Chapter 7
Eowyn awoke when the first rays of sunlight hit her cheeks. She yawned, stretched her arms over her head, and sat up. It took her a moment or two to realize that the spaces beside her on the enormous blanket were empty. "Surely he has not died?" She asked herself in a panic and quickly stood. She did not even bother to clear their sleeping area and bolted straight for the sick room.
Sure enough, Aragorn and Gimli were there, each standing with their heads bowed. Theoden stood on one side of the bed and Thranduil stood on the other. Eowyn hated to break this moment of silence, so she tiptoed over to her Uncle and tenderly touched his shoulder. Theoden jumped a little before turning to face his niece.
"How is he?" Eowyn whispered, unable to contain herself any longer. She looked at the sleeping form of Legolas. The color seemed to have returned to the Elf's cheeks, and she noticed that an empty glass vial sat on the nightstand.
"The fever broke only an hour ago," Theoden replied. "We are waiting for him to awaken."
Eowyn covered her mouth with her hands and the tears immediately began flowing down her cheeks. "When I did not see you," She told Aragorn, "I was terrified that Legolas had died and that you were afraid to tell me."
Aragorn smiled softly. "No, he is not dead. We could not wake you-you looked much too comfortable."
Eowyn gave the ranger a threatening glare, which caused Theoden to chuckle. Thranduil lifted his head, his blue eyes watching them. He knelt down beside his son and whispered, "Tolo dan na ngalad."and tenderly touched his sleeping son's forehead. Eowyn felt her Uncle pull her to him in a gentle hug, and she folded her arms, watching hopefully as she noticed Legolas's eyes move underneath their lids.
"I suppose he took the medicine then?" Eowyn asked with curiosity.
Thranduil nodded. "It took a bit of a struggle, but he did."
Eowyn stepped forward. "I know I do not often do such a thing, but...." She walked over to the bed ridden Elf and placed a gentle kiss upon his brow. Then she quickly stepped back. "If that does not bring him back nothing will." She turned to Aragorn who was trying very hard not to laugh, and snapped, "What?"
As though to answer her question, Legolas let out a weak moan and moved a bit. Gimli held his breath and watched hopefully as the Elf's eyes slowly opened halfway. He gazed ahead, and looked a bit confused by his surroundings. Thranduil gently kissed his son's forehead and watched as Legolas tried to move his lips. "Legolas!" Gimli cried, rushing over to the bed and placing both of his hands onto the mattress. "Speak to me, friend."
Legolas turned to him and it seemed as though a sudden but very weak smile appeared. "Hullo." He whispered. Aragorn hurried over now and inspected the would on Legolas's arm. It was now only a small slit and the greenish black tint that had been there a few days before had disappeared.
"Oh Great Havens." Breathed Gimli. "You stupid Elf-do you realize how worried we were about you?"
Legolas watched as Aragorn wetted a fresh rag and gently blotted the wound, making sure it was clean before wrapping it in a soft bandage. Thranduil smiled when Legolas turned to him. "Ada?" He whispered. Thranduil nodded.
"Lle tyava quel?" (Do you feel well?) he asked hopefully, once again placing a hand against his son's forehead.
Legolas smiled weakly. "Lorda." (Drowsy) He yawned but that sent him into another fit of coughing.
Aragorn stepped forward. "He ought to remain in bed for the next couple of days, as he is still very weak."
Thranduil nodded. "Amin weera yassen lle." (I agree with you.) He turned to Legolas. "I am very glad to see your eyes open again, my son." He smiled softly. "As soon as I received word of your illness, I left immediately."
Gimli leaned towards Eowyn and whispered "He got here rather quickly, didn't he?"
She tried hard not to laugh.
Legolas smiled back. "I feared I would never see you again."
Thranduil looked at Aragorn. "I would like to speak with you in private please."
The ranger nodded. "All right. We will return." He told the others, and the two of them left the room. When they were gone, Gimli grasped Legolas's hand.
"We thought you were going to leave us. Don't you EVER do something like that to me again."
Legolas chuckled. "You worried so about me, did you?" He asked.
Eowyn smiled. "We all did. You were very sick, Legolas. Thank goodness your father arrived or we would surely have lost you."
Legolas looked at her fondly, before asking if he could have a sip of water. He was still too exhausted to take it down himself, so Eowyn aided him in the process. "Thank you for taking care of me." He told them. "Though I feel I will be able to sleep for an eternity."
Eowyn giggled. "Aragorn is right, Legolas. You will need to remain in bed for the next couple of days so you can regain your strength. Then we will probably start you on a very bland diet and take you for short walks around here before you can continue your journey."
Legolas nodded. "I would like to go back to sleep now, if you do not mind." He whispered.
