It Could Be Worse
By tHe InSaNe OnE & Arien Undomiel
AN- ^_^ Thanks for all the great reviews. As I've said many times before, you all are the greatest reviewers that a person could ever have! *hugs everyone and offers them a steak dinner* Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I'm very sorry that I am not doing specific review answers at the end but FF.net would not let me on for a good part of the day. So, I could post tomorrow, and leave you hanging but have good responses? Did you say you want that? Good! ^_^ I'll post it tomorrow. I guess this will only be an AN. *has several blunt objects thrown at her* Okay! Maybe not.
Arien comments that she loves you all and she is so happy that you all like the story. She was beaming when I saw her at school, sooooo, ^_~ you guys did a great job. Thanks a lot. *pats them on the head* That's what I said, the best reviewers in the whole wide world.
Well, I'll shuddup now. You guys wanna get to the story. In fact, I bet half of you haven't read this. This is the end, and I will probably post a response chapter. Estelcontar, I have had an inspiration. The next chapter of Inside the Beast should be out soon enough as well as another chapter of Two Men and a Thorn Bush. ^_^ Love you all! Cheers.
Specially dedicated to: jambaby1963, Aralondwen, Emmithar, Kawaii Bluebear, Elladan, Shadow Warrior, Lady Lenna, Kirsten, NekoMegami-chan, Alice, tychen, Rain Minstrel, legolasluva, xsilicax, BlackRose1356, staran, shirbound, Lady Jaina, Nora Hobgood, Asen, evil spapple pie, Lina Skye, Alex, estelcontar, marbienl, Ciria, and Lievre. ~*~
Outside the thudding and crunching came remarkably close.
"I smell man blood." Legolas heard the hiss from outside, and cringed.
"So do I. I smell an elf as well. They are still close." Two had spoken but the tree above them wailed of at least twenty.
"Are they wounded?"
"Yes, I smell fear."
"Find them then! We'll have fresh meat tonight!"
The orcs spread out, their footsteps echoing in the small hole. Estel was gnawing a hole through his lip, while Legolas did his best to hold his breath. The tension grew thick in the air as footsteps approached their hiding place. Aragorn closed his eyes, willing the creatures to move on and assume only an animal was present. However, luck seemed to be against the two princes on this day for the footsteps came to a stop right outside their snug hiding spot. Legolas could hear the heavy breathing of the orc, and its rotten breath made him want to choke.
"A bit too dark to see in this hole but my nose leads me here," a grating voice contemplated. Legolas rested a gentle hand on Aragorn's back, hoping the orc would leave. Aragorn was praying similar things in not such a clear way. Blood loss, fever and pain were getting the better of the young human. "Well, let's poke around in there and see what exactly makes its home here. Be it man or animal or elf, they all bleed but blood smells different."
A sharp looking scimitar appeared, and started swinging about wildly. The first few attacks missed both friends completely but shortly afterwards, one of the blows nicked Legolas' injured arm, sending the elf into a fit of pain. The pointed blade was not finished however, for it swept past again, cutting in deeply. Legolas had to chomp onto his lip to keep from screaming. The pain was reaching such a level that he was positive he was going to black out. Blood poured forth from the opened wound, and trickled down his arm, while still more blood came from his bitten lip.
The scimitar passed my one last time, missing them and several more swipes rendered the same. The evil orc weapon was not through though, for now it pulled backwards, and plunged forward, preparing to stab whatever was in the hole. The blade sped towards Legolas' chest, and the elf knew that this was his last moment. He would not be able to dodge the blade; all movement had left him. Aragorn saw the danger though, and did the moving for his friend.
The blade struck with a resounding thud, twisting and turning like a headless snake. After several seconds, it was ripped forth and disappeared back out the entrance of the place. The orc looked over the dirt covered blade with a bit of disappointment, sniffing it with resentment.
"Must've smelt an animal," it muttered, standing up. A howl made all disappointment disappear in an instant, and sent it running. Apparently, the other orcs had found something, and it didn't plan on missing out on dinner. The pounding receded leaving Legolas to grasp what had happened in silence.
"Are you alright?" Estel whispered hoarsely. He had pulled the elf down on top of himself at the last possible second, and he was afraid that Legolas had passed out because of his injury. The man was on the brink of consciousness himself, balancing on the thin line in between darkness and light.
"No," Legolas said flatly, surprised that he was alive and still conscious. His arm was numb with pain, and his mind was overwhelmed by what had just occurred. He was sprawled over Estel, and his stomach was becoming strangely wet. It was resting on Aragorn's side; his injured side.
"I know," Aragorn whispered, as his blood slowly soaked Legolas' shirt. "I'm sorry."
"Hush, don't apologize. You saved me Estel. I'm just cursing our luck at the moment." Legolas took a deep breath, willing his mind to stay where it was. His arm was throbbing, and the feeling was starting to come back to it. At the moment, he had come to the decision that it would be best to stay here. He could still hear the orcs in the distance, and until they departed, the safest place for Aragorn and him was in this hole. At the same time, though, he desperately wanted to leave. The blood that was soaking his shirt, near his stomach was not his own. Aragorn was bleeding again, and more blood loss with all his other problems could mean death for the human.
Aragorn let a soft moan escape his lips as everything began to fade away. His vision was gone due to injury and the dark. His hearing was fading as well, along with all his other senses. The entire situation was getting a strange, surreal feeling. He felt like he was reading a book about a man and an elf in a hole. He didn't feel like he was that man, that man who was slowly bleeding to death on the floor of an old badger hole. No, he couldn't possibly be that man.
