gardens - December 26th, around sunrise

"I wouldn't say visiting," Gwestion answered quietly with a shake of his head. "But it's not that important." He attempted to shrug it off. "I was only on board for a short time, anyway. It's not even worth mentioning as 'sailing experience', since there was no sailing involved." He added with a little eyeroll.

"Not worth mentioning?" Gladhron repeated, scoffing, then shook his head and leaned in a little closer to her. "I'll tell you about it later," He whispered.

"I heard that," Gwestion leveled a narrow-eyed look at his brother, then gave up a little sigh. "Fine. Go ahead," He mumbled.

"Really?" Gladhron asked, surprised.

"Well, you're going to tell it one way or another, whether now, or later. Might as well tell it now, so I can make sure you keep the facts true." Gwestion pointed out with a little shrug. Seri was trying not to look too amused, over on the far end, while Brooke bit her lip to keep from smiling in amusement at the exchange between them.

Gladhron shrugged and leaned his elbow on the wall, turned to face more toward Arnyn as he smiled. This way, he could see her while also keeping half an eye on the sunrise. "Alright, so what happened, we were heading toward Rohan... which is usually sort of an annual trip for us," He explained, "Anyway, we were passing along this place near the sea, when we noticed this... rather spooky looking ship, just sitting there in the water." He paused. "It seemed out of place, and after a little discussion, Gwestion and I dismounted and decided to investigate." He held his hands out. "The entire area was filled with a thick fog, that seemed to roll in out of nowhere. The closer we got to this ship, the thicker the fog seemed to get. After taking so many steps, the fog became so thick you couldn't even see your hand in front of your nose." He dropped his voice a bit as he described this very spooky scene. "And then... we became separated." He paused for effect.

Gwestion rolled his eyes and refrained from pointing out that he had deliberately separated from his brother, so as to come at any potential enemy from two sides, rather than both together.

Gladhron went on to describe hearing a struggle take place, making it sound almost as if Gwestion had been attacked by ghosts or something, and then proceeded to tell how he had rushed to his brother's aid, and how he had ultimately found him locked in a desperate struggle with another man...

At that point, Gwestion cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, fine, they weren't actually struggling," Gladhron admitted with a little grumble. "But there was an elf there, and.."

"And you're telling things you weren't even witness to." Gwestion reminded him with a little shake of his head. "What actually happened, was that I came upon a man who was hiding behind some bushes, and I thought he may have been a spy from the ship, possibly an enemy. So, I was moving closer, trying to get up behind him so I could find out whether he was a foe or not." He refrained from sighing. "Then, a bird startled, and gave away my position. He turned, and at the same time he put a knife to my throat, another voice spoke out of the fog, and informed us that we were lost, and ordered us both to lay aside our weapons." He drew in a slow breath, while also thinking back on that day so long ago. "I didn't know what to think. The man spoke and said I'd better do what he said, and something about having 'caught' me. Or, so I thought. So, I assumed I had just walked into an ambush, and therefore tried to fight my way out of it. And it was then that Gladhron came along and attacked the fourth fellow..."

"To save you!" Gladhron hastily added. "I thought they were attacking you. And I saw the other fellow, through the fog, aiming a bow at you... or so I thought. So, I came up behind him and tried to intervene. And only then realized he was pointing his bow at the guy with the big sword." He explained. "And then the archer turned out to be an elf, and he realized that we were all rangers..." He added with a slightly sheepish grin. "And he made us all come into this tower he was sheltering in, to get out of the fog and sort all the confusion out. And that was how we met Gwandhyra." He concluded that part of the tale with a little laugh.

"It was an... interesting meeting, to be sure." Gwestion admitted with a tiny hint of a smile, then turned to look toward the rising sun.

"Anyway, it was his idea to split up." Gladhron went on. "He wanted to check out the ship and see what it was doing there, and he suggested that one of us go along with him." He explained. "Gwestion volunteered to go with him." He said, ignoring Gwestion's raised eyebrow, questioning his choice of wording. "I, meanwhile, stayed in the tower with Celedir, the elf who'd stopped us all from killing each other in the confusion."

"You volunteered for that 'job', as I recall." Gwestion mentioned dryly.

Gladhron paused and gave him a brief look before continuing. "Well... anyway.. moments after Gwandhyra and Gwestion had left, I remembered that we'd left our poor horses tied up by the road, and it was getting rather cold." He frowned. "Wasn't it a freezing fog, too? I think I remember seeing a layer of ice all over everything, the next day.." He shrugged off his unreliable memory about that detail. "So, I remembered seeing a place at the base of the tower for horses to stable, so I went to go get them." He mentioned. "Except, on the way back, I was confronted with two men. I thought, at first, it was Gwestion and Gwandhyra, for they were about the right size and shape to be them." He paused. "But when I spoke out in Sindarin, hoping to avoid another misunderstanding, these two mysterious figures rushed toward me... and attacked me!" He widened his eyes. "So I hastily drew my sword and fought them off. And, after I defeated them, I saw to the horses and then returned to the tower to ensure that no more of the enemy had made their way into the tower..." Gwestion's look stopped the storyteller, this time. "What?" He asked, frowning.

"Aren't you forgetting a rather significant detail?" Gwestion folded his arms, facing Gladhron, with Celume between them.

Gladhron took a moment to think carefully, and shook his head. "No, nothing comes to mind."

"Nothing like.. an injury?" Gwestion raised an eyebrow.

"Oh.. that.. that was hardly worth mentioning..." Gladhron muttered. "Maybe I should tell this story later..."

"No, no. By all means, tell it now." Gwestion encouraged him with a hint of something like 'teasing' hidden in his tone. "That way, Celume can be sure that the details are accurate." He glanced at her, curious what she might think of the tale so far.

---

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

Seri smiled at the suggestion of finding some hot chocolate in one of the inns. "That's an excellent idea. I'll ask at the one we're staying in. Hopefully, it wouldn't be as expensive there, as I'm sure it would have been at the tavern where the masquerade ball was held." She was grateful that none of the food or drinks that night had required payment, but she could just imagine how much some of that might cost, any other day. She didn't make that kind of money, unfortunately.

"It's fortunate that Brooke convinced me to bring many of my books, then." Seri replied with a smile, in response to the healer's comment about a book exchange. She'd left some of them behind, in case Emma needed to consult them, but she had brought some along.

Seri sipped her tea while Pele was thinking about her inquiry. Then, she was curious when she mentioned Kingsfoil, or Athelas. That was an herb she had not heard mentioned in a long while. Seri lowered her tea, thoughtful. "For respiratory issues?" She asked, a bit surprised. "I hadn't heard that before," She frowned thoughtfully, going back in her memory to when she was just beginning to learn the healing business. "Ms. Fae, the healer who taught me most of what I know, she used some of that to help calm my grandmother, when she was.. distraught." She mentioned softly. "Depressed, even, some might say." She tapped a finger thoughtfully against the side of her cup, holding it on her knee. "She didn't have any breathing issues, however. Only.. sorrow. She had a difficult time, dealing with my grandfather's death," She explained. "But that was... a long time ago. I was younger than Brooke and Aislin are, at that time."

She nodded when Pele mentioned hopefully finding a more permanent solution. "Perhaps, I could have her come for an examination in a couple of days?" She suggested. "Oh.." She paused, thinking of something, "but I should mention, she has a dog, and they don't like to be apart too much," She hesitated. "I've noticed that he helps to calm her significantly when she starts getting a little too anxious about things. He also gives us some warning when she starts to have too much trouble breathing, and he's been very helpful in that regard. I wonder if he would be allowed to join her.. but if not, we can keep him outside, I suppose." She had no idea what the healer's policy might be about dogs being in the rooms. "I do think she would be more comfortable, if he could stay with her. He's well-behaved, usually." She added. "But if there is a no-animal policy, we will of course follow it."

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Pele Alarion

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
The Gardens - December 26th, sunrise

She looked a bit disappointed when Gwestion dismissed the experience, but raised an amused eyebrow when Gladhron leaned in to whisper he'd tell her about it later. As if the two of them were in cahoots somehow. Before she could react, Gwestion spoke up, and Arnyn tried to keep from grinning broadly. These two...

She didn't keep hiding the grin, however, especially not when Gwestion called out his brother about there having been a 'desperate struggle'. Her expression grew more serious when Gwestion took over to explain the situation more accurately, and as Gladhron picked it back up. When the older brother concluded that part of the story with 'And that was how we met Gwandhyra', Arnyn blinked, but gave little away of whatever thoughts she may have had on that. Even when Gladhron said Gwandhyra had wanted to check out 'the ship', with 'one of them'.

Still thinking on whether it could really be the same occasion, Arnyn was frowning slightly by the time the brothers had a small disagreement about who volunteered for what. Her frown clearly wasn't about the volunteering business, however. She knew Gladhron had a tendency of shoving things off on Gwestion if he didn't feel like doing them himself - that was hardly a surprise. Even if she'd been used to it being smaller tasks...

An attentive listener as she tried to piece it together, Arnyn gave both brothers a thoughtful look. Each in turn, since they were on opposite sides of her. Of Gwestion she asked: "You said this was by the sea? Where, exactly?" As for Gladhron, she slanted her head at him. "Were you thinking of hiding things from me?" A smile. "What injury?"

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Pele Alarion

Gladhron, Gwestion, Seri, Brooke, & Chewy
The Gardens - December 26th, around sunrise

Gwestion was a bit surprised by the question, as well as slightly confused by the way she looked so thoughtful. "It happened at Lond Daer, are you familiar with it?" He asked, curious. She had done a bit of traveling. Perhaps she had seen a similar ship, when she traveled Northward? Or perhaps on her way back south. Either way, he was concerned at the thought of the corsairs troubling the northern shores yet again. They already had enough trouble with bandits...

At the question to him, Gladhron hesitated, then recalled her words from yesterday. He smiled faintly. "I just didn't see much point in mentioning it." He shrugged, trying to downplay the injury. "I um, got a mild stab to the leg... and a scratch on my arm." He said, then took a sip of his hot chocolate. "But I made it back to the tower on my own, and even checked that the horses ended up in shelter and everything."

"A scratch?" Gwestion repeated, somewhat incredulously. "Really?" He looked at Gladhron for a second, then turned to Seri. "Have you ever had to stitch up 'a scratch'?" He inquired.

Seri had been listening to the tale rather interestedly, partly because it involved Gwandhyra, but also because she cared about the brothers, and also.. it was rather interesting. Also, upon hearing Gwestion say that it was at Lond Daer, she had a bit more understanding for why Gwandhyra had once warned her about staying away from such places. As if she would have been going there, but still. When Gwestion turned and asked her about stitches, she blinked, her gaze shifting beyond Arnyn, to rest on Gladhron. "Stitches? No... that sounds much more like a laceration." She declared, curious. "Was it very bad?" She asked the younger brother.

"Apparently not, as it was 'only a scratch'." Gwestion remarked, busying himself with a sip of his own hot chocolate. He'd come close to losing his brother that day, and now Gladhron was pretending like it was nothing?

Sighing, Gladhron rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath. Why had he wanted to tell this story, again? "Fine," He mumbled, a little embarrassed about it because it was a reminder that he had made a mistake that nearly cost him his life, that day. And he didn't like bringing it up, because it'd been a rather foolish mistake. He held out his left arm and pulled up his sleeve to show Celume a scar on the underside of his forearm, which she may have seen before in the North, like when they'd went swimming that time. It was rather long and stretched down from the wrist to more than halfway down the length of his arm. "It bled a lot, that's the only reason they ended up stitching it." He explained.

"And that's why we no longer wear bracers that lace on the underside of the arm," Gwestion mentioned quietly. "He nearly bled to death before Gwandhyra and I returned to the tower. If not for our elven allies in the tower..." He trailed off and focused on his cup of hot chocolate. He didn't consider that a very good day. Gladhron had nearly died. Gwandhyra had nearly died, and he felt like things had very nearly turned out very badly for their side.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Pele Alarion

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
The Gardens - December 26th, sunrise

Lond Daer. Gwandyra. Elves. Rangers. A ship. And Lond Daer. Could this really be about the same instance? Then again, how could it not? Hadn't Domanol even mentioned how he had been aboard the ship with 'a comrade'? Had that comrade been Gwestion?

Still thoughtful, she shook her head slightly. "Familiar is too strong a word. I passed by it, once," she answered Gwestion.
She slanted her head as she heard Gladhron describing pretty small injuries. And raised her eyebrows a little at Gladhron when Gwestion challenged that notion and asked Seri about whether scratches needed stitches. While Seri spoke, Arnyn lowered her eyebrows and just quietly assessed Gladhron's expression and body language. When he showed her the scar on his left arm, she regarded it calmly. She ahd obviously seen the scar on him, years ago. But she had never asked. And he had never offered. It was surpising that this was the time she was learning about it, really.

But what was even more surprising, perhaps, was the recognition she felt at hearing and seeing Gladhron downplaying his injury while Gwestion countered that his brother had nearly bled to death. While she was not sure whether Gladhron's reasons matched her own, Arnyn tended to downplay her own injuries as well. If applicable. Of course - that was an inclination that a lot of rangers and soldiers alike tended to suffer from.

Arnyn narrowed her eyes for a moment as she made eye contact with Gladhron, shifted her attention back to the sunrise for a few seconds, and then smiled enigmatically.

"Let me guess," the blonde began, her tone casual, her eyes flicking to Seri momentarily before resting on Gwestion. "It was a pirate ship? It probably had some fearsome figurehead, too, right?" she asked, as if that was some sort of general rule. "So you and Gwandhyra boarded the ship. I imagine Gwandhyra was preoccupied with taking out a bunch of the crew during the exploration of the ship - while you were more concerned with wanting to save whoever you found who wasn't a part of the crew?" Arnyn sipped her hot chocolate, watching Gwestion's response. "And maybe then the ship's Captain got his hands on your friend?" She spoke as if that was to beexpected, somehow.

Arnyn's gaze shifted briefly to Seri, and she looked apologetic before focusing back on Gwestion. "The Captain made it clear he was... displeased... with Gwandhyra's... treatment... of his crew? So you probably bided your time a little. And when the Captain and crew were focusing on something else for just long enough... you got Gwandhyra out, didn't you?" She raised her eyebrows at Gwestion. "He's a tall man to keep afloat in the water." She glanced at Gladhron, sahking her head a little. "Your brother must be a better swimmer than I realized..." She sighed lightly, taking another sip of her cup, and looking back out at the view.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Pele Alarion

Gladhron, Gwestion, Seri, Brooke, & Chewy
The Gardens - December 26th, around sunrise

Celume's thoughtful look was a bit puzzling. Gladhron was not really sure what to make of it. He watched her, as he pulled his sleeve back down, not really wishing to display the scar any more than necessary. Yet, he recalled her words when he had spoken of a similar matter, yesterday, and that made him feel a bit better about it.

