Chapter Seventeen
Fin had watched the sky all afternoon as it turned darker. Her instincts told her that foul weather was approaching, and Elrond confirmed her premonition with his own words of concern. She hoped the scouting party had found sound shelter this evening, it would be a most uncomfortable night if they did not, especially for Estel.
Her body was feeling stronger, and she no longer felt the extreme weakness she had felt that very morning. She had spent the day most pleasantly with Elrond and Gandalf. They had finished looking at many maps and while there were still many things about them that she did not understand, she had learned much this day. As her grasp of the various written languages of Middle Earth improved, she knew she would learn even more.
Gandalf remembered her and knew of what had happened all those years ago. He was glad that Elrond had taken Fin in; the elven lord had a great heart and much compassion. Fin told him how she and Estel and Legolas had met, and of their adventures at the river.
"So that is how I came to be here."
"I am very glad you did, child. It is a wonder how you managed on your own all this time. Life should not always be so difficult."
The fire was warm and the room very comfortable. For some reason, she felt compelled to leave the sitting room to walk out onto the balcony. The sun had set, and though there were many clouds, she could still see many stars peeking out from behind them. The air was frigid and crisp and all was silent.
"It is snowing, my lord," she called out. Elrond moved up to stand behind her, fat flakes of snow falling on his ebony dark hair. She was drawn to the edge of the balcony, and as she looked off into the forest beyond the courtyard, she felt a sense of distress growing inside her. She turned a confused look to Elrond, who only nodded his head.
"I feel it too. Something is wrong."
Gandalf approached as well, and looked beyond the elves into the darkness.
Fin turned back and strained her eyes to look off into the darkness. She stood still, listening to the wind as it grew stronger. She reached out with all her senses.
Suddenly, she could hear the sound of a horse running toward the house. One horse. Who could this be? A figure on horseback, cloak drawn over his face, burst through the trees and stopped in the courtyard. The hood was flung back as the creature darted for the door. It was Tan. Why was he alone?
Fin was distressed knowing that Tan would never leave the others unless something had happened. Her sense of danger increased as she saw the look of worry and intensity on his face. She fled the balcony with Elrond at her heels.
Elrond and Fin hurried to the door and met the elf in the front hall. Tan was breathing hard from his wild ride, and he reached out to grasp Elrond by the arm. He needed the steady anchor of the wise elf to keep his mind focused.
"Tan, what has happened?"
"My lord, you must prepare, they will be here soon."
"Slow down, you are not making sense."
Fin looked on him with wide eyes. "It is Legolas."
Tan turned to her with a shocked expression. "Yes, my lady. And Estel." His breath was still coming in quick gasps, and he looked ready to collapse.
Lord Elrond drew in a deep breath. "Maybe you should start at the beginning." His voice was shaky with worry.
Tan relayed briefly what had happened. More details could be told later. Immediately, Elrond sent Fin to prepare the prince's quarters for his arrival. She practically flew down the hall and up the stairs. Gandalf waited with Elrond in the hall. She gathered what she felt would be needed from the stores in the healer's rooms and brought it to Legolas' room. She then began a fire in the grate and filled the kettle to boil water. She made sure splints were available, as Tan had told them what he knew of the prince's injuries.
She returned to the front hall and followed Tan, Elrond, and Gandalf out into the courtyard where she heard the sound of concerned voices.
She stood to the side as Elrond swept past her, the limp body of Legolas in his arms. She turned quickly to the others. Elladan was helping a stumbling, shivering Estel from his horse, Elrohir and Tan were handing the reins of the animals to a stable keeper who had appeared. Her eyes swept over the twins, relief filled her heart that they had not been injured.
Estel nodded weakly to her as he past, and stumbled again as he past through the door. Fin followed and watched as Elladan helped to support his brother down the hall and up the stairs.
"No, brother, I want to b-b-be with L-l-legolas," Estel mumbled as his brother attempted to steer him toward his own chambers.
"Estel."
Estel met his brothers concerned, you-need-to-rest, gaze with an intense I- will-not-rest-until-I-have-seen-him stare.
Elladan sighed and helped the man to the chamber of their friend. Fin followed, darting ahead to open the door for them. She moved aside so that Elladan could help Estel in.
Elrond was leaning over the still form of the blond-haired elf. He turned and motioned for Fin to come and help. Elladan helped Estel into a chair, and then began to help him take off the still wet clothing he wore. Gandalf stood to the side, watching intently, ready to be of assistance.
Elrond, with Fin and Elrohir helping, removed Legolas gauntlets, cloak, tunic, and woolen undershirt. The prince moaned and turned his head, but did not wake. Fin gasped when she saw his side.
