Chapter 2

Very early the next morning Aragorn hurried to Legolas's bedroom. He was relieved to see the Elf sleeping with his eyes open again, but hated the idea of having to prod his companion awake.

"Legolas. It is time to get up." Aragorn gave the Elf a gentle shake, but Legolas only mumbled something and turned in the opposite direction, bundling underneath the blankets. Aragorn rolled his eyes before grabbing hold of the end of the blankets and yanking them off.

Legolas blinked when a sudden blast of cold air hit him, and he stared up at Aragorn, open-mouthed. The ranger chortled as the Elf rubbed his eyes while yawning. "Can I not stay in bed for one more day?" He asked quietly.

Aragorn shook his head. "No, Legolas, I am sorry. Your horse is ready and you must get up."

Legolas nodded before climbing out of the bed. He felt dizzy for a second and had to clutch the bedpost until the world tipped itself rightside up. Aragorn allowed Legolas to lean on his arm as the two of them made their way to the main hall, where they met up with the rest of the group. Eowyn stood with her arms folded tightly across her chest, watching the goings-on.

"Good luck," She told Aragorn cooly.

He nodded respectfully before aiding Legolas outdoors where the horses stood. "Slowly now. That's it."

Once Legolas was seated on the back of his white stallion, Gandalf held up his staff. "Aragorn, perhaps you should ride with Legolas. He is still very weak and may need some support."

The ranger nodded and started to step forward, but Gimli stopped him. "What about me? I always ride with Legolas."

Gandalf smiled at the Dwarf. "Not this time, Gimli. You will ride with me. Aragorn will be able to support Legolas's weight a lot better than you would."

Gimli finally agreed to the solution and was helped onto Gandalf's horse.

Aragorn swung onto the horse behind Legolas, taking hold of the reins. Legolas let out a soft moan, more from exhaustion than from pain. Theoden, who stood in front of them, nodded. "Shall we ride?" He asked thoughtfully.

"Away we go," Gandalf said, digging his heels gently into the sides of Shadowfax, and the company began to move away from the villiage of Rohan. Eowyn stood on the stone terrace, her arms folded, and her skirts flowing in the wind. A few silent tears slid down her cheeks as she watched her kin ride futher and further away.



Legolas tried his best to sit up straight as the horse began to trot. He could feel Aragorn's arms on either side of him as almost a rail to keep him from falling. "What has become of those miserable orcs?" He finally asked.

"That I think," Gandalf replied, "One will never know."

"You may lean against me, Legolas, if you feel the need." Aragorn spoke, sensing the Elf's exhaustion.

"No," Legolas snipped. "I do NOT need your support, thank you." He stopped himself before glancing over his shoulder. "I am sorry-I did not mean to sound cross."

Aragorn smiled. "That is all right, my friend. "You have not been well."

The riders, within a few hours, came to the wood, and they halted; horse and man, they were unwilling to pass in. The trees were grey and menacing, and a shadow or mist was about them. Eventually they managed to urge their horses into the forest, but were surprised to find that no living creature existed. "Strange," said Legolas quietly. "It is hot in here. I feel a great wrath around me. Do you not feel the air throbbing in your ears?" He asked Gandalf. Gimli frowned as he gazed about.

"I still wonder," He began, "What madness brought me here. I do wish I could have found the time to explore the grand caverns of Helm's Deep." He turned to Legolas. "Do you know, laddie, that the caves of Helm's Deep are grand and beautiful?"

Legolas smiled weakly. "I did not, Gimli. I have not had the urge to venture into a cave."

However, Gimli was not listening. "My kin would pay in pure gold just to go inside of them!"

Legolas chuckled. "And I would pay gold to be excused," He replied. "And double to be let out."

Gimli rolled his eyes. "I've said this once and I will say it again- once an Elf always an Elf."

Legolas shivered, which surprised him a little. "Very odd. I am so cold, yet I know it is very warm in here."

Aragorn frowned and placed a hand against the back of the Elf's neck. "You are not running a fever." He sighed. "But here-take my cloak. You may be experiencing leftover chills from the poison." Aragorn wrapped his thick cloak around the Elf's shoulders.

"Leftover chills?" asked Gimli.

"He did have a very high fever after all, Master Dwarf." Gandalf replied. "We are very lucky he survived at all."

"I c-can deal with b-being a little c-cold," Legolas shivered.

Gimli chuckled. "J-just a l-little c-cold?" He mimicked the Elf. " You sound like you're sitting atop an ice burg!"

"That is enough, gentleman." Aragorn ordered.

