Elendor
Accepting the Truth
Cecilia and Elaos are spending the evening together at the infirmary, which angers Mogel. Cecilia ends up asking Elaos for a very serious favor.
Sort Date: no date set
Location: Beorning Village
Description: Another lonely night for Cecilia in the infirmary, not that she minds the night shifts. It gives her a lot of time to work on her embroidery and anything else that needs to be done. Tonight, the young healer is curled up in front of the hearth in the corner, flipping through her journal and going over all the notes of what she learned in Imladris from the elves.
[Elaos(#30364)]
Alone? Of course not, for Elaos had promised the woman not too long ago that he would visit. Carrying a basket on his arm, the man enters the infirmary with a whistle on his lips. He wears his telltale open shirt and worn breeches, matched with soft linen shoes. He smiles at her as he gazes at the book. "Oh what is this?" He asks without a hello and stopping his whistled tune. He moves to set down the basket and goes to take up a seated position next to her, leaning over the book from the opposite side if he even gets that far.
Cecilia grins when the older healer arrives, looking up from her reading with a fond smile for the man. "We spent some time in Rivendell last summer and I learned a lot from the elves, different uses for herbs and some other things." She tilts the journal so that he can better see. "How are you tonight?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Elves..' Hmmm the healer states and leans over further, rubbing a finger to his chin. Elaos gives a shake of his head and then smiles, "I am well enough...got my hands dirty again." He lifts one of them, wriggling his fingers to show off the nails to the usually clean young woman. "So, how has your shift been? And unexpected's?" He asks of her, lifting his head to look around the empty room.
"Dead. No one has been in, but that's always a good thing, right?" Cecilia lowers the book and reaches to take his hand in both of hers. "Your skin is so dry.. I have an ointment that would soften it up. And look at all the dirt in those nails." She's grinning as she examines him, much as she would a patient.
[Elaos(#30364)]
He blinks and looks back at her, not expecting the motion to take his hand, but he chuckles. "Ahhh but the earth keeps it moist when it needs to." He leans his head against his other hand. "So much the Tree Skald's daughter." he comments lightly, his green gaze dancing. "Alright, very well. Show me what you have and change my mind about this ointment." He instructs. "come come, I am a wary patient and have no time..I must be back out to my work.." he says in a deeper tone, as if he were an unruly patient indeed.
[Mogel(#30277)]
The door opens, and light floods in from a lantern held high. "Cecilia, I--" Mogel stops, framed in the doorway by the darkness of the night outside, and studies the two in here with vague, bleary-looking eyes.
"What is -that- supposed to mean?" Cecilia asks, laughing in a light-hearted manner. "You see here, where you have this cut with all the dirt in it? It's going to scar because you haven't washed it or anything.." She lightly traces her finger over the dirty flesh of Elaos's hand. When the door opens and floods light into the room the healer looks up. "Oh, Mogel! Hello!" She says cheerfully, releasing the older man's hand and standing from her chair.
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Ahh but I do not mind scars, healer. Move along now, give me something I really need, like rain for my crops." Intones the man in a heavy voice, mocking the tough men that work the lands of their valley. He grins then, watching her care. "You will.." He pauses then, looking over his shoulder from where he took up a seat on the floor with his back near the door. "Hello." Nods Elaos, slowly standing as well to greet the other with a smile and a wave of his dirt strewn hand.
[Mogel(#30277)]
Mogel clears his throat. His eyes go from Elaos to Cecilia and back. "Hello," he says, his voice sounding wetter and deeper than it usually does. He slowly shuts the door.
"Elaos brought some dinner by, wasn't that nice of him?" Cecilia asks, still smiling towards her betrothed. She makes her way to the cabinet and rifles through the pots, picking out a dark one from the back. "Here, this is the one, Elaos. But you should wash your hands really well first." Her gray eyes go back to Svee's son. "How was your day, Mogel? What did you do?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
Noticing the regard he gets from the other man, Elaos offers a faint smile. "I know what night shifts are like, its the least I could do. Besides, Eydis is watching Geirvior tonight." He watches Mogel, "good of you to stop by." He comments with a friendly smile before Cecilia brings the ointment. "I will do just that!" Comes his chipper tone as he then moves to wash the dirt off his finger.
