Title: Athelas
Fandom: Silmarillion
Challenge: Drugs
Rating: G
Length: 100
Content notes: N/A
Author notes: Thanks go to Zana, Morgynleri & Runa for encouragement & sanity-checking.
Summary: Some people consider Athelas a drug.



Some people consider Athelas a drug. Some people consider any herb or root, fruit or flower that has virtue or effect other than nutrition to be a drug, and mean that word in the most negative way possible. Certainly, nearly any substance may be misused -- even pure water, applied too vigorously inside or out may cause harm, after all -- but for some reason, in some quarters, among some groups of people, Athelas comes in for especial opprobrium. The why of it is a mystery. Is it the association with Elves? The maladies it is effective against? I wish I knew.