(Whew….Down to the final…6 or so chapters….)
AUTHOR'S NOTE : Frodo is in Minas Tirith. Everything is over. Aragorn is Married to Arwen and they are about to go home to the Shire soon. Everyone's favorite Elf….(Legolas) is in this chapter. Sorry to jump ahead so far but there really isn't much to write about between the Tower and the ending . Anyway, Ya'll want to see what happens, don't you? Besides…after last chapter…you probably want some cute hobbit cuddling.J
LEGOLAS POV
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CHAPTER 22 : Falling Down
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I had seen him from across the room during the feast after the Wedding. He tried to look and act normal. He was eating a little something of everything. But…only a little. It gave the illusion that his appetite was back and got people to stop smothering him. Pride…he was clinging to it. I saw the glances that he occasionally exchanged with Samwise. He was not fully mended. There was something troubling him. Something that still lurked deep in his heart. He moved slower than he used to, and I kept my eye on him throughout the entire feast. I saw him getting more and more weary…yet he didn't want to disappoint anyone. Finally…long into the night he stumbled to his feet and made his way back to his room. I followed him for what I knew would happened…did. He collapsed halfway there. I rushed to his side, and picked him up off the floor.
"Legolas?" Frodo did try and stop me from lifting him up entirely. "You were following me?"
"I was watching you." It was not entirely the answer he wanted.
"I'm fully capable of walking…" he tried to argue. I shook my head.
"You are not." and that was the end of that. He seemed to know it was better to just let me do what I had to do than to attempt to tell me something wasn't what I thought it was. I could see more than most. It was my gift. I was an elf. I carried him solemnly to his room and kicked open the door gently with my foot. He didn't speak, but lay with his head against my chest. It was nigh…perhaps 3 or 4 in the morning. Dawn would be coming soon. I lay him on the fresh bed sheets, pulling back the blanket and looked at him seriously. "You've been sick all evening."
"H-how did you know?" He shrank a little away from me. I was not one of the people who normally stood by him when he was ill. They were all asleep right now, having had a night of revelry.
"The King bade me to watch you because he would be busy. He thought that you might try something like this." My voice was firm and crisp, and I was not used to making it seem comforting. I was actually just a bit irritated with him. He had too much Pride. After what he'd been through, he could not afford Pride.
He looked away. "You all must think that I'm going to break at any second." he glanced at the water by his bedside and reached over for it. His hand was shaking…very subtly…but it was. His fingers touched the glass…but fumbled and would have knocked it over had I not reached for it in a split second and steadied the drink.
"No." I shook my head seriously, "We are just concerned." I did not blink, or change expression. He looked at the glass in my hand, and then at me. I leaned over a little and helped him to take a drink from it. "You do too much. Your mission is over, Frodo, you have no need to push yourself."
"I…" he nodded as I put the glass back on the table, "Its j-just that I don't want to disappoint anyone…" and then he began to cough. A rasping sound that he'd been holding back all evening. I frowned slightly, "Frodo…how long have you had that?"
His voice began to take on a hoarse quality to it…"Three days…" he sighed, knowing it best not to try and lie to me. He rubbed his chest that likely ached quite a bit. "It only…really got worse…today….after … so many speeches … and all the activity. I'd been keeping it.." he broke off into a spasm of hoarse coughs, "Keeping it…from getting worse with juice…and water…"
I sighed. Mortals were easily susceptible to such things, and it seemed that this particular Hobbit more than most. "You should have said something sooner, Frodo." I told him crisply. He flinched slightly at my tone.
"Well, now, Legolas, I'm sure that he meant to. He's just been distracted, right Frodo?" Aragorn leant in the doorway, dressed in a robe and slippers. "One of my people said you'd passed out. Arwen asked me to come and find out what was wrong."
Frodo sat up further in bed, blushing. "Y-yes…Estel…its your wedding night…You … " he coughed miserably. "You shouldn't be here…" He was starting to shiver a bit…from cold I thought.
Legolas looked a the King who shrugged nonchalantly. "Thank-you, Legolas." he walked over to the edge of the bed and turned on the lamp light. "Arwen wouldn't have it any other way, Frodo. We've got years ahead , my friend. No need to fret about that. Lets see what's up in there." I watched, quite amazed that he had left his wedding bed to come and tend the Halfling.
I stepped back to the other side of the bed while the King checked Frodo's throat and felt against the side of his neck. I folded my arms, studying the scene before me etching every detail to mind as was my habit. "It hurts when I swallow." Frodo nodded to one of Aragorn's questions. "And I'm…cold…could I have another blanket please?"
