Ice
Chapter Twenty
The proposed meeting had to be postponed because of more sightings of orcs along the border. This time it was to the south, and they had also received news from a patrol that several bands of nomad travelers were seen in the area. This was not a normal occurrence at this time of year, as the nomads generally tended to stay south where it was warmer. Elrond had sent Elladan and Elrohir with Tan to try and locate one of these groups of travelers. They returned after dinner without any news or success. Though the storm had died down, it had kept them from traveling too far from the borders.
Estel had retired early, still weary from his ordeal. He had sat with Legolas most of the afternoon, just glad to be near his friend. He had watched the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed evenly, comforted by the soft sounds. His father had requested that he sleep in his own bed this night, as he could not really properly rest in the chair for the second night in a row.
The next morning, the storm had blown itself completely out. The sun rose and the sky was blue and clear. Millions of ice crystals glistened all around, clinging to the dark pines and other winter green plants that surrounded the Rivendell. Fin watched as several elves on horseback passed the courtyard, the horse's breath lingering in the air. There were more patrols, per Lord Elrond's request, and everyone was on alert for any danger.
Fin had checked on Legolas upon wakening, but he still slept. His fever was nearly spent, and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Estel was sprawled out on the bed next to him, one hand on Legolas' shoulder. He had found his way there sometime during the night, unable to sleep in his own bed. He awoke when she had entered the room, and smiled sleepily up at her.
"Would you like me to bring you something to eat?"
"Aye, and perhaps something for Legolas. When he awakens, he will need to eat as well."
"Consider is done, then. How are you feeling?"
"I am well, just tired."
"An after effect of hypothermia, I am afraid. You should rest while you can. You will need a clear head when you meet with Gandalf. Perhaps Legolas will feel up to it as well."
She turned and left the room. Estel looked over at Legolas, reaching up a hand to touch his forehead. It was much cooler, which was a relief. He had seen his friend get into many scrapes in the past, and had helped him with various wounds, but this had been bad and he knew they had been lucky. He knew how easily Legolas could have been killed. They had been extremely lucky.
Legolas began to stir, his body shifting as if it were trying to find a more comfortable position. Estel sat up and watched his friend. Legolas' head moved slightly from side to side, and his eyelids fluttered open. A soft moan escaped his lips and he brought his uninjured hand up to touch his face. Then he touched the splint on his arm, and finally rested his hand over his broken ribs. His eyes were open all the way, the pupils dilated wide, which was a good sign as the room was well lit. Realizing he was not alone, he glanced over at his friend.
"Estel." he whispered. "Where am I?"
"Same place, my friend."
"Estel, have you been sleeping in my bed?" One eyebrow went up as he looked at his friend. "What will people say?"
"Very funny, elf. You did not expect me to spend another night in that chair, did you?"
"Nay, my friend. You should have slept in your own bed."
"I tried. I was too worried about you. So I came back. Hey, at least I slept!"
Estel looked at his friend, noting the paleness of his face and the slight shallowness of his breath.
"How do you fare, nin ion? I think you are still in much pain."
"Aye, it still hurts to breath and my head aches. I think I outdid myself this time, my friend."
"I agree with you, but I think you were just in the wrong place at the right time.I mean the wrong time? Fin made more of her tea. It will lessen the pain. I will bring you some."
He got off the bed and went to the hearth where a kettle sat steaming softly. He poured a cup of tea from it, and slowly walked to the bed, blowing on the hot liquid to cool it down. He placed it on the table next to the bed, and then turned to help Legolas into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard. Legolas grimaced in pain, and his breathing quickened as he tried to stay in control. Estel handed him the cup, but Legolas' hand was shaking too much to hold it. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes.
"I hate being this weak."
