Author's note: To Kat: Thank you, dear! I cannot even say how glad I am and I hope that you will finish this one as well. Yes, I know that but I think that it was needed in the begining for you will understand the end better. I don't like to put everything in the last chapters. That's the main reason I lose readers quickly- I am kinda slow. And they want to be fully hooked with the first chapters but I cannot manage that. You gotta be patient, my plot comes in the middle of the story. That is a bad thing maybe, but it is my way. I am desperately trying to change that habit of mine but it is too late now.

To the Guest: Yes, read and see, everything will be clear to you after few more chapters or so. Thank you very much for your review, I appreciate it and look forward to receiving more, they really help me write with enthusiasm so my chapters are better. Thank you!

P.S: People, you were great so far with your reviews! They mean a lot to me and I shall answer to each. If you are signed, then I'll PM you and if you are not, I'll mention you in my notes. Thank you! Enjoy! :D (sorry for the long note).

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Despite Devon's black predictions, their journey went on with no unusual problems. His servant joined them quietly, exhausted and dirty, but more than happy to obey his master. Legolas slightly frowned when he noticed his presence, a bit surprised. But either way he paid no special attention to this for he knew he was absent himself in past few days.

The elf looked around himself. They were riding through a dry land, full of cold rocks and dust. Fangorn was lying in front of them, green and sinister, but this region reminded him of Southern Gondor. He casted his eyes on a small but sharp cam that was rising above them, making a one-sided col. To Legolas' surprise, thick but short trees, more like strong bushes, were peacefully standing under the falling Sun. He was staring at them for some time, as they were passing.

"There is one cove behind this cam. It is opened, not quite of a shelter, but we cannot move on without at least some rest."- Aragorn said and pointed with his hand over the cam. He was tired,worn out from constant riding.

"I hope we can find some water there."- Devon squirmed uncomfortably in his robe.

"Yes, I think that there is one underground spring."- Aragorn said without looking at Devon. Bjarte yawned and flexed his head down to hang between his shoulders.

Legolas looked at the man and sighed. For a week they have spoken no word. Legolas was bitter but he didn't want to let this go. He wanted to know why Aragorn was burdened and if this was a way then so be it.

He spurred his horse and stood by the man's side. He glanced at him secretly. He saw only tiredness in his eyes. The Elf swallowed and closed his eyelids for a second.

"Aragorn?"- he almost whispered but loud enough for the man to blink in surprise and turn around at him.

"Yes?"- he asked and looked at the blue eyes he missed.

"Are you well?"- the elf asked and his eyes were restless, searching for something in the stormy ones. His eyebrows were slightly narrowed and wrinkle made of worry was shaped on his forhead.

Aragorn couldn't help but smile.

"Aye, I am well."- he uttered and stared in front of himself. Bjarte was lazily following them, with Devon and the creature behind him.

Legolas looked down for a moment and absently caressed his stud's ear. He lifted his head with a pleading expression in his eyes, wanting to tell the man how sorry he was but he bit his tongue.

He looked down at Aragorn's rough hands that were holding reins and briefly wondered if he was cold or ill, hungry or thirsty, knowing that the man is more than capable of taking care of himself but he couldn't help but think about it. He decided that they must talk. Tonight maybe. Or tomorrow.

Legolas traced Aragorn's tired lines with his eyes. He needed rest.

But then Legolas suddenly straightened himself up in the saddle. He felt something weird inside of his chest. Urge to hide somewhere was too strong. He rapidly looked back and stared at the bushes on the cam.

He heard something. Unusal crack of a small branch filled his ears. It was too quiet anyway, it seemed that no one except of him noticed this. But the bushes were still.

Heart inside of his chest started to beat wildly.

"Bjarte, come here."- he said in loud voice and the boy jerked in his slumber. He blinked few times and stared at the elf.

"What?"- his voice was sleepy.

"Now!"- Legolas hissed and gulped. He wanted to protect the boy from whatever he was feeling. There was a danger, he was able to smell it in the air.

He suddenly stopped his horse and turned fully around. Devon gasped and spurred his horse, standing by Legolas' side.

"Legolas?"- Aragorn narrowed his eyes and turned his horse around when he sensed the elf's behaviour.

While he was staring at the unusually still bushes, his hand quickly took the bow and two arrows. Legolas strained them as he was tensely glaring at the cam. Aragorn immediately went for his sword when he caputred Legolas' posture. Bjarte swallowed hard once and took his bow in hand.

"I haven't even heard them.. I must be too tired.."- Devon hissed in his mind but there was no use of it. It was too late anyway. His servant hid under his horse.

