Healing Hope

Chapter Sixty-One

Friends

“You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call
and I'll be there...You've got a friend”

Carole King

When you're down and troubled
and you need some lovin' care and nothin', nothin' is going right.

It had been a week since Lariel left for the Grey Havens, and Pendan was finally set to be released from the care of the Healers. The warrior was more than ready to be away from the tedium of the healing rooms. Having someone constantly watching over him had become almost as wearying as the boredom. Pendan worked hard during the past days to keep his emotions contained and his face a mask of neutrality while inside his heart was a mass of conflict.

Estel had faithfully visited each day, not only lifting the spirits of the young warrior, but also embodying the heart of his conflict. After their foster parents sailed, Lariel and Pendan depended upon each other. They were each other’s only family in Arda. Now he was the only one here, and loneliness already visited grief upon his heart like frost upon a spring crocus. Seeing Estel’s bruised face only intensified his guilt.

Pendan forced his gloomy thoughts aside as Estel came for his daily visit. This morning he was brought by Legolas. Since the incident, as Pendan had come to think of it, Estel had not been away from the King, Nárë or Legolas.

“Hello Bendan!” Estel greeted, as he crawled clumsily up onto the bed beside his friend. “How are you beeling today?” he asked in his best Ada imitation. Ah yes, a four year old takes in everything around him, including the mannerisms and phrases of the adults in his life. Many a parent has rued the day that words unconsciously spoken in front of their children came back to haunt them as the child repeated his parents words verbatim at the worst possible moment!

Pendan carefully hid his smile as he “reported” to his young guest as he would his healer. “I am ever so much better today, Master Estel.”

Estel nodded his head sagely, still in his playacting mode. “That is good,” he agreed, and shaking his finger he added, “but you must still drink all your milk and eat all your veg-a-bles.”

“Oh, I will, Master Estel,” Pendan replied. “I promise!” he affirmed with fervor, before adding in a whisper, “if you put some cinnamon in it.”

Estel dissolved in giggles, no longer able to keep up the ruse. “You are bunny, Bendan!”

Legolas chuckled from the doorway and shook his head good naturedly. “While the two of you visit, I will check on Falathar.” He met Pendan’s eye in an unspoken request to keep watch over the child and received the warrior’s nod of agreement. As Legolas turned to seek out his friend, he could hear Estel launching into yet another story about the adventures of Fluffy, Celos and Celon.

The Prince felt sure that Estel would keep Pendan entertained for a good while with his delightful take on life. It would be good for Pendan , too. Legolas was concerned about his friend. The dark circles under the warrior’s eyes bore witness to his troubled spirit. Legolas sighed. Well, he would just have to deal with one problem at a time. Right now he wanted to check on Falathar.

Close your eyes and think of me
and soon I will be there
to brighten up even your darkest night.

Legolas left the alcove where the more mobile patients, like Pendan, were housed. He crossed the main chamber to enter the rooms where the more critical patients where kept. These patients needed more constant supervision and care.

The Prince nearly laughed when he entered the alcove where Falathar rested and found the ever present Gelleth sponging off his brow. “Getting a bed bath are we?” teased Legolas.

Gelleth started so at the unexpected interruption that she jumped and very nearly dumped her bowl of water onto her patient! “Prince Legolas!’ she gasped, “I did not hear your approach.”

“My apologies, apprentice,” Legolas said as he dipped his head. “Perhaps your mind was elsewhere,” he added seriously, while smiling broadly at Falathar, who was still resting with his eyes closed.

“Ah,” sighed Falathar blissfully, “I am growing longer, and longer, moment, by moment, under the tender ministrations of Mistress Gelleth!

“Longer, master Falathar?”

Falathar’s eyes flew open as he realized what Legolas had just said. “Stronger! I am growing stronger is what I meant to...oh! Desist elleth!”

Legolas coughed to hide his bark of laughter at Falathar’s unintended slip of the tongue.

Concerned, Gelleth began slapping the Prince on the back, which only added to his merriment. “Are you also in need of my help, my Prince?” she inquired solicitously.

By now Legolas was beginning to wheeze like a leaky bellows, and his face was turning an interesting shade of crimson. Gelleth began beating his back a bit harder!

Legolas, catching the malicious glint in Falathar's eye, dragged air into his tortured lungs and somehow wheezed: "I am quite well, thank you, Apprentice Gelleth!"

"Oh, I do not know,” said Falathar. “One cannot be too careful, especially with those of the Royal House, Gelleth!"

"Falathar?" The elleth's eyebrows rose to meet in the center of her brow, like a downy little nightingale, rising from its nest. “Oh dear, you are correct!” A twinkle came to her eye and she surreptitiously winked at Falathar.

"I insist you fetch some of that wonderful cough medication you gave me just last fall! The green one, with the...?" Falathar snapped his fingers as an aide memory.

"Camphor?" Gelleth suggested.

"Just so! Also there was...?"

"Wintergreen!" now she had the elixir placed!

"Exactly, and there was one other ingredient, intended to shift the phlegm...now, I shall have it in a moment...!" Falathar predicted.

