Legolas rode steadily. The maiden's chestnut head had fallen against his chest as they rode, swaying with the movement of Ernoleiom. He glanced down at her expressionless face, distressing.
"Please, hold on a little longer!" he murmured in her ear, whether or not she cold hear him. An hour or two had pasted when he reached the gates of Rivendell. Flying through them, he cast about for the stable. Descending from Ernoleiom, he ran for the House of Elrond, ignoring the cries from the gates men. He pounded on the door with his available hand, clutching the girl to his side with the other. An Elf came in answer to his knock.
"Legolas! We did not expect you so soon, or at this time of night? What ails you?"
"I must see Lord Elrond," Legolas panted. The Elf in the doorway was about to decline, when he noticed the maiden in his arms.
"Good Valar!" he cried, dragging Legolas and the girl into the room.
"Wait here, I'll go fetch Elrond!"
Legolas sat on the chair provided, the woman on his lap. Her inhales and exhales was becoming less numerous, her body becoming more limp.
"Hold on for just a little longer, milady!" whispered Legolas again. As though obliging his words, her breathing stayed at the same pace, until Elrond appeared.
"Legolas," he announced, grey eyes surveying the two people before him, "What has happened?"
After a hurried explanation, Elrond stated.
"Carthondion (the Elf who opened the door) help Master Legolas bring this woman to the House of Healing. I shall be along in a moment."
Legolas needed no help. He scooped up the girl, who weighed very little anyway, and followed Carthondion to a large room, filled with many beds. Legolas set her down on one of them.
"You can go to your regular sleeping quarters," coaxed Carthondion, "Lord Elrond will restore her, she will be all right,"
Legolas, both very sore and tired, sauntered off to his bedroom. He slept fretfully, worrying about the girl throughout the night.
Meanwhile, back in the House of Healing, a pair of large, green-brown eyes opened wearily, to see a satisfied Elrond, before closing and allowing their owner to drift into sleep, where she dreamed about her half-conscious ride from a strange camp to Rivendell.
"Please, hold on a little longer!" he murmured in her ear, whether or not she cold hear him. An hour or two had pasted when he reached the gates of Rivendell. Flying through them, he cast about for the stable. Descending from Ernoleiom, he ran for the House of Elrond, ignoring the cries from the gates men. He pounded on the door with his available hand, clutching the girl to his side with the other. An Elf came in answer to his knock.
"Legolas! We did not expect you so soon, or at this time of night? What ails you?"
"I must see Lord Elrond," Legolas panted. The Elf in the doorway was about to decline, when he noticed the maiden in his arms.
"Good Valar!" he cried, dragging Legolas and the girl into the room.
"Wait here, I'll go fetch Elrond!"
Legolas sat on the chair provided, the woman on his lap. Her inhales and exhales was becoming less numerous, her body becoming more limp.
"Hold on for just a little longer, milady!" whispered Legolas again. As though obliging his words, her breathing stayed at the same pace, until Elrond appeared.
"Legolas," he announced, grey eyes surveying the two people before him, "What has happened?"
After a hurried explanation, Elrond stated.
"Carthondion (the Elf who opened the door) help Master Legolas bring this woman to the House of Healing. I shall be along in a moment."
Legolas needed no help. He scooped up the girl, who weighed very little anyway, and followed Carthondion to a large room, filled with many beds. Legolas set her down on one of them.
"You can go to your regular sleeping quarters," coaxed Carthondion, "Lord Elrond will restore her, she will be all right,"
Legolas, both very sore and tired, sauntered off to his bedroom. He slept fretfully, worrying about the girl throughout the night.
Meanwhile, back in the House of Healing, a pair of large, green-brown eyes opened wearily, to see a satisfied Elrond, before closing and allowing their owner to drift into sleep, where she dreamed about her half-conscious ride from a strange camp to Rivendell.