[Mogel(#30277)]
"Fine," Mogel says cautiously, studying Cecilia. "And yours? Tell me what you did today." He nods vaguely in Elaos's direction.
Cecilia's smile fades at Mogel's response and following question. "I helped my brother's wife with some cleaning, then I came to work... Why are you here?" She asks, sounding faintly annoyed, then flashes Elaos an apologetic smile. "Just a minute, Elaos.. Then we can eat."
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Oh there is no rush." He reassures as he scrubs at his hands over the basin. He watches them a moment and looks away, beginning to whistle as the boiled lye is lifted to the dirt under his nails. The ointment rests near him, but goes untouched just yet. His whistles remains, so that they may have their conversation.
[Mogel(#30277)]
"Why are you both in here?" Mogel asks abruptly, waving his free hand between them. "Together? In the middle of the night? When there are no wounded?"
"He.. works here, Mogel. He is a healer too. We-" Cecilia stops herself and lets out a small sigh. She crosses over to where her fiance stands be the door and reaches to take his arm gently in her hands. "You don't need to come here to check on me, Mogel. I was reading on elven remedies, and Elaos came by with some food and I was teasing him about his dirty hands. That's all, okay?" She speaks quietly in a sweet tone, "Go home and get some sleep, and I will see you tomorrow.. Then we can talk."
[Elaos(#30364)]
Elaos is busy, wash-washing his hands. Lye and bubbles to an extreme as he smears some of the dirt. He pays close attention to this, clearly he is far from done! Oh look here comes the lye again allowing Cecilia to do her work.
[Mogel(#30277)]
Mogel frowns deeply and stares a long time down at Cecilia. "I'll speak with you in the morning, then. Cecilia." He opens the door, goes out, and when it is shut again, it is slammed.
Cecilia holds the smile for Mogel, unwavering even under that hard look. When he turns to leave she mentally sighs in relief, glad to have avoided another lecture.. even if it is only delayed until tomorrow. Then the door slams shut so loudly and the healer jumps, staring at it with wide eyes for a long moment. "Oooh.. he's angry again." She wanders over to where Elaos is scrubbing the flesh from his hands. "Sorry."
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Nonsense, there is no need to be sorry." he says mildly and then looks at her with a smile. "All things take time.." he says, cleaning his hands off of the lye and wiping them dry on his shirt. "There.." He says, displaying his hands one side at a time for her before grinning and brushing back his loose hair. "Sooo, that is done, why don't you take some of the apple wraps.." He motions towards the basket as he tries to rid her of her worries.
Cecilia seems to have lost some interest in the game now, because she only nods when he presents his hands for inspection. There is a very distinctive worried expression on her face. "Maybe I should go after him.. Do you think?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
Letting his hands fall back to his sides, he watches her with an understanding gaze. "You do what you think is right, Cecilia. You still have choices you can make." He nods to her, attempting to reassure her. "I will remain here if you want to go get him, I can leave you to your thoughts, or you can talk to me about what exactly is still bothering you." He motions around the room.
Cecilia makes no move to go after Mogel but her hands are twisting together now in a nervous fashion. "No. I will talk to him tomorrow." She grows silent as she reaches for a towel to wipe up the water that Elaos dripped around the wash basin. "He doesn't like how I act.. He told me that."
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Oh? If you are to wed, are you not supposed to accept each other? I mean you do accept him and everything he is, yes?" Elaos watches her, brows furrowing a bit. "Cecilia?" He asks, suddenly understanding, as if the older man did not realize what he had walked into.
Cecilia pushes the towel over the polished wood of the counter that is already quite dry, her head down as she scrubs the surface. "His family will take care of me. I don't need to worry about anything else." She murmurs, repeating the words that were given to her as advice. When he speaks her name questioningly, she looks up. "What?" Her grays eyes can't help but drift to his tan chest where his shirt hangs open. He's taller, after all. Most men are.
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Cecilia...you accept him, yes?" He asks her again, not wanting to hear the mantra she had been taught. Elaos centers his green gaze on her and lift his now thoroughly cleaned hand to her shoulder if she lets him. "Cecilia, please answer me. YOu do accept Mogel?" He had thought she had worked through this.
