Chapter two
Aragorn remained silent. Elrond waited patiently. He knew what Aragorn was going through and had no intention to add his sorrow with full-time inquiry. All he needed to know was how Legolas got the injury, and how long ago. The information was vital for Legolas' life. He had to know how long the poison had been in Legolas' system.
Aragorn was angry. He wouldn't have wanted to leave Legolas. He shouldn't have left Legolas in the first place back at the clearing. He was blaming himself for not being there when he needed him. Now he promised himself that he would never leave him again. He sighted heavily and faced Elrond.
"We received a word that some orcs had crossed Bruinen and were moving towards Rivendell. Legolas and I decided to go with the guards to find these intruders, and we got separated from the others. There were seven orcs against the two of us, and Legolas was forced into a corner by three of them, and." He took a short break before continuing "I couldn't do anything to help him! It all happened so fast... I remember hearing Legolas cry in pain, and I hurried to him at once."
Aragorn lowered his head. "It can't be more than an hour ago. I came as quickly as I could."
Elrond grabbed gently his foster-son's shoulders and forced him to look up. "It is not your fault, Aragorn. You mustn't blame yourself for what happened. I know Legolas wouldn't want you to." Elrond's last words made Aragorn look down again. He nodded. Elrond withdrew his hands.
"You can wait here if you want. I promise I'll tell you as soon as Legolas feels better." Then he went back into the room, leaving Aragorn alone in the corridor.
Aragorn started pacing in front of the door. He waited desperately for someone to come and tell him about Legolas' condition. He waited over three hours until the door opened and Lord Elrond and a golden haired elf came out. Aragorn rushed to them immediately.
"How is he? Will he be all right? Can I see him now?"
Elrond raised his hand to stop Aragorn. "The poison is unknown to us, so we don't have a cure to it." Aragorn's eyes widened and his breathing fastened. "You don't mean..." He gasped terrified. "You can't mean that..." "No, that's not what I mean." Elrond interrupted. "Legolas is safe for now. We have cleaned and bound the wound, but he is still very weak. Now I know he will fight hard the poison, and there is a change that he might recover on his own. However, we are still looking for a cure, and if we find it, you'll be the first to know. You may see him now, if you promise that you won't tire him out."
"I promise!" Aragorn exclaimed, and opened the door slowly.
When he entered the room he had to adjust his eyes, for the curtains were closed and the room was dark. Only two candles were lit up near the bed to bring light. Aragorn didn't see Legolas right away; there were still three healers with Legolas. He moved closer to the bed, and then the healers got up. One of them came to Aragorn.
"Remember, he is still weak. Nothing too tiring for the prince. Do you understand?"
Aragorn frowned. Why was she talking like that? What did she think he would do? Aragorn knew Legolas was weak. He wouldn't let anything happen to him. The healer was still waiting for an answer. She had crossed her hands to her chest.
"Well?"
Aragorn snapped out of his thoughts
"Yes, of course. I just want to see him. That's all."
The healer looked at him for a while. Her expression was strange. Then she turned to the other healers and showed them out. They passed Aragorn, and they all had a knowing smile on their face. When all the healers were outside the room and the door was closed, Aragorn stopped thinking about the weird healers and went to Legolas.
He was lying in the bed with his covers pulled up to his neck. His eyes were closed; witch meant that he was in a deep sleep. His face wasn't so pale anymore. Instead his face was a little flushed, which, Aragorn thought, was a good sign. Aragorn sat in a chair nearby and waited for Legolas to wake up.
Aragorn remained silent. Elrond waited patiently. He knew what Aragorn was going through and had no intention to add his sorrow with full-time inquiry. All he needed to know was how Legolas got the injury, and how long ago. The information was vital for Legolas' life. He had to know how long the poison had been in Legolas' system.
Aragorn was angry. He wouldn't have wanted to leave Legolas. He shouldn't have left Legolas in the first place back at the clearing. He was blaming himself for not being there when he needed him. Now he promised himself that he would never leave him again. He sighted heavily and faced Elrond.
"We received a word that some orcs had crossed Bruinen and were moving towards Rivendell. Legolas and I decided to go with the guards to find these intruders, and we got separated from the others. There were seven orcs against the two of us, and Legolas was forced into a corner by three of them, and." He took a short break before continuing "I couldn't do anything to help him! It all happened so fast... I remember hearing Legolas cry in pain, and I hurried to him at once."
Aragorn lowered his head. "It can't be more than an hour ago. I came as quickly as I could."
Elrond grabbed gently his foster-son's shoulders and forced him to look up. "It is not your fault, Aragorn. You mustn't blame yourself for what happened. I know Legolas wouldn't want you to." Elrond's last words made Aragorn look down again. He nodded. Elrond withdrew his hands.
"You can wait here if you want. I promise I'll tell you as soon as Legolas feels better." Then he went back into the room, leaving Aragorn alone in the corridor.
Aragorn started pacing in front of the door. He waited desperately for someone to come and tell him about Legolas' condition. He waited over three hours until the door opened and Lord Elrond and a golden haired elf came out. Aragorn rushed to them immediately.
"How is he? Will he be all right? Can I see him now?"
Elrond raised his hand to stop Aragorn. "The poison is unknown to us, so we don't have a cure to it." Aragorn's eyes widened and his breathing fastened. "You don't mean..." He gasped terrified. "You can't mean that..." "No, that's not what I mean." Elrond interrupted. "Legolas is safe for now. We have cleaned and bound the wound, but he is still very weak. Now I know he will fight hard the poison, and there is a change that he might recover on his own. However, we are still looking for a cure, and if we find it, you'll be the first to know. You may see him now, if you promise that you won't tire him out."
"I promise!" Aragorn exclaimed, and opened the door slowly.
When he entered the room he had to adjust his eyes, for the curtains were closed and the room was dark. Only two candles were lit up near the bed to bring light. Aragorn didn't see Legolas right away; there were still three healers with Legolas. He moved closer to the bed, and then the healers got up. One of them came to Aragorn.
"Remember, he is still weak. Nothing too tiring for the prince. Do you understand?"
Aragorn frowned. Why was she talking like that? What did she think he would do? Aragorn knew Legolas was weak. He wouldn't let anything happen to him. The healer was still waiting for an answer. She had crossed her hands to her chest.
"Well?"
Aragorn snapped out of his thoughts
"Yes, of course. I just want to see him. That's all."
The healer looked at him for a while. Her expression was strange. Then she turned to the other healers and showed them out. They passed Aragorn, and they all had a knowing smile on their face. When all the healers were outside the room and the door was closed, Aragorn stopped thinking about the weird healers and went to Legolas.
He was lying in the bed with his covers pulled up to his neck. His eyes were closed; witch meant that he was in a deep sleep. His face wasn't so pale anymore. Instead his face was a little flushed, which, Aragorn thought, was a good sign. Aragorn sat in a chair nearby and waited for Legolas to wake up.