Due to LOTS of request, I'm putting the second chapter for today. Enjoy, everyone!

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Arwen placed a fresh damp cloth on Legolas' forehead. She traced a finger down the prince's cheek before bending down to kiss the fevered skin. "Get well soon, 'goldilocks'," she whispered tenderly. The Queen of Gondor gazed up at her husband who sat silently on the other side of the bed. She went to him and put a warm hand on his shoulder. "Estel?"

Aragorn turned at her voice. "I'll stay with him," he softly replied. She nodded, smiling understandingly. After kissing him goodnight, the queen left, closing the door quietly behind her.

There was complete silence in the chamber, saved for the sound of cracking fire in the hearth. The man reached up and adjusted the coverlet over his friend's shoulders. Legolas was either deeply asleep or still unconscious. He had not woken up since he collapsed in the parlor several hours ago. He had also developed a fever but Aragorn was diligently monitoring it.

Even though Legolas' injuries were not life threatening, Aragorn could not stop himself from worrying. What the Haradrim had done to his friend was cruel and nasty. It was painful enough just looking at the burnt scripts all over the elf's alabaster skin. Aragorn had to position Legolas to lie on his side as that was the least injured part of his body.

The man picked up Legolas' hand and squeezed, wishing for his friend's quick recovery. "I'm sorry, brother. I'm so sorry…" Aragorn whispered, laying his forehead against their clasped fists.

Reading the message written on Legolas's body was the hardest thing he had ever done. And to fully understand the whole meaning of the message was even more frightening and hurtful. The man wished not to see those writings again, but he knew the scars would remain on Legolas for at least several more weeks before they faded away.

Aragorn didn't know how much time had passed as he sat there, talking softly to his patient and re-changing the cold compress over the prince's head. The next thing he knew, it was already morning when Legolas suddenly moaned.

"Legolas?" Aragorn called, leaning closer to better hear what his friend was mumbling.

"K…Kel…" came Legolas' hoarse whisper, nearly cutting Aragorn into two. He was calling for his brother!

"It's all right, Legolas. You are safe now," Aragorn assured, stroking his friend's temple.

"Kel?" Legolas blinked his eyes open and stared dazedly at the king.

Aragorn gave a sad smile. "No, it's me. Estel."

Legolas' face crumbled as he broke into tears. "I want Kel…Please…I want him back…"

"Legolas, you know Keldarion is here no longer," he gently told the prince. "He's in Valinor."

Legolas was shaking his head as he struggled to get out of the bed. "No…I don't believe you. He's here. He just called me…"

Ai! It's the affliction! It's troubling him yet again! The king began to panic but still managed to keep his voice calm. "Legolas," Aragorn placated, pushing his friend down. "Kel is not here. Listen to me, brother. Hear my voice and return to me. Please, Legolas," Aragorn was openly crying as he securely wrapped the trembling elf within his arms. "Let go of the sea. Come back, now. Come back…"

"I can't…" Legolas sobbed, putting both hands over his ears. "It is beckoning, calling me over and over again! Make it stop!"

Aragorn tightened his embrace. "Heed my voice, brother. Let it go. Just let it go. You are safe now." He repeatedly crooned assuring words into his friend's ear, hoping for the affliction attack to quickly stop. Legolas was suffering badly enough with his wounds.

                Legolas gradually grew quiet a long while later. He stayed unmoving in Aragorn's arms, staring emptily ahead. The man cupped his palm over the elf's tear-stained cheek. "Legolas? Are you with me?"

Legolas slowly looked up, looking a little lost. "Estel?"

The man smiled reassuringly as he nodded. "Yes, it is I, brother."

Legolas didn't smile back, though. He feebly pulled himself away and curled into a ball, facing the other way. "Leave me, Estel."

Aragorn frowned, knowing that Legolas was instinctively trying to retreat into his emotional shell. "I would not leave you and you can't make me, not like the last time." The king was talking about the time when the prince had become blind and was recuperating in that same room a year ago. Legolas had been so overwrought with despair then that he had refused all help, including the company of his best friend.

Legolas didn't answer. He was one stubborn person. But so was Aragorn. The king kept his seat on the bed beside his friend and went on talking, "How long have you been having this? The affliction, I mean."

