Meeting at the Fountain

Log file from Akallabeth.

Though the sun has long since set and the hour is late, still there are more than a few people at the Forum. Voices carry across the square, some raised in anger, and drunkness, as there are strange happening here in the city of the king, Armenelos. Perhaps they are eager to hear news from the Town Crier who has had much to say of current events in the Kingdom of late.

A cloaked and hooded figure walks into the square from the east apparently, by the speed of their footfalls, intending to hurry across the forum to their destination. But that is not to be, as the person stops abruptly and bends down to pick up something they have apparently dropped. As the figure stands upright, the object clutched in a slim hand, the hood falls back, and Galenrien the Healess's features are revealed. She looks down at her hand hurriedly and seems to make a decision. Her grey eye's light on the fountain's ledge and she walks over and sits down.

Galladrin walks in from the north with a long sure stride. Apparently he is on some errand as he is not moving quickly but with purpose. As he enters the forum, he stops and looks around shaking his head. Seeing Galenrien sitting down at the fountain, he heads toward her. When he is close, he bows, "Greetings, Galenrien. I was wondering if I may have a word with you?"

Galenrien looks up a little distractedly from the object in her hand, now seen to be a book. Recognizing Alphelen guard Galladrin, she says " Good Evening, Galladrin, why, yes, of course. Do sit down. Please tell me, how is my friend, the Lady Alphelen doing?"

Galladrin smiles and sits down next to Galenrien, "She is doing much better. Unfortunately it looks like her hip might never heal completely. However I have come across some disturbing information and I hope that maybe you can throw some light upon it."

One slim brow goes up and Galen looks at Galladrin more closely, a curious look on her face. "Well, I was afraid of as much when I saw her walking, but I know the healer who has her in her care and I am confident that she is taking good care of her. She was apprenticed to me, after all." She glances at the book still in her hand and sets it down next to her. " You say I can help with disturbing information. I can't see how I would have any information that you might be interested in. But, by all means, ask. I shall do my best."

Galladrin nods his head, "I am still hoping that her hip might heal but I do not know. I am sure that the healer is taking good care of her as well. And a better teacher she could not have." He looks up into the sky and then back at Galenrien and whispers to her, "Yes, I recently came into some information that might help us discover a Black Hand. But I need more information and I was not there; however, you were at the inn the night Alphelen was poisoned and attacked, correct?"

Galenrien's eyes close briefly a Galladrin's words and she sighs heavily. She looks down at her hands and then looks up her grey eyes filled with pain on remembrance of that night. This shows clearly on her face for she is not one to hide her emotions nor could she if she wished to. "I only want to forget that night, and constantly I am reminded." Her lips pres together a moment. "Don't think me rude, Galladrin, but do you have any idea what it's like to be a healer and have someone, a friend, poisoned right before your eyes and taken away and not be able to do a thing about it!" Tears fill her yes as she is overcome by this admission and she puts her face in her hands and sobs softly.

Galladrin gently puts his right arm around Galenrien, "I am sorry to bring it up. No, I don't have any idea what it feels like to have your friend poisoned and not be able to do anything. But it was not your fault, Galenrien. However you might be able to help us find out who was responsible for this. Do you not find it funny that only Alphelen was poisoned?"

Galenrien sighs again and takes a moment to compose herself. She looks up at Galladrin and her eyes shine with unshed tears. Se sniffs and thinks for a moment. "I'm not sure what you mean, Galladrin. It was late and Alphelen and Meregond were sitting at a table near to me. I had just come from a long birthing and I was exhausted. I had almost gone straight home but I stopped to get a quick bite. I often wonder what would have happened if I had......." Her voice trails off.

Galladrin stares at Galenrien compassionately and pats her left shoulder, "Well I think that only her cup was poisoned which means it had to be poisoned after it was poured. I was wondering if you saw anybody come close to her cup besides Alphelen herself before she drank it. Would have wondered what, Galenrien."

