(Archive) The Fellowship of the Sword 41 - Rowaen and Kaide

Rowaen awakens in the orc camp. To his surprise, another human is there, Kaide, who had fought members of the Fellowship earlier on the part of the orcs. Kaide heals Rowaen using orc potions. Kaide then reveals something of her history, being half-southron, half from Pelargir. She is apparently very bitter from hanging out with orcs now. :) In any event, we are presented with some high melodrama where Kaide is filled with self-loathing, and fear, but Rowaen\'s nobility stands firm. Good scene.

Friday 5 January, after the capture

Late night, somewhere in Mirkwood

The morn draws near, sun standing ready to rise once more in a few hours from now, to bring a new day of light, hope and merriment! None of this likely being part of a lonely squire... A bloodied figure, clothes torn and ripped, tied up against a tree, his head resting heavily upon his shoulder, the one without the huge gap... Once his tunic was blazen white, adorned with three blue stripes, now nothing seems to remain of it, the color of red prevailing. The red being his own blood... A few coughs betray the figure still has some life left within, eyes containing a distant glance, the lad only half-aware of his surroundings.

Surroundings quite hostile to his person, enemies from the valiant men of Gondor. Orc\'s... this being a small camp of them, a few walking about, dark figures some drawing near to the tied up figure. The sighting of a human so pitifull delights them, grants them pleasure... One even steps near, looking about carefully, reaching out a hand intenting to touch the \'tark\'. Perhaps seeing a fitting meal in one of his parts...

[Kaide(#12422)] From the shadows of the passing night another figure of darkness arrives. Cloaked with covered hood this figure walks onto the scene gentle and gracefully passing through the surrounding orcs where it comes to stand near the imprisoned human. The figure leans over and whispers something to the orc guarding him near by who then grunts a bit and walks off to join two others near the front of the camp. The figure then turns to the imprisoned human looking him over up and down yet not revealing itself. From under its cloak it draws out a vial and cloth and moves near the human whispering in a sneer, \"You will not survive long with those wounds. Orcs are too petty to leave you captive with the smell of your blood always about them.\" The cloaked figure turns and looks around at the other orcs then back again at the human, \"Rowaen, you do not wish to be their meal, for even now they plan your demise within their mouths, even though the orders to take you have stated otherwise.\"

Indeed surprised the human is, though pain severly limits him from any clear form of expression... Staggering come his words, grunts of pain cutting short his breath.

\"My...name, you spoke... my name... how?\" Biting his lips as he tries to move, effortlessly, for too tight the ropes bind him to the base of the tree, a stirr causing no more then waves of stings surging through his body. Apparent being the difficult fight he holds with his injuries, struggling to keep his consciousness. And so still the young squire continues his efforts to speak and gather as many information as he can...

\"...Orders... what do you...know..of.....orders...?\" So he falls silent, eyes closed, grasping for breath.

[Kaide(#12422)] The cloaked figure says nothing, but leans down to one knee sitting right next to the human. The vial the figure had in its hand is then opened as the head of the hooded figure lowers giving its attention to the cloths and vial in its hands. A stingent smell is unleashed from it, vile and bitter to the nose all at once and a slight cough is heard from beneathe the cloak of the figure. The figure takes a cloth and places it over the vial while overturning it and quickly setting back again upright. That cloth is then laid out about the ground as the figure continues to do the same with the other pieces of cloth. The smell now permeates the air about the immeadiate area with all its foul stench and the figure has to stop for a moment as it continues to do whatever it is doing. The cloths begin to turn a very sour green and yellow where the liquid was soaked into them. The cloak figure looks up at the human and then in the same sneering voice says, \"How I know your name is not important. I am here for other reasons. You are not wounded enough to die on your own, not a strong young man like yourself, but something must be done about your open wounds less death come upon you in gaping jaws as I had said before.\"

Grunting Rowaen tries to focus his gaze, the stench now filling his nose aswell. With pain he fends off his face, laying it flat against the tree holding him captive. Dark he mutters some more words.

