Annanoldowen turned to Lanaey. "Do you know about poison?"
Lanaey shrugged slightly. "Not too much, all I can do is assist I'm afraid."
Annanoldowen nodded and looked once more at the ill man. "Laurel, could you get me some hot water and rags. Lanaey, I need you to go get my saddle bad with the herbs in it and then I'll give you both some more instructions."
Laurel had already gone out the door to get the water before the scholarly elf had finished talking. Lanaey started a slow jog through the house and picked up the pace when she got into the open. The horses were near, tethered just beyond the porch of the little home that they were in. Lanaey found the herb sack on her first look through the saddlebags. Upon turning back toward the house Lanaey saw the worried neighbors with curious looks on their faces, ignoring them she started up her jog once more through the home. She could hear voices that were muffled by the walls, but were coming in much clearer as she neared the sick room.
". . .that root. Once you get those three then I'll be able to mix," was Annanoldowen's calm voice.
Lanaey almost bumped into Laurel as the young maiden was quickly exiting the room to fetch the requested items.
"Oh, and get two more bowls. Lanaey, did you get it? Good, if you would place it on the table next to the bowl of water."
Annanoldowen started right away to unpack and group together her different herbs. When it was all out she gathered together a small bunch and put it aside, took two more little pouches and placed them next to the first group, then put the rest back into the saddlebag which then found its place on the floor.
Lanaey just stood there, observing. The scholarly elf then soaked one rag in the warm water and rubbed a faintly pinkish fine powder onto the rag. "Rub this gently onto the wound and try to clean all around the puncture area."
Lanaey took the rag and walked over to the man who looked at the rag with a raised eyebrow, but he didn't comment against her using it on him.
"Excuse me," a voice of a young girl interrupted them, causing Annanoldowen to turn. "Lady Laurel sent me in with these bowls, are they to your liking?"
Annanoldowen smiled. "They are, you can give them to me."
The girl didn't even look at the elf she was talking to, her eyes were riveted on the old man. Coming up close to Annanoldowen she whispered, "Will he be alright?"
The scholarly elf smiled, "We'll try our best. Thank you for the bowls." The girl shuffled out with another glance at Havlor.
As Lanaey rubbed the pink cloth around and on the wound, a smear appeared and seemed to soak into the skin itself. She tried to be as gentle as possible, yet the elderly man winced several times. Lanaey was still applying the cloth to the shoulder area when Laurel came back in.
Annanoldowen poured a little water into one bowl and a lot of water into another. Grabbing the two little herb pouches she opened them and poured select amounts from each into the bowl with a little water. Taking one of the three herbs from Laurel she ground it for a bit onto the table, then sprinkled in just a tiny amount.
"Here, mix this until your arms feel like they want to drop." Annanoldowen handed the bowl to Laurel who sat down and started stiring it from a stick provided by Annanoldowens saddle bag. "Are you done Lanaey? Come stir this water."
Lanaey looked down into the bowl filled with water and nothing else. The scholarly elf handed her another stirring stick from across the table and Lanaey obediently started to swirl the clear water. As she stirred Annanoldowen started to add in the other herbs that she had set aside. Occasionally taking a break from adding materials to grind up some more. Switching arms Lanaey continued to stir the now light brownish green liquid. "There, you can stop now. It has to settle before I can add the final ingredient. How's that paste coming along Laurel?"
Standing up, the young maiden brought over her bowl to show a very thick, yellow mud like mixture.
Annanoldowen smiled. Taking the bowl she went and put half of it onto the shoulder and then wrapped it up tight.
Then they waited. After a good while Annanoldowen added her final powder to the mixture Lanaey had helped with, yet they had to wait more for it to spread through out the entire bowl. When Annanoldowen said that it was ready, they took it over to Havlor and made him drink it all, with him sputtering and grimacing at the taste. After he had drank all the liquid and thought he could rest some more Annanoldowen produced a spoon and fed him the remants at the bottom of the bowl. Lanaey had to snicker at the look that the elderly man gave his healer as she gave him a mouthful of aweful medicine. After he had choked all of that down Annanoldowen made a sweet mixture with the rest of the water that he could drink, easing the bitterness left on his tongue. It also made the old man very tired and he quickly drifted off to sleep. Then Annanoldowen removed the bandages and wipped off the rest of the lingering paste. The wound did look somewhat better, but far from normal. Putting the rest of the paste onto Havlor's shoulder, Annanoldowen wrapped it up once more.
"There. We can just leave this paste on. That's all that I can think of to do for your grandfather Laurel."
Laurel nodded and smiled warmly at Annanoldowen and Lanaey. "Thank you both." Moving over to her kin she kissed the sleeping mans forehead then led the scholarly Elf out to move on to the Swan House.
[ May 20, 2003: Message edited by: Kryssal ]
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