Take my hand and with it my heart

Unexpected guest

Gandalf was in the house of healing watching over the sick and teaching the healers some of the treatments he'd seen throughout his travels. Loreth the wise old woman of Gondor was reciprocating by showing some of the more Rudimentary things that a wizard usually doesn't have time to learn. At the moment she was showing him how to properly clean a wound to prevent infection. The wound was a deep cut on the leg of a young man that was brought in earlier that morning. Just then they heard a knock on the door.

" I wonder who that could be? Maybe another person that got into a fight over their "one true love". Why don't you tend to them? I have to get some more kingsfoil." Loreth said, walking away before Gandalf could agree.

He got up and walked over to the wooden door with a small smile on his face. The wizard had a soft spot for the lady. He opened the door expecting to see his 24th case of the day. (surprising for a time of peace)

"Ah, Gimli! What can a humble healer like myself do for you? You haven't been in a fight now have you?"

"No nothing like that," Gimli walked in and pulled up a chair next to Gandalf. He waited until Loreth was away in the herb closest to speak. He didn't want to worry the old woman "Gandalf, do you know anything about an illness or curse spreading around? I spoke with Legolas and he had a fit saying the strangest things! Even the people at the pub were acting peculiar."

  "Are you certain? What did Legolas say?"Gandalf looked at Gimli with an arched brow.

  "That he loved me!" At this Gandalf had a small smirk "When I asked if he was alright he had a complete breakdown, shaking and crying it was absurd! Now, don't you see why I'm so worried?" Gimli was looking very distressed and was pulling at his beard. At this Gandlaf's smirk slowly turned into a concerned frown.

  "Hmm yes well that doesn't sound like Legolas.... Are you certain he wasn't inebriated? I know elves have some resistance to alcohol but they're not immune."

  "What? Of course, he wasn't drunk! Why would he confess to me if that were the case?" Gimli's face went as red as his beard. 

  "Well, you too are very close," Gandalf smiled at Gimli with a knowing look " I must have been mistaking my apologies."     

"Were just good friends, don't be abused! I don't know what could possibly lead you to that conclusion! He is an elf and I am a dwarf that would be a crime against our very people. You're lucky he isn't here or else you would have another patient! Has everyone in this city gone mad?!" Gimli's face was reaching peak redness.

"I haven't seen anything too out of the ordinary..." Just as Gandalf was speaking the young man he was just treating jumped out of bed onto his wounded leg.  

" Venrisa! Please listen to me! We are in love! I don't care what your husband says!" The young man made a fast dash for the door but before he could Loreth comes running out of the herb closet tackling the wounded man.

"Don't just stand there! Help me tie him down!"

Gandalf and Gimli helped the old women maneuver the man to the bed tying his limbs down to the wooden frame.

" I don't know what's gotten into him! In fact, most of the people I've treated recently have been estranged screaming of love... Do you know anything about this Gandalf? You seem to know about these strange occurrences."

"Well ma'am that's just what I'm here to find out. A good friend of mine went crazy Just like this poor bloke."

"How peculiar... hmm I might suggest you go find lady Galadriel for she was speaking of something to do with love...perhaps I should have listened but when it comes to love most of us immortals grow out of its entrancements." Gandalf had a lost look on his face trying to remember what the lady was speaking of.

"Alas! I should have gone with my dwarven gut!" Gimli was already out the door before Gandalf had finished his thought. Of course, the lady would know of the strange love illness spreading! For nobody else in all of middle earth is as lovely.