The Elf heard them. Heard their crude, mumbling language. Although this language wasn't the one he was taught by Aragorn, he recognized it. Orcs.

Legolas gritted his teeth when he noticed them behind thin leaves. Five pairs of little eyes were staring at them. He could have done it. He was certain that he would pierce with his arrow right through the heart of one and through the shoulder of the second one. He lifted his bow up, seizing his targets with cold stilness. He noticed the archer up there, he was holding the bow carefully as if he was scared that his first arrow wouldn't pierce right through the Elf. With a shudder, Legolas realized that he was the main target. He was holding the string only with his finger.

"Orcs!"- he heard Aragorn shouting behind him when the man saw them. And then, everything went blank.

Just when he was about to take them down, someone jumped on him. His view went upside down and his horse neighed in surprise and reared up. His body hit the stone hard and his breath was forced out of his body when the other figure fell over him. He only heard a sharp whew that cut the air and after it someone screamed in pain. He rapidly blinked, pushing the body off his back and supporting himself on elbows and knees. His bow was lying next to his hand and arrows seemed unbroken, although the peak of one was slightly cambered. Legolas saw few blood drops on his palm.

Bjarte shouted something and throw an arrow back. Before his mind could realize what had happened, Legolas forced himself up and took the bow back. The Orcs were still sitting in their shelter, one of them was pushing the arrow in a small bottle and then pulled it out when it was soaked with dark fluid. When the archer looked up, Legolas saw broken determination and fear. He stretched his bow.

An arrow right through the eye and an arrow through the chest and two Orcs were down. With deathly cold stilness, Legolas took another arrow from his quiver that was poorly hanging on the horse's side.

"One is down."- he heard Bjarte speaking as the boy prepared another arrow but Legolas was faster.

Through thin leaves, he captured the back of one as he was trying to escape. He fell down in the grass. Legolas searched for the last one but he was nowhere to be seen.

"He is trying to escape!"- Bjarte shouted and spurred his horse.

"Bjarte!"- Legolas screamed as he came back from his cold calmness.

"I'll catch him!"- he heard the boy screaming. How long has it lasted? Few minutes?

Legolas blinked in horror and turned around to see if everyone were fine. His heart sank.

With a corner of his eye, he noticed Devon's lying body on the ground. Legolas realized with rage that it was Devon who jumped on him.

But only a small part of his mind was able to understand that fact. The bow slipped through his fingers.

Aragorn was leaned over his horse. His right hand was grasping the horse's mane as if he was searching for some support and his left hand was pressed on his chest. Legolas lost his voice when he saw a wooden hilt of an arrow with sharp feathers. Its steel peak was rammed in the man's flesh.

"A-Aragorn?"- Legolas whispered and slowly moved towards the still figure on the horse. His footsteps were uncertain.

"My love?"- he started again when the first confused tear started to tickle his eye. He was scared like never before.

One hard swallow and the elf started to shake. His legs wouldn't listen to his mind that was screaming.

The whole world seemed frozen to Legolas' mind. Everything was quiet like he was in a cold tomb. Devon rode away in order to get to Bjarte, his scared servant's was shuddering, almost crying, Bjarte was after the last survived Orc.

But Legolas saw and heard none of it. His mind, his body, his soul were empty, flushed. His view went black and he felt terrible pain in his head.

Aragorn shuddered once and his hand lost its strength. He fell off his horse.

Could water was poured on Legolas' head and one powerful wince thrashed his body.

"Aragorn!"- he screamed and ran towards his lying, unmoving body. Legolas almost violently grasped the man's shoulders and turned him around so the man was lying on his back.

Aragorn's eyes were opened, but blank. He was weakly twitiching his lips as if he was trying to say something.

"Aragorn, please, PLEASE!"- Legolas screamed from the top of his lungs once more, but there was no use of it. He caressed the man's face in fast, trembling strokes but they passed unnoticed.

His eyes trailed down and he saw how the arrow was rammed within the flesh between the man's shoulder and neck, just under his clavicle. He tugged the man's shirt down and stared at his skin.

Flesh around the arrow was lanced with long black lines that reminded Legolas of small veins. They were pulsing, fading but coming back again. He noticed the dark fluid on the arrow.

"It is poisoned."- he whispered in shock.

"No, no, Orcs, filthy Orcs, the king is on the ground, no, no.."- the creature started to mumble while he was grasping his head with hands.

"Come here! Help me! We must take him to that cove and take this arrow out!"- Legolas shouted at him and he nearly cried but either way listened to the elf's command.

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"Aragorn..."- Legolas whispered once more, losing count for how long he was mumbling.

