Lairiel tried to keep her back straight, to make herself less of a burden. She cursed, frustrated she had let her father even touch her with his blade. Her head fell forward. She found herself dizzy.

They soon came across a small village. It's boundaries were closed by a tall fence. Morohtar motioned to Holly. She nodded and dropped from her horse and walked over to the wooden door. There was a small slit that slammed back. Black, beady eyes stared out at her. "Name and business Ma'am." The hoarse voice stated. Holly flashed a look at Morohtar. "I am Nessa and these are my companions Lacey and Markus. We have been travelling for a long time and my friend Lacey has fell ill. I was wondering if it would be possible to see your healer?" The man grunted something about travellers before opening the door to them. Holly walked inside, followed by Morohtar. Holly took both of the horses. "I'll put these in the stables. You take Lacey to the healer. I shall come and find you." Morohtar nodded as he helped Lairiel down from her horse.

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Lairiel stumbled when she got down from the horse, then steadied herself by holding onto the saddle. The world was a spinning blur. She started taking wobbly steps toward the door.

Morohtar gave the reigns to Holly and watched as she disappeared into the stables. Morohtar's attention returned to Lairiel. "How are you feeling?" He asked, moving his arms around her to carry her weight. They hobbled through the streets until they came across a guard. "Where is the healer?" Morohtar enquired. The guard pointed out the healers direction and they continued on their way.

~Want to be the healer?

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(sure!)

Lairiel grimaced. "I'm fine." she nearly snapped at him, but all the anger was directed toward herself.

They reached the Healer's house, and went in. The healer motioned for Morohtar to set Lairiel on the small bed that sat in the corner. He dismissed Morohtar and turned to her, working on her, yet always seemed to be staring at her. When he had given her medicine and finished, he sat beside her. "You are not really called Lacey, are you?" Lairiel's jaw dropped a bit. He smiled kindly. "Do not worry, I will not alert your father that you are here. I knew you, as a child, Lairiel. You don't remember me, for it was long ago." Lairiel stared at him, trying to place him but couldn't. "You are right, I cannot place you."

He smiled at her. "That is alright. Now, I will have provisions set up for you and your friends. But Lairiel, get more sleep, for Valar's sake. You are sleep deprived, which caused the poison to be able to attack and break you down so quickly." he turned to call Morohtar and Holly back in. Before they entered he turned back to her. "Now do I need to tell them to babysit you so you get more sleep?" Lairiel grimaced and shook her head. "Good," he nodded.

Morohtar, having been dismissed from the healers room, left to find Holly. He found her in the stables tending to the horses. Her expression was blank as she carried out these trivial tasks. Her mind was far away. Morohtar gently settled his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently. "Oh.." she gasped slightly, turning in Morohtar's hands. "Sorry, I was...daydreaming as usual." Morohtar nodded. "Sure, sure. Coming with me to check on Lacey?" He tilted his head at her grinning.
"Is she alright?" Holly asked, looking away from his grin. How could he smile at a time like this? Lairiel could have been dying for all he knew.
"She is in capable hands. Come and see for yourself." Morohtar took Holly by the hand and led her up to the healers office.

When the arrived the healer was calling them inside. Holly dashed in fearing the worst. "What happened?" she demanded looking directly and Lairiel.

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Lairiel groaned. She didn't want to explain. "Holly, my father's blade was poisoned." she mumbled. Holly didn't need to know. Lairiel sighed, and the Healer entered. "Lairiel will be alright, she just needs more re--" he was cut off as Lairiel 'coughed' very loudly and obnoxiously. He set her a slightly irked look.

"The blade was poisoned? Do you realise you could have got yourself killed? The illness you could have contracted?" Holly chided Lairiel. "What would I have done if I had lost you now? Where would I go?" Holly began to pace in a frantic rage.
"Holly!" Morohtar hissed. It took a while for Holly to process that he was talking to her. She looked up. "What?" she demanded.
"As the healer has said Lairiel shall be fine. She just needs rest. Will you calm down?" He glared at Holly. Holly nodded silently, stopping in her tracks.

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Lairiel flinched. "I'm alright now." she said. She couldn't say she wasn't surprised at Holly's outburst. Yet she feared Holly relied on her too much. That worried her.

Holly sighed heavily. "I am sorry Lairiel, but that was dangerous. We could have lost you. I know I am more than capable of looking after myself," he eyes flashed. "Believe me I know that. I'm just not ready to say goodbye to you yet. I don't think I ever will be..." Holly frowned deeply. "Anyway shouldn't we be getting to our rooms. We all should get some rest. I assume we are travelling again in the morning?" Holly asked.

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Lairiel nodded, but was deep in thought. If Holly was never ready to lose her, then that was even more cause for worry. They went and got rooms at the inn, and Holly sat in the big chair at the window, smoking her pipe in thought.

Morohtar had retired to his bed as soon as he had been allowed. Holly had tried to sleep, but found that she couldn't. With a sigh she crawled out of bed and made her way down to the reception area of the inn they had been given rooms in. She sat on a big chair by the fire. She knew she was going to have to let Lairiel go. Lairiel did not want to be trapped down by a sixteen year old. She had her own life to live. Holly sighed deeply. Tomorrow she would tell Lairiel to leave and life her life unburdened by herself or Morohtar. It was only fair. And with that revelation Holly fell asleep.

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Lairiel wished to continue on the road to Rohan with Holly and Morohtar. She just only wished Holly would realize that there was always the risk of dying. Lairiel may be a trained warrior, but she knew there was always a risk. She wanted Holly to be prepared Abd ready to accept that. She sighed and tapped the ashes out of her pipe and put it away, sitting up in thought for the rest of the night.

When the sun rose, Morohtar made his way back down stairs. He gasped in surprise when he found Holly asleep in the chair. He shook her gently to wake her. She stirred and blinked in surprise at where she was found. "I...I must have fell asleep.." she murmured as she gathered herself. Morohtar left her to wake up while he gathered some breakfast for the three of them. He laid the food out on a table and motioned for Holly to join him and eat. She did so, even though she wasn't the least bit hungry, she knew it would be wise to eat something.

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Lairiel got up from the chair, her body stiff. Being 20 something she wasn't old, but she felt it. She gingerly picked her way downstairs, smiling when she saw Holly and Morohtar. "You're a sight for sore eyes." she greeted both of them then sat down.

"Are you feeling better this morning?" Morohtar asked as he poured Lairiel some tea. She certainly did look brighter. Holly noticed this too. "Feel up for travelling?" She asked quietly. Her eyes fell to her plate of half eaten food. She wrapped what she could salvage and placed them into her bag for later.

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