Benders: Web of Lies

Concern

Web peered at Rival. All he knew existed in his mind as he gazed at the elf. He knew this elf had taken him away from his dark home and introduced him to a world full of light and green. He knew the softness he lay on did not hurt his body. And he knew Rival wore an expression he had never seen before.

"Can you speak?" Rival asked.

"Yes, m-master," Web stammered.

"Rival. My name is Rival. Rival. Not master. Say it."

"R-Rival," Web whispered.

"Good. Much better. Are you comfortable?"

"I-I do not know. What is comfortable?" Web asked hesitantly.

Rival paused, leaning back in his chair. "Well, comfortable is when the place you are sitting or lying on does not dig into your body."

Web considered. "I feel com—f-fort—able, master—Rival," he corrected hastily.

Healer Helix drifted into the room. "How is our young friend today?"

Rival turned in his chair. "Our young friend is feeling comfortable and hungry."

Helix looked toward the door as a tall and lanky limbed elf marched into the room, balancing a tray of hot food in his hands. He set down the tray on a small table.

"Do you require anything else?" the elf asked, clasping his hands behind his back. He was dressed in a healer's white robe with swallow-tailed sleeves and a golden belt. His hazel hung down his back in a thick braid.

Helix placed a hand on Web's forehead, relived to find it cool. He glanced at his assistance. "I would like the jar of ointment I refilled a few hours ago; the one I have been using for Web's bruises."

The elf nodded and left the room, his step springy and his robes swirling around his ankles. Helix tested the warmth of the broth on the tray, found it warm, and handed the bowl to Web. Web's hands shook, half sloshing the broth and, ignoring the spoon, and slurped down the broth, licking the last juices from his chin.

Outside in Mirkwood, crickets sang into the night. Web's room glowed a soft yellow, lit by a single candle. Heavy curtains across the window pooled their edges on the floor, blocking out any of the light that would come at day for bright light hurt Web's eyes.

Helix's assistant returned with a jar of white ointment and handed it to the healer. Web winced as the white salve was spread across his bruised face, smoothened around his eyes and lips across the mottled skin discolored by layers of battered flesh.

Rival rose to his feet with a yawn and headed for the door.

OoOoOoO

Legolas lay on the floor beside Realn, building a tower out of thin sticks. It wobbled as he put another stick on and the whole thing crashed, the red and blue blocks skidding across the floor. One of them touched Cinwe's bare foot and she nudged it back toward him. Legolas pulled himself upward and started collecting the fallen pieces. He shoved the pile to Realn along with the box and climbed into Thranduil's lap, ducking under the book in his father's hand. Thranduil moved his arm around Legolas and returned to the book.

"Will Web be okay?" Legolas asked.

Thranduil nodded. "Of course. If you recovered, there is no reason he should not."

"Web does not have you," Legolas said. "Or anyone."

Thranduil closed his book and tossed it onto the table beside him. He looked down at Legolas's worried face. "Well, Web has Healer Helix and Helix will take good care of him."

"What will happen after he is better?" Legolas continued.

"He will find a good family to look after him," Cinwe said from across the room.

"But how?" Legolas persisted.

"Last time I checked, it is past bedtime," Cinwe said, putting aside her work.

"Oh, but naneth!" Brenen, Realn, Mykar, and Legolas all protested.

"But I have half a chapter left," Mykar objected, holding up his giant book of Office Help.

"Tomorrow," Cinwe said, motioning to the door.

Realn scraped himself off the floor and set the bow of tower pieces on the nearest table. Thranduil let Legolas slip from his lap before he rose to his feet and herded the quadruplets from the room.

Legolas hesitated outside the door to his room, looking at Thranduil as if dying to ask more about Web. After a moment he pushed open the door to his room and went in. Cinwe came in after him to tuck him into bed.

"When will Web be better?" Legolas asked as he climbed under the blankets.

"When Helix says so," Cinwe replied.