"Aragorn, talk to me."
Aragorn could barely move his lips to respond. "Why?"
Legolas did not want to simply say to his friend that he was afraid of loosing him. It was a fear that he had always had, but had never voiced to anyone. He knew that Elrohir, Elladan, Elrond and all of Estel's adopted family had similar fears. Right now, he felt so sure that if Estel fell unconscious once more, he would loose his friend. He wasn't going to take that chance.
"It calms my nerves."
"I-I'm not s-sure I can," the man stammered, his voice trembling with weariness.
"Why not?"
"I don't kn-now what t-to say and I-I'm s-so cold." Legolas inhaled sharply and tried to make light of the situation.
"You don't know what to say? Come now, Estel! You shouldn't lie to me!" he said, mock hurt in his voice.
"I'm n-not." The young man didn't laugh, and there was not a trace of amusement in his voice. He was dying, and he knew it. Everything seemed so blurred, and distant. Sleep beckoned to him, but he stayed in the real world because Legolas asked him to.
"Well, tell me about this place."
"It's a b-badger hole."
Legolas scowled into the darkness, wishing Aragorn would simply take a hint and keep talking. "I know that, but tell me more." His attempts to keep his friend from fading completely were draining him of the bit of energy he had left.
Another orc cry issued in the distance, and he tuned his ears to it. It sounded almost as though the orcs were coming towards them again. A few more seconds of listening confirmed this opinion, and the elf felt like he had swallowed a rock.
"I used it for h-hide and s-seek. My brothers h-had the m-most difficult time f-finding me. It t-took them ages to f-figure it out."
"Ever get stuck?" Legolas asked, trying to sound interested. The footsteps were getting scarily close, and he could hear the clinging of metal. The orcs were fighting something, and he desperately hoped it was a Rivendell hunting party, and not another orc band.
"Once, d-during the w-winter. Th-that's how my brothers discovered th- this place. I g-got caught in h-here by a snowdrift and th-they had to come dig m-me out."
An orc entered the clearing, nearly stepping into their hiding place. It paced around, breathing noisily. It was gasping in such a way, that it had no time to prepare for the arrow that hit it smack between the eyes. Legolas heard the twang of the bow, and winced at the thud as the orc hit the ground. This made him almost positive that it was elves that were killing the orcs, and not the beast's own kind. Orcs did use bows, but most of the time they were crossbows, not traditional ones. Still, out of caution, he listened instead of calling out.
"Elladan?!"
"Over here, Elrohir!"
"Glor with you?"
"No, I thought he was with you!"
"It's not MY turn to watch him! It's yours!"
"You lie! I specifically heard father tell you to watch him!"
"Elladan! You dog! Father said that to you not me!"
"I watched him last time! Damn! I hope he's not hurt, Ada will have our hides."
"I think he may be with Ren."
"He better be or I'll tell Ada you weren't watching him like you were supposed to."
"You wouldn't."
"Watch me."
"So, getting over that, have you found any sign of them?"
"Not a single track. I'm worried 'Ro. I've got that familiar sinking feeling."
"Don't get all nervous. Their probably already over in Rivendell, sitting with Ada, telling-"
"Elladan! Elrohir!" Legolas shouted, cringing as it echoed in the small hole. Loud noises made the pounding in his head worse.
"Legolas!"
"Legolas? Where are you?!"
Legolas took a deep breath. "Over under the oak..........the badger hole......" He found himself unable to continue, as the last of his strength drained from him. Catching his breath seemed almost impossible.
"The hole! Elrohir! Over here! Bring the torch!"
Legolas listened as the padding of elven feet came near, and nearly cried out for joy as the light of a torch appeared above him. He squinted at the bright light, just barely making out the faint outlines of the twins. One of the forms knelt, and the light dimmed as Elladan stuck his face into the entrance of the hole.
"What in nine hells are the two of you doing down here?" he demanded, looking worried, annoyed and confused.
"Trying to escape the orcs," Legolas whispered weakly. "Can you help us out?" Elladan frowned, and nodded, disappearing from the opening. Something was definitely not right; the elder twin just knew it.
Legolas pulled himself off of Estel, trying not to jostle the young man. Pressing himself against the wall, he tapped the man's face.
"Awaken, Estel," he said gently. Aragorn did not respond; his eyes were closed tightly, dark lashes standing out against his skin. Once again, the ranger had given into darkness. Worrying at his lip, the blonde elf used his good arm to push the ranger into a sitting position, fighting back panic when he saw exactly how lifeless Estel was. Pushing with all the strength he possessed, he managed to get his friend's head out of the hole.
Elladan gasped, and grabbed his youngest sibling under the arms, dragging the human out and pulling him into his arms. Backing away from the hole so Elrohir could get Legolas out, he sunk to the ground, staring at Aragorn's face with dismay. A nasty bump was behind the young man's ear and blood matted his hair near it. Blood seemed to be everywhere, all over his shirt, and his pants. The elder twin lifted his one hand, staring at it in horror when he found it covered with the familiar sticky substance. Quickly, he tried to find the source of the bleeding, and his speed helped him. A gash was apparent on the ranger's side, and it was bleeding sluggishly. Taking off his cloak, the elf quickly wrapped it around his brother, pressing on the open wound. Open wounds? If only that was all. He could feel the heat radiating from Aragorn, showing that he was in the clutches of a dreadful fever.
