First Meetings- Chapter 4

Here we go, next chapter is up! I am afraid that Legolas is nowhere near out of the woods yet...

Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

A white cloth fell into the ceramic bowl full of cold water. A few athelas leaves bobbed up to the surface, rippling across the surface. The cloth lifted up, droplets falling from it as strong hands wrung it out. They went plink, each one sending waves across to the edge of the bowl.

Elladan shook a few droplets of water from the cloth, before gently wiping it across Legolas' face. He caught the beads of sweat rolling down the archer's neck, before rewetting the cloth and placing it across his forehead. Legolas didn't move.

Elladan sighed. "What are you doing, mellon-nin?" he murmured quietly. "What happened to you?"

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness."

Elladan smiled slightly. "You should be asleep, muindor-nin" he said, turning his head slightly as his brother came and sat in the chair next to him. "How is Adar?"

"Still sleeping" murmured Elrohir, rubbing his neck absentmindedly. "He is exhausted, and has a headache from the foresight, even if he won't tell us what he is seeing. I think that is the only reason why he could fall asleep." He smiled ruefully. "I couldn't even get close to rest." He looked around the darkening room, lit with torches. "Where is Arwen?"

"I asked her to go get more athelas" replied Elladan. "We were running low."

Elrohir nodded. It had now been nearly a day since Legolas had collapsed on their courtyard. Glorfindel had left for Mirkwood early that morning, literally a blur as he raced out across the bridge. And Legolas hadn't stirred once. Elrohir leant forwards and gently put his hand on Legolas' cheek. He frowned. "He is hotter" he murmured.

"Aye" said Elladan shortly. "The fever has gone up even more since Adar went to sleep, but I daren't wake him. He probably won't sleep again for days."

Elrohir nodded. "There isn't much that he could do anyway. The best we can do is keep treating the wounds, and hope the fever comes down."

Elladan sighed, and reached out to check their friend's pulse. It was weak and thready. He looked up. "Arwen better come quickly" he murmured. "We need the athelas."

As if on cue, both of the twin's sharp ears picked up the sound of hurried footsteps. A moment later, the door swung open and their sister entered, a basket on her arm. She placed it silently on the sideboard, before turning to her brothers.

"Is that enough?" she asked anxiously. "It is the most that I could find by torchlight."

Elrohir tipped the basket towards him, and felt some of the weight lift from his shoulders as he breathed in the wholesome smell. The basket was full of dark green leaves. "That's plenty" he said, smiling slightly at his sister's worry. He grabbed a handful and passed them to her. "Take these. Press them; they will last longer." He took some and, grabbing a mortar and pestle, began to grind them in water to form a paste.

Elladan reached over and grabbed another handful. Taking them over to the fire, he crushed them and cast them into a small pot of boiling water. He shifted it slightly, and the wholesome smell penetrated the entire room. Carefully taking the pot from the fire, he placed it on the cold flagstones to cool.

Arwen looked up from where she was carefully pressing the athelas leaves. "How is he?"

Elrohir looked up from what he was doing. "There is little change, Arwen. I just hope Glorfindel hurries."

Arwen's face became determined. Finishing the last of the leaves, she came over to the side of the bed and placed a comforting hand on Elrohir's shoulder. "He will be fine." She frowned slightly. "Do you need me to wake Adar, or fetch Naneth?" Celebrian was trying to organise a flustered Imladris right now.

Elladan looked up from where he was gingerly testing the boiled water, to see if it was cool enough yet. "Let him sleep. We know enough to be able to change the bandages."

Arwen nodded, and sat down in another chair, at the foot of Legolas' bed. Elrohir looked up at Elladan. "It's ready."

Elladan nodded, and they both moved to either side of the bed. Elrohir, setting aside the mortar and pestle, grabbed a small knife from the sideboard. Carefully, he slit the bandages wrapped around Legolas' abdomen. He wordlessly passed the knife to Elladan, who did the same on his side. Then Elladan gently lifted Legolas, and Elrohir pulled the white bandages from underneath his back.

Setting him back down, Elladan glanced at Elrohir. "Ready?" he asked. Elrohir nodded, his face impassive, and together they gently lifted the bandages from the wound.

Arwen stifled a gasp as the bandages came away, Elrohir quickly rolling them up and casting them into the fire, where they flamed briefly. The jagged wound across Legolas' abdomen was red and inflamed, blood and pus seeping from it in places. The skin around it was a deep red, and the black stitches stood out vividly.

Elladan and Elrohir both paled, but neither of them said anything. Elladan pressed the now cool pan into Arwen's hands, and she held it whilst her brothers dipped white cloths into the water. The scent of athelas swirled up from the pan as the cloths were swirled in the water, before being wrung out.

