Addiction: Chapter 2
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Valen gasped and tried to grab Legolas before he could tumble but he failed. His fingertips just grazed Legolas's foot. His stomach turned when he heard Legolas hit the forest floor. Timidly, he peered down where his friend had fallen. Legolas was unconscious and his legs were lying at impossible angles, obviously fractured. Valen felt his heart race and he scurried down the tree as fast as he could and ran to his friend. Legolas's eyes were closed and blood was seeping from his ear. His chest rose and fell with shallow, abrupt breaths.
"Legolas!" Valen shouted as he tried to revive him.
"Move, fool, before you injure him further!" Glandur hissed as he forcefully shoved Valen aside to get a better look at Legolas. Valen glanced at Sellion and Locien. Their pale faces echoed his with disbelief. Glandur was gently probing Legolas's neck. He looked up hopefully.
"I do not believe his neck is broken, thank the Valar," he said, "We must quickly get him back to the Palace." He bent down and carefully picked Legolas up, trying not to cause additional damage to the prince.
"Follow me!" Glandur ordered, "And keep your guard up. We do not know if that was the last of the spiders."
The three quickly followed suit behind Glandur with their swords drawn and ready for any sudden attack. They ran the rest of the way back to the Palace. When they arrived they ran straight to the Great Doors. Glandur let out a small sigh of relief to be home where there were healers, elves who were more capable of trying to repair Legolas than he. Glandur's heart dropped as soon as they went through the Great Doors to the Palace's entrance. The king and Amoniel were standing at the foot of the steps affectionately greeting Camthalion who had obviously just arrived moments before. All three's expression turned from the joy of a family member returning from danger to the horror of seeing another critically hurt. Amoniel began to sob in her husband's arms. She loved Legolas in a maternal way, having married Camthalion a century before Legolas was born. Thranduil crossed the distance between Glandur and himself in three great strides and gently took Legolas from him.
"It was a giant spider, my lord," Glandur said, unable to look his king in the eyes, "It ambushed Legolas and Valen from behind and knocked him out of the tree."
Thranduil did not wait for Glandur's explanation. He was already sprinting into the Palace and shouting for a healer. Camthalion approached Glandur.
"Go back to headquarters and write a report," he commanded, "I will join you when I can."
"Yes, my lord," Glandur replied and hurried off toward the greens with a look of regret on his face.
Camthalion placed a hand on both Sellion and Valen's shoulders.
"I will notify you about how Legolas is faring once we know," he said gently, knowing how upset they were witnessing their good friend injured so grievously, "Go back to the headquarters and assist Glandur with the report. I will join you later."
"Yes, my lord," they murmured, touched by Camthalion's kindness. Camthalion was very much like his father; serious and proud but he was also quite kind.
The crown prince quickly turned and ran into the Palace. He stopped when he got to Legolas's chambers. Amoniel was standing in the corridor outside the room; her long waist length brown curls trembled as she wept. Wordlessly Camthalion pulled her into his strong arms. She leaned onto his chest and snuggled up close to him. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"Wait here," he said, "I will check on Legolas."
Camthalion quietly opened the door and stepped inside. There was a flurry of activity in the room. He could not see Legolas as the healers were surrounding the bed, giving orders and retrieving supplies. Thranduil stood by Legolas's head. He was gently caressing Legolas's brow and murmuring comforting words in his ear. Camthalion slowly approached the bedside and placed a hand on his father's shoulder, trying to offer him any comfort that he could. Thranduil reached over, placed his arm around his shoulders and pulled Camthalion close to him without taking his eyes off of Legolas.
Camthalion felt his stomach lurch as his eyes swept over his little brother. He had fought in many battles and had witnessed many bloody, gruesome deaths. But he could not take seeing Legolas in such a condition. Tears swarmed to his eyes as he watched the healers do their work. They cut Legolas's trouser legs up to his knees. There were a rainbow of colors; black, blue, purple and red as blood slowly oozed out where the bones had broken through the skin. Another healer removed Legolas's jerkin and tunic. She felt up and down his sides.