"I know mellon nin, for now you must let others help you." Legolas nodded slightly. Because of the warrior bond shared between the elf and the man, he knew he would owe no debt for this help. He also knew that sooner or later, he would need to help his friend in a similar way. He looked into Estel's eyes, truly glad for the closeness they shared. In the short time they had known each other they had become incredibly close. Legolas was an only child and before he had met the ranger, he had never had the experiences that come from having or being a sibling.
Often one knew what the other thought before he had a chance to voice it. They could also sense the others feelings, and when they knew when the other was in danger. It was probably as close to brotherhood that he would ever come.
Estel held the cup as Legolas slowly sipped the hot liquid. His body felt chilled from the after effects of the fever, and the tea helped to warm him up. Estel could see his friend relax visibly as he finished off the tea.
Legolas looked at his arm. "I guess archery practice is out of the question today?"
Estel laughed. "Aye, it is. But you will heal quickly. Father says there was no damage to the inside, and you will regain full use."
"That is good news."
"Gandalf is here, and soon we will meet and talk. He may be able to help us figure out this puzzle."
"What is known so far?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. Evil is afoot, that is for sure. Orcs are traveling closer to Rivendell than I can ever remember. Trolls, and more than just the one we encountered, have been seen more frequently."
"What happened to our troll. Did it escape? Did you kill it?"
"Nay, I did not kill it, though I tried. I led him out onto the ice away from you. I hoped he would fall in."
"And."
"Well, fall in he did, but I am afraid not alone."
"Estel?"
"Aye, I went for another swim in the lake."
"I remember now. It is all a bit fuzzy, though. This is becoming a habit, my friend. What of the troll?"
"Sunk like a stone. I believe he is resting peacefully at the bottom of the lake."
"But now other trolls have been spotted?"
"I have been told that villages west of the Trollshaws have been attacked. A rumor has been heard by several of the rangers from the south. Evil is out there searching for something. No one knows what, though, and no one dares to guess. Nomads have been seen traveling not too far away, and this we know is unusual as well. They never come this far north during the winter. Gandalf may know something."
"We will have to wait and meet with Gandalf."
Chapter Twenty
The proposed meeting had to be postponed because of more sightings of orcs along the border. This time it was to the south, and they had also received news from a patrol that several bands of nomad travelers were seen in the area. This was not a normal occurrence at this time of year, as the nomads generally tended to stay south where it was warmer. Elrond had sent Elladan and Elrohir with Tan to try and locate one of these groups of travelers. They returned after dinner without any news or success. Though the storm had died down, it had kept them from traveling too far from the borders.
Estel had retired early, still weary from his ordeal. He had sat with Legolas most of the afternoon, just glad to be near his friend. He had watched the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed evenly, comforted by the soft sounds. His father had requested that he sleep in his own bed this night, as he could not really properly rest in the chair for the second night in a row.
The next morning, the storm had blown itself completely out. The sun rose and the sky was blue and clear. Millions of ice crystals glistened all around, clinging to the dark pines and other winter green plants that surrounded the Rivendell. Fin watched as several elves on horseback passed the courtyard, the horse's breath lingering in the air. There were more patrols, per Lord Elrond's request, and everyone was on alert for any danger.
Fin had checked on Legolas upon wakening, but he still slept. His fever was nearly spent, and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Estel was sprawled out on the bed next to him, one hand on Legolas' shoulder. He had found his way there sometime during the night, unable to sleep in his own bed. He awoke when she had entered the room, and smiled sleepily up at her.
"Would you like me to bring you something to eat?"
"Aye, and perhaps something for Legolas. When he awakens, he will need to eat as well."
"Consider is done, then. How are you feeling?"
"I am well, just tired."
"An after effect of hypothermia, I am afraid. You should rest while you can. You will need a clear head when you meet with Gandalf. Perhaps Legolas will feel up to it as well."
She turned and left the room. Estel looked over at Legolas, reaching up a hand to touch his forehead. It was much cooler, which was a relief. He had seen his friend get into many scrapes in the past, and had helped him with various wounds, but this had been bad and he knew they had been lucky. He knew how easily Legolas could have been killed. They had been extremely lucky.
