Once more thank you to all of you for so much encouragement and praise...
I can not ignore your begging for more (and to keep gershwin from taking some drastic action) and so here come the next chapter... thanks to my dear beta reader Little My who works with incredible speed :-)
So, on with the story ... and please do not forget to review if you like it!
___
A long time had passed and Gimli was getting ever closer to losing the fight against his drooping eyelids. His companions, he could see, were faring no better, and he considered getting to his feet again to avert falling asleep. But his limbs just felt too heavy and he could not bring himself to move.
Then the lady stirred and his heart leaped.
She moved slowly, almost sluggishly, as her hands fell away from Legolas and she moved to sit up straight. One of the healers who had done naught but keep themselves in the background until now rushed to her side and pressed a cup into her hands. Her long fingers curled around it and shakily she lifted it to her lips to drink. There was no one in the room who was not watching her with anticipation.
Gimli could feel himself getting impatient as he watched her, but he could see that she needed some time to recover. Whatever she had done had obviously drained her, and so he forced himself to wait a few minutes until some color had returned to her face. But it seemed to take forever to the dwarf who wished nothing more than to be relieved from the uncertainty plaguing him, and just as he was about to break the silence she turned her face to look at him.
In this moment, as her dark eyes met his, the similarity struck him and he knew who she was. Legolas had inherited most of his looks from his father; the light hair and skin as well as the features of his face. But Thranduil's eyes were a dark blue, while Legolas' were just the same brown as the pair looking at Gimli right now. The realization robbed the dwarf of his ability to speak for the moment, but her soft voice rose to answer his unspoken question.
'I could feel him, but he is hiding deep inside. I am certain he knew it was I, but he refused to respond to my calling. His mind is still troubled and he does not dare to trust anyone.'
Her hand reached out to touch Legolas' face once more. It was a caress more than a healer's touch.
'I need some time to recover before I will try once more to reach out to him. Maybe you should go and rest for some time; there is naught you can do right now. A meal has been prepared for you as well as rooms. Calenuial will show you there.'
There was something in her voice that told them that this time, no protest would help to change her mind. Calenuial rose without a word, waiting for them to follow him. It was deep exhaustion as well as the knowledge that Legolas was as safe as he could be that held even Gimli's tongue.
Silently the companions followed Calenuial out of the room, a gentle elven voice rising in a softly sung song wafting after them.
@@@
Gimli found himself wide-awake after only a few hours of deep sleep. The ache in his bones had passed, due to the elven food and wine or to the refreshing rest he could not say. As his body had recovered, he could feel the restlessness of his mind increase. Leaving his room he found himself in the wide corridors of Thranduil's palace. They had not yet seen the elven lord, and Gimli could not help but wonder why he would stay away when his son was in such a plight.
The dwarf's knowledge of caves helped him to find his way through the hallways of the underground palace without too much trouble. Soon he stood in front of the door leading to the room in which he had left Legolas. Silently he opened the door, trying not to feel like an intruder.
Daylight had passed, but the room was lit brightly with many candles. He hesitated when he saw the two elves standing at the bedside. Both had heard him enter and he felt most uncomfortable under Thranduil's questioning stare. Aragorn had confirmed Gimli's suspicion, and he now knew the she-elf standing next to the elven lord to be Amayn, Legolas' mother and Thranduil's wife. She smiled at him and he relaxed slightly, bowing to greet them.
'Step closer, Gimli elf-friend,' she spoke, gesturing at him.
He did so, but any hope he had carried diminished upon seeing that Legolas' eyes were still closed. The elf had not awoken.
She could see the disappointment on his face.
'Do not fear for hope is not lost,' she gently assured him.
Looking more closely at her he could see that she looked much recovered.
'Are you well, again, Lady Amayn?' he asked, concern showing in his voice. He knew her not long but had already grown to like her.
She laughed and he could imagine now from whom Legolas had inherited his merry nature, for she seemed to be much more like her son than Thranduil.
'Do not worry for me, elf-friend. My strength has returned and I will soon try to reach out for Legolas once more. But in any kind of healing time is important, and this matter must not be rushed.'
He accepted her words with mixed feelings, but trusted her to know what would be best.
