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Journey Of A Butterfly	By : Mel99Moe Category: -Fourth Age to Modern times and beyond > Het - Male/Female Views: 5714 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or places of Lord of the Rings/Tolkien. No money is being made. This is for personal enjoyment only.

Chapter List
- 18
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- 20
Chapter 19 - Healer’s Apprentice

It was Terrwyn’s first day in Ithilien and already she had met more elves than she could have ever imagined she would in her lifetime. Now Captain Glandur was taking her to meet with the Healer. This would be where she would work and learn while held in the city awaiting her Rohirrim escort back home. Glandur explained what the elves expected of her while she remained in Ithilien. Though their idea of imprisonment seemed a bit relaxed, hidden eyes constantly watched her. Soon she would meet her guard, assigned to her at all times as long as she was outside of her barracks. In the meantime, she would meet with the Master Healer.

They arrived at his home in just a short while. The house stood amongst other buildings on one of the many streets, a typical two-story home that reminded her of the apartment she shared with Lindiel and Rosloch in Minas Tirith. The ground floor made up the business part of the home while the second floor was the living quarters. Tall windows on either side of a door faced her now. Terrwyn looked up and noticed three individual windows above, pretty light colored curtains dressing them. It seemed very cozy on the outside.

Glandur opened the door for her and they strolled inside. This was obviously the patient waiting area. It was a wide-open room with chairs lined up on one wall. There were two doors leading off to other areas. One had a label that read healing rooms. The other door had no label but was obviously an entrance to a back area, probably off limits to patients. Glandur led her now through this door.

It opened up to a work area with shelves lining each side. There were jars of every kind upon them, labeled with their ingredients. Running the length of the shelves at about waist level was a long workbench. They held mixing bowls and bottles, cutting areas and crushing utensils. This must be where the medicines were prepared. Terrwyn looked up. Above each section of self was a window. They were not tall, but very long and let in enough light to illuminate the work area. She looked behind her to the door they just passed through and noticed a wooden table and chairs. It looked as if it had been in someone’s kitchen at some point. Now it was used as a sitting area. She imagined the Healer ate many meals here during busy times and times of war and such. Between the small table and the shelves was a swinging door, another entry into the area that housed the healing rooms. The Healer would go through here often to check on his patients. Overall, the room had a certain coziness to it.

Opposite of the door in which Terrwyn and Glandur entered through, there was another door leading into a back room. That door slowly opened and the Master Healer stepped through, a smile adorning his face. Master Curuven was his name, Glandur had mentioned. He was thousands of years in age, but to Terrwyn, he looked no older than Rosloch. She could tell he was very wise and if she paid attention, she could learn a lot from him. His hair was long and straight, the color of ripe wheat. He was slender and tall. His blue almond-shaped eyes were set wide above high cheekbones. When he smiled, the slightest of crinkles appeared in the outer corners.

When Glandur introduced them, Curuven held an elegant hand out to her. She watched as he slowly unfurled his lengthy fingers towards her. She gave him her hand and he gently wrapped his around it and pulled her towards him. He seemed to be examining her, though she was unsure of the reason for such an inspection. Then he smiled, his thin lips staying together.

“Yes, I think you are right Captain Glandur. I think she will do just fine here. So tell me, my dear, how much do you know about plant life as healing aids?”

“I’m afraid I know nothing of it. I was merely a street vender in Minas Tirith selling flowers to the residents,” she answered.

“Then you already have some knowledge of the types of plants. Some of them are used for medicinal purposes when boiled. Some of them, their roots can be crushed into a paste and spread on wounds to help heal faster.” Curuven paused and laughed silently. “They are for more than decorating a room, my dear girl.” Then the Healer turned to Glandur and bowed. “I believe the Lady Terrwyn will be fine on her own for a while. I will keep watch over her, if you do not mind, Captain.”

“Not at all. I will leave her here and let you get started with your teachings early. I will be back in a while to escort you back to your barracks,” Glandur said, bowing to Curuven and exiting the workplace.

Master Curuven smiled and led her to the last door she had yet to step through. “What is back here?” she asked.

“This is where you will be working,” he said and pushed the door open. This was a fairly small room with a wood burning stove and many pots and pans hanging on the wall behind it. Cast iron cauldrons made up a black stack in one corner. Empty bottles of different shapes and sizes lined a small workbench. Above that were more shelves and more bottles and jars. Running along the ceiling was string for hanging freshly washed rags and bandages. To the back of the room was another door, this one with a window. Terrwyn peered outside and saw a beautiful garden used to grow herbs in the warmer months. Now it seemed deserted except for a few winter growing plants. To the left of the back door was a set of stairs that led to the second floor. That must be where the healer lived she thought.