Elrohir had jammed the end of the torch into the ground so he could pull Legolas out. He had seen the state of his brother, and it made his stomach churn. If Aragorn was that bad, there was no telling what type of shape Legolas would be in. With extreme caution, he reached in and wrapped his arms around the prince's waist, pulling him up and out. The prince was not much better, and he whimpered as Elrohir brushed a gentle hand over his arm. The pain was too much, and combined with the fever, he felt himself slipping. They were safe now though, the darkness wasn't an enemy anymore. Feeling safe for the first time that day, the elf fell to sleep at ease.
Elrohir felt the prince slump against him, and lifted fear filled eyes to his brother. Sure, Legolas and Estel never came home in great shape, but this was by far the worst shape they had been in for quite some time.
Elladan was on his feet, Estel in his arms. Estel's head lolled lifelessly against his brother's chest, and the panic in the elf's heart grew. He nodded to his twin, who quickly picked up Legolas.
"Father is going to have a hay day with them."
"Aye. How bad is Estel?"
"Very," Elladan responded shortly, and he started heading towards where they had left their horses.
"You do not think he will-"
"No, but we shouldn't take our chances. Quickly, I do not want to linger here."
"Estel never does it half way, does he?"
"Nay and neither does Legolas."
~*~
Elrond was nearly dragged into the healing room by a hysterical servant. So, the hunting party was back. Not at all surprising by the way the servant was acting. What had happened this time? Oh, it was probably Glorfindel again. The blonde elf was always dragged home injured after a hunting trip. Most of the time it was the twins' fault and he doubted that this time it would be different this time. Stepping into the room, he opened his mouth, preparing to scold the two of them.
He wasn't ready for what met his eyes. Elrohir and Elladan were not standing at the door, looking sheepish as usual. Elrohir was hovering over a bed, various medical paraphernalia spread out on the bedside table nearby. He seemed almost as frantic as the servant had been. Elladan was in a similar situation, hovering over the bed next to it though he looked up when his father entered.
"Ada!" The relief that welled up in his son's eyes made Elrond's stomach clench with dread. The elf lord half ran over to his elder son and stared at disbelief at the person in the bed. "Ada, we found them in the woods. I think they were attacked by orcs."
Elrond quickly pushed Elladan out of the way and leaned over his youngest son. Estel was incredibly pale, but brilliant red splotches cover his face, and sweat was beading on his brow. His shirt was off and his chest was swathed in bandages. His one trouser leg had been cut away as well, revealing a gash that was clearly infected or poisoned. Biting his lip, Elrond quickly set to work on the leg, motioning for Elladan to go over and help his twin. Hopefully, Legolas wasn't as bad as Estel.
Snatching several herbs from Elrohir's table, the lord of Rivendell gently cared for his son's leg, securing the healing plants in place with white bandages. From his brief inspection of the wound, he discovered poisoning, a type commonly used by orcs. It was easily cured but if left unattended to, it was deadly. Hoping it was not too late, he began mixing together an antidote. It seemingly took era's to finish, and Elrond was quick to administer it. Raising Aragorn's head, he forced the young human to down the potion, noting with some satisfaction that the man grimaced at the taste. Aragorn would be alright, no matter how bad it looked at the moment. Feeling a bit calmer, Elrond finished checking Estel, and eventually found his condition to be stable enough.
Now for Legolas.
The twins had been working diligently on the prince's badly broken arm, cleaning out the infection, and trying to get Legolas' fever down. The arm was now freshly bandaged, and bound tightly to the prince's chest. Elrond placed a hand on the blonde's pale forehead, sending healing energy into the worn body, helping it fight of the illness. The prince relaxed under Elrond's touch, and fell into a deep healing sleep.
The three standing people in the room felt the tension dissipate. The danger was gone for the moment, but all of them knew there was still a long road before the two friends would be well again.
~*~
Aragorn was tired when he awoke. Perhaps, tired wasn't the right word for it. It was a heaviness that he recognized. Whenever he was sick, or injured he would always wake up feeling this way. It wasn't exactly a bad feeling, in fact, it was almost comfortable. A warm cozy feeling that made him too lethargic to open his eyes or do anything at all really. Just lie still, and sleep and maybe wake up again and go back to sleep. It was a nice cycle of things to do. Yawning, he rolled over to go back to sleep.
"Estel?"
It was a voice. Oh, it was always a voice that ruined the heaviness. The voices always demanded for him to wake up, so they could talk him to death. Well, this time he wasn't listening to those annoying voices. He was going back to sleep and the voice wasn't going to stop him.
Something damp was placed on his forehead and the voice spoke again. "Estel, are you awake?"
Yes, voice, I am, leave me alone! Estel thought foggily, trying to block out the sound. He really didn't want to wake up fully, but slowly, he was feeling the urge to open his eyes. Sighing softly, he struggled to lift the weighted lids, and stared up at the form hovering over him.
"You're finally awake! Valar! We've been so worried," the voice exclaimed, obviously relieved.
Aragorn groaned, and put an arm over his eyes. He didn't want to be awake. Now, the comfortableness had vanished and was replaced by a dull throbbing all over his body. His head pounded with an unbelievable headache, causing him to swear silently. Oh, the voice would pay this time. First though, he needed to figure out who the voice was. Raising his arm slightly, he squinted at the person.
"L-legolas?" he stuttered, lifting his arm off his face completely. The blonde elf grinned, and removed the wet towel from Estel's forehead.
"Yes, oh sleepy one, it is me," he said, dipping the clothe in a bowl of water, and settling back on the man's head.
