Author's Warning. My deepest apologies about the lateness in updating. MY Beta Barb has been very ill and unable to get on line. I am posting everything unbetad and will replace it as it is done by Terri who has kindly stepped in for me. She is wonderful. Also FFnet has not been letting me update so many apologies again. Shell
A Wolf's Cry 11 of ?
Disclaimer: I do not own one thing that pertains to Lord of the Rings. That privilege lies with the wonderful J. R. R. Tolkien.
Summary: Following Aragorn's fall from the cliff at the Gap of Rohan as they journey to Helm's Deep, Legolas struggles to come to terms with the apparent death of his friend and how it affects himself and all those round him.
Category: Angst (Hurt/comfort)
Feedback: michelemichelecross. or on list.
Author's note: Set before A Gull's Cry.
Thank you to my wonderful Beta Barbara. Also huge thanks to Katy, Terri, Mysty and Deana for their love and encouragement.
Beta's notes: Some dialog was taken from the movie.
The names Estel/Aragorn and Gandalf/Mithrandir are used pretty much interchangeably.
Some referenced incidents are from our story The Twisted Web of Fate.
Tissue alert: You might want one.
Sindarin vocabulary
Ada, Adar … Dad, Father
Anor … the sun
Aulë … the Vala concerned with the substance of Arda; rock and metal. Aulë created a race of his own, the Dwarves.
Baw … don't, stop, no
Daro ….. Stop, halt
Gwador … brother
Hennad … thanks
Hír, Hír-nin … Lord, my Lord
Ion-nin … my son
Mae govannen … well met (greeting)
Mellon-nin, mellyn-nin … my friend, my friends
Mín … us, our
Mintel … (my creation) A very rare elven medicinal tonic/cordial with stimulating properties. It is a sweet and potent compound of many herbs and a touch of elven magic. Two drops every four hours is the usual dosage, can be doubled at great need. Have dire side effects if over-used. Kept secret.
Navaer … goodbye, farewell
Pellin … fading
Penneth, pennyth … Young one, young ones
Saes … please
Sîdh … peace
Thalion, thelyn … hero or dauntless man, heroes
Westron … Common language, the language of men.
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Chapter Eleven
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"It may be. I am sorry, Estel, but Mintel is so…"
"Unpredictable, I know, Elladan I know." Estel was bone-weary again.
"We shall see, the fight is not lost yet. Help me ggive him this?" Elladan poured the contents of the bottle into a goblet.
"Of course, it will help with his breathing." Estel was more than ready and willing to help.
"True." Elladan beamed at him.
"Let me hold that for you." Gimli needed to do something to help.
"Of course, Gimli. We will talk soon, I promise." Elladan had grown to like the Dwarf since he was been in Imladris during the Council.
"Good, I would like news of what is happening at home. But for the moment yon Laddie has the precedence." Gimli nodded his head towards Legolas.
"We will." They were easing Legolas up so that Estel could sit in behind him. Already the wheezing breath had eased.
Elladan sighed worriedly as he pried open the lax mouth and slowly began to feed him sips of the precious fluid.
"Good, Mellon-nin, you need all this, but just a little at a time." He tried to encourage him.
"We have been having trouble getting him to take anything." Estel told him. "We have tried…."
"It is not your fault, Estel. It is."
"The Mintel!" There was no mirth in their voices as the twins spoke in unison.
"I'm beginning' 'ta hate that stuff." Gimli grumbled.
"Good, you should. Ada is burning all stores and recipes for it and making certain that the other Realms follow suit." Elladan face showed a grimace as he recalled the words that Elrond had actually used.
Elrond had been in a fury when he realised what had happened. Yes, Legolas had needed the medicine, but the temptation to take more was too great, as Legolas had unfortunately shown them.
Estel frowned, a stern glint in his eyes. "I am glad. I never wish to see the foul potion again."
"I know, Gwador, nor do we." Elladan tipped a little more onto the blue-tinged tongue as he prayed that their friend would get through this, that they had been in time. They had ridden as if all nine of the Úlairë were on their tails to get here. That was why Elrohir had fallen, even though they jested about it.
Elrond had impressed upon them the urgency of reaching Helms Deep in as short a time as possible, and so they had rushed. Now they were glad that they had.
"It seemed to work so well, at first." Estel could not stop, now that he was talking, now that he was no longer in charge of his best friend's care. Elladan was the eldest. He could hand over that responsibility to him. The relief was greater than he had thought possible.
"It would do. In small doses it is good, it works well, but the more you use it the more you need it, and then…" It was like a vicious circle once it started. That was why it was only used short term and in the direst of circumstances.
Elladan could recall all those years back, when Legolas was an elfling. Galadriel had suddenly withdrawn all stocks of Mintel, and then made certain that its use was restricted and given only under strict conditions.
He had never truly understood why. That is, until Elrond had told him it was because of this, because of Legolas. His DaerNana had been shown a vision all that time ago, of Legolas collapsed with the bottle of Mintel beneath him. They had hoped it would not come to pass.
But, alas, time and great need had revealed the necessity for Legolas to have the Mintel. As Elrond said, some things were fated, were meant to be and could not be stopped or altered.
Estel nodded. He did not need to be told what happened then. All he had to do was look at Legolas.
"Ada has worked for years on this potion without telling many of us. He was working at it for Legolas." Elladan revealed. Elrond had still spent that entire time working on a compound that could help counter the effects of the Mintel. He had finally succeeded, they hoped.
"Aye, so many things are now so clear." Elrohir limped nearer, gazing sadly at the Prince they had been entrusted to aid. Talleth hovered at his side.
Gimli only wanted to know one thing. "Will it work?"
"Only time will tell, I am afraid." Elrohir would not raise their hopes only to have them dashed.
Gimli scowled and normally would have made a tart rejoinder but held back. Now was not the time.
"When did ye last eat?" His voice was gruff. Maybe he could not help Legolas but he could help his friends.
"Earlier, when we were traveling, some lembas bread." Elladan had to smile at that, as did all those that had met Merry and Pippin. The tale of the amazing amount of the filling waybread that the two small Hobbits had managed to eat in Lothlórien had already spread and would be spoken of for years to come. To have eaten a whole weeks worth in one sitting, it was little wonder they had been nearly green with bellyache. Elladan had wanted to ask Legolas about that, hopefully there would be time later on.
"Tha's no' enough for a grown laddie such as ye. I will get ye some food!" Gimli told them, if it helped them to help Legolas, he would do anything.
"That would be appreciated." Elladan smiled. He knew what the dour Dwarf wanted. He needed to do something, anything, not just stand around feeling useless. He knew all too well how awful that felt.
And, admittedly, some hot food would be a welcome change.
"I will return shortly. Just make sure that yon Princeling is still with us when I get back!" And with that Gimli swept from the room.
"Princeling?" Elrohir turned an amused and half-shocked expression to Estel.
"Aye, that is what he calls Legolas. That was mild, it is normally 'Pointy-eared Princling'!" Estel told his brother.
"And Legolas accepts that?" The two elven brothers shared amused glances.
"He calls Gimli 'That Smelly Dwarf'!" Estel grinned. It was amusing to watch when they really got going at each other.
"That is our Legolas!" Elrohir shook his head and smiled fondly.
"Aye." The smile died on Estel's lips after a moment. "I have tried so hard and been so scared."
"I know, Estel. Have you had your own wounds seen to?" He could see the healing bruises and scrapes and bruises on his younger brother's face and Estel looked beyond exhausted. Perhaps some sleeping herbs in his wine when it came would help.
"Aye, Talleth took care of them for me." Estel relaxed a little, but was still on the alert.
"Good, stay in that chair." Elladan warned him. "And you, Mithrandir, are you injured at all?" They had both been terrified as they rode towards Helms Deep to see the damage that had been done. The Orc Army had tried to wipe the place from the face of the earth!
"Nay, I came at the end." The Maia told them.
"They saved us. It was that simple." Estel would never forget that sight, Mithrandir glowing like some avenging spirit in the morning light and then the sight of the Rohirim behind him. The charge would have been spectacular to watch if he had the chance, but he was too busy fighting the fell creatures that surrounded him.
