Chapter 15
“Quickly! This way! Here he is! Right here! This bed! He is really hurt! Someone punched him up real good, did they not? He looks like he is in a lot of pain, though obviously he is unconscious right now. Which is a good thing for him. I found him. This morning. Right outside your room. Did you hear anything? See anyone suspicious? The amount of commotion to hit someone even once is very big, but this… well, I cannot imagine you slept through it. Who do-”
“Quiet boy! Before I sew your lips shut!” Glorfindel glared.
“But he is hurt!”
“I can see that and your whining voice will not help him and it is giving me a headache. Besides, what business is it of mine? Or yours for that matter?”
“Well, I found him. And it was right outside your door! And your father refused to have anything to do with it and said to get you instead. So, that is how we are involved.”
“Well now that you have brought me here you are no longer needed. Go.”
“I may not be needed but I can still be useful. Besides, I promised him I would be here when he wakes up. How much longer until then, sir?”
It took Clorel a moment to realise he was being addressed, happy being ignored in the shadows.
“Oh, mmmm, should be any minute now. He looks worse than he actually is, but the pain shall still be quite extensive.”
“Will there be any scarring?” Glorfindel asked.
“I do not imagine there will be, but I cannot say for sure either way.”
As if on cue, Erestor began moaning as he groggily left his hazy dreams, ever so slowly pulling his gunky and puffy eyelids apart, barely able to open either. Looking around, he immediately saw Glorfindel feigning interest and the scribe shivered with fear.
“Are you all right?” the young soldier–in-training asked. “Are you cold? Would you like another blanket? Perhaps I should close the curtains? Which would you like, if any?”
Erestor would have smiled at the boy’s eagerness to please, but he lacked the will to do so and ended up shaking his head minutely, indicating that he did not want anything the lad said.
“Who did this to you?” the boy enquired.
“As important as these questions are, I think they can wait for a little while. Erestor, how do you feel?”
“No! I was dragged from my warm bed to be here. I will be damned if I lose another sleepless moment over this incident,” Glorfindel said and glared at everyone.
“Forgive me, my Lord but you do not seem very upset about this.”
“Is there any reason why I should be?”
“He is a member of your court and one of your subjects! If he cannot rely on you to care for his predicament and call for retribution from the guilty parties, then who can he turn to? Come, who did this to you?”
Erestor blinked and swung his eyes to Glorfindel for a moment, receiving a glare for an answer. The scribe recoiled and shook his head minutely.
“No one, really?” Glorfindel scoffed.
“How did this happen?” the boy persisted.
Erestor shook his head again.
“Nothing and no one? Well, case closed then, I am going back to bed.”
“No! Wait! He is just scared. Erestor, please, you are safe here. Just tell us what happened, please.”
Erestor remained silent once more.
“This is a waste of my time. Listen here, lad, elves do not hurt other elves just for the sake of it! I am sure whatever Erestor did to deserve this was warranted. Was it?”
Erestor nodded his head.
“MY LORD! No one deserves to be hurt this badly!”
“Erestor himself just admitted guilt! And since his own foolish actions were the cause of the attack, I expect him at his desk by the start of the day! And afterwards, he is expected in my rooms so we can discuss this further.”
“My Lord!” Clorel protested, “Erestor is in no condition to work. He shall be in extensive pain all day. He will be no use to you at all.”
“Then it is his reckless behaviour that is to be blamed, not I,” Glorfindel said then left the room.
The young soldier and Clorel looked at one another in bewilderment then at Erestor who was doing his best not to cry.
“What is your name, son?” Clorel asked the young boy.
“Nandaer.”
“Nandaer, I want you to take care of Erestor today. Make sure he does not exert himself and is not in too much pain.”
“You mean you are really going to let him work in his condition?”
“Lord Glorfindel demands it and there is no wound that I can use as an excuse to keep him abed. As I said, he looks worse than he actually is.”
“What about my training? I am expected to be there! I can be discharged if I do not attend every session!”
“I will write a note to your commanding officer and explain to him that you are needed elsewhere today.”
“All right… though Lord Glorfindel will not be happy about it. I am already behind in my skills compared to everyone else.”
“Well, there is no need for us to tell him.”
“But he is my trainer!”
“Oh… Oh dear… This does present a problem… Hmmm… What- What if I personally take all the blame? Do not fret, I shall make sure you are not mistreated due to my request. Of course, you are able to decline if you so wish. Although that does mean Erestor will be all alone for the entire day… Completely defenceless should his attackers return…”
“Oh! No! I will stay with him and do my very best to assist in any way I can! I will be very good at it too, Master Erestor.”