She could see clearly that he wished to stay here but was not sure if he would be welcome.
'Take a seat,' she spoke, ignoring the disapproving look upon her husband's face. 'He might not respond, but some part of him will know that you are here. Legolas values your friendship highly and his trust in you is great.'
Gimli gladly followed her invitation and took a seat next to Legolas' bed.
Time passed in silence and Gimli could feel Thranduil's gaze resting on him. He chose not to take notice of it, for despite his deep friendship with Legolas he had never really gotten to like his father, and he did not wish for any kind of confrontation with the elven lord right now. When the eyes finally left him to turn to Legolas, he felt as if a weight had been taken from him.
Amayn had taken a seat close to her son, her hands enfolding one of his. She hummed softly to herself and it filled Gimli with a strange feeling of peace.
Sometime during the night, Thranduil finally let his guard down enough to join his wife at the bedside, and for the first time Gimli came to see a completely different side to the usually composed and even cold elf. His face softened and his hand came to rest upon his wife's where she held onto their son. Worry and fear showed on his features, and a vulnerability, so much out of place that it was hard to look upon. In this night, Gimli Gloin's son lost much of his hostile feelings towards the King of Greenwood as they all together held a silent vigil.
@@@
As daylight started to filter into the wide room, the others began to join them. Gandalf was the first; soon to be followed by Aragorn and not much later Eomer and Faramir entered.
There were no grand greetings, only the exchange of quietly spoken words. The mood was strange; hope mixed with fear and anticipation of what was to come.
Thranduil had stepped back from the bed, his feelings guarded once more ever since others had joined them.
Amayn's hands wandered to rest upon Legolas' heart and brow once more, and this time Gimli was not only close enough to see the soft glow enveloping her but he could almost feel the power emanating from her. Without him even being aware of it, his own hand reached out, his fingers finding the cold hand resting on the bed and curling around it. No one stopped him from doing so and he remained like this, his eyes never leaving Amayn's face, wishing there was something he could do to help bring Legolas back.
Thranduil's hands came up to touch his wife's shoulders, offering his own strength and support.
I can not ignore your begging for more (and to keep gershwin from taking some drastic action) and so here come the next chapter... thanks to my dear beta reader Little My who works with incredible speed :-)
So, on with the story ... and please do not forget to review if you like it!
___
A long time had passed and Gimli was getting ever closer to losing the fight against his drooping eyelids. His companions, he could see, were faring no better, and he considered getting to his feet again to avert falling asleep. But his limbs just felt too heavy and he could not bring himself to move.
Then the lady stirred and his heart leaped.
She moved slowly, almost sluggishly, as her hands fell away from Legolas and she moved to sit up straight. One of the healers who had done naught but keep themselves in the background until now rushed to her side and pressed a cup into her hands. Her long fingers curled around it and shakily she lifted it to her lips to drink. There was no one in the room who was not watching her with anticipation.
Gimli could feel himself getting impatient as he watched her, but he could see that she needed some time to recover. Whatever she had done had obviously drained her, and so he forced himself to wait a few minutes until some color had returned to her face. But it seemed to take forever to the dwarf who wished nothing more than to be relieved from the uncertainty plaguing him, and just as he was about to break the silence she turned her face to look at him.
In this moment, as her dark eyes met his, the similarity struck him and he knew who she was. Legolas had inherited most of his looks from his father; the light hair and skin as well as the features of his face. But Thranduil's eyes were a dark blue, while Legolas' were just the same brown as the pair looking at Gimli right now. The realization robbed the dwarf of his ability to speak for the moment, but her soft voice rose to answer his unspoken question.
'I could feel him, but he is hiding deep inside. I am certain he knew it was I, but he refused to respond to my calling. His mind is still troubled and he does not dare to trust anyone.'
Her hand reached out to touch Legolas' face once more. It was a caress more than a healer's touch.
'I need some time to recover before I will try once more to reach out to him. Maybe you should go and rest for some time; there is naught you can do right now. A meal has been prepared for you as well as rooms. Calenuial will show you there.'
