Thank you for the many reviews…I am sorry but I could not update any sooner… I
am on a business trip right now and it is hard to find the time for writing…
But a short chapter for now…
Let me know if you like it and I will try to post again soon!!!
___
The well-known smell of athelas was the first thing that registered in Gimli's mind. He
could feel the soft material of blankets against his skin and realized he was resting in
a bed. Searching his memory, he could dimly recall reaching Minas Tirith, entering
the city through the gate. Anything else was a blur, snatches of memories mixed
together that made no sense. Blinking open his eyes, he half excepted the nausea to
return. But to his great relief his stomach stayed where it was.
He needed to blink several times until moisture returned to his eyes and he could
focus on his surroundings. The first thing he saw was Legolas, slumped in a seat
next to him, his eyes closed.
Gimli knew a moment of alarm, the sudden keen wave of fear cutting through him
upon seeing the elf in such an unusual position. The only explanation for this was
that he was hurt somehow.
Without thinking Gimli tried to sit up, and only when he used his wounded arm to
place part of his weight on it did he remember the injury. A small cry escaped him at
the unexpected pain and he fell back. Even through the haze of pain he noticed that
Legolas had not stirred, and it scared him greatly.
Then a hand came to rest on his unwounded arm.
'Calm down, master dwarf. I did not think even you would make such haste in getting
out of here.'
Gimli turned his head to look at Aragorn, feeling strangely appeased at seeing him.
He did not protest when the man removed the bandage covering his right arm, but
craned his neck to see for himself. The wound looked ugly but was healing already,
and he wondered how long he had been here. Then his eyes returned to the
disturbingly still form of the elf.
'What did the elf do that he sleeps so soundly?' he asked, shocked at hearing the
raspy sound of his own voice. Aragorn did not answer but offered him a cup of water,
the cold liquid refreshing Gimli's dry throat.
The man returned to his task, and only after he had finished bandaging the arm once
more did he look at Gimli again. He smiled at his friend and the dwarf could see the
genuine relief in his eyes.
'I dare say you gave us quite a fright, my friend,' Aragorn spoke.
'A dwarf is not so easy to kill.' Gimli dismissed the concern he had caused, his usual
pride back in place.
The man refrained from telling him what exactly it had been that had saved his life.
'But it seems once more that elves lack the endurance of the dwarves,' Gimli
commented with a sidelong glance at Legolas. Aragorn could not miss the question
in his eyes.
'He rode hard to come here quickly,' he said simply.
Doubt remained in Gimli, for he knew Ithilien to be not so far away that riding to
Minas Tirith could exhaust the elf like this. For exhausted he had to be, to sleep with
his eyes closed and not be wakened by their voices.
But ere Gimli could voice another question, Legolas stirred and dark eyes opened to
focus on him. Confusion and recognition passed through them and then they
widened in sudden joy. The elf's movement was quick as he sat up and a smile
brightened his features.
'Gimli!' he cried, 'You are awake?'
'Obviously,' the dwarf grumbled back, touched by the open display of emotion on his
friend's face. 'And longer than you, I might observe.'
The elf laughed, a sound of happiness no mortal could resist, and both man and
dwarf could feel their own hearts lift at the merry tone.
'Only because you were already asleep when I came here. At least I managed to
make my way to this room on my own two feet.'
'It would be hard to find anyone who would carry you,' Gimli shot back, his pride
slightly ruffled.
'I meant no offense, my friend.' Legolas' face darkened a bit. 'Your wounds had taken
a bad turn; did no one ever tell you to clean them properly?'
Ere Gimli could respond to this, Aragorn interfered.
'You should save your strength, master dwarf, for your wounds still require some
healing. Do you feel like eating something?'
The weakness he could feel in his body, as well as the barely hidden concern lurking
in both of his friend's eyes, convinced Gimli he had indeed given them quite a scare.
The mentioning of food was enough to wake his stomach, and the loud growl gave
an answer ere he could form words.
With a laugh, Legolas rose.
'It seems he does feel like it, Aragorn. I will go and get something.'
The elf disappeared and Aragorn turned his full attention on Gimli, testing the dwarf's
reactions to ensure he had suffered no lasting damage from the head wound.
Satisfied at finding naught wrong, he spoke.
'It seems that the heads of dwarves are quite hard, my friend.'
'Aye, that is what I always say.' Meeting Gimli's sharp look with feigned innocence,
Legolas motioned the servant that had followed him to enter the room. The woman
carried a tray with food and wine, and placed it on the table close to Gimli's bed.
Bowing she left again, but her quick eyes had taken in the awakened dwarf and news
of his condition would travel fast through the city of Minas Tirith.
@@@
With a deep sigh Aragorn sat down, deeply grateful for the peaceful quiet of his
chambers. Ever since Gimli had woken, he had had a hard time in keeping his friends
under control. Legolas had questioned the dwarf several times, pressing him for all
he remembered of his attackers until the dwarf had yelled at him in frustration. After
that Aragorn had to hold the elf back from going after them immediately, succeeding
only when it became obvious that Gimli would not be left behind. The dwarf had
already been half on his way out of the House of Healing ere Elladan caught up with
him.
Only concern for his friend's well being had convinced Legolas to stay when the
dwarf made it clear, and quite loudly so, that he would accompany him on this quest.
After all, he was the one who had been ambushed and robbed.
