Chapter 6
Showing the Way: Legolas lends his Light
Back inside the tent, Legolas sat with Kalan, trying to soothe the tremors that shook his friend's body. The half-dragon had slipped into a fitful, fever-induced sleep. The elf could tell by the painful murmurs that he was reliving every agonizing moment. Pleading whispers escaped his lips and tears of pain slip down his cheeks. Legolas tenderly brushed them away.
"Uuma dele1, Gildae, you are safe now," he said quietly. Kalan stirred slightly, turning toward the source of the voice.
"Peredhil?" he whispered. 'Half-Elven? He calls for Elrond,' he thought, surprised.
"No, Kalan, 'tis Legolas," he answered, softly. He wished in his mind that the Lord of Imladris was indeed there, for he was a renowned healer, even of hearts. Kalan whimpered, his fingers clutching at the cloth. Legolas took the hand in his own, wrapping his bow-strengthened fingers around Kalan's. The silver eyes opened, staring at the elf. His breath caught when he saw the pain in the tear-filled gaze. This was nothing like the young half-dragon he once knew. 'Well, being raped by hundreds of orcs does that to a person,' he thought bitterly. Kalan squeezed his hand with what little strength he had, as if to reassure himself that the elf was real. He voice shook when he spoke.
"They wont stop, Legolas, they wont leave me alone. I beg and plead for them to stop, for the pain to end, but they wont listen," he paused, clenching his eyes closed, but opened them swiftly once more, fear rising in the silver depths. "Every time I close my eyes I see them, moving over me, into me. Grinning and drooling, laughing at my tears and screams. I can't escape them, Legolas, I still feel their foul claws on my skin, they even tried to kiss me!" his free hand clutched his own chest, nails biting into the skin and blood ran free. He wrenched his other hand free from the elf's grasp and began to scrape at his skin, as if he could scrape the foul touches from his flesh.
As Kalan writhed in pain and emotional anguish on the bed, Legolas was stunned. But when he saw the bloody furrows Kalan's fingers left behind, he came to. He grabbed Kalan's wrists in a strong grip, holding them away from his body.
"Kalan, stop this, you are hurting yourself!" he called to him, but the tormented dragonling was beyond all reason. He fought against Legolas with a renewed strength and vigor. Fearing for his friend's well being Legolas slid behind him and held Kalan back against his own chest, pinning his arms to his sides. He wrapped strong arms around the young dragon, who struggled and cried out. "Tampa Tanya, Gildae!"2 he said in a strong, but not unkind voice into Kalan's ear. Kalan did not heed him.
"N'dengina amin!3 I do not want to live!" he cried, continuing his struggle against his friend's embrace. This shocked Legolas, but he was not about to give up.
"Mani? No, Kalan, no. Think of Merry and Pippin, and Frodo! They would be devastated if you were to die. The world would be become dim without your light shining in it," Kalan began to calm, the soothing words of the elf deftly parting the layers of pain and his ethereal light illuminating the darkness inside of him. Legolas, seeing that it was working, continued. "Amin sinta thaliolle e dagor. Cuamin linduva yassen megrille, ar' lye nuquernuva sen."4 Kalan shook with suppressed emotion but no longer fought against him. "Do not give up hope, mellonamin, for no matter how dark the world seems, I will always be here to lighten once again," he murmured softly. Kalan turned his head and looked up at the fair elf, his silver gaze looking very much like a hurt and lost puppy.
"Lle vesta?"5 he asked quietly. Legolas smiled down at him.
"Uma,"6 he answered. Kalan sighed softly, the tremors in his body lessening. He leaned back into the elf's embrace, allowing his friend to hold and support him. Legolas leaned back against the cushions, pulling Kalan with him. He shifted Kalan's body in his arms until he was resting comfortably against his chest.
"Legolas?"
"Hm?"
"Amin hiraetha."7 The elf tightened his embrace.
"You are not at fault, Kalan, none of this is your fault," he answered and planted a friendly kiss on the top of the dark head. "I will stay with you, if you wish it," he offered. Kalan nodded slightly.
"It helps, the pain is not so bad and the darkness in not so choking," he said. The elf nodded, holding him close, hoping that his inner light (another gift of the elves) would help to banish the darkness that held his friend in thrall.
"Then I will remain and keep the darkness and dreams at bay. I will guard your sleep, none shall harm you while I am here," he felt Kalan relax even farther. It wasn't long until he felt his breathing even out and slow. Legolas tilted his head to peer down at the sleeping boy in his arms. The lines of pain had been mostly smoothed away and he slept peacefully.
The tent flap opened not long after, admitting Aragorn. Upon seeing the figures on the bed he paused. Legolas gave the Ranger a warm smile.
"Tis alright, Aragorn. He sleeps now," he explained, in a hushed voice. The man nodded and went to the boiling water.
"It is good, for these herbs need to steep for a few hours before potency," he said with a small smile. From a small pouch he took a handful of various plants and such. Crushing them in his hand he dropped them into the water. He then turned back to Legolas and knelt beside the bad. He reached out and brushed a few stray locks of hair out of Kalan's face.
"He is nearly gone from us, Aragorn," said the elf in his own language. The man sighed and met the other's gaze. He answered in the same tongue.
"These herbs will ease his pain and lower his fever. I do not think any of these wounds will kill him." Legolas shook his head.
"That is not what I meant. He has nearly lost all hope, his heart is bleeding and his soul has been torn to shreds. No herb or medicine exists that can heal those hurts," he paused and his face darkened. "He wanted to die, Estel," he said, using Aragorn's elvish name: 'Hope'. "He asked me to kill him. I fear he has forgotten what love feels like, that there is love in the world, after so long with the orcs. He knows only pain and being forced into sex," his eyes went back to the sleeping form against him and he brushed a hand tenderly against Kalan's cheek. Aragorn sighed, forlornly.
"I wish I could help him with that, but I know not how to do so," he said. "When he is well enough, I will send him back to Rivendell, perhaps Elrond can heal him again." Legolas looked at him, a strange expression on his face.
"He called out for him earlier," Aragorn looked surprised, "he said 'Peredhil', he might have thought that I was he," said the elf. Aragorn nodded.
"Yes it was my foster father that saved him before, those many years ago. Perhaps, if it is not too late, Elrond can heal his heart again," said the man, Legolas nodded. "I am going to see to the hobbits, perhaps Gandalf has returned from the Dark Tower," and he stood.
"I will remain with Kalan, he is still plagued by phantoms of the orc's torture," said the elf. He and Aragorn clasped hands, mindful not to disturb the sleeping Kalan, then the Dunadan left.
1 Don't worry
2 Stop that, Gildae
3 Kill me!
4 I know your strength in battle. My bow shall sing with your sword, and we shall defeat them.
5 Do you promise?
6 Yes
7 I'm sorry