A Visit to the Wounded

Sickroom

This room is large, open and airy, with windows on either side to let in light. The ceiling arches overhead, upheld by carven lebethron beams, polished and gleaming nary a cobweb can be found on a single one of them. Beds line the Western and Eastern walls, a narrow window between each giving view of the lower tiers of Minas Tirith and the fields of the Pelennor beyond.

At the far end of the sickroom is a great fireplace, a cauldron steaming ever upon the flames, and countless kettles pendant from swinging iron arms await their proper use. There are cabinets here as well, some with their doors ajar to reveal neat lines of herbs and other simples for the arts of healing. All here is peaceful and quiet flowers between the beds brighten dull days and sweep away the cloying scents of the ill and wounded.

[Arashen(#24692)]

The days of Midsummer have come and gone without notice for most of the men who currently lie in the Halls of Healing. Successive attacks by the Enemy in Osgiliath have brought these healers a steady flow of wounded.

A few have been discharged to the care of their families, others lie here still. Some of these bear the Swan and Ship of Dol Amroth - squires and knights both - wounded in Minas Tirith\'s defense. One such lies on a bed somewhere in the middle of the long row. He lies with his eyes open, staring with obvious boredom at the lebethron beams of the ceiling. One arm is bent above his head, cradling his head. His hair is long, his years young. Reddish light pierces the western windows beside his bed, casting sharp shadows in the room.

By the Eastern window sits a dark haired young man, staring listlessly for a while, a cup of tea in his hands. His left arm is in a sling, still, left shoulder bandaged, as well.

[Elenur(#14000)]

The commanding grace of age and responsibility sits easily upon the form striding into large room. Unlike those that lie about, wounds or infirmity does not trouble the elder knight - unsullied are the sigils that mark him such this day.

A bleak gaze runs across the occupants of the room, the accompanying set of Elenur\'s face is an unfriendly grimace. Clearly searching for something.. or someone.

[Arashen(#24692)]

Sighing, the Blue Squire tilts his head up and looks, not at any who might enter, but across the room to where the Scout Ceredir sits brooding at the window. \"Ceredir!\" he calls, \"what is so fascinating out there?\"

The raised voice catches the attention of a healer seated at a table some distance away. She looks at the squire disapprovingly - a look worthy of any sour librarian. The young man grins at her apologetically and in so doing, he espies at last, the Knight. He says naught, but looks on now in interest.

\"Arashen,\" Ceredir laughs, turning as his name is called. \"I didn\'t know you were up, but now the whole room does.\" He turns away slowly from that window, nearly starting to shrug, but stopping himself--many days of being rewarded with pain on moving the wrong way perhaps finally bringing some caution to any sudden movements. \"There\'s nothing out there, but I was bored and I was wondering if I could see or hear any news of what might be happening in Osgiliath.\"

The Scout now stands, crossing the room toward Arashen\'s bed. He, too, gives the Knight only a cursory glance, at least at first. But then his eyes flick back quickly to the man, and his mouth drops open, though the word on his lips is not said, his voice suddenly going dry.

[Elenur(#14000)]

The raised voice catches another\'s attention. The unfriendly eyes settle upon the cause of the disturbance for a fleeting second - no glint of recognition there - and move on to the second source of words.

The grimace tightens. Clearly this then is the cause of Elenur\'s presence. A beat. Then the knight starts across the room.

[Arashen(#24692)]

Looking between the Knight and the Scout, it is obvious Arashen\'s interest has been further piqued. He sits up slowly and carefully - wincing a bit as he does so - to better watch this interaction.

Ceredir stays silent still as the Knight approaches, though the shifting of his feet and the way his eyes dart to Arashen and then back to Elenur betrays his nervousness.

[Elenur(#14000)]

\"Boy\", comes the first word of the knight - and it is not a kind word - the first verbal lance as Elenur\'s voice comes within reach. Eyes look Ceredir up and down, a quick and experienced assessment of his state.

Closer now, he comes to a halt. \"It is a shame. I had heard tell of you at death\'s door. Clearly I am here too early.\"

[Arashen(#24692)]

Shock and anger flood the young Telpekhor\'s countenance. \"Sir!\" he exclaims, perhaps without thought a notion given credence when he moves suddenly, attempting to sit up further. He fails and he gasps in pain, grabbing at his abdomen - his face now contorted in pain.

It doesn\'t matter that Ceredir\'s left hand is in a sling--the Scout\'s right hand balls into a fist and his arm is already moving back to aim a punch at the Knight, but the Squire reacts faster, and his cry of pain distracts Ceredir. \"Arashen!\" he gasps, turning with concern to his friend and putting a hand on the Squire\'s shoulder. \"Do I need to call a healer? Are you all right?\" He glances up at Elenur, glaring. \"What do you want? Are you here to spread insults and more of your lies?\"

[Elenur(#14000)]

Furrowed eyebrows lift up at the interruption, and the gaze shifts toward the bedridden man. \"Yes?\", asks Elenur\'s grave voice. Distracted, he is unaware of Ceredir\'s stance till he speaks again.