Where the thick branch had struck him was a large bruise. It was black and purple, and it covered the right side of his chest from shoulder to hip. Elrond ran his hands over the injury. Legolas cried out, his body clenched and his breathing became erratic, but still did not wake.
"At least four ribs are broken. I am not sure if they are intact of if they have done damage to anything inside," Elrond stated. He feared that one or more of the ribs had possibly caused some internal injury, so devastating was the blow from the troll.
Legolas right arm was clearly broken. The bone protruded from torn, reddened flesh. The gauntlet had been keeping applied pressure on the wound, but now that it had been removed, blood flowed from the injury. It would have to be set and bound. Elrond was rightly concerned over this injury as the archer needed two good, strong arms to hold his bow. He would have to be careful of infection, and this wound would need to be stitched closed.
Next, Elrond assessed the elf's head wound. There was a long gash that ran from his hairline above his right eye, down to the corner of his eye. Blood had dried on Legolas face, his eye was swollen shut and there was a large purple bruise on his face. He lifted each eyelid and noted the un- dilated state of the pupils. This was indicative of a concussion.
"Fin, this will need to be cleaned and stitched," Elrond indicated the wound on Legolas' head.
"I can do that, my lord. I have done this many times."
With Elrohir's help, she began the task of cleaning and stitching the head wound. Elrond set Tan to making splints the right length for Legolas' arm. The wooden splints would be soft but strong. As these tasks were being done, Elrond turned to his foster son, who was now stripped, wrapped in a thick blanket, and seated in a chair by the fire.
"Are you well, Estel?"
"Aye, ada, I am. I am warmer now, at least. I grow very weary of the lake."
Elrond smiled at this edain, whom he had claimed as his own. This man meant so much to him. When he took him in all those years ago, he had no idea how much he would grow to love this human. Elrond knelt in front of his son, and reached out to embrace him. Estel sighed in his father's embrace, and a warmth spread through him unlike any he had ever felt.
"It is well, my son. Legolas is badly wounded, but he will recover. He is strong. I am grateful to the Valar for watching out over you this day." He pulled back and gazed into his son's silvery eyes. He reached a hand up and lightly brushed his fingertips across his son's forehead. There was a slight warmth there, and Elrond was slightly concerned.
"You are running a fever, Estel. Elrohir will prepare something for you. You may remain here as long as you promise to rest and try to sleep."
Estel was very weary, and his head did feel hot. He nodded weakly, "I will, ada."
Elrohir moved in to care for his brother. Elrond turned back to the bed. Fin was still working on the last few stitches and Tan had completed the work on the splints. Elrond did not look forward to what would have to come next.
"We must set the arm. The pain will lesson once it is set back into place."
Elladan aided him in setting Legolas' arm back, as he had done on many other occasions. The task took great strength and steady movements. Care had to be taken not to stretch and damage the muscles and tendons that attached to the bones.
Legolas' body arched off the bed and a gasp escaped his throat at the sudden jolt and assault on his body, but it was over quickly. The bones seemed to naturally set back into place when they were properly arranged. Elrond cleaned the gash in the arm with a solution of herbs. This would also need to be stitched, and Fin set about on this task as soon as she had finished stitching the head wound. Once the stitches were in place, Elrond applied the splint, wrapping it with soft, supple pieces of leather. The splint would have to be replaced in a few days, once the swelling in Legolas' arm went down.
As he worked, the elf lord could see the concern and worry of his other sons. "Can you tell us what happened? How did Legolas come to be injured so badly?'
Elrond next attended to Legolas' ribs and chest as Elrohir filled his father in on what had happened up north. He checked Legolas' breath, and noted the red tinge to his mouth. There was some internal damage, as indicated by the blood on Legolas' lips, but it was minimal. He washed the area with a solution that had been prepared by Elrohir, a warming solution that would penetrate skin and have a soothing effect on the nerves and muscles beneath and then, with the help of Fin and Elladan, he wrapped the ribs snugly. When Legolas woke, he would be in extreme pain. Elrond prepared several medicines for him, one for pain, which he would need, and one for fever, just in case.
He turned and looked at Estel and Elrohir. Estel was still sitting, wrapped up in the blanket, but now he held a mug of something. He quietly sipped the beverage and watched his father. His eyes were glazed and feverish, but he still bore a look of concern.
Elrohir handed his father a mug. A servant had brought up a tray with strong tea and fruit. Elrond accepted the mug, and drank the settling tea. He could feel the warmth spread through him, taking away the chill he felt after working on the injuries of the young elf.
They waited in silence. Fin went over to Estel and sat at the ground by his feet. He reached out his hand and placed it on her shoulder. She looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes. She leaned to rest her head on his knee, and they waited.
Estel had fallen asleep, and Fin would have also, if not for the movement and sound on the bed.