His hands were still bloody but the arrow was finally taken out. Beside Aragorn's lying body, heated knife and a bowl filled with water were waiting to be used.

"Is this enough?"- the creature asked and pointed on his bowl that was filled with thick mixture of crushed plants the Elf gave him and ordered to make a salve.

"Yes, give it to me. Thank you."- he whispered quietly as he took the bowl from his hands. He shuddered when he understood that he was actually thanked.

Legolas was staring down with empty eyes. He gently spread the salve on the man's wound. No blood was coming out. He looked at the man's restless face that was soaked in sweat and closed eyes. He was breathing heavily. Legolas' heart ached and he removed few damp strands of dark hair and gave a weak smile.

He damped the cloth in the water and pressed it on the man's face, cooling him. Aragorn's bare chest was glistening with sweat and his ribcage was going up as he was breathing with a great effort.

The man whimpered in his slumber.

"I cannot heal him. The venom.. It is already in his blood.. I cannot suck it out."- Legolas was talking with himself in desperation.

"Maybe my master can."- the creature whispered and Legolas frowned.

In that moment, they heard two horses. Legolas didn't even bother to remove his gaze from the man's form, he already knew it who it was.

"He killed him! HE KILLED HIM! He didn't let me to talk and find out what they wanted!"- Bjarte was almost screaming but every sound died when he entered the cove and saw them.

"Legolas..?"- he whispered when he saw the elf's curled form. He hurried to him and yelped when he saw his king.

Bjarte knelt down.

"Is he alright? You removed the arrow, he's gonna.."- he started to patter but Legolas shook his head with tears in his cerulean eyes.

"N-no. There is little I can do now. The venom is in his blood. It is spreading too fast. I have only slowed it down. Aragorn.. fever.. "- Legolas was whispering hopelessly that he didn't even noticed when Devon stood above them.

"I can help."- he spoke calmly but Legolas didn't even lift his head.

"You had killed the Orc before I was able to.."- Bjarte rapidly turned his eyes on the man and started to hiss.

"There is not much you can possibly find out. They are Orcs. They kill and rob. That's all."- the necromancer spoke in almost annoyed tone and silented the boy with one stern look. Bjarte pressed his lips together tightly.

"Move now, Legolas. Let me help."- he said and walked by them so he stood in front of the lying figure, facing the elf and the boy.

Legolas didn't even jerk, showing no sign that he intended to listen to the man.

"Legolas."- Devon raised his eyebrows and but either way pulled the sleeves up, preparing.

"Step back."- the elf suddenly spoke and absently caressed the man's shoulder. The boy, the creature and the necromancer stared at him in shock.

"What did you say?"- Devon smiled.

"I said: step back."- Legolas lifted his gaze and removed his weight on the other leg, slightly leaning over the man like a mother wolf over her cub.

Devon opened his mouth.

"Legolas, please.."- Bjarte carefully touched the elf's lean arm. He noticed that his hands very bloody, he noticed how messy his hair was and how insane his eyes looked.

"Don't be silly and move! He is full of poison! I need to take it out."- Devon said in louder voice.

Legolas started to mumble some song and caress the man's arm.

"That's enough."- Devon hissed and knelt down but before he could do anything, Legolas turned around and grasped the sword Aragorn gave him before from behind, pulling it out from the casing and pressed it swiftly against Devon's throat. Black eyes widened in shock, but soon after it there was nothing in them except of fury.

"You won't do any black magic here, Devon. And if you dare to lay your hand on Aragorn, I swear on my life, I will cut it off."- Legolas was whispering in trembling voice. The look in his eyes could turn any other human being in stone straightaway but the necromancer only went red in face.

"He is going to die."- he gritted his teeth and for a moment pain sailed across Legolas' face but the sword stood in place.

"You won't take any part of his soul by healing him with your methods. Black magic cannot heal black magic."- he uttered darkly.

"And you can?"- Devon laughed but his eyes were still restless. Legolas grasped the hilt of the sword stronger.

"He is my king as much as he is yours!"- the necromancer suddenly stood up and threw his hands in the air.

"Then he is not your king at all!"- Legolas cried out but the sword remained to stay in his hand, pointed at Devon.

"This is your fault! You threw me off my horse! I could have shot all of them down if you didn't bother me! That arrow was for me, not him. Because of you your king is harmed."- Legolas was showing his teeth. Bjarte tried to pull his hand down.

"Legolas, calm down.."- the boy was whispering.

Devon looked like he was aflame.

"You are accusing me?"- he whispered in shock.

"And don't you dare to call him your king. You should have protected him, not exposed him to a greater danger and you did exactly that by pulling me down!"- Legolas continued with no pause, as if the man had said nothing before him but Bjarte managed to take the sword from his trembling hand.