As she glanced toward the others and began to guess, quite accurately, about the rest of the pieces of the story, Gwestion slowly lowered his cup of hot chocolate and looked at her with a quiet, but thoughtful expression. She wasn't just guessing. Since she had obviously not heard this story from Gladhron, and it was very unlikely that she'd met Celedir or his mother, then that left only one other person, unless she had somehow managed to capture those pirates and get them to tell the story... which he doubted. Especially since the part that Gladhron had told so far would have been unknown to them. He thought for a moment before remembering her mentioning to Seri, the other day, that she had met Domanol. Gwandhyra. So, there was hardly any mystery about where she'd heard the story. However... her mention of him trying to swim Gwandhyra to shore, he mentally noted that the other ranger must not have shared every detail about their exit from the ship. He was sort of glad about that, at least. He decided to keep it that way.

Gladhron was still staring in surprise at this new development. That she already knew the key points of the story was rather unexpected! He looked at Gwestion, then at Celume, not quite sure how to respond, for a moment. After her comment about Gwestion being a better swimmer than she'd realized, however, he popped off with the first thing that came to mind. "Well, I taught him to swim, so is it that much of a surprise?" He flashed a teasing grin, hoping she'd know he was only kidding. (although, he had actually taught his brother to swim, mostly). "But what do you mean about-"

"It seems she's already heard this tale, Gladhron." Gwestion mentioned, in response to Celume's inquiries and 'guesses'. "Someone else beat you to it."

Seri laughed softly. "He has been here in the city for nearly a year, now. I suppose he has been talking about some of his adventures." She realized, a bit amused by this surprise twist. "I'm glad you two were there." She added, with a little smile toward Gwestion.

Gwestion shrugged slightly and kept his gaze on the new sunlight spilling across the fields and forest below, not quite feeling as cheery as the others about that incident. "It wasn't the best day, as far as I'm concerned." He disagreed quietly. "Gwandhyra could have been killed, Gladhron nearly died... both sustained injuries. And, Gwandhyra lost his sword... and plenty of other things went wrong, too." He wasn't about to bring up a few details that he and Gwandhyra had agreed would not be divulged to the rest of the group, but still, Gwestion considered most of those mishaps to be his fault, too, and held back a sigh. "But, we did gain a good friend from it." He acknowledged afterward.

"An excellent friend, I would say." Gladhron declared, then glanced around. "So.." He paused, looking at Celume, then Seri, and then Gwestion. "I guess there's no point in continuing this tale, huh?" He realized.

Glancing over from where she had been listening quietly, Brooke looked a little disappointed. "We.. we haven't heard it before," She mentioned quietly, indicating herself and Aislin. At least, she didn't think Aislin would've heard it, if Brooke hadn't.

"I'd like to hear the rest, if Arnyn doesn't mind hearing it again?" Seri asked, glancing toward the lieutenant.

Once Arnyn had confirmed that she had no problems hearing it again, Gladhron smiled and resumed his tale, going through the things that had been told to him afterward, how Gwestion and Gwandhyra had taken clothes from the pair of corsairs that Gladhron had slain, and had disguised themselves as corsairs to get on board the ship. As he told that part, Gwestion couldn't help recalling the mud incident, and hid a little smile in his cup. He said nothing about it, however.

Gladhron went on to go through the rest of the tale, as far as he knew it. How the two disguised fake-corsairs had infiltrated the ship, become separated, and how Gwestion had ended up trapped below decks, where he discovered several people chained to oars. And then, how he had managed to fool the guards into thinking they had been summoned by the captain, then how they'd ended up struggling and how Gwestion had won that fight without drawing attention to himself.

As Gladhron went on to tell about his 'adventure', Gwestion kept quiet and didn't interrupt much more. Everything Gladhron was telling now, was what Gwestion had told him, later. Except that Gladhron embellished just enough to make it sound thrilling and exciting, rather than terrifying and desperate. Whatever. He didn't get the details too drastically crazy, so Gwestion didn't feel like nitpicking about the details too much, so long as it was close enough.

Gladhron was glad for a chance to tell this story, for while he had not been there, personally, he was rather proud of it all. He cast an apologetic glance toward Seri before he described the scene with their friend getting battered and beaten by the corsairs, a sack fastened over his head, and hung by the ankle to await his doom when morning came. His audience, or at least those who hadn't heard or been a part of the story, seemed to be hanging on every word. Seri was holding her breath as she pictured this scene.

After a pause, Gladhron then told about how his brother, after waiting for the pirates to go to bed, had managed the daring swap of a corpse in place of their friend, he noticed Gwestion rolling his eyes when he mentioned the multitude of sentries left on deck, patrolling and keeping an eye on their prisoner. At that point, Celume and Brooke, who were each on either side of Gwestion, would probably be able to hear Gwestion mutter 'there were only two'. Gladhron did not hear, and continued on to tell about how Gwestion had managed to draw them away from Gwandhyra and buy himself just enough time to make the swap. How they had, then, hidden behind barrels while he tried to revive the man.

Gladhron had always been most impressed by the exploding orange shenanigans, and felt as if he missed out on a lot of fun, as far as that was concerned. As it happened, he had been unconscious in the tower when this was going on, but he still told them about how this pirate captain had lit a bonfire on the nearby shore, and how his brother and Gwandhyra had located oranges in the barrels behind which they hid, and then with some excitement, Gladhron described how they had thrown the fruits into the fire to make them explode. His description was rather exaggerated, but as he had not been able to see it for himself, it was understandable.

The rest of the tale went in similar fashion; most of it had been told to him after the fact, and he'd had only his imagination to fill in the blanks and create the imagery, and yet he made the story sound quite exciting, describing the spooky, mist-shrouded atmosphere, the frightening, danger-filled escape from the pirate ship, and everything else that followed.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Pele Alarion

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
The Gardens - December 26th, sunrise

She grinned when Gladhron asked whether it should really be a surprise if he was the one who'd taught Gwestion how to swim. "That might make it even more of a surprise," she noted drily while keeping her attention on the sunrise. Arnyn smiled a little when Gwestion said she'd apparently heard the story before. Seri seemed to have drawn the same conclusion, and a correct one, too. She looked over at Gwestion at the tone in his voice, which he soon offered an explanation for as he told them Domanol could have been killed and that Gladhron nearly died. Arnyn's gaze rested on Gwestion, trying to decide whether or not she should say anything to him. And whether he would prefer her to - or not. There were six of them, here. It was nowhere near a private conversation. She remembered well what Gwestion was like.

Still pondering that, she shook her head at Seri's question. "I wouldn't mind." Of course, none of them knew she had only heard a few key points of that story, rather than a whole retelling. It might fill in some gaps. And even if it wouldn't, she enjoyed hearing Gladhron telling stories. Whyever would she refuse this one?

It would have been better if she'd been able to look at both brothers while listening to the tale. As it was, with one on either side of her, it was much too obvious when she was looking at which. And in Gwestion's case, especially, that might make him a bit self-conscious. Still, Arnyn couldn't help but give Gwestion several looks as Gladhron spun his story. She looked at Gladhron, too, of course. How could you not, when he was telling one of his stories? She saw the gleam in his eyes, and the pride on his face. It made her smile.

The smile faded, however, as Gladhron went into much more detail than Domanol had, when it came to what had happened to the ranger once he'd gotten caught by the corsairs. She turned back to Gwestion when Gladhron spoke of what Gwestion had done, exactly, to save Domanol. When Gwestion mumbled there had only been two sentries on deck, Arnyn smiled faintly. She shifted slightly, and subtly put a hand on Gwestion's shoulder. Only Gladhron might see, from all their vantage points. "Nonetheless. You saved his life," she told him, so quietly probably no one would even notice, let alone hear the words. Gwestion had put his own safety on the life, to save a man he had only just met. Arnyn wanted to take her hand from Gwestion's shoulder and pull him into a side hug! But...she didn't think he would appreciate that. So she limited herself to a small squeeze of his shoulder instead, and said nothing more. Soon, she returned her hand to rejoin the other, wrapped around her cup.

She was surprised to learn that this was the instance of the exploding oranges. It had been referenced briefly, when they'd sat down for a meal at the Prancing Pony, in Bree. But she'd still had no idea that this was when this had happened.

It really was a great story. Despite the harrowing situation. "Even though I knew some parts of the story already, I had no idea you two were involved," she admitted. Arnyn grew thoughtful once more as she stared into her nearly empty cup. What did Gladhron and Gwestion know of Uhta Halsad, and everything else of it? Very little, she hoped. Very little indeed. They had enough problems to deal with, already. She would have asked. She wanted to ask. But she also wasn't ready to know if they knew more than she hoped they did. So she asked nothing.

Meanwhile, the sky was exploding with colours, and was brightening up the White City in a way that made its name undebatably true. Arnyn sighed slightly, temporarily letting her concerns melt in the beautiful display of sunlight. Her faint smile returned, even as her slight relaxation made her shiver visibly this time.

[Pele Alarion]

Master Healer Pele Alarion
Study, December 28

Pele had settled down in her favourite corner of the study, the table laden with all sorts of ledgers and lists; a duty she limited to about one day a week to check on how things were going for the Houses of Healing, ink on paper. A necessary evil, just like sitting at the Ranger Headquarters. She much preferred learning of things while practically working and interacting with people though.

Pushing the rest of the mountain further from her, she leafed through the first ledger while eating one of the two freshly baked rolls cut in half and clad with a slice of ham and cheese over some butter. The list of patients seen to, rooms taken and vacated. While she had only seen to some of the patients, she knew that other healers were well capable to take care of the rest. But it was good to gain an overview of what ailed people the most at this time.

Then she checked on the charts of income and expenses to make sure that the Houses were not about to go bankrupt, though she doubted that it would happen any time soon. It would not do to waste the allotted resources though. At the first glance, she saw no issues in the numbers provided.

She had well finished her meal while going through these and had taken to sipping the tea as she took to looking at the status of the herbs and other medical supplies, and other items in the storage. She took note that the kitchen was low on potatoes, but she was sure that would be handled by the chief cook. And then she stopped, the cup of tea all but frozen in midair on the way to her lips.

How was it that she was not informed that some of the well-kept stock of belladonna was taken? It did say that it had been Arnyn that had received a reasonably small amount of it, and yet… Pele finally took that delayed sip of tea, set the cup down and headed straight for the door. Only moments later she returned with Angelica following her.

“Why is it…” she turned towards the head nurse as soon as the door was shut behind them, “That I learn about nightshade being given away only from the records and you have not reported it to me as soon as possible?”

“I thought it would not be an issue because it is your own Lieutenant…”

“Sure, she is,” Pele continued in the same demanding tones. “But it is not like you gave her some chamomile to make a delicious and calming tea. There are protocols to follow in relation to poisonous herbs, as you well know. Considering your position and all.”

She hoped that there were no more shapeshifters like Relic wandering about and impersonating whoever they wished, and yet she felt that such potentially dangerous herbs should be kept under proper control so that they would not end up in the wrong hands.

“I did record it…” Angelica began, pointing in the general direction of the table.

“Yes, and I learn of it now? Like what? Four days later?” Pele’s hands went to her hips as she stood there facing Angelica who looked rather uncomfortable with the confrontation.

“No harm done…”

“And how would you know that? What if my Lieutenant ended up in a place where it was stolen from her or used against her?” she threw out some possibilities that she knew would not be very likely but still might be possible. “I want you to report to me right away if someone is given herbs that are considered a poison. Is that clear? And always ask for the reason!”

Having received appropriate promises, she dismissed the head nurse to her duties and with a huff sat back down at the table. Now that she had learned of it, she was intrigued to learn why her friend had needed nightshade and why she had not first come to her to ask for it. Pele looked at the papers before her thoughtfully, resting her chin in hand. She also knew that Arnyn never did anything without a good reason, just that the cover of secrecy seemed off. This would definitely be worth some investigating, a proper conversation. Quite soon. Whenever she could get a hold of her friend long enough and in private enough to discuss this.

---

@Rillewen , @Arnyn
Aislin
The Gardens, sunrise of Dec 26

Aislin was contentedly sipping of the hot chocolate every so often and thought to herself that she really would not mind having some more though she did not want to express her eagerness too much.

“Certainly delicious,” she murmured, mostly to herself.

She looked directly at the sun and found that there were dancing spots before her eyes as she looked back to the fields below. Perhaps it was not the best idea to stare right into the sun for beauty.

“Quite a tale,” she commented louder to show her interest in the story told, and then turned to Brooke with a quieter comment: “What do you think of it? What would you do if you were a part of it?”

---

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Study, a couple days after the masquerade

“Does your niece, Brooke, read your medical books since she insisted you bring them? I thought the other one was apprenticing to be a healer?” Pele wondered and then added. “We have a good many books here, and I’m sure you can find more at the city library if you find something lacking.”

“I, on the contrary, had not really paid attention to athelas helping with depressed mood,” Pele admitted, and she had usually brushed off the affect it seemed to have as just a coincidence regardless of what Linaiwe had told her. Perhaps it came with unwillingness to admit that she had difficulties in that area sometimes. “I did find that it makes breathing much easier, at least when on the verge of colds and having proper sniffles and cough.”

Pele sipped her tea thoughtfully for a moment when Seri spoke of having Brooke come for examination, dog included. “You say the dog can sense her discomfort coming on?” she asked with interest. “How did you notice that and how does he show the warning? I think, if he does make Brooke feel more secure and calm, he might be allowed to accompany her. If he doesn’t run around the whole place frolicking.”

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Pele Alarion

Gladhron, Gwestion, Seri, Brooke, & Chewy
The Gardens - December 26th, around sunrise

Gwestion split his attention between Arnyn, Gladhron, and the sunrise, which was blossoming into vibrant shades of orange, pink, and purple, with a golden core. He gave a nearly imperceptible nod as he heard her words, but said nothing in reply. Instead, he noted the fact that she appeared somewhat surprised at certain points, and Gwestion mentally concluded that she must not have heard as much of that story as he had first assumed. This was somewhat confirmed when she mentioned that she hadn't known that they were involved.

"What, he didn't mention us at all?" Gladhron asked, as if offended, but gave a smile almost immediately after. "I can't say I'm surprised, really. He wouldn't have had any idea we knew you, of course, so he wouldn't know that it would interest you to know we were there." He reasoned. "I've noticed that he can sometimes be as, or even more, paranoid than Gwestion." He added with a little shrug. It wasn't that big of a deal. And now, she had the whole story, as far as he knew.

Brooke had been sipping her hot chocolate, while listening intently, her eyes wide as she heard. As Gladhron concluded the tale, she took the last sip of her drink. Then she looked at Aislin when she asked her what she'd have done, hesitating as she thought of how to reply. What would she have done? She bit her lip, lacing her fingers around the empty cup, which she rested on the wall. "That's hard to say." She admitted. "I mean... it'd depend on.. a lot of things. I don't know how to fight or anything, and I don't think I would've been there in the first place.."

"You also would have been a few years younger, then, don't forget." Gwestion put in his opinion, having overheard the comment. "And if, for whatever reason, you had been there... you would not have had to choose what to do, because none of us would have expected, or even allowed, you to put yourself in a dangerous situation." He pointed out, having no doubt about what he and Gladhron would have chosen if that had come up, and by now he knew Gwandhyra well enough to also know what he would have said if a young girl Brooke's age had been there, and had wanted to get involved. The man had a daughter around her age, after all. "So, you would have been in the tower, most likely, kept as safe as possible." He concluded.

