A/N 2015 - Hello everyone! It's been a long time since I attempted to rewrite this whole fic, but I was so adamant and excited about it that I started rewriting it into half a book. I bled myself dry of inspiration and will. I had already written this once and was so proud if it I wanted to make it better for my readers (seeing as I wrote this when I was so much younger).
My intentions are still to tend to this one day and make it into that half a book, it's something I'm too proud of to say "I'll never finish." But for now I simply am not in that place, I hope you can understand that. I deleted the original chapters at first, but since I am not and will not tend to it any time soon, I give them back to you. I have been remiss into giving the ending to my new readers. So apologies for the difference in writing, the grammar and spell fails of old (I am at the very least throwing a spell-check over it, but it doesn't always catch everything)- but I hope you can at least enjoy the story.
A/N For You AJ...
13. Legolas's Ordeal
Aragorn looked upon the garden of Lothlorien and smiled when he finally found the one he was looking for. He stood there, just gazing upon the beauty of the wood, listening to its songs and the words of hope they whispered to him.
Suddenly the elf felt two arms around his waist, a chin on his shoulder. Legolas turned his head slightly, seeing his lover's face next to his, gazing to the same thing Legolas was gazing at before.
"So you finally found me" Legolas spoke. To the disappointment of the elf he felt the warmth of his lover leave him and the man now stood before him. "If you want to be alone, I can leave" he asked gentle.
"No...stay Estel, stay with me" he grabbed the man's wrist as he tried to turn and go. Aragorn smiled upon him, which warmed the elf's heart.
Legolas was more than happy Aragorn had stayed with him every day, helping him with all he could, for only the sight of the man warmed his heart, conquering a part of the cold within him. It had been seven days, an entire week since he and Aragorn were carried here. Though the sickness within him still grew with every day that passed, he still felt better as before. Aragorn had been his healer, as well as the woods of Lorien and the hope that shone from the sun and the words the woods whispered to him. It gave him strength to continue and as soon as the others would arrive in Lothlorien within the upcoming days, he would continue as soon as they had rested as well.
He did not yet felt like himself, like the true Legolas Greenleaf, but he figured it would only grew worse if he remained in Lorien and would linger around too long. Reality was harsh and it told him he would die if he did not retrieve his soul, his light, The Light soon.
Legolas sighed and looked into the grey eyes before him, love shining upon him. Estel...he was the only reason he had stayed alive, the one that he loved with all his heart. Ironically...Estel truly was hope, his hope.
"What are you brooding about my love?" Aragorn asked, shaking the elf from his dream world. "You" he simply answered, a genuine smile appearing on his face.
Aragorn laughed and brought the elf in his embrace, whom shivered and winced from the cold and the pain at the same time. Concern appeared next to love in Aragorn's eyes, two emotions in the man who had seen each other often the last days.
"I know, now you are going to ask me if I am alright" Legolas sighed, looking straight into the man's face, which was only inches away from his.
Aragorn opened his mouth to protest, as well as still asking the question, for he wanted an answer to sooth his concern. But before sound could erupt from the man's mouth, lips had his own covered and a tongue slipped into his mouth.
Aragorn moaned softly at the sudden magic that had appeared and returned the kiss, which grew deeper every second. To the man's despite, as quick as his lover had the kiss upon him, he took it away.
"Though I am not truly well Aragorn, I will be fine, we must continue our journey to Isengard soon" he spoke, a serious undertone in his voice.
"Legolas, I feel something wrong with you, what is at hand? Tell me!" the voice was demanding.
Legolas shook his head, "Even with something as minor as my sickness the last couple of days, you were so worried..." he whispered. "As minor? Then what is it that is troubling you so my love? Tell me, for I wish to help you" Aragorn lifted Legolas head, so his gaze had to shift from the ground to the grey eyes before him. "I..." Legolas started, pain burning deep within him, he did not want to tell, for he knew Aragorn would be so worried beyond, yet he wanted to tell, for the burden grew bigger every day and he was afraid he would collapse under its weight soon. Maybe Aragorn could help him carry it...then again, it was a absurd idea, he had to carry it alone...
"I cannot tell.." he suddenly said, upset, his head throbbing by the ordeal in his mind. He ran off, whispering a "..yet" as he broke out of his lovers embrace.
Aragorn stood, taking aback by his lovers sudden reaction. When he gathered his thoughts, he realized he had to go after the elf, for he was still not healed like he should. He took the first step to run, but a soft angelic voice stopped him, "Leave him for a while Estel, he is confused, you will understand in due time". He turned and saw the lady Galadriel, deciding not to argue he left, back to his and Legolas's room.
Legolas felt his side throbbing, begging him to stop running, but ignored it. Until he fell to his knees, flooded by the agonizing pain in his body and soul. Tears fell from the elf's eyes, his hands punching the ground, "Why me?" and "It is not fair" flowing from his lips.
It took a moment before he had control of his emotions and he dragged his aching body to a tree and sat against it. "Aragorn..." he whispered, feeling stupid to have run off like that.
