(Archive) - The Houses of Healing

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Weather: Sunny

Time: Late Morning

Season: Spring

Date: Mersday - April 5, 3021

Real Time: Thu Sep 07 15:00:54 2000

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*Note - Log supplied by Kadareth*

Secured Room

A smaller room than the general healing halls, this room is kept for those who have been taken prisoner by Gondor yet still need the attention of the healers. A few small beds line the walls near tables which hold nothing but deep, wide-mouthed bowls and towels. A small window in the far wall provides some light and fresh air, but the main source of illumination comes from the tall candle-ridden braziers in the corners. Two guards sit either side of the entrance, lounging on their stools and speaking quietly, yet always watching those within.

Contents:

Gweneth

Kadareth

Obvious exits:

Out

The sun sinks slowly beyond the zenith of Mount Mindolluin and night runs its blanket of darkness once more over the city. The secure ward is crowded with the mad and the criminal. The incessant cacophony of their insane drivel make the air in the room seem stuffed, more than it actually is made by their sweaty exhalations and the poignant aroma of herbs.

Into the room comes a healer escorted by a guard. The young man carries a dozen candles in his satchel, and he methodically replaces the wasted stubs from the braziers in the corners by fresh cilinders of wax. The darkness then gives way to the flickering of new light, and the shadows streaked across the walls dance maniacally on the faces of the near-otherworldly denizens of this location.

In a cot by the corner near the window lies Private Kadareth of the city guard, struck by madness like so many of the city\'s citizens. The symptoms are similar in all cases: allucinations, bouts of paranoia, violent behaviour. Like the others, the guard is strapped to his bedding, unable to move all but his head. However, and unlike the rest, he lies silent and stares absent-mindedly at the ceiling.

[Gweneth(#17847)] As the guard stares towards the ceiling, his view is blocked by the pale face of a young, quite pretty, woman. Her face is outlined by light, flaxen curls dropping down towards the Private\'s face, \"Lord Kadareth, can you here me?\" her voice emotionless and even.

Kadareth shakes his head lethargically, stunned by the endless potions he is being given to soothe his madness. \"No, not \'lord\',\" he mutters with a smile. His deep blue eyes stare blankly through the woman\'s face.

[Gweneth(#17847)] The young lady pulls back, a bowl of soup becoming visible in her hands as she straightens her back, \"Of course, milord, it is the proper way to address one you do not know on a more familar basis. I meant no disrespect, milord,\" she says, her tone and features proper yet perhaps, empty. \"I have brought you some soup for your dinner. Are you hungry?\" she asks, rasing her brow.

\"I am . . .\" Kadareth raises his eyebrows, a puzzled silence ensuing. \"Weary. Can\'t I have my straps undone for a moment, milady?\" His eyes turn past the bowl of soup to the young lady, beckoning release.

[Gweneth(#17847)] There is a hint of, could it be, pity for such a momment in her eyes before it passes, \"I am sorry, but just decisions are out of the domain of my authority and duties. I am but a maid for the healers while I am here. If you wish, after you eat, I can go and ask one of the healers on it if you\'d like?\"

\"Many thanks, milady,\" Kadareth smiles, and for a few seconds returns his gaze to the ceiling stained by so many candles burned underneath it. \"You are very kind.\" Then, he raises his head with a little difficulty and tries to peer into the bowl proffered by the lady. He takes a whiff of the scented steam undulating from its contents. \"Is it laced with herbs?\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] \"Laced milord? I think you mean to make it sound as if the healers are attempting to poison you. To be honest, I know not if there are herbs besides those to flavor it,\" Caladrielinde says, sitting down next to the strapped down guard. She takes up the spoon lightly in her fingers, stirring the soup. She then lifts the spoon, blows softly on its contents and lowers it to Kadareth\'s lips.

Kadareth looks askance as the spoon lowers towards his lips, but offers no struggle as the hot food seeps into his mouth. He hesitates to swallow at first, but the lady seemed to have gained his trust -- for the moment, at least.

To Caladrielinde, Kadareth says as soon as he swallows his spoonfull of soup, \"Did you let good sir Kelebhen the bard go? I can no longer hear his voice in the room.\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] \"Sir Kelebhen? I am afraid I do not know about him either,\" she says, blowing on another spoonful, lowering it to his lips once more, \"I usually am given tasks that do not have any contact with the other patients in the hall. Was he a friend of yours?\" The young woman questions.

