Ch. 10
Elwena drifted in and out of consciousness, dimly aware she was being carried through the forest at a swift pace. Once she saw the palace gates, everything went blurry, then black.
She awoke sometime later, painfully aware of her leg raised on a pillow. She wiggled her toes. Painful on the hurt leg, okay on the other leg. She wiggled her fingers, only to find someone's hand clasped around them. Legolas.
He was sleeping in a half-seated position on her bed, half on, half off. She squeezed his hand. When he did not stir, she shook her hand. Dang, he was really out. Did he get hurt too?
"Heeeeeeeeeyyyyy," she pleaded. Still no response. She looked around for something to smack him with, something she had gotten used to doing, mostly in a playful manner. She found a copy of the Mirkwood Courier rolled up. Perfect. Then *Smack* she quick threw the paper down and pretended to sleep.
"What what what!?" he jumped. He sighed. "You know, no one else is allowed to smack me like that."
"Hmm," she feigned waking up.
"You can't fool me. I know it was you," he chuckled. He moved next to her on the bed, putting her head on his shoulder. Remaining on top of the blanket. She blinked open her eyes to meet his blue ones.
"What happened?"
"A spider swiped you. You're on antidote, but it doesn't look like it was too deep. The healers stitched it up and guess what?"
"What?"
"It took 31 stitches to stitch it, so now you're officially more hurt than I am. Meanwhile, I managed to take down the spider without a scratch," he said proudly.
"That's cute, love, but I believe you're mistaken," she said. He gave her a questioning look. She lifted her hand to his face, to a long red mark on his cheek. "A tree branch must have swiped you when we were riding."
He lifted a mirror from the bedside table to confirm. He gasped. "Whaaaaaaat? That's disgraceful," he said sarcastically. "I took the hit so it wouldn't ruin your pretty face."
"Flatterer."
"Go to sleep," he said, making himself more comfortable. She did not fall back asleep. She moved around restlessly, without trying to move her leg.
"Elwena?" he asked. Legolas pulled her in close to him, her tears soaking his tunic.
"Why was I so stupid? We should have stayed inside the palace," she said through hiccups.
"It was not your fault, mellon-nin. You just wanted to have a good time tonight, and we did. Until the spider. Mellon, it's not your fault. Do not feel bad. We were having fun."
"That's all I ever wanted," Elwena said, meeting his blue eyes.
"We'll have many more nights of fun to come, uninterrupted by spiders," he reassured her. "I will promise you that."
Contented with that answer and believing her beau had all the answers, she fell back to sleep.