He dried his face of the tears, cursing himself for being weak. He felt lost, facing emotions and feelings he had never faced, emotions and feelings an elf should not experience.
"Maybe that is why I should tell Aragorn, he has faced these feelings, are feelings alike these.." he murmured, trying to find reasons why he should and reasons why he should not tell.
"But he would be worried sick, baby-ing me always". He shook his head, "perhaps it is necessary, perhaps I should not take this upon me alone".
The ordeal in his mind went back and forth, until after many hours he concluded it, deciding the final decision.
Legolas moved his hand to his head, trying to rid himself of the headache and the constant thought of how Aragorn would react. Then he moved them to his side, seeing a red mark upon the white shirt he was wearing. He cursed himself again, why did he have to be so stupid? Then he cursed the dark one, who still had not revealed itself.
The Lady Galadriel had used her powers which protect the woods of Lorien on himself, to rid him of his nightmares, the visits of the dark one and it had put great ease upon the elf. He could sleep peacefully and would not get hurt again, not by the torture of his nightmares that is. For his body still grew sicker with the loss of his light...
Legolas stood, shaking for a moment, but finding support against the tree and he walked back to his room unsteady and sweating of the effort.
"Why will he not tell me? If his sickness was something minor, then what was it what he was facing now?" worry overtook Aragorn as it grew darker outside and his elven lover had still not returned. Several times he had attempted to go out, but the words of the Lady of the Wood, echoed through his mind, as well as Gandalf's words.
"Do not follow him... do not be over-protective" even in Aragorn's head there grew a throbbing headache of the worry and he moved his hands into his hair, holding his head.
"Legolas...where are you?" he whispered to himself. And if on que, the door opened and a figure, hanging against the doorpost, revealed itself, "Aragorn...".
Aragorn ran towards the figure and caught him in his arms when he swayed. "Legolas! What happened?" the concerned man asked.
Legolas shook his head weakly, "asking too much of my body..." Legolas panted, still out of breath, for he had been fighting against the pain hard.
Aragorn put his hands underneath the elf, whom moaned because of the pain and picked him up gently. The concern in the man's eyes was overwhelming and Legolas almost decided not to tell, until he felt the icy cold within him, making his body shiver against his will.
Aragorn laid his love on the bed gently and kissed him tenderly, which surprised the elf greatly. "You should not leave me in such agony again my love, I was so worried" the king of men spoke earnestly.
Legolas flinched as his love lifted his shirt and took sight of the blood soaked wrappings. Legolas nodded silently. "My heart is filled with regret my love, I am sorry" he whispered as he flinched once more when Aragorn touched the wound. "It should be looked after by a good healer my love" the man said, almost demanding his approval of the idea.
"Not yet..." Legolas whispered, which made the man look in awe at the elf. "What are you saying Legolas? Your would has to be treated with hast" Aragorn spoke.
"I can tell you now..." Legolas started. Aragorn's eyes grew wider as he remembered Legolas his last words before he had run off earlier.
"What is it?" the king of men asked. "Promise me you will not be too worried or tell anyone, except for Ceriella and the Lady Galadriel, for they now..." the elf gasped.
Aragorn lifted the elf's back, so he would lay in his own strong arms. "I promise Legolas... please answer the questions that are held within my heart, for I have felt something at hand with you for quite some time" the honesty and love Aragorn held within his voice broke all the elf's thoughts which spoke of not telling after all.
"I...you remember the night you were not able to rouse me from my dreams, the last night in Rivendell...". Aragorn recalled the memory,
"How could I have been this stupid? He told me of his fear for his nightmares and I told him they were just dreams! Now...perhaps they are not what I believe them to be...". Again King Elessar called out his fair friend's name, hoping to rouse him.
Suddenly a moan came from the body in his arms and he laid him down gently. "Legolas?" deep concern sounded in his voice. "Where am I?" he spoke weakly as he opened his eyes.
"In your room prince Greenleaf." Aragorn answered. With a headache troubling his head and terribly blurred vision, Legolas looked into the eyes of Aragorn. "The woods...the dark figure...Mordor words..." slowly the prince recalled his nightmare. "Mordor words?" Aragorn repeated. "He...the pain...my chest..." Legolas quickly got off his upper clothing and sat now bare-chested in front of Aragorn.
"I remember..." Aragorn stammered. Legolas looked into the man's eyes strongly, "I...the nightmare...it was not a mere nightmare Aragorn, it was reality..yet in a different world...in my mind perhaps... The dark one did this Aragorn...not only the memory of Lea...but also..." his gaze shifted to the wall as he felt the painful emptiness within himself, the cold making him shiver in his lover's gentle and warm arms. "It approached me Estel, I could not see its face, for it was covered with a dark hood, as was its whole body... It hurt me with blows a wizard would use...as Mithandhir uses and the Palantir used..." he remained silent for a moment, shivering helplessly because of the cold and pain.
The look in Aragorn's eyes had turned from love to concern to madness and back again, emotions swept through his veins and he wondered what was about to come, for he feared it greatly. The shivers on Legolas's body did not help sooth his concern, for it grew only bigger with each word Legolas spoke.