The Master Healer got Terrwyn to work right away, saying that busy hands made for sharper minds. She was excited to think of learning something about plants and their healing abilities. Unfortunately, she found out rather quickly the reason the Healer needed her here. Her first tasks were not to crush leaves or boil roots. No, her first experience with healing was learning how to properly wash and sterilize rags and bandages. Curuven showed her around the back room where all the necessary equipment needed for this was stored. He admitted it was the ugliest part of his job and one he detested, which was why she was back here now, standing over a hot boiling pot of water stirring rags and such with an oversized stick. It took up most of her time and the day was half over by the time she was done. She was just finishing with the last of the rags, hanging them to dry, when the Healer came in to check on her, which he did often.

“My, you work quickly. Most others took all day to do this,” he said. He walked over to where the finished cloths hung. “Let’s see here,” he said inspecting them. “You have done a fine job, Terrwyn.”

“Thank you Master Curuven,” she answered. There were a few tendrils of red hair stuck to her sweaty face and wrinkles on the tips of her fingers.

“Come then, I think you are due for a break,” the Healers said motioning for her to follow him back to the main part of his workplace. On the small table was a basket. She could see the end of a loaf of bread sticking up over the rim. Curuven led Terrwyn to it and she had a seat on one of the wooden chairs.

She noticed how very tall and slender the Master Healer was, especially when she sat down and he was still standing. He towered above her, making her feel like a small child again. He reached into the basket and pulled out the loaf of bread, a variety of fruits, cheese and a bottle of sweet fruit juice. Then he opened a nearby cabinet and took out two silver plates and two matching silver mugs, placing one of each in front of Terrwyn.

“My wife brought this earlier. She said I need to take care that you do not go hungry,” he smiled sweetly and laughed.

“Oh, you are married?” she asked surprised.

“Yes, for many countless years,” he answered dreamily. “I will never forget the day we met. I was just starting my training as a healer back then. She was picking berries for her mother. Neither of us knew the other one was there. Then a wild boar came charging out of the underbrush. I went running as fast as my legs would carry me when suddenly I tripped over something. I thought it was a log, but soon I found out it was a beautiful young maiden. Let me tell you, she was none too happy to see me. Not only had I knocked her into a patch of mud and dirtied her dress, but I had ruined every berry she picked that morning. She was angry and she would not listen to any apology I could give. Still, something about her would not let my mind rest. Instead of gathering the proper herbs for my Master Healer, I spent the rest of the day picking every kind of berry I could find. I got in quite a lot of trouble with my teacher, but my fair maiden finally accepted my apology. We were inseparable after that,” He paused and laughed as he looked at a gold ring on his finger. “I suppose we still are.”

Terrwyn’s heart filled with the joy of knowing such long lasting love existed. “She must be very beautiful then.”

“Ai, Limil is the most beautiful elleth in all of Arda,” he said, pouring the sweet nectar into their mugs.

Terrwyn said no more and ate silently, thinking about falling in love. She wondered if she would ever have the chance to experience it. The dark cloud that hung over her returned as she looked to her future.

Curuven felt the shift in her mood. As sweet as she seemed and as pretty as she was, it was easy to forget the reason she was here in the first place. He knew of her troubled past, though it seemed so unusual. She was not typical of any prisoner he had seen. The Captain had spoken to him about the girl. Glandur felt this too.

“The past cannot be changed,” Curuven said after a long silence. “There is no point in revisiting it so often.”

Terrwyn swirled a grape around on her plate. No matter where she put it, it always ended up back in the center. “And it does not matter what I do now, my path will lead me to the same place.”

“You must believe that there is justice. Otherwise, why would men have their laws?”

Terrwyn sighed. “The truth can be easily manipulated, Master Curuven. It is my word against theirs and the law is on their side now. I have no one.”

Curuven reached across the table and took her hand. When she did not look at him, he squeezed it gaining her attention. His ancient blue eyes bared into her young green ones. “I believe you,” he whispered.

“But you do not even know me,” she argued.

“I do not need to know you. I can see inside you and I know you speak the truth. You must tap in to this inner light. It is buried deep, but if you can find it and bring it to the surface, justice will be served.”

There was a knock on the door. Curuven got up and patted her shoulder. “Finish up, my dear. There is still much to do.” He exited the workroom where they were and went up front to the waiting area. While he was gone, Terrwyn finished her mid-day meal. After a few minutes, Curuven came back.

“It seems you are quite popular. There is someone here to see you,” he said smiling.

Terrwyn was confused. Who, besides Captain Glandur could be here to see her? In walked a familiar face, which answered her question. She immediately jumped up from her chair and stood at attention. Not knowing what else to do, she bowed her head, looking at the floor. “Lord Legolas, it is an honor.”

Her greeting confused Legolas. Once, there had been no formalities between them, but that was before she knew of his royal standing. He glanced to Curuven and cocked an eyebrow questioningly. The Master Healer shrugged his shoulders.