Galenrien nods slowly as she realizes what Galladrin was referring to. "Well, as to that, no I wasn't sitting at the table. I was there when they came in, but knowing Alphelen reaasonabley well, and being a healer I knew right away something was amiss, but I did not immediately ask what was the matter because I did not want to intrude. Alphelen was obviously still very shaken up from the attempt on her life a few weeks previous and she probably shouldn't have been out so soon. I f she had asked me, I should have said to rest, but that is besides the point, nobles can be stubborn about such things. And I was reffering to the fact that it was I that inadvertantly, to my utter shame gave her to the man who...... took her away. Meregond tried to warn me, but she was already gone and Meregond had fallen. I....I just can't forgive myself for that." She looks down again, tears running heedlessly down her face down.

Galladrin shakes his head, "You did what you thought was right, Galenrien. You can not fault yourself for that. Did Meregond try to warn you? What exactly did he say?"

You say, " Hmmm, " She pulls a handerchief from out of her sleeve and wipes her face off a little." Well, let's see. I ran out of the doors of the tavern, thinking to get an innocent bystander to help, for I din't know who to trust inside. Meregond had just been stabbed and I saw a man in the street when I was looking for a familiar face to help me. I wanted to get Alphelen to the House of Healing immediately and she was obviously unable to walk on her own. He came and helped me as I was trying to drag her out the door and away from the men who were attacking Meregond. As I told the man where to tale her, Meregond saw who was helping me, and before he fell unconcious he yelled. "No, don't give her to him!?"I tried to stop him, but he pushed me away and I fell....."

Galladrin listens intently to Galenrien's story, "That doesn't quite fit with what I was thinking unless it was all an act. I just don't know. Tell me did you treat Meregond's wound? And if so how bad was that wound?"

Galenrien looks at Galladrin with a new expression in her eyes, the tears gone now. "An act? What do you mean? And why are you asking me this? I am gald to help, but I want to know what disturbing information has caused you to interogate me and bring up these things that I would really like to try to forget." Anger and not a little hurt mark her features now as she looks at Galladrin's face.

Galladrin looks at Galenrien with sincerity in his eyes, "I am sorry for questioning you like this and for bringing up bad memories. I ask you to forgive me for my foolish questions. I did not mean to imply that you were acting but only to find out what you saw. Recently we got some information that implied that Meregond was Black Hand." His voice lowers to a whisper with the last sentence, "I was trying to find out if that were true or just lies. I thought since you were there you might have seen or heard something that could help me. Again I ask your forgiveness for I meant you no disrespect."

A shiver goes through Galen's frame as she hears the words The Blank Hand. She looks around the square and notices that the lateness of the hour has finally thinned out the traffic this on this evening. She nods. "I accept your apology, Galladrin. I realize you worry for the safety of Alphelen, as is your duty, but....." She shakes her head. "Meregond? The Black Hand? I have difficulty beleiving that, for I have seen him with Alphelen, and I know that he means her no harm, or at least he felt that way when he was guarding her." She pauses again. "I sat next to him at the council of the King, and he seemed much changed, even from when he was in my care at the House of Healing. I can't explain, but something is troubling him deeply. Only that I know for sure."

Galladrin places a comforting hand on her right shoulder and nods his head, "I do worry for her safety and I do not wish this to happen again. I do not know if it is true or not and will not say anymore of it unless I have evidence to suppport my claims. I didn't really know Meregond but at the council, he was a changed man. That much I could tell. I didn't like the way that he looked at me or Alphelen. Now I will be extra vigilante when it comes to Meregond. I just don't know what to do anymore."

Galenrien nods and smiles tiredly at Galladrin. "Well, I wish you luck in your search for answers, Galladrin. I hope this Black Hand can be stopped before Alphelen or anyone else gets hurt or killed. I am tired of this fighting, Our people torn into factions, when we should all be united in out will for a better Numenor." She stops and sghs. "Well, this is not the time for such inumerations. It's late, and I must get back to the Infirmary. I bid you good night, Galladrin." With this she picks up her book, stands up and puts her hood once more over her head.

Galladrin smiles, "Thank you, Galenrien. I too wish that the Black Hand can be stopped. I to am tired of our people being torn into factions. All I want is peace but it does not look like that will come for a while. I wish you well and I bid you a good night." He gets up and looks around.

With a last wave, Galen wraps her cloak tightly about her and heads off in the direction of the Healer's guild at a fast and steady pace.

Galladrin watches Galenrien head off. Then he turns around and heads back north with a worried look on his face.