Gimli smiled to himself as he watched the Elf bobbing gently up and down in front of Aragorn, gazing ahead. It was true-Legolas did look much different than he had before the Battle of Helm's Deep. He was MUCH thinner and paler, and very fragile-almost like a china tea cup. It had in deed been a very exhausting time for the three companions. He remembered sitting up for a couple of hours each night with Legolas, having to endure his friend's cries of pain and fever delirium. The Dwarf finally cleared his throat, trying not to become too emotional. He had spent enough tears already that week, feeling very much like a whimp.

"What are you thinking of, Gimli?" asked Gandalf. "You seem very quiet."

Legolas looked at his small friend with a weak smile. "Are you all right, Gimli?" He asked. He had a feeling the Dwarf was thinking about him.

"Wha?" Gimli asked, shaking his head. "Oh-n-nothing. Just daydreaming a bit."

"You are worried about me, Gimli."

Gimli gasped. "What makes you say such a thing?"

"I can see it in your eyes."

"Hmph." The Dwarf grunted. "Well-I have a perfect right to be worried, Legolas. With how ill you were back there. I mean-look at you, shivering in a perfectly stifling warm forest."

Aragorn smiled at this. He kept a close eye on Theoden and his men who were several feet ahead, with Eomer riding at the back. Speaking of Eomer-Eowyn was probably spending this time throwing plates against the wall in her mode of sulking. Legolas had already told him that she had broken a needlepoint over her knee-VERY unlady like, he had said. A woman with such a desire to go to battle was unusual.

"Aragorn?" Legolas asked, breaking the ranger's trail of thought. "May I have a sip of water?"

"Of course." He reached into his pack and pulled out one of his canteens, handing it to the Elf. The group rode in silence then for a while, but Legolas was ever looking from side to side, and if he were on foot would have halted to listen to the sounds of the wood (that is, if Gimli or Aragorn would have let him).

"These are the strangest trees I have ever seen," He spoke. "and I have seen many an oak grow from acorn to ruinous age. I wish that there were leisure now to walk among them: they have voices, and in time I might come to understand their thought."

At least the effect of the poison had not caused the Elf's magic to diminish. He could still hear the trees talking to each other, which was a relief to Aragorn.

"No, no!" said Gimli. "Let us leave them! I guess their thought already; hatred of all that go on two legs; and their speech is crushing and strangling."

"Not all that go on two legs," said Legolas. "There I think you are wrong. It is Orcs that they hate. For they do not belong here and know little of Elves and Men. Far away are the valleys where they sprang. From the deep dales of Fanghorn, Gimli, that is whence they come, I guess. Aragorn, you do not have to baracade me quite so much. I can take hold of the reins for now if you'd like-your knuckles are starting to turn white."

The ranger laughed. "I'm sorry, Legolas."

"I am not as frail as you think," The Elf snarled. "I am tired of being treated like a helpless child! Will you not let me go on as I have in the past?"

"Perhaps one day, son of Thranduil." Gandalf told him. "I understand your frustration, but you still have quite a bit of recovering to do."

Aragorn smiled at the wizard. "Very well, Legolas. I will allow you to take hold of the reins at this point in time. If you feel the least bit tired, give them to me. I do not want you falling off of the horse and breaking your neck!"

Legolas scowled, but accepted the reins nonetheless, and felt Aragorn grip his waist, for the up and down motion of the horse jerked him around if he kept his arms to his sides. Legolas was amazed at how weak his hands were. He felt his fingers trembling a little as he grasped the damp leather, but he lifted his head high and fought all fatigue that was running through his body. He could see the dust kicking up from Eomer's horse far in front, and wondered how much further Isengard could possibly be.

"Legolas," Gimli began again, "One day you must come with me and together we will explore the caves of Helm's Deep. I was very happy that I got to at least experience a portion of them!"

Legolas chuckled. "I'll tell you what, Master Dwarf. Let us make a bargain then. If we survive all of the perils of this journey, then you must come with me and we will visit the woods of Fanghorn. Then I will come with you to explore Helm's Deep. Is that not a good compromise?"

Gimli chortled. "If I were close enough to you, Legolas, I would shake your hand, but right now a verbal agreement must take place. That is a very good bargain, Master Elf. Let us hope we get to do so."

Legolas smiled at him. "Good. Ah-it looks as though we are preparing to leave this wood! See? The edge of the forest approaches! How far is it to Isengard, Gandalf?"

"About fifteen leagues as the crows of Saruman make it," The wizard replied.

Legolas gave a great shudder. They were approaching one of the places he had never hoped to come to in his lifetime.