The Fellowship's Silvertongue. Part 2.

Our Findings

Once we had returned to Edoras, Theoden gave me the task of tending to the wounded. They had been treated in battle, but their dressings needed changing and their wounds needed cleaning. I requested that we set up a tent for all the injured so that we didn't run out of room in the Great Hall, and Theoden was quick to comply. To make the whole process easier, Aragorn joined me as he was almost equally skilled in medicine as I was. I did not mention the fact that he knew nothing of modern medicine, because it did not apply, but I was thankful that he didn't question my methods. 

Aragorn was at the opposite end of the tent while I tended to an older man's torn-up leg. Many of the worst injuries had been caused by the explosion. Aragorn and I had bandaged, stitched, and made splints for many men, young and old. I finished cleaning the stitches I had given the elderly man and wrapped his leg with clean bandages. 

I stood from the cot and walked to the water barrel I had been using to rinse my hands. Something that I wished for more than anything at the moment was antibacterial soap, but the best I could do was a bar of goat's milk soap and pure alcohol to disinfect.

As I dried off my hands, I watched as Legolas entered the tent nearest to Aragorn holding two bowls. It was probably soup or stew. He handed a bowl to Aragorn, they exchanged a few words, and Aragorn pointed in my direction. Legolas approached me and I met him halfway to save him the walk. 

"Hi," I greeted him as he handed over the bowl. It was stew. "What brings you here other than to wait on us?" 

Legolas smiled softly at my humor. "Other than bringing food, I wished to see that you were well. You and Aragorn have been working restlessly since we returned from Helm's Deep. How are you faring?" 

I took a spoonful of the stew before I was ready to reply and spoke through my mouthful. "I'm fine." Then I spoke without thinking. "You should see the ER nurses, they're up 24 hours a day without a pee break." 

Legolas furrowed his brow. Partially because he couldn't understand me through the mouthful, and even if he tried to understand what I was saying, he had no idea what an ER was. I shook my head to dismiss him and he must have assumed I was referencing my world. Legolas eyed the bandage that was wrapped around my forearm, a few spots of blood had seeped through. "What happened to your arm?" 

I swallowed my food and glanced down. "Just a gash, nothing I can't handle. It must have been a blade or the explosion." 

"It still bleeds," he said. 

"I was going to get to it later. I've got a whole tent full of soldiers if you hadn't noticed." I gestured to the rows of men lying on cots. Legolas glanced their way with a light nod. 

"Allow me to rebandage it while you eat," he offered. 

He had a point. I was no longer busy tending to the wounded and had a moment to spare, as well as an extra hand. 

"If I say no you'll keep trying, won't you?" I questioned.

"Aye, I would," Legolas answered. 

"Alright," I said and plopped myself down on an empty cot. 

Legolas grabbed a roll of bandages and a bowl of water. I ate my stew but watched intently, expecting that I would have to give him pointers as to how he should tend to my arm. But, he had a gentle touch and it seemed like he had done this many times before. Legolas unwrapped the bandages to reveal the bloodstained gash on my forearm. He only took a few seconds to look at it before he named the cause. 

"Orc blade," he said. "It is not deep enough to need stitches." 

I nodded in reply. I knew that it didn't need stitches, but it was nice to get a second opinion. Legolas cleaned the wound and rewrapped it. A part of me didn't want him to stop. I wanted him to stay with me and continue to handle me with such care. To my relief, when he secured the bandages, he did not remove his hand from my arm and I dared to look at his face. My heart jumped when I met his gaze that was fixed on me. I felt lost in his blue eyes and realized I should say something before it got weird. 

"Thank you," I said at almost a whisper. 

"Ta nae amin saesa," he responded. "It was my pleasure." 

Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. 

I found myself staring deeply into this elf's eyes and he did not break his gaze. It seemed as though he wanted to say something, but some force was holding him back. Finally, he opened his mouth to speak. 

"What will we find in Isengard?" 

I blinked and gave him an incredulous look. I unintentionally let out a frustrated sigh and spoke again without thinking. 

"You ruined the moment!" I exclaimed. Hopefully, Aragorn didn't hear that. Maybe he did. "We find nothing terrible if that's what you want to know!" Save for the Palantir, but he didn't need to know that. 

Legolas let go of my arm as I stood from the cot. "Did I upset you?" 

I began to laugh and set down my empty bowl. Legolas made a concerned but also confused expression and I continued to laugh as I cleaned up my medical supplies. My laughter is what brought Aragorn's attention to us and I'm sure he was just as confused as Legolas. 

~

This was going to be my first time in Fangorn Forest. And I'm glad it was now because the Ents had taken Isengard and Saruman was powerless. Our rescue party consisted of Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Èomer, and Theoden. 

"The forest feels very empty since the last time we were here," said Legolas. 

"Is that a good thing?" I asked, looking around. 

"That I am not sure of," he replied.

Further, we trekked into the woods, till we came to the edge, where we were greeted by a half-destroyed stone wall, boxes of pork, bread, and pipeweed, and two Hobbits sitting smoking the pipeweed and eating the pork. 

The two hobbits spotted us, Merry stood up and waved, and Pippin laughed like the excited Hobbit he was.

"Welcome, My Lords! To Isengard!" Merry shouted. 

We found them.