"Oh no. No! I can't believe it, no! No!" -Princess Aurora
As the days past after the battle, the Imladris brothers helped repairing the doors to the stronghold, making sure to bold them shut so it would not need to be guarded for now. Deawin soon had healed and was allowed back to light duty, mostly caring for all the warriors that were in the armoury, many of them were soon cleared for light duty as well.
"This starts to look like it." Thranduil quietly said as he looked at the warriors that were about to start their first training after they had been so ill.
"It feels good to finally start up things." Hérion replied as he walked up to his king. "You know Legolas will want to join the trainingen as soon as he is allowed to get up."
"I know he will." Thranduil hummed with a nod. Estel would have to go and do one hell of a job keeping him into bed until he would be strong enough.
"Are you going to stay to watch the practice?" Hérion asked, noticing the cadets were all ready to start.
"Baw, I have some paperwork to attend to." Thranduil said and bid the captain a good day before he made his way to his office. "Feren?" Thranduil asked as he stepped into his study and found the elf scurrying around with a feather duster in his hand.
"Aran-nín!" Feren exclaimed as he quickly turned around, wobbling a little.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he came in and made it around his desk to sit down.
"I though you wanted to work in a dust free study, but as you can see i am not quite finished yet. I need to clean out the fireplace and dust at least half of the room.
"No need to fret, Feren. I will not grow ill if I have to breath in a little bit of dust.' Thranduil said and went through his papers to see where he had stopped the last time, like three months ago or something. "I would appreciate if you would clean out the fireplace and re stack the woodpile."
"Your wish is my command, Aran-nín." Feren replied with a bow.
"How many times do I have to tell you you can just call me Thranduil when we are alone?" Thranduil asked as he raised one slender eyebrow.
"Too many times, mellon-nín." Feren replied as he put his feather duster aside in favour of a small brush and a dustpan.
"That sounds better." Thranduil hummed before he went to work.
"When was I again allowed to get out of bed?" Legolas asked that evening as he slowly ate his stew, thoughtfully chewing on every bite.
"When you can proof to me you have no trouble staying awake during the day with little less then twelve hours asleep."
"I am bored out of my mind in here." Legolas complained, making Aragorn snicker. "Now it is funny because it is not you who is bedridden…" Legolas rolled his eyes, making Aragorn laugh even more.
"I will help you move from your bed to the parlour after your afternoon nap if you would like." Aragorn proposed.
"I would appreciate the change of scenery very much."
"Well you should be happy I decided to keep you here, and not drag you over to the Halls of Healing."
"Baw, Hannon-le."
"I thought so." Aragorn said with a chuckle. "I cannot wait until we can go out and have some fun together. I am not nearly as familiar with the woods here then I am around Imladris."
"You are the one who is keeping me confined in here." Legolas replied as he raised an eyebrow.
"Nice try, have you finished eating?" He asked long after he had finished his own.
"it is cold now anyway." Legolas nodded and put the spoon down so He could take away the tray. Aragorn put the tray to the side and looked at his elvish friend.
"Is there anything I can do for you right now?"
"You won't take me for a short walk, will you?" Legolas tried.
"Not a chance." Aragorn shook his head and fetched a worn leather-bound book from a nearby shelf. "Go and read something, then I will go and clean up." He handed the book to Legolas before he took the tray and went to bring it to the kitchens. When he had cleaned up, he returned to Legolas room to keep him company. He softly chucked when he found Legolas fast sleep, his eyes half opened. He carefully took the book from his lap, showing a picture of a Fagorn tree before he closed it and put it back on the shelf. He settled himself on the chair and kicked his boots off, placing his socked feet on the bed, watching the sleeping form of his friend. Soon he was asleep himself.
"Aran-nín?" Elladan asked when he went to Thranduil's study to see if the king was there since he was not in either his room or Legolas' room.
"What do you want, Peredhil?" Thranduil asked as he looked up when the other elf came in.
