Title: Friend and Foe
Chapter 7: Getting Accustomed
Previously: Legolas and Aragorn have two mammoth arguments while they travel.
When they reached Bree, they met the innkeeper and tried to find out who was staying with Haldir when he was at Bree. To their surprise the man kept a record of those who stayed at his inn, but it was clearly not a functional one, since Haldir's name wasn't even on it. But they questioned those who still remained in the inn after the eight days since Haldir had left it, but it did not help much. None had noticed the Elf save for one, and even he was not of much help.
After this failure they resolved to root out all of Haldir's close associations apart from those in Lorien, for, Legolas reasoned, Haldir had been traveling for some years so it was unlikely that the one who hurt him was in Lorien.
Months passed as they traveled from one end of Middle-Earth to the other, but very few had seen Haldir, so the task proved a difficult one. Haldir had fallen prey to the disease in March, but March melted into August, and they hadn't made any progress.
Neither of them spoke much on a daily basis, but as time passed, they grew more accustomed to one another. It became an unsaid understanding between them that Aragorn would continue to put the herb in Legolas's food every night. Neither acknowledged it, but they both knew it.
Aragorn began to learn how to read Legolas's behavior and connect it with his various moods. He grew accustomed to the Prince's haughty manner and unconsciously started making allowances for it. Though they still had explosive arguments on occasion, the silence in which they rode the rest of the time ceased to be an uncomfortable one.
One thing Legolas never got accustomed to, though, was Aragorn's habit of smoking. He was slightly allergic to the smoke given out by tobacco, but of course Aragorn no way of knowing this when he first smoked in front of Legolas. Legolas's eyes watered and he coughed and sneezed repeatedly. The shouting at he got from the Elf later was enough to make sure that he never smoked in Legolas's presence again. Still, this did not prevent the Elf from being cross with him about the matter. Whenever Legolas caught a whiff of smoke anywhere, he had to bear the brunt of his wrath.
…
One particularly warm evening in August, when their search had been even more unfruitful than usual, they were sitting dejectedly against some large rocks, resting for the night. Aragorn reached into his pack to take out the herb, which had now become a part of his everyday cooking, and found to his dismay that there was none left.
"Legolas?" he said tentatively.
"Yes?"
"The herb- it's over," he paused, slightly fearful; it was the first time he was acknowledging aloud that he still added the herb into their food, "I'll have to put extra athelas in."
"Don't trouble yourself; after three months of your special treatment, I think the nightmares just might have disappeared. Just tell me, what exactly is this 'athelas'?"
"Ever heard of kingsfoil?"
"Isn't that a weed?"
"Many call it that, but in my opinion it has too many healing properties to be called a weed."
"I know kingsfoil has an excellent fragrance, but I've never heard that it has medicinal properties."
"It only works in my hands." Aragorn said almost inaudibly. He still did not like to emphasize the fact that he was Isildur's heir.
"The hands of a king, eh?" Legolas said, raising his eyebrows.
"I believe so."
"I've heard of such things."
"Not surprising, they're hardly secret."
They were both silent for some minutes.
"Don't put the athelas in today, Aragorn," Legolas told him when he saw him rise to prepare the meal, "I'd like to see if I can sleep without it by now."
"Alright," Aragorn set about making them some soup. He considered disobeying Legolas and adding athelas anyway, but realized this would be a bad idea, considering the way Legolas could suddenly fire up at the smallest of things. Besides, he thought, he too wanted to see the effect of healing on the Elf.
He had trouble sleeping that night. He stared into the starry skies, trying to locate the Evenstar. He was so completely lost in a fantasy about this particular star, that he was startled when he heard Legolas moan. He sat up, wondering whether to wake the Elf up.
"Arwen…" Legolas said, and Aragorn started, listening intently, "This is all your fault. Your love is so strong that it finally betrayed you. I can't stand to stay here any longer. I can't stand to lose you," he shifted in his sleep.
Aragorn listened with a sinking heart. So he had been right. Legolas did love Arwen.
"Arwen!" Legolas screamed, desperation in his voice, "Don't do this to me! Listen to me. For the love of Valar-"
Aragorn couldn't stand to listen any longer. He shook Legolas awake. The Elf sighed ruefully when he realized what had happened.
"I think you made me too dependent on that herb, Aragorn. I don't think I'll be able to sleep without- hey, where are you going?" For Aragorn had interrupted him mid-sentence by rising abruptly and walking off. He did not return until the next morning, and when he did he was carrying an armful of plants.
"What is that?" Legolas asked curiously.
"The herb, of course," he replied slightly snappishly.
"You went searching for the herb for me in the middle of the night?"
