Chapter 11—On the Mend
Estel was banished to his bed following the linen closet incident. This time Legolas was much more watchful. The shadow in his mind was lifting, but Aragorn's health might not recover from another setback. So he sat, studying the young man. He didn't understand why he, an immortal, could so easily relate to so young a person. Normally, he felt that mortals were like children. Having seen all he'd seen in his hundreds of years, it was usually quite difficult to relate. Not so with Estel. Even so, it was difficult to pursue a friendship with a mortal, knowing that the day would soon come that they would depart from this world. It was easier to withdraw and be spared the pain. Yet Arwen, and even Elrond were willing to risk friendship and love, knowing that they would be parted one day. He, unlike most of his kind, would need to forget his past and treat his Numenorian friend as his equal.
The next morning, Estel was able to sit up in bed and was coherent enough to take stock of his condition. He felt frail and thin, which would of course cause even more distinction between he and his elvish family. Sipping his tea, he quipped, "So, Legolas, my new friend, how do I look?"
Legolas raised an eyebrow, "Terrible—but better. For a while, we thought you were lost to us, so I can't penalize you for dark circles under the eyes. Of course, Lord Elrond may never let you go hunting alone again."
Aragorn groaned as his father entered, having clearly been eavesdropping, "No, I shall not. Not until I've been given ample time to recover from the ordeal you've put me through." There was a glint of humor in his eye. "I'm very relived you became acquainted with the young prince of Mirkwood here when you did. Now, how are you feeling?"
"Just a bit sore, and quite ready for something aside from tea and lembas bread."
Elrond chuckled. His son was on the mend. Pushing his dark, immortal thoughts from his mind, he decided to focus on one thing: today, his son would live.
A/N: Please forgive the 8, almost 9 year time difference between start to finish. I hope you enjoyed, and that the new revision made for a more readable and enjoyable story. -LJ