A/N Just a quick sentence to say THANKS! to all you wonderful people out there!
Disclaimer: not mine, all belongs to Tolkien.
Chapter Four: Their off to see Elrond!
The sun was just peaking up over the mountain, it's light shining forth onto a new day. Aragorn sat at the mouth of the cave, holding his head in his heads. Legolas lay next to him, deep in a healing sleep, his eyes tightly closed. This worried the man, even if it was to be expected. It just wasn't natural for an elf and it disturbed him.
Right at the moment, however, he was seeing how long he could get first light to still be 'first light'. He dreaded having to wake Legolas, but the elf would have his head if he didn't. Sighing dramatically he turned around, still sitting, and placed his hand on the elfs cheek. To his relief he found that his skin was warmer than the night before. He had worked long and hard to pull Legolas out of shock, and was glad to see his efforts being paid off.
"Legolas...Legolas..." he whispered, transferring his hand to the elf's shoulder and shaking him."This was your idea..." the ranger muttered, before shaking the elf harder. Legolas stirred slightly, a moan leaving his lips. Aragorn's face fell; it was it was not fair that Legolas should have to be in so much pain.
"Come on," The man encouraged, brushing back the silky strands of blonde hair. Legolas scrunched up his face, his wandering hands quickly finding the source of all the pain, and he pressed down trying to stop the pain.
"No, Legolas, best not to do that." Aragorn chided gently, grabbing the slim hands and tucking them into the cloaks and away from the injury.
"Mph..." Legolas mumbled, before prying open his eyes.
"How are you feeling?" Aragorn instantly asked, scooting forward and staring with concern at Legolas. The elf smiled weakly before answering in the same fashion,
"Fine." however, his pale features and pain filled eyes gave it all the way. Aragorn snorted, not believing a word; instead he picked up a cup of cold tea. He had made it sometime last night when it looked as if the elf was going to awake but the elf had not and Aragorn had not had a chance to warm it back up.
"Let me help you up." Aragorn reached out and clasped his hands under the elfs arms, gently sitting him up. Legolas gave a low groan, his vision skewing on him for just a second, when it did clear, he saw Aragorn holding a cup, raising it to his lips.
"No, I can do it." Legolas gasped, determination written all over his features. Aragorn made a face, cursing elvish pride, but handed Legolas the cup anyway. Legolas smiled, silently thanking the man. Untangling his hands, Legolas tightly grasped the cup with both hands. To his annoyance the cup trembled and a little of the tea flew over the edges.
Aragorn exhaled slowly, having excepting this to happen. Reaching out he wrapped his strong fingers around Legolas's currently weak ones and steadied them. Legolas slowly sipped at the cold drink, before lowering it back to the ground.
"Did you...stay up all night?"
"Perhaps." Aragorn answered, not wanting Legolas to worry about his own health. "But that is not your worry. Right now you need to eat than rest."
"Wait," Legolas said, his voice growing with strength as the healing herbs did their work. "You said we...could leave." The elf felt strongly about this, they had to leave before the orcs found them and finished the job.
"I said that if you felt better we could leave." Aragorn said just as firmly.
Legolas sighed, but the herb had dulled the pain and he felt stronger so he pushed himself away from Aragorn, proving that he was stronger. Aragorn reacted swiftly reached forward to help, but the elf pushed his hands away.
Aragorn bit his lip with worry but let Legolas have his way.
"See," Legolas said, though he was panting slightly. "We can move on." Aragorn gave a frustrated sigh but gave in. If he felt that Legolas was in too much danger they could always stop. Besides, they needed to get back to his horse, where he had more healing supplies.
"Alright." He did make sure, though, to fill his voice with his displeasure. "But first you need to eat something."
"No, we can leave. I'm not hungry." Legolas persisted, looking around for his weapons.
"I don't care. You will eat." turning around he grabbed some leaf-wrapped bread and passed it to the elf, along with a water skin.
"Hannon le, I think." Legolas said a look of displeasure crossing his face at being forced to stay in the cave for longer. Unwrapping the Lembas, he nibbled on the corner of one, watching as Aragorn readied their belongings. Sighing with distaste, he glanced down at the lembas. He really didn't feel that well, the pain from his wound making him nauseous.
"If you want to leave here you need to eat more than that." Aragorn's soft and concerned voice said, surprising the elf who had not heard him approach. What surprised the elf more was the fact the Aragorn had shouldered HIS bow and quiver and stuck HIS knives into his belt.
"Aragorn, I will carry my weapons," he said, lembas forgotten. Aragorn took a deep steadying breath before replying.
"Listen, Legolas, I just want you to be able to stay on your feet. More weight will make that all the more difficult." Aragorn reasoned with the elf, clutching the weapons closer to his own body.
"Please, Estel." Legolas begged "I can do it, just let me try." Aragorn turned his back on Legolas pleading face and crossed his arms.
"No."
"Please, Estel. Gwesta nara le ú-ae." Legolas whispered, holding his hands out in a silent plea. Aragorn sighed, his shoulders lowering in defeat. /I swear to tell you if I can't/
"If you promise…" He trailed off, and after Legolas nodded, began to shrug off the elven prince's weapons."Here," he said, handing them to the elf.
Legolas smiled happily, glad that his weapons were back is his arms, carefully strapping his quiver and knives to his back, swinging his bow over his shoulder.
"We are ready now," Legolas stated, bracing his hand against the wall and preparing himself to stand. Aragorn put a hand on Legolas shoulder, stilling his movements for a second.
"Are you sure you are up to this?" he asked, concern shining brightly in his grey orbs.
"Yes." Legolas said strongly. Aragorn nodded, biting his lip in worry but assisted Legolas in standing.