"Right." Brooke nodded in quiet agreement. "Unless you meant, if there hadn't been any rangers around, and I was there for some reason, alone..? Then, I still don't know what I'd have done. But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gone near the ship, unless there was some really great need to and there was no one else there to do it." She shrugged and wrapped her arms around herself, leaving her cup on the wall. Since it was empty now, the cup no longer held any warmth.

After a moment, Gwestion wordlessly took the cup and moved it over to where Celume could refill it, then looked to see if Aislin had finished hers yet, and if she was ready for a refill.

---

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

When Pele asked if Brooke read the medical books, Seri couldn't help a grin. "Brooke reads any book she can get her hands on." She answered, a bit amused. "While it isn't as interesting to her as history, she can't get enough of reading. We've hardly been able to separate her from the city library, ever since we arrived here." She laughed lightly. "She would live in there, if they let her."

She took a last sip of her tea, apparently having been sipping it a bit more than she realized, and so then set the empty cup down. The reply about Brooke's dog made her smile. "Oh, he's usually quite well behaved. He does have a bit of a mischievous streak, and a habit of trying to chew on things, but Brooke keeps a close eye on him, usually." She assured her, glad to hear that he would be allowed in.

"And yes," She leaned forward, somewhat eager to share what she had observed of the dog's actions. "I've noticed him attempting to calm her if he senses she'd anxious, which often leads to her having trouble breathing. And, she told me that, before she came to live with me, that she'd start having trouble breathing, and he would nose around in her bag and pull out the little bag of tea that I gave her, as if to remind her that she needed to use it, and things like that. And, since she came to live with me, he's done other things, like coming to get me or Aislin if Brooke needs help, or barking to alert us if she's struggling, that sort of thing. Usually, though, he manages to calm her before it becomes a big issue. She says though, that she believes he has also guided her away from places that he sensed a threat. He's also rather protective of her, in cases with people who may threaten her." She added. "So, it really does make her feel safer to have him close."

She went on, "At home, I have a dog that I believe is a similar, if not the same, breed. And I have trained her to help me search for herbs." She added. "I can show her the one that I want, let her sniff it, and she runs off in the woods. Once she finds it, she starts baying so I can come and find her, and there she is, pointing right at whatever it is." She grinned proudly. "I never knew dogs could be so helpful, before meeting these two."

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Pele Alarion

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
The Gardens - December 26th, sunrise

She bit her bottom lip to hold back a smile when Gladhron said Domanol could sometimes be just as, or more, paranoid than Gwestion. In Arnyn's experience, however, Domanol had been much more forthcoming than Gwestion had been when they'd first spoken. Of course - the two situations had been very, very different. It was difficult for her to compare the two. She didn't think it would be a fair thing to attempt, so she chose not to.

"He mentioned a 'ranger' had gotten injured," she told Gladhron, thus telling him how Domanol had referred to him, "and he told me what he needed to about another 'ranger' who went with him aboard the ship. He might have also used the word 'comrade'?" she added, smiling at Gwestion while she said that part. It had been a while since Domanol had told her about the ship. "Do either of you know whose ship it was?" she couldn't help but wonder - and ask. Rather deliberately leaving out the Captain's name.

"I should hope you would not have gone on board," Arnyn told Brooke gently. "Under any circumstance, really. But especially if you would have been alone." She didn't really want to think about what the corsairs would have done to a girl like Brooke. She fell silent then, refilling Brooke's cup, and then stepped away from the wall to give Brooke the filled cup herself, and immediately give Aislinn her refill, too. "There," Arnyn said with a little smile as she returned to her own spot by the wall. She closed the canteen and put it back into the pack by her feet, and then grinned at Gladhron. She was glad he'd been so positive about her hot chocolate idea when she'd told him about it at headquarters. "Seems like I got the ratio right?" she checked with him. "Milk versus chocolate?"

[Ercassie]

@Pele Alarion @Rillewen

Iole Ishen - 5 Years ago
First day as an apprentice healer
(Tied in with THIS POST)

That she had taken the steps unto the halls of healing at least two at a time, Iole imagined that she would come to some audience most unimpressed. This being her first day and she having arrived late. Though as chance would have it, the long founded refuge for recovery was quite abandoned, at least at it’s place of entrance. The young woman indulged in a moment then to reclaim her hold upon measured breath. Straightening her hair and fanning at her face to lessen some the blush which would betray her rush. Through the door into the inner sanctum … was the opposite of abandoned !


The reception was awash with children, and a rather flustered looking teacher who was seeking, and not really succeeding, to control the crowd. Fortunate then that a matronly woman, all dressed in white, let slip some of the vast bundle of things she was carrying. Iole on instinct made to offer her assistance, and shouldered at least half of the burden before being bade to hasten in pursuit of the quite flustered healer.

The supplies were committed to a vast storage cupboard, and a great many ticks were marked onto lists that hung at walls. The apprentice gazed about her in some wonder of the sheer quantity, hoping that she never would see a need for them all to be used up too swift.

“I do not know you,” the woman admitted once her task was complete, she glanced Iole up and down as though she might somehow glean her identity that way.

“I have been here as a visitor before, but I do no expect you would recall me from last year,” the young girl confessed. “I was sent though. The woman at the Chamber of Commerce said ..”

“New apprentice,” the healer then named her. And was rewarded by a swift nod, after a stunned hesitation. “Iora ?” a guess was hazarded.

“Iole,” came the correction.

“Well, Iole, if you never have been here before this day, where did you work before now ? You are not come straight from schooling ?” the girl’s age was thrust as though a strike to her gut.

“I aided my father for a little while. That is, I tried to ,” the girl sought to rectify opinion. “In his family business. But ..”

“This family business, did it lend you any sort of experience in tending toward the sick and injured ?”

“My father, he is an undertaker,” Iole swallowed hard. And hoped she would not have to explain all her reasons for not being able to be 'helpful' to him as she had planned to be. After Ryndir's death, and Nal's injury ... her head had gotten all turned around about what she could do every day for the rest of her life. It had ended up here. “He has just found a proper apprentice though. So .. I hoped ..”

“You hoped then to see your family starve, and your father's business to ruin, by stealing his clients ?” the healer there warranted some humour, though it was a joke the young apprentice was not sure that she had understood properly.

“I hoped but to spend my days where it might make some difference,” the young woman plucked up courage enough to admit. And wondered whether every day would start with such an interrogation.



The healer sighed, as much from the look of naïve hope that the girl’s face emitted, as from her own weariness of a thankless and labour-ful profession. “Well. A young boy has been brought into the infirmary this day, after vanishing from his school trip,” the healer shared what news she must. “He has fallen foul of some most awful incident, and his teacher and school friends await dismissal by the .. well, they can not be allowed to leave the Houses of Healing quite yet. They may require to be interviewed. Do you understand ?”

A small nod spoke of an understanding from the prospective apprentice.

“Our reception is currently overwhelmed, as you might have observed,” the healer continued. “The usual girl has not shown up yet for work today, and to place another in her stead would be to take a healer away from tending to the sick. You stand not yet of as much use in the reams of medicine. But you might do a great service in standing the role of control at the desk. Just until things are put under some control. Are you up to the task Iole ?”

A second nod leant weight to the first, and yet words were absent until it seemed that the healer waited on them. “Yes,” the young girl made herself speak out. “I shall seek the name of each child present and occupy them until they can be allowed to depart.”

“There is scroll and ink at the desk. Pay mind to make note of any other who arrives here in the meantime. And if medical emergency should present at the doors, ring the bell.” The healer pointed her new recruit toward the large brass bell that sat upon the receptionist desk. Iole turned eyes upon it and meant to return them to her instructor, but found that woman already securing a starched apron about her waist even as she disappeared.

A deep breath to inflate her with confidence, Iole slipped into the seat of reception.

---

Naught was seeming as she had expected, although a first day in any occupation can prove unpredictable. Iole had not imagined that a healing career would see her sat at a desk job. Nor that she might have an entire room full of people to tend, without the prospect of admitting any single one of them for treatment. She seemed to have been assigned the role of teacher, minding such a company. For their teacher in truth was far from a state of control.

"I am expected back at the school," he informed the receptionist, as though the weight of just how many times he had pronounced that sentence would let sense sink in. He leant across the counter and spoke more slowly, as though Iole were simple, or hard of hearing. "I already made my report, when the boy went missing. Now that he has been found, what cause do you find to keep me further ? This is ludicrous !"

"They have found a boy," Iole recounted all her father's instruction about keeping composed in the face of wild unrestrained emotion. The teacher was not in mourning, save for his patience and spare time. Still, he was upset, of a kind. The young woman tried her best. "He must be identified before the search for your missing student is called off." In truth she was not sure why the teacher and his students were not permitted to leave now. Interviewing witnesses about a missing child who seemed to have already been found was quite odd to her. Though a novice could not be expected to guess what she could not know.

"Have his parents even been contacted ?" the teacher campaigned. "They should be here. They could identify their own son, surely, better than I .."

"And if this boy is not in fact their child ?" Iole ignored the wild gestures of the teacher. "What if he is not the missing boy, and that boy is therefore, missing still ? Would it not be better to ascertain this, before the frantic parents are given false hope ?"

The teacher wiped beads of anguished sweat from his brow. "But the children … they should have been back at the school for lunch. An hour hence now !"

"I think perhaps that we ought to learn how the boy fares, before we loose two dozen wagging tongues with tales of what has happened," Iole tucked her dark hair behind round ears, and whispered almost conspiratorally. "As soon as the healers have attended the boy, you will have the truth of his condition, and can certainly confirm his identity. Then all news which spreads thenafter shall be fair, not fretful."

The teacher jammed a hand about his belt and eyed the batch of small children that were frog-jumping on chairs around the waiting room. He opened his mouth to speak but seemed exhausted by all of the protests he might yet venture aloud. Iole was not blind to his concerns, for the din from the young company was not far off disturbing any patients who were resting in the halls unseen.

"I have ink," she recalled, "and parchment". There had been a collection of tiny ceramic pots in the storage cupboard, Iole had not forgotten. Darting without explanation, the undertaker's daughter made way to that cupboard, and gathered supplies. Pouring a small dab of ink into each little pot, she then took to the scroll paper which was meant for recording patients. This she tore into many pieces of small squares as she could manage. The paper and ink bowls she handed out all amongst the children who, curiously, paused, in wonder of this latest development.

"You are giving small children ink ?" the teacher groaned, expectantly. His concern was not lost upon Iole but it was too late now to retract the gifts made.

"I am giving them distraction," she managed to clarify, after a moment, and as sedately as practice could prepare her. And so set upon the task, her tone was the stronger when she then announced, "Let us all make a get well card each," she offered. "For our friend who got hurt, after he wondered away from teacher and did not mind the instruction to stay with the group." she made a meaningful glance at the teacher, as these final words escaped her, so that he might pick up the suggestion of some lesson to do good come from this whole horrific episode.

"I want to draw the statues that we saw this morning !" countered one boy, without ever being prompted.

"Yes, yes," chimed in another. "I am going to draw the arrow. Haldrim was so excited to see the arrow .."

"Do not make a mess with the ink .." the teacher mentioned, as boys ignored offered quills and dabbed their full fingertips into the dark stain. "The poor girl here will not want to spend all night cleaning up after you !"

The man had added this last sentence with a half laugh, but Iole found a belated threat within the notion. It was too late now though to stop the children, and at the very least, they now seemed rather less noisy. Whether the healers would bring noisy screams when they saw what she'd done, she'd have to wait and see. But as the teacher turned toward guiding the childrens' art, she relaxed, a little. And found time for a quick prayer to the stars and the stones, let alone the blessed tree, that the boy would be alright. That everything would be alright.

[Pele Alarion]

@Ercassie , @Rillewen
Sergeant/Master Healer Pele Alarion
Reception - 5 years ago

It had taken Pele little time to make the trip from the Headquarters to her room to leave behind her weapons, and then to travel to the Houses of Healing - unarmed, but still in her uniform. She had not had much time to debate what outfit would suit her better; would the soldier's uniform give her more authority to investigate, or perhaps the healer's garments would be useful in a more subtle way. Perhaps the situation would show...

Lost in her thoughts, she opened the door to the reception and stepped in to find herself facing a bunch of children busy with ink. Pele shut the door quietly and glanced around with some confusion. She had assumed that the teacher and the children had already been questioned and dismissed, but here they were... Supposedly it was now her task to deal with them as best she could.

Looking over the heads of the busy gathering on the floor, she glanced towards receptionist; instead of the familiar face she expected there, she found an unfamiliar one. Should be one of the new apprentices - and Pele was now even more aware that she had not been tending to her duties here at the Houses for too long.

Taking a deep sigh she then proceeded to weave her way among the children and their inked fingers towards Iole, with a nod at the teacher who was overseeing the activities of art. She wondered how long they all had been kept here, stuck in the waiting room.

"Good afternoon," she spoke to the new member of staff. "I am Pele Alarion, Sergeant of the army and Master Healer of the Houses of Healing." Pele's gaze then scanned the children, as she wondered how on earth she could possibly interview them - if she spoke with them one by one it would probably take up the whole remaining day.

"How long have our guests been here?" she queried curiously. "It must have been a while to resort to ink..." She could not help but chuckle softly, imagining the mess that would probably be left all over the floor, chairs and walls, not even speaking of the children themselves. "I think it is my part to see what should be done and to let them leave this place for more comfortable accommodations."

[Ercassie]

@Pele Alarion

Iole Ishen - 5 Years ago
First day as an apprentice healer

Concerns about the noise had been utterly usurped now by concerns about the mess. Still there seemed small point in even seeking to clean up, at least until the children were finished. Iole had little, or rather honestly, no experience, as a childminder. Recalling her own self at that age she might not have expected such anarchy, but she had known at least a few rambunctious friends, whose infant antics ought to have been a rude warning what she might expect.

Following her series of surprises, the apprentice found the latest in a new arrival who seemed not at all injured, but rather though exhausted in but entering the building. The stranger's apparel was official, and she looked to be having a quite trying day, if the large sigh was an indication. Perhaps she just counted herself equally as unprepared to face the little horde of children. Pele introduced herself and Iole then flushed all about her porcelain cheeks, for of all people to face in a scene of such disarray, this was the Master Healer herself ! Gauging by the uniform, she had imagined that this would be the official to question or dismiss the children. Any woman who could manage two such roles of importance had to be practiced in this sort of thing, or so she hoped.

"Master, Sergeant," she nodded, demurely, and expecting some chide for her part in the chaos, but there was none. "I am Iole Ishen, This is my first day. The .. A very busy healer asked me to cover the reception." Though she had not been asked to explain herself, the young woman felt obliged to make an attempt. "I did what I could with what I had to hand," she offered, as a means of explanation. "They have been a half hour at their creative task, perhaps, but arrived before I did." No sooner as she had made her confession, the apprentice thought that it might be wrong to admit she was late arriving her first day. Still, honesty was a virtue. As was patience. If naught else, she might have demonstrated both thus far.