\"What... is... the smel *cough* smelling stench?... You seek...to..to...poison me? *cough*\" Hoarse is his voice as if suffering from a severe cold. Eyes still narrow slits, the squire again tries to move, glancing down at his own person, a trace of dread perhaps visible, seeing himself in all the blood.

[Kaide(#12422)] The figure looks down again as the human speaks and goes back to work. From beneathe its cloak a small bag is drawn. It is torn open and the contents of it, seemingly small leafy shards, are spinkled about the cloths which have now soaked all the way the through with the vile liquid. The figure then takes each of the cloths one by one and closes them causing the new additive to cruch like cracking leaves as they are rubbed together within the cloth. As the figure finishes it states plainly and in a whipser, \"Had I wished to kill you I\'d have done it already. And as for poison, poison you don\'t feel going in, but this you will. Orc healing was never much for comfort, but it will clean and treat your wounds sufficiently.\" With that said, the figure begins to apply the cloths to the wounds of the human. A steamy mist arises from them as if something were causing them to burn as they make contact with the dried blood.

A fierce cry of agony leaves the Squire\'s lips, cloths seemingly burning their way into the open wounds, causing the pain to be even more severe. As the steam lessens, Rowaen sits silently head not moving, lips not speaking. Only his chest can be seen moving slightly... So severe was his pain that indeed he lost his consciousness, unaware now of what happens round him. Unintently providing the dark figure with an easy way to continue her \'healing\' practices...

[Kaide(#12422)] The figure grabs the human\'s mouth with its hand which the human might notice is actually very small and feminine as he begins to scream. The scream of pain is muffled a bit and the figure leaves its hand there and then frantically turns its head left and right about its back eyeing the orcs who are still about. When the human has calmed the figure looks him over, and eyes him closely. \"Unconscious,\" the voice from under the hood says, now plainly a female voice. She then removes the cloaks hood and throws the cloak back over her shoulders revealing a small human girl, wounds sustained herself about the front of her body. \"Maybe he wasn\'t as strong as I suspected him to be. No matter.\" She turns and eyes the orcs about and begins to get up to leave.

Though not long Rowaen remains in his unconscious state, mere surprised by such a fierce reaction of the liquid on his wounds. Moaning softly, again he attempts to open his eyes, blue peering into the dark, half-dazed. Yet still he seems to be aware of a maiden walking, black hair...

\"...Dania...?\"

The name is spoken softly, faint recognition burning in his vision, obviously clouded by a high fever, caused by infected wounds, for tis naught Dania who walks there. Even more serious attempts Rowaen now undertakes, pushing his back up against the tree, an agonizing grunt not surpressed. Only slightly he manages to raise himself, pain causing him to fall back to his former position.

\"Please... do not...leave..\" Pitifull is the gesture of his hand, right arm stretching, hand grabbing the air...

Kaide, having turned her back to the wounded young prisoner, now stops and lowers her head down as the name, Dania, is called. Kaide sighs and turns back her body slightly, enough to let her head twist to face the human. \"So you are awake, I knew if you made it past the initial reaction to the serum that you would be fine. The pain will lessen significantly soon, and though you won\'t be healed for a while, you\'ll feel as young and powerful as you did when you put your sword through my back.\" She turns fully now and lowers down on one knee and puts her face up to the man. She furrows her small brows and states cynically, \"Yes, my dear young handsome squire of Dol Amroth! Do you remember me?\" Intensity is in her voice as it grows increasing stronger and more angry yet keeps a quiet tone about it. \"I am sure not your precious, Dania!\"

Surprised Rowaen falls silent, eyes attempting to focus, apparently full gaze slowly returning, for he manages to open his eyes somewhat more, intens the glance. His lips part, as if to speak, close again, staring blankly for a moment.

\"Tis...you?*cough* The lass I... fought? But... but why?\"

Was it surprisement first expressed, Rowaen wondering at the maiden\'s words, astonished he sits now, realizing who the one before him is. How indeed he was the one responsible to have hurt her so physically.