There was something in her voice that told them that this time, no protest would help to change her mind. Calenuial rose without a word, waiting for them to follow him. It was deep exhaustion as well as the knowledge that Legolas was as safe as he could be that held even Gimli's tongue.
Silently the companions followed Calenuial out of the room, a gentle elven voice rising in a softly sung song wafting after them.
@@@
Gimli found himself wide-awake after only a few hours of deep sleep. The ache in his bones had passed, due to the elven food and wine or to the refreshing rest he could not say. As his body had recovered, he could feel the restlessness of his mind increase. Leaving his room he found himself in the wide corridors of Thranduil's palace. They had not yet seen the elven lord, and Gimli could not help but wonder why he would stay away when his son was in such a plight.
The dwarf's knowledge of caves helped him to find his way through the hallways of the underground palace without too much trouble. Soon he stood in front of the door leading to the room in which he had left Legolas. Silently he opened the door, trying not to feel like an intruder.
Daylight had passed, but the room was lit brightly with many candles. He hesitated when he saw the two elves standing at the bedside. Both had heard him enter and he felt most uncomfortable under Thranduil's questioning stare. Aragorn had confirmed Gimli's suspicion, and he now knew the she-elf standing next to the elven lord to be Amayn, Legolas' mother and Thranduil's wife. She smiled at him and he relaxed slightly, bowing to greet them.
'Step closer, Gimli elf-friend,' she spoke, gesturing at him.
He did so, but any hope he had carried diminished upon seeing that Legolas' eyes were still closed. The elf had not awoken.
She could see the disappointment on his face.
'Do not fear for hope is not lost,' she gently assured him.
Looking more closely at her he could see that she looked much recovered.
'Are you well, again, Lady Amayn?' he asked, concern showing in his voice. He knew her not long but had already grown to like her.
She laughed and he could imagine now from whom Legolas had inherited his merry nature, for she seemed to be much more like her son than Thranduil.
'Do not worry for me, elf-friend. My strength has returned and I will soon try to reach out for Legolas once more. But in any kind of healing time is important, and this matter must not be rushed.'
He accepted her words with mixed feelings, but trusted her to know what would be best.
She could see clearly that he wished to stay here but was not sure if he would be welcome.
'Take a seat,' she spoke, ignoring the disapproving look upon her husband's face. 'He might not respond, but some part of him will know that you are here. Legolas values your friendship highly and his trust in you is great.'
Gimli gladly followed her invitation and took a seat next to Legolas' bed.
Time passed in silence and Gimli could feel Thranduil's gaze resting on him. He chose not to take notice of it, for despite his deep friendship with Legolas he had never really gotten to like his father, and he did not wish for any kind of confrontation with the elven lord right now. When the eyes finally left him to turn to Legolas, he felt as if a weight had been taken from him.
Amayn had taken a seat close to her son, her hands enfolding one of his. She hummed softly to herself and it filled Gimli with a strange feeling of peace.
Sometime during the night, Thranduil finally let his guard down enough to join his wife at the bedside, and for the first time Gimli came to see a completely different side to the usually composed and even cold elf. His face softened and his hand came to rest upon his wife's where she held onto their son. Worry and fear showed on his features, and a vulnerability, so much out of place that it was hard to look upon. In this night, Gimli Gloin's son lost much of his hostile feelings towards the King of Greenwood as they all together held a silent vigil.
@@@
As daylight started to filter into the wide room, the others began to join them. Gandalf was the first; soon to be followed by Aragorn and not much later Eomer and Faramir entered.
There were no grand greetings, only the exchange of quietly spoken words. The mood was strange; hope mixed with fear and anticipation of what was to come.
Thranduil had stepped back from the bed, his feelings guarded once more ever since others had joined them.
Amayn's hands wandered to rest upon Legolas' heart and brow once more, and this time Gimli was not only close enough to see the soft glow enveloping her but he could almost feel the power emanating from her. Without him even being aware of it, his own hand reached out, his fingers finding the cold hand resting on the bed and curling around it. No one stopped him from doing so and he remained like this, his eyes never leaving Amayn's face, wishing there was something he could do to help bring Legolas back.
Thranduil's hands came up to touch his wife's shoulders, offering his own strength and support.