"Castor oil! You are right, his highness is too vital to take risks with his health! Do not move... I know where you live!" Gelleth said pointedly, and Legolas gave Falathar a murderous glower.

"Why did you do that?" Legolas demanded.

"Because! You were having much too much fun at my expense!" sniggered Falathar.

"I recall when last she dosed you with that...orc brew! Then we went out on joint patrol! Patrol? Ha! We covered under a league, in three hours, and there was not a single, solitary bush which did not benefit from the outcome of that vile...elixir! Why, one may track our route by the additional growth on those bushes this year!" said Legolas.

"Even so, prevention, as they do say hereabouts, is so much better than cure!" Falathar chuckled.

"Now, what was the dosage again...?" Gelleth murmured, as she reached for a silver dosing cup. "Was it one spoonful to three of cordial...or three spoons full to one of cordial...oh, what can even three spoons full hurt? Open wide, little green leaf!"

Legolas made the mistake of opening his mouth in astonishment at being so addressed and a huge spoonful of the vile brew found its way down his throat the wrong way. Now the Prince of Mirkwood was coughing in earnest and tears were running down his eyes as Falathar whooped in delight from his bed.

“What in the name of all the Valar is going on in here?” demanded Thedin stomping into the room. The First Healer looked in astonishment from Falathar, now rolling upon the bed holding his sides in hysterics, to the beet colored Legolas, seemingly being beaten upon the back by a semi crazed elleth. “Gelleth, cease your pounding of the prince!” the Healer thundered. “There are injured elves here needing their rest!”

Gelleth saw her entire future as a healer gone forever. How could she have gotten caught up in the game and actually dosed the heir to the throne with that elixir? On second thought, perhaps she would be cast into the dungeons and she would never see Falathar again! She felt her panic rising as she envisioned one bad scenario after another. It seemed millennia passed and then she heard the Prince speak.

Legolas was trying desperately to catch his breath and soothe the irate Healer at the same time. “It...is...all...right...Master Thedin,” he stammered, “do not blame Apprentice Gelleth.”

Gelleth all but sighed in relief as the Prince covered for their antics.

“I simply swallowed the wrong way and, and the apprentice was kind enough to aid me,” Legolas finished.

“Harrumph,” Thedin said, as he glowered at the three. “One would think there was a trio of elflings in here rather than the Prince, the Chief of the King’s Guard, and the best apprentice I have.”

Gelleth’s lovely face lit up with pleasure. “Am I truly, First Healer?”

“Well,’ growled Thedin good naturedly, “after this I may need to revise my opinion.”

Legolas, his breath and his dignity firmly back in place, bowed slightly to the First Healer. “My apologies, Master Thedin, for the disruption.”

Falathar looked rather chastened as well. “Mine too, First healer. You will not mention this to the King, will you?”

How a warrior of his renown could manage to have such puppy dog eyes the First Healer would never know, but he could never resist Falathar when he turned on his considerable charm. No wonder his best apprentice had taken to spending all her time in this particular room! “No, I will not bother King Thranduil – this time – with your foolishness, but see that it does not happen again!”

“We will,” three voices said at once. “We promise!”

You just call out my name
and you know wherever I am
I'll come running, running, yeah,
to see you again.

Estel heaved a big sigh as he finished relating the story of how Celos and Celon had burst into the Hall of Fire the night he first met King Adar. His absolute favorite part of the story was telling about the green soup that splattered all over the musicians and a table full of elves.

Pendan laughed at the image the child’s story provoked, but sobered as Estel described his brothers. The pair both grew serious for much the same reasons…they missed their siblings.

Estel recognized the look on Pendan’s face and leaned against his friend. “Do not be sad, Bendan.”

The child looked at his lap for amoment searching for the courage to ask the next question. “Did Lariel have to go away because of me?”

Pendan was heartsick at the sadness he heard in Estel’s question. He pulled the boy onto his lap so that Estel could more easily look at his face. “Look at me, Estel, and listen very carefully. Lariel did not go away because of you. She went away because of me.”

Estel frowned. “I do not understand.”

“I know that it is hard to understand, Estel, but can you trust me?”

“Um hum,” Estel nodded, his eyes round as saucers.

“I will always tell you the truth, Estel.”

“You are not mad at me because she went away?” Estel asked, watching his face closely.

“No,” Pendan said clearly. “You are a very special little boy that makes me happier by coming to visit me and telling me stories from your home.”

“Does your Ada tell you stories?”

Pendan smiled sadly. “No, young one, my Ada and Naneth went away when I was but an elfling. I miss them.”

“You miss Lariel too, and I miss my Ada and Dan and Ro and Glorby and Restor.”

A big sigh escaped the little body, and Pendan was ashamed he had let his emotions show. Pulling the lonely little boy into a hug the lonely warrior snuggled him close. “When you are a long way from home a friend can help us not be lonely. Will you be my friend, Estel?”

Estel wrapped an arm around Pendan’s neck. “I will be your brend, Bendan, and you will be mine.”

Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.

A/N You’ve Got a Friend: Written by Carole King