"Many of his ribs are broken," the healer announced with a shake of her head. She turned Legolas over on his side and ran her deft fingers up and down his spine and looked up hopefully, "Miraculously his spine is not fractured from falling at such a height! He is very fortunate."
Thranduil nodded, glad that at least something was not broken. Then the healer gently lifted up Legolas's eyelids and peered into his eyes. His pupils were dilated and his eyes were rolling back into his skull. "He has a serious concussion. He may be unconscious for some time, my lords," the healer said as she shot Thranduil and Camthalion a look filled with pity and worry.
Two healers at the foot at the bed began twisting and pushing Legolas's legs, trying to set the broken bones back into place. Camthalion thought he was going to be sick. His little brother looked so broken that it seemed inconceivable that he could be put back together again. He wiped the tears that managed to escape from his blue eyes. Thranduil pulled his eldest son into a strong embrace and held Camthalion's blond head in his hand. He looked into his son's eyes that were identical to his own.
"Go back to your chambers to bathe and rest, ion-nin," the king said, "You have just made a long journey back from the south. I will come and get you when they are finished with Legolas."
Camthalion looked at his father then at his brother.
"Adar," he finally said though it sounded more like a plea, "Legolas needs us to be here for him."
"You need to take care of yourself, Camthalion," Thranduil said in a firm tone that clearly implied that there would be no debating the matter, "so that you can be here for Legolas."
"Yes, Adar," Camthalion gave in. He leaned down and gingerly stroked his brother's cheek, afraid that even the gentlest touch would harm him further then quietly exited the room.
Camthalion bathed and changed into clean clothes. Amoniel was lounging on the bed waiting for him to come out of the washroom. He reclined next to her and sighed. He had been so happy to get away from the terrible shadow and the evil creatures that flourished under it. Though he still had the burden of managing the defense of the Realm he was looking forward to seeing his family everyday. He had thought that Legolas serving the Realm at home would keep him from danger, if only for a few years, and now he saw that danger lurked at home too. Amoniel cuddled next to him and he instinctively put his arms around her, grateful for her company. She always brought him comfort when he was troubled with just her mere presence. Suddenly there was a soft knock at the door and his father entered the room, looking frightened and weary. Camthalion sat up quickly.
"How is Legolas?" Amoniel asked in a shaky voice. She was on the verge of tears again.
"He has also broken his left arm and his pelvis," Thranduil replied, "They are worried about the head injury. They are uncertain how long he will be unconscious. All we can do now is wait."
Camthalion nodded. The look in his father's eyes worried him. He recalled a similar look nearly thirty years earlier right after his mother, Faelwen, had been slain by orcs. Legolas had been only an elfling at the time. Camthalion knew that his father felt responsible for her death. Faelwen, had slipped out of the Palace one afternoon when Thranduil was in court and Legolas was with his tutor and went into the forest with a friend to gather wildflowers and roots for medicines. They were found slain that evening. Thranduil was never the same afterward and seemed to have put all his energy in surviving his loss and rearing Legolas, who was only twenty years old at the time.
"Legolas is young and strong, Adar," Camthalion reasoned, "He can endure these injuries and will soon be back to his normal cheerful self and looking for trouble with Valen and Sellion."
"I hope that you are right," Thranduil said with a small, sad smile, "I am going to sit with Legolas in case he awakens."
"I will come with you," Amoniel said as she rose and joined her father-in-law in the doorway.
"I will check on the report then I will join you," Camthalion said as he reached for his boots, " I want to see how this happened."
The buzzing conversation in military headquarters became silent when Camthalion entered. The only sound heard was the scraping of chairs as everyone rose to their feet to salute Camthalion. He ignored them and went directly to the desk at which Glandur was writing his report. Camthalion reached over and took the report from Glandur and read it. His face became red and the veins in his neck became visible, the perfect likeness of his father. He was obviously displeased. The headquarters quickly emptied, save the officers and those writing the report.
"You completed warrior training, Glandur, did you not?" Camthalion asked severely.
"Yes, my lord," Glandur replied in a shaky voice, only daring to look up at his commander briefly.