Erestor looked at the elf still a few years from his majority and tried to smile, but his cracked and swollen lips protested and he desisted. Nodding his head he began shuffling out of bed.
“Now, you do not have any broken bones, which is a miracle, but there are more than enough bruises and cuts to make up for it. And a few of your bones are going to be very tender for the next few days. Make sure there is no strenuous activity or weight put on them else they will snap like a twig. Just be careful. Nandaer, I am relying on you to make sure he does not get into any mischief.”
“You can count on me!” The boy smiled brightly and saluted the Healer.
“Excellent. Here are twelve sachets of healing tea. They must be taken every half hour with a cup of boiling water. Come back when you need more and I should have plenty made up by then. I shall also make some liquid meals for Erestor and have a maid deliver them to his office. Is all that understood?”
“Yes, thank you!” Nandaer said and looked to Erestor for confirmation, but the Scribe was already shuffling out the door. “Oh, here, let me help you,” the boy called and went to Erestor’s side, holding an arm steady as they left.
Barely able to see through his swollen eyes, Erestor held on tight to Nandaer as he was taken down various corridors. Eventually they came to Erestor’s office and the older elf let out a shaky, thankful sigh as he sat down. However his gratefulness did not last long as his eyes swung to his desk top and five massive piles of papers slowly came into focus. It was more work than anyone, no matter their experience and expertise, could handle in a day!
On top of the closest pile there was a note, from Glorfindel. Erestor picked it up and tried to bring the words into his peripheral vision, but they were all blurred. Handing it to Nandaer, the boy read it out loud.
‘I gave the other Scribes the day off, so you will have to take on their workload. Have it done by the time you come to my rooms.’
“That is not fair!” Nandaer exclaimed, feeling sorry for all the Scribe had to deal with within a single day. “I am starting to think he does not have your best interests at heart.”
Erestor’s lips gave a small twitch but said nothing. Never one to mope, he set his face and determinedly began working, often handing things to Nandaer to read out as he did so.
All day Nandaer flitted about, making tea, fluffing pillows, fetching documents, delivering papers, reading and above all, keeping all potential threats away. Maids brought soup made up of various thickened liquids, all of which were healthy, delicious and very filling for Erestor to eat.
By the day’s end Erestor had completed all but one pile of work. Sitting back with a look of accomplishment on his already healing face, his eyes swung to Nandaer who looked nothing short of amazed.
“Shall we go see Clorel for dinner?” Nandaer offered.
Erestor sadly shook his head. “Lerd Glirfifel wunted to see ne.”
“Allow me to escort you,” Nandaer said, already moving towards the door.
Erestor nodded his head in thanks and moved past him into the corridor. They walked on in silence, many questioning and disgusted looks sent Erestor’s way but he held his head up high and kept walking. Upon reaching Glorfindel’s quarters, Nandaer knocked and they waited for the door to open.
Secar swung the door in on its hinges, took one look at Erestor and smirked.
“My Lord has no time for tragic cases. Come back… oh… never!” And with that he began closing the door but Glorfindel’s voice halted his actions.
“Who is it?”
“Some ghastly thing that, were I to guess, could only be assumed to be Erestor. And with it, his trainer.”
“What!?” Glorfindel jumped up and ran to the door, pushing Secar out of the way and yanking Erestor inside, slamming the door closed immediately. Nandaer looked stunned for a moment then began knocking on the heavy wood, ordering them to open up.
“Secar, dinner!” Glorfindel ordered and watched as the servant exited the room. Rounding on Erestor, Glorfindel looked livid. “What is the meaning of this? How dare you come here looking so grotesque! Did anyone see you?”
Erestor looked stunned and confused.
“Yew toald ne to kum,” he said simply.
“I did not mean it! It was for the benefit of Clorel! Now get out of here before you put me off my dinner!”
Erestor’s jaw clenched in anger.
“It iz vecaus ov you I look like dis!”
Glorfindel took a moment to let his rage build. Erestor, upon watching a few rain clouds grow into a storm, turned and tried to flee the room. Grasping the doorhandle he turned it and began opening the door but Glorfindel’s hand on the wood next to his head slammed it shut. Grasping the Scribe around the middle, Glorfindel then used his body to push Erestor against the door.
“Your body is mine to do with as I please. If you do not like it… sail. Come back once you have healed.” Then he released Erestor.
Erestor opened the door and escaped through it, not looking at Glorfindel once. Which was a pity, for if he had, he would have seen a strange smile tugging at the blonde’s lips.
TBC
Parmasambe
Library of Imladris
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.