Miril woke from her nap to find everyone back, including Legolas and Gimli. The four hobbits and Boromir were sleeping, Aragorn was organizing his pack, and Legolas and Gimli were speaking in hushed voices so as not to wake the others. She sat up and looked around, bleary eyed. Wiping her eyes of sleepiness she turned to Aragorn.

"How long was I out?"

Aragorn looked up. "Not sure. Several hours at least. You missed dinner."

Miril noted that the sun was almost gone. No wonder half the Fellowship was already sleeping. Miril walked over to Legolas and Gimli. She had spoken to them once or twice in Rivendell but had not really made their acquaintance.

"Miril, correct?" Legolas asked. "You are a dunedain like Aragorn."

"Indeed," she nodded. "Though I am half-elven, unlike him."

Gimli nodded. "The hobbits mentioned you went in Moria. Did you fare better than us?"

"No, I'm afraid. I was tracking the creature Gollum but he ambushed me." Miril sighed. "He is an evil one, that is certain."

"Smeagol has good in him," Legolas argued. "I guarded him sometimes in Mirkwood. He is simply consumed by a desire for the Ring."

"Well he tried to kill me." Miril looked at Legolas skeptically.

Aragorn, finished with his inventory of supplies, joined the three others in conversation.

"Perhaps Gollum still has work left to do in Middle Earth," he said. "Gandalf was often fond of reminding me that it is not up to us to decide who deserves life or death arbitrarily."

Miril nodded sadly. It was true. Gandalf was always so full of wisdom. Still, that didn't mean she had to like Gollum. For ten years, hatred of that creature had burned in her heart and it wasn't going to go away any time soon.

"What is that sword you have, lass," Gimli asked, noticing the sword that she'd set on the table beside her pack.

"Oh." She smiled. "I found that in Moria. I stumbled upon the barracks. It ended up being a blessing indeed because I lost my sword when Gollum attacked me."

"May it keep you well," Gimli said. "It is from days long ago. Back when nothing could rival Dwarf make."

Miril decided she was in need of a bath. She'd snuck around Mirkwood and Moria, two very dangerous and dirty places, and no doubt needed someone to look at her back. Though she'd told Aragorn something to the contrary, she believed her back had a couple cuts. She took off her cloak and laid it down, folded, on her couch.

"Mir," Aragorn cried in exasperation as he finally saw her back beneath the cloak. "Your back is covered in blood splotches!"

Miril groaned. She trusted Aragorn was right. No doubt blood had seaped through the cloth. She turned around and faced Aragorn.

"I didn't know. I can't see my back!"

Aragorn got up and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her aside and speaking in a low voice. "Miril, you must be more careful. How many times have I told you as your friend and Commander. Your health must be a priority."

She looked down at her feet. "I know. I am sorry."

"Go wash your wounds. Then come back here so I can make sure you get to the healers tonight." Aragorn sighed.

Miril nodded and bit her lip to keep from protesting. After all, Aragorn had spoken truly. He was her Commander, her king. And her friend. She would do what he said when he was serious like this.

She stopped by the Command building for the Galadhrim warriors and managed to pick up a new set of clothing on her way to the bath house.

Aragorn sighed and sat down with Legolas and Gimli.

"She must be a handful," Legolas commented.

Aragorn flashed a small smile. "Indeed. She is headstrong, defiant, and rash. However she is also one of the best Rangers I've had the privilege of knowing, and is like family to me."

Gimli nodded. "She sounds like a stout warrior to me."

"She is. Though she is still relatively young, and has a lot to improve upon, her tracking is unparalleled." Aragorn sighed. "Unfortunately that, and other circumstances, has led to the Enemy placing a target on her back."

"She is a half-elf, yes?" Legolas asked. "Not many of that kind are found in my home. I did not think they were too common West of the Mountains either."

"Oddly enough, almost her entire ancestry has been made up of half elf unions." Aragorn shrugged. "While not common, it is occasionally the case between Dunedain and wandering elves."

Meanwhile, Miril took a hand towel and soap from the shelves in the bath house, undressed, and waded into the water. The warm water stung her sores down her back and the quick intake of breath she released hissed audibly. Retreating to where she could stand with her back above the water, she took the towel and rubbed it with soap before draping it down her back and scrubbing. It burned with every scrub she made, but she knew it was important to get as much dried blood off as possible. The healers could do the rest.

