One Last Farewell
Chapter 3: In Health
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own. But then, I'm sure you knew that, being omniscient and omnipotent as I'm sure you all are, and that you know that Lord of the Rings belongs to J. R. Tolkien.
Right, Chapter 3. And yes, I do know I shouldn't be starting another big story when I'm about to finish the first part of All That Glitters, but I just can't help myself. I love this story! Also, I'm aware that the formatting on the last chapter was, frankly, bollocks, and therefore I have edited it. So sorry. I used to write my stories in Notepad, but the formatting is beggared, so I'm using Microsoft Word now.
In Chapter 3, we have mucho angst. Arwen fights for her life with aid from Glorfindel and Haldir, who call for aid from the Valar. Yay! The appearance of another Valar in my fics! Not Manwe, Ulmo or Elbereth this time, it's Mandos who makes an appearance. Legolas tries- and fails- to console Eldarion, and Aragorn. well, read to find out.
Pairings: Eldarion/Legolas, Aragorn/Arwen, Glorfindel/Haldir.
Enjoy! Muchas gracias! Oh, and review please!!
-Nefthoron
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haldir breathed deeply, catching the faint scent of incense in the air, but said nothing, instead placing a cool hand on Arwen's forhead, feeling the scalding heat that burned within her. He sighed. He hated nothing more than healing this plague.
The Sapping Sickness had affected humans before. Not only it kill those who were infected by it, any elven healer who tried to heal it would slowly have their life, their strength sapped away by the illness.
But, working as a pair with Glorfindel, who was a long-accomplished healer and much wiser to healing than Haldir himself was, made the burden of the illness easier. Last time the Sapping Sickness struck Gondor, Haldir had been too young to help, and that had grieved him sorely over the years. But, faced with it now, he felt only fear.
Glorfindel bent over Arwen, and her clouded blue-grey eyes opened. Arwen's lips were cracking with the heat that burned within, the fever that would destroy her. Haldir hugged his arms to himself, as Glorfindel spoke soothingly to Arwen.
"Arwen?" He said softly, "Can you hear me?"
"Yes. but I cannot. I cannot see you." Arwen whispered.
Haldir whimpered silently. That was one of the first signs that the illness was taking a life, the loss of sight.
"'Tis Glorfindel and Haldir, Arwen," Glorfindel said softly, "We will aid you."
"It is too late," Arwen murmured, "Save your strength for those who will need it. For the people."
"Arwen, we are not going to let you die." Haldir said firmly, "Come, Glorfindel. Let us try the Calling spell."
"The Calling.? Haldir, that is far too dangerous!" Arwen cried, her voice a dry croak. Glorfindel took a glass of water from the bedstand and held it to her lips. She drank a little, as Glorfindel spoke,
"It has worked in the past," The tall elven warrior's lips curved in a soft smile, "and besides, Lord Mandos owes me many favours after what I was put through."
"Then we use the Calling," Haldir nodded, and straightened. Glorfindel walked around the bed to stand beside him, and took hold of his hand, pulling the shorter elf to him.
"What- what are you doing?" Arwen asked worriedly.
"A pair of healers do things differently, Arwen," Glorfindel told her, "I use Haldir's life-energy to Call and support him with my own."
Haldir sighed, leaning his head back on Glorfindel's shoulder,
"Do get it over with. I hate this, I really do."
Glorfindel frowned slightly, his strong hand reaching up to brush his partner's face, looking down at him with worried cerulean eyes.
"You do not trust me?"
"I trust you with my life, Glorfindel." Haldir spoke seriously, "With my life and more than my life."
"Diola lle, melamin," Glorfindel whispered, and closed his eyes.
Arwen's eyes widened as everything dimmed. She coughed violently, feeling her throat crack, and then her eyes slowly drifted shut, feeling the death- spell fall across her again, and darkness began to take her.
Glorfindel awakened in a different reality. He sat up slowly, and looked down at the lifeless form of Haldir by his side. He gently brushed gold- silver hair away from Haldir's face, and then pressed a hand to his back. White light glimmered there, and Haldir began to breathe again. Glorfindel smiled in relief. He always worried that one time, it would not work, and Haldir would never return to him.
