Athilda glanced up at Dunhama as he squeezed her hand, and as she heard Theodens words, she kept her gaze upon the man she loved. She shook her head as Dunhama whispered a question in her ears and before she answered him, she watched him shut his eyes. He looked as though he were internally fighting something. Though she wished to accompany him outside, something told her not to bother him.
Perhaps when the time allowed, she would inquire as to what it was he fought with. For now, she simply nodded then helped him walk to the door. As he left, she turned back to Kano and addressed him.
"I am glad to see that you are in relative good health, Kano." She smiled softly, then glanced at his nurse, then back to him.
"You are in good hands, and no doubt you will heal quickly."
The Lady Eowyn walked towards her and gave her instruction to tend to the Dunlandings who were now above in the courtyard
Athilda dipped her head then turned back to Kano and smiled.
"I must go now, but I will return when my duties allow it. Rest well, Kano."
After leaving him and gathering her medical supplies, Athilda made her way to the coutyard and began to tend to the wounded men.
As she tended to them, she noticed the Dunlanding who had carried Dunhama walk in. And he was limping.
As her eyes met his, she motioned for him to take a seat next to her. Once he sat down, she offered him a warm woolen blanket.
"You look cold." Her voice was quiet, yet she spoke with kindness.
"Forgive me, sir...but I never thanked you for offering me your help earlier...I...I should not have acted in such a way. For it is not only I who suffer, but you as well. Please, may I lift up the leg of your trousers to inspect the wound? "
As she spoke, she felt warmth spread in her cheeks as they reddened, and in an attempt to hide, she leaned closer to his leg, allowing her hair to fall in front of her cheeks.

_________________
Hanasian
Annalist, Physician, & Historian
of The Black Company of the Dúnedain,
The Free Company of Arnor
~ ~ ~
Durian: Dúnedain Ranger of the North: Rhudaurian Lineage
- - - -
Roleplay Repository

After carefully removing the cut piece of his breeches from his leg, Athilda gently touched the area surrounding the gaping wound, noting where he flinched at her touch. A few moments passed before she answered the man with a reassuring glance.
"No, it does not look very good. But fear not, for you will not loose your limb while I tend to you."
A small smile appeared on her face as her eyes met his for a short moment. Then, she began her work.

(Sorry about the short posts...I'm a bit brain dead XD)


As the man spoke, Athilda carefully carved out a portion of skin and muscle that was infected. Once she removed it, she placed it in a cloth and set it aside. She then focused on the task of stopping the flow of blood, not for her benefit, for by now her hands and wrists were covered in his blood and the skirt of her tunic was stained permanently.
The bleeding had come to an end after what seemed like an endless supply of bloodied cloth sitting in a heap beside her and the Dunlanding. With her hand and cloth pressed firmly against his wound, she quickly grabbed her needle and thread, then glanced up at him with a knowing glance.
"I'm sorry, but this will hurt a bit."
After he gave her a nod of his head, she removed the cloth and began to stitch closed his skin. It only took a few minutes, and once she finished, she offered him a small bottle of what smelled like strong ale.
As the man took the offered drink, Athilda answered him in a quiet voice.
"Yes, you deserve harshness for killing innocent men and children..."
she paused as she noticed a look of guilt and regret in his eyes, then she continued.
"but perhaps you had no knowledge of why you truly went into battle?"
A beat passed between them as he handed the small bottle back to her. As she reached for it, their fingers touched, and she instantly blushed and withdrew her hand.
"Forgive me, sir...if I speak out of turn."

Kano said his farewell to Dunham as he left, then ahortly after to Athilda as well. The battle was over but it seemed everyone was still in a hurry to do something or go somewhere. Kano could not. He stay behind to rest his legs, the healer had looked grim at them but said nothing beyond that the cuts would heal. The pain had been overwhelming but now was starting to subside in part.

If it had not been for the pain Kano would have drifted off into a deep sleep. His throbbing feet and legs would not let him, so instead he drifted in and out of being half asleep. Strange dreams came to him as he did so. Not only a few times he woke with a start as his dreams replayed parts of the recent battle. He would jerk, or lift his arm as if blocking an attack with his sword. Then, he would fade off once more to a disturbed slumber.

_________________




Visit The Varsian Kingdom!