Someone came in with a mixture of tea…and a glass of juice with crushed ice in it, they lay it on the table. Apparently it had been asked for as Aragorn had made his way to Frodo's room. I simply watched. "Legolas would you be good enough to fetch a blanket from that chest over there." Aragorn asked me. I obeyed…after all…he was the King.
"Drink some of this Frodo. There's a good lad." Aragorn had Frodo drink a bit of the tea, yet the hobbit was still shivering.
"T-too cold…Estel…" Frodo's eyes lidded as I brought over the blanket.
Aragorn felt his forehead and his cheeks. "Its as I suspected. He's come down with something…his throat is red and sore." The King helped me shake out the blanket and we tucked them around the hobbit. But it was the next words spoken by the Ringbearer that made my blood run cold and my heart freeze.
"Thank you, Merilas…" Frodo's eyes were closed now, and its possible he was rambling. But…Aragorn had heard the name quite clearly as well and his eyes snapped to mine.
"No…Legolas…" He tried to warn me, but I clutched at Frodo's shoulders and shook him awake.
"Frodo…Frodo where did you hear that name?" His eyes snapped open in fear as he looked at me as though I was some kind of demon. He must have been hallucinating. "Please…you -have- to tell me. Frodo…"
Aragorn yanked me off the hobbit and glared, holding me back. "No, Legolas." he warned.
"But he…"
"I know what he said. I heard it to. He's in no condition to be questioned." I paced back and forth while the King watched me. Frodo watched the both of us, cringing back, then his eyes lidded again and he looked far away.
"I have to know…" I stared almost desperately at the hobbit. The first time I'd heard anyone speak that name…since…in so many years…I took a deep breath. "Please…"
"NOT now." Aragorn stood up. "Out." he ordered for he knew I could not stand idly by anymore this night. And I obeyed…the door was closed behind me.
I stood there for a long time…I don't know how long. Merilas. How could the Hobbit have known about her? None of the fellowship knew…except Gimli. I leant against the wall, my legendary strength was fading and I closed my eyes. Did I dare to hope…every other time had led to nothing. Could she be alive?….I opened my eyes once again and pushed myself away from the wall. I had to pull myself together. I walked down the hallway back towards the feast hall where I knew Gimli would be.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE : Frodo is in Minas Tirith. Everything is over. Aragorn is Married to Arwen and they are about to go home to the Shire soon. Everyone's favorite Elf….(Legolas) is in this chapter. Sorry to jump ahead so far but there really isn't much to write about between the Tower and the ending . Anyway, Ya'll want to see what happens, don't you? Besides…after last chapter…you probably want some cute hobbit cuddling.J
LEGOLAS POV
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 22 : Falling Down
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had seen him from across the room during the feast after the Wedding. He tried to look and act normal. He was eating a little something of everything. But…only a little. It gave the illusion that his appetite was back and got people to stop smothering him. Pride…he was clinging to it. I saw the glances that he occasionally exchanged with Samwise. He was not fully mended. There was something troubling him. Something that still lurked deep in his heart. He moved slower than he used to, and I kept my eye on him throughout the entire feast. I saw him getting more and more weary…yet he didn't want to disappoint anyone. Finally…long into the night he stumbled to his feet and made his way back to his room. I followed him for what I knew would happened…did. He collapsed halfway there. I rushed to his side, and picked him up off the floor.
"Legolas?" Frodo did try and stop me from lifting him up entirely. "You were following me?"
"I was watching you." It was not entirely the answer he wanted.
"I'm fully capable of walking…" he tried to argue. I shook my head.
"You are not." and that was the end of that. He seemed to know it was better to just let me do what I had to do than to attempt to tell me something wasn't what I thought it was. I could see more than most. It was my gift. I was an elf. I carried him solemnly to his room and kicked open the door gently with my foot. He didn't speak, but lay with his head against my chest. It was nigh…perhaps 3 or 4 in the morning. Dawn would be coming soon. I lay him on the fresh bed sheets, pulling back the blanket and looked at him seriously. "You've been sick all evening."
"H-how did you know?" He shrank a little away from me. I was not one of the people who normally stood by him when he was ill. They were all asleep right now, having had a night of revelry.
"The King bade me to watch you because he would be busy. He thought that you might try something like this." My voice was firm and crisp, and I was not used to making it seem comforting. I was actually just a bit irritated with him. He had too much Pride. After what he'd been through, he could not afford Pride.