"Again?" The familiar voice spoke quietly to him, "Again, you endanger all that is precious to you? When the Valar give you a gift such as this precious elf, you constantly insist upon endangering him?"
"I have nothing to fear for the Ritual, Lord Mandos, and neither does Haldir. You would never take him from me, not after that particular grave mistake you made of me." Glorfindel said, "I have come here to ask you a favour."
"Another favour, Glorfindel? Even the patience of the Valar has its limits. A grave hurt I dealt you by accident, but you take advantage mercilessly." A sound like a sigh came from the darkness, "You need to understand that not all can live. The Lady Arwen has forsaken the gifts of the Firstborn and has become what she should not. I can do nothing for her but give her time."
"Time? How much time?"
"A week, nothing more, nothing less."
Glorfindel cast his eyes down.
"Is there truly a cure to be found, my Lord?"
"Indeed there is, but you must travel far to find it. In the deepest Wood of Greenleaves you will find a plant called Aurelie. Use it well."
Mandos began to fade away, and Glorfindel cried out,
"No longer than a week to reach the depths of Eryn Lasgalen?!"
"Two I give you. But no more favours shall be granted to you." Mandos' voice was faint, and then even fainter, "Advice I give to you, Glorfindel- do not use Haldir to travel here again. He grows weaker now. You will lose him."
The world got just a bit darker, and Glorfindel fell to the endless darkness over Haldir's prone form.
Minutes later, he sat up, again in the bedroom of the Lady Arwen, and looked down at the peaceful face of his partner.
"Haldir? Awaken, nin-meleth." Glorfindel whispered, gently kissing the Lorien elf's forehead.
"Nmwha." Haldir sat up blearily, blinking his eyes open and yawning heavily, "What did Mandos say?"
"We have two weeks to find the Aurelie plant in Eryn Lasgalen." Glorfindel said, "That which will cure the Lady Arwen and more besides. Otherwise, she will fall."
"Then Legolas must be sent for immediately," Haldir said decisively, "He grew up in the Greenwood- he will be able to aid us."
"Aragorn will also wish to go." Glorfindel counselled.
"What of it?" Haldir frowned.
"Aragorn, although still strong, has been riding a chair for far too long." Glorfindel shook his head, "Also, he needs to stay here. His kingdom needs him most right now. Also, the only ones who should travel should be the elven-kind, so no Man will catch the sickness."
"Very well," Haldir nodded, "I will find Legolas and we will make plans to leave in secret, immediately."
Legolas sighed softly, sitting on Eldarion's bed. The taller half-elf sat beside him, his eyes fully downcast and swollen with grief. The elf's emerald eyes were filled with worry as he turned to wrap his arms around the Prince's waist, leaning his head against Eldarion's chest,
"Please do not despair, Eldarion." He said softly, "To despair is to give up. You cannot give up on your mother!"
"She is going to die," Eldarion whispered, "and nothing you can say will change that!"
"Eldarion, please-"
"Legolas, be quiet." The dark-haired Prince snapped, pulling away, "You cannot say anything to make me feel better. So do not try."
"Eldarion-"
Eldarion yelled, "Stop! Just- just stop! You can do NOTHING!!! She is going to DIE! Just get out and leave me alone!"
Legolas stood up, looking away.
"As you wish," He murmured, heading for the door.
Eldarion turned to look at him, "No, Legolas, I-"
The elf was gone.
Aragorn stood on the balcony, a glass of red wine in his hand as he surveyed his broken kingdom. Fires were lit all over Minas Tirith, cleansing fires to burn away the city's sickness, but it would not work. Nothing would.
And now, his beautiful, precious Arwen would leave him too. His fingers travelled to the Evenstar that still hung around his neck.
"If you can trust nothing else, trust us. trust this."
"How can I trust in you if you are gone, Arwen?" Aragorn whispered, bowing his head. He raised his glass to the city, his shoulders shaking from suppressed mirth.
"Here's to you, Gondor. To you, Arwen. To all the dead."