"Are you alright?" Aragorn suddenly felt wide awake, and he chose to ignore the pain. He attempted to sit up, but was thwarted by his elven companion.
"Fine, though a bit depressed. Your father says I won't be shooting for days," he lamented, motioning with his good hand to his heavily bandaged arm.
Aragorn looked around, feeling a bit dazed. "When did we get here?"
"About two days ago. Your brother's found us in that cursed badger hole of yours," Legolas grumbled. "They have yet to leave me alone about it. As soon as you are well, they'll probably bug you as well."
"Two days?" Aragorn cried, struggling to sit up once more. He was stopped again. "I've been asleep for two days?"
"Yes!" Legolas scowled deeply. "You nearly died Aragorn. No, no puppy dog eyes. I'm not letting you up. In fact, if you keep struggling, I'll call your father and he'll stick some dreadful potion down your throat."
Aragorn stopped moving immediately. "You wouldn't!"
"Oh, you want to bet on it?" Legolas smirked.
"No, actually," the young human answered, sinking back onto the numerous pillows behind him. "Why are you allowed up? You were as sick as I was!"
Legolas stuck his tongue out. "We've gone through this already! I had a broken arm with an infection! Let's look at you! You nearly bled to death because of that wound on your side, not to mention the poison in your leg. Plus, I am an elf! I heal more quickly!"
"Arrogant elf," Aragorn sniffed.
"Stupid human."
"Dwarf lover."
Legolas' eyes narrowed. "That is low, young one, even for you."
"It was a good come back." Aragorn stuck his tongue out in defense. Legolas took this to his advantage and grabbed the man's tongue between his fingers. Estel let out a half-strangled yelp, jerking away, but finding that he could not free himself. Legolas let a smug look cross his features.
"I wonder what would happen if I pulled," he pondered, watching Strider's eyes widen with fear. "Come now, oh mighty human, don't tell me you're afraid!" Aragorn nodded, confirming that he was afraid. "Tsk! Well," the elf released his friend's tongue, wiping his fingers on his tunic, "since your stressing out so badly, I guess it could be a test for later."
"You're evil," Aragorn sniffed, in a slurred fashion. His tongue was a bit clumsy now, and he knew that Legolas was enjoying every second of it.
"Aye! I am an orc spy! Why do you think we run into them so often? They come looking so I can deliver information to them," Legolas said jokingly.
"I should've known," Aragorn moaned. "No wonder you smell so bad after we've traveled for a day or two."
"I do not smell," Legolas cried indignantly.
"Well, it isn't roses that I smell when we are climbing the hills."
"Estel, you lying, evil, little creature and to think about two minutes ago I was glad you were awake."
Aragorn gave him a wounded look, but it was soon erased by a grimace. His hand went to his side, and he double over with a moan. Legolas' eyes widened and he bit his lip. Perhaps they had been a bit to playful. He should've thought about it before he had started the teasing.
"Aragorn?" he said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. The man didn't respond at all as his body went limp. "Estel?" No response. Elrond was going to murder him. "Estel, what's wrong?" He went to help his friend up, now incredibly worried once more. His worry lasted about two seconds because something wet and slightly warm smacked him in the face, and he recoiled. He pulled the clothe off his head, and glared.
Aragorn laughed. "Got you."
"You little imp! I thought that you were really in pain! Well, that's it, I won't believe you next time!"
"Come now, Legolas, it was a joke."
"Yes, uh huh, I'm sure."
"Aw, the elfie can't take a joke!"
"Yes the elfie can," Legolas snapped. "The elf is just worried about his friend."
Aragorn sighed. "Sorry."
"Not forgiven."
"What?!"
"Extra bow practice as soon as you are able to get out of bed." Legolas ignored the pleas of the man in the bed.
"But, Legolas......"
"No buts."
"You said I didn't need them anymore!" Aragorn protested
"I changed my mind."
"Oh fine," the human pouted, turning away from him. Silence fell between them for a second. "You know, Ada's not going to be happy when he hears this."
"Hears what?"
"That you've started my lessons back up again. Remember what happened last time?"
Legolas groaned, and ran a hand down his face. "Maybe we won't start those back up again."
"But it was so much fun last time!"
Legolas sighed. "I never have a dull moment with you Estel."
"Nope, and you never will."
"My poor, feeble heart! One of these days, I'm gonna die of a heart attack and you'll regret your antics."
"Yeah, right."
"It's the truth!"
"Well, if you don't want to do bow and arrow, I've come up with a solution!"
"What?"
"Well, there's this lake that my brother's and I visit. It has a great cliff to dive from and stuff. We can go there, because you know Ada won't let us out into the wilderness for a while."
Legolas didn't like the sound of this at all. Something was fishy. "Is there anything I should know about this cliff? There isn't anything on this cliff that would make Lord Elrond come after us, is there?"
"No, not on the cliff."
"Aragorn!"
"I'm serious, there is nothing on the cliff or in the lake that would harm us."
Legolas fixed him with a suspicious gaze but decided to give in. There was no point to fighting it and perhaps, for once, Aragorn was telling the truth. "Alright, sounds good."
The poor elf didn't know what he was getting himself into. But did he ever?
~*~
The End
~*~
Thank you again for all of your reviews. ^_^ It means so much to me and Arien! I'll respond to the reviews in a separate place, scouts honor! Hope you enjoyed this short little thing! It is a sort of prequel to TWO MEN AND A THORN BUSH.
