The Teacher

Chap 22

An hour before sundown they met up with Aerandir and Amros. They had in fact found a place to camp for the night, in a wooded area about a quarter mile off the main road. They had also found a small stream near the campsite.

Once Elrond had approved of the campsite everyone dismounted and began to do various duties. Aerandir and Amros went to collect firewood to start a small fire, they would also refill the water skins. Elladan and Elrohir took the packs off Fallon, and then with Glorfindel’s help they began the task of unsaddling and feeding the horses.

"Penda," Elrond said as he walked over to where the packs had been laid, "I need you to help me get the food out." Penda went over to where he stood and together they unwrapped the food. When they were finished they set everyone's packs out as well, making a small ring around the area where the fire would be built.

When they were finished Penda went through her pack and found several strips of cloth to be used as bandages and a small bar of soap. Pulling them out she tucked them into the pocket of her tunic, hoping Elrond had not seen them. Then she headed for the woods, in the direction of where the stream was. Elrond watched her as she walked away and once again told her not to venture too far into the woods. Finding the privacy she needed, she took care of her body's needs, then walked over to the stream.

Getting down on her knees she began to remove the bandage from her hand. Even with the cloth strips on her hand, Celahir's reins had still rubbed the blisters raw, causing them to bleed. She put her hand into the cool water, allowing it to soak through the bandage, making it easier to remove. Then, taking the bar of soap she gently washed the dirt from her hand, cleansing the wounds.

By the time it was clean the blood had started to flow freely again. Applying pressure to it she was able to stop the bleeding, but not before Glorfindel found her.

"Penda," he said as he walked up behind her, "you need to get..." Looking down he saw her hand. "You will need to tell Elrond, he will get angry if you don't."

"I know, Glorfindel, but he will make me ride with him, and I can't do that."

"Why can't you ride with him? I assure you, he doesn't mind."

"Oh, never mind, Glorfindel; just please, don't say anything to him," she pleaded.

"I won't, Penda, but he will know."

"How, Glorfindel? How will he know?" Penda asked as she wrapped her hand.

"I can't say, Penda," Glorfindel replied, "but he will. It would be best if you told him yourself."

"I have no intention of telling him, and I have no intention of riding with him tomorrow," Penda replied. Then she stepped around Glorfindel and headed back to the camp.

As she reached campsite she saw Elrond watching her. Quickly, she turned her head and made her way over to where her pack was.

Elrond watched as Glorfindel stepped out of the woods. The look on his friend’s face was enough to tell him that something was wrong. But what, he wondered. Turning his eyes on Penda once again, he watched as she went to the fire that had been started, and, picking up a bowl, began to spoon in some of the stew that he had made.

Holding her bowl with her right hand, he watched as she carefully picked up some bread with her left hand, favoring it a little. Looking closer, he was able to make out the cloth that she had wrapped around her hand. The sunlight was almost gone, so he decided not to confront her about it until the next morning; he did not want her to run into the woods and get lost. It would also give her time to tell him what was wrong with her hand.

Conversation was light while they ate. Afterwards, Elladan and Elrohir started to sing. When they were finished, Aerandir pulled a small harp from his pack and began to play it, while singing softly. Penda sat back and listened, enjoying the soft melody. She didn't understand what he was saying, as the song was in Quenya, but it had a sorrowful tone to it. When he finished, she asked him what the song was about.

"It is about Luthien and Beren, the fairest elf to ever life in Middle-Earth and the man she fell in love with," Aerandir replied.

"What happened to them?" she asked.

"When they told her father they wished to wed, Luthien's father gave Beren a task, one that he believed Beren would not be able to achieve," Aerandir explained. "In the end, Beren was mortally wounded and passed over the sea; soon after, Luthien faded from her grief. There is more to the story. When we get back to Imladris, I am sure Lord Elrond will tell you the rest."

As he finished speaking, Amros spoke up, "Penda, why don't you sing to us? You should know a lot of human songs."

"No thank you, Amros," Penda replied; "I'd rather hear Aerandir sing, or play his harp again, if he doesn't mind."

"Oh, come, don't be shy," Amros replied, "Give us one song."

"I said I don't care to."

"But, Penda, I don't…" Amros said.

"Amros, please, I don't care to sing because I don't know any songs."

"But I thought you grew up with the humans. Surely they taught you..." Amros argued.

"No, they didn't," Penda replied. "The only thing they taught me was how cruel people can be toward others. Every day of my life I have tried to forgive them their cruelty. Tried to see the good in the people I lived with before I came to live with Will; but I couldn't. I had easoeason to learn their songs of merriment."

By this time, tears were streaming down her face. Elrond, who had been quietly talking to Glorfindel during the singing, had not heard what Amros had said, until he heard the trembling in Penda's voice. As he stood to go to her, she suddenly turned and ran into the woods. Elrond ran after her, telling the others to stay by the fire.

He found her sitting on a large boulder by the stream, staring down into the water. Her hair had come loose from the confines of its braid and was now draped down her back and across her shoulders, shielding her face from his view, the length of it caused it to pool around her on the boulder. Her shoulders shuddered from her sobs.

"Penda," he said softly as he approached her.

"Go away, please, just leave me," she replied quietly.

"I can't do that," Elrond responded as he climbed onto the boulder and sat down next to her.

"Why, because of your agreement with my uncle?"

"That's one reason. But the most important reason is because I, we, care for you. I want you to have the chance to grow. To become what you were meant to be."

"And what is that? What am I meant to be?" Penda asked.

"That is yet unknown to us. When you are ready, the Valar will reveal their plans for you."

Penda looked up at Elrond. "It hurt," she said softly. "What he said hurt. It brought back memories of a life I want to forget."

"No, Penda. Don't forget it. Accept it; but never dwell on it. We cannot change the past. But we can learn from it. The things that happened to you are what molded you into the person I see sitting before me now."

"A teary-eyed female?" she asked.

Elrond chuckled. "No," he said a bru brushed the hair from her face, "a vibrant, strong-willed female."

Reaching up he slowly wiped the tears away with the knuckles of his forefinger. She turned her cheek into his hand, then taking his hand into hers, she softly kissed the palm, causing him to moan.

"Penda," he said quietly, "this is not..."

"I know what you would say, and I don't care," she replied softly, kissing his hand once again.

"Not now you don't. But tomorrow you would. And, I care. You are desirable, I will not deny that. But, this is not the time nor the place. When the time is right, you will know the touch of a lovers hands, if it is the will of the Valar," Elrond said as he pulled his hand from hers. Then, leaning over, he gently kissed her on the forehead. "Now, I believe we should get back to the camp before they come looking for us."

She watched as he jumped down, then he turned and, wrapping his hands around her waist, he helped her down. Together they headed back to the campsite.

"Penda," Elrond said quietly, "I don't believe Amros meant to hurt you. I have known his family for many years. His father was one of my most trusted guards until he fell to an orcs spear. Amros is not familiar with your past. He wasn't aware of what you have been through."

"How did you find out, milord?" she asked.

"Your friend Millie."

"She had no right to tell you," Penda said, stopping in her tracks.

Elrond stopped also, a few feet in front of her. "No, perhaps not, but would you have told me?"

"Probably not," Penda replied as she stepped around him and continued on her way. Elrond just shook his head and followed.