Somehow Nethwador seemed to have escaped most harm through the length of Ędegard's defense. Or at least Bellyn could see no pain other than the hurt mingling with the anger in his eyes. Bellyn grasped Nethwador's shoulders firmly even though she knew that she would not have the strength to keep him from fighting again. Ędegard would be angry with her now, for not shoving Nethwador away when he had kissed her hand. He kissed my hand, Bellyn recalled, repeating this to herself a few times before her eyes shifted for just one moment to the right hand that grasped Nethwador's shoulders. Then she looked back to his face, upset and broken.
"Do you hurt, Mellon?" Bellyn murmured, though she knew her words meant little to him. And she had called him 'Mellon' again. At least he knows that word...why do I call him that now? Bellyn wondered, searching for any visible wounds that might have surfaced in the little fight. Then she looked past Nethwador to where Argeleafa was tending to Ędegard, and for the first time Bellyn feared a conversation with the man. His unwillingness to help the Easterling did not surprise Bellyn much. Ędegard acted on what he knew and felt, and indeed Bellyn had learned such ways towards Nethwador's people as well. For the first time Bellyn realized how hard change actually was. The transition from Edoras to traveling everywhere seemed quick and easy, like the love between Ędegard and Argeleafa, but the change of a person's ideals seemed to come more slowly. Bellyn was still unsure as to why she felt such sympathy - or compassion - for Nethwador. As she thought on this, Nethwador caught Bellyn's shifted gaze, turning around to see Ędegard and letting a scowl deepen on his face. His eyes held a fiery venom, and Bellyn wondered at how someone could get so angry.
"Mellon!" Bellyn chided once more in a gentle voice, still unsure of how to get her point across. Oh! How hard it is to speak and say something that has meaning to another! Bellyn thought dismally. "Did he hurt you?" Bellyn gestured to where Argeleafa sat with Ędegard, and then pointed to Nethwador's chest. Bellyn sighed. "I do not think you bleed as Ędegard does. You should not have fought, Mellon. There are other ways to deal with anger."
Last edited by Aylwen Dreamsong; 09-02-2004 at 08:12 PM.
Reason: Spacing errors!
|