"...a hand moved out of the cloak and ripped my tunic open...it's hand burning against my chest, never have I felt such pain..." he grimaced at the thought and tears seemed to well up behind his eyes, now he had to tell what was wrong. Legolas's gaze returned to Aragorn's and the Ranger saw the pain, sadness and emptiness in his green eyes. Life had seemed to be drawn from it. Aragorn shuddered at the thought and his eyes pleaded the elf to tell him more.
"That night...it stole my elven light Aragorn..." Aragorn's eyes grew wider and shone out horror, "then...when an elf loses...mere weeks...sickness" he stammered, knowing what would happen to an elf when it would lose it light.
Legolas nodded silently, "I know of it Estel...my healing ability has already been drawn from me, which is the reason for the slow recovery of my wound... I am lost Estel, I do not know what to do, how many days I have until..." he fell silent when Aragorn's eyes turned even more horrified, "No Legolas! Do not speak of such things, you will be fine! You are strong, you will survive much longer as a mere elf, you must!" tears now brimmed in the king's eyes, the thought of losing his lover, first to sickness and later on to death, was killing him. And to die in such way, so much suffering that goes before it, for an elf whom does not know sickness...it would be more than both could ever take. "We shall retrieve your light Legolas, you shall not die, not before I do..." a single tear fell from his eye, taking its way down the man's cheeks, eventually falling upon Legolas's hand, which had touched the man's cheek. "Do not cry for me" his voice was barely above a whisper, for he was struck with the man's emotions for him. "How can I not my dearest, you are all I have left...I cannot bear the thought of losing you, nor you suffering...though you have already, for so long and you managed to hide it..." hurt could be seen in the Ranger's eyes and his voice held the same emotion.
"I am sorry Estel, I hid it to keep you from being worried, being hurt as well, for this is knowledge that does hurt...I can see it in your eyes" the elf whispered, leaning his head tiredly against the man's chest.
"When you hurt, I do too my love, let me help you carry this burden which is held within your heart..." the new tear reached Legolas's hand and he brushed it off gentle.
"I love you Aragorn..." the elf whispered. "And I do you my dear Legolas, we will get through this together..." the reply from the King of Men was.
"Forgive me Estel, for I desire sleep...". Aragorn nodded, sleep then Legolas, I will retrieve a healer quickly" the man laid his lover down gently and with a relieved, yet with pain written face the elf fell to the realm of sleep.
Aragorn examined the wound again and noticed it still bleeding, he had to retrieve a healer fast. "Legolas...how could you have hidden such a thing for me...though it is just something you would do, I will help you..." he whispered, kissing the elf's pale lips softly.
While walking to the healer of Lorien's chamber, Aragorn recalled several moments in which he could have noticed it before and scolded himself silently for not paying attention to it.
Long ago Elrond learned the man, whom was just a mere boy back then, all there was to know about healing and about the one thing that could not be healed within an elf...
Since then Aragorn had feared this, for it was a dreadful way to die for an elf and he had studied the symptoms of it well in the ancient books of the elves. It scared the man, yet he held an interest for it, a young man with the desire to know all of the elves, for it was with them he lived and it were those creatures he wished to protect, by knowing all of healing.
Yet, when he became a Ranger, many knowledge slipped from his mind and the newly acquired knowledge of the elves escaped him, for he was not there very often anymore.
Suddenly the man noticed he had reached the healer's chamber already, being so caught up in his thoughts he did not notice it. He knocked on the door and a blond elf opened the door and looked shocked at the king, "Is it our king? Is it he who is wounded?" he asked.
Aragorn was surprised, "You know of Legolas being king of elves?" he asked, ignoring the question the Healer had asked him. The Healer nodded, "Of course we do, it has been written the child of light was to be 'crowned' in the woods of Lorien. And, the Lady Galadriel has spoken to all of our people, all elves here in Lorien. She also send out several of our people to spread the news in Rivendell and all other elves. Celeborn has send out some elves to retrieve the ones hiding in the woods of Mirkwood".
"Then the Lady Galadriel has told you all to remain silent towards him about this also? For he is mentally not ready to receive this responsibility yet". The Healer nodded once more, "It is true son of Arathorn, the Lady Galadriel has told the elven race our king will announce it when he will be ready, after defeating this new dark force. We will all remain silent, for we do not want to burden the King of Light, now is it he who is wounded? Is he the reason why you come to visit me?" the Healer asked.
"Yes Pearion. His wound refuses to heal and to worsen the matters, he made it even worse..." Pearion's eyes shone out sadness and he rushed inside to retrieve his medical bag and together with the man he rushed to Legolas.
Still walking the land of dreams, protected by the magic of the Lady of Lothlorien, Legolas moaned at the touch of his lover, lifting his shirt gently and undoing the bandages.
He grimaced at the sight of the wound and turned to Legolas's head. Slowly and with great care he removed the white with blood stained shirt from his lover and let the elf's head rest upon his lap. He nodded at the Healer to proceed while he caressed the elf's hair and face, which spoke of pain, even asleep.