By tHe InSaNe OnE & Arien Undomiel
AN- ^_^ Thanks for all the great reviews. As I've said many times before, you all are the greatest reviewers that a person could ever have! *hugs everyone and offers them a steak dinner* Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I'm very sorry that I am not doing specific review answers at the end but FF.net would not let me on for a good part of the day. So, I could post tomorrow, and leave you hanging but have good responses? Did you say you want that? Good! ^_^ I'll post it tomorrow. I guess this will only be an AN. *has several blunt objects thrown at her* Okay! Maybe not.
Arien comments that she loves you all and she is so happy that you all like the story. She was beaming when I saw her at school, sooooo, ^_~ you guys did a great job. Thanks a lot. *pats them on the head* That's what I said, the best reviewers in the whole wide world.
Well, I'll shuddup now. You guys wanna get to the story. In fact, I bet half of you haven't read this. This is the end, and I will probably post a response chapter. Estelcontar, I have had an inspiration. The next chapter of Inside the Beast should be out soon enough as well as another chapter of Two Men and a Thorn Bush. ^_^ Love you all! Cheers.
Specially dedicated to: jambaby1963, Aralondwen, Emmithar, Kawaii Bluebear, Elladan, Shadow Warrior, Lady Lenna, Kirsten, NekoMegami-chan, Alice, tychen, Rain Minstrel, legolasluva, xsilicax, BlackRose1356, staran, shirbound, Lady Jaina, Nora Hobgood, Asen, evil spapple pie, Lina Skye, Alex, estelcontar, marbienl, Ciria, and Lievre. ~*~
Outside the thudding and crunching came remarkably close.
"I smell man blood." Legolas heard the hiss from outside, and cringed.
"So do I. I smell an elf as well. They are still close." Two had spoken but the tree above them wailed of at least twenty.
"Are they wounded?"
"Yes, I smell fear."
"Find them then! We'll have fresh meat tonight!"
The orcs spread out, their footsteps echoing in the small hole. Estel was gnawing a hole through his lip, while Legolas did his best to hold his breath. The tension grew thick in the air as footsteps approached their hiding place. Aragorn closed his eyes, willing the creatures to move on and assume only an animal was present. However, luck seemed to be against the two princes on this day for the footsteps came to a stop right outside their snug hiding spot. Legolas could hear the heavy breathing of the orc, and its rotten breath made him want to choke.
"A bit too dark to see in this hole but my nose leads me here," a grating voice contemplated. Legolas rested a gentle hand on Aragorn's back, hoping the orc would leave. Aragorn was praying similar things in not such a clear way. Blood loss, fever and pain were getting the better of the young human. "Well, let's poke around in there and see what exactly makes its home here. Be it man or animal or elf, they all bleed but blood smells different."
A sharp looking scimitar appeared, and started swinging about wildly. The first few attacks missed both friends completely but shortly afterwards, one of the blows nicked Legolas' injured arm, sending the elf into a fit of pain. The pointed blade was not finished however, for it swept past again, cutting in deeply. Legolas had to chomp onto his lip to keep from screaming. The pain was reaching such a level that he was positive he was going to black out. Blood poured forth from the opened wound, and trickled down his arm, while still more blood came from his bitten lip.
The scimitar passed my one last time, missing them and several more swipes rendered the same. The evil orc weapon was not through though, for now it pulled backwards, and plunged forward, preparing to stab whatever was in the hole. The blade sped towards Legolas' chest, and the elf knew that this was his last moment. He would not be able to dodge the blade; all movement had left him. Aragorn saw the danger though, and did the moving for his friend.
The blade struck with a resounding thud, twisting and turning like a headless snake. After several seconds, it was ripped forth and disappeared back out the entrance of the place. The orc looked over the dirt covered blade with a bit of disappointment, sniffing it with resentment.
"Must've smelt an animal," it muttered, standing up. A howl made all disappointment disappear in an instant, and sent it running. Apparently, the other orcs had found something, and it didn't plan on missing out on dinner. The pounding receded leaving Legolas to grasp what had happened in silence.
"Are you alright?" Estel whispered hoarsely. He had pulled the elf down on top of himself at the last possible second, and he was afraid that Legolas had passed out because of his injury. The man was on the brink of consciousness himself, balancing on the thin line in between darkness and light.
"No," Legolas said flatly, surprised that he was alive and still conscious. His arm was numb with pain, and his mind was overwhelmed by what had just occurred. He was sprawled over Estel, and his stomach was becoming strangely wet. It was resting on Aragorn's side; his injured side.
"I know," Aragorn whispered, as his blood slowly soaked Legolas' shirt. "I'm sorry."
"Hush, don't apologize. You saved me Estel. I'm just cursing our luck at the moment." Legolas took a deep breath, willing his mind to stay where it was. His arm was throbbing, and the feeling was starting to come back to it. At the moment, he had come to the decision that it would be best to stay here. He could still hear the orcs in the distance, and until they departed, the safest place for Aragorn and him was in this hole. At the same time, though, he desperately wanted to leave. The blood that was soaking his shirt, near his stomach was not his own. Aragorn was bleeding again, and more blood loss with all his other problems could mean death for the human.
Aragorn let a soft moan escape his lips as everything began to fade away. His vision was gone due to injury and the dark. His hearing was fading as well, along with all his other senses. The entire situation was getting a strange, surreal feeling. He felt like he was reading a book about a man and an elf in a hole. He didn't feel like he was that man, that man who was slowly bleeding to death on the floor of an old badger hole. No, he couldn't possibly be that man.
