Sickness
By: Alilacia
Rating: PG-13
Feedback:
Spoilers: None that I can think of.
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings, or anything to do with the film or books. That honour goes to Peter Jackson (et all) and J.R.R Tolkien. I have no permission what so ever to use these characters, will not receive any money for this, and am doing this for my own enjoyment. And to get away from doing my college assignments
Series:
Mortality
Lessons
Wandering
Learning Curve
Sickness
Summary:
News of a disease spreading from village to village reaches Imladris. Estel, his brothers and Legolas decide to help. But can a human with Númenorian blood survive when all other humans are fading?
Mae govannen!
This is the fifth instalment in The Lennath Series. According to the site I found on the internet 'Lennath' is apparently journey's in Sindarin. I apologise if it isn't, my elvish skills are not the best in the world.
So in English it is basically 'The Journey's Series'. I decided to call it The Journey's Series, because that is basically what all the stories are about: Legolas' and Aragorn's journey's though life, and the paths it takes them on.
This is the fifth chapter of Sickness, and I hope you all enjoy it.
First I am going to make it clear that this is a NON-SLASH, so you won't be finding any relationship between Legolas and Aragorn that is any closer than brothers. I'm sorry if you don't like that, but I'm not going to make it any different.
I've decided to take a leaf out of Cassia and Siobhan's book and put all the answers to the reviews before the story rather than after it as I have done in previous chapters. If anyone does not want to read them simply bypass all the bold print. And unless you want to read them, they are quite long. The story will start though when you skip past all the bold print :sweatdrops:
:grins widely: lots and lots of trouble if I have anything to do with it.
This is Estel, of course he's gonna try and help people. Even if he is sick. :sighs: stubborn human….
:pictures Elrond grounding Aragorn::chuckles: yeah…. I'm sure overly-independent Aragorn would take that very well.
Don't worry mellon-nin::hands back wet noodle: although I do love reading your reviews, it didn't mean it was the end of the world or something 'coz you didn't review. In fact this latest review was rather entertaining
If your most ferocious one is in rehab, I really don't think I want to meet the others. :shudders:
As angst as it would be to kill off Estel, there's one small problem that he's needed for the Quest later on. :shudders again: I'd hate to have a battalion of fans on my tail because I killed off Aragorn. Not to mention that I'd have four very angry elves hunting me down. ;
Speaking of wargs, where do you get the ferocious kind? I think I must have got the kind that were kicked out of Mordor for being too nice. Not that wargs can be nice. :pictures a toothy grin from warg and blanches:
Ah well, maybe I'll send them to a group or something. Maybe they'll fit in at TNFWA. Totally Not Ferocious Wargs Anonymous. ;;
I have not read the Silmarillion, or any of the other history/information books published regarding the Lord of the Rings. So I apologise if there are any mistakes in these stories. Feel free to let me know if there are. I am learning new things each day, and I owe quite a few people major thanks for some of that information.
This story isn't actually beta'd (in fact none of them have been so far) so there are probably quite a few mistakes in them.
I heard that the elves call the sun 'She'. I can't remember where I read this, but I'm hoping that it is correct :crosses fingers:
Namárië nin mellyn
Alilacia
Sickness
Elrohir glanced once again down at the ground, and then lifted his gaze to stare at the shining glimmers of light in the sky. A gentle kind of silence had descended over the woods, and Elrohir looked over as Elladan shifted slightly beside him. Neither were feeling the least bit tired, and Elrohir turned around to see if Legolas was still awake.
What he saw brought a smile to his lips, and he nudged Elladan with his elbow. Elladan rubbed at the spot and glared at his brother, ready to say something when Elrohir shook his head, held his finger up to his lips and pointed ahead of him. The elder twin raised a slender eyebrow but looked where his brother was pointing.
And had to smile at the sight.
Elrohir nodded by his side, and they both sat staring at Legolas and Estel. Fond smiles tugged at their lips, and neither made any attempt to wake the pair. It had been a long time since they had seen Estel this at peace, especially up in the trees. They had forgotten that Estel sometimes had trouble sleeping in the trees, and when Estel had been a child, they would have taken him into their arms and held him until he fell asleep. And so it was nice that someone else was doing this for their brother, one who was not obligated to care for the human by blood.
Although Estel knew that his elven family cared for him sometimes, especially when he was a child, the human sometimes thought that the only reason that they were taking care of him was because they were obligated because he had been adopted into their family.