Cecilia looks up at his face finally, and shakes her head. "No.. no. You cannot ask me that. This is what is supposed to happen and I have always known. It was no secret and the whole point of an arranged marriage is that it is arranged for you." She draws back away from him when he rests his hand on her shoulder, "This is why Mogel is upset with me. He doesn't like how I am friends with other men. I want him to like me, so.. maybe.. I should do as he says. I don't know.."
[Elaos(#30364)]
Elaos' gaze softens and he draws his hand back. "You do again, what you must, what you feel is right." The elder healer studies her face and then nods. "I will leave you be for now, you do need to think." He scrubs a hand through his hair and back down his neck before he steps past her and picks up his satchel, leaving the basket.
Cecilia is rather used to doing whatever she pleases, and maybe this is the first time she's found herself at odds with such behavior. Still, the girl looks upset when he prepares to leave, "I'm sorry.. you do understand, right?" She biting down on her bottom lip, watching him closely. "I mean, maybe once Mogel calms down he won't mind."
[Elaos(#30364)]
Settling the strap of his satchel on his shoulder, Elaos turns to look at her. He smiles gently. "Mogel will not. I do not think so at least. I am here to talk to, Cecilia, but I think I am complicating things right now. So I will let you be for a while." He nods to this and tilts his head. "If you do need anything, I will be with Eydis, tending to Geirvior."
Cecilia leans back against the counter and listens to him, unmoving. "Wait." She says suddenly, and a flush begins to take over her face. "I.. could you do one thing for me? It is nothing really, but it is everything." She swallows, looking nervous now.
[Elaos(#30364)]
The man gives her a quick look and then nods, a brow lifting. "What can I help you with?" He asks of her. He shifts the satchel on his side, making sure it is comfortable and in place before he looks about, before once more to her.
"Kiss me. Just once." Ceci says quickly, moving toward him. "No one will know. I am not married yet and it will not mean anything. Not really." It's a wild idea but it's the only thing that she can think about in that addled brain of hers. "Please? Just as a favor?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
A cornered animal is something that he looks. Surprise fills his face and Elaos shifts a bit, "Cecilia.." he starts, his brows furrowing as he studies her. "What kind of trouble would that cause?" he asks gently, though he does not turn to leave. He waits patiently for her answer. Always with care does the elder healer speak, his head tilting.
"No one would know. You ask me complicated questions and it will help me answer them." Cecilia steps closer, and even though she is the one asking she looks very uncertain of the request. "What harm is one little kiss?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
"It depends on the kiss and the people.." Elaos says, watching her step closer. The man studies her face, his hand reaching out to take her arm gently. "It's probably not the best thing..you should probably read your book and eat some of the food." He says, turning slightly to look at them, even bending down to reach for her book and pick it up, now rising slightly at her height.
Cecilia watches him, her head so full of rushing blood and a turmoil of feelings that she barely hears what he says. With only a sporadic glance around the empty room, the girl suddenly reaches forward to try and plant a kiss on the man that has left her so confused about her emotions the last couple of weeks.
[Elaos(#30364)]
Grasping her book to attempt to give it to her and her mind off her request of him, Elaos is caught off guard as the woman kisses him. He freezes a moment and then slowly the man closes his eyes. Returning the kiss gently, he lifts his hand to cralde the back of her head. It does not last long before he pulls back a bit and looks at her, clearing his throat before he colors slightly. "Here.." He offers her, lifting her book up between them as he straightens.
Cecilia straightens as Elaos pulls away, reaching slowly to take her journal from him. She's staring at him with a confused expression, some of the blush that was on her face fading. The healer runs her thumb along the spine of the book, thoughtful. Then she smiles widely, looking up at him with some of her usual cheer returning to her features. "Thank you, Elaos. I think I know, now."
[Elaos(#30364)]
He rubs the back of his neck and then nodding, looking askance. "Umm yes. well. always glad to help.." Comes his rushed words before he shifts his satchel. Elaos looks at her a moment and then dips his head, feeling like a young man again for some reason, a fish out of water. "Good night.." He moves for the door, opening it and murmuring something to himself before it closes.
