Chapter Five
Elrond was watching for them, not knowing what to expect. With his youngest son and the Mirkwood prince, he knew he should be ready to anything. Many times Estel and Legolas had returned to him, one or the other injured in some way. He had to remind himself also of the many times they had returned perfectly sound and whole.
He spotted moved through the trees from where he stood on an upper balcony. He turned and headed downstairs and had made it to the courtyard just as his sons and the prince emerged from the forest. All he could tell from first glance was that Legolas was unconscious, and that Estel needed help to walk. His eyes turned questioningly towards his eldest son.
"Wolves, ada," was Elladan's reply.
With a simple nod, Elrond led them through the hall to his healing chambers and instructed Elladan to place Legolas on one of the beds. Elrohir deposited his brother into a chair nearby, knowing he would never persuade him to leave Legolas' side. Elrohir began to help his brother out of his wet, muddy tunic, determined to treat the ranger himself, as his father and older brother treated Legolas. Estel was barely aware of what was going on and he submitted to his brother ministration without thought. He watched with dizzy eyes over Elrohir's shoulder as his father and Elladan undressed his friend.
Elrond was horrified by the extent of Legolas injuries. They seemed to be everywhere, though he was most concerned over the wound on his arm and the one on his side. They were still bleeding slightly, along with many other cuts on his body. The wounds were hot to the touch and many were dirty and muddy.
Legolas winced in pain even though unconscious as they lifted various parts of his body in an attempt to remove his tunic, and finally Elrond and Elladan found it easier and less painful to the prince to simply cut away Legolas' clothing. Elladan left briefly to retrieve water and cloth to wipe away the mud and the blood that seemed to cover the prince's entire body.
Elrond worked, with Elladan's assistance, over the next several hours to staunch the bleeding, clean the wounds, stitch closed the gashes, apply healing herbal ointments, and finally bind each injury with clean cloth. During the entire time he worked the prince remained unconscious, grimacing slightly only when it came to stitching the deep wound on his arm. When he was finally finished, Elladan moved Legolas to a clean bed and covered him lightly with a thin blanket. Legolas was pale and looked far too young and he breathed as if in pain.
It was at this point that Elrohir approached his father. He had helped Estel strip to his undergarments and had cleaned the scratches and scrapes the ranger had received in his slide down the hillside and his consequent fall into the river. Estel sat still in the chair, his eyes locked on Legolas.
"Ada, I need help with Estel. his shoulder is dislocated, and I think his arm also needs stitches," he led his father over to Estel. He looked at his youngest and saw how the human had locked his gaze upon the prince, and Elrond knew Estel was aware of little else.
"Estel! Estel! Look at me, nin ion!" Elrond spoke in a soft, commanding voice that Estel could not help but respond to. His silver-grey eyes locked onto his fathers face.
"Ada.?" Estel suddenly became aware of his brothers and father. He slowly looked from one to the other, finally settling his gaze back on his father. Elrond had been concerned with Estel's apparent confusion, and was relieved to see more awareness in his foster son's eyes now.
"Here, ada, I have prepared something to relax him. It will be painful to reset his shoulder." Elladan handed his father a cup of strong smelling tea.
"Drink this, Estel!" Again, Elrond used a commanding tone, and Estel wordlessly accepted the cup and slowly drained it. After a few moments, the elf lord could sense the change in his son as his pupils began to dilate and his body slumped lower in the chair.
"Estel, we must reset your shoulder." Estel looked up, confused again. He raised his arm, wincing in pain, and attempted to make a fist, but his fingers were numb and felt fat and he could not get them to work properly. He suddenly became aware of the throbbing in his shoulder, and of the many other little twinges and aches throughout his body. In all his worry over Legolas' condition, he had pushed his own pain aside.
"Aye, I am ready." was his response as he looked upon his father, and he closed his eyes and waited.
Elrond gently took hold of Estel's arm at the elbow and wrist as Elladan and Elrohir each grabbed a shoulder. Estel forced himself to relax, it would be too painful otherwise. The tea had helped to relax his muscles and had made him feel a bit drowsy as well. Elrond lifted the arm up, then quickly pulled and twisted, satisfied when he felt and heard the joint 'pop' back into place. Estel grunted in pain, but made no other sound, as he slumped forward, unconscious, and nearly off the chair, only to be caught by Elladan. The elder twin lifted his brother easily and placed him on the bed that was next to Legolas'.
Elrond sat by his son and watched as Elladan stitched up the long gash on Estel's upper arm. By the time he was finished, Estel was coming to. A soft moan escaped his lips and he turned his head toward his father.
"Ada.?"