But Legolas was under no such obligation.
It warmed the twins hearts that Estel had found such a treasured friend. They had been waiting a long time for Estel to find someone outside of their family who cared for him, and they never thought that Estel would find such a friend in the elven prince. They shouldn't have been surprised really, for they knew that Estel would eventually travel and see the world, and the human had the knack for befriending almost everyone he met.
The starting of their friendship was no doubt helped by the fact that Estel and Legolas were very much alike. Both were incredibly stubborn and impulsive. Neither took very well to being told what to do, and rebelled if they thought the situation required it.
Elladan shook his head and tore his gaze away from the sleeping pair. Keen eyes searching for any sign of danger and his posture alert. They stayed that way even as the sun started to appear on the edge of the horizon.
The shifting of the person in his grip, and the warming light from the sun, slowly roused Legolas from his sleep. The elf blinked as the light shone into his eyes, and he lifted a slender hand to shield his eyes. Aragorn stirred in his grip as the ranger felt the hand leave his side. Legolas looked back down to Aragorn as the human shifted again, and tensed as awareness came back to him. Legolas leant down and whispered in the humans ear. He tightened his grip as awareness started to return to the sleepy human. The elf didn't want Aragorn falling from the tree.
Aragorn blinked as arms tightened around his waist, and words were softly whispered into his ear. He recognised the voice to be Legolas, and wondered why he was lying in his friends arms. The events of last night came back to the human, and he pulled away slowly.
When he turned around cautiously on the branch, Aragorn saw that Legolas was rising. The elf was gently rotating his shoulder as he easily sidestepped past Aragorn and headed over to his brothers. Aragorn felt a twinge of guilt that he was the one who had caused the elf discomfort. If he had only been able to sleep...
Legolas looked over to see if Aragorn was following him, and nearly sighed. Aragorn sometimes wore his emotions plainly on his face, especially when he thought that people were not looking. And right now, Aragorn looked guilty. Legolas frowned and tried to think what Aragorn might possibly be feeling guilty about. The only thing that Aragorn had done was nearly fall out of a tree, and then went to sleep.
Aragorn couldn't be feeling guilty about nearly falling from the tree, could he?
No, Legolas thought, Aragorn can't be. I wasn't hurt and neither was he. So what...
Legolas eyes widened as it occurred to him. Aragorn must have seen how his shoulders were a little sore from supporting his weight all night.
Legolas shook his head, and moved over to his friend. Aragorn met his eyes when Legolas gripped his arm. "Come on Estel, the sun is up and the rain has stopped. We should be going." Aragorn nodded, although guilt still lingered in his eyes. As Aragorn slowly stepped over each branch, Legolas glanced back over his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself for something that isn't your fault."
The softly spoken elven words reached Aragorn and stopped him cold. He didn't know he had been that easy to read. A small smile spread over his face as Legolas glanced at him again and smiled. If Legolas said that he was okay, and that there was not blame he should be feeling, than Aragorn was happy with that.
"She is shining brighter today," Aragorn heard Elladan say as he reached his brothers side, "let's get this journey started, shall we?"
The elves moved slowly down the tree, all three alert if Aragorn should slip. None of them wanted a repeat of the near potentially fatal accident the day before.
Aragorn and Legolas were the last two to reach the ground, and Aragorn glanced up at the sky with a pleased sigh. The sky was bright and clear, and there was not a cloud to be seen.
The trees spread out into a clearing, and Aragorn's eyes widened at weathered ruins that appeared before them. The stone chippings, and odd assorted debris spoke of the length of time that must have passed since repairs took place; and creeping vines were intertwined over statues and spread over the floor.
Legolas couldn't help glancing at the weathered history of an accomplished race, and Aragorn let his hand slowly drag over the stonework. Although these stones were a far cry from the splendour they once were, there was a sense of nobility that seemed to seep from the very stones themselves.
Aragorn couldn't believe that they had missed these the last time that they had walked through these woods.
"You would be taken by them Estel," Aragorn looked up as Elladan walked into step next to him. "You can't keep your hands to yourself can you." Aragorn ignored Elladan, and continued to look at the stonework, "I shouldn't be surprised though. I bet you feel something about these stones." Aragorn snapped his gaze to look at his brother who was running his hands along the stones, just as Aragorn had been doing. Elladan's words had caught everyone's attention, and they were waiting for him to speak. "The ruins before you once heralded the presence of the Dunedain in these woods. These buildings once stood tall and proud, and used to be part of the Kingdom of Arnor."
