Hello out there! Thanks for the reviews; I now have over 50 on this story! Right now, I can only thank Rabid Angel for reviewing the last few chapters. Where are the rest of you! I hope I haven't lost you! Especially Invisigoth3, you've been with me since the beginning! If you guys are still reading, please review! I know what you feel like if you're busy with exams/projects or something; I am practically snowed under :S Rabid Angel: Thanks again! This story is still going to go on for a long time! ;) This chapter promises some humour.
Chapter Twenty One
Aragorn made for the High Pass, and they made good time. By nightfall, they had reached the Gladden River. It had been a long, hard ride, and both horses had needed the energy boosting herbs. It seemed that they could now keep galloping tirelessly for hours and with an unnatural speed once the stimulant took effect. That is what they had been doing for the better part of the day, in between short halts.
oXo
"Don't you think we had better stop for the night!" Árë asked, shouting to be heard over the thundering of the horses' hooves.
"No," Aragorn yelled back, his eyes streaming, "Just a bit further!" He released the reins completely, giving Roheryn his head, as the stallion was trying to convince Nienor to race him.
"Ai!" Legolas suddenly exclaimed, "They are…colts again! What is…that herb!" The young elf had been very quiet up until now, only speaking when spoken to, so Aragorn was surprised.
"Legolas!" The Ranger leant over the elf's good shoulder. "Are you feeling better?"
"I'm…fine!" Legolas said obstinately. Aragorn snorted.
"Yeah, right, I'm sure, Legolas. You've never been better." The Ranger rolled his eyes, shaking his head. At least the elf wasn't avoiding conversation so much anymore, so his pain must have lessened some.
oXo
About half an hour later, Aragorn spotted a convenient location for camp: three trees in a V shape beside a stream.
"We will stop here." He pulled Roheryn up. The stallion stamped his foot in irritation. He wanted to be galloping and racing, not standing still! The horse tossed his head and snorted, swishing his tail. Nienor, on the other hand, was quite happy to be stopping, as her dose of the stimulant was beginning to wear off. Roheryn suddenly flattened his ears, and Aragorn, foreseeing trouble, leaped off, taking Legolas gently down with him, and none too soon, for the stallion reared up on his hind legs, flinging his head back and pawing the air with his hooves. His eyes caught the moonlight, wild and fierce. His nostrils were dilated and he was foaming at the mouth from the bit. It made him look rabid and terrifying.
"Roheryn!" Aragorn cried furiously, "Baw! Daro i, Roheryn!" No! Stop that! The horse glared at the Ranger but then seemed to realize just exactly who he was glaring at: his master. The stallion dropped onto all fours, shuffling his feet and whickering nervously. "That will do!" Aragorn glared fiercely back, and Legolas smiled when the mighty horse who could have just as easily crushed the Ranger, cowered. "Árë," Aragorn called, seeing that the she-elf had dismounted and had taken Nienor for a quick drink, not allowing her to drink too much, as she could get colic from drinking so soon after a hard gallop.
"Mae?" she answered in elvish, unfocused, stroking Nienor's main absently.
"I need your help with Legolas. I have a slight…problem with Roheryn and I don't altogether trust him with Legolas at the moment. The herbs have made him slightly…queer."
"Of course. Come on, Nienor, you can drink later." Árë came over, leading the mare. She tied her to a tree. "How can I help?"
"Here, take Legolas." Aragorn handed him over and quickly set about laying out the elf's bed beside a tree, using all the spare blankets from Lanthir as well as the elf's own. Árë carried him over and settled him onto it. Aragorn removed the long coat and set it aside before drawing the blankets up to Legolas' chin. "I think it is time for your medicine." Aragorn fetched one of the waterskins containing the drug as well as a silver cup. He crouched down beside Legolas and poured out the correct dosage into the cup. He then helped the elf to sit up and drink, propping him up against the tree trunk. "Would you like something to eat?' he asked.
"Yes," Legolas began, but then he shook his head, remembering what had happened to him the last time he had eaten before bed. "No."