"Feren notified me you had not shown up for dinner, so, I came to see for myself what you were doing." Elladan gently said as he came in, looking around in the dimly lit room.
"That is not of your concern." Thranduil flatly reply, continuing with his overdue paperwork.
"I believe it is my concern." Elladan slowly cicled around the large desk.
"Keep your hands home." Thranduil snarled when he could feel Elladan's hand hovering above his shoulder.
"You know your paperwork kan wait until tomorrow…"
"Many things have been waiting for over two months already." Thranduil huffed back.
"And thus it will not matter if they are delayed a few more days." Elladan reasoned. "You know that a healers word-"
"Do not even try that." Thranduil snarled, turning around to face the other elf. "Go back to Legolas if you need to coddle someone, and leave me to work." Now with the king properly facing him, he could see the tired look upon his face.
"Legolas was already fast asleep when I came to look for you." Elladan casually replied. "You are not completely well yet, and there is no shame in needed a few hours more sleep."
"I will make you sleep some more hours." Thranduil threatened as he slowly erected himself to his imposing height, almost dwarving Elladan.
"I have no desire to fight you, Aran-nín, but I think you are overdue for a nap." Thranduil scoffed at his words, slowly stepping forward, while Elladan slowly circled back from behind the desk to the door. "Right this way." Elladan cheerfully said as he pushed the door open. With a sigh, Thranduil instantly deflated.
"You nasty little elfling." He shook his head before he silently followed him back to his own quarters, shooing him away as soon as he entered his on bedroom.
"Have a good night, aran-nín." Elladan said with a little bow, to hide his smirk. He then went to join his brothers in Legolas' room.
"Can I go for a little walk?" Legolas had asked the same question every day for almost two weeks straight.
"I think we can go for a small walk." Aragorn agreed.
"Really?" Legolas asked, he had expected Aragorn would deny his request again.
"I have said no often enough now." Aragorn said and gave him a little smile. He went to Legolas' closet and look out some clothes and a pair of soft leather shoes. "This will do for now." He said when Legolas was clothed in a green tunic and brown leggings. Aragorn held Legolas' elbow when he had gained his footing. Careful to watch both their steps, Legolas slowly made it out of his room, the first time in months. Legolas slowly shuffled to the parlour under the careful guidance of the human. Galion and Feren had returned the furnishings back to their proper place last week. All of the still unwell elves had been moved to the Halls of Healing, which was a little crowded because of it, but it was a big relief for all three of the brothers to see the halls finally empty of sleeping elves.
"Legolas!" Five identical cries came when he entered the room. His troop was assembled in front of the fireplace and were more then happy to see their captain and prince back onto his feet, even if it was with a little help.
"Long time no see." Legolas replied with a little smile as he sank down upon the large chair that stood closest to the fire.
"You back onto your feet, yes." Briadir said with a little smirk. The troop had regularly, like every other day, visited Legolas to keep him company and help him ward off the boredom.
"So, when do we think we can get back to hunting spiders?" Elija asked with a raised eyebrow as he leaned with his elbows on his knees.
"Well, I am not sure if I can make it to the armoury let alone without help right now." Legolas replied. "But I am sure, as soon as I can, I would love to go out on a trip with you, and with the Imladris brothers."
"I think that sounds like a real good plan." Evilya said with a smile. He had helped out the brothers the past few weeks together with Haldon, and he could imagine why Legolas was so found of them three.
"Really, with a human?" Samiell replied. "He has to go in bath and shave, or however he removes his face hair."
"You really do not want to see him without a beard." Legolas said with a laugh, especially when Aragorn huffed.
"Yes, go and mock me, as if I do not get that enough already from that scum that calls himself my brothers.
"Who do you call scum?"
"We shall show you who belongs to the scum." Replied the second voice and before Aragorn even had time to react, four hands were all over him, pulling on his tunic and ruffling his hair, pulling his awful round ears.
