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━━━━»•» act one. age of ruins

05. battle scars «•« ━━━━

* ✧                          .°

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ third age ━━ year 2949

𓇻 eriador; imladris {rivendell}

*.                     ✦                      °.

THE HEALING ROOMS OF RIVENDELL SMELLED OF BITTER HERBS AND SWEET SALVES. A smell Elgarain had come to associate with serene afternoons doing what she did best. Under the watchful eye and stern teachings of Lord Elrond she had developed her skills as a healer. She had proven her request to Elrond all those years ago hadn't been a waste of both their time. It had taken many seasons of hard work but eventually she learned to master the delicate art of bringing life to the wounded.

And though there were few things that made her feel better than evenings spent with her drawing equipment, spending time to work on her healing skills came very close. She'd read most of the books in the library on healing but her thirst for learning more felt far from quenched. Which explained why she was currently seated on the floor of the healing rooms, a book in her lap as she studied the words. A piece of parchment and a pencil were on the floor beside her and sometimes she looked up from the book to take a few notes, or draw one of the little plants described on the pages.

If only she could truly focus on letting the words settle in her mind. For the figure of Daros hovering by the door fueled her frustration and distracted her from her studies. This morning Gyda left, together with Galion, Elladan and Elrohir, on Lord Elrond's command to scout the mountains for packs of orcs that had been spotted several days ago. And apparently the ancient magic protecting the hidden valley of Imladris wasn't enough to satisfy Gyda and instead she had asked the other Ñoldor Elves to keep an eye on their future High-Queen. Daros, Cirdan and Ithel had been shadowing her every step ever since Gyda left. They hadn't even tried to hide their assignment, proud to be serving their Queen and follow the orders of the Captain of their Guard. But in the process of doing so they failed to see how much Elgarain longed to simply breathe, free from anyone shadowing her every step.

It was the one thing that she hadn't managed to learn in all her time spent in Rivendell. How to be a Queen...Whenever someone mentioned her title, she still felt like an imposter, someone who wasn't worthy of so much respect. She knew all there was to know about the history of her kin. Lord Elrond had told her the stories of her grandfather Fingon and the many battles he'd fought. He told her of the first kings of the Ñoldor; Finwë and his sons Fëanor, Fingolfin and Finarfin. She knew of their glories and their defeats. She knew the very foundations of the Ñoldor kingdom inside and out and yet she felt like none of that history belonged to her.

She didn't feel like the descendant of these High-Kings, she felt none of their strength running through her blood. Instead she felt alone in a world that had left nothing but ruins for her to rule.

With a sigh she closed the heavy book and got back on her feet. She gathered her things and left the Healing Rooms behind, making sure to give Daros a glare of displeasure on her way out into the hallway. She swore she could see her guard's jaw tighten when he met her gaze. Perhaps she hadn't changed that much after all in her 2960 years alive, seeing as her glare was still as impressive as it used to be.

Still, that didn't prevent Daros from following her as she made her way to the library. He kept a respectful distance but still her ears picked up on every move he made. She entered the large room filled from the ground up to the ceiling with rows upon rows of books. The library of Rivendell was truly a sight to behold. Ages of wisdom were stored upon the selves and not just from the culture of the Elves. There were texts on Dwarves and Men alike, even some ancient scriptures on the Maiar. Sadly she hadn't found the time to read those yet, trying to keep her focus on books relevant to her teachings.

With a quick look over her shoulder at Daros, who hovered near the door opening, she moved towards the self she'd taken her book from and placed it back where it belonged. She'd done more than enough for one day. With the notes she'd taken she had enough to learn for at least a week.

The sound of a horn cut through her thoughts, loud and foreboding. Her feet were running before her mind had even processed what was happening. It was the horn of Gyda's party returning to Rivendell, but they wouldn't sound it unless something bad had happened...

Daros was right behind her as they rushed towards the courtyard, where Lord Elrond was already waiting. She watched as their horses came galloping towards them, crossing the bridge into the safety of the valley. Her eyes immediately fell on the unconscious form of Elladan, only being held on his horse by the strong arm of his brother. Galion rode beside them, a red cut on his forehead but otherwise he seemed unharmed. Elgarain didn't bother to look at Gyda, assured her skills would most likely have kept her safe. She had many bruises as proof of her skills...

"Adar!" Elrohir called out as they pulled their horses to a stop. "He needs help!"

Elgarain turned her eyes to look at Lord Elrond, but he had set his role as father aside and all she could see were the trained eyes of a healer as he stepped forwards and examined the wounded body of Elladan. "Bring him to the Healing Rooms," he said, looking at his other son.