"Aye, I am here. Does your shoulder feel better, nin ion?"
"I am fine, ada. It aches, but it feels better than before."
Estel tried to sit up, and caught his breath as he put pressure on his injured arm. Elrond helped him adjust his body so he sat comfortably back against the headboard.
"Legolas.?"
"He is grievously hurt, but he will recover. Can you tell me what happened?"
"It was wolves, ada," replied Estel, and he told his father all he knew. "The pack was large, at least a dozen, and after I had fallen, Legolas had to face them alone. It was too much."
Elrond was quiet for several moments. Estel thought he was angry for it seemed as if his father was forever healing them. He was surprised when he saw a small smile light his father's face.
"Are you still bored, nin ion?"
Estel smiled back and replied, "Nay, ada, I am no longer bored. Please do remind me next time how wonderful boredom can actually be!" He looked up as he heard his brother's chuckle.
"Now Estel, I want you to sleep. Your brothers and I will take care of Legolas, so please do not feel as if you must," Elrond smiled knowingly at his youngest son.
Reluctantly, Estel sighed and replied, "Yes ada." He was extremely tired, and he felt his eyelids grow heavy, too heavy to keep open. Elrohir helped him lay back down, and then covered him with a light blanket. There was a fire on the grate nearby and the room was warm and comfortable.
Elrond watched as his son fell quickly asleep. Indeed, boredom could be a well sought after gift after this 'adventure'.
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Estel woke later in the night to the soft sounds of voices nearby. He propped himself up onto his elbow and looked over towards Legolas' bed. The prince was awake, but the look on his face was of intense pain. His eyes were glazed over with fever, and his uninjured hand gripped at the bed sheets in a reflexive action to the pain. Elrond was leaning over him, changing the bandage on his arm. Estel could see the skin was raw and red, and the arm was swollen, and in the faint light of the fire, it looked worse than it had before. He was about to say something, but did not want to distract his father. Elladan then appeared in the room, carrying a cup from which he helped Legolas to drink.
The prince seemed to relax almost immediately, and a low sigh escaped his lips as Estel watched his eyes glaze over in sleep. Elrond continued treating the prince's arm, glancing up and seeing his son now awake.
"He is feverish, Estel. His arm is infected; the wound was very deep. I do not know if." he trailed off.
"He will recover? Ada, tell me he will recover." Estel was beginning to panic over his father's words and the look in his eyes.
"It is a serious injury, Estel. I believe he will keep his arm, but I do not know how much use he will have from it when it is healed."
"Keep his arm.? What do you mean?" Estel was becoming frantic, and was now trying to rise off the bed. Elrond hurried to his side, and forced him back down.
"The wound is deep Estel, to his bones, the muscle is torn straight through. Infection has set in. If my treatment does not halt the infection, and it reaches the bone, I would."
"What! What would you need to do?"
"In order to save his life, I would need to remove his arm."
"Nay! You cannot. He would rather forfeit his life than lose his arm. You know that ada."
"I will do all I can to keep it from even becoming a choice, Estel. Do not lose hope, nin ion, he is strong," Elrond forced a lightness into his voice that he did not truly feel. He knew what it would mean to Legolas to lose the use of his arm. He would choose death first.
"You are right. He always fights back. He is too stubborn, but for that I am glad." Though his father's words concerned him greatly, he knew how stubborn his friend could be. He also knew great strength lay inside the elf, and with Elrond's help, he would recover.
Elrond smiled. The friendship between his foster son and the prince was strong. He knew Estel would play a vital role in Legolas' recovery. He would need his friend to push him if he was to recover full use of his arm, and he would need the loving care as well should he not.
"Does your shoulder pain you much?" Elrond said, trying to distract his son.
"It is sore, but feels better. Nay, ada, I do not need anything to help me sleep," and he chuckled lightly when his father raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"Sleep than, nin ion," and he reached out to brush the hair from Estel's forehead. He leaned over and placed a light kiss there, and Estel smiled, his eyes half closed. Elrond sat beside him, stroking his hair softly for the several minutes it took the ranger to drift back off to sleep.
"Do you really think Legolas will lose his arm?" inquired Elladan, who had been sitting next to the prince's bed.
"I do not know, it is too soon to tell, though it is a possibility. My concern is that Legolas would choose death should it come to that," the elf lord paused and closed his eyes briefly. "But he is strong, and he is a fighter. With any luck, he will fully recover. That is my prayer."
"Mine as well. Ada you should try to get some sleep. I will stay with them for now, and Elrohir will be here in a few hours time."
Elrond hesitated, but turned to leave, adding, "Send someone for me if Legolas should awaken."