If only Legolas had stayed safely in the Keep with Gimli. The Dwarf was the perfect person to sound the horn. His lungs used to using bellows and blowing glass. But would Legolas listen?
Oh no, Legolas had to be at Estel's side. If Estel was going out to fight then so was Legolas. Simple. If Estel stayed inside, then so would he.
Estel did not want to contemplate the pain that he had to have felt every time Legolas had used his sword. How he had even stayed astride Arod was beyond him. He had watched as closely as he could given the situation, Arod seemed to be one with his friend. Estel would never think of them as master and horse. Legolas would never wish that. Estel knew he would expect friendship and nothing else from the horse that had been faithful from the moment Legolas had spoken to him and removed his tack.
"We did not do that much." Mithrandir grumbled good naturedly.
"Gandalf! How could you say that? We were losing badly. Had you arrived but a short time later we would have failed. I will never forget that spectacular charge you made down that hill." There was awe in Aragorn's voice. "Especially when the Orcs saw you!"
"That was fun." Eomer was grimly satisfied. His heart had been hard and yet scared when the orcs had turned, lowering their pikes to greet them. They had not stood a chance, not one.
Legolas had prevented them from following the Orcs into the forest to finish the evil creatures off. He still shivered at what had happened next.
"Exactly what did happen in the forest?" Eomer had to ask. Oh, he knew the Orcs had been killed, but by what?
Gandalf sounded thoughtful. "Have you ever heard of Ents?"
Elladan and Elrohir's heads both snapped up at that, though Elladan was still feeding Legolas the herbal potion. "They have been asleep for centuries."
"No longer, they are awake." Gandalf told them simply.
"Legolas felt them when we were in Fangorn. He could sense their deep anger." Aragorn was not surprised at the time and he certainly was not now.
"When did they waken?" Elrohir was awed. He had always wanted to meet an Ent, a tree herder, as the Hobbits called them.
"They have only wakened very recently. Eomer?" Mithrandir turned bright eyes to the new Crown Prince of Rohan.
"Ents? I have heard tales of tree herders, but surely they are just that, old stories used to scare the children." He laughed at that. "We were all terrified of them as children."
"They are real. You recall that cry of anger that you heard from the forest?" Eomer nodded uncertainly. "That was the Ents exacting their revenge on what the Orcs has done to the forest."
"How can a tree be angry?" Eomer's eyes were wide.
"Because they are sentient." Elrohir was still watching Legolas struggling to breath, even while he joined the conversation.
"The trees are truly alive?" It was clear Eomer found it hard to believe.
"Do not let Legolas hear you say that!" There was a gleam of amusement in Estel's voice.
"What do you mean?" Eomer was eager to learn.
"For Legolas, the trees are more than just alive. They are almost as much a family member or friend. He can talk to them as he can talk to the wren." Estel smiled fondly at his friend.
"That is incredible." Eomer admitted with a smile.
"It is. We have seen it though. At home in Mirkwood he has many friends that live in the forest. He has a vixen, although she is getting on in age now, her name is Red. She sleeps at the end of his bed." And still follows him around like a loyal puppy.
"At the end of the bed? A FOX?!" Eomer had to be hearing things.
"Aye, a fox. She has already saved his life a couple of times. But then that is how they met." Estel paused as the chamber door opened. Gimli entered with a laden tray.
"How did who meet?" He moved easily to the table. The cook had been delighted to send up food for the fighters. Gimli had also spoken to him about more porridge for Legolas. But he had covertly asked him not to let Eowyn anywhere near it. If even her brother suspected something was amiss with her, then Gimli did not want her anywhere near to Legolas or anything to do with his care.
"Legolas and his pet fox." Estel told him.
"I could well see he would have one o' those." Gimli would never underestimate Legolas ever again. "How did he meet the fox?"
Elrohir told the tale as his elder brother finally placed the empty goblet on the table and reached to take Legolas' pulse. "Legolas found her in the forest with a broken leg. He took her, smuggled her actually, back into the Palace and treated her. She recovered and has been with him ever since."
They had both been there, had ridden interference so that Legolas could take the injured vixen into the Palace without Thranduil being aware. Not that he was not aware actually. Thranduil knew everything that happened in Mirkwood, everything, especially when it came to his only child.
"He sounds such an incredible person." Eomer murmured.
"He is. Once you are a friend to Legolas, you are a friend for life." Elladan told him.
"I can vouch for tha'" Gimli was handing out the food to all of them. "Tho', we dinnae like each other much at first. Guess ya could e'en say we hated each other."
"You did?" Both Theoden and Eomer spoke together.
"Aye. We did." Gimli was not proud of that. "Ye migh' call it a cultural difference." Once Gimli had handed out the food, he took a long drink of the wonderful ale that they served here.
"Cultural difference?" Eomer was greatly intrigued.
"Aye. Our fathers have a less than happy relationship, an' I am afraid that we let tha' sway our thinkin'." Gimli knew he had been the one to really start it with his comments at the Council in Rivendell before they had set out on the quest to destroy the Ring.
"What changed that?" Talleth was curious. He had only seen them after their friendship was established.
"When we entered Moria." Gimli's eyes grew moist at the mere thought of that awful place, an awful place that he had tried his hardest to get them to go to. How wrong he had been.
"I am sorry about that, Gimli." Gandalf sounded truly downcast. He had not wanted anything to do with the place, knowing that great evil lived there. But better that it had been him that had fallen and no other, particularly Legolas.
"It wasna your fault, Gandalf. I had ta see with me own eyes." Gimli wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his tunic.
"What happened?" Elrohir gently touched Gimli's shoulder, trying to calm him a little, to show him he was with friends.
"The place was dead. Me kin were all killed. Foul goblins, as bad as orcs. They killed 'em all, includin' Balin. Legolas saw how upset I was and tried to comfort me. The only time I think I had seen true age and sadness in his eyes. It changed from there on did it not, Aragorn?"
"You are right, Gimli from then you just bickered." There was a grin on Estel's face. "But it was a friendly bickering."
"Always will be, the silly elfling." Gimli grumbled affectionately as he took another swig of the ale. "He kept stoppin' ta check if I was alright on our run to Edoras. Aragorn led the way, but if Legolas hadna been checkin' on me, I'm sure he would ha' been in front."
"No, he would not." Aragorn grinned again. He was much more relaxed now. His friend was asleep in his arms and his breathing seemed easier. Alright, he was unconscious but that was a technicality.
"What makes ye say that?" Gimli was shocked. Legolas was by far more fleet of foot than either of them.
Gandalf glanced to Aragorn, who nodded as he spoke."Because Legolas had relinquished command to Aragorn. Unless he was scouting ahead, Legolas would have made certain that Aragorn was in the lead. Although he would offer advice and aid, he would let Aragorn make the ultimate decision."
"Gandalf is right. Legolas knows how to give and take orders when the need arises." A small grin crossed Estel's pale face. "He was very worried that you were falling so far behind and wanted to support you, as he would any of our friends."
"I saw the way he championed you when first we met out there on the plains." Eomer would never forget that. The way his heart lurched and his mouth went dry when he realised that no matter how his men reacted, it would be too late. That death was a fraction away.
"That is Legolas and they had only really just stopped hating each other." Estel rested his head against the warm blond head. He was still so very hot.
"We will check his wounds once the tea has started to work, are you comfortable to stay like that until then?" Elladan did not want Legolas moved just yet.
"I can wait for as long as you say it is needed." Estel assured him. It was nice to be able to relax like this.
"You should have seen him when we reached Edoras and entered." Gimli was still amused at that. The poor late Hama had been told to make sure that their weapons had been left at the gate.
The look on Hama's face as they had removed their many weapons carried about them was enough to keep him chortling for years to come. Of all of them, Legolas carried the most. How he could stand straight with the weight was amazing enough, but the fact that he could handle every single one with consummate ease was jaw-dropping.
"What happened?" Eomer had been far away after he had been banished and that was why he had in essence attacked the three who were now friends. It had hurt him badly and they were convenient targets for his still-seething temper.