"Of course we do not mind." Eowyn replied.
"Tenna' telwan san'" (Until later, then.) Legolas replied, before burrying himself under the thick blankets again.
Eowyn stood with a puzzled expression on her face. "What did he say to us?" HE asked Gimli. The dwarf smirked.
"Once an Elf always an Elf." He teased. "We ought to leave and give him peace and quiet for now."
Eowyn shook her head. "I do not think it is a good time to leave him alone just yet. I will stay with him until the Lord Aragorn returns. If you wish to leave, you may."
"Very well." Gimli nodded respectfully before heading out of the room. He stopped when he saw Thranduil and Aragorn standing at the end of the corridor closest to one of the glass windows. They were both speaking to each other in Elvish, and he could tell it was about Legolas, for the Elvan King was becoming very emotional with each word. The Dwarf did not understand a word they were saying and he had no idea what made him want to stay where he was.
"He will be all right, won't he?" Gimli walked over to them, and the Elf and the Man turned to him.
"En rant." (of course) Thranduil promised with a smile.
"He does not understand Elvish," Aragorn explained.
"Ah." Thranduil nodded and turned back to Gimli. "Yes, Legolas will be all right, but the poison weakened him greately. He will never return to the strong form he once was, and when you begin your journey again, keep a very close eye on him."
"His heart is weak," Aragorn added. "We will not be able to run as often. Anywhere we go, it will be crucial to ride a horse for sake of his health."
The dwarf nodded in understanding. "How long will he have to stay in bed, Aragorn? We are still planning to continue the search for the hobbits, aren't we?"
The rangers nodded. "Yes. But I would allow Legolas at least three more days of rest before we start slow."
Three days was not much, but they were in haste to continue looking for the two halflings. "Does he sleep?" Thranduil asked after the silence became very thick and rather uncomfortable.
Gimli nodded. "Aie, he sleeps."
"Good."
"Would you care for a spot of wine, Lord Thranduil?" Aragorn asked, turning to the King of Mirkwood. "I believe there is a good stash in the dining hall."
The Elf nodded. "I most certainly would. Diolla lle." (Thank you)
"Lle creso." (You're welcome). Aragorn turned to Gimli. "Would you care to join us?"
The dwarf grinned. "When do I ever miss a chance for a good glass of wine?" He asked and followed them away.
Eowyn awoke when the first rays of sunlight hit her cheeks. She yawned, stretched her arms over her head, and sat up. It took her a moment or two to realize that the spaces beside her on the enormous blanket were empty. "Surely he has not died?" She asked herself in a panic and quickly stood. She did not even bother to clear their sleeping area and bolted straight for the sick room.
Sure enough, Aragorn and Gimli were there, each standing with their heads bowed. Theoden stood on one side of the bed and Thranduil stood on the other. Eowyn hated to break this moment of silence, so she tiptoed over to her Uncle and tenderly touched his shoulder. Theoden jumped a little before turning to face his niece.
"How is he?" Eowyn whispered, unable to contain herself any longer. She looked at the sleeping form of Legolas. The color seemed to have returned to the Elf's cheeks, and she noticed that an empty glass vial sat on the nightstand.
"The fever broke only an hour ago," Theoden replied. "We are waiting for him to awaken."
Eowyn covered her mouth with her hands and the tears immediately began flowing down her cheeks. "When I did not see you," She told Aragorn, "I was terrified that Legolas had died and that you were afraid to tell me."
Aragorn smiled softly. "No, he is not dead. We could not wake you-you looked much too comfortable."
Eowyn gave the ranger a threatening glare, which caused Theoden to chuckle. Thranduil lifted his head, his blue eyes watching them. He knelt down beside his son and whispered, "Tolo dan na ngalad."and tenderly touched his sleeping son's forehead. Eowyn felt her Uncle pull her to him in a gentle hug, and she folded her arms, watching hopefully as she noticed Legolas's eyes move underneath their lids.
"I suppose he took the medicine then?" Eowyn asked with curiosity.
Thranduil nodded. "It took a bit of a struggle, but he did."
Eowyn stepped forward. "I know I do not often do such a thing, but...." She walked over to the bed ridden Elf and placed a gentle kiss upon his brow. Then she quickly stepped back. "If that does not bring him back nothing will." She turned to Aragorn who was trying very hard not to laugh, and snapped, "What?"
As though to answer her question, Legolas let out a weak moan and moved a bit. Gimli held his breath and watched hopefully as the Elf's eyes slowly opened halfway. He gazed ahead, and looked a bit confused by his surroundings. Thranduil gently kissed his son's forehead and watched as Legolas tried to move his lips. "Legolas!" Gimli cried, rushing over to the bed and placing both of his hands onto the mattress. "Speak to me, friend."