Athilda knew that she should be moving on to helping the other men, but she knew that she was not the only healer with this group of men, for she heard the familiar sound of fabric being cut and alcohol being administered.
Although her gaze had dropped, she could hear the pain and tension his voice held as he recounted the empty promises this man Saruman had made. Bitterness and sorrow rose within her as a few tears ran down her already tender cheeks.
"I have heard and seen just what this Saruman has done to people, for he had infected our king with a poison of the mind, causing him to know not between friend and foe....."
Athilda looked up at him as she spoke.
"It seems that you and your men were also subdued under his power."

_________________
Hanasian
Annalist, Physician, & Historian
of The Black Company of the Dúnedain,
The Free Company of Arnor
~ ~ ~
Durian: Dúnedain Ranger of the North: Rhudaurian Lineage
- - - -
Roleplay Repository

Athilda shivered as the cold night air blew her damp hair in front of her face, then looked around at the prisoners who sat, shivering and bleeding. A sigh passed through her lips as she looked back at the man before her.
"I know not what the Kings plans are...but I hope that they do not involve expending innocent men and children...I long to hope that other kingdoms will rise to aid us."
As her tears slowly dried, Athilda began to wipe her hands clean of the blood.
"I suppose your Aunt is right, but sometimes too hard a cry can break your heart." She paused, then looked up at him again.
"I do not know...perhaps I will travel...become a wife...." a blush be painted her cheek as she thought of Dunhama, and after a moment, she continued.
"What will you do, sir?"

_________________
Hanasian
Annalist, Physician, & Historian
of The Black Company of the Dúnedain,
The Free Company of Arnor
~ ~ ~
Durian: Dúnedain Ranger of the North: Rhudaurian Lineage
- - - -
Roleplay Repository

At long last Kano woke and cold fall into his troubled sleep no more. The day was wearing late and he felt cooped up just sitting there. Sage, the magnificent black stalion had stood by him, head srooped in a slumber of his own. Kano tried to hoist himself up onto his feet but it was no good. The pain simply was too much. He sighed and scowled, at first he had simply been happy to be alive but now it grew annoying to be bound by such limitations. He was a free spirit, use to running, traveling where and when he wished, being active...

Kano gazed at the steed and run a gentle hand along his neck. Sage opened his eyes and looked up, sniffing and blowing in Kano's face with his large nostrils. Kano smiled at the horse. "Come on boy, what say you give me a look around?" He grabbed the main on the large creature and pulled himself onto it's back with his upper body. He now lay with his belly drapped over Sage's saddle, which at this point only got in the way. He managed to slide his legs over the saddle and theough much trouble and pain came to a sitting position.

"What do you think you are doing?" The unmistakeable voice of the healer called out from behind.

"Going for a walk," Kano said, not looking behind him.

"Well... you're already on... Don't stay out too long, you need to keep your legs elivated to prevent further swelling. Let me know when you are back and I will help you off the horse."

Kano nodded and made a click with his tongue, urging Sage into a gentle walk that felt like the smooth back and forth rock of a comfortable chair.

_________________




Visit The Varsian Kingdom!

_________________
Hanasian
Annalist, Physician, & Historian
of The Black Company of the Dúnedain,
The Free Company of Arnor
~ ~ ~
Durian: Dúnedain Ranger of the North: Rhudaurian Lineage
- - - -
Roleplay Repository

Athilda looked up at the Dunlanding with concern as he spoke of what he would, or rather, what he would not do. She shivered again, and was shocked as he lifted his blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
She was about to lift the blanket off ber shoulders but was thrown off by his inquiry. She blushed, then glanced down at his leg.
"I....well....thank...thank you, sir....." she dared a glance up at the man, and when she did, their eyes met and her cheeks reddened even further.

Kano walked his horse out calmly across the battle field, through the rubble of the wall, and out to the field where the uruk lay dead and burning. The smell of burning flesh was potent... but the smell of burning uruk flesh was a scent he could have lived the rest of his life without smelling. Yet, somehow he felt this was something he needed... some strange form of closure. He needed to know for sure they had won and it was over. He needed to see with his own eyes in the light of day and a clear head what he had been part of... and survived. The sight, as horrifying as it was, only served as a more exaggerated form of things he had already seen in his young years.

After riding over the entire battle field, as best he could, he headed back to the keep. There he headed up to the courtyard to see the prisoners. He had heard tell that they were held up there. As his horse climbed the outside staircase, it's hoofs clapping on the stone, he came to the top to see Dunham entering on the far side of the room and in the center it looked like Athilda tending to one of the men's injuries.

_________________




Visit The Varsian Kingdom!