"Legolas led Gandalf in as if he did it all the time." In fact Legolas had offered the Maia an arm with a gleam of amusement in his eyes, acting as if Gandalf was infirm enough to need his staff. "But the minute the men surrounded us, he was in action." Gimli enjoyed this. He had not given it much thought at the time. He and Aragorn had fought like dogs to get the upper hand, but Legolas seemed to have been sauntering through the forest.
"The way he took that man out." Aragorn was just as amused.
"How?" Talleth was all ears, even as he handed Elladan fresh water for Legolas. He knew Aragorn needed the rest and was glad to see him get it.
"He did not even look over his shoulder, did not even acknowledge the man coming behind him. All he did was this." Gimli fisted his hand and threw it up over his shoulder in perfect imitation of how Legolas had knocked the human into next year. Was he even awake yet? Gimli could not recall even seeing the man again.
"Yes, he is good at that one." Elrohir shook his head. "He has used it before."
"What happened to the man?" Gimli's voice was cold. The man had after all been a follower of Wormtongue.
"He left before the battle. Crept off like the coward that he is." Theoden growled. "He left his family to face the wrath of the orcs. They will be cared for." It was not their fault that he had chosen the wrong man to follow. From what Theoden had heard his wife had been distraught.
"Good, I doubt she knew." Mithrandir's voice was soft. "They were uninjured?"
"Aye, they stayed in the cave." Theoden replied.
"It is good that he is not here or we would be having words." It was surprisingly Estel and not Gimli that spoke.
"They would have been detained in chains had they remained." Eomer would never forgive or forget the blows that they had pummelled him with before his exile. Traitors like that always paid and he knew that the gods, or the Valar, depending upon your beliefs, would make sure they had their comeuppance.
"Good." Gimli was still grumbling and then took another drink of the ale.
"Nooooooo. Mithrandir, saes no!" The low moan came from Legolas.
They were all instantly alert, not that they had not been, but all eyes were now turned to the Prince.
"Sidh, Legolas, all is well. I am here, young one." Mithrandir moved to try to soothe the distressed elf.
"It is coming, I can feel it. We have to flee." Legolas weakly tossed his head.
"At least he thinks he is an adult again." Haldir sounded sad as he spoke weakly from his bed.
"Aye, that is a relief." Theoden agreed.
"What is he seeing?" Talleth spoke before he realised what a stupid question it sounded like.
"I believe it is our time in Moria." Mithrandir's voice was grave.
"He spoke little about that time when he was in Lothlórien." Haldir shuddered at the memory. Legolas had been so hurt, so sure that it was his fault. Haldir wished he had realised how badly his friend was hurting, and hiding, he would have spoken to Galadriel then.
"We need to flee! Estel, we have little time! Take Frodo. I will create a diversion. He has to get to Lothlórien!"
Estel shook his head, glancing up at the others. "That did not happen!"
"You are right, Aragorn." Mithrandir was frowning once more.
Elladan reached out to touch his forehead. "His fever is still high."
"So hot, you can feel it. Mithrandir! NO… Saes NO! Baw! It is not you they want!" Legolas was growing more frantic in his distress.
"We are safe, Legolas. I promise you that we are all safe." Estel did not know what to do.
"It is so evil. How were they left to live?" Legolas sighed. "Please, go!"
"There is nowhere to go, Legolas. We are safe in Helms Deep.
"So old, an ancient evil. A Balrog! Ai, no!"
Elladan looked sad as he saw Legolas had tears running down his face.
"Flee!" His breathing was hitching again. "Mithrandir, no! Mellon-iaur, saes, stay, run with us!"
"I am here, young one, im si! It is over and in the past." They had to make Legolas see that.
"It is gone?" The wonder and relief was clear in his voice. "It fell? Come, Mithrandir, there are more orcs."
Estel relaxed a little.
"Ai! NOOOOOOO, Mithrandir!" Legolas had stiffened. "Mithrandir! No, oh Valar, no! Not Mithrandir."
Mithrandir caught his hand. "Legolas im si, feel me. I am here."
"My fault… all my fault. I promised. I failed. Boromir, Mithrandir… who next will fall because of me? Elbereth! Not Estel. I would give my own life first, saes not Estel!" Legolas was beyond distraught.
"No. Legolas you could have done nothing more than you did!" Estel felt like crying. "You did everything!"
"Adar will hate me. His old friend and I killed him!" Legolas had not stopped sobbing.
"You have not killed me, Legolas. It is the Mintel. Try to open your eyes and you will see that I am here. I am no ghost. I am here and you did not kill me!" Mithrandir had a hard, panicked edge to his voice.
Estel tried desperately to make him see. "Mithrandir is right, Mellon-nin. I was there. I saw. You saved every one of us along the journey, even Boromir. No one faults you for something that you could do nothing about."
They all tried to reach Legolas until Elladan's quiet words stopped them. "I fear that Legolas cannot hear you."
Estel gaped at him. "What do you mean, he cannot hear us?"
Elladan sighed tiredly and rubbed at his eyes. "Legolas is lost at the moment in a past that he thinks has happened. Legolas truly thinks that he was the cause of Mithrandir's death."
"How do we get him back?" Estel would not accept that.
"We should continue to give him the tea that Ada sent, every four hours, without fail and we must keep this fever as low as possible." Elladan licked his lips. He really needed something to drink.
"Would you like some wine?" Gimli offered. He had been watching Elladan closely.
"Nay, no wine, I must stay alert to help Legolas. But some tea or water would be most welcome." Elladan smiled back at the thoughtful offer Gimli had made.
"We have some berry juice. Legolas likes it." Eomer offered.
"Berry juice?" They had similar juices in Imladris, but it depended what type of berry. Legolas liked all of them but he only liked a few.
"Aye, blackcurrant, blackberry. We even have strawberry that the cook makes and secrets away for special occasions." It was a secret store that they were not meant to know about, but they all knew.
"The strawberry would be most welcome. You still have some?" He could not believe that place so devastated could still offer such things.
Eomer whispered conspiratorially. "If I know Eowyn she would have made sure of it, it is Uncle's favourite."
"Then I will have plain water thank you." Elladan nodded with a thankful smile.
"Please make certain our guests have what they ask for." Theoden was smiling. "Especially the strawberry juice, and so will I." If that was how he could get his guests to have what they desired, who was he to argue with that?
"Of course, Uncle." Eomer grinned. It did not take much persuasion for his Uncle to want some of the juice.
"I… thank you." Elladan was too proud to say anything more and he had also been too well-trained in etiquette for it to fail now. His father would be most proud of him.
"You are most welcome. If I could do more, I would." Theoden's face turned serious and sad.. "After what you and your kin have done for us the offer of some juice seems a poor reward."
"But it is from your…" Elladan clamped his lips over the words, the last thing he wished was to upset the King and their host.
"Yes, and mine to give as I wish." Theoden was at ease with these elves, something he had never thought possible. "Would you like some as well, Elrohir, Aragorn, or some wine now that you can rest?" He was aware of how stressed the young man had been, what a weighty responsibility he had borne on those broad shoulders.
"Some wine for Estel would be perfect. He needs to relax." Elrohir spoke on his brother's behalf. "I will not make you rest, not just yet, but you will not move from Legolas' side for now."
"I will not leave him." They did not need to ask him to stay.
"I know and I would not expect anything else from you, Gwador nin." Elrohir told him gently.
"Mithrandir! I am sorry, Mellon nin, so sorry. I have failed you." Legolas sounded so mournful.
"I wish I could help him." Estel eased the wet hair away from the burning forehead. A moist cloth was pressed into his hand. "Hennad." He gently wiped the sweat from the pale forehead.
"You are, Gwador nin, your presence will help Legolas more than you realise." Elladan watched his brother care for their friend. "I will make him a sleeping draught. He really needs to rest."
"He has not really wakened." Estel chewed on his lip.
"He will not. But neither is this a true sleep and Legolas needs a true, deep, healing sleep." The tossing and turning was wearing Legolas down and would not help his condition. That fine trembling that even affected his fingers was worrisome.
"I thought he was." Aragorn was glum again.
"Estel, how could you know? What do you truly know about Mintel? Have you treated it before?" Elladan frowned at the prince's long, thin fingers. He hoped it was because his eyes were tired and that he was not seeing what he thought he saw.