"Aragorn, talk to me."
Aragorn could barely move his lips to respond. "Why?"
Legolas did not want to simply say to his friend that he was afraid of loosing him. It was a fear that he had always had, but had never voiced to anyone. He knew that Elrohir, Elladan, Elrond and all of Estel's adopted family had similar fears. Right now, he felt so sure that if Estel fell unconscious once more, he would loose his friend. He wasn't going to take that chance.
"It calms my nerves."
"I-I'm not s-sure I can," the man stammered, his voice trembling with weariness.
"Why not?"
"I don't kn-now what t-to say and I-I'm s-so cold." Legolas inhaled sharply and tried to make light of the situation.
"You don't know what to say? Come now, Estel! You shouldn't lie to me!" he said, mock hurt in his voice.
"I'm n-not." The young man didn't laugh, and there was not a trace of amusement in his voice. He was dying, and he knew it. Everything seemed so blurred, and distant. Sleep beckoned to him, but he stayed in the real world because Legolas asked him to.
"Well, tell me about this place."
"It's a b-badger hole."
Legolas scowled into the darkness, wishing Aragorn would simply take a hint and keep talking. "I know that, but tell me more." His attempts to keep his friend from fading completely were draining him of the bit of energy he had left.
Another orc cry issued in the distance, and he tuned his ears to it. It sounded almost as though the orcs were coming towards them again. A few more seconds of listening confirmed this opinion, and the elf felt like he had swallowed a rock.
"I used it for h-hide and s-seek. My brothers h-had the m-most difficult time f-finding me. It t-took them ages to f-figure it out."
"Ever get stuck?" Legolas asked, trying to sound interested. The footsteps were getting scarily close, and he could hear the clinging of metal. The orcs were fighting something, and he desperately hoped it was a Rivendell hunting party, and not another orc band.
"Once, d-during the w-winter. Th-that's how my brothers discovered th- this place. I g-got caught in h-here by a snowdrift and th-they had to come dig m-me out."
An orc entered the clearing, nearly stepping into their hiding place. It paced around, breathing noisily. It was gasping in such a way, that it had no time to prepare for the arrow that hit it smack between the eyes. Legolas heard the twang of the bow, and winced at the thud as the orc hit the ground. This made him almost positive that it was elves that were killing the orcs, and not the beast's own kind. Orcs did use bows, but most of the time they were crossbows, not traditional ones. Still, out of caution, he listened instead of calling out.
"Elladan?!"
"Over here, Elrohir!"
"Glor with you?"
"No, I thought he was with you!"
"It's not MY turn to watch him! It's yours!"
"You lie! I specifically heard father tell you to watch him!"
"Elladan! You dog! Father said that to you not me!"
"I watched him last time! Damn! I hope he's not hurt, Ada will have our hides."
"I think he may be with Ren."
"He better be or I'll tell Ada you weren't watching him like you were supposed to."
"You wouldn't."
"Watch me."
"So, getting over that, have you found any sign of them?"
"Not a single track. I'm worried 'Ro. I've got that familiar sinking feeling."
"Don't get all nervous. Their probably already over in Rivendell, sitting with Ada, telling-"
"Elladan! Elrohir!" Legolas shouted, cringing as it echoed in the small hole. Loud noises made the pounding in his head worse.
"Legolas!"
"Legolas? Where are you?!"
Legolas took a deep breath. "Over under the oak..........the badger hole......" He found himself unable to continue, as the last of his strength drained from him. Catching his breath seemed almost impossible.
"The hole! Elrohir! Over here! Bring the torch!"
Legolas listened as the padding of elven feet came near, and nearly cried out for joy as the light of a torch appeared above him. He squinted at the bright light, just barely making out the faint outlines of the twins. One of the forms knelt, and the light dimmed as Elladan stuck his face into the entrance of the hole.
"What in nine hells are the two of you doing down here?" he demanded, looking worried, annoyed and confused.
"Trying to escape the orcs," Legolas whispered weakly. "Can you help us out?" Elladan frowned, and nodded, disappearing from the opening. Something was definitely not right; the elder twin just knew it.
Legolas pulled himself off of Estel, trying not to jostle the young man. Pressing himself against the wall, he tapped the man's face.
"Awaken, Estel," he said gently. Aragorn did not respond; his eyes were closed tightly, dark lashes standing out against his skin. Once again, the ranger had given into darkness. Worrying at his lip, the blonde elf used his good arm to push the ranger into a sitting position, fighting back panic when he saw exactly how lifeless Estel was. Pushing with all the strength he possessed, he managed to get his friend's head out of the hole.
Elladan gasped, and grabbed his youngest sibling under the arms, dragging the human out and pulling him into his arms. Backing away from the hole so Elrohir could get Legolas out, he sunk to the ground, staring at Aragorn's face with dismay. A nasty bump was behind the young man's ear and blood matted his hair near it. Blood seemed to be everywhere, all over his shirt, and his pants. The elder twin lifted his one hand, staring at it in horror when he found it covered with the familiar sticky substance. Quickly, he tried to find the source of the bleeding, and his speed helped him. A gash was apparent on the ranger's side, and it was bleeding sluggishly. Taking off his cloak, the elf quickly wrapped it around his brother, pressing on the open wound. Open wounds? If only that was all. He could feel the heat radiating from Aragorn, showing that he was in the clutches of a dreadful fever.