The Master Healer/Sergeant was chuckling, which gave rise to a thin sliver of hope. That the apprentice would not be dismissed, at least not yet. "I shall clean it up, I swear," she promised. "They were asked to make a get well card each for their injured classmate, and sign their name inside. Though I think some have preferred to draw what they saw this morning. On their school trip."

"We went to the museum," piped up on of the nearest, small children. "I wanted to see the Winged Crown but they would not let us tour the Hallows. And the Sceptre of Annúminas has been taken by the Elves .." the student pouted.

"We saw the red arrow though," interjected one of his classmates. "It wasn't red. Not all over, just at the tip. The blood of Borondir !"

A craze of outcries flurried from the statement, as the children looked up from their mess and challenged their playmate. Their teacher rose from the patting of heads and the bending of knees, clearly relieved to see someone of authority at last. It was entirely possible that he had overheard Pele's mention of their leaving, at last.

"And now we have visited the Houses of Healing," the teacher announced, waving his hands with both palms downcast, as though he might lower the volume of the room. "What fortunate children you all are, though the healers are so busy. May I ?" he approached the two women. "This is my class," he explained to Pele.

"I believe that the class were held in case they could explain more of what happened," Iole sounded defensive, as though it had been her own decision, rather than a demand handed down to her from the healer she'd met. "But nobody from the City Guard has shown up to talk to them."

"The boy was not hurt under my care," the man mentioned, growing red-faced.

"He had departed from your custody," Iole agreed, as far as she had worked out so far.

"That's right," the teacher threw back his head, proudly. And then thought better of seeming quite so proud to have misplaced one of his charges. "Look, there are sixteen of them and just one of me," he sighed. "I'm only human. And the boy is fine. He is fine, isn't he ?"


Iole had no answer for him save "the healers are tending to him even now." She commenced then with gathering up the small ink-thumbed cards from the children. She handed these pictures of what had been seen, all signed, to the Master Healer, and then glanced to Pele. "I can take them to the washroom in pairs ?" she suggested, hoping that there was in fact a washroom. She had not been given much of a tour past the supply closet !

[Pele Alarion]

@Ercassie
Sergeant/Master Healer Pele Alarion
with Iole, children and their teacher in reception ~ 5 years ago

It seemed that Iole was feeling guilty for the mess the children made, as could be judged by the flush of colour on her cheeks, yet Pele could not find it in her to blame the young woman. At least she had found a creative way to entertain the crowd of little souls, since they had apparently been waiting here a while.

"The cards are a good idea," she expressed her appreciation, though she wondered if the boy for whom these were meant would think so too, or would they remind him of unpleasant experiences, rather.

"Are you expecting the king's return then?" she asked the little boy who had spoken of the Crown and the Sceptre. "And no, I don't think they would let you into the Hollows. Who knows - should there be a king one day, you might see both the Winged Crown and the Sceptre of Annuminas at once." Yet Pele did not mention that Gondor having a king again seemed rather impossible; they have had Stewards for a long time, and probably always would. And who knew if the king would even be better at managing the realm? The history showed that not all kings had fared that well. A chorus of other small voices arose when the other boy had mentioned the Arrow with a bit of incorrect story.

The teacher then approached them, and Pele noted: "It is quite a merry handful you have there, sir."

She then listened to the short exchange between the teacher and Iole. As far as she could gather the news of the Arrow - whether the real one or not - having been stolen had not come to their ears luckily, as the main issue appeared to be the fact that they boy had left and gotten hurt. While this was a problem in a way, she could see how this could happen to any class, with a bunch of restless boys; hopefully, not always with such results as this time.

"Perhaps it would be good to have at least one assistant for such trips to keep an eye on the children," Pele recommended the obvious. And had she read the signs correctly that the teacher might actually be proud that one of his charges had managed to sneak away?

With a small smile she looked through the cards that Iole had gathered and given to her. "I think it would be a good idea, Iole. The parents would probably not be happy to see their little ones marked with ink. I might entertain them for a while, while you make them presentable again. You can take them to the room next to the healers' office, you'll find water, soap and towels there a plenty."

Remembering that the apprentice said she had just come this day and had been immediately set to minding the reception, Pele added: "The second door to the left along the hallway on the right." A nod of her head indicated the correct direction.

"Suppose you would not mind if I chatted with your class for a while as you wait? As soon as the children are cleaned up, you may leave, and I will see that the boy is well and that his parents are notified if they are not yet," she addressed the teacher. While she would like to hear his version of the events, she thought that questioning him in the presence of the children would not be right. Besides, she assumed that he should have already provided a report of sorts.

"Class," she addressed the children. "I bet you have enjoyed this day away from your usual desks, right? And I already looked at your cards and was impressed, but tell me - what did you like the best and what you found most interesting?"

[Ercassie]

@Pele Alarion

Iole Ishen - 5 Years ago
First day as an apprentice healer

"You have no idea," the teacher patted at his forehead with a handkerchief, as though he might ward all his cares so similarly away. The throng of students were about him and Pele, each tugging sleeves and jumping on their toes to be heard over all the din. It seemed everyone had an opinion on their exciting outig and Pele's remark about a king.

"I think Captain Boromir should be the king. I heard that he killed ten thousand orcses all by himself !"
"No, no. Prince Faramir. They say he can talk to trees !"
"Boromir is oldest. Oldest sons will always become kings."
"But the steward is not a king !"
"I drew the winged crown. See ! See it has wings !"
"Look at mine ! I drew the guard with his winged hat !"


And so they carried on, even as Iole gratefully gained Pele's directions, and led the first pair of two off to clean up. "Thank you, Master Healer," she bade her superior. Holding out her hands then, that she should not lose any children herself, the young woman found an ink-stained child's hand staining worse each of her hands, and two smiling faces gazing up at her.

"I like soap," one of them declared, excitedly, and Iole tried not to worry too extensively at the glee in the statement as she sought the washroom.


"Perhaps a sheepdog would not go amiss either," the teacher debated, half to himself, at the Master Healer's suggestion of assistants. "They were teeming all about before we even went inside. And then there were that many in every which direction." Noting that the children were beginning to look about the room again now, he clutched at his thin rug of hair. But Pele was ready for them.


"I liked seeing all the suits of armour dressed up !"
"There were paintings of the Kings !
"The skull of one of Queen Beruthiel's cats !"
"The scroll all framed and signed. It was signed by Steward Cirion, giving Rohan to the Rohanders. He wrote his name on it,"
"Don't be silly, that was just a cat's skull. That was outside ! In the street !"
"There was a great stoned head of a king, and he was wearing a crown. On his head .."
"The guards all had wings on their hats !"
"The hats are called helms."
"They are called helmets !"
"I wish we could have gone to see the White Tree."
"I liked the flags and the banners that were stood all in a row !"


"You had to ask," the teacher seemed amused at the amount of attention now all being directed toward the Master Healer. Thankfully, Iole had alternated the children throughout the mass assembly, and in time all ink stained hands had been cleansed. The reception area itself though would need thorough attention once they were all cleared.


"Excuse me, for interrupting," a healer came over to address both Pele and the teacher. "The healers with the little boy are wondering if you would like to cast your expert eye over their patient, MasterHealer ?"

It had been a rather worried employee who had noted Iole ferrying back and forth to the washroom with children. The same woman who had met her at the outset, as chance would have it. Catching a glimpse of a small head in a bed, behind an opened door, she had not failed to observe a guard with a winged helm stood close by to that bed. She could not imagine why he was there unless he was the boy's father ?

"There is a guard of the citadel in there with them," she muttered as quietly as she could to Pele as a warning.

"Whyever has one of the Steward’s special guard come here, for this ? !" the teacher commenced his panicking somewhat at this news. He looked for a chair to sink into and found none that were not already occupied by children.

"I can watch the children if the healers need you,," Iole had returned in good time, to let Pele know, and to try and prove helpful. This time hopefully without the 'aide' of ink and all that would require cleaning from it ! She had declined yet to mention that the wash room was in need of a good clean now too !

[Pele Alarion]

@Ercassie
Sergeant/Master Healer Pele Alarion
with Iole, children and their teacher in reception ~ 5 years ago

The excitement of the children seemed almost overwhelming, and yet it made Pele smile, as she listened to their small voices rising over each other, and the joy sparkling in their eyes. However, she could barely imagine how the teacher could gather this flock under control at all times.

"Ask I did, at least it keeps them busy for the time being," she responded to the teacher's amusement with her own. What the children shared might have not been of much use to her investigation, but she could at least be assured that there was only simple curiosity, and she had to doubt that there was much more on the part of the guilty boy. There must have been someone, a grown-up, to misuse this childish trait of wanting to see and touch everything.

When a healer asked if she could also looked at the injured boy, Pele only nodded in response. As for the presence of a guard, it did not surprise her, as she had already been notified of it, yet it might be difficult to explain it to the other parties involved...

"There may be reasons," she said to the teacher who wondered about the guard present in the boy's room. "I'll see about that too then, not just the boy's health."

Iole would not have it easy to deal with the excited crowd of kids, but Pele hoped that this time they could do without making more mess, or breaking anything. "Maybe you can keep them talking or such," she suggested. "Hopefully this won't take long, and they can all be released from here to continue with the day."

Pele then set off in the direction of the room the boy was placed in. Her mind was already busy with planning the possible approaches: learning of the extent of the boy's injuries and checking the work healers had done, even though she had little doubt that it was well done; probably dealing with the questions from the teacher afterwards; trying to get some useful information from the boy; and then probably dealing with the parents - they could not be kept without knowledge of their son for too long. She should surely have to delegate some of it...

Finally having reached the room, a bit more busy than the usual patient's abode. Recognising the guard with a quick salute, Pele then snatched up the notes taken on boy's health and treatment. "Let us see then..." she muttered, as she quickly scanned the notes to learn the main points and then setting it aside again. She came to the child's side, looking down at him with a smile in an attempt to ease the discomfort and fear that he must feel.

[Ercassie]

@Pele Alarion

Iole Ishen - 5 Years ago
First day as an apprentice healer

"I shall try, Master Healer," Iole vowed, demurely, and barred way to the children who had looked to follow their teacher and Pele to visit the patient. "Come, who can gather up their coats and hats the fastest ?" she challenged the students, and her own inexperience of child-minding. "I shall have to judge. One .. two .."

"The fastest ?" the teacher, disapprovingly, muttered toward Pele, as he left the class to (hopefully harmless) frivolity. "She doesn't have children, that one. Does she ?" he rolled his eyes, knowingly. Even as a stampede of small feet herded about reception, and commenced with tugging and untangling their coats. One small girl out wailed because it was no longer raining and she did not wish to wear her coat. Iole was already wondering why anyone would choose to be a teacher when she wondered what else she might have said to keep the children distracted. Thankfully the healer she had first met decided to stay close by, and help.


Pele had managed to pacify the teacher enough to meet with the patient, as she shared his own view on his lot in life; not easy to manage … an understatement. But "I've never lost one of them before," he would have her know. "His father is a butcher !" he added, in a rather conspiratorial whisper, as though he ought to expect an enraged father with blood-stained apron blaming him, with a machete ready in one hand …

It was an equally fearful sight to behold when they entered the treatment room. But no enraged butchers, just a very small looking boy who was dwarfed by the enormous, white-sheeted bed and also by an extremely official-looking guard, making every effort to not make eye contact with anyone in the room. Indeed the Guard held his lips together so tight as though he dared to spill the secret he had been made privy to. At all ! The healer and her assistant made room for their new arrivals.


"Haldrim" the teacher made with quick relief when he recognised his student. Though his tone had reclaimed much concern. The small boy looked most extremely pale, his chalk face all the more markedly so against his dark hair. This had clearly been dried swiftly in some towel of a kind when he had been brought from the water, for it stood up in tufts around a thick white bandage which had been wound about the lad's scalp. Particular attention had been granted to the area of Haldrim's right ear, so much so that it was doubtful he could hear through all of the padding on that side of his head !

His right arm was hooked over the rim of his bed covers, bandaged with no less enthusiasm and with evidence (if the bulk spoke at all) of being splinted. Haldrim cowered down in the sheets when he saw his teacher and the woman in uniform enter; glancing fearfully with huge hazel eyes around the room of kindly adults, not sure who here might not be cross with him. When Pele approached and smiled sincerely at him, he drew the blankets down a little from his face, curiously. "I want my mother," he sputtered out as though he was shivering still, and then coughed rather violently. When he had found his breath again afterwards he wiped his nose with the back of his left hand, wiped that on the bed covers and then glanced around the room as though no one would notice if he did not look at it.


"Master Healer," the healer who had been taking care of the boy prepared to hand over his care to Pele, and looked mindfully relieved to see her in their presence. "Patient is a male minor with no obvious or reported history of usual ill health. He has swallowed a lot of water, and was extremely cold but the people who rushed him up to us all did splendid work. The man who found him wrapped him up immediately in a blanket from his boat[/]," she waived distractedly at the now sodden, discarded garment, which crouched in one corner of the room. "The right forearm seems to be fractured, and there is some colourful bruising, but it was the head wound which caused us the most concern. There is a short jagged laceration which runs above his right ear. I would imagine a contact wound from force blow. There is a lot of swelling around it and we had to cut away some of his hair to tend it properly but the blood loss was minimal. It only looked worse than it was because the initial flow dried to matt in his hair. We cleaned it. The plan now is to keep watch on him for any pneumonia, and test his vision and alertness. We have administered only the basest anaesthetic, so that he would be more coherent."


"He swallowed water ?" the teacher startled, suddenly glancing up in a daze from the tiny patient to face the healer. "Where exactly was he found ? The fountain ?" He took an urgent step in towards Haldrim. "What by the Tree happened ?"

The Guard of the Citadel leaned in like a felled tree to serve as a shield between the teacher and his student, even as the healer and her attending assistant rushed to stop the man from frightening the boy. All were too late. Haldrim held his uninjured arm up over his face and began bawling. The teacher stood back, holding both hands up, regretfully. "I didn't touch him !" he made sure they heard the confession. "I'm just a little shocked. They said he'd been hurt. I thought he'd simply fallen or something."

Now he began to understood the presence of the Guard. They must think somebody attacked the child. But who ? In broad daylight ?! Well, in a heavy, grey-skied rainstorm. But still ?! A Guard of the Citadel ?! Wouldn't a City Guard be more than enough to investigate such an obvious accident ? And even if they were entertaining the thought that HE had done this to the boy ... the entire class could testify that that he had not. The boy had wandered off, and maybe he would think better of ever doing so again ! The child had hopefully learned something from his educational outing then ! The teacher had, at least. "I should have kept better watch on them," the man bemoaned, for the first time seemed to forget his role as a victim. The real victim was assuredly the small boy now quite unsuccessfully trying to bury himself in blankets right before them all. "Oh, his father is going to kill me .." And just like that, the teacher was concerned as much for his own fate as the child's again. The healer exchanged an unimpressed expression with her assistant. And the Guard of the Citadel did his very best to hold his professional bearing. Especially now that someone in authority was now finally here.

