He woke slowly, like fighting his way through molasses. He felt and heard everything as if from a long distance. His body felt numb, his senses dulled nearly to nothing. There was something soft beneath him, it seemed as if he was lying in a bed. He heard soft voices in the distance but at first he couldn't make out what they were saying. His eyes were closed, which was another cause for consternation. He couldn't remember where he was or what had happened. Normally, opening his eyes should be easy, but now it proved almost too much. Even with his still sluggish mind he noted with dismay that he didn't have any strength at all.

Gradually his mind cleared a bit, his senses returned, even though his body still felt numb. He now could make out two voices but still they made no sense to him.

Again he tried to open his eyes, succeeding in lifting his lids a bit. He moved his head slowly and abruptly the voices fell silent. There was another noise, it sounded like footsteps. They stopped near him and suddenly he felt a hand on his brow.

"Legolas?" a voice inquired softly.

He felt another presence as someone sat down beside him on the bed, making the mattress dip slightly. Somebody took his hand, squeezing gently. "Can you hear us?" a second voice asked.

He recognized the deep timbre and his unease immediately lessened. He still couldn't remember what had happened and how he came to be in this situation but he identified his father and his comforting presence.

"Ada," he breathed, his voice barely more than a whisper.

His hand was squeezed again. "Yes, I am here," came Thranduil's soothing voice. "Can you open your eyes?"

He tried again, encouraged by the request. It took some effort but slowly his lids lifted. He blinked a few times and his blurred sight gradually sharpened. A face came into view, but it wasn't his father. Instead he recognized the Lord of Imladris. "Lord Elrond," he greeted, his voice once again barely audible.

Elrond's warm gray eyes held concern and he smiled softly while he brushed a strand of hair from Legolas' forehead. "Welcome back, Legolas. You had us worried for a while."

Legolas furrowed his brow in bewilderment. He still couldn't remember. It was hard to keep his eyes open but a movement at his side drew his attention. His father still held his hand, his warm grip reassuring in all the confusion. Thranduil smiled at him but Legolas could see the deep worry in his eyes. His father looked haggard, as if he hadn't slept in a while.

He smiled tiredly, trying to ease his father's worry. He tried to squeeze the hand back that was holding his own, but he lacked the strength to do so properly.

Elrond took a cup from the table beside the bed, stirred the contents and gently lifted him a bit to let him drink. He swallowed the medicine, then he was lowered back onto the soft pillow.

His exhaustion increased even more, making his eyelids droop.

Thranduil stroked his cheek. "Sleep now, you need rest."

Finally unable to keep his eyes open any longer, he did as his father told him and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.


Elrond put the cup back on the table and turned to Thranduil. "He'll sleep for at least a few hours. The medicine dulls the pain so he can rest. I suggest you retire also, you need rest, too."

Thranduil wanted to decline but Elrond was determined. "Go, take some rest. We'll use the time to transfer him to his rooms. Now that he is on his way to recovery, he will be more comfortable there."

Legolas' rooms also offered more privacy and the healer knew that the prince would hate it for others to witness his pain and weakness. Only a few selected elves he trusted would have entrance to his quarters, unlike to the busy healing halls.

Thranduil sighed and gave in. He stood up, his gaze lingering on his son a while longer until finally he turned around and left the room.

Elrond wasted no time to order servants to ready the prince's quarters and to ensure the help of his sons and Glorfindel to move the younger elf as careful as possible. Legolas slept deeply and showed no signs of waking or taking notice of what happened.

They settled him comfortably, then Glorfindel and Elrohir took over the watch while Elrond used the opportunity to get some sleep himself.

Before he finally went to bed he couldn't help but think about the way ahead of them. He knew that the next days and weeks wouldn't be easy. Legolas had survived the encounter with the orcs but he still had a lot of healing to do, both physically and mentally. He especially worried about his mental state. After the experience with his wife he knew how what Legolas had to go through could affect somebody. He needed to talk with Thranduil about what to expect.


As Elrond checked on his patient the next morning, Legolas showed signs of improvement. His wounds were finally starting to heal, now that his body didn't need all its strength to fight the fever and poison. He shifted in his sleep, showing the first signs of waking.

Elrond ordered a servant to bring some broth, hoping that they would get some nourishment into the younger elf.

The door opened and Thranduil entered. He looked a bit better, the sleep had obviously done him good.

"Good morning," the healer greeted. "I see you were able to find some rest, you look better."

"A good morning to you, too," Thranduil replied. He went to the bed and checked on his son. "How is he?" he inquired.

"His wounds are finally starting to heal. I also think he'll wake soon," Elrond reassured him. "He needs to eat something to regain his strength."

Thranduil sat down in the chair at the bedside and took Legolas' hand into his own. Studying his face intently, he watched for signs of waking.

Time passed slowly and Thranduil waited patiently. Legolas moved restlessly, his head shifting on the pillow. Finally his eyelids started to flutter and with what seemed like a tremendous effort, his lids lifted. His eyes were slightly glazed, and he blinked a few times.

Thranduil leaned over him, anxiously waiting for signs of recognition.

Legolas blinked once more, then slowly his eyes cleared and his mouth curled up in a weak smile. "Adar," he whispered. "I thought it was a dream."

Thranduil had to swallow hard to keep his emotions in check. He squeezed his son's hand gently. "No, it wasn't a dream. I'm here." He lifted a hand up and tenderly stroked Legolas' hair back. "Do you remember what happened?"

Legolas stared at the ceiling for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Finally the memory of the recent events surfaced and he shuddered. "There was a rockslide," he said softly. "We made it out but Baranon was injured. Is he..."

"He is fine," Elrond, who had come over to the bed, assured him. "His leg needs time to heal but he will recover fully." He smiled gently at Legolas, then he took a bowl and spooned some of the broth into it. "I want you to eat this. You need some nourishment to regain your strength."