Content with the amount of work she'd done on her back, Miril turned to work on her face. Dried dirt caked her skin and made it difficult for her to scrape it off. She was just glad to have soap this time she washed. Last of all, Miril waded further in and dunked her head of hair into the bathing pool. She felt much better with clean hair.

As she got out and dried off, Miril threw on the new set of Galadhrim clothes, minus a cloak. She dried her hair as much as she could and then deposited her dirty towels and clothing in a basket at the exit of the bath house. Then she went to find Aragorn.

He was still at the tent, talking to Legolas. Gimli had gone to bed not long ago, but the Elf and Dunedain were both not tired yet. Miril guessed that Aragorn was, but he'd never go to bed before seeing that Miril got the medical attention she needed.

In fact, Miril could feel blood tricking down her back ever so slightly from where her scrubbing had reopened the wounds. She would never outwardly admit that Aragorn had been right, no, but well... he had been.

"Ready," he asked upon seeing her come back.

"Indeed." She sighed. "Let us go."

Aragorn nodded and the two dunedain went to one of the few structures not located up a Mallorn tree. They figured perhaps that if injured needed immediate attention, climbing a tree wouldn't be an option. Hence the healing house was on the ground.

As they walked inside, Miril breathed in the scent of athelas and other healing herbs. Aragorn led her forward to where a maiden was organizing jars of herbs in the back.

"What can I do for you," the maiden asked, turning to face them. "Are you injured?"

"Miril was on a mission for the Lord and Lady and has recently returned. She requires medical attention on her back," Aragorn explained to the healer.

"Please, sit." She motioned to one of the many cots. "I am Brethil."

"Hello," Miril smiled before turning back to Aragorn. "Feel free to leave now. Go to bed."

He looked at her suspiciously before nodding and speaking again to Brethil, "Make sure she actually is looked at by you. She tends to avoid these things."

"Do not worry," Brethil laughed lightly. "She will be in good hands."

Aragorn left the healing house and went back to the tent. Miril remained where she was as Brethil turned to help her.

"Remove your shirt, please."

Miril nodded and took it off.

Brethil didn't react outwardly at the number of cuts and bruises on her patient's back. Instead she went to get the herbs she would need and started small talk.

"You are clad like one of us, yet clearly you are an outsider. Also, your ears show elf ancestry. Are you peredhel? Half-elven?" Brethil asked her as she returned with a pot of hot water in which athelas was steaming.

Miril nodded. "Perceptive. Yes, I am a half-elf. I am a member of the Dunedain Rangers and friend of Rivendell and Lothlorien. Last I was here, my clothes were in tatters so Lady Galadriel gave me raiment of your people to wear on my quest."

"I'm glad. It suits you, Miril." She paused. "I am going to clean your wounds with athelas water and then apply a salve to your bruises. It should cool the burning and help with pain."

Miril nodded. Brethil began her work by using a small towelettes to wipe clean each cut with athelas infused water. Even just the smell of it in the air was enough to calm Miril and provide some comfort.

"Did your mission go well?" Brethil asked her.

Miril grimaced. "It started out well and ended poorly, I would say. Fell off a ledge, that's how I got these back injuries."

Brethil looked surprised. "Indeed! I am glad it is not worse then. You could have easily broken your back or neck."

Brethil moved on to applying the salve she'd prepared. She smoothed it across Miril's back and almost immediately the pain from the reddness and the bruises receeded. Miril let out a sigh of content.

"All done," Brethil said happily. "I will wrap the parts I have put cream on to keep it applied."

She went to her bandage drawer and took out a long roll of white bandage. It didn't take long to wrap Miril's back.

"You may put your shirt back on," Brethil told her. "And you may go."

"Thank you very much, Brethil. I feel better already." Miril smiled at the other maiden.

Brethil chuckled. "I am glad. Now go, get some rest. Wounds need sleep to heal."

"Indeed."

Miril left the healing house and went to check in on the others. Legolas was missing but the rest were sleeping soundly. She smiled. She knew she should rest, but she'd slept for awhile early during her nap and wasn't very tired yet. She decided to go explore.