Legolas began to stir, his body shifting as if it were trying to find a more comfortable position. Estel sat up and watched his friend. Legolas' head moved slightly from side to side, and his eyelids fluttered open. A soft moan escaped his lips and he brought his uninjured hand up to touch his face. Then he touched the splint on his arm, and finally rested his hand over his broken ribs. His eyes were open all the way, the pupils dilated wide, which was a good sign as the room was well lit. Realizing he was not alone, he glanced over at his friend.
"Estel." he whispered. "Where am I?"
"Same place, my friend."
"Estel, have you been sleeping in my bed?" One eyebrow went up as he looked at his friend. "What will people say?"
"Very funny, elf. You did not expect me to spend another night in that chair, did you?"
"Nay, my friend. You should have slept in your own bed."
"I tried. I was too worried about you. So I came back. Hey, at least I slept!"
Estel looked at his friend, noting the paleness of his face and the slight shallowness of his breath.
"How do you fare, nin ion? I think you are still in much pain."
"Aye, it still hurts to breath and my head aches. I think I outdid myself this time, my friend."
"I agree with you, but I think you were just in the wrong place at the right time.I mean the wrong time? Fin made more of her tea. It will lessen the pain. I will bring you some."
He got off the bed and went to the hearth where a kettle sat steaming softly. He poured a cup of tea from it, and slowly walked to the bed, blowing on the hot liquid to cool it down. He placed it on the table next to the bed, and then turned to help Legolas into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard. Legolas grimaced in pain, and his breathing quickened as he tried to stay in control. Estel handed him the cup, but Legolas' hand was shaking too much to hold it. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes.
"I hate being this weak."
"I know mellon nin, for now you must let others help you." Legolas nodded slightly. Because of the warrior bond shared between the elf and the man, he knew he would owe no debt for this help. He also knew that sooner or later, he would need to help his friend in a similar way. He looked into Estel's eyes, truly glad for the closeness they shared. In the short time they had known each other they had become incredibly close. Legolas was an only child and before he had met the ranger, he had never had the experiences that come from having or being a sibling.
Often one knew what the other thought before he had a chance to voice it. They could also sense the others feelings, and when they knew when the other was in danger. It was probably as close to brotherhood that he would ever come.
Estel held the cup as Legolas slowly sipped the hot liquid. His body felt chilled from the after effects of the fever, and the tea helped to warm him up. Estel could see his friend relax visibly as he finished off the tea.
Legolas looked at his arm. "I guess archery practice is out of the question today?"
Estel laughed. "Aye, it is. But you will heal quickly. Father says there was no damage to the inside, and you will regain full use."
"That is good news."
"Gandalf is here, and soon we will meet and talk. He may be able to help us figure out this puzzle."
"What is known so far?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. Evil is afoot, that is for sure. Orcs are traveling closer to Rivendell than I can ever remember. Trolls, and more than just the one we encountered, have been seen more frequently."
"What happened to our troll. Did it escape? Did you kill it?"
"Nay, I did not kill it, though I tried. I led him out onto the ice away from you. I hoped he would fall in."
"And."
"Well, fall in he did, but I am afraid not alone."
"Estel?"
"Aye, I went for another swim in the lake."
"I remember now. It is all a bit fuzzy, though. This is becoming a habit, my friend. What of the troll?"
"Sunk like a stone. I believe he is resting peacefully at the bottom of the lake."
"But now other trolls have been spotted?"
"I have been told that villages west of the Trollshaws have been attacked. A rumor has been heard by several of the rangers from the south. Evil is out there searching for something. No one knows what, though, and no one dares to guess. Nomads have been seen traveling not too far away, and this we know is unusual as well. They never come this far north during the winter. Gandalf may know something."
"We will have to wait and meet with Gandalf."