Elrohir nodded and Galion got down from his horse to help him carry his brother. The two of them disappeared into the hallway, with Elgarain and Lord Elrond right behind them. They rushed through the hallways before finally entering the Healing Rooms.

"Put him on the bed," Elrond instructed, watching as the two soldiers carefully put Elladan down.

Elgarain remained close to his side as the Elf Lord examined his son. "What happened?" he questioned as his hands searched for a pulse.

"We were ambushed," Gyda explained, but then her eyes drifted to Elrohir for help.

"He was holding off three of them by the time I arrived," Elrohir explained. "He was cut down before I could reach him."

Lord Elrond nodded, then reached for Elladans shoulder, where his tunic was stained red with blood. Carefully he pulled the cloth apart, his brow furrowing. Then, suddenly, he turned his gaze to Elgarain. "Tell me what you see," he instructed.

For a moment she swore her heart stopped. She'd helped to treat many wounds and inflictions in her years of training but never had Lord Elrond asked her so directly for her opinion. If it'd only been the two of them in the room she might've found it within herself to answer, but with all those eyes resting on her she couldn't manage to utter a single word.

"Elgarain," Lord Elrond spoke her name sternly, managing to break her out of her thoughts. "Tell me what you see." His tone wasn't any less stern or urgent but there was a kindness in his eyes telling her to remember the many lessons she'd had. She was more capable than she believed herself to be.

Taking a deep breath she stepped forward, leaning over Elladan's unconscious body to inspect the wound. Carefully she reached for the cloth of his tunic, pulling it away from the wound. It was, however, impossible to see anything through the fresh blood that kept spilling out from somewhere.

"There is a lot of fresh blood," she observed. "The blade could have struck a vein." She took another deep breath, feeling her confidence slowly return as she went through the information she'd stored inside of her mind. She put her hand to Elladan's forehead, feeling for his temperature. "He doesn't appear to have a fever." Which meant it was unlikely the blade had been poisoned, a nasty trick Orcs liked to use but luckily, it didn't seem like that was the case this time. She moved her hand to his chest, pressing it softly against his skin. The entire room seemed to hold its breath as she listened. "Breathing is steady, his lungs most likely remain undamaged."

Her eyes flickered to Lord Elrond, who waited patiently for her to say what she needed. "Our first priority is to stop the bleeding," she said. "Only then can we see how severe the wound is."

Elrond nodded. "Well said."

Pride flickered through her chest, but she didn't allow herself to linger on the feeling. Instead she turned to the small cabinet that was placed beside the bed. She reached inside and took a few clean cloths, then she turned to Elrohir. "I need you to put pressure on his shoulder."

The Elf nodded, determination burning bright in his gaze as he took the cloth from her hands and pressed it down against the bleeding wound.

"There's nothing we can do until the bleeding has stopped," Elgarain said, turning to look at Gyda and Galion. "So please take a seat so we can treat your wounds."

"I'm alright," Gyda spoke and nodded at Galion instead. "He is the one who needs your help."

For a moment both Elves stared at Gyda and Elgarain frowned at the way she awkwardly held her left arm, as though it pained her to simply let it hang at her side. As if the Elf could feel her gaze she moved her body so her arm was out of Elgarain's sight. "As you wish," she told her guard, before turning on her heels to head towards the cabinets and grab the right equipment.

She filled a bowl with fresh water and grabbed more clean cloth before walking back towards Galion. While Lord Elrond kept a watchful eye on his son, Elgarain ordered the stubborn Elf before her to take a seat.

"It's just a scrape," Galion protested.

"Even small scrapes can get infected," Elgarain said, smiling innocently at him though her intentions were communicated perfectly by the stern look in her eyes.

With a small sigh Galion sat down, watching as she poured water on the cloth and started cleaning his wound. "Do you feel dizzy?" She questioned, while keeping her eyes focused on the cut running along his forehead.

"No," he answered.

She raised an eyebrow at him, making an annoyed sigh leave his lips.

"I'm telling the truth, Aranel."

"You better be," she mumbled, aware that his stubbornness knew no bounds. She wiped away the last of the blood from his skin. "The cut is not that deep," she observed. "No need for stitches."

Galion nodded, then his eyes flickered towards Gyda, who hadn't move from the spot she'd been standing in from the moment she entered the room. Her eyes were glued to Elladan, her face white, as though she'd seen a ghost.

"Did something happen out there?" Elgarain questioned, a frown on her face. She hadn't the Elf ever seen so...unbalanced before. It made her feel uneasy.