\"Nay, Dania you are naught *cough*... though a certain... resemblance can not be...denied..\"

A bit more vivid Rowaen seems to become, the healing tactics of the maiden paying off as she assured him.

Kaide smiles slightly almost mockingly, \"Then she is a foul woman indeed to have resemblance to me. Is she also half southron as I am? Did she also have a whore mother and a bastard father from Pelargir as I?\" Her anger intensifies her speech and as she reals away from the man\'s face. \"No, she is unlike me, I\'m sure she is sitting pretty somewhere waiting by the window of some illustrious castle looking out into the morning awaiting and praying for your safe return....It makes me sick.\" She turns her head away disgusted and sighs. \"You ask why, why did I heal you? I don\'t know myself. I don\'t know a lot of things since that encounter with you. I will ask the questions though and you will answer. Why did you spare me? Why???\" She grows angry again, \"Did I not destroy your precious Dol Amroth\'s imagery and insult your people? you should have killed me. But you let me live!!!\"

A soft chuckle starts to flow from the Squire\'s lips, miserably disturbed by a flow of loud coughs, clearly a dry throat not allowing the merriment in mind. \"Words,\" begins Rowaen to speak, his glance one filled with mockery, \"they mean... nothing *cough*.. tis deed I worry about... were you naught *cough* defeated... Defenseless, yes that is what... you were... Not a threat... so I spared your life... I had no right to end... that what *cough* is not mine... And see,\" here the smile largens, or at least an attempt is made, grin turning into a painfull grimace, Rowaen bringing his right hand to his blood stenched chest,\"it... it payed off...\"

As if feeling he said enough, the squire falls silent, not speaking anymore, only sound coming from him being several dry coughs. Yet never do his eyes leave the face of the maiden, reflecting an almost deadly calmth within.

[Kaide(#12422)] At hearing the man, the girl grabs her head and bends down screaming as it would seem under her breath in her continued frustration repeating over and over again, \"You should have killed me, I deserved to die...I deserved to die...you should have killed me...\" Her voice trails off as she begins to sob quietly, still looking at the ground sitting upon her knees. Then, as if a mighty changing wind blew over her, she looks up at the man insidiously, tears visible in her eyes now moistened considerably, \"Maybe I healed you so that I could kill you myself, I\'d hate to see the orcs eat you when I haven\'t had my vengeance.\" She unsheathes her dagger and holds it to his throat pressing gently with a fire buring in her eyes. \"Pray for mercy and I\'ll spare you now...DO IT!\"

Coolly stays the glance, not a single stirr is made, not when the maiden speaks her dark mind and not when the dagger is placed against his throat. Hoarse is the voice leaving Rowaen\'s lips. \"If...tis so you repay...me... then... strike.... strike with all your might..... for I will not.... beg... never*cough*\" As a statue he remains, blue eyes gazing directly at the maiden before him. Blue standing cold as ice, the Blue Squire not ready to humiliate his own person even further.

\"If.... it is.... death to be my....part *cough* then let it... be so... it does naught matter to have it.... now... or spared another day... so do as you... desire.. yet do it.... *cough* swift...\"

Kaide gets even angrier seemingly at the choice of words of the man and lowers her head as well as her dagger. \"You, you are so noble...\" she says slightly a hint of pain and sadness in her voice, \"Why...why...\" she starts faintly then with a growing malice, \"What have you done to me???\" She then takes her dagger up quickly and runs the sharp blade very precisely down the right side of Rowaen\'s face, blood ensuing from the wound as the dagger moves along the soft skin. After making the mark clear she grabs at his wounded shoulder and ribs away the bandage she had placed there and jams it into his face and over the new wound laughing incessantly as the familiar steam and stink return, the blood reacting with the cloth.

This time he loses naught his consciousness, not even blinking as the maiden makes her strike. Silently he keeps eyeing her, holding her in his direct glance, intens. A grin, one of mockery starts curling around dry lips...