"I had only heard of it until Haldir brought it here." Was the reluctant admission.
"Exactly. You have treated Legolas wonderfully. I am proud of you." Elladan told him.
"As am I." Elrohir gently squeezed his shoulder.
"As is Ada. But I need to ask you one important question, Estel" Elladan looked up at them.
Estel shared a worried glance with Elrohir before answering. "Of course, I will answer it if I can."
"What did you hope to accomplish by not looking after yourself as you have not?" Elladan raised an eyebrow at him. It was good to see his brother blush. Estel would not knowingly admit that he had ignored his own bodily needs but his body could also betray him as it had done.
"Well, I…" Estel was stuttering and he knew it.
"Well?" The tone of voice, the raised eyebrow, if he did not know it was Elladan before him, he would have believed it was his Ada and not his brother.
"IwastheonlyonewhoknewhowtotreatElves" Estel told him without pause. Feeling exactly like a child again.
Elladan and Elrohir could not stop a laugh and they could only laugh harder when they noticed looks of shocked confusion on the others' faces.
"I think, gwador, that you should repeat that for the others' sake with pauses between the words." Elrohir wiped his eyes as he spoke.
It caused Elladan to laugh even harder.
This time Estel glowered at them, it was not that funny!
"A translation would be appreciated, Aragorn." Mithrandir's eyes twinkled madly.
Estel sighed tiredly before he squared his chin and raised it defiantly. "I said, I was the only one who knew how to treat elves." He would not let them embarrass him like this.
"We know, Estel." Suddenly they were serious once more. "Ada received your missive. He will send aid, both materials and help. We will not let you suffer like this, Aran Theoden. Our father has promised he will also send some teachers and builders to help you recover, but it will take some time. The darkness grows steadily all over Middle-earth I fear." Elladan sighed.
"What has happened?" Estel sat straighter in the bed, careful of Legolas in his arms. Haldir also tried to sit up, but was stopped by Eomer.
"There have been more incursions by the Orcs and Uruk-hai. They have yet to find Imladris, but Ada is watchful." Elrohir handed Estel a cool freshly-wrung cloth. Estel smiled his thanks, the cool cloth would help and they would be doing this frequently.
"I am glad. They are rather horrid creatures these Uruk-hai. The one that fought me at Amon Hen was rather fierce." Estel did not realise that he was rubbing the area the Uruk-hai had cut with the shield it had used to pin him to the tree.
"It hurt you? Where is Boromir?" They had left in such a hurry they had not asked after the others. They just knew that their adopted brothers were in need. "The little ones?" They had all become fond of the Halflings.
Estel sighed and looked away. Gimli and Mithrandir spared him the need to explain. They would not sully Boromir's good name even with what had happened. He had paid for that and redeemed himself in their eyes.
Gimli spoke first. "The lad was killed at Amon Hen tryin' ta save Pippin and Merry. Legolas and I arrived too late to help, but in time to aid Aragorn."
Mithrandir sighed. He had known that Boromir was tempted by the Ring, most of them had been tempted, he realised. Apart from Legolas and himself, and he was not sure about Legolas. Legolas would not exactly say and he was not in the position to be able to tell them.
"He saved the little ones?" Elrohir sounded sad.
"Aye, he saved the little ones." The smaller of the four Hobbits, Pippin, had won all of their hearts with his antics.
"Good, but if that is so, where are they?" Elladan asked the pertinent question.
"They were carried away by the Uruk-Hai before we arrived. We wanted to go and get them, to save them, but it is not how things worked out." Gimli's voice was deadly grim and his habit of dropping some of the letters in his words had vanished.
"Where are they?" Elrohir's voice was nearly as grim and as angry.
"They are safe." Mithrandir tried to calm him down.
"Where are they?" It was more of a demand than a question.
"With a friend." Mithrandir told him.
"Who?" it was important to Elrohir that he knew. The Hobbits had reminded him of himself and Elladan when they were Elflings. Of course Ada and some of his friends would willingly point out that they had never actually grown up.
"I gave them over to the care of an old friend, an Ent. They are safe and well. Treebeard will make sure they remain that way." Mithrandir had of course had the Ent's reassurances about that.
"Good. I can relax about that. I wish we knew where Frodo was." Elladan did seem to relax for a little while. He also knew that where Frodo was, the ever-present and faithful Sam would be with him.
"I know, as do I." Mithrandir admitted. The news that Frodo had left the party had saddened and worried the ancient Maia but he had been cheered when told by Aragorn that Frodo had not left alone.
"We all do." Aragorn admitted. "We can only hope that we will all meet again." Well, those that were still alive that was.
"So you had already lost one of your number before Legolas thought that Gandalf had fallen?" Eomer helped Haldir sit back gently. The elf was pale and sweating.
"Aye, and then he saw me fall." There was sad bitterness in Aragorn's voice. He would never do that to his friend.
"It was not your fault, Aragorn. Legolas did not exactly see you fall." Gimli would not stand for this.
"True." Aragorn looked up at his brother. "Are you making some sleeping herbs for Legolas?"
Elladan looked guilty and then stood and hurried to the herb table. "Of course!"
They had been so caught up sharing the news of the quest and journey he had been negligent of his friend.
"Good, perhaps you would make Haldir some tea too?" It had not been lost on Aragorn that his friend was in pain.
Elladan rounded on him. "You should have said! Letting us tell stories and going on like that! Who do you think you are, Bilbo Baggins??!!"
Estel had to laugh at that. Haldir looked nothing like the elderly Hobbit and certainly did not like to tell as many tall stories. Estel had heard all of Bible's tales at one time or another and had decided they could not possibly be true.
The tale of his escape from Thranduil and Mirkwood seemed too pathetic to believe. But it did give some reason as to why Thranduil hated the Dwarves. But then, he had found out that it was true!
The Hobbit and Dwarves had escaped, but Bilbo had used the One Ring, he was sure of that. How else could they seemingly 'vanish'? He had once seen Frodo use the Ring and it did seem that he had vanished into thin air.
"No, Bilbo is a better story teller." Despite his pain, Haldir could joke.
"I see. So you do not want anything for your ills?" Elladan had hands on hips and was mock-glaring at his friend. Not that he would ever do this, he was just teasing.
"Who wants the tea anyhow? It is foul!" Haldir pulled a face at that.
The three brothers shared weak grins at that and on Elorhir's nod all spoke at once.
"But that is why they work the best!" It was after all what their father told them when they were injured or, in Estel's case, ill.
Haldir glowered at them and would have said more but a cramp gripped his chest and left him gasping.
"I will get that tea." Elladan was moving, serious once more.
"I will check Haldir over. That looked painful. Will you be alright with Legolas, Estel?" Elrohir glanced over at his brother.
"Aye. We are going nowhere." Legolas weakly tossed his head. He might not be crying out anymore, but he was still not resting easily.
"That is well. I would not want either of you to move further than you have to." Despite the reassurances that Estel had given, Elladan would not believe it until he had checked him over himself. Or Elrohir had. They both knew this pair too well. To stay out of the healing wings they would swear that black was white. Of course they looked so innocent and angelic while they did it that it was amazing.
Aragorn nodded and watched as his foster brother move towards the Marchwarden, They would forever mother him no matter his age. As for Legolas! Well the Elf Prince stood no chance against them!
Especially not at this present moment in time. Legolas had scared them all enough already. But then he would also be very guilty about that. Once Legolas was on the road to recovery he would be mothering his friend as well, but he would have two other contenders for that from the way Mithrandir and Gimli were behaving!
Between them they would make sure that he behaved and recovered well.
He hoped.
Estel sighed without realising it and Elrohir heard.
"You are tired, gwador, perhaps you should rest. You look exhausted." Elrohir was really worried about his brother.
"Later, I promise." Estel made himself sound sincere, but he really would not rest until Legolas made it through the next ten hours.
"As you wish, but you will be resting." There was warning in Elrohir's voice.
"I agree." The relief that shone in Estel's eyes were there for all to see, "Now see to Haldir?"
"Of course." Elrohir gave then another worried look and then hurried off.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Eowyn rushed back to her room. The first thing she did after she had closed the door behind her was to pick up the pitcher and throw it to the floor.