Legolas smiled. “Lord Legolas? An honor?” he teased. “What happened to just a plain friendly greeting?”

“I was not a captive in your lands then. I would not disrespect you in any way, my lord,” she answered seriously.

Legolas glanced at Master Curuven again. Without saying a word, the healer knew what the Prince was asking, and Curuven quietly left the room to give Legolas and Terrwyn a moment alone. She was embarrassed to see him now and busied herself by picking up the plates and cups. This would have worked well to her advantage except, she did not know where to take them to. She stood there, spinning her head one way and then the other. Finally, Legolas reached out and took the plates from her, sitting them down on a nearby counter. He watched as Terrwyn nervously avoided him.

“Terrwyn, please look at me,” he pleaded, very out of character for a lord she thought.

“I am sorry if I have ever misled you, my lord,” she whispered while her eyes gazed deliberately at her feet. “I am sure you do not visit the other prisoners. I do not deserve this either.”

Legolas wrapped his hands around her forearms. “You are my friend first, Lady Terrwyn. When I first met you, I felt no threat and I feel none now. But I do want you to know that I am here to help you.”

“Help me? No, I do not think there is anything that can be done,” she said with no hope.

Legolas wrinkled his brow. “Do you think we would just turn you over to your authorities and not seek the truth?” He raised her chin with his slender fingers until their eyes met. “You have more people on your side than you might think. Elves can sense injustice, and we feel that you have been wronged, though your situation will be difficult to prove.” He released her now that she looked at him by her own will. Then he smiled warmly and her heart fluttered. This was the reason his kind had always drawn her. No matter the situation, elves could find the good in it.

“I’m not sure I understand, my lord,” Terrwyn replied quite confused by all of this.

“My dear Terrwyn, I discussed your story with my wife a long while ago, before you were arrested even. We both concluded that things were not as they seemed. I was the one who told her to send you here where you would be under my protection and the protection of the elves. We believe you, sweet Terrwyn. You are no murderer and anyone put in your place would have tried to defend themselves.” Legolas paused when he saw a single tear escape the corner of her eye. He reached out and wiped it with his thumb. “Captain Glandur, Master Curuven, we all want to help you. We have devised a plan to prolong your stay here in Ithilien. A letter has already been sent to your King requesting that you be housed here at least until the spring arrives. I know him personally, fought in the war with Eomer King. He is fair and just. I believe he will agree to the terms.”

To know Legolas was a friend to her King gave her chills. “Then you can speak to him and tell him the truth,” she said excitedly.

Legolas lowered his head. “I am afraid I cannot do that. This matter is between you and your lands. I have no authority in matters out of my realm. I may not use my royal standing to persuade things one way or the other. However, we elves still have ways of gathering information when need be.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” she said slightly baffled. “What information?”

“That is what we need to concentrate on. You said Bregmund was going to trade the jewels for some of Harad’s land. If we can just find someone that can prove this contract existed, then I believe all charges against you would be dropped.”

Terrwyn was hopeful, but there was no one she knew of that might know about this and those that did were dead. As she wracked her brain trying to come up with a solution, Legolas could sense her faith in his resolution begin to dwindle. “There is no one, Legolas. The only one who knew was my foster father Alric, and he has long passed from this world. And the other two men will keep their mouths shut, least they want to be jailed.”

He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. “Sweet Terrwyn, I promise you that while you are in our care, not a single elf that knows you will stop looking for a solution to this. You are not alone. We are on your side and will do all we can to amend this. Meanwhile, all you need to do is what you are already doing. Master Curuven will take good care of you. Learn from him. He is very wise and does not share his knowledge very often. If you are truly interested in this art then there is no better teacher. He sees something in you, a spark for this kind of occupation. Otherwise he would have dismissed you from the very beginning.”

Legolas released her and Terrwyn smiled, feeling a bit of confidence return to her. “I am interested in learning about healing.”

“Good, then it is settled,” said Master Curuven from the door. No one had heard him enter the workroom. “Now Prince Legolas, if you will allow me to get back to my student, I believe she has mastered sterilization and is ready to learn the next step in healing, cleaning and labeling bottles.”

Legolas laughed. “It would seem you have a long way to go yet, dear Terrwyn.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “You are in our care now. Do not consider yourself a prisoner any longer, but a student.” Then he squeezed her hand. “And a friend.”

“Thank you, Legolas. It has been a long time since I felt like I really belonged anywhere,” she said and soon she was back to boiling water.