Elrohir pushed himself up so he was sitting on the corner of one of the eroded walls, and continued the story. "It was only after the wars with the Witch King of Angmar that these woods were known as the Trollshaws." Estel lost himself in the story, and in his brothers words, as he looked around the ruins. If he looked close enough Estel swore that he could see people walking in amongst the walls, but if he blinked they disappeared.
The twins ushered them in through the next gap in the trees, and Aragorn once again marvelled at what he saw. Three huge stone statues were lying on the ground, and Aragorn was not fully sure what they were.
"The woods became known as the Trollshaws because of these..." Elrohir continued and stepped up next to the closest statue. Aragorn stepped up next to him, and leaned in closer. His eyes widened when he saw that they were trolls.
"The trolls were called Bert, Tom and William." said Elladan, "they lived in these woods, feasting on unwary travellers, until the Quest of Erebor. When they happened upon thirteen dwarves and a hobbit." Elladan shook his head with a smile. "You should know of these travellers Legolas." Aragorn glanced over to his friend, and saw a thoughtful look pass over his friends face. A slight smile tugged over Legolas' face and he nodded.
"Yes, I do believe I know of the travellers in question."
Elladan spoke again before Aragorn could ask Legolas anything. "They also had a little meeting with Mithrandir." The oldest twin chuckled, "and they didn't come out of it too well." Elladan patted the stone troll beside him, and nearly laughed out loud as Aragorn counted the statues and his eyes widened.
"He turned them to stone!"
The astonishment in his voice started all the elves laughing, and Legolas turned to his friend, mirth gleaming in his sky blue eyes.
"Although Mithrandir is powerful Estel, not even he can turn trolls to stone. No, She turned these trolls to stone."
"She?"
Legolas' smile widened, and the elf prince pointed to the sky.
Aragorn raised his eyebrow but followed his friends' finger. His eyes eventually stopped and landed on the sun. "The sun?"
Legolas nodded, still grinning as Strider raised an eyebrow and glanced at him before looking back at the sun.
"Mithrandir tricked the trolls into staying out past the sunrise, and they were turned to stone. All trolls are if they come in contact with Her light." Legolas explained.
"I didn't know that you knew this story Legolas." said Elrohir.
"I didn't know all of it, but when Mithrandir last visited, he mentioned something about stone trolls and keeping them up past the dawn." Legolas shook his head and started walking again. "I did not understand what Mithrandir meant then, but it was an interesting tale so I remembered it."
Aragorn followed them as they left the trolls behind. For all the times he had accompanied his brothers through these woods on hunting trips, he had never had any inkling of the ruins here, or the three stone trolls.
The sun shone even brighter as the travellers walked out of the green trees. What greeted them was an open plain, and some hills in the distance. The ground still felt a little damp, but not as bad as what Aragorn and Legolas had walked through to get to Imladris.
"It is said that the Witch King of Angmar retreated here, before fleeing north after the Battle of Fornost in 1975 of the Third Age." Aragorn muttered to Legolas as they started heading northward.
The ranger raised an eyebrow as Elladan and Elrohir turned to look at him, surprise written on their faces. "What? I do learn things you know."
"It's not that Estel, well not totally," said Elrohir, "it's just that, well... you've never shown any sign of intelligence before now."
Aragorn shook his head. "Thanks a lot Elrohir." He cast a mock woe-begone expression to Legolas who grinned. "I didn't go to Glorfindel's lessons for the fun of it you know."
"Glorfindel said much the same thing." muttered Elladan with a smirk.
Legolas felt a rush of sympathy for the people sweep over him as the extent of the ill became apparent to the group. The smell was almost over-powering as they walked through the streets. Bodies were left lying where they fell, and not a living soul could be seen. Aragorn covered his mouth and nose and had to fight not to gag as the full extent of the stench reached his senses.
"This is so wrong..." Aragorn muttered, falling back into the grey tongue in his surprise at how many people had been killed already.
Elladan glanced at his brother, and laid a supporting hand on Aragorn's shoulder. Aragorn took a moment to collect himself against what he saw and nodded. Elladan nodded back and withdrew his hand.