The stupid fat oaf! He had to go and spoil it! Trying to eat it! She wished with all her heart that she could let him continue on to eat it, it would have served him right. Would well have served him right, but she could not take the chance, it would not have been wise, not wise at all.
The temptation had been strong though. Her anger at seeing the Prince if he could be called that asleep had angered her more than she could have imagined. All she would have to do now was make sure that she was the one to gather the next food or drink that they needed then she could see to him once and for all.
A knock at the door had her rushing to it her face a mask of anger.
"What?!" She demanded of the startled guard.
"We heard a bang, My Lady and we were worried is everything all right?" They had never seen her this angry and he wished he had made his partner who was behind him go first.
"What?" The she realised. "Oh that! I am sorry I caught the jug. I was hoping it would not worry anyone." She simpered smiling sweetly.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Eowyn rushed back to her room. The first thing she did after she had closed the door behind her was to pick up the pitcher and throw it to the floor.
The stupid fat oaf! He had to go and spoil it! Trying to eat it! She wished with all her heart that she could let him continue on to eat it, it would have served him right. Would well have served him right, but she could not take the chance, it would not have been wise, not wise at all.
The temptation had been strong though. Her anger at seeing the Prince if he could be called that asleep had angered her more than she could have imagined. All she would have to do now was make sure that she was the one to gather the next food or drink that they needed then she could see to him once and for all.
A knock at the door had her rushing to it her face a mask of anger.
"What?!" She demanded of the startled guard.
"We heard a bang, My Lady and we were worried is everything all right?" They had never seen her this angry and he wished he had made his partner who was behind him go first.
"What?" The she realised. "Oh that! I am sorry I caught the jug. I was hoping it would not worry anyone." She simpered smiling sweetly.
The guard eyed her warily, unaware that his hand had reached down for his sword. Something was wrong here, something was very wrong. This was not his kind gentle lady that they all knew and loved, she was acting so out of character that he was sure that there was someone threatening her.
"I am sorry to hear that, My Lady I hope you were not hurt or anyone else?" He asked trying to see if she could let him know if someone was with her.
"Nay I was not hurt, just annoyed at myself." And a certain dwarf.
"May I check the chamber?" It was not really a question it was protocol when it came to the Royal Family at least.
Eowyn somehow managed to stop the flash of annoyance she felt from reaching her eyes. She had hoped to head this off. But alas the guards were too good.
"Of course." She smiled sweetly although her eyes remained hard as she opened the chamber door.
"Thank you, My Lady it is better to know you are safe than just presume." He tried to answer naturally. He had seen her eyes and he knew something was wrong.
"Indeed." She watched him as he checked all of her chambers and heaved a sigh of relief when he finally left.
The guard was more puzzled by then however.
They had all been aware that the Lady Eowyn had been acting very… oddly over the last couple of weeks.
More especially since Theodred, their Prince had passed so brutally.
She was harder, seemed so different. They were all talking about how she had not helped with the injured or homeless once. Seemed to be totally indifferent to their plight.
It just was not Eowyn, at least not the Lady Eowyn they knew.
Perhaps he needed to speak with Theoden King about this, he was not sure that he knew what was happening with his niece. So much had been happening. With the flight from Edoras and then the battle here.
And then their had been the King himself still recovering from the evil spell that had been placed upon him. He could only thank the Gods that Mithrandir and his companions had been able to help.
He blinked when he realised that all the while he had been musing all this over his feet had achieved what he wanted anyway. He was almost at the King's chamber. They all knew he was here with the magnificent warrior who had given his all for them. They would all be forever thankful to the Elven Prince for aiding them like this and so badly injured!
He stumbled to a halt then as horror as he realised that he had forgotten all of the other Elves who had given their lives so heroically to help them. So many lives lost so many deaths so that they could live.
He had seen the pleased, shocked look when the Prince had come running out to greet them. It had soon turned to a smug, pleased look. One that said there was hope now, or at least more hope than there had been before.
The Elves needed to be remembered and he knew he would be making sure that his own children, Grandchildren and even great grandchildren would be made to know there names and give thanks that they had helped and given their lives for them.
He sighed again. This was not getting him into the chamber and talking to his King about what was worrying him.
He raised his hand and gave two sharp raps on the heavy wooden door and then stood waiting. Then he noticed there were no guards. Normally there were always guards.
The door opened exceptionally slowly.
It stopped about half way and a voice asked.
"Who is it?" The voice was a deep tenor and seemed to him to be icy cold. He shivered it reminded him of the coldest winds in winter, the ones that were so vicious they seemed to slice through you.
"Viggo, I need to speak with Theoden King on a matter of great alarm." He kept his voice low and calm.
The door closed almost shut, almost. It was open a crack but he could not hear what was being said in the chamber.
Then the door opened fully to reveal a thin pale face framed with black hair. Had he been a man with an over worked imagination he would have believed that this was a devil. A very beautiful devil, but a devil all the same.
"You, may enter." He stood to one side and let him in although Viggo noted that he had his hand on the hilt of his sword. Viggo approved, greatly.
He actually felt nervous as he walked passed the warrior, for he had not a doubt that this man was a warrior and a good one from the looks of him.
He nodded and kept his distance as he passed him and it was only then that he realised this was not a man but an Elf. But apart from the Prince all the Elves had been killed or so he had heard!
"Ah, Viggo it is good to see you well. You are uninjured?" The deep, calm voice of his King drew his attention away from the Elf.
He turned to His King and froze all the more.
For between the beds sat his Liege and on the beds were two Elves. The Prince that he had already seen and another, silver haired Elf. Next to him was another dark haired Elf who was the exact double of the Elf who had let him into the chamber.
He somehow found his voice. "I am well, Sire and yourself?"
He had heard the King had been injured by a spear during the battle, yet he seemed his usual self once more.
"I am well. You said there was a problem I should know about?" Theoden was watching the young warrior closely. Young he may be but he was loyal and true to his people.
"Aye, I am worried about Lady Eowyn. She is acting most strangely." He did not know how to explain this at all.
"We know." It was surprisingly not the King that answered but Eomer the Ladies own brother.
"Haldir this will help you with the pain." The dark haired Elf was holding a cup and had been joined by the other.
"They are twins." The Grey Pilgrim told him a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Twins?" He had heard of the name once a long time ago but he did not have any idea what it meant.
"Aye, two identical brothers. Born from the same father and mother." The Wizard told him.
"They exist?" He had thought that they were a fairy tale. But then he had thought the same about the Elves and look at him now in the company of not one but four.
"Yes we do." The second, well he thought it was the second one spoke and his eyes, sparkling grey reassured him. "We have existed for sometime now. At least I have I am not so sure about the lump beside me!"
"I am no lump and if I was not helping Haldir you would have know that!" It was a growl, but affection in the voice as well.
"Sidh, enough of that you two, you wanted Legolas to rest." It was the young human who had helped them along with the Prince.
"True and you need to hold him so that I can give him the tea. Ro, will you…?" he did not even have to finish the sentence, his brother was already reaching out for the cup.
"Of course, see to Legolas." Elrohir was serious for once.
"You were saying about Eowyn?" Eomer prompted him.
"Aye, the Lady Eowyn." He was unusually dower. "I was passing her chambers on the way to my post when I heard a great crash. Something smashing against stone. I was worried that there may be a stray Orc. One can never tell with those foul creatures."
"I agree, for the time being all rooms are being searched." Theoden would let nothing be left to chance he had lost more than enough people already.
"So I knocked and asked if the Lady was alright and her reaction was… puzzling." That was the only description he could liken it to.
"What did she do?" Eomer was sitting upright looking alarmed. "Did she harm you?" He was sickened just at the thought that his gentle sister could harm someone.
"Nay she was sharp but that was all. She said she had accidentally knocked a pitcher or something from the side. I persuaded her to let me look in her chambers and she was the only one in there. But the pitcher was too heavy just to knock on to the floor like that." He was puzzled at that he would admit.
"The pitcher was heavy." Eomer admitted, if it was the one that he was thinking of it was very heavy even for him to lift. "What did she seem like?"