"No, I went searching for the herb for the Valar at twelve noon. What the hell do you think?!"
"But I never asked you to do anything of the sort," Legolas said, trying to decide whether he should be grateful or puzzled.
"I'm fully aware of that, thank you very much!" Aragorn said cuttingly; he had not yet come to terms with what he had heard during the night.
"What's the matter with you? Why are getting so uptight for no reason?" Legolas was getting more and more surprised.
"Oh! You're a fine one to talk! Who's the one who started insulting a noble song at the drop of a hat? Who slapped me across my face four years ago? Who can't admit that I'm doing them a favor because of their pride?" He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself, but he could not succeed. More hot words poured out of his mouth, faster than he could think them, "No, Prince Legolas, I have every reason to get fired up. You hate accepting favors from me, and I have to find all sorts of ways of helping you without making you think I am. Well I'm bloody sick of it, you hear? Either you accept the favors or you don't. It isn't my problem anymore."
"Is that what you think you're doing me? Favors?" Legolas's voice shook with anger, "I won't tolerate that sort of talk from you, Aragorn, alright?" He strode toward the adan. For a moment the latter thought he was going to be viciously backhanded, but the Elf merely took the plants out of his hands, tore them to small shreds, threw them on the ground, and deliberately stomped on them.
"There go your favors!" Legolas hissed, "Right there, on the ground, where you belong too." He strode off, shaking with anger.
Aragorn sank to the ground, breathing heavily. He now wished he hadn't said all those things, but Legolas's mutterings and his nightmare had disoriented and disturbed his already fragile peace of mind, and he had flown into a rage as a result. He sighed tiredly and lay down on the ground. He suddenly got up on a second thought and lay down next to Haldir's still form instead. He put a hand on his friend's wrist, and shut his eyes. Legolas wouldn't be able to spirit Haldir away while he was sleeping, he thought with satisfaction as he fell asleep.
He needn't have worried though; Legolas was far to honorable to have done anything of the sort.
…
The days that followed their argument were awfully stiff and uncomfortable, and reminded them both painfully of their first two months with each other. But both had learnt the art of forgiving each other without being asked; they had had to after all the arguments they'd had in their time together.
They had greater worries to deal with now than arguments and pride. Their entire search of Middle-Earth was finally over, and yet they hadn't found any help. Time was flying by them, and it was February when they finally decided to try their last resort and go to Lorien. Day by day, as time inched closer to March, they began to realize how few options they had left. They shuddered to think what would happen if Lorien too proved to be a dead end.
Aragorn could not wait to see Lorien for the first time, though he could think of many circumstances he would far prefer to see them in than his present ones. He wanted to meet Galadriel and see for himself her legendary beauty. But he suddenly remembered Haldir's face when he had mentioned Galadriel's name some six months ago. The Elf's face had tightened and he had refused to reply to his question.
So he cautioned Legolas before they entered Lorien. "I don't think she will be in the best health. Be prepared for the worst."
Legolas gave him a strange look, "How do you know?"
"Just something in Haldir's behavior when I mentioned her name. I don't know. I got a feeling that something was wrong."
"Well. We shall see. We have arrived."
And they had. They were given a fine welcome, but everyone was cast into deep mourning when they learnt the fate of Haldir. Within a few hours songs of lament could be heard over the trees. Legolas listened to them for a moment, his face clouding over with grief, until he caught sight of someone, an old acquaintance. He hurried up to the Elf and greeted him cordially. They spoke in whispers for sometime, and Aragorn's curiosity mounted. Legolas returned frowning, a letter clutched in his hand.
"Lady Galadriel is perfectly fine, apparently. I suppose you were mistaken."
Aragorn nodded and looked questioningly towards the letter.
"From ada. I don't know how on earth it got here, though. Still I'd better read it, or he'll have my head."
He opened the letter and began reading. Aragorn lost interest quickly. He idly picked up a stick and started fiddling with it. Suddenly he heard a sharp intake of breath and someone dropping to the floor. He looked to his left and jumped to his feet with an inarticulate exclamation of surprise and concern. Legolas was on his knees. His features were pallid, and his breathing shaky and uneven. He was staring at the letter in his hands with so much shock and horror, that a stranger would have thought his world had ended. Which, Aragorn realized as he hurried up to him, it probably had.
…
TBC
Well guys, so sorry I couldn't update for so long, but I warned you! Just wondering- how many of you want a sequel to this story. I can include my ideas for the stories in an epilogue if you want, or I could write a one-shot or even write something with many chapters. I don't really know yet. Tell me what you think.
Thank you, Grumpy, Lindahoyland and Haldir's Heart and Soul for reviewing. Bye for now! Please R&R!
