Disclaimer: I own nothing Tolkien created.

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Mirkwood's Plague

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Chapter 19 ~ The Ultimate Test

Elrond suddenly shot up out of his chair. He had done it! He had found a cure. Theoretically. Still this was enough. It was closer than the healer in the book had gotten anyway. Elrond pulled open the door and ran down the corridor to the Royal healing room.

**

Aragorn sat by the fire watching the only two remaining members of the Royal Family. Legolas was sleeping fitfully but he was still sleeping, which was the important thing. Once or twice, it looked like he might wake but Aragorn managed to coax him back into sleep. The herbs and massage oil had long since worn off and the longer Legolas stayed in the land of Elven dreams the better. Despite this, Aragorn couldn't help but worry that, like Thranduil, he would not wake up. However, it was a risk he had to take. He couldn't see Legolas in pain and discomfort any longer. At one point he did consider waking him and repeating his comforting procedure but decided against it. If he woke then he would do it.

A gentle but urgent tap on the door stirred Aragorn from his musings. He got up, ready to shout at a servant to go away. Upon opening the door he saw Elrond stood with a bright smile on his face.

"Ada," Aragorn said in shock. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine. Better than fine. I think I've found it."

"The cure?" Aragorn asked in surprise, standing aside to let Elrond into the room.

"Yes. There was a murder, a hanging, but that's not important. I thought Legolas should know." Elrond paused, he had almost forgotten about the prince in his excitement. "How is he?"

"He's been asleep for a few hours. He is getting worse, Elrond. You should have seen him." Aragorn watched his friend for a moment before answering.

"I don't think we should wake him. He needs the rest," Aragorn told his father.

"He really needs to know about this, Estel. Lack of hope can kill just as quickly as this illness."

Aragorn nodded but advised, "Gently."

Elrond walked over to the chair by the fire and knelt down in front of Legolas. Reaching up he felt the young Elf's forehead. It was as hot as before but not in a warm, comfortable way. Legolas didn't look any better than the last time he saw him but he was asleep, Aragorn had done a good job.

He placed a hand on Legolas' arm but the prince didn't wake. "Legolas," Elrond called just loud enough to wake him without startling him. "Legolas," he repeated. This second call roused the prince. He sat up straight in his chair, his eyes both tired and alert at the same time.

"Elrond? Ada?" Urgency clouded his voice now.

"It's alright. He's fine," Aragorn reassured, standing to one side of him and placing a gentle hand on his arm. "He's fine."

"Estel? What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing his shaking hands over his tired eyes.

"Nothing is wrong," Elrond said. "I think I might have found something."

"A cure?" Legolas asked, painfully unfolding his legs from underneath him. He was still cold, stiff and achy, even more so after his sleep.

"Maybe. There was a murder, a servant attacked and killed a healer he thought possessed a cure. Anyway, I dismissed it as a symptom of the illness; tensions have been running rather high of late. I ordered him to be taken to the dungeons. Then I was told that he had hung himself in his cell. He showed virtually none of the signs of the disease. I found this in his pocket when he was cut down." Elrond showed them the vial. "I took it to the healing halls and analyzed the small amount of liquid that remained in it. This is what I came up with." He pulled another glass vial from his pocket, this one full of a thick green substance.

"The cure," Aragorn said in awed wonder.

"Perhaps. It might not work, so don't get your hopes up too high."

"But you have found something," Legolas said, hope flooding into his voice.

"It's more than we had before," Elrond said cautiously.

"Have you tested it on anyone yet?" Aragorn asked.

"No. I thought you needed to know about it first."

"Well now is as good a time as any."

"I'll do it right now. We should know the result in a couple of hours."

"Try it on Ada," Legolas said suddenly, his voice vague and distant.

When both Aragorn and Elrond looked at Legolas in utter shock they found him looking sadly at his father, all hope now gone from his teary eyes.

"Legolas, we have no idea what this might do when used on an actual patient. At best it has some kind of reaction, at worst it could kill him," Elrond told him carefully, getting the sense that one wrong word could destroy the fragile young prince.

"He is dying anyway," Legolas said quietly. "Look at him, Elrond, he won't last much longer and you know it. Give him the antidote and we might at least give him a chance." There was such despair in Legolas' voice that neither Elrond nor Aragorn could summon the words to either challenge or comfort Legolas. It was Aragorn though who broke the silence.

"It is a huge risk, Legolas. We should try it on someone less…important first."

"If we have learned anything from this, Estel, it is that this disease does not discriminate between rank. Ada is just as sick as any other Elf in Mirkwood. The cure, or whatever it is, will have the same effect on him as any servant or healer you test it on." Aragorn couldn't argue with that.

Elrond could though. "Legolas, Thranduil is Royalty. Your people need him."

"They do but he is no good to them dead. And he is no good to them as he is now. Give him the cure," Legolas said.

"Legolas…"

"Elrond. Give him the cure," Legolas repeated, his voice firm, indicating to Elrond that none of his arguments would make any difference and that he had just given an order not a request. Slowly, he nodded and walked up to Thranduil almost cautiously. Looking at the king now, Elrond was struck by just how frail he was. He saw that in Legolas also but the younger Elf was somehow managing to stay on his feet – by sheer force of will.

He sighed sadly. "Aragorn, can you please tip his head back a little," Elrond instructed and his son did so as the healer tipped the possible cure down the King's throat. Luckily, Thranduil swallowed on a reflex; ingesting all the liquid he was given.

For a minute all three held their breath, half expecting something to happen suddenly and for the King to shoot up out of bed and be miraculously cured. Nothing happened though and even Elrond was a little defeated by this.

"Now what?" Aragorn asked quietly, cutting through both the silence and the tension.

"Now we wait," Elrond answered looking to Legolas who was gripping his father's hand tightly. The healer walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Legolas turned dull blue eyes to him. "Why don't you go back to sleep for a while?" he said gently.

Legolas smiled sadly. "Thank you, Elrond but I don't think I could get back to sleep. Although if Ada is not likely to wake in the next hour I should go and see my people. I fear I have been neglecting them somewhat of late."

"I would advise against it if I thought it would make any difference," Elrond laughed gently. "Take it easy. I'll send for you if anything changes."

"Thank you, Elrond," Legolas said looking to his father one last time.

"I'll come with you," Aragorn smiled, following Legolas out the open door.

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Translations:

Ada - Dad