"Good night." Cecilia echoes, watching him leave with that smile still on her face. She drifts over to the table with a content expression about her, exploring what's in the basket that Elaos brought for a meal earlier. Of course, later, when the girl has taken the time to really think about what she just did will she begin to feel horribly guilty about her actions and the potential consequences.
[Elaos(#30364)]
Alone? Of course not, for Elaos had promised the woman not too long ago that he would visit. Carrying a basket on his arm, the man enters the infirmary with a whistle on his lips. He wears his telltale open shirt and worn breeches, matched with soft linen shoes. He smiles at her as he gazes at the book. "Oh what is this?" He asks without a hello and stopping his whistled tune. He moves to set down the basket and goes to take up a seated position next to her, leaning over the book from the opposite side if he even gets that far.
Cecilia grins when the older healer arrives, looking up from her reading with a fond smile for the man. "We spent some time in Rivendell last summer and I learned a lot from the elves, different uses for herbs and some other things." She tilts the journal so that he can better see. "How are you tonight?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Elves..' Hmmm the healer states and leans over further, rubbing a finger to his chin. Elaos gives a shake of his head and then smiles, "I am well enough...got my hands dirty again." He lifts one of them, wriggling his fingers to show off the nails to the usually clean young woman. "So, how has your shift been? And unexpected's?" He asks of her, lifting his head to look around the empty room.
"Dead. No one has been in, but that's always a good thing, right?" Cecilia lowers the book and reaches to take his hand in both of hers. "Your skin is so dry.. I have an ointment that would soften it up. And look at all the dirt in those nails." She's grinning as she examines him, much as she would a patient.
[Elaos(#30364)]
He blinks and looks back at her, not expecting the motion to take his hand, but he chuckles. "Ahhh but the earth keeps it moist when it needs to." He leans his head against his other hand. "So much the Tree Skald's daughter." he comments lightly, his green gaze dancing. "Alright, very well. Show me what you have and change my mind about this ointment." He instructs. "come come, I am a wary patient and have no time..I must be back out to my work.." he says in a deeper tone, as if he were an unruly patient indeed.
[Mogel(#30277)]
The door opens, and light floods in from a lantern held high. "Cecilia, I--" Mogel stops, framed in the doorway by the darkness of the night outside, and studies the two in here with vague, bleary-looking eyes.
"What is -that- supposed to mean?" Cecilia asks, laughing in a light-hearted manner. "You see here, where you have this cut with all the dirt in it? It's going to scar because you haven't washed it or anything.." She lightly traces her finger over the dirty flesh of Elaos's hand. When the door opens and floods light into the room the healer looks up. "Oh, Mogel! Hello!" She says cheerfully, releasing the older man's hand and standing from her chair.
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Ahh but I do not mind scars, healer. Move along now, give me something I really need, like rain for my crops." Intones the man in a heavy voice, mocking the tough men that work the lands of their valley. He grins then, watching her care. "You will.." He pauses then, looking over his shoulder from where he took up a seat on the floor with his back near the door. "Hello." Nods Elaos, slowly standing as well to greet the other with a smile and a wave of his dirt strewn hand.
[Mogel(#30277)]
Mogel clears his throat. His eyes go from Elaos to Cecilia and back. "Hello," he says, his voice sounding wetter and deeper than it usually does. He slowly shuts the door.
"Elaos brought some dinner by, wasn't that nice of him?" Cecilia asks, still smiling towards her betrothed. She makes her way to the cabinet and rifles through the pots, picking out a dark one from the back. "Here, this is the one, Elaos. But you should wash your hands really well first." Her gray eyes go back to Svee's son. "How was your day, Mogel? What did you do?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
Noticing the regard he gets from the other man, Elaos offers a faint smile. "I know what night shifts are like, its the least I could do. Besides, Eydis is watching Geirvior tonight." He watches Mogel, "good of you to stop by." He comments with a friendly smile before Cecilia brings the ointment. "I will do just that!" Comes his chipper tone as he then moves to wash the dirt off his finger.
[Mogel(#30277)]
"Fine," Mogel says cautiously, studying Cecilia. "And yours? Tell me what you did today." He nods vaguely in Elaos's direction.
Cecilia's smile fades at Mogel's response and following question. "I helped my brother's wife with some cleaning, then I came to work... Why are you here?" She asks, sounding faintly annoyed, then flashes Elaos an apologetic smile. "Just a minute, Elaos.. Then we can eat."