He looked away. "You all must think that I'm going to break at any second." he glanced at the water by his bedside and reached over for it. His hand was shaking…very subtly…but it was. His fingers touched the glass…but fumbled and would have knocked it over had I not reached for it in a split second and steadied the drink.
"No." I shook my head seriously, "We are just concerned." I did not blink, or change expression. He looked at the glass in my hand, and then at me. I leaned over a little and helped him to take a drink from it. "You do too much. Your mission is over, Frodo, you have no need to push yourself."
"I…" he nodded as I put the glass back on the table, "Its j-just that I don't want to disappoint anyone…" and then he began to cough. A rasping sound that he'd been holding back all evening. I frowned slightly, "Frodo…how long have you had that?"
His voice began to take on a hoarse quality to it…"Three days…" he sighed, knowing it best not to try and lie to me. He rubbed his chest that likely ached quite a bit. "It only…really got worse…today….after … so many speeches … and all the activity. I'd been keeping it.." he broke off into a spasm of hoarse coughs, "Keeping it…from getting worse with juice…and water…"
I sighed. Mortals were easily susceptible to such things, and it seemed that this particular Hobbit more than most. "You should have said something sooner, Frodo." I told him crisply. He flinched slightly at my tone.
"Well, now, Legolas, I'm sure that he meant to. He's just been distracted, right Frodo?" Aragorn leant in the doorway, dressed in a robe and slippers. "One of my people said you'd passed out. Arwen asked me to come and find out what was wrong."
Frodo sat up further in bed, blushing. "Y-yes…Estel…its your wedding night…You … " he coughed miserably. "You shouldn't be here…" He was starting to shiver a bit…from cold I thought.
Legolas looked a the King who shrugged nonchalantly. "Thank-you, Legolas." he walked over to the edge of the bed and turned on the lamp light. "Arwen wouldn't have it any other way, Frodo. We've got years ahead , my friend. No need to fret about that. Lets see what's up in there." I watched, quite amazed that he had left his wedding bed to come and tend the Halfling.
I stepped back to the other side of the bed while the King checked Frodo's throat and felt against the side of his neck. I folded my arms, studying the scene before me etching every detail to mind as was my habit. "It hurts when I swallow." Frodo nodded to one of Aragorn's questions. "And I'm…cold…could I have another blanket please?"
Someone came in with a mixture of tea…and a glass of juice with crushed ice in it, they lay it on the table. Apparently it had been asked for as Aragorn had made his way to Frodo's room. I simply watched. "Legolas would you be good enough to fetch a blanket from that chest over there." Aragorn asked me. I obeyed…after all…he was the King.
"Drink some of this Frodo. There's a good lad." Aragorn had Frodo drink a bit of the tea, yet the hobbit was still shivering.
"T-too cold…Estel…" Frodo's eyes lidded as I brought over the blanket.
Aragorn felt his forehead and his cheeks. "Its as I suspected. He's come down with something…his throat is red and sore." The King helped me shake out the blanket and we tucked them around the hobbit. But it was the next words spoken by the Ringbearer that made my blood run cold and my heart freeze.
"Thank you, Merilas…" Frodo's eyes were closed now, and its possible he was rambling. But…Aragorn had heard the name quite clearly as well and his eyes snapped to mine.
"No…Legolas…" He tried to warn me, but I clutched at Frodo's shoulders and shook him awake.
"Frodo…Frodo where did you hear that name?" His eyes snapped open in fear as he looked at me as though I was some kind of demon. He must have been hallucinating. "Please…you -have- to tell me. Frodo…"
Aragorn yanked me off the hobbit and glared, holding me back. "No, Legolas." he warned.
"But he…"
"I know what he said. I heard it to. He's in no condition to be questioned." I paced back and forth while the King watched me. Frodo watched the both of us, cringing back, then his eyes lidded again and he looked far away.
"I have to know…" I stared almost desperately at the hobbit. The first time I'd heard anyone speak that name…since…in so many years…I took a deep breath. "Please…"
"NOT now." Aragorn stood up. "Out." he ordered for he knew I could not stand idly by anymore this night. And I obeyed…the door was closed behind me.
I stood there for a long time…I don't know how long. Merilas. How could the Hobbit have known about her? None of the fellowship knew…except Gimli. I leant against the wall, my legendary strength was fading and I closed my eyes. Did I dare to hope…every other time had led to nothing. Could she be alive?….I opened my eyes once again and pushed myself away from the wall. I had to pull myself together. I walked down the hallway back towards the feast hall where I knew Gimli would be.
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