"Legolas!" exclaimed Árë, "You have to eat!" Aragorn frowned, knowing what Legolas was thinking.
"It was the poison that made you sick, Legolas, not the lembas. You need to eat, otherwise you will get sick. You haven't eaten a thing since last night!"
"Neither have…you. We will both…eat."
"Good, I will go and get the lembas." Aragorn got up.
"Lembas?" Legolas groaned. Anything but lembas! It had some very negative connotations for him now and would most likely stick in his throat.
"I'm sorry; that is all there is, and you are going to eat!" said Aragorn, "I promise it won't make you sick again."
"Fine, fine,…fine! I will…eat!" But Legolas looked very unhappy. Aragorn fetched the lembas. He sat down beside Legolas and Árë with a small bag, and opened it to reveal a generous supply of lembas bread wrapped in mallorn leaves, and six full waterskins. The Ranger's stomach growled hungrily, and he took out a cake of lembas and unwrapped it, snapping it in half and holding one of the halves out to Legolas. He passed the other half to Árë, who started eating hungrily.
oXo
Legolas took his piece and took a tiny nibble. Instantly his throat closed up and he gagged on the food, nauseated. Árë looked up, startled.
"Are you alright!" Legolas managed to control himself and nod to Árë. He shook his head at Aragorn.
"C-can't! It's…no use! I'll…be sick!" he gasped.
"No," said Aragorn firmly, "This is in your head now. If you're going to tell yourself that eating lembas will make you sick, then that is what will happen. The mind is a powerful thing, Legolas. Try telling yourself that you're not going to be sick – now try eating again and you'll find that you are quite able to."
"I'll…try," said Legolas bravely, and tried hard to do as Aragorn had told him. He took another cautious bite of the lembas, concentrating hard on thinking positively, and to his amazement he was able to swallow without any difficulty. His stomach suddenly growled with hunger, and he took another bite, grinning. Aragorn grinned back, and took a piece of lembas himself.
"See, I told you!"
oXo
After supper, Aragorn untacked the horses and put them on their picket lines beside the stream, so that they could graze and drink. He gave them a good rub-down with an old cloth, which they seemed to enjoy. The Ranger returned to find Legolas fast asleep against the tree.
"He just passed out!" Árë exclaimed, "One moment he was awake and talking, and the next he was fast asleep, mid sentence! Did you put something extra in his medicine?" she scolded, "A sleeping herb, perhaps!"
"No, I didn't," said Aragorn, "I think he's just plain exhausted. He's been as sick as a dog and he's still far from alright – he should be tired." Árë nodded.
"Well, he can't stay leaning against that tree all night. He'll get cold. Should I lower him?"
"Let me do it. I know exactly where he's injured, so I will not hurt him. We do not want to wake him." Árë's jaw tightened slightly, but she let the Ranger gently ease Legolas into bed and cover him warmly with the blankets. Árë leant over him and kissed him on the cheek. Legolas stirred in response and gave a soft sigh, which sounded almost happy.
TBC
Hmm, I don't think I like this whole Árë – Legolas love affair, and I'm sure you'll agree with me lol! We all like our fave elf to be single! We-ell, I think I could change that romance thing…I'm gonna break 'em up lol! ;) :evil grin: If you pay careful attention, you'll notice in the next few chapters that Árë will start to get a little offish to Leggy (I guess 'cause the whole thing with him being injured and all has just got too much for her) ,and then comes the break-up:cheering: Yeah! Leggy will be single once again:D :more cheering: Now that I have got myself on a high with the cheerful prospect of breaking some hearts (actually just one really – Leggy's, 'cause Árë is gonna be the little female dog and dump him), I will say goodbye for now! C ya, and thanx for readin' that long A/N. Consider yourself enlightened. ;D
-Windsong-
P.S: Something that'll interest you: The Worst Is Still To Come, and I don't mean the break up! Oh no, what have I done now, it's like a cliffie that only comes later! You don't know what's gonna happen, only I do lol:evil grin: MWAHAHAHA!