\"Not a friend,\" Kadareth speaks slowly. \"He played at the White Tree and we listened. But this--\" Kadareth pauses, his thoughts running torpid inside his head. \"Madness, or whatever you call it, brought him down.\"

Kadareth heaves a sigh as another spoonfull is lowered to his mouth, and continues after he has eaten. \"He used to cut himself up, speaking of things in his body. I think he might have . . . not survived.\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] Draws her hand with the spoon to her throat, \"Oh dear, I hope not. Though, I doubt you have much to worry about. The healers here are quite skilled and more than likely treated your friend.\" She lowers another spoonful to Kadareth\'s lips, \"Tell me of this madness that you say holds you. You seem to be ahold of your wits to me.\"

Kadareth chuckles ruefully at the lady\'s words and sips another spoonful. \"I have been worse, it is true. But sometimes I still feel the hands trying to grab me. I know-- I try to believe they are not real, but the feeling is . . .\" he shrugs. \"Too intense.\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] Appearing only slightly interested, Caladrielinde continues, \"And do you know how this madness came upon you?\"

\"I do not,\" Kadareth raises his eyebrows apologetically and sighs. Then he continues drowsily: \"And I don\'t believe any of the madmen in the room can answer you truthfully. Or coherently.\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] \"Strange, I wonder if there is a commonality to you all,\" Caladrielinde says, continueing to feed the private, \"It would be the only logical thing as the whole of the city has not yet caught this madness. I wonder, you speak of madmen, have no women taken ill to this disease of the mind?\"

\"I wouldn\'t know,\" the soldier speaks, and furrows his brow in deep thought. \"Perhaps they do not take them here.\"

The man looks around, past Caladrielinde at the noisy men that fill the room. \"When they locked me here, this room was nearly empty,\" he reveals, becoming a little agitated. \"I tell you, milady, the madness that befell me has more than meets the eye.\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] A smile curls on Caladrielinde lips but little mirth is held in it though her words appear to be in jest, \"Then I am glad my position does not require me to seek out its source nor its cure. I only am to feed to this night,\" she says, pausing as she lowers another spoonful in Kadareth\'s mouth, \"You serve as a guard, correct?\"

Kadareth nods after he sluggishly takes the spoon into his mouth. \"I escorted you and Lord Boromir to Minas Tirith a few weeks back,\" he says. Then, a look of puzzlement flashes across his face. \"Are you a healess? I thought you of noble bearing, not one to mingle with people . . . people like me,\" he finishes with raised eyebrows and a strange little smile dancing in his lips.

[Gweneth(#17847)] \"You may be a brave fighter, but seem to no little of nobility or its people,\" the young Bragollach replies simply. \"Many of the healers in the hall are of noble birth. The Master of this Hall and the one in Dol Amroth are both nobles as well. Though, I am not one in the true sense, I only have a light amount of instruction. I actually serve as Lady Aearwen\'s Lady in Waiting and since she serves this place, as do I. Though your words vex me for I know not why you would think one of the nobility would act in such a fashion. It is well outside how my family treats men.\"

Kadareth furrows his brow for a moment, then speaks slowly, \"I\'m sorry, milady. I am from a simple family, and one not accostumed to be served -- rather than serve -- by nobility.\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] The Bragollach replies, without the tone of contempt but again indifference, \"It is not your fault. You were not taught these things, simple people rarely are. It is a sad thing I think that I have learned of in my travels away from Dol Amroth.\" She spoons up the last spoonful and lowers it to Kadareth\'s lips once more, \"Though, I think you give my duty a misnomer for I do not serve you, I am only providing a service,\" she finishes, a small grin hinting on her lips.

\"And I thank you for it,\" Kadareth replies after taking the last spoonful. \"You are good company to me. I miss sane people here in the den of the mad.\" The soldier heaves a deep sigh.

[Gweneth(#17847)] Caladrielinde nods, rising from the edge of the bed, \"I will ask the healer\'s on releasing you for a time. You seem well enough for now to not be tied down like a mad dog. Until then, sleep as much as you can. Allow the chance for your mind to heal and your body to rest.\"

\"Milady,\" Kadareth asks urgently as the young woman prepares to leave. \"Might I request you another favour?\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] The young girl pauses as she moves to leave, her brow arching once more, \"Hmm?\"

\"Would you inquire around the city if there are more people like us?\" the soldier asks humbly. \"For each mad man turned into the secure ward of this house, there may be ten more walking the streets hiding their . . . madness. Could you please learn the size of this plague, as I am unable to leave this place?\" He says as he nods towards the straps.