\"You dare speak of lies?\" The words are scornful. \"This is a fine turn of events.\" A finger points at Ceredir, but the words are addressed to Arashen. \"Careful with this snake. Perhaps next, he will claim to be your brother - anything to rise above his station as a tanner\'s son. \"

[Arashen(#24692)]

The Squire smiles wrly at Elenur but his first response is a quiet one to Ceredir, \"Nay, I just sat up too quickly.\"

\"No man wounded in Gondor\'s service should be spoken to in that manner, sir,\" Arashen says, returning is regard to the knight. His voice is calmer, reasoning. \"No matter what personal disputes lie between you.\"

\"It is bad enough they insult us, do we need to insult them?\"

The look that Ceredir gives the Squire is one of thanks, but the expression is fleeting, as he looks up to address Elenur. \"And how is it,\" he says through gritted teeth, \"that an impoverished and stinking tanner of Minas Tirith should know the name of a Knight of Dol Amroth? And how would that same tanner come by the gold that he showed me? You think I\'m making this up?\"

Although the Scout starts out controlled, his temper rises as he speaks, so that by the end of his words, his fist is again balled up, knuckles white. \"You dirty, stinking son of a whore. That\'s what you are. I -will- find my mother. I -will- smear your precious name for you.\"

[Elenur(#14000)]

A disbelieving laugh. \"Any kid can trip over his own feet.\" Elenur shrugs. \"This is what happens when we send a lying tradesman\'s whelp to play at soldiering.\"

A pause, as Elenur cocks his head at Ceredir. The wrinkles on his face rearrange themselves into a sneer at the Scout\'s words. \"Your uncouth ways damn you. Why look further for she that birthed this filth than the tanner\'s hut?\" Head shaking, he warns: \"Stop your whispering and your rumors. I will not have you besmirch the name of my house. This is your last warning.\"

Starting to turn away, Elenur pauses to look at Arashen again, \"You sound like you are from a respectable house. Have a care who you mingle with lest the stain spread.\"

The Scout\'s temper snaps, and with a sudden roar of anger he springs forward, the adrenaline from the surge of anger for the moment overwhelming any pain it causes his injuries. His right hand snaps out with all the force he can muster, its target Elenur\'s gut, seeking to pummel the man or send him sprawling backwards--or both.

You recklessly attack Elenur with your Bare Hands...

[Combat(#13388)->Ceredir]

Your attack against Elenur mildly wounds him!

[Arashen(#24692)]

\"Ceredir!\" cries Arashen, \"control yourself!\"

Again, he tries to rise and is defeated by his own pain. Grimacing, he can only watch helplessly as his friend lashes out at the man he believes his father.

Not all in the Halls of Healing this day are wounded - others visit, like the knight Elenur - though to bring comfort rather than pain. Two black-clad men-at-arms rush towards the disturbance...

[Elenur(#14000)]

A thud. A gasp. And Elenur folds in two as he crashes backward onto the floor. Even as he hits it, the old knight is scrambling up, rage writ large upon his face. A step forward is taken before a semblance of control asserts itself.

Still breathing heavily, he spits out even as the guards near them - \"You\'ll hang for that, wretch.\"

Fury is in Ceredir\'s eyes, but the youth is still injured and slowed by pain, and the guards reach him, grabbing him and preventing him from doing further damage to the Knight as they drag Ceredir back and out of any further fray.

\"You\'d like that, wouldn\'t you!\" Ceredir spits at Elenur. \"Very convenient! Deny I\'m your son, shunt me off to a life of filth, and -then- see me hanged! How convenient that you don\'t have to take any responsibility for what you did, Father!! And you call yourself a man of honor!\"

But the guards are pulling the Scout backwards even as he shouts toward Elenur--the whole room now turned toward this scene, watching and listening, and the guards making to move the Scout into the secured room. \"One word, Father! One word!\" Ceredir continues to shout. \"Carmayar! I will search records for a Carmayar woman! I know how to find her....!\"

[Arashen(#24692)]

Exhaling heavily, Arashen lies back on his bed - gingerly. In his agitation, the blankets had fallen away and now it is obvious that his lower torso is heavily bandaged. He looks to the knight, clearly distressed by what he has just witnessed. The squire opens his mouth but whatever he would speak goes unuttered and he merely shakes his head - his expression bewildered rather than disapproving.

[Elenur(#14000)]

A wince of pain is chased off Elenur\'s face by disgust at Ceredir\'s ranting. \"Fool. Shut your mouth, lest the Carmayari hear you besmirch their name. I won\'t be deprived of watching you twitch with your last breath, because one of those touchy pantywaists decide to silence you.\"

The wince returns, and his gnarled right hand clutches at his side. As Elenur walks away from the sickbeds, his free hand fends off of the grasping clutches of the healers that reach toward him.

It is debatable whether or not Ceredir hears those words from Elenur: THe guards push the scout into the secured room, unceremoniously dumping him on a bed with rough words about controlling his temper. And then the heavy wooden door is shut on closed and barred from the outside, so that Ceredir has no choice but to sit and wait. No more words are heard from the Scout.