"Aragorn. I am warning you now to not stay too close to the ill humans in this city." warned Elrohir, "I would not see you become ill as well, promise me that you will let us handle things."
"I will only do so if I start to feel unwell. I came here as a healer, not to sit back and let a village suffer."
The elves didn't look happy, and Elrohir once again asked Aragorn to promise that he would stay out of things. Aragorn replied that he could not promise that, and if he did, there was every chance that he could end up breaking it.
Seeing the futility of trying to persuade Aragorn to stay out of helping these people, Elrohir shook his head and warned the human that if he fell ill then he was not going to be the one to tell Lord Elrond.
"Oh no, I am not going to be the one to tell him either." said Elladan when Elrohir glanced at him. "Why don't you do it?"
"Because you are the oldest." Elrohir replied.
"And as the oldest, I automatically get out of saying these things. That responsibility falls to the youngest." Elladan looked to Elrohir, who turned to look at Estel.
"Estel is the youngest."
"And if I am ill, then I cannot tell ada about myself now can I." Aragorn shook his head, and started walking further into the village, Legolas on his heels.
"Then have Legolas do it."
"Oh no, do not bring me into your plans Elladan. I will have no part in telling Lord Elrond that his youngest is injured." Legolas called back over his shoulder as he followed Aragorn around the corner. "As his sons, that duty falls to you and you alone."
Elladan's retort was cut off as the twins rounded the corner and nearly collided with Legolas and Aragorn, both of which had stopped moving a little way beyond the corner.
"Oh for the love of- don't you know better than to..." Elladan trailed off with widening eyes as he saw what was in front of them.
It looked like a still drawing, and all the people of the village were frozen in place at the sight of the elves and the human.
Aragorn looked around the city, taking in the frightened expressions on the peoples faces, and how they all seemed to shy away from them.
"Greeting, we are travellers and heard about the illness sweeping through the villages." Elladan started, moving closer to the people. When they stepped back, Elladan stopped with a sigh. "We mean you no harm, we have knowledge of herb craft and could be of help."
"You are elves," a burly man forced his way through the crowd, "we ain't had no dealings with your kind for years. And we've got no wish to change that." The man who easily only came up to Legolas' waist, strode up and poked Legolas in the legs. The elf looked down with a bemused expression, and quickly veiled it as the man looked up to face him. "Now, leave this place and go back to where-ever you came from. We don't need your help and we never asked for it neither."
Aragorn sighed. It was clear that these people were afraid. But of what?
It could be a fear brought on by the loss of so many of their people, or it could be a fear of the elves. Had this town remained so isolated that they had had no contact with the elven people?
"Why are you afraid of them?" Aragorn asked slowly as he advanced casually towards the crowd. Again, fear showed in their eyes, and they stepped back. "What have the elves ever done to you?"
"It's not what they've done elf, it's what they haven't done."
A lone, grating voice spoke out from the crowd. As the elves and the human watched, the crowd parted again and a man strode out with his eyes fixed on Aragorn. Aragorn felt almost amused at being called an elf, and wondered briefly how much he truly looked like his brothers.
The man that poked Legolas in the legs backed away, and stepped back into the crowd.
"What do you mean?" asked Aragorn.
The man was easily in his mid-forties, and his face looked a little too pale for Aragorn's liking. The man puffed out his chest, and strode up to Aragorn. They stood about two meters away from each other now, and Aragorn could easily read the fever in his green eyes.
"This cities' been under attack from those creatures for a long time now. Big and hairy, and they kill our children." The man started shifting threateningly around the small space in front of him, and Aragorn grew worried. For all the man's theatrics, Aragorn knew what the man was referring to.
Wargs.
"They come with their masters and kill all they find. And where have the elves been when this has been happening?" The man turned back around, and walked back up to Aragorn. "Safe and sound in their protected little haven." The man punctuated his last words with several pokes of his finger into Aragorn's chest, and the man had to keep from rolling his eyes. "So do as Miran says, and leave this village. Besides," the man sneered and pointed to the weapons they were all carrying, "they say they've come here to help, and yet they carry weapons. Maybe they aren't here to help at all, maybe they work for the evil ones who control the beasts and are here to steal your loved ones!" The man ended his little rant with a final sweep at the audience, and several of the people gasped and stepped back even further, their frightened eyes darting back and forth between the man and the newcomers.