Elrohir took his cloth, and gently began pressing it to Legolas' abdomen. Elladan did the same, and they gingerly started to clean the wound. The cloths were returned again and again to the pan of water, which began to turn a pale pink. Legolas hardly moved the entire time, though he was beginning to twist ever so slightly as the fever took hold.

Eventually Elladan leant forwards, his brow puckered slightly as he examined the wound. He looked up at his brother. "It isn't healing."

Elrohir shook his head, pressing his hand to Legolas' forehead. "He is too weak for his body to heal it. All his energy is being spent in trying to combat this fever."

Elladan nodded, and took Elrohir's cloth from him. He put both in a wicker basket at the end of the bed to be washed. Elrohir grabbed the paste from the sideboard and held it out to Elladan, who scooped some out with his fingers. They both spread it gently across the wound, whilst Arwen boiled more water and crushed a few more of the athelas leaves.

Elrohir looked up. "Bandages, Arwen. Now." His sister frowned, but passed two rolls of clean white bandages over. Elrohir took them and handed one to Elladan. Silently, they began to wrap the bandages around Legolas' abdomen, one of them lifting him up whilst the other pushed the roll under his back. When one roll was finished, they started the other.

Arwen watched silently as they worked. She may have only been able to see it because she had known her brothers her entire life, but she could tell they were scared. Really scared. It wasn't much that gave them away, for their faces were perfectly schooled into impassive expressions. But she could see the little giveaways. Like now, for instance. As they worked, she saw the slight tremors in Elrohir's fingers, the way Elladan's breath caught in his throat every so often.

The twins worked swiftly, cutting away the bandages covering Legolas' shoulder. She fetched the clean water then sat back down, passing clean cloths when they demanded, or the athelas paste. Eventually they finished, leaning back and wiping sweat from their brows. They had been working for over an hour, only speaking when ordering her to do something.

Elrohir glanced up at Elladan, his face drawn and his eyes a dark stormy grey. His brother's face was a mirror image of his. "We need more cold water" Elrohir murmured. "Arwen?"

His sister quickly grabbed a pan of water, placing it gently on the side of the bed. She sighed and stood up. "Do you need me anymore?" At Elladan's shake of his head, she nodded. "I will go and help Naneth then." She turned and left the room, her long dress swishing across the floor.

"She puts up with a lot sometimes, doesn't she?" asked Elladan.

Elrohir smiled as he watched her leave. "Do you remember the time we 'modified' her dresses? That was a good one."

Elladan laughed, and Elrohir joined in. They both desperately needed something to distract them from their worry, and right now, that was the prank they had played on Arwen, many hundreds of years ago.

0-o-0-o-0

Celebrian walked down the corridor, her silver-gold hair flickering in the torchlight. Reaching the doors of the healing ward, she pulled them open. Something told her to be quiet.

Elrond looked up from where he sat next to Legolas' bed. He smiled slightly at the sight of his wife, before raising a finger to his lips and glancing in the direction of two chairs.

Elladan and Elrohir were slumped in their chairs, their eyes half-lidded in exhaustion. Elladan's hand dangled over the arm of his chair, his fingers snagged in the hem of Elrohir's tunic.

Celebrian smiled softly, and made her way over to the side of the bed. She sat down gently, careful not to disturb Legolas or her sons. "How is he?"

Elrond shook his head, rewetting the cloth and placing it back on Legolas' forehead. "The same" he said bitterly. He felt a hand on his arm and looked up into the eyes of his wife.

"If anyone can save him, meleth-nin, you can."

Elrond sighed. "If I don't, Thranduil is going to kill me."

"Elrond" chided Celebrian gently. "Legolas will be fine, and Thranduil will only be grateful for what you have done."

The Lord of Imladris nodded. "I just hope Glorfindel hurries up" he murmured.

"Nothing will stop Glorfindel from getting through, meleth" said Celebrian softly. "He will bring Thranduil soon."

Elrond nodded. "Where is Arwen?"

"She is in her room" said Celebrian with a sigh. "I think she was a bit disturbed by everything that has happened in the last day, and worried."

Elrond nodded. "I think we all are." He paused as he rewetted the cloth. "It is going to be a few long days."

0-o-0-o-0

"Elrohir."

The dark-haired elf glanced up from where he sat near Legolas' shoulder. He raised one eyebrow questioningly. "What?"

"You have been cleaning that bowl for the last ten minutes" said Arwen gently. "I'm sure it is as clean as it is going to be."

Elrohir scowled slightly. "Fine" he muttered. He placed the bowl down on the table with slightly more force than necessary, before grabbing a different bowl and a cloth, and returning to Legolas' side. Dipping the cloth in the bowl, which was full of water, he began to clean the long wound down Legolas' arm.

