[Imladris]

Gorby

I sighed and sat down, resting my weary feet. I looked at Lira, leaning against the trunk of a tree, her eyes half closed. A purple colouring crept from around bandage. I cringed, thinking of how she had protected Anson and me. Taking out my parchment, I took my quill, dipped it in my bottle of ink, and began to sketch her, how she had looked when she had come to Anson and me, offering to protect us.

Her scrawny legs, the blue skirt that had flapping around her ankles, her blue eyes cold as ice. In her hand I drew her silver dagger in a threatening her skeletal hand while the other beckoned to an imaginary place off the page. Her head was turned the opposite direction. I started to draw her hair braided, but then decided to take artistic license and drew it long, and swirling about her body. If I hadn’t done that, then it would have looked as if she was bald.

Putting the picture on my knee, I admired it, though lamenting once again I did not have paints. Once we reached Bree, I’d have to paint it for her. Carefully folding it up, I crept to her side and tapped her leg. Opening her eyes fully, she kind of smiled at me and said, “Hello, Gorby.”

I bobbed my head at her and my eye strayed to the wound. I knew it hurt, but how did it hurt? Was it an ache, or was it as if a fire burned under her skin. How did it feel like to be injured, to feel life slowly. I stared at her.

She looked at me quizzically and said softly, “You fought bravely, Gorby.”

I shook my head. “No I didn’t. You could have died.” I cringed again at the memory of the sword falling upon her and I did not shoot before then. I lowered my head in shame, my eyes closed, my teeth biting my lips.

“But I am alive,” she said with a smile that showed her teeth that glistened softly. “And we all could have died, including you. You did no wrong.”

Dropping to my knees I took her hand and said, “Forgive me, elven maid.”

“There is naught to forgive, little halfling,” she murmured, stroking my curly hair.

Kissing her hand, I took my drawing and dropped it on her lap. Creeping away, I glanced behind me and saw her staring at the open drawing, her lips upturned in a small smile.