\"I could not... care *cough*..less... for such... a scar... look at me... the wounds... tis insignificant... comparised with it...all.. as for... as for your q*cough* uestion..\" Here the glance finally changes losing some of the coldness, turning grave, perhaps the maiden even able to distinguish the slight trace of sadness lying deep within the blue, \"my... regrets... we met in... battle.. t\'was.. circumstance... that caused my.. actings *cough**cough* might be *cough* otherwise...*cough*.. not in battle *cough*\" Ending his phrase more dry coughs leave his mouth, a dry throat mixed with fever probably being the cause.

[Kaide(#12422)] The girl gazes into the eyes of the man intensly, looks at her dagger, the blood still warm upon it and then back into the eyes of the man. She looks sad, near tears herself with his words. She stands up quickly and throws the dagger out of her hands on the ground grabbing her head as if she were in some unspeakable pain. Turning she walks away from the man, yet still visible. Her figure moves off near to the orcs which she appears to speak too. One small uruk runs off into the supply tent and returns to the woman, handing her something. Kaide leaves the orcs and again approaches the man leaning down once again. \"Here,\" she says pushing the object she received now visibly a flask of some kind to the mouth of the man, \"I can\'t say it smells much better than the healing salve, and it probably tastes worse. Drink it, it will help to heal your throat.\"

Taking the stench for granted, Rowaen parts his lips and gulps down the liquid. Too gready he is, for after a few seconds he starts to cough loudly, eyes closing tight shut, lips formed in a bitter grin. \"Thank *cough* you..\"

Blinking several times, swallowing away the apparent bitter taste, again Rowaen eyes Kaide now. With a more steady voice he then speaks, throat less dry. \"Might I know... your name? Since you already know mine...\" Inquiring he glances at her, expression not unkind, as if holding compassion for the maiden\'s confusement.

[Kaide(#12422)] \"The name given to me is Kaide,\" she says softly. Taking the flask back she takes a slight drink of it herself then places it on the ground next to her. She continues then, \"But I am not important. So, tell me about you. Tell me about your life in Dol Amroth and what brings you out here to the doom and dread of Mirkwood. Are you a family man? No...no you aren\'t...you are too young. So do you come from one of the royal houses?\" Her questions are almost as quick as that of a young child, inquisitiveness in her eyes with a slight hint of delight.

Not unwilling Rowaen is to speak of such light-hearted subjects, perhaps even gaining some strength and hope of it all. So momentarily the coldness of his glance is forgotten, now only calm and silent. The eyes rest lightly upon the maiden\'s figure, replying softly at her many questions asked.

\"I serve the Prince of Dol Amroth... a Blue Squire as my garment shows... or rather *cough* showed,\" a swift glance is given to his own clothes, so heavily stenched with his own blood, \"I seek to become a Knight.. one day... Undertaking a quest to serve my Lord. As for family... I have one, though not one you might mean... Still there is a love in my life... I spoke of her name, Dania... As for the royal houses, yes I am part... of one, my behavior perhaps giving evidence for which one it would be... if you are familiar with the Houses of Noble... though apparently you seem?\" Silent again, he eyes her, awaiting patiently an answer, not caring to take another glance at his wounds or torned clothes, nay for tis the maiden before him that holds his fullest attention.

Kaide lowers her eyes as he speaks, his gaze at hers almost too penetrating. She quivers slightly as he finishes almost losing his words in her thoughts. \"Nimothan,\" she almost says instictively. \"A noble house indeed, though I have not met one such as you.\" She looks back up into his eyes. \"Who are you to shake my life apart? I hate the men of Gondor...but you...you are so..so different!\" She gives Rowaen a puzzled look then sighs and turns her face away from the man trying not to look at him, \"The girl, the girl that you spoke of, Dania, she is beautiful isn\'t she. She is very fortunate for sure.\"

More grunts of pain disturb the young lad now, face clouding with agony. \"The pain... it is so... severe... cant.. you do... anything..?\" Almost desperate those eyes stand now, half-closing again, surges of returning pain making the lad grasp for his breath. So he is unable to answer the maiden\'s question, his injuries preventing him to speak clear words in reply...