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Oh there is no rush." He reassures as he scrubs at his hands over the basin. He watches them a moment and looks away, beginning to whistle as the boiled lye is lifted to the dirt under his nails. The ointment rests near him, but goes untouched just yet. His whistles remains, so that they may have their conversation.
[Mogel(#30277)]
"Why are you both in here?" Mogel asks abruptly, waving his free hand between them. "Together? In the middle of the night? When there are no wounded?"
"He.. works here, Mogel. He is a healer too. We-" Cecilia stops herself and lets out a small sigh. She crosses over to where her fiance stands be the door and reaches to take his arm gently in her hands. "You don't need to come here to check on me, Mogel. I was reading on elven remedies, and Elaos came by with some food and I was teasing him about his dirty hands. That's all, okay?" She speaks quietly in a sweet tone, "Go home and get some sleep, and I will see you tomorrow.. Then we can talk."
[Elaos(#30364)]
Elaos is busy, wash-washing his hands. Lye and bubbles to an extreme as he smears some of the dirt. He pays close attention to this, clearly he is far from done! Oh look here comes the lye again allowing Cecilia to do her work.
[Mogel(#30277)]
Mogel frowns deeply and stares a long time down at Cecilia. "I'll speak with you in the morning, then. Cecilia." He opens the door, goes out, and when it is shut again, it is slammed.
Cecilia holds the smile for Mogel, unwavering even under that hard look. When he turns to leave she mentally sighs in relief, glad to have avoided another lecture.. even if it is only delayed until tomorrow. Then the door slams shut so loudly and the healer jumps, staring at it with wide eyes for a long moment. "Oooh.. he's angry again." She wanders over to where Elaos is scrubbing the flesh from his hands. "Sorry."
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Nonsense, there is no need to be sorry." he says mildly and then looks at her with a smile. "All things take time.." he says, cleaning his hands off of the lye and wiping them dry on his shirt. "There.." He says, displaying his hands one side at a time for her before grinning and brushing back his loose hair. "Sooo, that is done, why don't you take some of the apple wraps.." He motions towards the basket as he tries to rid her of her worries.
Cecilia seems to have lost some interest in the game now, because she only nods when he presents his hands for inspection. There is a very distinctive worried expression on her face. "Maybe I should go after him.. Do you think?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
Letting his hands fall back to his sides, he watches her with an understanding gaze. "You do what you think is right, Cecilia. You still have choices you can make." He nods to her, attempting to reassure her. "I will remain here if you want to go get him, I can leave you to your thoughts, or you can talk to me about what exactly is still bothering you." He motions around the room.
Cecilia makes no move to go after Mogel but her hands are twisting together now in a nervous fashion. "No. I will talk to him tomorrow." She grows silent as she reaches for a towel to wipe up the water that Elaos dripped around the wash basin. "He doesn't like how I act.. He told me that."
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Oh? If you are to wed, are you not supposed to accept each other? I mean you do accept him and everything he is, yes?" Elaos watches her, brows furrowing a bit. "Cecilia?" He asks, suddenly understanding, as if the older man did not realize what he had walked into.
Cecilia pushes the towel over the polished wood of the counter that is already quite dry, her head down as she scrubs the surface. "His family will take care of me. I don't need to worry about anything else." She murmurs, repeating the words that were given to her as advice. When he speaks her name questioningly, she looks up. "What?" Her grays eyes can't help but drift to his tan chest where his shirt hangs open. He's taller, after all. Most men are.
[Elaos(#30364)]
"Cecilia...you accept him, yes?" He asks her again, not wanting to hear the mantra she had been taught. Elaos centers his green gaze on her and lift his now thoroughly cleaned hand to her shoulder if she lets him. "Cecilia, please answer me. YOu do accept Mogel?" He had thought she had worked through this.
Cecilia looks up at his face finally, and shakes her head. "No.. no. You cannot ask me that. This is what is supposed to happen and I have always known. It was no secret and the whole point of an arranged marriage is that it is arranged for you." She draws back away from him when he rests his hand on her shoulder, "This is why Mogel is upset with me. He doesn't like how I am friends with other men. I want him to like me, so.. maybe.. I should do as he says. I don't know.."
