Part 7
Aragorn woke the next morning quite content and warm beside Legolas and beneath the thick blankets. After a few minutes, though, he realized he was a bit too warm and felt rather achy indeed. He dreaded to acknowledge it but in the back of his mind he knew. He was sick. And Aragorn hated being sick.
Legolas woke beside him and smiled as he felt the warmth of the sun and his friend.
" Good morning, Aragorn ", he murmured. He looked to his friend, but Aragorn did not look himself. Something was wrong.
" Aragorn? " he said with that sort of dismal concern he often developed at the notice of something amiss.
" Yes, I'm awake ", the ranger replied.
" Aragorn, what's wrong ?" the Elf questioned.
" Nothing ", he lied, but Legolas saw his face was fevered.
" You're not well ", he said. Legolas set the back of his hand on the man's forehead. It was hot with fever as the Elf had guessed. " You have a cold, I think", he diagnosed aloud. " Perhaps we shouldn't have been so childish last night", he said as he sunk back guiltily. " If I hadn't been so foolish, you wouldn't be sick."
Aragorn put his hand on the Elf's forearm. " Don't feel guilty, Legolas. I wouldn't have traded last night for anything. I had fun. You made me laugh, and I don't care if I'm sick."
Legolas managed to smile but he still felt guilty for making his friend sick. He slipped his hand down Aragorn's arm and gripped it affectionately. " I'll get you some tea", he offered cheerfully. Legolas got out of bed and sent for one of Theoden's servants to bring Elven tea. It was soon brought and then Gimli came along.
" What's wrong with him?" he asked to Legolas as the Elf sat on the bed and gave his friend the steamy mug of tea.
" He's sick. Probably from last night", Legolas explained, a hint of guilt in his voice.
" Hmm, well, I must go but you look after him, Master Elf."
" I will." And Gimli left them.
Aragorn finished his tea and set it aside before sinking down into bed. Legolas remained sitting against the bedpost beside him, staring into the fire.
" Legolas? " came Aragorn's distant sounding voice.
" Yes, Aragorn?"
" I'm glad you're here."
Legolas smiled and put his hand reassuringly on his friend's arm. " I am content to stay with you. Now, go to sleep, Aragorn." And the man obeyed without complaint.
Hours passed and he woke again, feeling somewhat better, but tired and not all together well. Elven tea worked wonders, though.
The fire still burned and Legolas had fallen asleep, still sitting with his arms crossed. His soft breathing brought Aragorn to smile as he played with the silken cuff of the Elf's sleeve.
Elves are light sleepers, though, and Legolas soon awoke.
" Aragorn, how long have you been awake?" he asked.
" Only a little while ", Aragorn answered.
" Why didn't you wake me?"
" Because I didn't want you mothering me", Aragorn said with a slight smile.
" I don't 'mother' you, I just care for you."
" I'm an adult, Legolas. I can take care of myself."
Legolas stood, looking a bit hurt." I know that but just for once can't you let yourself be taken care of?"
" I hate it when you fuss over me. I'm not a child",
Aragorn said in frustration. Legolas looked even more hurt.
" I'm not trying to treat you like a child. I just want to take care of you, why is that so terrible?" Legolas persisted.
Suddenly, the Elf put his hand to his stomach and flinched as he felt a jolt of pain.
" What's wrong?" Aragorn asked sitting up with worry.
" Nothing. It's nothing " Legolas answered. The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. " I....I have to go take a walk ",he said as he turned and left.
" Legolas? Legolas ", Aragorn called after him.
But the Elf had gone.
Aragorn woke the next morning quite content and warm beside Legolas and beneath the thick blankets. After a few minutes, though, he realized he was a bit too warm and felt rather achy indeed. He dreaded to acknowledge it but in the back of his mind he knew. He was sick. And Aragorn hated being sick.
Legolas woke beside him and smiled as he felt the warmth of the sun and his friend.
" Good morning, Aragorn ", he murmured. He looked to his friend, but Aragorn did not look himself. Something was wrong.
" Aragorn? " he said with that sort of dismal concern he often developed at the notice of something amiss.
" Yes, I'm awake ", the ranger replied.
" Aragorn, what's wrong ?" the Elf questioned.
" Nothing ", he lied, but Legolas saw his face was fevered.
" You're not well ", he said. Legolas set the back of his hand on the man's forehead. It was hot with fever as the Elf had guessed. " You have a cold, I think", he diagnosed aloud. " Perhaps we shouldn't have been so childish last night", he said as he sunk back guiltily. " If I hadn't been so foolish, you wouldn't be sick."
Aragorn put his hand on the Elf's forearm. " Don't feel guilty, Legolas. I wouldn't have traded last night for anything. I had fun. You made me laugh, and I don't care if I'm sick."
Legolas managed to smile but he still felt guilty for making his friend sick. He slipped his hand down Aragorn's arm and gripped it affectionately. " I'll get you some tea", he offered cheerfully. Legolas got out of bed and sent for one of Theoden's servants to bring Elven tea. It was soon brought and then Gimli came along.
" What's wrong with him?" he asked to Legolas as the Elf sat on the bed and gave his friend the steamy mug of tea.
" He's sick. Probably from last night", Legolas explained, a hint of guilt in his voice.
" Hmm, well, I must go but you look after him, Master Elf."
" I will." And Gimli left them.
Aragorn finished his tea and set it aside before sinking down into bed. Legolas remained sitting against the bedpost beside him, staring into the fire.
" Legolas? " came Aragorn's distant sounding voice.
" Yes, Aragorn?"
" I'm glad you're here."
Legolas smiled and put his hand reassuringly on his friend's arm. " I am content to stay with you. Now, go to sleep, Aragorn." And the man obeyed without complaint.
Hours passed and he woke again, feeling somewhat better, but tired and not all together well. Elven tea worked wonders, though.
The fire still burned and Legolas had fallen asleep, still sitting with his arms crossed. His soft breathing brought Aragorn to smile as he played with the silken cuff of the Elf's sleeve.
Elves are light sleepers, though, and Legolas soon awoke.
" Aragorn, how long have you been awake?" he asked.
" Only a little while ", Aragorn answered.
" Why didn't you wake me?"
" Because I didn't want you mothering me", Aragorn said with a slight smile.
" I don't 'mother' you, I just care for you."
" I'm an adult, Legolas. I can take care of myself."
Legolas stood, looking a bit hurt." I know that but just for once can't you let yourself be taken care of?"
" I hate it when you fuss over me. I'm not a child",
Aragorn said in frustration. Legolas looked even more hurt.
" I'm not trying to treat you like a child. I just want to take care of you, why is that so terrible?" Legolas persisted.
Suddenly, the Elf put his hand to his stomach and flinched as he felt a jolt of pain.
" What's wrong?" Aragorn asked sitting up with worry.
" Nothing. It's nothing " Legolas answered. The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. " I....I have to go take a walk ",he said as he turned and left.
" Legolas? Legolas ", Aragorn called after him.
But the Elf had gone.
