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Mirkwood's Plague II:

Aftermath

Chapter 27 ~ Dreams

~*~

Once in the bathroom Glorfindel helped Legolas undress and then pulled his own clothes off. He climbed into the large bath and supported Legolas in. They sat down, Legolas in front of Glorfindel so he could lie back against the seneschal. Glorfindel held onto him tightly as the kind rested against him, relaxing in the warm, sweet-scented water. Despite his efforts to concentrate on Glorfindel's body beneath him, Legolas found himself dozing off a couple of times. Glorfindel didn't seem to mind though. He merely held him tighter and pressed gentle kisses into his damp blonde hair.

When Legolas startled awake after a couple of minutes dozing, Glorfindel looked down at him. "Couldn't keep your eyes open after all?" he asked with a smile.

Legolas rubbed his hand over his tired eyes and smiled softly. "Sorry."

"Maybe bed would be a better idea," Glorfindel suggested and Legolas was forced to agree so he nodded then sat up straight. Glorfindel carefully climbed out, quickly wrapping a towel around his waist, then helped Legolas out also handing him a warm, fluffy towel.

Glorfindel was just helping Legolas on with a clean nightshirt when they heard a knock at the door. "I'll get it. You get dressed," the seneschal assured. Thankfully already clothed, Glorfindel went to the door and pulled it open. He was surprised to see Gandalf there. "Mithrandir, what are you doing here?"

"Actually, I was just looking for Legolas."

"He's just getting dressed," Glorfindel told him carefully.

"Ah, I see. Well, Lord Elrond asked me to deliver this." He handed Glorfindel a small vial of a green herbal liquid. "It's all he could scrape together from the storerooms. It's a painkiller," the wizard explained.

"I'll make sure he gets it," Glorfindel assured, taking the vial carefully.

Gandalf nodded. "Right. Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then. Have a good night." Gandalf turned to go and Glorfindel was about to shut the door when the wizard suddenly turned back. "Take good care of him, mellon nin. He deserves a good night of rest."

"I will," Glorfindel promised sincerely.

He closed the door on the old wizard and went back into the bedroom where Legolas was running a brush through his hair. "Who was it?" the king asked. When Glorfindel didn't answer immediately, Legolas put his brush down and devoted all his attention to the captain. "Glorfindel, who was it? Is something wrong? Has there been another Spider attack?" Legolas asked in alarm.

This snapped Glorfindel from his thoughts. "No. Sorry. No, everything's fine. That was Gandalf. He told me to get you to drink this." He handed the vial to Legolas.

"What is it?"

Knowing Legolas would protest over taking it if he knew what it really contained, Glorfindel replied, "Some additional medicine that's being given to all suffers of the plague." Legolas shrugged off the strangeness of this explanation and quickly drank the liquid, wincing slightly at the bitter taste. He handed the seneschal back the empty vial. Quickly laying the glass to one side, Glorfindel once more took Legolas' hands and led him towards the bed. "You should rest now," he said as they sat down.

"Stay with me," Legolas said softly.

"Of course." Glorfindel leant forward and kissed Legolas softly. When they parted Glorfindel ran his fingers through Legolas' long blonde hair. "Melleth nin," he whispered with a small smile. "You are so…" he trailed off, unable to find the words.

"So what?" Legolas asked.

Glorfindel shook his head. "I don't know," he laughed. "You should rest now. You're exhausted." Legolas nodded and they climbed into the large double bed. Legolas laid down whilst Glorfindel pulled the sheets up over both of them. Once he was also in bed, Legolas moved towards him. Glorfindel took him in his arms and Legolas cuddled up closer to him. Glorfindel quickly leaned over and blew out the candle before returning his attentions to the young king. Legolas had his eyes closed but Glorfindel knew that he wasn't yet asleep. He stroked Legolas' hair for a while until his breathing evened out and he had fallen into a peaceful, pain-free sleep. For long moments, the seneschal of Imladris watched the pale young Elf sleeping soundly against him. Eventually though he shifted to a more comfortable position and allowed his eyes to go vacant in Elven reverie, his arms still wrapped around Legolas.

When Glorfindel woke next it was just after dawn. Warm light was pouring into the room, bathing the bed in pleasant warmth. He looked across to see Legolas laid on his side with his back to him but clearly still sound asleep. Glorfindel assumed it was the light that had woken him and he rolled over and closed his eyes, trying to go back to sleep. A noise from the bedroom door disturbed him though and he sat up straight in bed. Still Legolas remained oblivious to the noise from the sitting room. It troubled Glorfindel though so carefully and without waking Legolas, he climbed out of bed, replacing the sheets over the king. He walked on silent feet over to the door and slowly pulled it open. He saw the intruder right away. A tall, blonde Elf was rifling through the drawers of Legolas' desk and she clearly didn't notice Glorfindel's presence. He strode over to her and grabbed her shoulder.