[Pele Alarion]

@Ercassie
Pele, juggling healing and soldiering duties
Houses of Healing, Haldrim's room ~ 5 years ago

It seemed that Iole had trouble coming up with activities for the children, but Pele could not really blame her; the young woman had come here to learn how to become a healer, not a teacher. "She is still young, still enough time to have her own children," Pele responded to the teacher's remarks, and would have added that she did not have any children herself, but then again those were details that she did not care to share with strangers.

When they finally reached the room, they added to the little crowd that was already there. The room was usually meant to be cozy and calm to provide the patient within it with some much needed rest, but currently it was neither of those things. The little boy in the bed seemed to have been nearly rolled into countless bandages and obviously frightened. Though she could see that he did respond to her smile. Pele was not sure if she could fulfill his wishes though; how could she ensure that the Arrow would not be spoken of, if the boy met his parents? On the other hand, it would do no good to keep them separated for too long.

The healer's report caused a frown to appear on Pele's face; they boy seemed to have suffered quite a lot. She almost wanted to examine all the damage herself, but perhaps it was best not to tear all the bandages off as soon as they had been placed.

When some chaos ensued at the teacher's reaction to the news that the boy was found in water, Pele could not help but roll her eyes. The Fountain indeed. It was doubtful that the boy could so easily get past all the guards stationed on the way there.

"Right," she eventually said, motioning towards Haldrim. "I think the child has had one tough day, and having all of us crowded in on him would do no good." She turned to the teacher. "I will have the healers inform the boy's parents; perhaps it will give you enough time to figure out how to speak with them after... And I also think that the class is in need of you, so I do not wish to keep you all locked up in the Houses longer than necessary. By all means take the children to lunch first; they must be hungry after all the exploration, and coat-competition." She hoped that it didn't sound like she was just trying to get rid of him, though... in a way...

Then she turned to the healer and the assistant: "You've done a good job in taking care of the physical well-being of the little person here," Pele nodded her approval. "And he will surely need to remain here for some time, as you have already mentioned. That cough is somewhat suspicious. I need you to do me a favour though... the new apprentice, Iole, is in need of some guidance. She's done her first duties already, but I don't think she has had proper introductions yet? Could I entrust her to you? And it might be that she'll need to learn where the cleaning supplies are kept." She imagined horror on the healer's face, when she would see the ink stains all over the place, and it almost made her grin. Definitely not the usual sight one would find in the reception.

Leaving the others to do her bidding, she approached the guard and presented a scroll to him, if he wanted and needed to have a proper look at it. "I have authorisations..." she merely said, hoping that no detailed explanations would be necessary.

"Haldrim," she spoke to the little patient. "I know you are tired and scared, but shhh..." Pele leaned in closer to him and whispered: "You have this room, and a guard of the Citadel all to yourself, imagine that? I'm sure the others would be envious." She then spoke louder again: "We will find your mother soon enough, but I think we must make you look a bit better first, so that she isn't overly worried. Or what do you think, hmm?"

[Ercassie]

@Pele Alarion

Iole Ishen - 5 Years ago
Minding Reception while the Master Healer oversees an unusual young patient

The teacher was not long in returning from the patient's room, which was a blessing for the young apprentice left to mind his students meanwhile. Iole might have wondered at the look about the man's face, after he returned from viewing his lost pupil, but she had rather more than her hands full. If it were possible, she had her feet full also, running here and there to herd the children altogether. Some had grown bored waiting in the line-up to depart, and had begun climbing on the chairs in the reception area. No sooner, however, than their teacher strode back into their sight, the small children gravitated toward some semblance of order. The move was not abrupt or hasty, but rather resolved, and half weary by this point. They were as keen to be liberated into wider fields of adventure than the Healing Houses, as was their teacher as well of course. He did not even stall enough to speak a good bye.

Iole waved in the wake of the boisterous though tiny army which sprang from the doors to freedom. She made then to sit back and catch a relief for just a minute, when she found the healer whom Pele had sent to find her. And the look upon that healer's face when she spied the state of the reception. Both hands flew up to the woman's face as she inspected the ink stains and scuff marks and .. bitemarks ? Where those really bitemarks on one of the cushions ?!

"I'll clean," the apprentice assumed, as the healer's assistant gestured her back to the supply closet. Not for ink this time, but for the means to dispel it ! The healer shook her head and sighed. But still seemed to indulge in the peace since the children had left. One small child could make noise enough, and did so !



Haldrim was still sheltering his face behind his good arm, weeping for his mother. It took Pele leaning in and whispering to him, before the patient ceased his noise. And noted, belatedly, that the room had emptied somewhat. Bandaged as he was over one ear, and over all of his noise, he had not noticed the departures. With a sniff or two, he glanced from the Sergeant to the Guard still beside his bed. For the first time, maybe thinking that the stern man was here to protect him, rather than to arrest him ! He relaxed a little more in such relief after that, though all of the crying had given him a headache.

With a perplexed frown on his small face, the child considered his options, and gestured for Pele to lean in again, so he could whisper to her. He still wasn't quite sure they would not be angry at him, if he told them what had happened. There again, no one had mentioned the arrow, so mayhaps they did not even know it was missing yet .. he was tired and exhausted enough to believe such a thing. At least for now.

"It is .. its safe here ?" he hoped, into the MasterHealer's ear. In the absence of his mother, the kind woman and the guard might be enough to console him. But of course, the man in the black carriage had seemed kind. At first … "I can tell you where my mother lives .." he broke off into a cough again, and it rocked his tiny frame for a moment until he recovered himself. Drawing up the covers about him, as though he suddenly was cold anew, Haldrim leaned back on the pillow, and his extra pillow of bandages. Realisation then struck, and caused him a small frown. He had not even gained the shiny golden castar coin that the strange man had promised him as payment. Tears began to return to the child's eyes, but he screwed up his face and tried to look 'better', so that he could see his mother sooner.

"How long will it hurt ?" he swallowed, and tried to look very grown up, but his lower lip trembled as he feared the answer to his question might not be what he wished to hear. The other healer lady had said something about changing dressings over time, and that seemed like it might take a while then to feel better. "M'sorry." And with that, Haldrim buried his head underneath the blanket. "You won't let them take me, will you ?" he moaned, half inaudible from where he now hid, and without clarifying quite who he thought might want to take him, where, or why.

[Pele Alarion]

@Ercassie
Healer/Sergeant Pele Alarion
Visiting Haldrim ~ 5 years ago

It was good to see that the boy had calmed down just a bit, and Pele tried to encourage him with all the verbal and non-verbal means available to her. It wouldn't do any good to either of them if he kept up being all upset and crying.

"Safe? Of course it is safe - no one will harm you here," Pele assured Haldrim, nodding towards the guard. "And it would help if you told me where your mama lives, so I can make sure to find her."

She made sure to leave the boy enough breathing space as he coughed. She did not like that cough one bit, yet she hoped that it would prove only as an unpleasant side-effect of getting cold in the freezing water and would not turn into something more evil. However, she was quite sure that the head did not require so much bandaging, as it did not sound so serious. Perhaps she would have to look at it later.

"Well..." Pele hesitated to answer the boy's question on length of hurt, not sure whether he had a good grasp on meaning of time. "I think your arm might take the longest to heal," she eventually said, "That is, if your cough does not linger even longer. But you might have to stay here at least for a week. No worries though, we will treat you well to make sure that you are healthy again."

When Haldrim hid under the blankets, Pele had to lean in closer to overhear at least part of what he muttered. For a while she was thought of how to approach the matter and then moved the blanket ever so slightly to be able to speak to the boy quietly.

"If you are afraid that they might come back for you, it is better that you tell me everything," she said gently, not wanting to scare the boy into another crying fit. "We know that you took an arrow... the arrow, and we know that they tried to harm you. It would be easier to protect you if we knew who they are, and we need to find that arrow. You sure did silly, but now you can help fix it if you tell me what happened and who they are."

She knew that this was a lot of words, but she hoped that it all did not sound threatening; yet she prepared to deal with more crying.

[Ercassie]

@Pele Alarion

Haldrim, the Butcher's son. 5 Years ago.
Patient in a private/treatment room. With Sergeant Pele Alarion (MasterHealer)

The notion of the two cruel men coming back for him was not a thing that the boy had much considered, it seemed and his eyes grew wide with a new terror when the subject was broached. He had not figured much beyond being arrested for the naughty thing he had done. But the nice lady had just confessed that they knew he had taken the red arrow from it's plush cushion, and still she was speaking of his staying in the bed and being looked after. He didn't think this was how they would speak to a criminal or bad person. When he was a bad boy, his father always shouted, and the lady wasn't shouting at him.

"Those bad men were worried about getting far away fast," he pondered scrunching up his small face as he tried to make sense of the ache and memories. "The man with the horses wanted to sell me to the Dear so the man with curly hair could get back some of what he owed, but the curly man was in such a rush. He seemed very scared. When I showed him that I'd brought the arrow out for him to see like he had wanted, he got very cross and told me to 'Shhh !' That's when he … he got very very cross."


Rather than relive the desperate assault by his attacker, Haldrim whispered "very very very very very cross" a few more times. As he did so, also he dared his good hand to test the size of his well bandaged head. Then winced before ever he had touched the crisp white wrapping, and thought better of the deed, giving it a wide berth. "I live on Rath Maxe, behind the Market," he admitted hopefully that he would be allowd to go back there soon, to his bed. A time he debated over what his mother's name was, but she was 'mother' to him, and 'sweetheart' or 'darling' to his father. He knew those weren't her name. Did mother's have names ? This was all a lot to think about …

"Sometimes she helps my father at the shop," he concluded randomly, blinking as helpfully as he could manage with a big sigh that grew into a yawn. "I don't know who the men were. Only the curly man did the talking with me. The carriage man called him 'Mylaw I think, the curly one." A second yawn. "Mylaw said it was kinder. They thought I was sleeping but I closed my eyes tight so they wouldn't know I was only pretending. I didnt want him to shout at me again, but I heard him. We left the carriage and I thought I was wet because it was raining. But he took me into the water. And I couldn't touch the bottom and, and .. "


Tears drew channels down the child's pale cheeks, like two diamond ribbons racing down a chalky lawn. One reached the purpled lips before the other, and Haldrim tasted the salt. He coughed it out, as though it was the salty water of the sea which had so nearly claimed him. "He didn't seem like a bad man," he spluttered, rolling his head into the bandage and pillow. A coughing fit raged through the child, but he turned his face away with a small scream when the Steward's Guard offered the glass of water that had been left on the bedside by healers.

The Guard rolled his eyes, as though the child had thrown accusations of being drowned by drinking water now. This was not the sort of thing he had anticipated doing when he had gotten up and dressed up in his regalia this morning ! But he had been trained to refrain and so he said nothing. The glass of water he replaced on the table, and placed one ornately booted foot over where the thrashing patient had made the drink spill a little on the floor.

Haldrim inched away from the tall man and towards Pele, hoping that his account of what had happened was enough to 'fix' what he'd done wrong. Since the nice lady had said it was important to know everything that had happened, he tried his best. He could not help but skip over the nastiest parts though, he was not ready to face them quite yet.

"He had a golden coin," he remembered, and recounted, grabbing at the Master Healer's hand with his own (good) hand. "Curly Mylaw. I had never seen a golden coin like that before but he said I could earn it but he didn't give it me after. He just … very very very very very cross. I didn't do real badness did I ?" Wide eyes searched for the heart of Pele as he made his plea for mercy, from a silly little soul.

The crying recommenced meanwhile, with gusto. The boy may have been very much dried off but by now he was wetting his blanket with tears and sniffles.

[Pele Alarion]

@Arnyn , @Rillewen
Aislin
The Gardens, sunrise of Dec 26

From Brooke's hesitant response Aislin gathered that perhaps her possible scenario of any of them ending up in such a situation was very unlikely, and Gwestion's joining the conversation only proved it to be so even more.

"I'd probably just hide somewhere," she shrugged. She knew how to do that quite well after all, and a thought of fighting did not even enter her mind. Yet, the thought of exploring the ship secretly also seemed enticing; if she did it very inconspicuously. Yet it all was only on an imaginary level, and she doubted she would ever end up in a situation like that.

"You know... It would be fun to see what being on a ship is like," she added eventually, smiling at Gwestion and willingly giving up her now empty cup. "But not one with baddies on it, mind you."

"Do people of Minas Tirith own ships?" she asked Arnyn the next random question that popped into her mind.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Pele Alarion

Gladhron, Gwestion, Seri, Brooke, & Chewy
The Gardens - December 26th, around sunrise

After everyone had assured Arnyn that the hot chocolate was excellent, Brooke smiled and thanked her for the refill. It was quite delicious, and while she had been willing to share with the others, it seemed that none of them actually were very interested in splitting it. So, she was content to enjoy the rest of her cup as she watched the sky turn colors.

Surprisingly swift, the brilliant display of colors began to fade away and settle into the usual blue. At first, a yellow tint remained near the base of the horizon, where the sun was making its entrance at last, but it wasn't long before even that had vanished. It seemed the show was over, and there was little left to see.

"As I have only been on the one, I couldn't give much of an opinion about what other ships are like," Gwestion told Aislin. "But, the one that I was on.. it was quite large. And it was designed to look scary, for it was sailed by corsairs." He paused and thought for a moment, considering Arnyn's question. "It was a big fellow, I remember that." He mentioned. "I remember thinking I wouldn't want to try and fight him, as he could probably squash me easily." He added with a faint smile. "And I worried how bad off Gwandhyra was going to be, by the time I got to him." His brow wrinkled as he tried to remember if he had heard a name attached to the man.

"I remember that it troubled Gwandhyra, to see the ship." Gladhron mentioned, shrugging. He had not been aboard the ship, personally, and had been dealing with a lot of blood loss. "And he mentioned the figure was a jackal," He frowned, thinking back. It had been so long ago...

"Uhta." Gwestion recalled suddenly, the name which he had used. He turned to Arnyn, curious. "When I was below deck, I told one of the guards who was watching the slaves, that the captain wanted to see him. And he replied, 'Captain Uhta?', so I said yes, or something like that." He paused. "In fact, I'm very fortunate that he wasn't trying to entrap me," He realized in a little mutter.

"Well.. that was certainly beautiful." Seri declared, meaning the sunrise. "And definitely worth getting up early to see." She smiled, checking the time as well as she could. "I think it's nearly time for us to be having a visit with the healers, though," She added, with a motion toward herself and the girls. "This has been very nice, though."

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Pele Alarion

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
The Gardens - December 26th, sunrise

Glad to hear everyone at least was polite enough to say she'd gotten the ratio right, Arnyn enjoyed the rest of the sunrise. "Some own ships, I imagine," she replied to Aislin's question. "Though most of our people whose thoughts and minds are set toward ships and the sea, live in coastal areas like Belfalas, or the larger harbour cities, such as Dol Amroth, Pelargir and Linhir."

When Seri said it was about time for her, Brooke and Aislin to go see the healers, Arnyn turned toward them and smiled. "Well, I am very glad you could all make it!" she said, smiling. "There are plenty more wonderful things to do around Minas Tirith..." Suddenly remembering what Gladhron had mentioned at the masquerade, Arnyn turned to him. "Speaking of things to do - I checked," she began, looking at Gladhron. "There is a theater company that is putting on a play, just a few days from now. If any of you are interested," she added, glancing at the group. "They are having shows on the 29th and the 30th, in the evening. It does cost some money, but the ticket price isn't exorbitant."
After retrieving all of the cups, she bid the ladies goodbye.