Elrohir had jammed the end of the torch into the ground so he could pull Legolas out. He had seen the state of his brother, and it made his stomach churn. If Aragorn was that bad, there was no telling what type of shape Legolas would be in. With extreme caution, he reached in and wrapped his arms around the prince's waist, pulling him up and out. The prince was not much better, and he whimpered as Elrohir brushed a gentle hand over his arm. The pain was too much, and combined with the fever, he felt himself slipping. They were safe now though, the darkness wasn't an enemy anymore. Feeling safe for the first time that day, the elf fell to sleep at ease.
Elrohir felt the prince slump against him, and lifted fear filled eyes to his brother. Sure, Legolas and Estel never came home in great shape, but this was by far the worst shape they had been in for quite some time.
Elladan was on his feet, Estel in his arms. Estel's head lolled lifelessly against his brother's chest, and the panic in the elf's heart grew. He nodded to his twin, who quickly picked up Legolas.
"Father is going to have a hay day with them."
"Aye. How bad is Estel?"
"Very," Elladan responded shortly, and he started heading towards where they had left their horses.
"You do not think he will-"
"No, but we shouldn't take our chances. Quickly, I do not want to linger here."
"Estel never does it half way, does he?"
"Nay and neither does Legolas."
~*~
Elrond was nearly dragged into the healing room by a hysterical servant. So, the hunting party was back. Not at all surprising by the way the servant was acting. What had happened this time? Oh, it was probably Glorfindel again. The blonde elf was always dragged home injured after a hunting trip. Most of the time it was the twins' fault and he doubted that this time it would be different this time. Stepping into the room, he opened his mouth, preparing to scold the two of them.
He wasn't ready for what met his eyes. Elrohir and Elladan were not standing at the door, looking sheepish as usual. Elrohir was hovering over a bed, various medical paraphernalia spread out on the bedside table nearby. He seemed almost as frantic as the servant had been. Elladan was in a similar situation, hovering over the bed next to it though he looked up when his father entered.
"Ada!" The relief that welled up in his son's eyes made Elrond's stomach clench with dread. The elf lord half ran over to his elder son and stared at disbelief at the person in the bed. "Ada, we found them in the woods. I think they were attacked by orcs."
Elrond quickly pushed Elladan out of the way and leaned over his youngest son. Estel was incredibly pale, but brilliant red splotches cover his face, and sweat was beading on his brow. His shirt was off and his chest was swathed in bandages. His one trouser leg had been cut away as well, revealing a gash that was clearly infected or poisoned. Biting his lip, Elrond quickly set to work on the leg, motioning for Elladan to go over and help his twin. Hopefully, Legolas wasn't as bad as Estel.
Snatching several herbs from Elrohir's table, the lord of Rivendell gently cared for his son's leg, securing the healing plants in place with white bandages. From his brief inspection of the wound, he discovered poisoning, a type commonly used by orcs. It was easily cured but if left unattended to, it was deadly. Hoping it was not too late, he began mixing together an antidote. It seemingly took era's to finish, and Elrond was quick to administer it. Raising Aragorn's head, he forced the young human to down the potion, noting with some satisfaction that the man grimaced at the taste. Aragorn would be alright, no matter how bad it looked at the moment. Feeling a bit calmer, Elrond finished checking Estel, and eventually found his condition to be stable enough.
Now for Legolas.
The twins had been working diligently on the prince's badly broken arm, cleaning out the infection, and trying to get Legolas' fever down. The arm was now freshly bandaged, and bound tightly to the prince's chest. Elrond placed a hand on the blonde's pale forehead, sending healing energy into the worn body, helping it fight of the illness. The prince relaxed under Elrond's touch, and fell into a deep healing sleep.
The three standing people in the room felt the tension dissipate. The danger was gone for the moment, but all of them knew there was still a long road before the two friends would be well again.
~*~
Aragorn was tired when he awoke. Perhaps, tired wasn't the right word for it. It was a heaviness that he recognized. Whenever he was sick, or injured he would always wake up feeling this way. It wasn't exactly a bad feeling, in fact, it was almost comfortable. A warm cozy feeling that made him too lethargic to open his eyes or do anything at all really. Just lie still, and sleep and maybe wake up again and go back to sleep. It was a nice cycle of things to do. Yawning, he rolled over to go back to sleep.
"Estel?"
It was a voice. Oh, it was always a voice that ruined the heaviness. The voices always demanded for him to wake up, so they could talk him to death. Well, this time he wasn't listening to those annoying voices. He was going back to sleep and the voice wasn't going to stop him.
Something damp was placed on his forehead and the voice spoke again. "Estel, are you awake?"
Yes, voice, I am, leave me alone! Estel thought foggily, trying to block out the sound. He really didn't want to wake up fully, but slowly, he was feeling the urge to open his eyes. Sighing softly, he struggled to lift the weighted lids, and stared up at the form hovering over him.
"You're finally awake! Valar! We've been so worried," the voice exclaimed, obviously relieved.
Aragorn groaned, and put an arm over his eyes. He didn't want to be awake. Now, the comfortableness had vanished and was replaced by a dull throbbing all over his body. His head pounded with an unbelievable headache, causing him to swear silently. Oh, the voice would pay this time. First though, he needed to figure out who the voice was. Raising his arm slightly, he squinted at the person.
"L-legolas?" he stuttered, lifting his arm off his face completely. The blonde elf grinned, and removed the wet towel from Estel's forehead.
"Yes, oh sleepy one, it is me," he said, dipping the clothe in a bowl of water, and settling back on the man's head.
