Aragorn felt his shoulder began to burn and he looked up in disgust. He could feel himself slipping toward the ground as his body seemed to tense up. Legolas still had his arm around him and was holding him up. "Estel!" He gasped as he stared up at Boromir.
"Why? Why are you doing this?" He said softly.
"… I think you owe me something for those thirty days, don't you?" The steward said with a smirk. Legolas could feel Aragorn tense up against him at those words.
"You bastard…" Aragorn said as he gripped the wall for support.
"What do you want from me?" Legolas asked quietly still cursing at himself for what was happening. If he had just stayed to confront his lover in the morning nothing like this would have happened.
"… The poison is called Lover's Bane… Anyone who comes in contact with the poison will die in 40 days. You will not find the antidote anywhere else. I have the antidote…"
"… What do you want me to do?" Legolas said as he soothed his lover's arm.
"… You wed me tomorrow… and you get the antidote…" Boromir said with a smirk so wide it was a grin.
"No!" Aragorn spoke up in his anger, "You- you-…" He was too furious speak and only looked back and forth between the two. He suddenly felt a blaze of pain hit him, it was worse than anything he has ever felt before.
Legolas was staring from his lover to the man before him. His hands were shaking and he could feel tears running down his cheeks as he watched Aragorn wince in pain. "Fine… alright…." Legolas said as he gathered up his strength, "I will wed you."
"No! You can't!" Aragorn cried amid his pain.
Legolas said nothing as he looked down; there was blood down his arm. Obviously Boromir's sword had touched his skin as well. Aragorn's eyes widened in horror as he watched the elven prince's arm trickle with blood.
"You're bleeding…" He said softly
Legolas bit his lip and said nothing. He did not want to give this poor excuse for a man any more satisfaction.
"I would suggest you get away from him," Boromir said quietly, "Being his lover, you are only bringing him more pain. Unless of course… you want him to suffer. Come with me now… you will both be alright if you do what I say." He was smiling as he pulled Legolas away and into his arms. Legolas said nothing more and did not struggle. With tears streaming he gave Aragorn one last look that said, "I'm sorry about bringing you so much pain …" before turning away.
Aragorn watched his lover being lead away in tears and pain and he could feel himself being overcome with an anger that suppressed his pain. He could feel a blazing stab of hurt every time he thought about the elf and by morning the pain had nearly beaten him. He lay upon the bed trying to turn his mind elsewhere.
Legolas cried softly to himself as the night passed away. He could feel the pain slowly suppressing him but it did not compare the to the worry he felt for his lover. He cursed at himself as he thought about all the things he could have done differently.
Morning seeped through his windows and he was feeling a little better. He watched as Boromir came into his room and touched Legolas on the cheek. "Come on now… you and I are going to be wed… why the long face?"
Legolas stared bitterly and turned his face away. He could feel tears falling from his eyes again. "Why?" He said as he found his voice, "I understand how you can be angry at me but why are you hurting him?"
"… Because you belong to me… we can't have other people standing in our way, now can we?"
"I do not belong to you…" Legolas said calmly and bitterly, "I never will…"
"Don't be so sure about that…" The man said as he slipped a tongue down the elf's neck.
"Stop it…" Legolas pulled away, he winced as he thought about Aragorn because the pain was slowly coming back to him. It came every time he thought about his love.
"Now… no need to be hostile… here."
Legolas felt a bottle being pressed in his hand.
"Drink this… I will give the one to your love after the ceremony…"
Legolas looked down at the purple liquid that was concealed in a bottle. He said nothing more as he watched the man walk away and lock the door behind him. "This is the antidote then… Aragorn should have this one… he is worse off than I am right now." With this thought he was decided. He looked toward the door; a guard was standing outside.
"Guard…" He spoke softly, "What would it take for you to say… give me a lift out of here?"
"I cannot let you out,
orders."
"Not even for say… gold?"
"Gold…?" The guard repeated as his eyes glittered with interest.
"Pure… gold." Legolas said gently as he pulled out a drawstring bag from his tunic, "Here… there will be ten times more if you could… accidentally unlock the door?"
"No, I cannot be bribed."
"Oh… too bad, how about… if you followed me?" Legolas murmured. "… Let me take this bottle to the second room in the left wing… and I will give you more gold than you ever dreamed of…"
"…That would not hurt…" The guard muttered, "If I followed you…"
Aragorn was practically pacing by the time the guard and the elven prince arrived at his room. "Legolas!" He gasped as he embraced his lover. Legolas breathed in relief to see Aragorn still alive and well.
"Here… I don't have much time… just drink this."
"What is it? Are you sure?"
"It is the antidote… I'm very sure."
"But what about you? It broke your skin as well?"
"I… I already took it… "
"You're sure…"
"Very sure. Please… take it!"