Listening closely to what Gladhron and Gwestion knew about the ship and its Captain, Arnyn was relieved to hear it did not seem like they knew very much. Which also meant, the two brothers at least did not have any terrible personal experiences with the Halsads. Somehow that seemed like a rare thing, these days... Not to mention, the brothers had a different set of problems of their own, already. She was glad that Umbar, at least, did not really factor into them.

"You spoke to them?" she did ask Gwestion, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sorry but... both your accents are rather unique," she told the two f them, before turning to Gwestion. "How did they not suspect you?"

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Pele Alarion

Gladhron, Gwestion, Seri, Brooke, & Chewy
The Gardens - December 26th, just after sunrise

"Thank you for inviting us!" Seri replied to Arnyn, smiling. "It was definitely worthwhile to see." At the mention of a play, she listened with interest. "Oh, that sounds fun." She wasn't sure what she might mean by 'not exorbitant', but it was worth checking into, at least. Perhaps she could afford tickets for herself and the girls, at least. "29th and 30th," She repeated. "I'll check into the tickets, and get back with you about what day." She decided, then waved as she led the way toward the houses of healing, to keep the appointment she'd set for Brooke, with the healers there. She had asked that Aislin join them, partly as an apprentice learning opportunity, but also as Brooke's sister and friend.

After the ladies had gone off to their appointment, Gwestion turned to Celume. Her question was rather understandable, since Gladhron had not actually included such intricate details in his version of the tale. "While dressing ourselves as the corsairs to disguise ourselves, Gwandhyra taught me how they speak so that I could mimic the sort of accent they use," He explained. "Just a quick lesson, but it apparently was enough." He was glad for that, at least.

Gladhron leaned against the wall. "Gwestion's always been pretty quick at doing voice tricks," he mentioned with a little smirk. "Used to confuse me tremendously, playing hide and seek and stuff like that." He grinned. "Remember?" He added to Gwestion.

Giving a little nod of his head, Gwestion added, to Celume, "That's how I drew the sentries away. One was patrolling up and down the deck, and the other was loitering near Gwandhyra. While the one was further away, I.. well, cast my voice so that it sounded as if the other man was calling for help. The one left Gwandhyra to see what he wanted, and thus gave me just enough time to swap him with the dead man." He shrugged. "I don't really know quite how to explain it, I just.. it's a skill I learned, and used to use in playing games as a child, like Gladhron said."

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Pele Alarion

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
The Gardens - December 26th, sunrise

Domanol had taught Gwestion how to mimic the accent. "Really," Arnyn mused thoughtfully, looking at Gwestion. Perhaps she should ask Domanol about that. It could be useful, for their mission in the spring, if at least some of the rangers could do that, too... "Could you still do it, you think?" she asked him. "The accent? Or only if you were reminded of what it sounded like, again?"

At Gladhron's comment, she glanced at him before looking back to Gwestion. "Really?" she asked, raising her eyebrows a little. "That's interesting." She shook her head. "I am still surrpised you two were involved at Lond Daer," she said with a little sigh. "It's pretty wild how you saved the uncle of one of my rangers," she continued, smiling at Gwestion. Her smile grew as she looked between the brothers; Gladhron relaxedly leaning against the wall, Gwestion - while less casual - also relatively at ease. It just reminded her so much of how relaxed she'd been able to be around them - and she realized, too, how they still seemed to have that effect on her, now.

"So," she said with a smile. "I know Gladhron wanted to tag along for a ride. What about you?" she asked Gwestion, hopeful she'd be able to convince him. "It really is shaping up to be a nice day for it..."

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Gladhron & Gwestion
The Gardens - December 26th, shortly after sunrise

Gwestion took a moment to think about that. "I haven't tried it, since that day," He answered thoughtfully. "I remember.. he said there was much Adunaic influence in their Westron," He frowned as he thought back. "And to speak more.. abrupt, to lay emphasis on vowels, I believe." He considered. "Perhaps, if I heard it again, and had need to, I could." He answered, though curious why she was asking. "It was many years ago, so I can't be certain how well I would do at it. And I only had a brief.. maybe thirty-second lesson, at the time." He shrugged, and didn't elaborate further concerning the other voice thing.

He was curious when she mentioned having saved the uncle of one of her rangers, and wondered why she found it surprising that they were involved at Lond Daer, but he didn't ask.

"I'm still amazed that we managed to bump into each other and catch up," Gladhron declared, grinning. "At a masquerade, of all places." He added, amused that out of all the places he might have came across her, here in Minas Tirith, it had been while they were both masked! When she asked whether Gwestion wanted to join them, Gladhron had to make sure that he didn't groan audibly.

Gwestion considered, glancing out to the fields, aware in his peripheral vision of the way Gladhron seemed to look... well, like he wasn't too enthused. Because she'd invited Gwestion? He took a few seconds to think of something to say, because it seemed evident to him that Gladhron would rather he didn't join them. "Thank you for asking, but I already had some other plans for the morning." He mentioned with an apologetic glance toward Celume. "Perhaps another day?" He offered an explanation that still managed to remain vague. "In fact, I should be going soon, but I will definitely see you at the training grounds, this afternoon." He added, deciding that he'd see if Aislin would like to take Nutmeg out for a ride, later, and accompany him to give Mael some exercise, so none of their horses were left out.

Gladhron was inwardly quite relieved. Once Gwestion and Celume had said their farewells, he watched Gwestion take off. "Well.. seems it's just me and you." He said, inwardly very pleased about that. "Would I be allowed to come with you to the stables when you get Narsule?" he asked, unsure but hopeful.

(continued here)

[Pele Alarion]

@Arnyn , @Rillewen
Aislin
The Gardens, sunrise of Dec 26

As Aislin finished sipping her hot chocolate, she considered that she would rather not visit any scary ships or ones that looked like a jackal - even though she was not exactly sure how jackals looked, but apparently they were scary too. It appeared that there might not be any outright possibilities to see other ships that were not scary, not at this point at any rate, so she did not press that matter any longer. Besides there was no time for that as Seri said it was time to go for a healer visit.

"Thank you for the delicious drink and the chance to see the sunrise," she did say to Arnyn, and then waved at Gwestion and Gladhron before she hurried away with Seri and Brooke, and Chewy.

[Pele Alarion]

@Ercassie
Sergeant/Master Healer Pele Alarion
With Haldrim ~ 5 years ago

Seeing that the boy was earnest, Pele carefully took in all the details, as many as Haldrim could remember. Sell him? As if he was some sort of item of goods... It seemed that the two described men could be involved in some sort of a broader network, and apparently some evil plans were being prepared. The provided descriptions did not help much, and who knew how far the men had already gone. She could only wonder if Warder could come up with anything more useful than this, but that she would only find out whenever he sent a word. She did her best to not allow a frown on her face, as that could only scare the child who might think that she was angry with him.

"Don't be afraid of the Guard," Pele said with a small smile when Haldrim overreacted to the kind gesture offered by the Guard, and then nodded her thanks to him for the attempt of aid. "He won't harm you, and is here to protect you." Her hand reached up to wipe the boys tears away gently, as she continued to listen to his account.

A coin, hmm. She could see how the child could fall for it: gold coins could not be randomly found on the street and surely would make a good bait. Moreover, the man had portrayed his wishes to see the Arrow ever so innocently - after all even a child would not aid him if he stated whatever evil reasons he had for wanting it.

Meeting the boy's gaze, the Sergeant could not help but wonder how much she should tell him of what she thought. On one hand, it might keep him from ever repeating anything of the like; on the other hand, he was little and apparently not ready to face any sort of serious consequences. She could only hope that the Steward would focus on real culprits and not be too hard on the child: after all he was deceived in his childish silliness and restlessness and had already suffered enough for his misdeed. Besides, she thought that it would be good to unite him with his mother as soon as possible to keep him from being traumatised further.

"Well, Haldrim..." she began hesitantly and once again attempted to dry off his tears. "You should have listened to the teacher and not wandered off; what if you were found too late? And stealing is not good, I am sure your parents have told you that." She paused to let him think about it, and then added, keeping her voice serious while not accusatory: "Never do anything like this again, no matter what you would be given in return. Can you promise me that? Also, should something like that happen, tell about it to your teacher, or guards, or other adults. Yes?" Pele's blue eyes now searched the child's, in return, to see whether he understood the consequences of the deed and what she expected of him for the future.

[Ercassie]

@Pele Alarion

Haldrim, the Butcher’s son
Recovering in a private room, with the Master Healer and of the Steward's own Guard

The child did not flinch when Pele brushed away his tears, but allowed her gentle touch and even glanced sidelong to the guard. “M’ sorry.” he mumbled eventually, into the blanket, and it wasn’t clear if he was apologising to the guard for getting startled, or to Pele for what he’d done. He yawned widely then, less from the answering of questions, and more from what he was answering them about. He was very sorry that he did not get the golden coin, and even more sorry that his arm hurt but he coughed a little again, and nuzzled down in the sheets where he felt safer, and warmer.

“I promise a whole lot,” he swore, around another yawn. “I won’t never believe men who say they’ll give me gold coins again. Because they don’t.” he had perhaps not grasped the entire point of the promise, but his remorse was undeniable. “I’ll tell mother everything,” he assured them.


The guard cast a concerned look towards the tiny patient at that point, as though he expected the child to go telling everyone that the arrow was stolen.

“Was Curly mylaw and the other man the enemy ?” Haldrim wondered suddenly, “I don’t like … enemy ..” Eyes flickered, and closed, and the small boy cosied in against his sheets and bandages, appearing against all odds as though he’d truly fallen asleep that quickly. The Guard beside him looked tempted to speak, now that it seemed he was ‘alone’ in the room with he Sergeant, and he was wondering whether he would need to stay here to guard the boy for as long as he was in the houses of healing. Or how long afterwards .. but the child opened his eyes, and his little brow was muddied by lines of confusion.

“We still have the beacons,” he told Pele, as though maybe trying to justify his badness but a little. “Can’t steal … the beacons ..” he jammed a thumb inside his mouth and closed his eyes again. With no idea of quite how close the beacon themselves had come to catastrophe. With no idea either that the red arrow he'd stolen from the museum was - of course - a fake. The steward was far too wise a man to leave such sacred artifacts out for the public to see. A representation was enough, a mere idea of what the real deal looked like. A fake ... which had nonetheless almost cost a young boy his life ..


The matter had caught the Steward's attention nonetheless. An attempt to thieve away the Red Arrow from Minas Tirith, mere weeks after the unfortunate matter at the Beacons had been uncovered ? Somebody was seeking to render their kingdom unable to call for allies, for assistance. And using their very own citizens against them, to do it ! The boy had asked if the fiends who had nearly drowned him were the enemy himself ? It seemed that might not be so far from the truth.

The Guard headed calmly to a quieter corner of the room, farthest from the door. He waited for the Master Healer to join him, his grey eyes the solemn invitation that spoke in blaring silence. "You spoke to the Squire ?" he asked the Masterhealer, quietly. "You know what this means. You know now why He asked for you ?" The Guard did not of course mean the squire when he referred to 'He'. But the steward himself.

[Pele Alarion]

@Ercassie
Sergeant/Master Healer Pele Alarion
With Haldrim ~ 5 years ago

It seemed that the boy was becoming ever more sleepy, which Pele could quite believe, and all the talking might have only added to the effects of all the stress and physical pain he had experienced. She also knew that she could not really trust any promises Haldrim made, as it would be too much to expect that he would understand all the national matters. He was only a small child.

The Sergeant was not overly sure that it would cause too much harm even if the boy told his adventures to his mother. It could, and then again perhaps not. At any rate, all things considered she did not see the kid as any danger, nor could she see too many reasons to keep his parents from seeing him for too long, nor have a guard posted. The danger had already presented itself, and mostly not because of the child, but because of cunning devices of those who wanted to get the arrow. She would state as much in the report to the Steward and let him make the final decision in terms of how strict the security should be in relation to Haldrim.

Just when Pele thought the boy had fallen asleep he suddenly spoke again. "Well, enemies are people that want to do bad things to Gondor, and to you as well, so yes," she responded, deciding that this was not the time to give a lengthy lecture on history and current affairs of Gondor. "Rest now, so you can sooner get well and don't have to stay here forever."

The beacons, though... Even if those could be too hefty to carry away, the beacon guards could be done away with, which was more or less the same.

Glancing at the resting boy, Pele then followed the Guard of the Citadel, choosing her words, just in case Haldrim was still listening and not at all wholly asleep. "Things are certainly clearer now..." she replied. "I will send a message up to report findings; and then perhaps you will be able to have some rest too. If the Steward agrees on the present level of threat or lack thereof in this room." She could not be sure that the Steward would agree with how she saw things, but at any rate she did not feel she could command a soldier that would usually not be under her authority, at least not without a proper approval from above.

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Study, a couple days after the masquerade, with Seri

"Ah, I see. History. And everything else, it seems," Pele said with a smile when Seri described Brooke's love for books and reading. And then she asked, "Library might have quite a bit of dust in some places. Doesn't it make breathing more difficult for her?"

When Seri went on to describe Brooke's dog and her own in more detail, Pele began wondering if she should find suitable dogs and people interested in training them. It might be means of helping some of the patients, also those who might otherwise be avoiding socialisation with people. Perhaps animals would do... A whole plethora of ideas inhabited her mind as she looked at Seri thoughtfully, and then noted the empty cup.

"Would you like some more tea?" she offered.

[Rillewen]

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

"Everything, indeed." Seri confirmed, grinning. "She couldn't wait to go see the library in town, the moment we passed through the main gate." She paused. "I haven't been there, but do they not have people who work in the library, and clean it? Anyway, if there is dust, and if it causes her trouble, she hasn't mentioned it to me." She mentioned, thoughtful.

It seemed that the idea of training animals to help patients had caught Pele's interest, or at least Seri thought that she looked intrigued and thoughtful. But since she did not ask any further about it, Seri didn't offer any further details or suggestions.

When asked if she would like more tea, Seri considered for a moment whether she did or not. "Actually, would it be alright to have a tour?" She asked, instead. "I'd like to see more of this place, if I could." She smiled slightly. "At home, I only have a small clinic that I began recently, which consists of only a couple of rooms, but then we rarely have more than a couple of patients at one time. I'm very curious to see more of this place. Perhaps it would give me some better ideas for my place."

[Pele Alarion]

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Study, a couple days after the masquerade, with Seri

"I'm sure people are cleaning it, but old books and parchments can still hoard dust," Pele said and then gave a light shrug of shoulders. "But if she hasn't said anything perhaps it is not that bad. Or she loves books too much to be concerned about her own health."

"Oh yes, a tour!" Pele rose from her comfortable seat smoothly. "We can take a look at the healer living quarters first; at least a couple rooms are right behind the study, and the one I sometimes use is currently unoccupied so I can show you that." Pele led the way through the study to one of the doors in the far end and opened the door for Seri to step inside. It was a simple room, like most here in the Houses of Healing, and was furnished with a bed, a desk and a chair. A candle and a platter of fruit was on the desk, and Pele smiled at the sight. "I think someone is trying to make sure I have snacks at hand whenever I drop by," she commented.