[Gweneth(#17847)] \"I must be honest with you, milord, I have little enough time for my studies and my duties than to seek out others with your ailment. Again, perhaps one of the healers could tend to this task, being that is there choice in life in what they wish to do, aid those who are ill,\" Caladrielinde replies.

\"I thank you then,\" Kadareth nods and tries to lift his head. \"About the straps?\" He adds hopefully.

[Rorgan(#19834)] There comes a light knocking at the door...

The knock is soon followed by the familliar head of Captain Rorgan peering into the room. \"Am I interrupting?\" he asks quietly.

[Gweneth(#17847)] Young Caladrielinde stands in the middle of a room filled with quite a few men, many moaning, others talking, speaking words of madness. She smiles warmly as Rorgan peeks in, curtseying, \"Milord Rorgan, a pleasure as always. I was only feeding the private and was going to go and ask one of the healers if his straps could be freed from him for a time as he seems quite lucid now.\"

[Rorgan(#19834)] \"I don\'t see what harm there would be in that,\" says the Captain, rubbing his jaw. \"He would pose you no threat so long as I was here, at least, my lady.\"

Then he approaches closer to Calalrielinde and speaks in quiet tones, \"I did not expect to find you here, my lady, but since I have, there is a small matter I wish to discuss with you, at your leisure.\"

[Gweneth(#17847)] \"If you wish to release him, Lord Rorgan, you may,\" Caladrielinde replies, \"It is all quite beyond my own authority though. I will await you outside of the room. Take care, Kadareth.\" With that she leaves the room.

[Rorgan(#19834)] \"Aye, then,\" says Rorgan to the lady, and then to Kadareth he says, \"I\'ll see if anyone is about who can loosen your bonds, if you are indeed doing better, as the young lady says. What say you to that, my lad?\"

\"I feel tired, Captain Rorgan, sir,\" the soldier replies lethargically. \"But I would not deny a little freedom from my bonds, as this position becomes uncomfortable when you cannot move.\" He looks longingly at Rorgan, silently beckoning his release.

[Aearwen(#7229)] The door of the secured room is opened reluctantly by the guards as they allow the Lady Bragollach to slip into the small room. Quietly her cerulean eyes take in the form of Kadareth bond to the bed and then she turns to her old friend Captain Rorgan and says softly, \"How fare the patient tonight? I have just arrived back in Minas Tirith and heard of his condition.\" Soft are the footsteps of the noble woman as she walks to the bedside of the man and rests one hand on his arm and says, \"Hello Kadareth. Tis good to see you again.\" Sadness rests upon her brow as she asks, \"What brought you to such mean estate as this?\"

[Rorgan(#19834)] \"Then we shall have to see what we can do for you,\" replies the Captain. \"After I speak with Lady Caladrielinde, I shall see if I can find a healer to...\"

\"Ah, Lady Aearwen. Just the person I had hoped to see this evening,\" Rorgan smiles.

Then more softly, he says, \"I had hoped to ask you the same questions, milady. \'Tis not the black breath, though when first I came upon him in his state, I thought that he had the look of one who had been beset by one of the Black Riders.\"

\"Milady,\" Kadareth says with a smile as Aearwen approaches. \"It\'s good to see you again.\" Then he turns his blue eyes around the room. \"As for what happened to me . . . Ask around the room and you will get one hundred different responses.\" He finishes with a despairing sigh.

[Aearwen(#7229)] Turning back to Rorgan with a look of concern marring the smoothness of her brow, Aearwen asks softly, \"What exactly where his symptoms when first brought to the House of Healing?\" A look of surprise brightens the eyes of the healer as they fall upon the new bars upon the shoulders of her friend and she looks to Rorgan with a smile of warmth, \"Captain Rorgan....I still marvel at the sound of it rolling off my tongue.\" A twinge of colour floods her face as she is reminded of the soldier in the bed and and she runs a practiced hand across the brow of Kadareth and looks into his eyes, \"Tell me. How do -you- feel now?\"

\"I feel . . . weary,\" the private replies slowly. \"Weary of the herbs you minister me. Weary of lying in this bed all day long with nothing to do.\"

[Rorgan(#19834)] \"He was...\" Rorgan searches for the right word, \"...frightened... when we found him. Frightened in the extreme, the likes of which I have seen and felt on the field of battle when one of the Nameless One\'s generals came too near.\"

Kadareth listens in fearful silence as Rorgan explains his condition. He barely contains a shudder, and his body tenses slightly.