Legolas tried to raise himself but as soon as he shifted he hissed in pain as his injuries made themselves known.

"Don't try to move," Elrond advised him. "We'll help you."

Thranduil gently lifted Legolas by the shoulders and slipped behind him, mindful of his injured back. He let his son rest against him, took the bowl from Elrond and lifted it to Legolas' lips. His son slowly sipped the liquid. He managed half the bowl before he turned his head away, already exhausted again.

His lids slipped closed and he rested his head against his father's shoulder. "How did we get here?" he asked softly.

Elrond sat down on the bedside and studied his patient. Legolas was still very weak and he didn't know if it was a good idea to talk about what had happened now. But since the archer wanted to know he decided to tell him what had occurred.

"Glorfindel and the twins went on a patrol to check on a few orc hideouts. They also intended to meet you and your warriors on the way and return with you to Imladris. Instead they met Amarthon who came to get help and who told them what happened. They left most of the warriors to help with the cleanup and went to search for you. They found Baranon and followed his tracks back to the place where you met the orcs. From there they followed their tracks."

Legolas remained motionless and for a moment they didn't know if he had fallen asleep again. Then he turned his head slightly, opening his eyes and gazing up at his father. "How come you're here? Have I been ill that long?"

Thranduil smiled. "Mithrandir is here. He asked Gwaihir for a favor as he learned what happened."

Legolas blinked tiredly. It was becoming hard to think and it took him a moment to get the meaning of what his father told him. "You came here on Gwaihir?"

"Yes," the older elf confirmed. "It did not even take us two days to reach Imladris."

Elrond decided to interfere since Legolas was fading fast. He took a glass with pain medication from the bedside table and handed it to Thranduil. "You need rest, Legolas. I want you to drink this before you fall asleep."

Thranduil held the glass to his son's lips, letting him sip the liquid. Legolas' eyes fell shut and after a moment his breathing deepened. His father gently slipped out from behind him and lowered him back onto the pillow.

Elrond turned to Thranduil. "I'll ask Glorfindel to watch over him. I need to speak with you."

Thranduil noted the serious tone of the healer and felt a pang of apprehension. He nodded silently.

Elrond went to the door and asked a passing servant to send for Glorfindel.

As the seneschal entered, he threw them a curious look and went over to the bed. "How is he?" he asked.

"A bit better," Elrond replied. "He woke for a few minutes and I expect him to sleep for the next few hours. Can you stay with him? I need to talk with Thranduil."

"Of course," Glorfindel agreed. He sank down into the chair by the bedside and eyed the stack of books lying on the table.

Thranduil threw a last glance at his son then he followed Elrond out of the room.

They retreated to Elrond's study, where the healer silently opened a bottle of wine and poured two goblets, handing one to Thranduil. He motioned for the king to join him in the comfortable seats in front of the fireplace.

Thranduil sat down in one of the armchairs, while Elrond lowered himself onto the divan, stretching his long legs out in front of him.

Elrond stared into his goblet for a moment before he began. "Legolas is going to recover physically, even if it will take a while. I expect him to get frustrated, since he will need help a while longer. His feet are badly burned and because of his broken arm, he can't use crutches to get around."

Thranduil nodded, listening silently.

"Another matter is how he will cope with what he endured psychically." Elrond looked up and fixed Thranduil with an intense gaze. "Don't think that it will be easy for him. He was tortured and suffered the orcs' cruelty, that's not something one easily forgets or copes with."

Thranduil could see the shadows of memory and of a past hurt in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, "this can't be easy for you. After what your wife endured, to have us in a similar situation." He looked down apprehensively. "Do you think Legolas will sail?"

Elrond swirled the wine in his goblet, remembering how hard he had tried to help Celebrian. He had been able to heal her wounds, but her spirit had not fully recovered. His gentle wife had never been exposed to the atrocities the orcs were capable of and she wasn't able to overcome that experience. Despite everything Elrond and their children tried, in the end she had to sail to seek healing in Valinor. It had been a very hard time for the family. Despite the fact that he knew one day he would see her again, he missed her terribly.

He took a sip before he answered. "Legolas is a warrior, he is used to injuries and to the cruelty of the orcs. It's not the first time that he has witnessed their atrocities, although it's the first time that he was victim to them to this extent. I think he will recover, even if it will take a while." He fixed Thranduil with his eyes. "He will need your help and support."

"What can we expect?" Thranduil asked.

"From my experience with Celebrian there will be mood swings. One moment he will appear to be fine, the next moment he can be ill tempered for no apparent reason. During his time in captivity, he was helpless, he didn't have any control. So don't try to dictate his actions. Ask him what he would prefer, even if it is as simple as what he wants for his next meal." He stopped for a moment, letting Thranduil digest his words.

"He will also need to talk about what happened, although I'm quite sure he will try to avoid that. Try to get him to talk, it'll help. As much as you want to stay with him, try not to hover too much or crowd him. Once he is a bit better, he will need time for himself, to think and to come to terms with what happened. There will also be things that he would rather talk to his friends about, not to his father."

Thranduil listened attentively, trying to digest what Elrond told him. It dawned on him that it wouldn't be so easy as Legolas recovering from his injuries. It seemed as if they had a longer road ahead of them than he had anticipated.

Elrond noted his pensive mood and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'm certain he will be fine, even if it will take some time."

Thranduil took a shaky breath. "I hope so. He is all I have left." He pushed his hands through his hair, trying to hide his agitation. "Thank you. For your help and for being there for us."

The Lord of Imladris clapped him on the shoulder. "You would do the same for me. Now go, see to your son."

With a grateful smile, Thranduil drained the last of his wine, then he put the goblet on a table and left.

TBC