I'm sorry if this chapter seems to go a bit too fast (though perhaps you think that's not the case). Sigh- I really need a good nights sleep- which I really won't get if I stay up till 3:30 am and have to rise relatively early. Well, hope you enjoy the last chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own them, just wish that I did… sigh. They belong to the wonderful professor named J.R.R Tolkien…

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Chapter 10

The new medicine Thranduil had mixed finally brought down the fever Aragorn was suffering. He lay in bed now, sleeping without dreams thanks to Elrond who had woken earlier that day. The elf lord looked old and tired, unusual for an elf, no matter the circumstances.

Legolas was resting in one of the guest rooms, having been forced out of the room by the older elf. He had looked haggard and pale- having gotten almost no sleep since all this had begun. Elrond had sat beside his youngest since then; glad that he still lived yet blaming himself for abandoning him when he was needed.

Estel could have died and I was resting! I should have been there for him… The old elf sighed and looked at the still form in the bed. The burns on the handsome face still horrified him, but they had started to heal and would luckily leave no marks. Elrond had examined Aragorn when he had entered the room; his shoulders were one big myriad of colours and would pain him for some time to come. The bonds which kept his arms to his sides would have to remain there for several days at the least- to give them a chance to heal rightly. The man's ankles were slowly healing, thanks to Thranduil.

Elrond grimaced. Estel will be bedridden for a very long time and he is not going to be happy with it. And there was no position to lay the young ranger in that would not bring on pain- the whip wheals on his back were slowly closing and still painful, along with his broken ribs. The coughing had done them no good and it was only now that Aragorn lay in a dreamless sleep that they could begin to heal. The poultices Thranduil had prepared for the wheals seemed to work, but the evidence of this brutality would remain with the man his entire life.

A soft rattle could still be heard with every rise and fall of his chest, but now that the fever was nearly gone, his body's defences would start to take on that problem. Elrond stood up and walked towards the bureau, taking several herbs and bottles and mixing them in a cup. Having raised the young human, the elf lord had learned how to treat some of humans' illnesses. He walked back towards the bed and softly spoke to his son, muttering words of comfort in the man's ear.

He lifted Aragorn's head slightly and held the cup against his lips. He tilted it slightly and though the sleeping human tried to move away a bit, he opened his lips to swallow the liquid. When he had drunk all, Elrond laid him back down on the pillows and picked up one of his hands, reassuring the ranger that he was not alone as much as reassuring himself that a pulse still beat beneath the clammy skin.

All of a sudden, a door banging shut could be heard all throughout the palace. Elrond perked up his ears and listened…

~~~

When the hunting party arrived back at the palace, Glorfindel ordered the head of the warriors to report to Thranduil, wanting to see how Elrond's youngest was faring. Elrohir, who had been silent all the way back after his talk with Glorfindel, stormed off towards his appointed chambers.

"Elrohir, wait! Tell me what he said!" Elladan called after his brother, knowing from Glorfindel that he had words with one of the orcs, but what the orc had said, neither were willing to disclose.

Elrohir kept on walking, needing to be away from everyone at this moment. The blonde elf laid a hand on Elladan's shoulder, stopping him from following his twin.

"Leave him be, Elladan. He needs time… Let's go see how your other brother is faring."

Together, they walked toward Legolas' room. When they were preparing to knock on the door, a soft Enter was heard from inside. Elladan pushed open the door, his eyes roaming over the room and Elrond sitting in one of the chairs until they came to rest on the figure of his youngest brother. He walked to the other side of the bed and rested his hand on the young man's forehead.

"The fever has broken… How is he further?" He asked his father.

Elrond sighed. "He is on the mend. His injuries will take a long time to heal, but he will not be crippled by them. The pneumonia is being fought now by his body… Aragorn will not be able to leave this bed for quite awhile."

"He will not like to hear that, my Lord. You know how he is after one of his illnesses." Glorfindel said as he too came near the bed, taking in the half-open eyes staring at him.

"G-glow-wing." They heard a weak and raspy voice say.

Elladan was surprised to hear the soft voice of his brother, then frowned at what he had said. "What do you mean, Estel?"

Aragorn kept his eyes fixed on Glorfindel, fighting to keep his eyes open. "Am'n?" He queried.

Glorfindel smiled. "Yes, young one. It is indeed the light of Aman you see. I do not-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the door flew open, admitting Legolas. "How did the hunt go?" He asked before noticing the eyes watching him. "Estel! I'm so glad to see you awake!" He walked to the head of the bed and looked his friend in the eyes; they were more lucid than they had been for days.

Aragorn just blinked; too tired to respond anymore.

"The hunt was successful." Glorfindel informed them. "All orcs were killed and we are certain it were the ones attacking Estel." He said so softly only the elves could hear the remark. Unconsciously, he fingered the piece of cloth he had tucked up his arm brace.

Legolas noticed and raised an eyebrow, recognizing the cloth as belonging to his human friend. He decided to ask Glorfindel later, when they were alone.

"And where is your other half, Elladan? I could have sworn I heard him earlier."

"He wants to be alone for awhile." Seeing the worried look Aragorn gave him, he assured the man. "He's alright, you know how he is after an orc hunt. He still hurts over Amme." He whispered the last, a pained look crossing both his and his father's face.

"W-what happened? Why do I hurt so?" Aragorn's slurred voice asked.

Elrond raised an eyebrow. "You do not remember? What is the last thing you do remember?"

The ranger closed his eyes and when he did not answer for a while, the elves thought he had fallen back asleep. His eyes opened again, confusion written all over his face.

"I was coming home because I was getting sick. Something happened, but…"

"It's all right now, Estel." Legolas reassured. "You were attacked by orcs, but Handil and I found you and brought you here."

Questioning eyes searched the room, looking for the young elf. Not finding him, they met those of the archer with a tinge of worry.

"Handil is all right too, my friend. He is a bit tired from using his gifts, but he will be up and about in no time."

Just then, the form of the young healer elf walked through the open door. Handil indeed looked tired, but when he saw his only human friend alive and awake… well; half-awake, relief was dominant in his eyes.

The man's eyes were trying valiantly to stay open. Elrond noticed this and shooed the others out of the room, walking after them to close the door.

"You have seen that he will live, now let him rest. You can come back later. Elladan, please go and see if your brother is all right. He will be relieved to hear that Estel is going to be all right." He looked his son in the eye. "Tell him that Estel can't remember what happened- I'd like to keep it that way. I think he was already running a fever when he went home and that because of it, his brain didn't store the new information. It is a lucky thing…" The elf lord trailed off.

Elladan nodded and went to speak with his brother.

Legolas walked up to Glorfindel, but seeing the determined look in the blonde's eyes, decided not to ask- having already his suspicions.

"Come, now that we know he is going to be fine, let us retire to the halls." Legolas suggested.

Glorfindel nodded and followed after the young prince.

~~~

Back in the room, Elrond walked to his son and took up his seat once more.

"You had us all scared, little one. You came out of a great battle and have won. Now all you need to do is rest- we're here if you need us."

Aragorn eyes fluttered closed. "I'm so tired, Ada." He said, his words slurring even more than before- sleep was only seconds away.

"Then rest, my son." Answered the elven lord, stroking the man's brow.

And, closing his eyes, Aragorn did just that. Everything would be fine now…

~~~

THE END