Fin had watched the sky all afternoon as it turned darker. Her instincts told her that foul weather was approaching, and Elrond confirmed her premonition with his own words of concern. She hoped the scouting party had found sound shelter this evening, it would be a most uncomfortable night if they did not, especially for Estel.
Her body was feeling stronger, and she no longer felt the extreme weakness she had felt that very morning. She had spent the day most pleasantly with Elrond and Gandalf. They had finished looking at many maps and while there were still many things about them that she did not understand, she had learned much this day. As her grasp of the various written languages of Middle Earth improved, she knew she would learn even more.
Gandalf remembered her and knew of what had happened all those years ago. He was glad that Elrond had taken Fin in; the elven lord had a great heart and much compassion. Fin told him how she and Estel and Legolas had met, and of their adventures at the river.
"So that is how I came to be here."
"I am very glad you did, child. It is a wonder how you managed on your own all this time. Life should not always be so difficult."
The fire was warm and the room very comfortable. For some reason, she felt compelled to leave the sitting room to walk out onto the balcony. The sun had set, and though there were many clouds, she could still see many stars peeking out from behind them. The air was frigid and crisp and all was silent.
"It is snowing, my lord," she called out. Elrond moved up to stand behind her, fat flakes of snow falling on his ebony dark hair. She was drawn to the edge of the balcony, and as she looked off into the forest beyond the courtyard, she felt a sense of distress growing inside her. She turned a confused look to Elrond, who only nodded his head.
"I feel it too. Something is wrong."
Gandalf approached as well, and looked beyond the elves into the darkness.
Fin turned back and strained her eyes to look off into the darkness. She stood still, listening to the wind as it grew stronger. She reached out with all her senses.
Suddenly, she could hear the sound of a horse running toward the house. One horse. Who could this be? A figure on horseback, cloak drawn over his face, burst through the trees and stopped in the courtyard. The hood was flung back as the creature darted for the door. It was Tan. Why was he alone?
Fin was distressed knowing that Tan would never leave the others unless something had happened. Her sense of danger increased as she saw the look of worry and intensity on his face. She fled the balcony with Elrond at her heels.
Elrond and Fin hurried to the door and met the elf in the front hall. Tan was breathing hard from his wild ride, and he reached out to grasp Elrond by the arm. He needed the steady anchor of the wise elf to keep his mind focused.
"Tan, what has happened?"
"My lord, you must prepare, they will be here soon."
"Slow down, you are not making sense."
Fin looked on him with wide eyes. "It is Legolas."
Tan turned to her with a shocked expression. "Yes, my lady. And Estel." His breath was still coming in quick gasps, and he looked ready to collapse.
Lord Elrond drew in a deep breath. "Maybe you should start at the beginning." His voice was shaky with worry.
Tan relayed briefly what had happened. More details could be told later. Immediately, Elrond sent Fin to prepare the prince's quarters for his arrival. She practically flew down the hall and up the stairs. Gandalf waited with Elrond in the hall. She gathered what she felt would be needed from the stores in the healer's rooms and brought it to Legolas' room. She then began a fire in the grate and filled the kettle to boil water. She made sure splints were available, as Tan had told them what he knew of the prince's injuries.
She returned to the front hall and followed Tan, Elrond, and Gandalf out into the courtyard where she heard the sound of concerned voices.
She stood to the side as Elrond swept past her, the limp body of Legolas in his arms. She turned quickly to the others. Elladan was helping a stumbling, shivering Estel from his horse, Elrohir and Tan were handing the reins of the animals to a stable keeper who had appeared. Her eyes swept over the twins, relief filled her heart that they had not been injured.
Estel nodded weakly to her as he past, and stumbled again as he past through the door. Fin followed and watched as Elladan helped to support his brother down the hall and up the stairs.
"No, brother, I want to b-b-be with L-l-legolas," Estel mumbled as his brother attempted to steer him toward his own chambers.
"Estel."
Estel met his brothers concerned, you-need-to-rest, gaze with an intense I- will-not-rest-until-I-have-seen-him stare.
Elladan sighed and helped the man to the chamber of their friend. Fin followed, darting ahead to open the door for them. She moved aside so that Elladan could help Estel in.
Elrond was leaning over the still form of the blond-haired elf. He turned and motioned for Fin to come and help. Elladan helped Estel into a chair, and then began to help him take off the still wet clothing he wore. Gandalf stood to the side, watching intently, ready to be of assistance.
Elrond, with Fin and Elrohir helping, removed Legolas gauntlets, cloak, tunic, and woolen undershirt. The prince moaned and turned his head, but did not wake. Fin gasped when she saw his side.