'I am not seven anymore!" Aragorn exclaimed when his brothers finally let him go, letting him flatten his ruffled hair and brush out his now wrinkled tunic.
"Well, you will go and look like one once you have shaved."
"And then we will let you stand next to Thranduil, then you will be small enough." Aragorn grunted, especially when he noticed the others laughing so hard they were almost crying.
"Very funny." Aragorn shook his head.
"Very." Legolas replied with a big grin. "Is a good laugh not the best medicine?"
"In most of the cases, if you do not pull a muscle or stop breathing because you are laughing so hard." Elrohir quipped.
"Honestly." Elladan rolled his eyes before he went to get some goblets. He poured every one a goblet before he and his twin joined them, sharing stories.
Two more weeks passed before Aragorn and Cervus decided Legolas could start some light physical activity.
"Really?" Legolas asked, as a bright smile almost split his face into two.
"We will walk to the armoury and then see how you feel, and you need to be honest. Maybe if you still feel well enough we might go and do something fun." Aragorn promised and gave Legolas some clothes so he could go and dress himself. Soon the two were on their way to the armoury. It was on their third trip to the armoury that Aragorn decided it was time to have some fun at the training field.
"What do you want to do?" Aragorn inquired once they entered the training grounds.
"Do you seriously still need to ask that?" Legolas asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I was just trying to be polite, you know?" Aragorn returned before he went to fetch two bows, and an overfull quiver. Legolas just beamed him a smile as he took one of the bows that Aragorn offered and then tested the string.
"You could not have fetched my bow?" He commented after he lowered the bow and watched as Aragorn went to set up two targets, knowing if he were to help him, he would be too tired to shoot afterwards.
"Forgive me, caun-nín that I am so ignorant." Aragorn breathed.
"It will have to do for now if I am to beat a sweat human."
"If you say so." Aragorn said giving him a little smile when both targets were in place. "Then I will show out prissy prince what it feels like to loose from a filthy human.
"Challenge accepted." Legolas smiled and shot him a grin before he snatched his first arrow from the quiver, notching it with practised ease. Together they shot arrows, Aragorn returned them, filling up the quiver again as he kept track of the points by drawing on the floor with a small piece of charcoal.
Only after a two rounds Legolas' score started to get downhill, even if he had way too much fun to stop right now. Legolas smiled as he stood face to face with Aragorn. The man's grey eyes sparkled. "I have beaten the great Legolas Thranduiliôn!" He called out as he lowered the bow. Once he had managed to hit the centre of the circle, while Legolas' arms still trembled from the stain, not allowing him to place his shots, the perfect after another.
"No, no! I cannot believe it!" Legolas smirked, Dramatically throwing his hands up in the air, before he let himself sink onto the stones of the training field. "I shall bow to you, but I wish to have revenge, in a little while." Legolas replied as he looked up to his friend.
"I shall eagerly look forward to it." Aragorn said before he sat down on the stones as well. "Are you all right?"
"I am growing a little weary, but I would not have missed it for all Dwarf's gold in the world."
"It is my duty to see that you are recovering well. Let's go and find a more suitable place for you to rest, caun-nín." Aragorn spoke, while his eyes sparkled with mirt. He climbed to his feet before he helped Legolas back on his.
"That I need help of an filthy human proofs the case is dire." Legolas smirked as he wrapped his left arm around Aragorn's shoulder, leaning slightly upon him. Aragorn's arm easily wrapped around Legolas' middle, gently pushing the still thin elf against him as they slowly made it back to the armoury. Legolas sank down on a chair in front of the empty fireplace, softly sighing.
-A/N Hi there! I really hope you liked this chapter, once again I am sorry for the delay, but once I got writing I really enjoyed putting it down.-
Dictionary:
Baw - No
Aran-nín - My king
Mellon-nín - My friend
Hannon-le - Thank you
Peredhil - Half-elf
Caun-nín - My Prince
Thranduiliôn - Son of Thranduil