The Second Heir

Butterflies are More than Just Bugs

The above drawing is my poor attempt at Emryn! People really are the hardest to draw

~.~

Emryn walked with her brother to the Keep, his arm around her shoulders to help keep her upright. Her leg was no longer bleeding heavily, but the cut was deep, and Emryn worried that it may have sustained permanent damage. Of course it would happen to me. I exchange the gilded cage for a walking stick.

When they reached the keep they were met with cries of happiness, pain, sorrow, and relief. Emryn looked around to see many injured soldiers sitting along the edges of the hall while others brought out cots for the more seriously harmed.

"Aragorn! Emryn! Come here!" The King shouted at the twins from across the hall. They followed him down a hallway to a room that looked to once be a study, but was now cluttered with crates of supplies. In the middle sat a round table, with a few chairs around it. Several soldiers cleared off the table and chairs before being sent out.

As Aragorn helped Emryn into a chair several others entered the room: Eomer and Gamling, followed by Legolas, Gimli, and an unfamiliar Elf. Gandalf came last. Tears threatened to fall again as Emryn thought of Haldir, her hand fingering her necklace, but she forced them back. You will have time to grieve later.

"Where is your bag, Calad?" Her brother asked.

"It's in the room I am sharing with Eowyn and several others, down by the stables," she replied wearily.

"Go swiftly, Aragorn. We have much to discuss," the King told him, and Aragorn rushed out of the room.

Emryn looked around at the others, noting their injuries, looking at Eomer last. His eyes were already on her, and she blushed lightly before seeing the dried blood all over his shoulder. She looked back at his face and he gave her a small smile and shrugged his shoulders, but winced as he did. She raised her eyebrows at him, before her brother returned, slightly out of breath.

"You first, Calad," her brother said in his no-nonsense tone. She chose to ignore it.

"Ridiculous. Tend the King first," she replied.

"No, my dear, you should be tended first, that way you both will be able to help the rest of us as we talk," the King interrupted, and Emryn finally conceded.

While the others started to take off armor and study their wounds, Aragorn peeled off the makeshift bandages Emryn had placed on the gash. She winced in pain. He poured water over it and started to dap away at the blood with a cloth. His brow was furrowed as he studied the wound.

"This is deep, Emryn," he said quietly. "I do not know if it will fully heal."

She closed her eyes, fighting back more tears. "Where there is pain, there will be healing," the Lady Galadriel's voice sounded in her head, and she opened her eyes again.

"Pull out the vial in the side pouch in the inside pocket," she ordered her brother, and he pulled out the vial of Athelas essence.

"What is this? He asked her, studying the liquid.

"Athelas essence from the Lady Galadriel. Do not use too much."

Aragorn pulled a small bowl from her bag, one she used for crushing herbs, and poured a small amount of the liquid into the bowl. He dipped a cloth into it and dabbed at the gash, and she hissed in pain.

"Damn! By the Valar that hurts!" She said, and the others in the room turned to look at her. The essence made the wound sting like mad, and Emryn wondered if just removing her leg would be less painful. As he continued dabbing at the wound it became began to sting less and less, until it felt soothing, like cool silk. She heard her brother gasp.