"What are you doing in here?" he demanded as he spun her around to face him.

"I…I was just…"

"What are you doing in here?" Glorfindel shouted impatiently, furious at the intrusion. He forgot that Legolas was sleeping next door.

"Sir, please. I was just…"

"What's going on?" A sleepy Legolas interrupted from the bedroom doorway.

Glorfindel released the Elf, whose arm he had been holding tightly to stop her moving. "I didn't mean to disturb you," he said softly. "I found her going through your desk," he then explained, nodding at the woman.

Legolas looked at the Elf maiden for an explanation and she quickly gave him one. "Lord Elrond sent me to find papers concerning the council," she said quickly, more afraid of her king than she was of the Seneschal of Rivendell.

"Did he tell you to enter without permission? To rifle through private papers?" Glorfindel yelled, making her jump.

Sensing her unease, Legolas stepped forward, warning, "Glorfindel." The seneschal took this very seriously, knowing that in such matters Legolas had to act as King of Mirkwood. "Answer his question," he prompted in a softer tone.

"Of course not, sir. I did knock several times but there was no answer. I knew you were…not at your best so I thought I could just slip in and do it without disturbing you," she said quickly, clearly nervous.

"That is the most ridiculous…" Glorfindel started but Legolas stopped him.

Legolas walked over to his desk and went straight for the bottom drawer from which he retrieved a pile of papers. "Take these straight to Lord Elrond. You are never to enter this room without permission again, is that understood?"

"Yes sir."

He handed her the papers and said, "Go." She immediately complied, even forgetting to bow on her way out.

"You were too lenient with her. She was trespassing," Glorfindel snapped.

Legolas just smiled softly. "She was just trying to help."

"She was…"

"Glorfindel, please. Let's not worry about such a small intrusion."

This seemed to quell Glorfindel's annoyance and he nodded. "I'm sorry. She just startled me. With everything that's happened recently I suppose I'm still a little jumpy. Still, no harm done. Come, let's get back to bed. It's still early." Legolas nodded and allowed the captain to lead him back into the bedroom. They slipped beneath the sheets and Legolas curled up against the seneschal as Glorfindel wrapped his arms around him. "I forgot to ask how you were feeling this morning," the captain said, looking down at the young king in his arms.

"Not too bad actually," Legolas admitted. "In fact, it's almost as if someone slipped me something last night to make me feel better." He looked up at a guilty Glorfindel. "Ah."

"Sorry. It was something for the pain. Elrond sent Gandalf to give it to you. I didn't think you'd take it if you knew what it really was." Legolas smiled softly up at him, showing that his initial supposition had been correct. He would have objected. "Anyway, that was the last of the herbs for the time being so make the most of it while it lasts." Legolas nodded against him.

"And you? How are you feeling?" the king asked, running long fingers over Glorfindel's smooth chest.

"I'm fine, mellon nin. Really. I don't want you worrying about me. You should only be concerned for yourself right now."

"Maybe. But I worry about you all the same."

"I know," Glorfindel smiled.

Legolas sighed softly, his eyes closed but merely in tiredness not in proper sleep. For a while, Glorfindel was content to lie there with Legolas beside him where he was always supposed to be. It felt right even after everything they had been through – perhaps because of everything they had been through. Legolas had always meant so much to him. This was just how he wanted their lives together to be like. It was what he had always dreamed of.

"Glorfindel," Legolas' voice disturbed his pleasant thoughts.

"Yes."

"What are you thinking about?" the king asked sleepily.

"I was just considering our lives together. The future we never had. In Rivendell we were always sneaking around, it was…lovely, exciting almost, but it was always confined to secret meetings in the shadows. But in Aman we can actually have a relationship, something more than we have now. That's what I was thinking about." Legolas smiled softly. Glorfindel's vision made for a pleasing one. The dream becoming reality had never really occurred to him before. A prince and a servant of Lord Elrond was hardly an appropriate match, certainly in the eyes of King Thranduil or Lord Elrond. Now though they had the chance to make the life they had always considered impossible. It was a pleasant thought and one Legolas was happy to indulge in. Wrapped in safe arms and pain-free, that future seemed very close.

"It's a nice thought," Legolas muttered dreamily from Glorfindel's side.

"Soon to be more than just a thought." The king mumbled something that sounded like an affirmative. Glorfindel leant down and kissed Legolas' forehead. "Go back to sleep," he whispered and Legolas took his advice, soon drifting off to sleep again and Glorfindel joined him. Almost as if they were one mind, they dreamed of their future together in the Undying Lands, free from pain and sadness. It was a beautiful dream, one both of them were eager to live out for real.