Arwen sighed, before turning back to the fire and crushing more athelas leaves. She looked up briefly as the doors swung open and Elrond walked in, followed closely by Elladan. They were arguing again.

"But why don't we try-?"

"No, Elladan. It wouldn't help him."

"But we can't just sit here and watch him die!"

"We are doing everything we can, ion-nin."

"It's not enough!"

Elrohir glanced up as Elladan sat down next to him. "There is no change" he murmured, his voice tight.

Elladan shook his head. "I wasn't expecting any." He reached out briefly, touching Legolas' forehead as the archer moaned slightly and twisted his head. Elladan murmured nonsensical words and Legolas gradually stilled. He sighed. "He is still delirious." It wasn't a question.

Elrohir nodded. "Aye" he said morosely. He gently ran the cloth over Legolas' shoulder again, and the blond elf twisted away violently. His entire body was shaking; it had been for over a day now. Elladan took a clean cloth and wetted it, gently wiping the sweat away from Legolas' brow. Legolas moaned slightly in response, a whimper escaping through his clenched teeth.

"How long has it been now? Four days?"

"Five" muttered Elrohir. Five days since they had woken up to the sound of hooves in the middle of the night. Over the last few days, the fever had only risen, and Legolas was delirious and burning up. The fact that he wasn't deeply unconscious anymore wasn't reassuring.

Elrohir placed his cloth to the side, and with Elladan's help he quickly bandaged the wound. Elladan looked over at Arwen. "Water" he said.

Arwen passed over the pan of boiled water, and Elladan growled impatiently. "A cup of water, Arwen!"

Their sister sighed, and put down the pan. She pressed the cup into their hands, giving both her brothers a glare as she got up and left the room. Neither of them noticed, Elrohir shifting to lift up Legolas' head. At his gentle touch Legolas twisted, trying to escape. In his delirious state, no-one knew what he thought was happening.

Elrohir kept his head still as Elladan gently leant forwards, tilting the cup to allow the water to gently trickle into Legolas' mouth. Legolas jerked his head as droplets of water fell into his mouth. Elrohir cursed slightly as he struggled to keep him still.

Elladan hissed through clenched teeth as Legolas twisted again, and the cup was jolted in his hand. Water slopped over the edge, spilling onto his neck and Elladan's hand. The twins were not deterred though, and eventually Legolas swallowed the last droplets of water. Elrohir set his head back onto the pillow gently, pulling his limp blond hair out of the way.

He sighed deeply. "What is going to happen, brother?"

Elladan shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "We will keep treating the wounds. Adar will look over Legolas again, though I am not sure what else he can do. I tried suggesting…"

Elrohir cut him off. "If Adar says it won't work, then it won't work, Elladan."

Elladan's eyes blazed. "We have to try!" he said loudly. At the sound of his voice Legolas jerked, a faint whimper escaping his lips. Elladan started guiltily and lowered his voice. "He saved our lives back in Mirkwood, did he not? We owe him."

"I know we do" said Elrohir. "And I can't watch him die. You know that, brother. But what can we do? Adar knows more than we ever will about healing. We have to trust him."

"And what if he can't do anything?" asked Elladan softly, biting his lip in worry. "We've seen it before, Elrohir. Elves or men brought in, too far gone for Adar to do anything."

"I know" said Elrohir softly.

Elladan was silent for a bit. But then he suddenly looked up. "What about Adar's strength?" he asked his brother. "Maybe he could…"

"No, it wouldn't work" said Elrohir. Elladan made to object, but Elrohir cut in first.

"It is far too dangerous, with Legolas so far gone" said Elrohir. "Maybe at the start, but then did we know how far this would come? No, Elladan, it is too late for that. Adar would maybe risk his life, and we both know he can't do that."

Elladan nodded silently. "I can't watch him die!" he said suddenly.

Elrohir's eyes flashed. "Then by all means leave the room, Elladan. You don't have to stay. But I am going to try and help our friend. And if I can do nothing, and if Thranduil does not arrive in time, then I will at least be here for him. He deserves that, at the very least. He deserves someone he knows beside him at the…" His voice trailed off and his eyes drifted to Legolas, murmuring incomprehensible words under his breath as his fever burned.

There was a silence. Eventually Elladan broke it. "I'm sorry, brother" he said softly. "I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't" replied Elrohir. "We are twins, are we not? We always know what the other is thinking. It makes arguing pointless."

Elladan managed a small smile. "Thranduil better arrive quickly" he murmured. "Glorfindel has to bring him soon."

To Be Continued...

I agree with Elrond- it is going to be a few long days. But then again, I know what is going to happen, so I am biased.

Next chapter will be up tomorrow. Reviews are very much appreciated!