Analdin steps into the infirmary, his stride quick and determined. After glancing about quickly, as though searching for someone or something, he looks down the rows of beds and cots, gazing on the number of wounded.

Elidran looks up from the cot he's lying on and smiles faintly. "Forgive me if I do not salute, sir..."

Struggling to sit in his bed, Nials slowly rises into a sitting position. "Lieutenant," he says upon recognizing his friend. As if knowing some explaination is needed as to why a vagabond would be in a military infirmary, Nials tries his best to explain, "It was the orcs sir, they have move to a camp in the city."

Analdin casts Elidran a quick smile, his eyes shining, and obviously in better temper than a few days ago. "Forgiven, Elidran... I know quite well the feeling of being unable to do anything from an infirmary bed." Turning to the bed right next to the soldier's, he looks to Nials, and smiles, though this one a bit more fient than the previous. "Good evening, Nials..." he says, giving him a wave to relax and lie back down, "So I have heard rumour. Before you try to explain what it was as happened out there, though, tell me your thoughts on this place." He motions around the infirmary, eyes twinkling, "You enjoying your stay?"

Elidran chuckles, "I am not minding it. The nurses are pretty, and they fuss over me a great deal." he grins impishly, seeming to take his captivity a bit better than some people have.

Nials lying back down, so that he can breathe a little easier. "Tis a good place," he says with an exasperated sigh, "but not somewhere I hope to make permenant residence." With a pained smile and a twinkle in his eyes, he states, "At least the service is good." "All you have to do is groan loud enough and they come running," he explains.

Analdin chuckles lightly at Elidran's and Nials's words, shaking his head. "At least the two of you enjoy it. As for myself, well, I believe my opinion of infirmaries is well known all over camp by now." He shoots Nials a glance, bright blue eyes twinkling. "Tell me then, how did you come to be in here? The orcs have moved to a camp in the city... but how did you come to find this out?"

Nials with an explanatory tone in his voice begins his tale, "As you know good sir, I am a vagabond," he explains "I was exploring the ruins here, trying to get a glimpse of the city as it once was. But as I crossed the brigde and made my way through the broken bridge, I came upon a camp of orcs." Then suddenly gasping, and turn a shade whiter, he stops and breathes in shallowly for a moment.

Elidran glances from Analdin to Nials, listening closely to this tale. He frowns, "So close, this camp? That's not good."

Jovial expression disapearing, Analdin's face turns serious. "Slow down, sir vagabond," he says, tone quick and in a voice strongly suggesting this order be obeyed. "You need not injure yourself more be speaking too much. Continue, when you are able." Watching the man closely, his gaze fliskers to Elidran, and back to Nials, watching intently.

After a few moments of breathe, some of the color returns to his face and Nials continues his story. "After seeing this, I return to the camp here and told the guards what I had seen. It was at that poing that Serin came to me with a group of twenty or so soldiers. Serin looked at me and asked me if I would lead them to where I had seen the orcish camp." he says more slowy as to not tire himself out.

Nials laying his head back, he continues, "When we reached the bridge we ran into the orc as they were moving in closer to the Gondorian camp." he says, his eyes distant in remembrace. "The to groups saw each other and drew there arms. The orcs charged and the men of Gondor moved forward in defiance. I saw Serin take on the orcish commander, but I soon had to focus on my own prey," as he speaks one of the nurses comes over and begins to change his bandages.

Analdin nods quietly, looking just past the wounded man, staring at the wall. Yet, as he stops, the young officer brings his attention back to the teller of the tale. Though he remains quiet, his grim look speaks of impatience to hear the rest.

As the young nurse unwraps the bloodied bandage, the true nature of the wound that was inflicted upon the young vagabond is revealed. Running from one side of his mid torso to the other is a deep, ragged gash that has been stitched and covered in herbs. As the nurse finishes, Nials continues.

Analdin remains standing ina a relaxed position, hands clasped behind his back, concern showing on his face. Even as the young man's wound is revealed, he does not flinch away from the gash, but does keep his eyes as much as possible on the other's face. "And..." he prompts, patiently waiting for the rest of the tail.

Nials rising back into a sitting position, he say, "It was at that point that one of the pig faced orc foot soldier engaged me. I made a swipe for his head and then barely parried one of his counterattacks. But as quick as lightning the orc raised his sword to strike at my head, so naturally I moved to parry, but didn't see his scimitar change course until the last second. I jumped back, but alas it wasn't far enough." As he says these last words he groans in remembered pain, his breathing become short, but his eyes remain clear and alert.

Analdin shakes his head slowly, muttering something about tactics, but says nothing aloud. Eyes intent upon Nials, however, he says softly, as though not wanting to intarrupt the story but a necessary question, "Is there anything you can tell me that you may have learned about their position? Or how they fought that may be of importance?"

Nials continues, "Upon seeing blood spilled, the orc gave into his battle craze and charged me," he say his eyes once again going distant in remembrance, "As a last resort, I dropped to my knee and drew my boot dagger and thrust it into his throat." Suddenly startled out of his story by the Lieutenants question, he says, "After I killed the orc, the rest of the men drove the orcs back." he explains quickly, "But as to where I don't know" he adds.

Elidran rubs his arm gently, muttering, "I need training sorely, this is obvious. That one orc vanquished me with little effort. I was lucky to escape alive."

