The darkening of hearts

Deception and power

The room lay in darkness and the two ner gathered by the bed were lighted by torches, both looked very nervous and they stared down at the nis laying on the simple bed. She was pale, grey in the face and unconscious and her body twitched in a very nasty manner. They stared at each other and the older one sneered. "Damnation, what is wrong with her?"

The younger one swallowed hard. "Could it be the food?"

The older one made a grimace. "It could be the herbs, some react to them"

The younger one frowned. "Have they added the herbs to her food already?"

The older one nodded and felt the nis pulse, it was very erratic and weak and he realized that she was very ill indeed. "Yes, but not much. Shit, it could be the room too, this place reeks of mold and dirt"

The young ner looked very nervous. "So what are we to do? What if she dies?"

The older one made a gesture. "We cannot afford that, it will ruin every plan we have. No, we have to get a healer"

The young one gasped. "A healer? But...that is dangerous, we can be exposed!"

The older one looked very dark. His eyes were distant and he cursed under his breath. "I know of a healer in the village down by the river, she is one of those goddamn heathens, she won't understand anything and we can keep her until the wedding is done."

The young one lightened up, he smiled. "A great idea, do that. Get that healer."

The old one turned around and walked towards the door. "She may be no good but at least we have tried."

The young one followed him out and they closed the door. "Lumbano will arrive this afternoon, what are we to tell him?"

The older one just sent him a very stiff grin. "That the bride to be will be ready soon enough. They won't dare to risk her safety, we are safe"

The younger ner frowned, he didn't want to sound pessimistic but he had a strong sense of foreboding. Perhaps it would be a good idea to put his legs on his neck and make a run for it? The Finwions were a hardy bunch and they did look out for their own like non others. The older ner caught hold of a nervous servant and told the ner to go and get the healer and the elf ran off and appeared to be very glad he had an excuse for leaving the perimeter.

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Belegornith had been busy with her collection of herbs when a noldorin ner entered the yard outside her simple hut. She immediately knew he had to have come from the hunting lodge up on the hill and he did look nervous. She bowed her head to be polite but she didn't like the noldor at all, they were haughty and rather stiff the way she saw it. You hardly ever saw them smile, and they didn't seem to enjoy life at all. The ner did smile but he was a bit pale. "My lady, my master wishes to ask for your help, a relative of his is ill."

She frowned. "Why should I help you noldor?"

The ner looked even more nervous. "Please, the nis is very ill and we have no idea what is wrong with her."

Belegornith sighed, a sick nis. Well, she couldn't say no to helping another female in need, a ner was one thing but a nis something else. She sent him a curt smile. " I will come then, I will get my things and it won't be long."

She entered the cabin and found her bag, she had herbs and instruments in it and she wondered what the problem was. These protected and shielded noldorin nissi could become ill from things an ordinary elf hardly would notice at all.

The servant lead her up towards the hunting lodge, it was an old castle, not very large but well build and it hadn't been used for a while. She had no idea of why it had been put back into use now, it was a creepy place and not very cozy even when inhabited.