Gimli was recovering fast and Aragorn could not deny that he looked forward to the
moment the dwarf would be allowed to leave. He was not an easy patient, and
Legolas did nothing to ease the situation.
am on a business trip right now and it is hard to find the time for writing…
But a short chapter for now…
Let me know if you like it and I will try to post again soon!!!
___
The well-known smell of athelas was the first thing that registered in Gimli's mind. He
could feel the soft material of blankets against his skin and realized he was resting in
a bed. Searching his memory, he could dimly recall reaching Minas Tirith, entering
the city through the gate. Anything else was a blur, snatches of memories mixed
together that made no sense. Blinking open his eyes, he half excepted the nausea to
return. But to his great relief his stomach stayed where it was.
He needed to blink several times until moisture returned to his eyes and he could
focus on his surroundings. The first thing he saw was Legolas, slumped in a seat
next to him, his eyes closed.
Gimli knew a moment of alarm, the sudden keen wave of fear cutting through him
upon seeing the elf in such an unusual position. The only explanation for this was
that he was hurt somehow.
Without thinking Gimli tried to sit up, and only when he used his wounded arm to
place part of his weight on it did he remember the injury. A small cry escaped him at
the unexpected pain and he fell back. Even through the haze of pain he noticed that
Legolas had not stirred, and it scared him greatly.
Then a hand came to rest on his unwounded arm.
'Calm down, master dwarf. I did not think even you would make such haste in getting
out of here.'
Gimli turned his head to look at Aragorn, feeling strangely appeased at seeing him.
He did not protest when the man removed the bandage covering his right arm, but
craned his neck to see for himself. The wound looked ugly but was healing already,
and he wondered how long he had been here. Then his eyes returned to the
disturbingly still form of the elf.
'What did the elf do that he sleeps so soundly?' he asked, shocked at hearing the
raspy sound of his own voice. Aragorn did not answer but offered him a cup of water,
the cold liquid refreshing Gimli's dry throat.
The man returned to his task, and only after he had finished bandaging the arm once
more did he look at Gimli again. He smiled at his friend and the dwarf could see the
genuine relief in his eyes.
'I dare say you gave us quite a fright, my friend,' Aragorn spoke.
'A dwarf is not so easy to kill.' Gimli dismissed the concern he had caused, his usual
pride back in place.
The man refrained from telling him what exactly it had been that had saved his life.
'But it seems once more that elves lack the endurance of the dwarves,' Gimli
commented with a sidelong glance at Legolas. Aragorn could not miss the question
in his eyes.
'He rode hard to come here quickly,' he said simply.
Doubt remained in Gimli, for he knew Ithilien to be not so far away that riding to
Minas Tirith could exhaust the elf like this. For exhausted he had to be, to sleep with
his eyes closed and not be wakened by their voices.
But ere Gimli could voice another question, Legolas stirred and dark eyes opened to
focus on him. Confusion and recognition passed through them and then they
widened in sudden joy. The elf's movement was quick as he sat up and a smile
brightened his features.
'Gimli!' he cried, 'You are awake?'
'Obviously,' the dwarf grumbled back, touched by the open display of emotion on his
friend's face. 'And longer than you, I might observe.'
The elf laughed, a sound of happiness no mortal could resist, and both man and
dwarf could feel their own hearts lift at the merry tone.
'Only because you were already asleep when I came here. At least I managed to
make my way to this room on my own two feet.'
'It would be hard to find anyone who would carry you,' Gimli shot back, his pride
slightly ruffled.
'I meant no offense, my friend.' Legolas' face darkened a bit. 'Your wounds had taken
a bad turn; did no one ever tell you to clean them properly?'
Ere Gimli could respond to this, Aragorn interfered.
'You should save your strength, master dwarf, for your wounds still require some
healing. Do you feel like eating something?'
The weakness he could feel in his body, as well as the barely hidden concern lurking
in both of his friend's eyes, convinced Gimli he had indeed given them quite a scare.
The mentioning of food was enough to wake his stomach, and the loud growl gave
an answer ere he could form words.
With a laugh, Legolas rose.
'It seems he does feel like it, Aragorn. I will go and get something.'
The elf disappeared and Aragorn turned his full attention on Gimli, testing the dwarf's
reactions to ensure he had suffered no lasting damage from the head wound.
Satisfied at finding naught wrong, he spoke.
'It seems that the heads of dwarves are quite hard, my friend.'
'Aye, that is what I always say.' Meeting Gimli's sharp look with feigned innocence,
Legolas motioned the servant that had followed him to enter the room. The woman
carried a tray with food and wine, and placed it on the table close to Gimli's bed.
Bowing she left again, but her quick eyes had taken in the awakened dwarf and news
of his condition would travel fast through the city of Minas Tirith.
@@@
With a deep sigh Aragorn sat down, deeply grateful for the peaceful quiet of his
chambers. Ever since Gimli had woken, he had had a hard time in keeping his friends
under control. Legolas had questioned the dwarf several times, pressing him for all
he remembered of his attackers until the dwarf had yelled at him in frustration. After
that Aragorn had to hold the elf back from going after them immediately, succeeding
only when it became obvious that Gimli would not be left behind. The dwarf had
already been half on his way out of the House of Healing ere Elladan caught up with
him.
Only concern for his friend's well being had convinced Legolas to stay when the
dwarf made it clear, and quite loudly so, that he would accompany him on this quest.
After all, he was the one who had been ambushed and robbed.
Gimli was recovering fast and Aragorn could not deny that he looked forward to the
moment the dwarf would be allowed to leave. He was not an easy patient, and
Legolas did nothing to ease the situation.