Analdin nods slowly, taking all the information into account. His good mood of earlier having apparently disapeared, he lets out a quick sigh. "Just have to enjoy all these attacks, do we not?" Shrugging, he shifts his position, moving his weight to another foot, and looks once more to Nials, "Is there anything else, then, that you could tell me about them? Something that could help us move their camp, by force if needs be, supposing they have not already disapeared already."

Nials struggles to remember, "Other than over hearing that the name of their leader was an Uruk name Gorbag, there is nothing more I can think of." he says, trying to appeal the lieutenants curiosity.

Elidran frowns, "Aye. Gorbag. I believe the leader..that was his name..was the one I fought. He was wickedly strong, that foul beast. I hadn't a chance against him, I'm afraid."

Analdin's attention jerks back to the present as Nials replies, giving him a name. "Gorbag, you say? We may have a spot of trouble, I fear..." Trailing off, he lets out a hard sigh. Looking off, as if thinking, he says quietly, "Thank you for the information, then, Nials." Turning to Elidran, he raises a brow, "And you fought him? Have you anything to add to our vagabond friend's report?"

Elidran shakes his head, "He summed it up very nicely, sir, if I may say so. They took us by surprise, mind you...and I would only say that we should beware their leader, for an orc, he is a /very/ tough fighter."

Nials struggling to rise, "Sir," he says firmly, "I have done what most normal people would have never lived through." Then as if to explain, he add, "I have see the enemy and lived to tell about it." Then looking straight into the lieutenants blue eyes, "I would like to join the men of Gondor in protecting the people against the foul plague that comes from the east," he says, his emerald eyes as hard a stone. Then sitting back in exhaustion, he nods, "Aye sir, we lost eleven," he states with a mournful look in his eyes.
Nials adds "eleven of twenty."

Eyes turning to Nials, his brow goes up once more, and he ignores the first part for a few moments. "Eleven? Of my men, the Guard, or others? How many of the enemy were there to begin with, and, you way, twenty of our men?" Shaking his head slowly, he looks to Nials's eyes, and says quiet slowly, "You may have lived this time, friend. Which is good, in itself. But do you believe you could survive again? And again? And see the destruction, the death, without losing hope? Only then, friend, do I believe you would be ready to join the men of Gondor in the country's defense."

Elidran glances again from Analdin to Nials, sensing the importance of the question being asked. He glances at Nials, curious as to the man's answer, his eyes bright and curious.

Nials contemplates the lt's statement, "Sir," he starts shakily, but growing more sure of himself as he goes, "in that battle I saw men fight, not for money or fame, but to protect the land in which they live from the foul host of Mordor. I saw them draw hope and strength not entirely from themselves but from those around them who fought at there side and those who would and did lay down their lives to protect them." His eye grow thoughtful, "As for whether I shall survive or perish, I care not, I feel like I must do something to help fight this evil." He looks to Elidranl, then back to the Lieutenant waiting for his answer.

Elidran nods approvingly towards Nials, brushing sweat from his brow, "Aye, Nials." he murmurs softly in agreement, "You've the right of it. We fight to protect the land we hold dear, and it's people. Your heart is certainly in the right place.'

Analdin listens, face hard as chisled stone, to Nials's report of himself. Blue eyes intent upon the wounded man before him, almost to the point of ignoring all else, to drilling into the man through bright blue orbs, the Lieutenant asks another question. "In that case, how do you think you would serve Gondor and the protection of the people from the evil we face? Would you hire yourself out as a mercenary, perhaps? Or join up with the navy? Would you spend your time in Dol Amroth, learning the art of defense from the knights? Maybe, however, you would rather be at one of the last defenses, Minas Tirith. Tell me, then, which way would you serve in defense?"

Nials stops for a moment lost in thought. Then he looks up and says, "I shall never fight for money, for life cannot be taken at a price." he explains, then contiues "And the land is my home not the sea." Then he stops angain and lowers his head, "I am not of noble birth, so I am not worthy to be a knight." he continues. "But if I must choose, I choose to stand as a member of the last defense with the solid walls of Minas Tirith at my back and the men of the gaurd at my side." With that his head raises to look full into the eyes of the waithing lt.

Analdin nods once, solemnly. Eyes bright, he folds his arms in front of him, and looks hard at Nials. "If you say you would wish to join with the Guard, then you might as well say so outright. I would be honored to swear you in, when you are a bit more recovered. That is..." Trailing off, his eyes twinkle mischeviously, "If you can convince the healers to allow you leave any time in the future."

Nials grins weakly. "I think I can manage to survive." he says merrily. Though hurting and sore, the look in his eyes is one of utter hope and joy. "Yes, I think I can manage to get out of here." he mutters to no one in particular.

Analdin allows a light smile to touch his face, "If you say so..." trailing off, as in disbelief, he shrugs once. "Tell me, Nials, from where do you hail? What land were you born in?"

Nials snaps back from his thoughts with a slight jerk, "I am from a small farm near the Mering Stream." he states, "Tis a small little farm, nothing to special, but it was a good, warm place to call home." As he finishes this he lies back in his bed his eyelids suddenly feeling heavy.

Analdin nods silently, the smile creeping larger on his face. "You look tired, friend... rest well. There are duties I must be attending now." With that, and a smile and nod to Elidran as well, he turns on his boot heal and steps toward the door, his heavy bootfalls silenced by the design of the room.

Nials upon hearing the last of the lt's words Nials drifts off into a peaceful healing sleep.