"I saved your life, you miserable, ungrateful bastard!"- Devon lost his nerve and shouted from the top of his lungs and his face went almost black from rage. His servant whimpered and hid behind the elf. Bjarte wanted to jump on these words, but Legolas' firm hand stilled him.

"I won't repeat myself. You saved me, yes, but at what cost? Your duty is to protect the king, not me. And look at your king now. There is nothing I should thank you for."- Legolas said slowly and dug his nails into the boy's shoulder.

Devon was staring down at them, seeing only pure decision and will, even in the boy's eyes. He smirked and took a step back.

"Very well. You, come."- he turned around to leave and called for his servant. The creature winced and Legolas' felt his shudders on his back.

"He is staying with us tonight. I won't let you torture him because of me."- Legolas said in firm voice and Devon gasped.

"You cannot..."- his mouth were slowly opening and closing.

"No, you cannot. Now leave."- Legolas said his last words and turned back on Aragorn and wiped more sweat off his body and face.

"You will regret what you did tonight."- Devon thought and calmly sat in the corner. He was piercing them with his glare.

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"Legolas.. What should we do?"- Bjarte asked after some time. The elf was still taking care of the trembling man.

The creature was quietly sitting beside the elf, not daring to look at his master in the corner but he felt his eyes.

"There is only one thing we can and must do."- Legolas said and caressed the man's hair. His eyes were wet but his face was determined.

"We are near Fangorn, right?"- he asked and looked at the boy.

Bjarte raised his eyebrows, not sure what the elf wanted to achieve.

"Yes, very near."- he nodded his head and continued to watch the elf curiously.

"Lothlórien."- the elf uttered only one word but that was enough for both the boy and the necromancer to jump and glare at the elf.

"W-what?"- Bjarte blinked.

"If we ride with no break, we can reach Lothlórien in a week or two. Aragorn is strong in both body and spirit, he can endure it. Elves can help us. Only they can."- Legolas lowered his eyes down on the man.

"Legolas, that is not the main problem.. But you want to go to the Golden Woods with two humans! I-I am not sure how they will.."- Bjarte gulped.

"We must do it. I cannot let him to suffer thus. I will find a way to ask them for help. I'll say he is the king Elessar, he is an elven friend."- Legolas started to convince himself.

"He is from Rivendell... "- Bjarte let his head to fall down.

"Then I'll ask for advice. I'll ask them to teach me how to heal him if they refuse but I am not going to sit here and watch him die for the love of god!"- Legolas growled and he slapped his curled thighs with palms.

"I understand you. We can try."- Bjarte sighed and rubbed his eyes.

Legolas sighed with pain.

"I am sorry.. I am just stressed. Go to sleep, I'll look after Aragorn."- he forced a weak smile and run his fingers through the boy's hair.

"You really think I can sleep now?"- Bjarte spoke bitterly.

"You won't solve anything by staying up all night. Take rest now for you won't be able to do it for the whole week."- and Bjarte nodded his head. He didn't bother to move- he simply lowered his body down.

"Come here, don't put your head on the cold stone.."- Legolas mumbled and offered his lap. Bjarte curled his cloak and put it over Legolas' legs. The boy lowered his tired head down and closed his eyes.

Legolas continued to stare at Aragorn for the whole night same like the necromancer did, and the elf was aware of the black eyes on his face but he didn't bother to say or do anything. He simply ignored it.

The boy was peacefully sleeping in his lap and even the creature rested his deformed body on the ground, forgetting about his master for now for he knew he enjoyed the elf's unexpected protection.

Stars started to shine above their heads but it mattered little to the elf. His heart started to bleed as he was watching the man's tortured face.

"I'll save you, Aragorn. No matter what awaits us there, I'll have you healed and well. I'll save you the same way you saved me, seron vell."- he whispered and leaned forward slightly to take one hot hand in his cold palm.

The necromancer frowned and bit his tongue so hard that he felt iron taste of blood in his mouth.

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As the night was becoming eternity as it seemed to Legolas, no one could even suspect that one brown-haired elf was sitting with fear in his kind heart and that the worry was only emotion in his wise eyes. Beauty of Lothlórien passed unseen to his old eyes. He let out a heavy sigh.

Lady whose hair was shining brighter than the moonlight itself approached him slowly.

"Mornië utúlië."- she whispered quietly and made all of the elf's fears come true.

No word of comfort was uttered for the both of highborns knew the truth. They were standing together under the moon and waiting, hoping against hope that their expected guests shall come soon.

Waiting and hoping.

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Translations:

seron vell- beloved

Mornië utúlië- darkness has come