\"I felt a presence trying to clutch me with many invisible hands,\" the soldier explains.

[Aearwen(#7229)] An expression of anger flits across the face of Lady Aearwen as she asks incredulously, \"And he was bound because he was... -frightened-?\" Shaking her head as auburn curls dance across her shoulders and tumble down the bodice of her seablue gown Aearwen says firmly, \"This is nonsense!\" Glancing up to Kadareth with solenn inquiry she says, \'And you are fine now....correct?\" The sea blue eyes of the noble woman look steadily into the eyes of the soldier as her fingers test the tightness of the bonds holding him\"

[Rorgan(#19834)] \"Nay, Lady,\" replies the Captain quietly. \"He was bound because his fear made him a danger to himself and others. Some who have not been so bound have taken their own lives in their delirium.\"

\"I . . . believe I am better now,\" Kadareth assents and his eyes flare up in the candlelight. \"Anyhow, I would just be happy to leave the confines of this bed for a few minutes.\"

[Aearwen(#7229)] Aearwen tugs at the tight binding holding the man in the bed and cries out in frustration as two fingernails break off and still the tightness is unbudged by her efforts. Turning to Captain Rorgan she says, \"Please see that these are removed and allow this man-at-arms up from this bed...if only for a short walk\" Suddenly curious she asks as again the heat of her blue eyes falls upon Kadareth, \"How long have you been here?\"

[Rorgan(#19834)] \"Aye, milady,\" says the Captain with a grin, \"let me fetch my knife and I\'ll get them right off him.\"

\"One week, milady,\" Kadareth says, a notch uncertainly, meeting the lady\'s eyes with his own deep blue stare. \"I think.\"

[Aearwen(#7229)] A moment of hesitation flares in the sea grey eyes of Aearwen as her hand rests upon the forehead of the soldier and she leans forth, almost nose to nose with him and says softly, \"A bond of trust is allowing me to loosen these bindings......\" pausing briefly as her hand absentmindedly brushes back the hair from his brow as she then continues, \"I could not live with myself if I were to loosen these bonds and something evil should befall you.\"

\"So again, I ask you, \"Are you certain you should be free of these bonds?\"

\"I am,\" Kadareth nods with a frown. \"I no longer feel the strange anxiety like before. And you may ask Captain Rorgan how I have recovered.\"

[Rorgan(#19834)] \"He seems to be doing better. A walk would certainly do him good, but I have business with Lady Caladrielinde that must needs attending to. I would not be able to vouch for his safety in the near future,\" says the Captain with an anxious glance toward the door.

[Aearwen(#7229)] Satisfied with the statement of the young man-at-arms, Lady Aearwen turns to Captain Rorgan and says, \"I trust that you will stay in this room for awhile?\", a statement more than a question as she goes on to say, \'I must return to the Embassy for a meeting or I would stay myself.\" Tapping one foot against the floor in quiet contemplation she says, \"A walk around this room should suffice for now. Tomorrow, if you are still confidant that you are recovered, I will allow you past the guards now holding you captive in this room.\" Smiling briefly at Kadareth, a look of concern still apparent in her eyes as she turns to Rorgan, \"Shall we try to have dinner before I return to Dol Amroth? I should like very much to catch up with news of Maeghan\"

[Rorgan(#19834)] \"That would be a welcome distraction,\" says Rorgan in answer to the only true question asked by Aearwen. In response to the other, he merely looks toward the door and sighs. \"Very well, then.\"

Kadareth seems to relax as he hears the Aearwen\'s words. \"Oh, many thanks, milady,\" he speaks cheerfully. \"That would be a blessing from you.\" He then looks nervously at Captain Rorgan looming over him.

[Aearwen(#7229)] A look of fondness for both men warms the face of the healer as she looks from the younger man-at-arms and then back to her old friend and then Aearwen says, \"Forgive me for having to leave so hurriedly, but I simply cannot miss this appointment.\" Again her hand rests on the arm of Kadareth as she says, \"Take care and do not overtire yourself. I shall check back in on you tomorrow.\" Reaching out her hand to Rorgan she smiles and says, \"Until next, we meet\" with that the healer slips through the door.

[Rorgan(#19834)] Though the time out of the bed might be shorter than the young soldier would like, his Captain stands dutifly by and allows him a short period of freedom before ushering his return to the bed and resecuring the bonds. \"Good night, Private. The rest of the men have been asking about you. I hope to see you return to the barracks soon.\" Then the Captain finally makes his way past the guards and out of the room.