Chapter 3: In Health
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own. But then, I'm sure you knew that, being omniscient and omnipotent as I'm sure you all are, and that you know that Lord of the Rings belongs to J. R. Tolkien.
Right, Chapter 3. And yes, I do know I shouldn't be starting another big story when I'm about to finish the first part of All That Glitters, but I just can't help myself. I love this story! Also, I'm aware that the formatting on the last chapter was, frankly, bollocks, and therefore I have edited it. So sorry. I used to write my stories in Notepad, but the formatting is beggared, so I'm using Microsoft Word now.
In Chapter 3, we have mucho angst. Arwen fights for her life with aid from Glorfindel and Haldir, who call for aid from the Valar. Yay! The appearance of another Valar in my fics! Not Manwe, Ulmo or Elbereth this time, it's Mandos who makes an appearance. Legolas tries- and fails- to console Eldarion, and Aragorn. well, read to find out.
Pairings: Eldarion/Legolas, Aragorn/Arwen, Glorfindel/Haldir.
Enjoy! Muchas gracias! Oh, and review please!!
-Nefthoron
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haldir breathed deeply, catching the faint scent of incense in the air, but said nothing, instead placing a cool hand on Arwen's forhead, feeling the scalding heat that burned within her. He sighed. He hated nothing more than healing this plague.
The Sapping Sickness had affected humans before. Not only it kill those who were infected by it, any elven healer who tried to heal it would slowly have their life, their strength sapped away by the illness.
But, working as a pair with Glorfindel, who was a long-accomplished healer and much wiser to healing than Haldir himself was, made the burden of the illness easier. Last time the Sapping Sickness struck Gondor, Haldir had been too young to help, and that had grieved him sorely over the years. But, faced with it now, he felt only fear.
Glorfindel bent over Arwen, and her clouded blue-grey eyes opened. Arwen's lips were cracking with the heat that burned within, the fever that would destroy her. Haldir hugged his arms to himself, as Glorfindel spoke soothingly to Arwen.
"Arwen?" He said softly, "Can you hear me?"
"Yes. but I cannot. I cannot see you." Arwen whispered.
Haldir whimpered silently. That was one of the first signs that the illness was taking a life, the loss of sight.
"'Tis Glorfindel and Haldir, Arwen," Glorfindel said softly, "We will aid you."
"It is too late," Arwen murmured, "Save your strength for those who will need it. For the people."
"Arwen, we are not going to let you die." Haldir said firmly, "Come, Glorfindel. Let us try the Calling spell."
"The Calling.? Haldir, that is far too dangerous!" Arwen cried, her voice a dry croak. Glorfindel took a glass of water from the bedstand and held it to her lips. She drank a little, as Glorfindel spoke,
"It has worked in the past," The tall elven warrior's lips curved in a soft smile, "and besides, Lord Mandos owes me many favours after what I was put through."
"Then we use the Calling," Haldir nodded, and straightened. Glorfindel walked around the bed to stand beside him, and took hold of his hand, pulling the shorter elf to him.
"What- what are you doing?" Arwen asked worriedly.
"A pair of healers do things differently, Arwen," Glorfindel told her, "I use Haldir's life-energy to Call and support him with my own."
Haldir sighed, leaning his head back on Glorfindel's shoulder,
"Do get it over with. I hate this, I really do."
Glorfindel frowned slightly, his strong hand reaching up to brush his partner's face, looking down at him with worried cerulean eyes.
"You do not trust me?"
"I trust you with my life, Glorfindel." Haldir spoke seriously, "With my life and more than my life."
"Diola lle, melamin," Glorfindel whispered, and closed his eyes.
Arwen's eyes widened as everything dimmed. She coughed violently, feeling her throat crack, and then her eyes slowly drifted shut, feeling the death- spell fall across her again, and darkness began to take her.
Glorfindel awakened in a different reality. He sat up slowly, and looked down at the lifeless form of Haldir by his side. He gently brushed gold- silver hair away from Haldir's face, and then pressed a hand to his back. White light glimmered there, and Haldir began to breathe again. Glorfindel smiled in relief. He always worried that one time, it would not work, and Haldir would never return to him.