Legolas swayed his vision graying as dizziness swamped his senses. His legs buckled and he almost fell, but Aragorn's arms swiftly caught hold of Legolas's. The man watched as Legolas's body took the toll of blood loss, his face losing more color. But, he still wrapped a steadying hand around Legolas shoulder's and helped him out of the cave and into the fresh air.
"Are you ok?" he whispered softly into the pointed ears. He was all for stopping for a moment to give Legolas some time to recover from the attack of dizziness, but he knew that the same dizziness would attack his friend again if he did so.
"Yes." Legolas ground out, glad for Aragorn's support, before hesitantly taking a stumbling step forward. As they slowly took each step forward Legolas gained strength, the herbs working well. After a while the archer motioned to the man,
"I can walk on my own…Hannon le." the elf truly was great full for the help that the human had given him.
"It will save your strength if you let me help you." Aragorn encouraged, tighten his hold on Legolas.
"I can do it." Legolas said truthfully. Aragorn finally agreed removing his arm and allow the elf to walk on his own.
It was not too long later, however, before Legolas stumbled. Moving forward, Aragorn steadied the elf.
"Do you need to stop?" Aragorn questioned, in response Legolas shook his head, as he was panting to heavily to speak. His usually fair face was turning red from exhaustion and sweat glistened brightly in the sun. Aragorn rolled his eyes, deeply worried for his friend, and slightly mad at himself for not noticing his friends need for a rest.
Taking Legolas's arm firmly, he pushed him down to sit a on large bolder which was in their path. Glaring at the human, Legolas bent forward slightly, gasping raggedly for breath. Unconsciously his left hand strayed to his wounded side.
Kneeling down, Aragorn grasped the elf by his shoulder in comfort, taking in a closer look at the elf. The healer found himself heavily concerned with the sweat that covered the elf and, fearing a fever, gently laid the back of his hand against the elf's brow.
"Fever?" Legolas asked, his voice strained and hoarse, he knew the reason Aragorn was checking him over. It took Aragorn a minute to answer and when he did he sounded uncertain
"Possibly..." the human's reason for uncertain was that while Legolas was warm, his fever wasn't too high, if it was a fever. A reason for the heat could b due to all the excretion the archer had been doing.
"Possibly…" Legolas repeated, a smile growing across his face. "You're unsure." he teased, coughing slightly as his body demanded air.
"your warm, but not hot. You'll promise me that you will tell me if you feel worse?!" Aragorn asked, reaching up and rubbing smooth circles on the elf's back. His eyes searched Legolas face, his worry poorly concealed.
"I will." Legolas promised, straightening up and leaning back, willing more air into his lungs. His eyes fluttered shut as a wave of dizziness swamped him yet again. He was sick of it but there was not much he could do.
"Good." Aragorn said relived. "Now let me have looked at your wound." He had not missed the way that Legolas's left hand covered his side.
Aragorn gently took Legolas hand away; lifting Legolas's tunic and undershirt up as he did so. The ranger frowned when he saw the heavy bandages had a large red stain which was quickly spreading.
"The bandages need to be changed." the ranger said softly, before taking some stripes of his old cloak out of his pack. Taking his knife he swiftly cut the old ones off, hissing slightly in anger as the wound began to bleed worse again now that the pressure was removed. This was not right, it should not still be bleeding.
"Put pressure on it." he commanded Legolas, who smiled slightly before doing as commanded. Aragorn did his work quickly and soon was tying off another bandage. Cleaning his hands he turned back to Legolas.
"Give me your hand." Aragorn commanded, holding up the water skin. When Legolas complied, he gently washed the red stains off the hand that Legolas had held against his wound.
"Are we setting off again?" Legolas questioned, finally able to speak in full sentence as his heavy breathing had returned to normal.
"If you feel up to it." When Legolas nodded, Wait," Aragorn said suddenly, pulling out his water skin. "You need the water." reaching over he helped Legolas take several gulps, pulling it away when he had deemed the elf had enough. Aragorn helped the elf up, allowing the elf to lean against him when he slumped to the side.
"I'm sorry…" Legolas said softly. Aragorn had his own small hurts and injures to deal with. He really did not need an elf to have to look after as well.
"There is no need for that." Aragorn said, throwing a curious glance at his companion. Legolas sighed heavily, but nodded in agreement. His heart felt incredible heavy with both guilt and weariness.
"Hey, cheer up!" Aragorn said cheerfully. The human would hide his frustration and worry, Legolas needed hope.
"Estel, I will 'cheer up' when I feel cheerful."
"What isn't there to be cheerful about, you have me as your companion." Aragorn exclaimed, throwing a full blown out smile at the elf.
"Oh well horary for me!" came the sarcastic reply.
"I know. You are lucky." the human commentated, to which Legolas remained silent.
"I think that we can get to my horse by mid-afternoon tomorrow, if all goes well." Aragorn said, thinking out loud. "We shall go on till dusk, or you till you need to rest." he added pointedly ignoring the huff of displeasure from his left. All, however, was not to go well.
TBC..
Oh no, it sounds like things might go downhill for here! That's ok, right, those two are use it, or they should be by now! lol. Every review I get makes me write faster ;)
Review Responses:
imaginariamente: Thanks! It is always nice to get a review from you!
LeoLuin: Welcome to the story! Thanks so much!
alexiana75: I know, Legolas really is quite a sweet guy. (except to orcs!) The twins will be appearing later in the story, so keep a look out for them!
oo Contess D oo: Yes indeed poor Legolas. He is put through so much by all us fan fiction people! Thanks for starting to read the story!
robinsmum: Tell me about it, being evil ROCKS! I have feeling that you are me are going to be disagreeing a lot with Legolas in the next few chapters ;) (Make that stories!)