* * *

Last night after she was finished for the day, Captain Glandur led her to the women’s barracks. Now it was morning and Terrwyn woke early ready to get her day started. She knew she would have to report to the Master Healer soon, and that her new warden would be there to take her to him. She had an uneasy feeling about this guard, something she never thought she would say about an elf. Their kind was still new and mysterious to her. The only vision of an elf she had ever had was the chestnut male from her childhood. She had built him up so much in her mind that she imagined every elf to be like him. Now she realized they were no different from humans. Some were very kind, some were stern and some were unpredictable, which was the feeling she got from . . . whatever his name was. She had forgotten with being so nervous yesterday.

Her sleep was restless but she felt better knowing that someone was fighting for her now. She no longer felt alone, but she still wondered why the elves treated her so differently. They were all very kind and she truly felt welcomed.

There was a knock at her door and the lock clicked open. In walked the black-haired elf she had seen the day she arrived. He was dressed in a black tunic, belted at the waist, and grey leggings. His long black hair hung down to the top of his waistband and had a slight waviness to it. He was absolutely gorgeous, Terrwyn thought. Still, something about him told her he was not exactly thrilled to be here. He looked at her with a stern expression, much like the gate guard that originally brought her into the city.

“Are you ready yet?” he asked as he glanced around the women’s barracks. He had never been here before. His eyes came back to look at Terrwyn in her white shirt and tan leggings. She felt that he looked at her a little too long and too hard. The way he looked at her that made her skin tingle, but she was not sure if this was a good thing yet or not.

“Yes, I am ready,” she answered. The truth was she had been ready for a while. She wanted to make sure she was doing everything correctly and that included being up and ready when her escort showed.

The elven guard opened the barracks door, holding it for her as she exited. As she passed him, she noticed that he had a certain scent, like most elves she had met so far. His was more prominent though, reminding her of the first day of summer in a lush fern forest. She did not know how to explain it or why his was stronger, but she liked it.

They walked along the street in silence, Terrwyn in front and her guard following. After a while, she looked over her shoulder and spoke. “Will I have a different guard every day or will you be with me longer.”

“I am assigned to you for the length of your stay unless otherwise directed by the Captain,” he answered.

“Then might I know your name? It seems I may be here for at least the winter season and it has not yet begun.” She smiled over her shoulder to him.

He did not answer right away, but then he sighed and spoke. “My name is Feredir, if you must know.”

Terrwyn waited for him to ask her name, but he did not. It seemed he was only here to do his duty, like the gate guard. Still, something prompted her to continue. “That is a strong name. What does it mean?”

“It means that I am your warden and that’s all you need to know,” he said. It was obvious he did not want to talk to her or get to know her better. Terrwyn left it at that and the rest of the walk to the healer’s quarters was silent.

She noticed how quiet his footsteps were. Actually, he did not make a sound and a few times Terrwyn glanced over her shoulder to see if he was still there. He was, with a serious face, though very handsome just the same.

They finally arrived at Master Curuven’s office. Feredir led her inside. The Master Healer was sitting at his desk and smiled warmly when he saw Terrwyn. “Ah, there you are. Ready to get the day started, my dear?” he chimed. At least the Healer was in good spirits today.

“Good morning, Master Curuven. I was up early. Those cots in the women’s barracks are not very comfortable, but at least it’s better than a stable floor,” she said laughing at her own comment. Master Curuven looked at her curiously as did Feredir. “Never mind. So what do you need me to do today?”

“Oh, there are a number of things to be sterilized today, and we need to get ready for some possible patients. Word has come to me that there was some activity at the borders last night. All of the injuries were minor, but they will need some stitches and such,” the Healer informed her.

At the mention of the border, Feredir perked up. “Did they say who or how many attacked our troops?”

Terrwyn turned when she heard the desperation in his voice and the look of concern on his face. Master Curuven gave him a warm reassuring smile. “I was not told of their numbers, but from what I have been told of the injuries, it was not many.”

Terrwyn filed this information away for later conversation with her guard and got to work right away. Feredir took a seat at the small table where she had her first meal with Master Curuven. She was surprised to see him stay, but this was his job she supposed. He did not seem very happy to be there and the information about the border attack might have been the reason. After a while, the Master Healer gave Feredir a reprieve, telling him he could go meet the injured at the city gates. Feredir was out the door faster than lightening.

“That seemed to perk him up,” Terrwyn commented. “He did not look comfortable sitting still for so long.”

Master Curuven smiled. “Feredir is ambitious, maybe a little too much.” As he spoke, he handed her a bunch of vials to clean. Some had residue from the liquids that were recently stored in them. Being that the Healer knew ahead of time what the majority of injuries were, he could make up extra medicines. This required disposing of some tonics left inside and sanitizing the small bottles. It would mean another morning of working in a steaming back room too. Terrwyn did not complain. She was beginning to feel thankful for Rhavaniel’s decision to send her to Ithilien. Now that she spoke with Legolas, she did not feel so alone. The elves would help her fight for her freedom, though it still seemed like a long way off.
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Journey Of A Butterfly