"Again?" The familiar voice spoke quietly to him, "Again, you endanger all that is precious to you? When the Valar give you a gift such as this precious elf, you constantly insist upon endangering him?"
"I have nothing to fear for the Ritual, Lord Mandos, and neither does Haldir. You would never take him from me, not after that particular grave mistake you made of me." Glorfindel said, "I have come here to ask you a favour."
"Another favour, Glorfindel? Even the patience of the Valar has its limits. A grave hurt I dealt you by accident, but you take advantage mercilessly." A sound like a sigh came from the darkness, "You need to understand that not all can live. The Lady Arwen has forsaken the gifts of the Firstborn and has become what she should not. I can do nothing for her but give her time."
"Time? How much time?"
"A week, nothing more, nothing less."
Glorfindel cast his eyes down.
"Is there truly a cure to be found, my Lord?"
"Indeed there is, but you must travel far to find it. In the deepest Wood of Greenleaves you will find a plant called Aurelie. Use it well."
Mandos began to fade away, and Glorfindel cried out,
"No longer than a week to reach the depths of Eryn Lasgalen?!"
"Two I give you. But no more favours shall be granted to you." Mandos' voice was faint, and then even fainter, "Advice I give to you, Glorfindel- do not use Haldir to travel here again. He grows weaker now. You will lose him."
The world got just a bit darker, and Glorfindel fell to the endless darkness over Haldir's prone form.
Minutes later, he sat up, again in the bedroom of the Lady Arwen, and looked down at the peaceful face of his partner.
"Haldir? Awaken, nin-meleth." Glorfindel whispered, gently kissing the Lorien elf's forehead.
"Nmwha." Haldir sat up blearily, blinking his eyes open and yawning heavily, "What did Mandos say?"
"We have two weeks to find the Aurelie plant in Eryn Lasgalen." Glorfindel said, "That which will cure the Lady Arwen and more besides. Otherwise, she will fall."
"Then Legolas must be sent for immediately," Haldir said decisively, "He grew up in the Greenwood- he will be able to aid us."
"Aragorn will also wish to go." Glorfindel counselled.
"What of it?" Haldir frowned.
"Aragorn, although still strong, has been riding a chair for far too long." Glorfindel shook his head, "Also, he needs to stay here. His kingdom needs him most right now. Also, the only ones who should travel should be the elven-kind, so no Man will catch the sickness."
"Very well," Haldir nodded, "I will find Legolas and we will make plans to leave in secret, immediately."
Legolas sighed softly, sitting on Eldarion's bed. The taller half-elf sat beside him, his eyes fully downcast and swollen with grief. The elf's emerald eyes were filled with worry as he turned to wrap his arms around the Prince's waist, leaning his head against Eldarion's chest,
"Please do not despair, Eldarion." He said softly, "To despair is to give up. You cannot give up on your mother!"
"She is going to die," Eldarion whispered, "and nothing you can say will change that!"
"Eldarion, please-"
"Legolas, be quiet." The dark-haired Prince snapped, pulling away, "You cannot say anything to make me feel better. So do not try."
"Eldarion-"
Eldarion yelled, "Stop! Just- just stop! You can do NOTHING!!! She is going to DIE! Just get out and leave me alone!"
Legolas stood up, looking away.
"As you wish," He murmured, heading for the door.
Eldarion turned to look at him, "No, Legolas, I-"
The elf was gone.
Aragorn stood on the balcony, a glass of red wine in his hand as he surveyed his broken kingdom. Fires were lit all over Minas Tirith, cleansing fires to burn away the city's sickness, but it would not work. Nothing would.
And now, his beautiful, precious Arwen would leave him too. His fingers travelled to the Evenstar that still hung around his neck.
"If you can trust nothing else, trust us. trust this."
"How can I trust in you if you are gone, Arwen?" Aragorn whispered, bowing his head. He raised his glass to the city, his shoulders shaking from suppressed mirth.
"Here's to you, Gondor. To you, Arwen. To all the dead."
