[maikafanawen]

Annanoldowen stood in the shadow cast by the arched window that blocked out the sun watching as the survivors were gathered, and the dead tallied. The wings now designated as hospitals held the few wounded that had survived the poison injected into their bodies at Annanoldowen’s hand. The elf wrapped her weary arms around her body and sighed. She had done all she could and gave the handful of nurses who helped her all the recipes and necessary ingredients to continue without her.

The silvery blue dress she had donned for the purpose of meeting an old friend was now in pathetic tatters. The sleeves had been pinned allowing Annanoldowen plenty of elbowroom as she attended her patients. Traces of washed out blood and even some vomit were on the skirt and the bodice was lopsided. Altogether her appearance wasn’t very admirable. She hadn’t had time to change and decided that now would be a good a time as any.

The attack upon the Swan House wasn’t as brutal as it may have seemed. Most of the inhabitants had taken up immediate sanctuary and avoided the wrath of the wild men. There were, thankfully, twice as many living as there were among the dead. The she-elf had gone over her options to action now in her head.

She could stay and offer her assistance as a nurse and even a swordswoman should a second attack be ensued upon the house. However, the most logical course of action would be to take up Taurawaa and ride to the village. Annanoldowen was very talented in the area of medicines but she was also gifted with politics and strategy. With Cartil in the hands of the wild men and with a second attack most likely on the way, things would have to move incredibly fast and the Rivendell elf would like to be involved.

Abandoning her place by the window she made her way through the house inquiring for Lady Taralphiel until one maid pointed her towards the garden. Annanoldowen looked out towards the magnificent yard and saw the Swan Lady speaking with Annunfuin. They looked to be in relatively deep conversation and the elf decided to change her clothes first. Her room on the third level had been untouched by the attack and her things were as they had been left. She discarded her dress and replaced it with the shirt, jerkin, pants and boots she had purchased in the village. Plaiting her hair down her back she took inventory of her bag. She still had a plentiful amount of medicines, the Swan House having most of the necessary herbs already.

Strapping her sword to her waist and slipping on her bag she walked briskly out to the gardens to tell Taralphiel of her decision to travel on to the village to help in the rescue of Cartil and the defensive plotting against a second attack.

As she reached Taralphiel and Annunfuin she bowed.

“It has come to my consciousness that I am no longer desperately needed here at the house. The half dozen maids in my wing had all but perfected the simple yet necessary methods of healing and the survivors are well in order preparing for a second ambush. The village most likely would welcome my assistance. I wanted to let you know before I just disappeared though and see if you objected.” Taralphiel blinked.

~*~*~

Gita finished her exploration of the town in two good hours, recording in her mind just how many villagers were left. Since hardly any were warriors, the wild men had killed all but three score and she had seen merely a dozen children. The assault had been very successful and the last raid would dispatch of the remaining villagers. It was sweet victory that met her eyes as she continued her assessment.

She was moving just out of the shadows of one house when she saw Laurel and a few others making their way down the street. Her breath caught in her throat and she dived back under cover to wait as they passed. Gita watched with flaring contempt as the Swan Lady limped away. What she wouldn’t give to decapitate that pretty little head of hers with the concealed dagger gripped in her left hand. The impulse almost got the best of her but they turned into a house just as she left the shadows, a wicked grin on her face. She cursed under her breath and turned down the opposite way back towards the camp to report her findings to the king. It would be an easy triumph.

Her hopes were dashed as she made her way through the woods. Voices and footsteps ahead warned her of a decent mass of people making their way through the village. From her position behind a gorse bush she witnessed the remains of the Rohirrm army en route to the village and their captain. Some were wounded but there were still a good many able bodied men that would certainly prove a great threat to the wild men if appropriately assembled.

Things seemed to go from bad to worse as she continued on towards camp, Cuor hot on her trail.

[ August 15, 2003: Message edited by: maikafanawen ]

[ August 20, 2003: Message edited by: maikafanawen ]