Elrond was watching for them, not knowing what to expect. With his youngest son and the Mirkwood prince, he knew he should be ready to anything. Many times Estel and Legolas had returned to him, one or the other injured in some way. He had to remind himself also of the many times they had returned perfectly sound and whole.
He spotted moved through the trees from where he stood on an upper balcony. He turned and headed downstairs and had made it to the courtyard just as his sons and the prince emerged from the forest. All he could tell from first glance was that Legolas was unconscious, and that Estel needed help to walk. His eyes turned questioningly towards his eldest son.
"Wolves, ada," was Elladan's reply.
With a simple nod, Elrond led them through the hall to his healing chambers and instructed Elladan to place Legolas on one of the beds. Elrohir deposited his brother into a chair nearby, knowing he would never persuade him to leave Legolas' side. Elrohir began to help his brother out of his wet, muddy tunic, determined to treat the ranger himself, as his father and older brother treated Legolas. Estel was barely aware of what was going on and he submitted to his brother ministration without thought. He watched with dizzy eyes over Elrohir's shoulder as his father and Elladan undressed his friend.
Elrond was horrified by the extent of Legolas injuries. They seemed to be everywhere, though he was most concerned over the wound on his arm and the one on his side. They were still bleeding slightly, along with many other cuts on his body. The wounds were hot to the touch and many were dirty and muddy.
Legolas winced in pain even though unconscious as they lifted various parts of his body in an attempt to remove his tunic, and finally Elrond and Elladan found it easier and less painful to the prince to simply cut away Legolas' clothing. Elladan left briefly to retrieve water and cloth to wipe away the mud and the blood that seemed to cover the prince's entire body.
Elrond worked, with Elladan's assistance, over the next several hours to staunch the bleeding, clean the wounds, stitch closed the gashes, apply healing herbal ointments, and finally bind each injury with clean cloth. During the entire time he worked the prince remained unconscious, grimacing slightly only when it came to stitching the deep wound on his arm. When he was finally finished, Elladan moved Legolas to a clean bed and covered him lightly with a thin blanket. Legolas was pale and looked far too young and he breathed as if in pain.
It was at this point that Elrohir approached his father. He had helped Estel strip to his undergarments and had cleaned the scratches and scrapes the ranger had received in his slide down the hillside and his consequent fall into the river. Estel sat still in the chair, his eyes locked on Legolas.
"Ada, I need help with Estel. his shoulder is dislocated, and I think his arm also needs stitches," he led his father over to Estel. He looked at his youngest and saw how the human had locked his gaze upon the prince, and Elrond knew Estel was aware of little else.
"Estel! Estel! Look at me, nin ion!" Elrond spoke in a soft, commanding voice that Estel could not help but respond to. His silver-grey eyes locked onto his fathers face.
"Ada.?" Estel suddenly became aware of his brothers and father. He slowly looked from one to the other, finally settling his gaze back on his father. Elrond had been concerned with Estel's apparent confusion, and was relieved to see more awareness in his foster son's eyes now.
"Here, ada, I have prepared something to relax him. It will be painful to reset his shoulder." Elladan handed his father a cup of strong smelling tea.
"Drink this, Estel!" Again, Elrond used a commanding tone, and Estel wordlessly accepted the cup and slowly drained it. After a few moments, the elf lord could sense the change in his son as his pupils began to dilate and his body slumped lower in the chair.
"Estel, we must reset your shoulder." Estel looked up, confused again. He raised his arm, wincing in pain, and attempted to make a fist, but his fingers were numb and felt fat and he could not get them to work properly. He suddenly became aware of the throbbing in his shoulder, and of the many other little twinges and aches throughout his body. In all his worry over Legolas' condition, he had pushed his own pain aside.
"Aye, I am ready." was his response as he looked upon his father, and he closed his eyes and waited.
Elrond gently took hold of Estel's arm at the elbow and wrist as Elladan and Elrohir each grabbed a shoulder. Estel forced himself to relax, it would be too painful otherwise. The tea had helped to relax his muscles and had made him feel a bit drowsy as well. Elrond lifted the arm up, then quickly pulled and twisted, satisfied when he felt and heard the joint 'pop' back into place. Estel grunted in pain, but made no other sound, as he slumped forward, unconscious, and nearly off the chair, only to be caught by Elladan. The elder twin lifted his brother easily and placed him on the bed that was next to Legolas'.
Elrond sat by his son and watched as Elladan stitched up the long gash on Estel's upper arm. By the time he was finished, Estel was coming to. A soft moan escaped his lips and he turned his head toward his father.
"Ada.?"