"At first she seemed angry, sharp. But then she… simpered. That is all I can describe it as. She was trying to charm me. But her eyes." He stopped and shivered.
"Her eyes?" Mithrandir prompted him sharing an alarmed look with the others.
"They were so cold. So empty I have never seen them like that before. Never. It was as if I never knew her. Never saw her comfort the scared children as we grew." Viggo looked at the Prince, they were the same age had known each other for years. "I did not know this Lady Eowyn and I certainly did not like her." Was the reluctant admission.
Silence met his statement.
Theoden broke it. "We have noticed a big change in her behaviour. Something is very wrong here and we need to find it out."
"Legolas was aware that there was something dark here." Talleth spoke up hesitantly.
"Aye, the Laddie did say that. He said it was in the walls." He conveniently forgot to mention the fact that Legolas thought the walls would kill him.
Talleth silently agreed with him and kept silent.
"Mithrandir!" Legolas suddenly spoke making them all jump, he had been silent for some time in Estel's arms.
"Sidh, Mellon nin." But Legolas seemed to be relaxed this time not distressed at all.
Once Legolas had settled again Aragorn turned to them once more.
"Legolas would feel it. Did he say what it felt like?"
"Not really, just that there was a darkness here that he feared." Talleth tried to explain.
"That is all?" Gandalf's voice was a little sharper than he intended it to be.
"That is all the Prince said." Talleth's voice was also cold ad disapproving.
"I apologise, I was hoping for a little more to work with." Mithrandir realised what his comment had sounded like and it was not what he had intended.
Talleth waved it away, they were all anxious and tired and it would take some time to recover from the battle and its aftermath. "We all say things we do not mean at times."
That made Gandalf give him a wry smile. "Aye you have never been more true with what you say."
Talleth shrugged it off. "Mt old Mother used to say that, may the God's bless her. I never truly understood half of what she used to say when I was younger. But now? Now I am older I realise that she was in fact very right and very knowledgeable. I often wish she was still with us." There was sadness and longing in his voice.
"We all think that at times of the loved ones that we have lost." Mithrandir gripped his shoulder gently. "It is the greatest remembrance that we can give them."
"Aye, just thinking of them and saying their names is more than enough." There was ease in Talleth's voice. "But Legolas was greatly disturbed. He mentioned that the entire place filled him with worry."
"Legolas would know." Aragorn admitted. What ever his friend had felt he would believe it, he had seen this too often and knew that Legolas was right almost all of the time to not believe it.
"I know." Gandalf admitted, he had been with Legolas when this had happened many times as well. "That is what worries me."
"Why does it worry you?" Theoden was confused, not sure as to what the Wizard meant by that.
Gandalf sighed. "It worries me because Legolas is never wrong about these things. If Legolas says there is something dark and dangerous lurking in the Palace then there is undoubtedly something dark and very, very dangerous here."
"We need to be on our guard." Estel spoke accepting the tea that his brother had given him, he thought nothing of it they were handing them to everyone.
"I agree." Gandalf turned to Elladan and Elrohir. "I know you are not as sensitive as Legolas but are you feeling anything?"
"Nay, not a thing. But we rarely feel it to the depth that Legolas does." Elladan replied.
"Aye, and for once I do not envy him." Elrohir voice was soft with worry as he looked at his ashen friend lying so still now in his younger brother's arms.
"Imagine feeling you have failed your friend and then coming here to feel this." Haldir was shaking his head. His poor friend had been through so much and even with Gimli supporting him it must have hurt him.
"He did not fail me!" Estel would not let his friend continue to blame himself.
"We know that, Aragorn but it is going to be convincing Legolas of that fact, that could be the hard part." Mithrandir admitted.
"I know, hard headed as he is that will take some doing." He sipped the tea and grinned pleased with the warmth of the tea. "Hennad, Elladan that is most welcome."
Elladan managed to grin happily, he would not feel guilty about putting the sleeping herbs in his brother's tea, he would not.
"I am glad that it is helping." He managed to keep his voice calm and happy.
"What are we going to do about this 'presence'?" Eomer was worrying about it already. "We cannot ask Legolas at the moment."
"You are right and that may be so for some time to come." Elladan sighed at that as his brother and Haldir nodded their agreement with his assessment.
"I will warn the men to continue to keep an eye out, closely. We already are as well in case there are more Orcs left about. You never know." They would not underestimate the foul creatures.
"Have their been any sightings?" Eomer was suddenly and instantly alert and ready for battle.
"Nay and we hope it continues like that." Viggo told him. They had lost enough men defending this Citadel, they would not let it fall know.
"I thank you, Viggo for all you and the men have done. I cannot stress how grateful I am. I will be making sure that all the men know my feelings." Theoden told him. He would never forget their sacrifice.
"It is our duty, Theoden King and we would do it again if necessary." It was a vow as well.
"Thank you. You look as if you could do with some food and some rest., Go and speak with the cook and them retire. We will be placing a guard on Eowyn so that she is carefully watched." Theoden assured him.
"I've already taken the liberty to let the cook know that she is not to go near the food for this chamber." Gimli admitted.
"Why is that?" Mithrandir was not the only one to be shocked at that.
"When I went fer the porridge I am sure I dinnae trip. I had nae reason ta trip. A Dwarf never trips over his own feet!" He told them archly.
Estel tried to hide his grin at that recalling how his small friend had fallen on their run to Edoras. The grin turned into a wide yawn that took him by surprise. He shook his head. Now was not the time for him to sleep.
"It did seem odd the way that it happened." Eomer admitted with a grimace. Had it been coincidence that Gimli had tripped and dropped the bowl of porridge just as he was passing by Eowyn?
"Aye, I was perfectly steady on my feet one minute and falling the next." Gimli told them.
"Why would Lady Eowyn wish to trip you over, it is Legolas that she seems to be taken with, she always asks about him when she is anywhere near." Talleth asked, his voice uncertain when he realised how this would sound.
"You are right, Talleth she does! Every time she is here the first thing she does is ask after Legolas' health." Eomer had not realised that until now. But Talleth was right, this was just another area his beloved sister was acting oddly in this as well.
"Do you think she would have placed something in the porridge? Something that could harm Legolas?" Haldir winced as he tried to get himself comfortable. The pain tea had helped but it was still there in the background, bubbling away.
The sad sigh from Eomer got all of their attention. "Normally I would say hand on heart that no, my sister was incapable of this. But now? At this moment? I really do not know. I can only hope that it is not so."
"We will need to watch her as well. Only one of us in this chamber is allowed anywhere near any food or drink that Legolas has. If that is not so it will be discarded. We can try and make sure that Legolas is kept safe. He is too weak and ill to have to deal with anything else at present." Elladan hated to admit this, but it would not take an awful lot to deliver a death blow to his friend.
"I agree." Theoden hated this as much as the others but he also knew it was a necessity. If they did not wish for a war to start with Mirkwood they would have to be very careful. His Kingdom could not cope with a war so soon after the last great battle. It would take some time for them to recover as it was. "I want Eowyn watched, Eomer have someone follow her, discreetly." He stressed the word. "At all times and report everything back to me. Aragorn she seemed to be most taken with you…." He turned to the Ranger and stopped a small smile gracing his worried face.
Aragorn was fast asleep, still cuddled against his friend and somehow still upright, but he was asleep all the same.
"He will regret sleeping like that." He could not keep the amusement out of his voice.
"Aye perhaps." Gandalf interjected. "But I think he had some help and is not sleeping if his own free will."
"He was in need of the rest and now that we are here it seemed the best thing to do as he would not allow himself to rest on his own." Elladan told them with a smile.
"One of your father's special's?" there was a twinkle in Gandalf's eyes.
"Of course! Nothing but the best for my Gwador!" Elladan was grinning even as he made Aragorn comfortable, or as comfortable as he could be with Legolas against him, the least he could do was make sure that Aragorn did not get a pain in the neck from it.
That caused all of them to laugh quietly.
"You drugged Aragorn?" Eomer sounded shocked that they could do such a thing.
"Aye we did." Elladan and Elrohir spoke in unison. "He would do exactly the same if the tables were turned. Has even done so. Likely will again." They grinned identical grins as well.