Kaide looks at him pitifully and speaks, \"I have done all that I can at this time. I am not a master healer, nor do I think there is one around within this small orc encampment. Do not worry, the pain should subside very soon.\" She looks down to a pouch attached to her side and sighs looking back up at him, \"However there is one more thing that I can do.\" She begins to unclasp the pouch and reaching in pulls out another small vial. This one much more finely made then the orc ones she had previously used and inside there appears to be a clear liquid seemingly thinner than water. She then sighs again, opens his tunic an places the small vial under it next to his skin. \"This will fix anything, and I have often thought of using it myself. It is a poison, deadly yet soothing. If you drink it, you will die and quickly and feel nothing. If..\" she stops a gulp coming slightly to her throat, \"if you are in a situation..with the orcs...or a nasty troll, or dare I say...a wraith....drink it...\"

The pain seems to ease, perhaps a temporary rising of fever or a slight movement being the cause. Still the drops on his forehead remain, Rowaen sometimes shivering as if bothered by chill. His eyes stand burning, face wet with sweat. Though aware he is indeed of the other so near, her carings having such an effect as she spoke off. Yet, while smiling grimly, his right hand makes a declining offer, that causing him even more pain.

\"Nay... such aid... is not needed... death will come if it is... my time... you seem worrying enough... yourself... keep your vial... please... And as for your... guessing... t\'was right... Nimothan is the... house.... Dania a mem...ber aswell... indeed of beauty, though if lucky... you should ask her..\" Despite the agony it causes him, a smile curls around his lips, pleasant, when speaking of his Love.

Kaide takes back the vial listening to the man, \"Noble to the end aren\'t you?\" She smiles pleasantly and then stands, \"You need to rest. There will be time for talking later. You do not seem to be getting any better having me here. Should you reconsider my offer, I will be back after you have rested. I have many more questions for you.\" She begins to walk away again, the light of the morning now resting upon her back, as she turns to go, but she stops and looks at him once more. \"Before I go I wanted to ask one more thing, \"Do you remember what I said to you as I left you there to fight the other orcs the night of our encounter after you had spared me?\"

His glance seems to darken, through all the pain, as the maiden announces her departure, yet he speaks naught. Only when she steps away uttering her final question... a moment Rowaen keeps silent, brows frowned, in apparent thought, how his face seems to lighten then..

\"Of... off your wish... to serve the Lady... Ivri..niel?\" Was it hope sounding in that voice? Or mere a twist of the grasping for breath and the hoarseness of his words? Tis not clear, though Rowaen still lets not go the maiden from his intensive gaze, as if exspecting an immediate reply.

[Kaide(#12422)] \"You listen well,\" she starts staring back captivated by his eyes, \"I hope that you see your love again. My soul has been sold or I would return with you.\" She turns to leave again, \"We have talked enough, and even now I can feel the cold shadow of the Eye upon me, maybe you or I, or us both will be dead by tomorrow. At least then will I be at peace.\" She walks away slowly, back into the shadows of the forest with her head down turned and eventually fades out of sight.

Lips part once more, yet no sound comes, though a clear: \"Thank you\" is spoken by Rowaen, following Kaide as she makes her departing way. As she fades away, the gaze of the squire\'s lingers for a moment there with her final glimpse, darkening now, eyes closing. Tis as if all hope again left his person, particularly when the maiden spoke her final phrase. Useless seem the words he now speaks, head resting heavily against the tree behind him... though perhaps they are not meanted for any one then himself, to word the last bits of a strong will, so gravely tested...

\"Hope... tis there.. when least... exspected... rest easy.... Kaide.....\"

As the Blue Squire mentions rest, he lets his head fall back diagonally, the tree proving to be a hard pillow. Yet Rowaen seems not to notice, so in pain, or so without feeling in his body. All that remains being the tiring desire to close his eyes and rest... rest...

The rate of his chest, moving, lessens, a dark slumber coming over the young Nimothan, all forgotten for now...