"…. Time is up." The guard spoke as he saw that they have been gone much too long. Legolas gave Aragorn a soft kiss on the cheek and pulled away.
Aragorn stared at the bottle in his hand for a few seconds and thought about it. He thought that he would put it away just to be sure. He thought about Legolas but felt his shoulder beginning to burn again. He was angry and frustrated that he could do nothing while the one he loved was forced into marriage.
When the pain was growing unbearable, Aragorn had decided that he had nothing left to lose. He swallowed the liquid down his throat and to his surprise, he felt so much better. But he was feeling tired and weak although the pain was completely gone.
He remembered that the ceremony was happening in a few hours as he picked up his sword from the ground.
Legolas lay upon the day bed as he felt the pain upon him grow worse. He did not know how he was going to fool anyone like this. He knew that he did not have the strength to go through the ceremony. He lifted his head weakly as he saw Boromir walk in.
"Come on my beautiful… get ready for the ceremony…" Boromir paused, "You did drink the potion…"
"Yes…" Legolas lied as smoothly as he could. He was being overcome with pain and could hardly hold it back any longer.
"Alright…"
As soon as Boromir left the room Legolas felt blood pour from his mouth. He looked up in pain and noticed that there were servants staring at him.
He cleaned the blood from his mouth and ran a comb through his hair. Legolas was still somewhat worried about Aragorn and he was nearly ready to collapse from the pain. "Please… save us…." He whispered as he changed his clothes.
Aragorn had made his way down the hall after hitting the guard unconscious. He waited in the common room for his love to come down. It seemed that the ceremony had almost began and Boromir stood there with a grin on his face so wide that it was disgusting.
Legolas watched several of the guards looked at him hungrily. He was in too much pain to care anymore; he just wished to disappear from the face of the earth. "I have to go through with this…" He told himself, "Least until I know that Aragorn is alright." His hands were bound behind him and he could feel blood rushing through his veins.
"Legolas…" Aragorn whispered softly as he saw the beautiful elf walking slowly down the isle. The elven prince was clad in white and his long golden hair was flowing behind him. But the light that always shone around him was dimming. Aragorn saw that the elf's hands were bound and there was silver tear slowly slipping down. He gripped his sword tightly as he watched. He knew that if he did attack now…
"... Estel…please forgive me." Legolas whispered as he stood before the altar. He could feel his arms growing numb and another blaze of pain running through him. He winced as a few cold fingers lifted his chin.
"… Ready now?"
"… You will keep your word…" Legolas said softly, "If I go through with this… you will let him go…" He was hoping that Aragorn had already taken the potion and freed himself but he could not be sure. He had to do this just in case.
"Of course."
Legolas winced in pain but forced his expression to be firm and unmoved. He wanted to die as he felt an arm slipped around his waist. The pain was almost too intense to bear. Half way through the ceremony, the pain had overwhelmed him. He nearly collapsed if it were not for the arms around him.
"What is wrong with you?"
"… Nothing…" Legolas tried to say but he felt blood rushing into his mouth. With that he threw up blood some blood on the floor and fainted.
With that Aragorn sprung from his hiding place. He had forgotten everything besides his lover and rushed to Legolas's side. He lifted the elf into his arms cut the bindings free. He looked up at the man by the altar. Anger rushed through his veins as his other hand went for his sword. No one seemed to come after him; all the guards have gone pale and were staring with curiosity.
"Legolas… awake…" He said softly as he cradled the elf in his arms, " Please… I need you…" Legolas stirred and opened his eyes slowly.
"Estel?" Legolas whispered with all his strength, "Estel… did you take the potion?"
"Yes…" Aragorn said with his eyes shaking, "But what about you...didn't you take it?"
"… I'm sorry…" Legolas replied as he gasped in pain.
"You lied…"
"I had to…"
"But… you… why? Why did you do this?"
"You would not take it if I didn't lie… And I love you too much to let you die…"
"…. Legolas…"
"I'm sorry…"
"No!" Aragorn looked up toward the steward furiously.
"Give him the potion!" He yelled, his voice nearly shaking the ground.
"That potion was for him… that was the last one I had…"
"You…" Aragorn spluttered in his anger. He was ready to jump on the man and kill him. Legolas laid his head upon Aragorn's arm and groaned. Aragorn quickly turned his attention back to his lover. His eyes filled with tears as he felt a weak grip upon his wrist. "Well? Make another!"
"It is not that simple, it takes at least 6 months. You won't be able to make it."
"Were you going to deceive us?" Aragorn snapped, "Is that it?" He finally understood. After he dies, this man would have the elven beauty all to himself. But the plan backfired and Legolas took the worse end of it all.
"Estel… forget it…." Legolas whispered, "Just hold me." He was afraid that something like this was going to happen but he was relieved that it was to him and not Aragorn. The pain seemed numb to him now as he closed his eyes. Aragorn held the exquisite creature tightly and kissed the brow.