A/N: I think I can safely say that I've got the best readers of all! Thank you for all your support!
Disclaimer: not mine
Chapter Nine: Safety
Tightening his grip on his wrist, the elf made no move to wipe away at the blood dripping from both nostrils. Seeing this Aragorn edged closer, a concerned look on his face.
"Please, let me see it." not paying attention to the elf's protest, Aragorn gently took his elbow. Supporting the broken wrist in his hand, he carefully laid the arm in his lap before running his fingers carefully along it.
"It needs set doesn't it." Legolas said slowly though grinding teeth, his other hand clenching and unclenching as he dealt with the pain. Aragorn nodded, looking up at his friend. Legolas sighed, bringing one knee up and resting his forehead against it.
With quick snap, the ranger reset the bone. Crying out sharply, Legolas tumbled to his side landed in the deep snow.
"Legolas!" Aragorn said urgently, reaching forward and shaking the elf's shoulder.
"I'm fine." Legolas croaked slightly.
"Just kept telling yourself that," Aragorn teased, going back to the wrist. Wrapping a bandage around it, he looked around for an strong stick to make a splint. Unfortunately, there was no wood around, so Aragorn used what he could of the old, and cracked one. There was not much he could do.
Carefully laying the arm on the ground, he crawled forward to where Legolas still lay on the ground.
"Do you have any other injures?" he asked, helping Legolas up to a sitting position and placing a supporting hand against the elf's back. Legolas tensed slightly at the touch, his still healing back protesting. Aragorn quickly removed his hand, instead placing it on the elf shoulders. "Well do you…" he prompted.
"No, Estel, seriously, I'm fine." Legolas stated, and would have shaken his head if he wasn't feeling so dizzy from pain. "How about you, how's your ankle."
"It's not broken…I think." the man said ruefully, unconsciously reaching down a hand and rubbing the sore spot.
"You should bandage it…" Legolas said sternly, reaching up and brushing the man's hand off his shoulder. "You'll need two hands," he explained.
"Fine…" Aragorn snorted, taking out several more bandages. Before attending to his own ankle, the man began to fold a triangle out of the cloth.
"What are you doing?" Legolas asked, trying to peer around his friend. Throwing a sideways glance back at the elf, Aragorn smiled. Suddenly turning around, he reached over and yanked the material over the elf's head.
"Aragorn!" the elf exclaimed, jerking away in surprise. "I don't need that!" he shrieked, even as Aragorn rested his injured arm in the sling. Aragorn laughed softly as he ran his hand over the sling, smoothing out the creases there.
"Yes, you do." he explained. "I couldn't splint your wrist properly. This will help you support it and not move it much till we can find more wood. Is the sling comfortable?"
"No―," Legolas said sourly. "Now take care of your ankle." the elf ordered, pointing a threatening finger at the man. Making a face, Aragorn complied. Slipping his foot gingerly from his boot and woolen socks, he carefully examined it.
The ankle was already starting to swell and Aragorn knew that the best course of action was for him to stay off of it. Likely chance of that happening any time soon. Dreading his next action, Aragorn packed a cloth full of snow and wrapped it around his sore ankle, hopeing that this would help the swelling go down and numb the pain some.
Finishing quickly, Aragorn's face suddenly gained a mischievous look. Packing another bandage with snow, he held it tightly in his hand until it had all melted. He looked up innocently when Legolas spoke up.
"Is this really necessary?" he complained, pulling at the sling, making an unhappy face.
"Yes, mellon-nin, it is." Aragorn assured, creeping ever closer. "and so is THIS!" with that he gently tackled the elf to the ground before beginning to scrub his face so that is free of blood.
"Aragorn―what the ― STOP IT!" Legolas shouted, trying to pull away.
"I'm just cleaning you up, your highness. You like to be clean, don't you my prissy elf!." Aragorn said laughing almost too hard to get the words out. Together they wrestled in the snow, ever mindful of each other's injuries. It felt good to laugh together like they usually did and it lighten both of their hearts.
"Yield…" Aragorn shouted gleefully, holding himself up and over his friend's body, not wanting his heavier weight to harm the still fragile elf. In his other hand he held the wet cloth posed over the elf's face.
Legolas growled, but wasn't able to do much about his current position. Aragorn grinned like a fool, gently whipping at the blood and dirt which covered his friend. When he was finished, he pattered the elf shoulder, moving so he was sitting next to the fallen elf.
"Do you want to lie here freezing all day, or are we going to get a move on?" Aragorn asked, still grinning.
"Can you walk?" the elf said, pushing himself up gingerly, eye brows raised.
"of course!" Aragorn said cheekily.
"Not while carrying me." Legolas stated firmly, holding a hand up to stop the man's protest. They came anyway.