"Then can you explain to me how you made such a foolish error? You must have learned in your training that you should never jump in and ambush these spider colonies without knowing precisely how many there are and exactly where they are located!" Camthalion all but shouted.
"Yes, my lord," Glandur answered, "There appeared to be few of them and they also appeared to be asleep. I thought we could over take them easily and quickly."
"You should have created a perimeter! That much is obvious. How do you expect to lead my warriors when you show such an appalling lack of judgment? One of those you were leading is seriously injured and you are fortunate that more did not meet the same fate!" Camthalion spat, "This was supposed to be a simple patrol."
"Yes, my lord," Glandur replied, "I understand that I have made a serious error."
"Good," Camthalion barked, "You will do well to remember that. Until you show that you have better sense you will no longer lead any sort of mission."
"Yes, my lord," Glandur accepted his punishment.
Camthalion turned to Sellion and Valen, the anger disappeared from his face and he spoke to them very gravely, "Legolas is seriously injured as you know. He has fractured several bones and ribs. Worse yet, he has a head injury and the healers are unsure how long he will remain unconscious. We are waiting to see how well he heals."
"Thank you, my lord," Sellion replied, "We will visit Legolas as soon as he is up to having visitors. Give him our best."
Camthalion gave him a quick smile then he left the building and returned to the Palace.
Once he returned to the Palace, Camthalion joined his father in Legolas's chambers. Bruises and swelling had appeared on Legolas's fair face. His left eye was swollen shut. Scratches where he had been struck by small limbs graced his face, arms, and chest. His left arm and both of his legs had been set and were in secure splints. His ribs were tightly wrapped with linen. His breathing was short and jagged. Camthalion stood next to his father.
"He will be in considerable pain when he awakens," Camthalion stated regrettably.
Thranduil nodded.
"I will sit with him, Adar," he said, "You should get something to eat. I know that you did not have not eaten anything since mid day."
Thranduil considered his eldest son's proposal. He was obviously torn. "I will return soon," he said finally. He bent down and kissed Legolas's brow before exiting the room.
Camthalion took his father's seat and held his brother's hand. He felt so though he must physically hold on to Legolas or he might slip away. After sitting in silence for a few minutes Camthalion began to tell Legolas about the events in the south, knowing how much Legolas had always enjoyed listening to his experiences in combat. A healer quietly slipped into the room and checked Legolas's eyes. Camthalion looked up hopefully.
"There is no change, my lord," the healer said, "We can not know how severe the head trauma is until he regains consciousness."
"I understand," Camthalion replied as he watched his younger brother struggle to maintain breathing. His breath was coming in painful gasps. Camthalion firmly grasped Legolas's hand and gently laid the other on his chest.
"Everything is all right, little brother," he said soothingly as he tried to ease Legolas's breathing, "I am here. Adar and I will stay with you through the night. You just rest."
He caressed Legolas's swollen, bruised cheek. Though still uneven and shallow the breathing slowed and was less rapid. Thranduil entered the room a moment later and pulled up a chair next to Camthalion.
"You are a good brother," Thranduil said as he tried to get comfortable in the too small chair.
"A good brother would never of let him be under the leadership of Glandur. It would have been better to have let an elfling lead the patrol," Camthalion told him bitterly.
"These things happen, Camthalion. Yes, I am sure there were things that Glandur should have done differently. But it was an accident. They were ambushed. Valen is fortunate that he was not thrown from the tree as well. This is not your fault, ion-nin," Thranduil said firmly.
Camthalion said nothing but watched Legolas's face.
"You should go to bed," Thranduil said, "You have traveled far the past few days and have been deprived of a bed during your time in the south. You are obviously exhausted. You go on to bed and I will stay with Legolas."
"I told him that I would stay with him, Adar," Camthalion said defiantly. "and I never break my word," he added.
Thranduil nodded, giving in. The king was glad that someone would be with him for he did not know what the night would bring.
Note: I am using 50 as the coming of age for the elves (using the Laws and Customs of the Eldar as a guide) So Legolas was about 7-8 yeards old when his mother was killed.