"Nothing we haven't seen before," Galion replied, doubt in his eyes the longer he kept his gaze on his friend.

Once again Elgarain's eyes were drawn to the strange way Gyda was holding her arm, the way she was swaying slightly on her feet...She turned back to look at Galion. "You're free to go," she told him, then headed towards the Captain of her Guard.

"You're wounded," she said bluntly as she came to a halt in front of her friend.

Gyda's gaze slowly broke away from Elladan and found Elgarain's eyes. "I'm fine," she said.

Annoyance flared up inside of her. "No, you're not." Elgarain gestured towards her arm. "You're hurt."

Gyda clenched her jaw. "Elladan needs your help, not me."

Upon hearing those words, Elgarain felt something snap inside of her. First Gyda left guards behind to shadow her every step, as though she was still a child running away at every chance she could get. Then she had the nerve to give her orders in the Healing Rooms, her terrain. Telling her who needed help and who did not.

She took a step forward before she could help herself. "Out there, on the training grounds, you can give the orders, that is where you were trained. But here, I am the one who has the training and I decide who needs help."

She held Gyda's gaze, stubborn hazel eyes meeting equally as stubborn green ones. Until finally Gyda nodded, such a small notion Elgarain might not have seen it had she not been standing so close.

"Take a seat," Elgarain said softly, before turning around and getting clean water and more cloth. When she returned, Gyda had gotten rid of her arm bracer, revealing a deep cut across her lower arm. The skin surrounding it was red and slightly swollen, making Elgarain grit her teeth at the sight. "It's infected," she said.

"I can tell," Gyda winced as Elgarain carefully placed the cloth against it.

"Hold it there, I'll be right back," she said, then headed towards the back of the Healing Rooms, where an entire wall was filled with herbs in bottles and bowls. Her fingers searched the rows for the herbs she was looking for, moving fast while her frustration still lingering in her bones like a smoldering fire. In her hurry to reach for the bottle once she found it, she forgot to see the one right next to it, knocking it over with her elbow.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable sound of glass shattering on the floor, but nothing came. Frowning, she opened her eyes and turned around, eyes wide as she watched as the man she'd seen in the gardens a few days ago, caught the bottle before it hit the ground.

His grey eyes seemed amused as he placed the bottle back on the shelf. "I was always told healers were to remain calm when treating their patients," he said, his tone teasing.

She felt a small smile tugging at her lips. "Even when their patients are refusing treatment?" She questioned, not really expecting an answer.

But he gave one anyway. "Especially then," he said, studying her before adding: "I'd say."

"Well," she muttered, hating the fact that he was right. "I will try to remember that..." Doubt lingered on the edge of her voice as she tried to finish her sentence, but realised she did not know his name.

"Estel," he introduced himself with a smile.

She nodded. "Thank you for your advice, Estel." Then she turned around and made her way back to where Gyda was waiting for her. Only halfway across the room did she realise she had failed to give him her name in return, but when she turned to look over her shoulder, he was gone. For a moment she stood there, frozen, unsure of what the to do, before she shook her head and made her way back to Gyda.

She took a seat on the bed beside the brunette and took the cloth she'd been pressing against her wound, in her own hands. She crushed the herbs and put them in the water, blending it together. As she worked she could feel Gyda's eyes on her but refused to look at her in return. When she was done, she carefully took Gyda's arm and put it in her lap. Very carefully she put the water and the herbs on the raw and red skin.

"I didn't mean to question your skills," Gyda muttered after a moment.

Elgarain kept her eyes focused on applying the mixture to the wound but nodded anyway. "I know."

"I was..." She searched for the right words, "worried about Elladan. But you did good today. Your lessons with Lord Elrond seem to progress nicely."

Finally she lifted her gaze and nodded. "Thank you," she said. For a moment she really believed that was all she had to say, but as she looked into Gyda's eyes and remembered the way they'd seemed so haunted moments before. The words left her lips before she could stop them. "Did something happen when you were out there?" She questioned softly, wishing she could take it back as soon as she'd said it.

Gyda's eyes flashed with the ghost of a memory and her shoulders tensed. Elgarain watched as her hand went to the hilt of her sword, but she'd left the weapon behind in the courtyard. "For a moment," Gyda whispered, "it felt like I was back on the plains of Mordor." Then her eyes hardened. "Can I be released?"

Elgarain looked down on the bandage she'd applied on the wound, feeling her words failing. "Yes," she finally said. "Don't forget to change the bandage every morning until it is healed."