The elves didn't know whether to find it insulting or funny that someone thought they would ever be a servant of an orc, and started thinking of the best way to get these people to trust them. A lot of the people in the crowd did not look well at all, and the elves didn't want to waste precious time listening to some human who was looking worse as each minute passed.
Aragorn sighed and shook his head. "I don't know where you got those idiotic ideas from but the elves will not hurt you."
"You would say that elf, you are one of them!"
"And I'm not an elf!" Aragorn had had enough of this, and shook his head in frustration.
"You walk like an elf, you look like them over there," the man jerked his thumb at Elladan and Elrohir as he spoke, "and we heard you talking in that fancy tongue before you saw us. If you ain't an elf, then prove it." The man crossed his arms over his chest, and a smug expression crossed his face. He really didn't believe that Aragorn was human.
The man's smug expression faded though when Aragorn scowled and marched right up to him. Weathered hands reached up to grasp at tangled hair, and Aragorn pulled his hair back so everyone could see his ears. The man visibly deflated when all saw the rounded edges to Aragorn's ears.
"You- but... you-" the man spluttered and glanced back at the elves who were watching the scene with barely hidden amusement. Aragorn raised his eyebrow, and let go of his hair. It settled back around his shoulders, and the human stared each person square in the eyes.
"Do you believe me now? You have nothing to fear from me, and you certainly have nothing to fear from the elves." Aragorn grew frustrated as the fear ebbed away slightly, but none made a move towards or away from them, "fine! if you will not trust them, then at least trust me. I am of your kind. If you cannot bring yourselves to accept the elves, then you should have no trouble accepting one of your own."
The green eyed human slowly crept back into the crowds, and the man he called Miran slowly walked up towards Aragorn. "You say you are not an elf, and we believe you." Miran glanced quickly at the elves, "I apologise for my words earlier. What I said was true, we have not had many dealings with the elves, and it is rare that we actually leave the village."
"It is clear that you and your people need some help, we saw the dead as we walked into the village." said Elrohir, "are you the only people who are ill?" the elf asked, glancing at the fevered faces of some of the people in the crowd.
The hearts of the travellers sank when Miran shook his head. The elderly man pointed his hand at a rustic looking building across the street.
"Since the villagers started falling ill we have been taking them all in there. Although we are a larger village than most, we do not have any healers of our own, and so were forced to tend to the ill ourselves. All the herbs we tried are not working, and we have had no choice now but to leave them to die." Miran hung his head in sorrow, an emotion that was reflected on the faces of the humans in the crowd.
"Please sir, I know you do not fully trust us yet, but we have all been trained as healers. Please allow us to help." pleaded Aragorn, "one of your own sought out Lord Elrond, and it was because of his arrival in Imladris that we learned of your plight."
This caught Miran's attention, and he stared openly at the ranger. "You met with Ginyc? Is he alright? We did not wish for him to leave, but he insisted that there was a great healer out there, and that he would bring help back."
Aragorn had to fight to keep looking at the elderly human when Miran turned hope-filled eyes on him. Aragorn did not have the heart to tell Miran that Ginyc had not survived.
Legolas saw Aragorn's struggle, and stepped up next to the young human. Laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, Legolas turned with sorrowful eyes to face Miran. Miran read the sorrow in the elf's eyes, and dropped his head. A young woman in the crowd, fell to the ground with a sob and a girl next to her wrapped her arms around her shaking frame.
"I'm sorry, but Ginyc was too ill for us to save. But perhaps comfort can be found in that his spirit left this world at peace." Legolas closed his eyes briefly, knowing how hollow those words must sound.
Miran shook his head, and turned to face the girl who was talking softly to the sobbing woman. "Laesien, go take Zerameth inside." Laesien nodded, and gently pulled Zerameth up into a supporting grip. Miran turned back to face Aragorn and the elves as Laesien led Zerameth inside.
"What is wrong with her?" asked Aragorn softly, although he thought he might know the answer.
Miran sighed, and ran a weathered hand down his face. "Zerameth and Ginyc were... close. Just before Ginyc fell ill, there was talk of them getting married."
"I'm sorry." Legolas said softly, his eyes downcast.
Miran shook his head, and pointed to the rustic building. "All our efforts have been in vain, with any luck; you will be able to help." Legolas nodded, and motioned to Aragorn to follow him. Elladan and Elrohir were already moving towards the building, and the two friends fell in step behind them.
TBC…