Legolas turned to him and it seemed as though a sudden but very weak smile appeared. "Hullo." He whispered. Aragorn hurried over now and inspected the would on Legolas's arm. It was now only a small slit and the greenish black tint that had been there a few days before had disappeared.
"Oh Great Havens." Breathed Gimli. "You stupid Elf-do you realize how worried we were about you?"
Legolas watched as Aragorn wetted a fresh rag and gently blotted the wound, making sure it was clean before wrapping it in a soft bandage. Thranduil smiled when Legolas turned to him. "Ada?" He whispered. Thranduil nodded.
"Lle tyava quel?" (Do you feel well?) he asked hopefully, once again placing a hand against his son's forehead.
Legolas smiled weakly. "Lorda." (Drowsy) He yawned but that sent him into another fit of coughing.
Aragorn stepped forward. "He ought to remain in bed for the next couple of days, as he is still very weak."
Thranduil nodded. "Amin weera yassen lle." (I agree with you.) He turned to Legolas. "I am very glad to see your eyes open again, my son." He smiled softly. "As soon as I received word of your illness, I left immediately."
Gimli leaned towards Eowyn and whispered "He got here rather quickly, didn't he?"
She tried hard not to laugh.
Legolas smiled back. "I feared I would never see you again."
Thranduil looked at Aragorn. "I would like to speak with you in private please."
The ranger nodded. "All right. We will return." He told the others, and the two of them left the room. When they were gone, Gimli grasped Legolas's hand.
"We thought you were going to leave us. Don't you EVER do something like that to me again."
Legolas chuckled. "You worried so about me, did you?" He asked.
Eowyn smiled. "We all did. You were very sick, Legolas. Thank goodness your father arrived or we would surely have lost you."
Legolas looked at her fondly, before asking if he could have a sip of water. He was still too exhausted to take it down himself, so Eowyn aided him in the process. "Thank you for taking care of me." He told them. "Though I feel I will be able to sleep for an eternity."
Eowyn giggled. "Aragorn is right, Legolas. You will need to remain in bed for the next couple of days so you can regain your strength. Then we will probably start you on a very bland diet and take you for short walks around here before you can continue your journey."
Legolas nodded. "I would like to go back to sleep now, if you do not mind." He whispered.
"Of course we do not mind." Eowyn replied.
"Tenna' telwan san'" (Until later, then.) Legolas replied, before burrying himself under the thick blankets again.
Eowyn stood with a puzzled expression on her face. "What did he say to us?" HE asked Gimli. The dwarf smirked.
"Once an Elf always an Elf." He teased. "We ought to leave and give him peace and quiet for now."
Eowyn shook her head. "I do not think it is a good time to leave him alone just yet. I will stay with him until the Lord Aragorn returns. If you wish to leave, you may."
"Very well." Gimli nodded respectfully before heading out of the room. He stopped when he saw Thranduil and Aragorn standing at the end of the corridor closest to one of the glass windows. They were both speaking to each other in Elvish, and he could tell it was about Legolas, for the Elvan King was becoming very emotional with each word. The Dwarf did not understand a word they were saying and he had no idea what made him want to stay where he was.
"He will be all right, won't he?" Gimli walked over to them, and the Elf and the Man turned to him.
"En rant." (of course) Thranduil promised with a smile.
"He does not understand Elvish," Aragorn explained.
"Ah." Thranduil nodded and turned back to Gimli. "Yes, Legolas will be all right, but the poison weakened him greately. He will never return to the strong form he once was, and when you begin your journey again, keep a very close eye on him."
"His heart is weak," Aragorn added. "We will not be able to run as often. Anywhere we go, it will be crucial to ride a horse for sake of his health."
The dwarf nodded in understanding. "How long will he have to stay in bed, Aragorn? We are still planning to continue the search for the hobbits, aren't we?"
The rangers nodded. "Yes. But I would allow Legolas at least three more days of rest before we start slow."
Three days was not much, but they were in haste to continue looking for the two halflings. "Does he sleep?" Thranduil asked after the silence became very thick and rather uncomfortable.
Gimli nodded. "Aie, he sleeps."
"Good."
"Would you care for a spot of wine, Lord Thranduil?" Aragorn asked, turning to the King of Mirkwood. "I believe there is a good stash in the dining hall."
The Elf nodded. "I most certainly would. Diolla lle." (Thank you)
"Lle creso." (You're welcome). Aragorn turned to Gimli. "Would you care to join us?"
The dwarf grinned. "When do I ever miss a chance for a good glass of wine?" He asked and followed them away.