"Are you alright?" Aragorn suddenly felt wide awake, and he chose to ignore the pain. He attempted to sit up, but was thwarted by his elven companion.
"Fine, though a bit depressed. Your father says I won't be shooting for days," he lamented, motioning with his good hand to his heavily bandaged arm.
Aragorn looked around, feeling a bit dazed. "When did we get here?"
"About two days ago. Your brother's found us in that cursed badger hole of yours," Legolas grumbled. "They have yet to leave me alone about it. As soon as you are well, they'll probably bug you as well."
"Two days?" Aragorn cried, struggling to sit up once more. He was stopped again. "I've been asleep for two days?"
"Yes!" Legolas scowled deeply. "You nearly died Aragorn. No, no puppy dog eyes. I'm not letting you up. In fact, if you keep struggling, I'll call your father and he'll stick some dreadful potion down your throat."
Aragorn stopped moving immediately. "You wouldn't!"
"Oh, you want to bet on it?" Legolas smirked.
"No, actually," the young human answered, sinking back onto the numerous pillows behind him. "Why are you allowed up? You were as sick as I was!"
Legolas stuck his tongue out. "We've gone through this already! I had a broken arm with an infection! Let's look at you! You nearly bled to death because of that wound on your side, not to mention the poison in your leg. Plus, I am an elf! I heal more quickly!"
"Arrogant elf," Aragorn sniffed.
"Stupid human."
"Dwarf lover."
Legolas' eyes narrowed. "That is low, young one, even for you."
"It was a good come back." Aragorn stuck his tongue out in defense. Legolas took this to his advantage and grabbed the man's tongue between his fingers. Estel let out a half-strangled yelp, jerking away, but finding that he could not free himself. Legolas let a smug look cross his features.
"I wonder what would happen if I pulled," he pondered, watching Strider's eyes widen with fear. "Come now, oh mighty human, don't tell me you're afraid!" Aragorn nodded, confirming that he was afraid. "Tsk! Well," the elf released his friend's tongue, wiping his fingers on his tunic, "since your stressing out so badly, I guess it could be a test for later."
"You're evil," Aragorn sniffed, in a slurred fashion. His tongue was a bit clumsy now, and he knew that Legolas was enjoying every second of it.
"Aye! I am an orc spy! Why do you think we run into them so often? They come looking so I can deliver information to them," Legolas said jokingly.
"I should've known," Aragorn moaned. "No wonder you smell so bad after we've traveled for a day or two."
"I do not smell," Legolas cried indignantly.
"Well, it isn't roses that I smell when we are climbing the hills."
"Estel, you lying, evil, little creature and to think about two minutes ago I was glad you were awake."
Aragorn gave him a wounded look, but it was soon erased by a grimace. His hand went to his side, and he double over with a moan. Legolas' eyes widened and he bit his lip. Perhaps they had been a bit to playful. He should've thought about it before he had started the teasing.
"Aragorn?" he said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. The man didn't respond at all as his body went limp. "Estel?" No response. Elrond was going to murder him. "Estel, what's wrong?" He went to help his friend up, now incredibly worried once more. His worry lasted about two seconds because something wet and slightly warm smacked him in the face, and he recoiled. He pulled the clothe off his head, and glared.
Aragorn laughed. "Got you."
"You little imp! I thought that you were really in pain! Well, that's it, I won't believe you next time!"
"Come now, Legolas, it was a joke."
"Yes, uh huh, I'm sure."
"Aw, the elfie can't take a joke!"
"Yes the elfie can," Legolas snapped. "The elf is just worried about his friend."
Aragorn sighed. "Sorry."
"Not forgiven."
"What?!"
"Extra bow practice as soon as you are able to get out of bed." Legolas ignored the pleas of the man in the bed.
"But, Legolas......"
"No buts."
"You said I didn't need them anymore!" Aragorn protested
"I changed my mind."
"Oh fine," the human pouted, turning away from him. Silence fell between them for a second. "You know, Ada's not going to be happy when he hears this."
"Hears what?"
"That you've started my lessons back up again. Remember what happened last time?"
Legolas groaned, and ran a hand down his face. "Maybe we won't start those back up again."
"But it was so much fun last time!"
Legolas sighed. "I never have a dull moment with you Estel."
"Nope, and you never will."
"My poor, feeble heart! One of these days, I'm gonna die of a heart attack and you'll regret your antics."
"Yeah, right."
"It's the truth!"
"Well, if you don't want to do bow and arrow, I've come up with a solution!"
"What?"
"Well, there's this lake that my brother's and I visit. It has a great cliff to dive from and stuff. We can go there, because you know Ada won't let us out into the wilderness for a while."
Legolas didn't like the sound of this at all. Something was fishy. "Is there anything I should know about this cliff? There isn't anything on this cliff that would make Lord Elrond come after us, is there?"
"No, not on the cliff."
"Aragorn!"
"I'm serious, there is nothing on the cliff or in the lake that would harm us."
Legolas fixed him with a suspicious gaze but decided to give in. There was no point to fighting it and perhaps, for once, Aragorn was telling the truth. "Alright, sounds good."
The poor elf didn't know what he was getting himself into. But did he ever?
~*~
The End
~*~
Thank you again for all of your reviews. ^_^ It means so much to me and Arien! I'll respond to the reviews in a separate place, scouts honor! Hope you enjoyed this short little thing! It is a sort of prequel to TWO MEN AND A THORN BUSH.