"Amazing." Eomer was shaking his head in shock. Then he pulled himself together. "Viggo I would like you to organise a silent guard on my sister. Under no circumstances must she become aware that she is being followed. Is that understood?"
"Of course, Lord Eomer I will see to it right away." With a bow Viggo left the chamber.
"Do you really think that Lady Eowyn is behind this? That she plans to harm Legolas?" Talleth asked, it did not fit with the image he had of the Lady Eowyn.
"That we do not yet know. I imagine you will find out when the rest of us do, for now it is just a suspicion and nothing more." Theoden sounded tired, weary and old.
Talleth nodded his heart going out to his King, this must be so hard for him.
"Estel…." The moan was long and pained and it came from Legolas. Elladan moved into see if he was awake.
"He is sleeping and dreaming I fear." That was another side effect of Mintel the Elf who took it suffered the most awful nightmares or so they had been told by their father.
"At least he is resting." Theoden watched worriedly from his seat.
Elladan was too concerned with Legolas to truly hear what he was saying.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Cold, he was so cold. So cold that his teeth were chattering. He also hurt a deep bone aching pain that would not ease no matter what he tried.
He looked around in the darkness. It was so dark he could see nothing, not even his own Elven glow. Where was his glow.
He frowned why did he have the feeling that there was something in here with him?
"Who is there?" His voice seemed to echo in the chamber or where ever he was. "Answer me!"
All he got was silence.
"I ask again who is there!" There was a hint of panic in his voice.
Again there was nothing but silence around him and he shivered. He had to get out of here. He had to…
"It is all your fault you know." The voice was snide and made Legolas jump. He thought that there was no one else here.
"What is my fault?" His voice sounded unsure to himself.
"For Boromir dying and for Mithrandir fighting the Balrog." It pressed home its point.
"How can they have been my fault?" That confused him.
"You should have realised that Boromir had followed Frodo. You did not and by the time you did it was too late. It is a wonder that Aragorn even speaks to you."
The voice was saying things he had been thinking and that scared him.
"The Balrog was meant for you as well, he fell because of you. You should have been the one to fall."
"But Mithrandir returned, returned to us a white Maia!" it was as if this should have been all along. How could they say that it was his fault?
"But it should have been you, worthless Princeling. You can never do anything right. Even your Father hates you and sent you away. After the debacle that was Gollum he could not stand the sight of you and quite rightly too. You are a disgrace of an Elf."
Legolas found himself backing away from where he thought the voice was.
"No, it is not true. I tried to save him. I used so many arrows." He was shaking his head in distress.
"Arrows? Against a Balrog? A creature of fire. That would really do some good, as if they could get through the flames. You are so stupid. No what the Balrog needed was not arrows it was you!"
"No!" Legolas could feel himself growing more and more distressed. "No he did not fall in my stead!"
"Yes he did!" The voice was adamant.
"No, he told us to go on. He told us to flee!" Legolas would never forget that, ever.
"To get rid of you. To make you go. You were not wanted there." The insidious voice continued to taunt him.
"No, you are wrong, I have known Mithrandir since I was an Elfling, he would not do that to me." Legolas would not believe it.
"Do you really think he would tell you? NO this was his way of making you do what he wanted without telling you to his face. You saw the way that Aragorn turned away from you. He hates you as well." The voice was suddenly hard and cold.
"No. No you are wrong." Legolas backed away shaking his head..
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Is he? Is he truly resting in the true sense of the word?" Elladan was reaching out to touch the hot forehead.
"But you gave him sleeping herbs." Theoden was honestly bewildered.
"But that does not mean he is resting peacefully. Sidh, Legolas we are here with you." The elder twin tried to reassure his friend.
"No…….. saes no….." Legolas tossed his head fretfully from one side to the other.
Elladan frowned, the Prince sounded breathless more so than he had previously.
"We are here, Legolas listen to my voice and follow me to the light." He brushed the wet hair away. The heat was incredible from his friend.
"Who is there?" Legolas called out fretfully.
"We are Legolas." he shared a worried look with Mithrandir and Elrohir.
"Answer me!" There was command in the weak voice that sounded curiously out of place.
"We did, Legolas. Saes, Mellon-nin we are here." Elrohir had come to join his brother,
But Legolas did not seem to even be aware that they were there.
"The Mintel?" Mithrandir was almost solemn as he asked the question.
"Aye the Mintel." Elladan's voice was equally as grim.
"What can we do?" Eomer had come to join them.
"Talk to him, try and keep him grounded here without waking Estel if that is possible to achieve." Elladan sighed. "I will make a tea for his fever."
"The fever is getting worse, we cannot seem to control it at all. Aragorn was very worried about that." Talleth admitted quietly.
"As am I. The last thing I want to do is put him into a warm bath, but that may become necessary." Elladan was worried what such an emersion would do to Legolas' many wounds, especially as they were already infected.
"What can we do?" Talleth only wanted to help.
"I will need lots of warmed water, we need to try and keep him cool. Ro can I leave the herbs to you? You know as well as I what I will be needing." Elladan eased into his father's position without even realising he was doing it.
"Aye, I can see to that. He is due some more of Ada's herbs." Elrohir would do anything and everything he could to help the Mirkwood Prince. Legolas would and had done the same for him.
"I am aware and on it, hennad." Elladan had been keeping an eye on the progression of the sun.
"I ask again who is there!" If anything Legolas was becoming more agitated instead of less.
"It is us, Las your friends." It hurt badly to see Legolas like this. And the fact that he had no idea they were there…
"What is my fault?" There was a hint of something in Legolas' voice that none of them could put a finger on. A tone that they had never heard before.
"He is hallucinating?" Mithrandir had joined them.
"Aye, it is the Mintel. I wish the thing had never been brewed!" On the long journey to Helms Deep the brother's had discussed this as much as they could. If their Father did nothing to stop this herb being used they would. Seeing Legolas like this had just sealed that agreement.
"I agree." Gimli growled. He had been glad for the medicine at first, when he had been ignorant of the damage it could do, but now he knew he hated it. Hated it with all his heart.
"How can they have been my fault?" A single tear ran down Legolas' cheek.
"You have done nothing that can be faulted, Legolas listen to my voice." Mithrandir had bent over to speak into an elegantly pointed ear. "Come back to us here and leave the darkness to those that deserve it."
"Good, Mithrandir that will help." Elladan encouraged as he counted the bounding uneven pulse.
He really was not happy with the sound of Legolas' breathing. Not happy at all.
"But Mithrandir returned, returned to us a white Maia!" The despair in Legolas' voice was shocking to those who had known him years.
It was Mithrandir himself who sighed. "I am here, Legolas and it is not your fault. You did nothing."
"No, it is not true. I tried to save him. I used so many arrows." Legolas was almost pleading.
"I know, we all saw, Laddie." Gimli's voice was gruff.
"No! No he did not fall in my stead!" If anything Legolas was becoming more distressed by the minute.
"Sidh, Mellon-nin we are here with you. No one fell in your place. We are all here." Elladan was getting more worried by the minute as Legolas became more distressed, he could see Legolas' breathing was becoming laboured and his lips seemed to be going slightly blue before his eyes.
"No! He told us to go on. He told us to flee!" Tears ran silently down the pale face.
"You are quite right, young one I told you to flee. You had to get Frodo out of there. You made the right decision, trust me, Legolas you made the right decision." Gandalf tried to sooth the panicked Prince.
"No you are wrong, I have known Mithrandir since I was an Elfling, he would not do that to me!" Legolas jerked away from the hand that was trying to sooth him, to his mind it was taunting him, pointing accusingly rather than trying to help him.
"Would not do what to you, Legolas?" Mithrandir realised that they needed to know what it was that Legolas was seeing, that way they could at least help him.
"No you are wrong!" Legolas' voice cried out in the suddenly silent chamber.
"Legolas try and relax." it was only by some luck that Estel was still asleep, caught in the grip of a mixture of exhaustion and the herbs that he had been given by his brother.
"You lie!" There was a hard edge to Legolas' voice this time, a cold tone that they all knew. It was normally levelled at the enemy.