"There are more rooms in various other locations throughout the Houses. Strategically placed, I could say - so that healers could be fetched easily at need," she explained.

[Rillewen]

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

Seri smiled. "I think it's most likely the latter," She answered. "She loves books so much, I have no doubt she would put them over her own health. But so long as she hasn't reported having any sort of incidents, I have no real cause to tell her she can't go there," She added with a small shrug, like to say 'what can I do?'.

At the agreement of a tour, Seri smiled happily and stood up along with Pele, glancing around. After finding out where to put her cup, she happily followed along with the master healer. "You have living quarters here for the healers?" She remarked in surprise. "I suppose that does make sense, as large as the place is," She realized afterward. "Still, I am impressed." She followed, eager to see this.

The platter of fruit made her smile increase, especially when Pele mentioned someone wanting to make sure she had snacks on hand. "That is sweet of them." She wondered if this was a common occurrence, and also if it was a hint for the master healer to take care of herself, for Seri knew how it was if you had more than a few patients to tend to. "Strategically placed. That's smart," She nodded, looking around. "At home, my clinic has only the front room, for a sort of hallway, then one side room for examining the patients, and a larger room in the back with a few beds placed in it, for patients to recover or be tended. I have curtains that I can draw around each one, for privacy, but that's all. And a washroom, of course." She added. "If surgery is ever necessary, I can use the examination room for that, but.. I have yet to need to do so." She shrugged.

"It's very small, but it serves well enough. And it's better than handling all of the healer business in my cabin, way out in the woods, as I used to do, or constantly traveling the area, making house calls and so forth." She added with a little amusement shining in her eyes.

[Rillewen]

@Pele Alarion

Trainee Trastion Leithor
Shortly following this

Trastion still had his hood pulled up, with the scarf wrapped around it to keep the sides of the hood close around the sides of his face. At least the pain had stopped increasing by now, but it still burned very badly, and he felt like the whole side of his face was being eaten away by some sort of powerful acid or something.

He approached the front desk, very much hoping that either Linaiwe or Eryn was around. He had no idea what to do if either of them weren't there, or were busy... he didn't want to have to reveal his secret to any more people than absolutely necessary. "Morning," He greeted the person at the desk, trying to manage a smile, but that one side of his face felt a bit stiffish and weird. He hoped it didn't look too bad. "Umm, is healer Linaiwe busy? I'd like to see her, if possible, please." He requested, trying not to seem too anxious.

"I'll check... please, wait here." The receptionist answered, giving him a curious look before going to see if Linaiwe was available or not.

Trastion nodded and eased into a nearby chair to wait, clasping his hands tightly together in his lap to keep from trying to touch the rash or scratch it or anything. 'Please, please let her be here,' he thought worriedly as he waited, head bowed as he focused on taking slow breaths to maintain his calm outward appearance.

[Pele Alarion]

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Taking Seri on a tour

“Suppose it would not do good to keep Brooke away from books if she loves them that much, no,” Pele agreed but said no more on the matter focusing on showing Seri the Houses.

“Yes, we have to keep a few rooms for healers who do not have their own place in the city so they have someplace to stay when they do their duties here,” she explained. “A large city requires a large place to try and keep them healthy. But your clinic sounds quite well ordered even if it is small. But then again your community is smaller too, right? Have you had any disease outbreaks or similar that would make the space not enough?”

She then led Seri out of the healer quarters and on along the hallway, opening one of the doors to let her visitor walk in first.

“We also have some storage rooms: a separate one for bed linens, nighties and such, then for medical supplies, and one to handle herbs, to sort them, dry them and all that,” she said, taking them into the said room for herbs. Closed cabinets and open shelves lined the walls, and some herbs were laid out on the shelves to dry, while some were hung around the room near the ceiling. Something that looked like a sorting work in progress was on the table in the middle of it. Pele breathed in the scents and turned to Seri. “Do you manage to collect enough herbs for your work yourself or do you have people helping you, like… suppliers?”

---

Healer Linaiwe
Reception, coming to look at Trastion

Linaiwe had been busy with compiling a list of items necessary for the next larger purchase when receptionist found her to inform her that there was a patient asking for her. So she carefully set the quill back into the ink well and headed for the reception.

“How can I help you?” she asked having entered the reception to see a somewhat miserable heap of a young man. She studied him carefully for a while and then pulled out the correct name to add to that half-covered face. “Trastion, is it? Come, let us go to the treatment room and you can enlighten me on what ails you this time.”

[Rillewen]

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

Seri shook her head in reply to Pele's question. "No, none so far, and hopefully it will remain that way." She answered. "Still, there were some injuries and deaths that occurred, a few years back." She recalled, frowning. "Around the same time that the rangers all came here, to fight in the wars. Bandits and ruffians took advantage of the absence of rangers, and caused trouble." She sighed, thinking of those who had been killed trying to stand up to them.

As they went through the tour, Seri noted the various supplies that were available, and thought that adding some sleeping things would be a good addition to her own linen closet. That way, the patients would not have to bring their own, or have their families bring what they needed. She made a mental note of that.

She breathed deeply with a little smile when they entered the herb room. "Mm, it smells so nice in here." She always loved the smell of all the flowers and leaves drying. "Me and the girls usually go out and gather whatever we need, and my dog, Hwinia, helps us, too." She smiled at that, before going on. "Whatever herbs I can't gather locally, I buy.. when I can. More often than not, the ships with imported goods just don't arrive, though." She said, saddened by that. "So, we don't get a lot of things that can only come from far away places."

---

@Pele Alarion

Trainee Trastion Leithor
Mid-late morning
Treatment room with Healer Linaiwe

Trastion gripped his hands tightly together, eyes closed as he focused on breathing slowly while he waited. The urge to reach up and scratch his cheek was growing. The waiting seemed to stretch on forever, and he was starting to worry, when he heard the lady in question, speaking his name. Trastion raised his head slightly and let out a silent breath of relief.

Nodding slightly, he stood and went along with her to whichever treatment room she chose to take him to. Once there, he slowly unwound the scarf from his neck and took off his cloak. "I uh.. interrupted a mugging, earlier," He began, turning slowly toward the healer. "I've got a couple of cuts.. nothing serious. I washed them as soon as I could, but.." He gave a little shrug. "Figured I should get someone to look at it who knows what they're doing." Though he was clearly in a bit of pain, he managed a faint smile with one side of his face.

"And, unfortunately, there was a bottle of something.. apparently some really strong alcohol.. that got knocked over in the alley where it happened." Trastion explained, hoping she remembered what he had told her, back when she and Eryn had treated him for the concussion. "It got on me," He added, though that much was surely obvious. "I tried to wash it off, but.. it was too late by the time I got to any water. I was hoping you might have some salve or something that I could put on it.. I used up almost all of what I had, last time. Or, maybe if I bring the tub with its ingredient list, someone could make some more?" He added hopefully.

[Pele Alarion]

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Taking Seri on a tour

“Ahhh… I bet bad folks would want to use an opportunity to cause havoc with those who could limit them gone,” Pele replied when Seri explained that she had had to deal with the consequences of northern rangers being away. She chose not to continue on this topic, not willing to talk of how she was away and was not able to tackle the consequences of the same war.

Taking a few leafed half-dried stems of thyme, Pele breathed in the pleasant scent before placing the herbs back where they had been drying.

“Perhaps you can bring some herbs with you when you go home, so you can supplement your provisions,” she said, looking at Seri with a smile. “I’m sure there would be enough space in your wagon for as much as you would need for your clinic.”

She was about to head for the door to lead the visiting healer to other rooms, but then turned around with another question: “Say, Seri, do you tend to experiment? I sometimes enjoy playing with scents for calming baths, which might not be an experiment totally healing related. Though a wise healer I know insists that relaxation and rest are very important to promote bodily health.”

---

Healer Linaiwe
Treatment room with Trastion

Linaiwe chose the first available treatment room and then turned towards Trastion to see what was the matter so she could choose the correct treatment.

“Mugging? Practicing your ranger skills on some local culprits?” Linaiwe asked, and then watched as he revealed the damaged skin on his face and neck. It immediately reminded her the secret he had disclosed in one of the previous visits.

“It would be good if you did bring the list of ingredients of the salve you have used this far,” she said, “But I will look choose the strongest we have available so that you can get relief quickly. Say… Did it get farther down your shirt too or just face and neck? And where do you have those cuts?”

The elderly healer headed for the cupboards and looked through the collection of jars and small containers for something to tackle Trastion’s allergy. Then she paused at the drawer with items for wound dressing. “And you say the cuts are small enough not to require stitching and lots of bandages?”

[Rillewen]

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

Giving a nod in agreement with Pele's words, Seri also chose to let that matter drop. She was still saddened by all of the deaths that had occurred during the bandit uprising, during that time, although she did have a little bit of satisfaction in the fact that many folk had come to realize what the rangers did for them.

She brightened somewhat at the offer of giving her herbs to take back. "That would be very nice, thank you!" She answered. "I can also leave some of the things that I brought, which grow locally for me, and may not grow here." She mentioned. Because of course she had brought along a stash of herbs and things. Their wagon might end up getting rather full by the time they headed home, she thought with some amusement, knowing that Brooke intended to have several more books to bring home, and now Seri was going to be bringing herbs. Who knows what other things they would bring back home with them?

She was a little caught by surprise by the question of whether she experimented. "Sometimes, yes." She answered, tilting her head as she listened with curiosity to the rest of what Pele was saying. "Oh yes, adding some herbs, or herbal oils, or herb-steeped tea, into bath water can be very nice." She agreed. "I know Lavender can be quite relaxing, and so on." She gave a slow nod about the rest. "Yes, getting proper rest is important for recovery as well as maintaining good health." She answered. "I keep trying to tell that to my niece, Brooke. But she still regularly stays up all night reading." She sighed, shaking her head a little in despair.

---

@Pele Alarion

Trainee Trastion Leithor
Mid-late morning - Early Jan
Treatment room with Healer Linaiwe

He managed a weak, one-sided smile at the question about practicing his ranger skills. "I guess so, yeah. Though it wasn't planned. I just... happened to see this woman get dragged into an alley, heard her call for help, and..." He shrugged, leaving the rest to speak for itself.

"I'll bring the jar as soon as I can," He promised. He'd have to go into the barracks and get it, then come back.. so he preferred to get some treatment first. Something to soothe the horrible burning, maybe. Hopefullyl.

Her question about whether the stuff got only on his neck made him shake his head. "This stuff must've been really potent," He tentatively started to reach up toward his face before thinking better of it. "It got knocked over, I guess when the mugger pushed the lady down, when he turned to face me." He explained. "Anyway, after he ran off, she just reached up and touched my face. But her glove had that stuff all over it." He grimaced slightly at the memory of how rapidly the burning sensation had begun after that.

As he spoke, he started pointing out the places he had taken some cuts; a couple on his arms, one or two on his side or rib area, and a small nick on his shoulder. "I don't think any of them need stitches," He answered tentatively. "Seems to be mostly minor cuts, shallow and clean." He was glad for that, although he did feel quite fortunate that it was not worse than that.

[Pele Alarion]

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Taking Seri on a tour


"Exchange of experience and herbs is always very good for all involved," Pele stated matter-of-factly, and then waved her hand towards the provisions both visible and hidden in cabinets. "You can look around here or in the lists that contain inventory of what we have and then decide what you would like to have once the time for your leaving comes closer. I suppose your thoughts of what would be more important to have back home might change several times as you explore here."

Pele thought that perhaps it would not do to share with Seri of all the types of experiments she had been conducting; perhaps she could divulge more information at a later time once she was sure that the visiting healer would not consider her completely nuts for it.

"Yes... Relaxing baths are one of my favourite ways to have some rest, but can't always have that. But whenever there's enough time, certainly a way to test various scents and such," she said with a small smile.

"Perhaps you should tell Brooke that there are also enough daylight hours to read and it might be less costly than any nightly harm to health and the expenses for countless candles combined," the healer laughed lightly. "Though I am not sure she would listen to such arguments either if she treasures her book reading that much."

---

Healer Linaiwe
Treatment room with Trastion

Linaiwe listened to Trastion's story as she examined both the area with the rash and the various cuts he displayed.

"It is good that you managed to protect the woman," she said, though she was also thinking that it was good that he had not sustained any worse injuries. "Well done!"

The cuts appeared to pose no immediate danger, so the healer decided that the allergy should be treated first considering how bad it affected the lad. Taking the ointment she had selected, she applied a thin layer over all the skin that showed damage, trying to keep her touch as gentle as she could as she smoothed out the medication. "I hope this will have a good effect even if it might not be exactly the same ingredients as you have been using," she said, "But whenever you will bring it I will ask someone to prepare a good batch for you."

"Now, shallow and clean cuts you say," she turned her attention towards the other injuries. "At least you are not making a catastrophe out of it. Though all rangers usually downplay their injuries. All right now... I will run soap water over those at any rate to make sure clean is definitely clean. And then a little bit of antiseptic ointment to ward off any possible inflammation." In accordance with her words, Linaiwe set about fixing the referred to soap water, going rather heavy on soap while making sure the water was lukewarm and not hot. It would already sting as it was, there was no need for additional edge added by heat.

[Rillewen]

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

Seri smiled at the invitation to look at their supplies of herbs and things. "Thank you." She was curious, and so she wandered over to take a look as she and Pele talked. "If you ever find yourself traveling as far as Bree, please be sure to stop by my clinic and I'll return the favor of a tour and tea and all that," She grinned. The offer was genuine, although she highly doubted that it was likely to happen. But who knows, maybe this Pele was a very adventurous and far-traveling sort of person.

"Sometimes, it can also be necessary to experiment with treatments," She added, in regard to that part of their conversation. "At least, for me," She admitted with a little smile. "Not every patient's wound or illness is something I already know how to treat, for instance, or maybe I run into a complication I haven't dealt with before, that sort of thing." She shrugged slightly, taking a closer look at a jar of herbs which she did not recognize, and made a mental note of its label so she'd know what it was called. "For instance, some years ago, there was a young man who had sustained severe injuries, among which was a broken leg so severe that the bone had protruded from the wound... and yet, he refused sedation when I needed to set the bone." She shook her head. "Stubborn as a mule, that boy. Anyway, as it turns out, he could not feel his legs at all, and he wouldn't admit to it." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "So, once I realized that, I had to experiment with various ideas and treatments, in order to figure out what was causing the loss of feeling in his lower body, and correct it so that he would not become paralyzed for the rest of his life. Fortunately, the damage was repaired, and he could walk again once his leg had mended." She made sure to include the 'happy ending' there, so not to leave her wondering.

Pele's suggestion about Brooke made Seri laugh. "Oh, believe me, I've told her that plenty of times, and she certainly does spend almost all daylight hours with her head buried in a book. But she doesn't even need a candle, most of the time. She's incredibly creative at coming up with ways to get enough light to read by. In fact, she'll read by the light of moon and stars if she can see the page well enough to do so." She shook her head in wonder, but she was smiling as she did. "Aislin usually has some luck at dragging her away from her books, but she still carries at least one or two of them around with her at all times. I think it really helps her though, to have that dog around. At least then, she has to get outside once or twice a day, to walk him. And she feels safer having him near."