It took Legolas a long moment to answer. "Several months now," he said finally. "But it has become stronger the last few weeks."

Aragorn closed his eyes briefly before saying next, "Is this the reason why you were…'indisposed'?"

Legolas silently nodded. The king released a sigh of regret. "I'm sorry, Legolas, for being such an ignorant. I should have been more attentive to your well-being."

"It doesn't matter," Legolas shrugged.

"No, it does matter," said Aragorn. He gripped Legolas' shoulder and pulled until they faced each other once more. "I care for you, Legolas. I'm sorry for being so curt to you in the meeting but you know that I had to get my job done. I love you, brother. To hurt you means that I only hurt myself in return."

"No, it's all right. Really." Legolas finally smiled wanly. "If I were you, I would act the same way too."

"No, you wouldn't. You are much more sensitive to others."

That caused Legolas to chuckle, but he immediately winced. "My throat feels so dry. Can I have some water?"

"Oh! Yes, of course." Aragorn turned and reached for the jug on the table beside the bed. Legolas struggled to sit up, grimacing with his every move. The burnt marks on his body were clearly giving him painful discomfort but he didn't comment, taking it all stoically instead.

"Here." Aragorn gave a full glass to his friend. He watched quietly as Legolas drank the water in several large gulps. After Legolas had finished, he asked, "So, are you ready to tell me what happened?"

Giving the empty glass back to Aragorn, Legolas sat still for a moment, thoughtful. "We were ambushed," he started. "They knew we were coming through that path." Then Legolas began to relate everything. Aragorn listened without speaking. His eyes glinted dangerously as his fury mounted once again.

"Estel, about…what they wrote on me," Legolas said, glancing uncertainly at his friend. "What does it say?"

Aragorn seemed to age several more years after hearing that question coming from the elf. He sighed and reached for Legolas' hand before he spoke, "They want me to abdicate the throne."

Legolas sat up straighter, his eyes widened. "The message said that?" he asked incredulously.

The man nodded, almost resign. "The Haradrim want me to hand over the throne to them, or else…"

"Or else?" Legolas prodded.

Staring directly into Legolas eyes, Aragorn replied, "Or they will abduct you again and finish what they started."

Legolas averted his eyes, assailed by a sudden fear of being under the Haradrim' hands once more. Yet he refused to let Aragorn submit to their enemy's threat. "Don't ever give up Gondor to them, Estel. Not even for me."

"Alas, those fiends always keep to their words," said Aragorn, looking terribly distraught. "I fear for your safety, Legolas. Look what had been done to you. They will try to take you again."

Legolas shrugged, smiling wanly. "You are now king. It's the risk you have to take. I can live with that."

Aragorn shook his head, also smiling. "You are taking this better than I am, it seems."

Legolas' smile faltered. He lowered his gaze, staring at their clasped hands on top of the coverlet. "Not really, Estel."

"What do you mean?"

"I…" Legolas hesitated. He looked up, his eyes filled with guilt. "I feel like I've disappointed you."

Aragorn's eyes widened. "What? No! What makes you think that way?"

"Face it, Estel. I'm not doing a good job with Ithilien."

"But…"

"You need someone more reliable to manage Ithilien, someone who is always ready to lend you aid, and someone who is not constantly plagued with a strange malady where he can't do anything right!" There was a note of frustration in Legolas' voice as he said this.

"But I need you, Legolas," Aragorn gripped his friend's hand tighter, almost begging. "I truly need you."

"Yet I will only be a burden to you in the end. A liability," Legolas continued. "Please. Look for someone else who can do the job better than I did. Do this for Gondor, Estel. Think as a king."

"That will be impossible, dear Legolas," Aragorn said, shaking his head. "I may be a king, but I can never stop being your brother."

There was long silence. Both man and elf were lost in their own thoughts as they contemplated what had just been said. It was not easy for either of them to choose between love and duty. But Legolas knew he was the one person who could make the final decision—for Gondor's sake.

"I want to go home," the elf said.

Aragorn shook his head. "You are still not fit to travel even the short distance to the balcony, Legolas, let alone back to Ithilien."

"I wasn't talking about Ithilien," said Legolas with a slight hesitation. "I want to go home…to Mirkwood."

TBC…