Gyda nodded and got to her feet, seeming to want to make an escape as quickly as possible but Elgarain called out her name, making her come to a halt. "During the war, I had these dreams about Mordor and I haven't even been there. I-" She took a deep breath. "I cannot even begin to imagine what you had to go through. I'm sorry."

The guard tensed at her words, fingers pausing on their way to open the door. She took a deep breath. "That's right. You can't imagine. So don't talk about it like you can." Then she disappeared in the hallway and slammed the door behind her.

Elgarain winced at the sound but wasn't given time to dwell on the harsh words of her guard.

"Elgarain," Lord Elrond called out, gesturing at his son. "It is time to close his wound. I will need your assistance."

Taking a deep breath she nodded and got to her feet, pushing every distraction to the back of her mind. She was a healer, her patients deserved to be treated by someone with a clear head.

Carefully she took the needle and thread in her hands. The wound was a large gash across Elladan's shoulder and it would take her a moment to stitch it properly. She feared Elladan might wake from the pain and so she turned to Elrohir. "I need you to hold him still should he wake up."

The Elf nodded and moved to hold his brother's legs down.

With one last look at Lord Elrond, who was standing on the other side of the bed, ready to help her, she focused on the wound. Taking a deep breath she pushed the needle through Elladan's skin, carefully beginning the process of healing the gash. For a few moments she was able to work in silence, when suddenly Elladan awoke. She caught sight of his panicked gaze before he started screaming. Not so much from the pain, she realised but because he was disoriented and scared. Adrenaline was still flying high through his veins and his body hadn't been able to shed the rush of battle.

"Hold him!" she ordered as she tried to continue her work.

But he was thrashing, twisting and turning and it was impossible to hold him still with only the two of them.

The door was opened and quick footsteps joined them at the bed. Hands pushed Elladan's shoulders down against the sheets and when Elgarain looked up, she stared into a pair of grey eyes. Estel had entered the room to help them. She offered him a thankful smile before concentrating on her needle and thread again.

She tried to shield her heart from the panicked screams coming from Elladan but she wasn't a seasoned healer yet and an involuntary tear crawled down her cheek as she worked. She muttered reassurances beneath her breath, despite knowing the Elf would not be able to hear her and after a while she didn't know whether she was trying to calm Elladan or herself.

But she managed and finally the wound was closed. She all but stumbled away from the bed and only managed to nod numbly at Lord Elrond's order to get some rest. As she walked to the back of the Healing Rooms she impatiently wiped her tears away, annoyed at herself for being unable to work without emotions.

She leaned her hands on the windowsill and took a deep breath of fresh air, trying to clear her head.

"You did good," a soft voice spoke up from behind her.

She didn't turn around to look at Estel, fearing he might see her glossy eyes and instead kept her eyes focused on the gardens below.

He joined her at the window, following her gaze to the green grass and white flowers. "I cried when I killed my first deer," he spoke softly. "I told my mother I would never hunt again."

A chuckle fell from her lips before she could stop herself. "What would she think of you now?" She smiled, pointing at the hunting knife that hung at his belt.

"She'd think me brave for learning to hunt despite my tears that first day," he said, then added with a whisper: "I hope."

Her smile fell when she realised what he meant. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Thank you," he said, offering her a reassuring smile.

Silence settled between the two of them while Elgarain tried to drown out the sound of Elrohir trying to calm his brother behind them.

"I thought I was ready," she said then, "but maybe I only wanted to be."

Estel considered that for a moment. "Lord Elrond asked you to do it. He wouldn't have done so if he thought you were not yet ready."

His words were, of course, the truth and she knew it, but knowing something and accepting it were two very different things. And Elgarain knew in that moment it would take her a while to accept it, to accept her mentor had considered her ready to take on this responsibility. Especially after having failed to take up so many of her other responsibilities.

She nodded and then moved away from the window. She still had to clean up. "Thank you for your kind words," she said, smiling at those bright grey eyes. "And for your help."

"My pleasure..." he left his sentence unfinished, like she had done earlier.

"Elgarain," she said.

He made a small bow. "My pleasure, Elgarain."

°∴,*⋅✲✦ ( ♕ ) ✦✲⋅*,∴°

𝕬𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝕹𝐎𝐓𝐄 . . .

I think this is my favorite chapter so far! Elgarain and Aragorn (well Estel at this point) officially met! I'm so happy to finally write more interactions between these two!

Also got to show off a little of Elgarain's healing skills in this chapter. More will definitely be coming but I really enjoyed writing her in this setting, since it's one of the few places she's actually comfortable with her position.

I really hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter! Please leave some feedback, votes and comments if you did!

xx Nelly