[Elaos(#30364)]
Elaos' gaze softens and he draws his hand back. "You do again, what you must, what you feel is right." The elder healer studies her face and then nods. "I will leave you be for now, you do need to think." He scrubs a hand through his hair and back down his neck before he steps past her and picks up his satchel, leaving the basket.
Cecilia is rather used to doing whatever she pleases, and maybe this is the first time she's found herself at odds with such behavior. Still, the girl looks upset when he prepares to leave, "I'm sorry.. you do understand, right?" She biting down on her bottom lip, watching him closely. "I mean, maybe once Mogel calms down he won't mind."
[Elaos(#30364)]
Settling the strap of his satchel on his shoulder, Elaos turns to look at her. He smiles gently. "Mogel will not. I do not think so at least. I am here to talk to, Cecilia, but I think I am complicating things right now. So I will let you be for a while." He nods to this and tilts his head. "If you do need anything, I will be with Eydis, tending to Geirvior."
Cecilia leans back against the counter and listens to him, unmoving. "Wait." She says suddenly, and a flush begins to take over her face. "I.. could you do one thing for me? It is nothing really, but it is everything." She swallows, looking nervous now.
[Elaos(#30364)]
The man gives her a quick look and then nods, a brow lifting. "What can I help you with?" He asks of her. He shifts the satchel on his side, making sure it is comfortable and in place before he looks about, before once more to her.
"Kiss me. Just once." Ceci says quickly, moving toward him. "No one will know. I am not married yet and it will not mean anything. Not really." It's a wild idea but it's the only thing that she can think about in that addled brain of hers. "Please? Just as a favor?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
A cornered animal is something that he looks. Surprise fills his face and Elaos shifts a bit, "Cecilia.." he starts, his brows furrowing as he studies her. "What kind of trouble would that cause?" he asks gently, though he does not turn to leave. He waits patiently for her answer. Always with care does the elder healer speak, his head tilting.
"No one would know. You ask me complicated questions and it will help me answer them." Cecilia steps closer, and even though she is the one asking she looks very uncertain of the request. "What harm is one little kiss?"
[Elaos(#30364)]
"It depends on the kiss and the people.." Elaos says, watching her step closer. The man studies her face, his hand reaching out to take her arm gently. "It's probably not the best thing..you should probably read your book and eat some of the food." He says, turning slightly to look at them, even bending down to reach for her book and pick it up, now rising slightly at her height.
Cecilia watches him, her head so full of rushing blood and a turmoil of feelings that she barely hears what he says. With only a sporadic glance around the empty room, the girl suddenly reaches forward to try and plant a kiss on the man that has left her so confused about her emotions the last couple of weeks.
[Elaos(#30364)]
Grasping her book to attempt to give it to her and her mind off her request of him, Elaos is caught off guard as the woman kisses him. He freezes a moment and then slowly the man closes his eyes. Returning the kiss gently, he lifts his hand to cralde the back of her head. It does not last long before he pulls back a bit and looks at her, clearing his throat before he colors slightly. "Here.." He offers her, lifting her book up between them as he straightens.
Cecilia straightens as Elaos pulls away, reaching slowly to take her journal from him. She's staring at him with a confused expression, some of the blush that was on her face fading. The healer runs her thumb along the spine of the book, thoughtful. Then she smiles widely, looking up at him with some of her usual cheer returning to her features. "Thank you, Elaos. I think I know, now."
[Elaos(#30364)]
He rubs the back of his neck and then nodding, looking askance. "Umm yes. well. always glad to help.." Comes his rushed words before he shifts his satchel. Elaos looks at her a moment and then dips his head, feeling like a young man again for some reason, a fish out of water. "Good night.." He moves for the door, opening it and murmuring something to himself before it closes.
"Good night." Cecilia echoes, watching him leave with that smile still on her face. She drifts over to the table with a content expression about her, exploring what's in the basket that Elaos brought for a meal earlier. Of course, later, when the girl has taken the time to really think about what she just did will she begin to feel horribly guilty about her actions and the potential consequences.
Players: Elaos, Mogel, Cecilia
Located in: Beorning