"Aye, I am here. Does your shoulder feel better, nin ion?"
"I am fine, ada. It aches, but it feels better than before."
Estel tried to sit up, and caught his breath as he put pressure on his injured arm. Elrond helped him adjust his body so he sat comfortably back against the headboard.
"Legolas.?"
"He is grievously hurt, but he will recover. Can you tell me what happened?"
"It was wolves, ada," replied Estel, and he told his father all he knew. "The pack was large, at least a dozen, and after I had fallen, Legolas had to face them alone. It was too much."
Elrond was quiet for several moments. Estel thought he was angry for it seemed as if his father was forever healing them. He was surprised when he saw a small smile light his father's face.
"Are you still bored, nin ion?"
Estel smiled back and replied, "Nay, ada, I am no longer bored. Please do remind me next time how wonderful boredom can actually be!" He looked up as he heard his brother's chuckle.
"Now Estel, I want you to sleep. Your brothers and I will take care of Legolas, so please do not feel as if you must," Elrond smiled knowingly at his youngest son.
Reluctantly, Estel sighed and replied, "Yes ada." He was extremely tired, and he felt his eyelids grow heavy, too heavy to keep open. Elrohir helped him lay back down, and then covered him with a light blanket. There was a fire on the grate nearby and the room was warm and comfortable.
Elrond watched as his son fell quickly asleep. Indeed, boredom could be a well sought after gift after this 'adventure'.
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Estel woke later in the night to the soft sounds of voices nearby. He propped himself up onto his elbow and looked over towards Legolas' bed. The prince was awake, but the look on his face was of intense pain. His eyes were glazed over with fever, and his uninjured hand gripped at the bed sheets in a reflexive action to the pain. Elrond was leaning over him, changing the bandage on his arm. Estel could see the skin was raw and red, and the arm was swollen, and in the faint light of the fire, it looked worse than it had before. He was about to say something, but did not want to distract his father. Elladan then appeared in the room, carrying a cup from which he helped Legolas to drink.
The prince seemed to relax almost immediately, and a low sigh escaped his lips as Estel watched his eyes glaze over in sleep. Elrond continued treating the prince's arm, glancing up and seeing his son now awake.
"He is feverish, Estel. His arm is infected; the wound was very deep. I do not know if." he trailed off.
"He will recover? Ada, tell me he will recover." Estel was beginning to panic over his father's words and the look in his eyes.
"It is a serious injury, Estel. I believe he will keep his arm, but I do not know how much use he will have from it when it is healed."
"Keep his arm.? What do you mean?" Estel was becoming frantic, and was now trying to rise off the bed. Elrond hurried to his side, and forced him back down.
"The wound is deep Estel, to his bones, the muscle is torn straight through. Infection has set in. If my treatment does not halt the infection, and it reaches the bone, I would."
"What! What would you need to do?"
"In order to save his life, I would need to remove his arm."
"Nay! You cannot. He would rather forfeit his life than lose his arm. You know that ada."
"I will do all I can to keep it from even becoming a choice, Estel. Do not lose hope, nin ion, he is strong," Elrond forced a lightness into his voice that he did not truly feel. He knew what it would mean to Legolas to lose the use of his arm. He would choose death first.
"You are right. He always fights back. He is too stubborn, but for that I am glad." Though his father's words concerned him greatly, he knew how stubborn his friend could be. He also knew great strength lay inside the elf, and with Elrond's help, he would recover.
Elrond smiled. The friendship between his foster son and the prince was strong. He knew Estel would play a vital role in Legolas' recovery. He would need his friend to push him if he was to recover full use of his arm, and he would need the loving care as well should he not.
"Does your shoulder pain you much?" Elrond said, trying to distract his son.
"It is sore, but feels better. Nay, ada, I do not need anything to help me sleep," and he chuckled lightly when his father raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"Sleep than, nin ion," and he reached out to brush the hair from Estel's forehead. He leaned over and placed a light kiss there, and Estel smiled, his eyes half closed. Elrond sat beside him, stroking his hair softly for the several minutes it took the ranger to drift back off to sleep.
"Do you really think Legolas will lose his arm?" inquired Elladan, who had been sitting next to the prince's bed.
"I do not know, it is too soon to tell, though it is a possibility. My concern is that Legolas would choose death should it come to that," the elf lord paused and closed his eyes briefly. "But he is strong, and he is a fighter. With any luck, he will fully recover. That is my prayer."
"Mine as well. Ada you should try to get some sleep. I will stay with them for now, and Elrohir will be here in a few hours time."
Elrond hesitated, but turned to leave, adding, "Send someone for me if Legolas should awaken."