Where the thick branch had struck him was a large bruise. It was black and purple, and it covered the right side of his chest from shoulder to hip. Elrond ran his hands over the injury. Legolas cried out, his body clenched and his breathing became erratic, but still did not wake.
"At least four ribs are broken. I am not sure if they are intact of if they have done damage to anything inside," Elrond stated. He feared that one or more of the ribs had possibly caused some internal injury, so devastating was the blow from the troll.
Legolas right arm was clearly broken. The bone protruded from torn, reddened flesh. The gauntlet had been keeping applied pressure on the wound, but now that it had been removed, blood flowed from the injury. It would have to be set and bound. Elrond was rightly concerned over this injury as the archer needed two good, strong arms to hold his bow. He would have to be careful of infection, and this wound would need to be stitched closed.
Next, Elrond assessed the elf's head wound. There was a long gash that ran from his hairline above his right eye, down to the corner of his eye. Blood had dried on Legolas face, his eye was swollen shut and there was a large purple bruise on his face. He lifted each eyelid and noted the un- dilated state of the pupils. This was indicative of a concussion.
"Fin, this will need to be cleaned and stitched," Elrond indicated the wound on Legolas' head.
"I can do that, my lord. I have done this many times."
With Elrohir's help, she began the task of cleaning and stitching the head wound. Elrond set Tan to making splints the right length for Legolas' arm. The wooden splints would be soft but strong. As these tasks were being done, Elrond turned to his foster son, who was now stripped, wrapped in a thick blanket, and seated in a chair by the fire.
"Are you well, Estel?"
"Aye, ada, I am. I am warmer now, at least. I grow very weary of the lake."
Elrond smiled at this edain, whom he had claimed as his own. This man meant so much to him. When he took him in all those years ago, he had no idea how much he would grow to love this human. Elrond knelt in front of his son, and reached out to embrace him. Estel sighed in his father's embrace, and a warmth spread through him unlike any he had ever felt.
"It is well, my son. Legolas is badly wounded, but he will recover. He is strong. I am grateful to the Valar for watching out over you this day." He pulled back and gazed into his son's silvery eyes. He reached a hand up and lightly brushed his fingertips across his son's forehead. There was a slight warmth there, and Elrond was slightly concerned.
"You are running a fever, Estel. Elrohir will prepare something for you. You may remain here as long as you promise to rest and try to sleep."
Estel was very weary, and his head did feel hot. He nodded weakly, "I will, ada."
Elrohir moved in to care for his brother. Elrond turned back to the bed. Fin was still working on the last few stitches and Tan had completed the work on the splints. Elrond did not look forward to what would have to come next.
"We must set the arm. The pain will lesson once it is set back into place."
Elladan aided him in setting Legolas' arm back, as he had done on many other occasions. The task took great strength and steady movements. Care had to be taken not to stretch and damage the muscles and tendons that attached to the bones.
Legolas' body arched off the bed and a gasp escaped his throat at the sudden jolt and assault on his body, but it was over quickly. The bones seemed to naturally set back into place when they were properly arranged. Elrond cleaned the gash in the arm with a solution of herbs. This would also need to be stitched, and Fin set about on this task as soon as she had finished stitching the head wound. Once the stitches were in place, Elrond applied the splint, wrapping it with soft, supple pieces of leather. The splint would have to be replaced in a few days, once the swelling in Legolas' arm went down.
As he worked, the elf lord could see the concern and worry of his other sons. "Can you tell us what happened? How did Legolas come to be injured so badly?'
Elrond next attended to Legolas' ribs and chest as Elrohir filled his father in on what had happened up north. He checked Legolas' breath, and noted the red tinge to his mouth. There was some internal damage, as indicated by the blood on Legolas' lips, but it was minimal. He washed the area with a solution that had been prepared by Elrohir, a warming solution that would penetrate skin and have a soothing effect on the nerves and muscles beneath and then, with the help of Fin and Elladan, he wrapped the ribs snugly. When Legolas woke, he would be in extreme pain. Elrond prepared several medicines for him, one for pain, which he would need, and one for fever, just in case.
He turned and looked at Estel and Elrohir. Estel was still sitting, wrapped up in the blanket, but now he held a mug of something. He quietly sipped the beverage and watched his father. His eyes were glazed and feverish, but he still bore a look of concern.
Elrohir handed his father a mug. A servant had brought up a tray with strong tea and fruit. Elrond accepted the mug, and drank the settling tea. He could feel the warmth spread through him, taking away the chill he felt after working on the injuries of the young elf.
They waited in silence. Fin went over to Estel and sat at the ground by his feet. He reached out his hand and placed it on her shoulder. She looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes. She leaned to rest her head on his knee, and they waited.
Estel had fallen asleep, and Fin would have also, if not for the movement and sound on the bed.