"You cannot walk. I am your healer and I tell you, if you walk on those feet of yours that you are going to find yourself in a lot more pain than you started with.." the man gripped Legolas hard by the shoulder's trying to convince him of the truth of this statement.
Legolas slowly nodded, realizing the truth in this. Silently he allowed the man to help him up onto his back. Aragorn stood unsteadily, his injured ankle throbbing in protest. Grunting past the pain, he started further on.
The elf fearfully tightened his grip on his friend's neck with his one good arm, prying to the Valar that the man would not fall again… that would hurt. Aragorn stumbled and Legolas winced as his body was jerked painfully. That was how they made their way along, Aragorn never quite tripping.
Finally Legolas had enough. Aragorn had put himself through enough again the man stumbled and as Legolas cried out,
"Put me down!" Aragorn obeyed, gently helping his friend off, breathing heavily.
"I'll rest then we can go on." he declared. "What are you doing?" he asked pointedly, as Legolas pulled himself to his feet, holding tightly to the man's offered arm.
"We can keep going." he said stubbornly. Aragorn raised his eyes brows at him, scoffing slightly.
"And how do you think to manage that?"
"With painkillers, if you'll give them to me." Legolas supplied, ready and waiting for any of the man's objects, while it would be painfully, Aragorn's ankle needed to be rested, not used with extra weight to add. Reaching behind him, he began to dig through the man's pack, looking for the herbs.
"Which one would be best…" he asked hesitantly holding up some of the plants. He was not a healer, though his time with Aragorn had taught him something about plant, and didn't have any idea which ones would kill the pain the quickest. Or how much of a dose he should have for that matter as Aragorn had given him a light dose of herbs back in the snow.
"Take two of the spotted leaves….yes those." Aragorn mumbled not happy with the situation. He crossed his arms angrily, careful not to remove his support from the elf though. He really wished the elf would just let him rest, than Aragorn could carry the prince father.
"I'll be fine, Estel." Legolas smiled, already filling his pain decrease. Aragorn huffed at that, but linked their arms together. This way he would try and take as much of the elf's weight as possible. Together they started off, hoping slightly as they both tried to keep their weight off of at least one foot.
"Once we find shelter we are stopping." Aragorn grumbled. He knew very well that just because Legolas wasn't in pain did not mean that he was causing damage to his feet. As if proving his points, it was not long before Legolas started stumbling more often and Aragorn transferred his grip to the prince's elbow.
It was not long after that that Legolas began to pant slightly. Then the trembling started.
"We can stop if you need too." Aragorn suggested, his ankle throbbing painfully with every step he took, despite the fact that he was putting hardly any weight on it.
"If I stop, then I am not getting up again." Legolas admitted, his breathing hitching slightly as his foot caught on a protruding stone.
"There!" Aragorn suddenly shouted, pointed to a small well hidden cave.
"Caves…it also has to be caves…." Legolas mutter playfully, turning to the entrance. Aragorn chuckled, forcing the elf to sit down in the back. Quickly he got to work, re-stitching Legolas feet and making a proper split for the wrist. Tending to his own ankle, he seated himself with a sigh next to his friend.
"Here, eat this." he said passing over some dried meat. Legolas nodded tiredly, eating slowly, almost sluggishly before leaning his head against his friends shoulder. The day's events had been torture and he felt like he could sleep for a week.
Aragorn smiled down at his friend, pulling him a little closer and wrapping both of their cloaks around them. Soon he also was asleep.
TBC...
I can just see them hoping along! :) And don't worry, things will start speeding up in the next chapter…
Review Response:
The Phantom Dragon: that is what makes him so much fun to torture! (you can't do it to a fellow troture!)And the weed most likely played a strong part, I just gave them a small push!
anon4life: I will try to do that more often then! And yes, it is going rather slowly, I know, but I promise that things will start to speed up in the next chapter! Thank you!
robinsmum: Sounds like we both had a trying week, or at least day! and on days like that, all I need is to sit down and read, weither it is a FF, a book, or reviews, it works!
Cielshadow17: Well that got a small break just now! We all had better tell the Valar to let thome get home withou further harm!...like they would listen to us. :)
Guartiana: It must have, but that is what I enjoy! I can never get enough of it!
ShadowHawq35: It wasn't as bad as an injury as I could have given them! And yes, we sure are! ;)
L. Kim: We can be partners in crime, because I don't do it a lot either! Thanks so much, it is always great to know that someone else likes my stories! :D
LILEVILONE96: thanks, and no they are just really good at falling down:D sometimes I really wish I was graceful like an elf...that would save me a lot embarrassment!
sarathestarkidranger: lol, that is sooo true! I beat they wish the twins were there to save them!
FlameOfUdun: seriously, it must! Boy am I glad I'm not...though I must admit I would love to be an elf!
Epic Elven Warrior Princess: Nope, they must certainly can't! (maybe someday, if I am feeling merciful, I will write one!)