"About what, Mellon-nin?" Elrohir tried to calm the distraught Prince as well.
"It is not my fault!" It was almost a growl.
"We know that, Legolas. You have done nothing wrong." They were all becoming worried now. In between his calling out Legolas was panting for breath.
"Dan, his breathing." Elrohir could barely count them they were that rapid.
"I know. I am getting the herbs." Elladan had already moved to the table and was slicing the herbs that he needed for his friend.
"Legolas, Mellon nin you need to calm. Saes take deep breaths." Elrohir tried to get through to his suffering friend. They had to be able to help him!
"He is not hearing you." For once Gimli was as glum as they ever had heard him be.
"You are right, Gimli but we need to make him hear us or we will lose him." Elrohir knew how close they were to that happening and from the worried frown on Haldir's pale face, he did as well.
"Put that on his gums." Elladan handed him some herbs as a paste.
"Of course." Elrohir took them, he would need help. "Gimli I will be needing your help for this. Keep his hands down?"
Elrohir did not think that Legolas would have the strength, but he also did not want to leave it to chance.
"O' course." Gimli was eager to help his friend, even if all he did was hold his hand.
"Hennad, Mellon nin." Elrohir flashed him a grateful smile. It widened when Gimli flushed at his words. Legolas had obviously been working on the Dwarf.
"Ah 'tis nothing!" Gimli's voice was gruff.
"I could not do this without you." Elrohir told him honestly. As he spoke he was smearing the paste against the almost white gums. This was not good. Not good at all.
"You think he would fight you?" Was the surprisingly astute question from the Dwarf.
"It is very possible, Legolas does not know where he is at the moment." Even as the younger twin was talking Legolas was trying to turn his head away and hide from the awful tasting paste.
"No!" Legolas panted.
"Sidh, Legolas it will help I promise." It hurt Elrohir to see his friend of so long this distressed and all he wanted was to make it stop, to take it all away from the Prince.
"My fault…….." It was a low unearthly moan. "Forgive me, saes…"
"You are not to be faulted, Legolas." it seemed he was not alone in this wish as Mithrandir also tried to calm him.
"I did not mean it……. I should have stayed away… you will all die because of me." Tears were streaming in silver rivers down Legolas' face. "Forgive me, forgive me."
The worrying thing was with each word the gasps were getting worse as Legolas seemed to be panicking more.
"Shhhhhh, little one, there is nothing to forgive." Mithrandir for once really did not know what to do.
"We need to get him to drink this, it will help his temperature." Elladan was watching his friend worriedly. This was not the strong, dependant Prince they all knew.
"Legolas can you hear me?" Elrohir was aware that they needed to get through to Legolas.
"You… need… to… get… away… from…."
"No, Mellon nin I will not do that." Elrohir was sure about that.
"Saes…" More tears spilled from Legolas eyes. "Leave me."
Elladan found his own eyes prickling. How could they make Legolas understand that they would not leave him, that they would always be there for him?
"Never." The voice actually made them all jump, they had been sure he was asleep. "I will never leave you when you are hurting, Mellon nin."
"Estel?" Elladan shared alarmed looks with his brother, he had given Estel enough herbs to make sure he slept for some time to come.
But Estel was asleep, he was just responding to the distress that he could sense coming from his best friend.
"I let you fall." Elladan blinked at that. Legolas had let who fall? How he wished his father was here. He could help Legolas he was sure of that. Positive about it in fact.
"You let no one fall, Laddie." Gimli actually found himself sniffing. Legolas could not blame himself for Aragorn falling from the cliff. Could he? He had been no where near Aragorn…
"Should have stopped him." Legolas seemed to be getting paler by the second.
"Ro, we have to get this into Legolas and we need to do it now!" Elladan could see this was getting more and more urgent.
"Gimli?" Elrohir took the goblet from his brother.
"Ye need not ask. Laddie. I will help all I can." Gimli was already trying to help sit Legolas up with Mithrandir helping as well.
"Leave me be!" There was sudden anger in Legolas' voice and it took them all by surprise.
"Legolas? It is just some tea." Elrohir was suddenly uncertain as to what Legolas was seeing.
"I will not drink the foul thing. Yrch!" There was utter hate on his face now.
"It is me, Elrohir." he shared worried looks with Mithrandir.
"Foul, Yrch trying to trick me! You must think me a simpleton to try a trick like that!" Legolas sounded dismissive, but then a calculating glint was given life in the abnormally bright eyes. "Or is that the plan? Devious to try and look like my friends. Very good, but it will not work!"
"Legolas, Mellon-nin saes listen to me and hear me. It is I Elrohir and I am trying to help you. It is just some tea that will help your temperature." Elrohir tried to make him see sense.
"I have no temperature, Fell Creature, another ploy. You will not win!" Legolas was watching him with a stony glance.
"Let me try with the Laddie." Gimli was willing to give his friend the help that he needed.
"Thank you, Gimli that may be best." Elrohir hated to admit defeat but this time he really had no choice, he could continue and only succeed in causing Legolas more distress, perhaps it would be best to admit that for once he was not the right person to help the Mirkwood Prince. "I shall take his hands."
They changed positions easily enough and Gimli picked up the goblet.
"Now, laddie are ye goin' 'tae drink this for me. It really will help ye." He tried to reassure Legolas as well.
"Gloin?!" It was a deadly growl now. "I should take you back to face my Adar's wrath for what you did!"
"Laddie it is Gimli." The Dwarf sounded so unsure of himself.
"Although, Ada will be interested how you got out of the Palace." There was a calculating tone to his voice now.
"Laddie, my Father did not tell me how he escaped, all I know is that he did." Gimli had heard some of the tale, the parts that his father wished him to hear and nothing more. He was sure that he also added or took away some of the extraneous parts of the story.
"It was well done." There was grudging respect in Legolas' tone.
"He will be pleased to hear that you think so." Gimli's mind was racing. "You must be very thirsty, how about trying something to drink?"
"Well done, Gimli that was quick thinking." The voice was barely above a whisper.
"I would take nothing from one of the Naugrim if you were the last person alive!" The sneer was back
"Let me try again?" Elrohir asked, it was obvious that Gimli was going no where with his attempt.
"You are more than welcome to try again." Gimli handed him back the goblet and stood by to watch.
"Hennad. Legolas, we really need to get this tea into you. Saes, Mellon-nin? It will help, I promise." He gently lifted the goblet to the dry cracked lips, another sure sign that Legolas was dehydrated.
"Elrohir?" Legolas sounded like a small Elfling, so sure and uncertain.
Elrohir could have wept with joy at hearing Legolas say his name.
"Yes, Las it is I Will you let me help you with drinking this?" He lifted the goblet for Legolas to see.
"Aye, I am thirsty." An equally dry tongue flicked out to lick at the dry lips.
"Some fresh water first, then that will help." Elrohir returned the goblet and turned to pour some fresh water. He did not see the calculating, pleased look that crossed Legolas' pale face.
"There we go, just water and nothing else." He held the goblet to the pale lips. "Take it slowly so that you do not choke."
Legolas only meant to have as sip of the water, but it was so cool and nice and he was so very thirsty. Before he knew it he had finished the entire goblet.
"Well done, that must be better for you." Elrohir was more than just a little pleased, with luck it could mean that Legolas was not hallucinating as much as they had first thought. "Have this tea and then you can have some more." The more fluids they could get into Legolas the better at this stage
"Hennad." it was just above a whisper
"You are welcome." The wide beam was back as Elrohir turned with the goblet of fluid.
He lifted the goblet to the open lips, knowing full well that Legolas was currently too weak to lift the full goblet.
Legolas took a sip. But rather than swallowing the bitter fluid he spat it out, right into Elrohir's face and before anyone could move from where they sat or stood stunned, his hand shot out to grab at the pale throat.
Fingers squeezing so that the knuckles were white from the pressure he was putting on it he snarled into the face that was slowly turning blue.
"Did you really think I would fall for such a trick, Yrch? I was not born yesterday! Middle-earth will be better off without your filthy kind!"
As Legolas continued to squeeze Elladan rushed to his side. "Elrohir!"
To be continued…..
Mewahahahahaha