Coming away from the cabinets, she smiled as she approached Pele. "So, what other areas are there to see, in this wonderful House of Healing?" She asked, curious. It seemed like such a large place compared to her own, back home.

---

@Pele Alarion

Trainee Trastion Leithor
Mid-late morning - Early Jan
Treatment room with Healer Linaiwe

"Would it be cliche to say 'I was just doing my job'?" Trastion asked, and attempted a little grin, but swiftly gave up on that when the motion pulled at the painful side of his face. "Really though, thanks. There was a few moments there that I wasn't so sure who would come out victorious, but it seems the Valar were with me, today." He added quietly.

He held still, with only small winces as the healer applied the ointment to his face and neck. It didn't have the exact same feeling as the stuff he was used to, but it did have a nice, soothing effect, and it wasn't long before the burning feeling began to slack off a little, at least. He breathed a little easier without the intense pain making it feel like his skin was being eaten off of his face by lava or something. "That feels better." He let her know, relief audible in his voice.

Once that was taken care of, he nodded when she mentioned getting a copy batch of the stuff he'd brought from home. A little smile tugged at the unaffected side of his face when she mentioned him not making a catastrophy out of his injuries. "Oh, believe me, I've seen people who do that, and that is not the kind of person I want to be." He assured her, thinking of a certain stepbrother, back home...

"Antiseptic ointment?" He questioned, curious about that and what might be in it. Then, he tried to remind himself that she knew of his allergy (which was why he had specifically asked for her, today) and that therefore, she would not put anything on him that contained alcohol. So, he should stop being paranoid about that. He tried to relax and endured the light sting of his wounds being cleaned as quietly as he could. He had already done that once, to the best of his ability, but he figured he hadn't been able to do the best job, trying to do it in the washroom at the guard office. It wasn't as intense as it might have been, but he was still glad when it was over. "Will I need any bandages?" he asked, unsure how bad the wounds were. Fortunately, he thought most of the cuts were in locations that could be easily bandaged, if needed.

[Pele Alarion]

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Taking Seri on a tour


"Who knows, I might wander by Bree some day. At any rate, I would love to see how you organise your clinic and perhaps even see how you go about your daily business there," Pele said, even though she was currently not sure when and if she would be able to allow herself a travel that far. There were always so many things to do that even a week-long holiday was nearly impossible.

She looked at Seri with great interest when she shared a story about the young man's predicament and the necessary experiments. "I am glad that you did find a way to treat him! It certainly sounds like a very complicated case," she acknowledged, and then added, "Well, yes. There is experimenting with treatments, not everything works for everyone. Though there is always a fine line especially when it is something that causes great pain or may cause death, and there is not a known treatment at hand. Such questions as how far should experiments go; what if they make things even worse?" She paused a while and then admitted: "I hate when there is no clear course of action known in a difficult situation and it requires a lot of risk taking and creativity."

Pele then moved for the door to take them elsewhere, and said, smiling softly, as she was opening the door: "It is good that Brooke has ways of being distracted from books occasionally. No matter how fascinating the stories within, there is life to be lived."

She then walked along the hallway following the scent of something delicious being baked. "We have kitchens here; let us peek in. It is large enough to make food for all present healers and patients so none go without," she explained and opened the door to have a wave of baking cinnamon rolls hit them with a welcoming warmth and scent. "I think dessert is in the making," she commented, motioning for Seri to step within and take a look at the team of cooks and their assistants, their stoves and pots and pans, and the busy atmosphere of lunch and dinner preparation.

---

Healer Linaiwe
Treatment room with Trastion

"I am proud of you doing your job then, and that you were not harmed worse," the healer said as she set about the promised washing of the cuts with practiced ease as if she had done the task all her long life - which in fact was quite true.

"Yes, antiseptic, Trastion," she then said with a small smile. "Some herbs have those properties too. Yarrow, based on oil, not an alcohol. It will make sure the cuts heal nicely." She took a step back and looked him over once again, her hands on her hips. "I think you can do without bandages. Mostly. The cuts are not bleeding and yarrow will make sure they don't. Unless you reopen them by a careless act or another case of carrying out your duties. I'd want to put a light bandage on one over there on your side, though," she motioned towards the guilty wound that look slightly deeper than others. "Just in case."

[Rillewen]

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

"Well, if you ever do, you'll be quite welcome!" Seri declared with a smile. "I'd be happy to have you come visit." She did wonder, what with the king's return and the kingdom being reunited, and the roads being repaired, whether there would be a lot more opportunities for folks to travel from one end of the kingdom to the other. And, at least in Pele's case, it seemed to Seri like she had plenty of healers to fill in for her if she did go on an extended trip like that. Unlike Seri, who had to leave her daughter 'stuck' filling her shoes during this time.

That reminded her, in fact, that she needed to send a letter to Emma to let her know everything that had happened so far. She was rather excited to share the news with her; about the masquerade, and everything since. She wondered, actually, how long it would take for a letter to reach Bree from here.

She wasn't able to focus for long on the thoughts of a letter, and instead returned her attention to the topic of experimental treatments. "Yes, indeed. It was... tricky," She agreed with a little smile. "Particularly because the young man happens to be very stubborn and did not want to cooperate. Kept insisting he was fine, and so much nonsense." She rolled her eyes. "Silly boy. As if I wasn't a healer who knew better than he, how bad his injuries were." She shook her head a bit in despair. "Do you ever have patients like that?" She wondered how widespread that kind of attitude was, or if it was unique to the young man in question.

As they moved into the kitchen, Seri's attention drifted toward the source of the delicious smell that greeted them when they walked in. "Mmmmm, that smells wonderful!" She declared, intrigued as she stepped in and looked for the source of that wonderful smell. "Ohh, you really have it made, here." She laughed with feigned jealousy. "Unfortunately, back home, I have to cook for all my patients, as well as myself. Or else, sometimes I might send for some food from one of the inns, but that costs more," She shrugged with a little smile. "Do you have a staff employed to do the cooking here, or do the healers and nurses all just pitch in to cook?" She was curious, although she felt a suspicion that it was the former option; that way the healers could focus on their primary task.

---

@Pele Alarion

Trainee Trastion Leithor
Mid-late morning - Early Jan
Treatment room with Healer Linaiwe

Trastion managed a faint, half-smile to hear the healer tell him she was proud of him. "Well... thanks." He answered, not quite sure what else to reply to that. He held still while she applied the antiseptic herbs. "I'm supposed to have some training here, at some point," he mentioned. "I'm not sure when, exactly, nor who will be overseeing my training, but it might be sorta soon." He wasn't actually sure when Arnyn would want him to begin his healer training, but he knew it was one of the few things he had left to accomplish. "So, I guess I'll learn all about that sort of thing, then." He smiled faintly.

While Linaiwe was bandaging his side, Trastion held his arms up and out of the way. Thankfully, the injuries didn't seem too bad as to interfere with his usual training routines, but he also figured it couldn't hurt anything to take a bit of a rest day, on account of the injuries.

Once Linaiwe was finished, he pulled his shirt back on, carefully. "Thank you." He knew that would have been difficult for him to do, on his own. And he was very glad she had not been too busy to help him, as he knew she must be quite busy around here. "I'll bring that jar back here, as soon as I get back to the barracks." Trastion promised, figuring there was no point in wasting any time. "And don't worry, I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the day, as much as I'm able. I think I only have a few things that I have to do, and the rest was only some training. I can put that off until tomorrow, and give these cuts a chance to heal a little first." He figured he could forego some of his training just for one day, since didn't want to risk making any of his injuries worse.

Since she had finished treating him now, he didn't have to wait long to be cleared to leave from the houses of healing. It was only a few minutes later before Trastion returned, bringing the emptied jar, with its list of ingredients glued to the side, so that some more salve could hopefully be made for him. Then he left the houses of healing for the second time, and he went straight to the barrack's common room to relax until any necessary duties called for him to do something else.

[Pele Alarion]

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Taking Seri on a tour

"There might come a time for visits, who knows, right?" Pele added as an after-thought to the subject, thinking to herself that it really would be a nice change of scenery if there ever was an opportunity to travel.

Pele could not help but laugh softly when Seri asked if she had stubborn patients. "I have a bunch of Rangers under my command, and I bet most of them are like this," she said and then confessed with another laugh, "Probably I am like that too, healer or not. I'm sure healer Linaiwe would shake her head disapprovingly if you ever happened to ask her something along these lines."

As they inspected the baking process, Pele managed to resist the silly desire to snatch a couple of cinnamon buns and instead got a cook's permission to take a couple, and she promptly gave one to Seri to see what she would say of the food that was served to the patients, and the healers as well.

"We have cooks," she then explained in response to Seri's asking. "The Houses are large, and both patients and healers need sustenance, so it is more effective to have professionals employed in cooking while healers tend to patient's health. At any rate, we also have sufficient funds for it, seeing that it is in the King's interest to make sure the population of the city are tended as best as could be." She then guided herself and Seri out of the kitchen before the head cook could chase them out of his assigned kingdom. "Different locations, different sizes of facilities, I suppose. Sometimes I also visit nearby villages just to check in and... to have an experience of the different."

Pele took a cautious taste of the bun just in case it was yet too hot, and then headed for one of the treatment rooms which she thought was not occupied.

[Isolde Alarion]

@Pele Alarion
Reception
Amber not feeling so well.

Although her health had mostly recovered she wasn't feeling completely healed. Her hand rest on her stomach as she made her way to the Houses of Healing. Worried that she'd perhaps caught a stomach ailment she finally decided to see a healer about it.

She approached the door and went inside, before her was the reception desk. She came to rest against it as she looked for someone to help her. She rang a bell. "Excuse me. I'd like to see a healer please."

[Pele Alarion]

@Isolde Alarion
Reception - Late afternoon/evening of December 30
Receptionist Miriel

The receptionist had left her spot for a moment to breathe in the fresh garden air, though she stood just beyond the door just in case she was needed. And apparently it was a very appropriate thing to do - she heard the bell through the open door and so returned to the desk.

"Good afternoon!" she greeted, looking at the young woman with a kind smile. "What is the general issue so that I could know which healer I should look for? Probably not a surgeon?"

[Isolde Alarion]

@Pele Alarion
Reception - Late afternoon/evening of December 30
Amber

It didn't take long and a woman was approaching the desk. Amber assumed it was the receptionist and smiled in response to the woman's greeting. "Good afternoon." she first responded before continuing. She chuckled lightly at the receptionist guess that she didn't need a surgeon. "Um, no. No surgeon." and lightly waved the question away.

"I think I have a stomach ailment. It's very unsettled and won't seem to go away no matter what I do." She patted her belly lightly. "Maybe I got some bad stew?"

[Rillewen]

@Pele Alarion

Seri - Healer of Bree
Visiting the Healers of M.T.
(a couple of days after the masquerade)

Seri laughed as she heard that Pele had a whole bunch of rangers in her care. "Ahhh, yes. Rangers do make terrible patients, don't they?" She agreed, amused. She had tended to her share of them out in the Chetwood over the years. While most of the Breelanders had been suspicious and wary of the rangers, who they did not understand at all, Seri had been one of the few to welcome their kind and tend to them if they were injured. That was part of the reason why she had always conducted her healing practice out of her cabin, where rangers could seek her aid without the townsfolk starting to whisper and stir up trouble, rather than opening up a proper clinic in town. At least, until recent years, when her countrymen began to realize and accept that the mysterious travelers who used to 'lurk' around their lands, were actually there to protect them, not to cause trouble or conduct shady dealings.

"Employing cooks makes sense, here," She nodded at the explanation, and smiled as she accepted one of the delicious-smelling buns while following Pele out of the kitchen. "Do these other villages have no healer of their own?" She asked, curious to hear that Pele visited them at times. "It's good of you to visit them, either way." She thought it would be nice if there were other healers in her area, that they could visit one another, perhaps chat about the latest medicines or treatments and such.

She nibbled on the bun carefully, because it smelled too good to wait for it to cool any more. "Mm, that's really good. Your patients have it very good." She grinned as she followed her toward another room. "So, I plan to stay in town until the spring," She mentioned. "Would it be possible for me to sort of.. join your team of healers, temporarily? Until the spring? I'm sure there's plenty that I could learn from you and your healers. I'm always open to learning new things, or if there is something I know, which I can teach someone else, I'd be happy to share the knowledge."

[Pele Alarion]

@Isolde Alarion
Reception – Late afternoon/evening of December 30
Receptionist Miriel fetching a healer

“Ah, a stomach ailment,” the receptionist said, content that it was nothing worse than that. “I will see if I can find one of the healers to see to you then. Take a seat if you like,” she waved towards the chairs and then set off to look for healers deciding to look into the study first and then peek into the storage, and only then into the treatment rooms.

She found Pele sitting at the table with several books open and cleared her throat to get her attention. “There’s a young woman with an unsettled stomach needing a look, if I may report,” she said to the healer, not really sorry about bothering what might be serious in-depth study of sorts. Work had to be done, after all.

Leaving the books as they were, Pele rose to follow the receptionist back to reception with a slight roll of eyes at Miriel’s blunt report.

“Let’s see…” she only responded as she walked along.

When she saw that it was Amber, Pele thought how opportune it was right after the reports earlier this morning; however, she was not about to blurt everything out and raise the girl’s hopes needlessly before facts could be checked.

“Amber, good to see you,” she thus said, and it was true. She had been wondering about how the girl was doing after she had left the Houses, and she had not had time to go search for her to follow up. “I hear your stomach is giving you trouble? Come, let us go to a treatment room.”

She placed her hand on Amber’s arm lightly to guide her away from the public eye.

---

@Rillewen
Master Healer Pele Alarion
Taking Seri on a tour

Pele shrugged one shoulder and smiled as innocently as she could when Seri laughed that Rangers are terrible patients. In the battle field it might be important to keep going even with an injury if at all possible, but then again it was hard to be good patients even when things were all easy like.

“The villages do have at least one healer each, mostly, but it is always good to check in with each other,” Pele explained, “And sometimes it is good to take younger healers and their apprentices out for a different kind of experience.”

She feasted on the cinnamon bun as she walked into an empty (luckily) treatment room and swung open the cabinet doors with one hand so Seri could take a look. “This is a treatment room, one of the several, where we take immediate care of any injuries, examine patients and all that,” she said and then kept gesturing almost theatrically. “This is a cupboard with dressing materials; there are ointments and herbs; that is storage of surgical tools, needles, sutures… towels and such. A hearth to heat water.” At the end of her little speech, she sat down on the cot.

“Spring is a way off,” Pele then addressed the topic of Seri joining the other healers while she was here. “A plenty of time for experience exchange, so to say, and I don’t see any reason for why not. I might not be here all that often since I have to split my time between here, Ranger Headquarters, and also training grounds. But I could introduce you to at least another healer or two, if you would like, so you can always have someone to work with and not be lost in this here kingdom.”