Thank you everyone SO MUCH for the awesome reviews! I'm so glad that you're all enjoying this story so much. Don't worry, more angst, action, and a possible explanation for the orcs is on its way! ;)
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Aragorn couldn't help but smile at his friend's words. I did not know that I resembled an orc.
"He makes a valid point, Estel," said Elrond, frowning. "How in Middle Earth did you think him an orc?"
Aragorn sighed. "It was very dark, and he wore a hood. I saw someone creeping towards me, and he didn't identify himself when he reached me."
Elrond's frown deepened, thinking it odd.
Aragorn lowered his head with another sigh. "I do not wish to speak of what happened next."
Elrond patted his arm. "I understand, ion-nin. Did I not tell you that Legolas would not be angry? Do not punish yourself further, Estel."
Aragorn nodded half-heartedly.
The elf patted his arm. "I shall return," he said, leaving the room.
Aragorn sighed as he watched Legolas sleep. Reaching forward, he pulled the covers down gently, before taking a look at the stab wound. It made him feel sick to realize that he had inflicted it, but the Healer in him needed to know the full extent of the injury.
His father had done a good job stitching it, despite its jaggedness, and there truly seemed to be no internal bleeding. Legolas had been very lucky—it could easily have been a fatal injury; it probably would have been if Legolas had been human.
Sighing, Aragorn's thoughts turned to the orcs. They still had not been located, and he began to wonder if Elrond was right; that the orcs had lied, threatening to attack only to taunt him.
Sitting up straighter in the chair, Aragorn realized that for all he knew, Legolas might've slain them in their sleep before the elf came to rescue him. That thought was a reassuring one, and he desperately hoped it to be true. It would certainly explain why the orcs had not come through with their threat.
"Estel?"
Slightly startled, Aragorn saw that Legolas was tiredly looking at him. "Are you all right? Why did you wake?" the human asked, concerned.
Legolas sighed, closing his eyes and reopening them again. "I do not know…mayhap I sensed…you are troubled."
Aragorn was surprised that Legolas managed to notice while so badly injured. "It is nothing that need concern you, mellon-nin. All you need to do is get well."
Legolas gave him a slight smile. "Tell me."
Aragorn knew that his friend wouldn't accept that for an answer, and smiled back. "I was merely wondering if you had slain any of the orcs before you attempted to rescue me."
Legolas' eyes suddenly widened, as he recalled Aragorn and Elrond's earlier conversation.
Aragorn frowned at the expression on the elf's face. "Legolas? What is it?" he asked, leaping out of the chair.
Legolas shook his head, to let Aragorn know that he was fine. "The orcs…I heard you say…" He sighed, inwardly cursing his weakness. He could not even hold a conversation!
Aragorn somehow figured out what he meant. "Yes, they told me that they were going to attack Imladris…but yet, they haven't. We sent out a patrol of warriors to find them, but they haven't found a single trace of them. It does not make any sense to me."
Legolas blinked, considering his words. "Odd."
Aragorn nodded. "I wondered if they merely lied to instill fear, but then I wondered if the reason they never came is because you had slain them."
Legolas thought back to that night. He knew that he had killed some of them…but he could not remember how many. He frowned, completely shocked that his memory was failing him.
"Legolas?" Aragorn said, putting a hand on his arm.
"I did, but…" Legolas' frown deepened. "I do not recall…how many…" He sighed, closing his eyes.
Aragorn echoed his sigh. "Do not fret, mellon-nin, it is normal to lose memories surrounding a serious injury."
Legolas sighed again. "I am an elf," he remarked, as if that was all that needed to be said.
"Yes, you are," said Aragorn, smiling slightly. "But even elves are not perfect."
Legolas reopened his eyes, giving him a mock-glare at the tease.
Aragorn's grin widened, before abruptly disappearing. "Legolas, I have been wanting to ask you…how did you come to be there, that night?"
Legolas sighed at the question, closing his eyes.
Aragorn grew concerned when the elf didn't answer. "Legolas?"
"That band of orcs…attacked Mirkwood," Legolas told him, sadly. "They slew many of my people…and I alone set out to track them."
Aragorn was shocked. "I am sorry, mellon-nin."
Legolas said nothing for a minute, before finally reopening his eyes. "Do not be sorry…if I had not been there, I might have lost my truest friend."
Aragorn smiled, realizing the truth in his statement. The orcs would likely have killed him if he continued to refuse to give the information that they demanded. "Well," he said, hoping to change the subject. "It is good news that you slew at least some of the orcs. They may have called off their plans because their number was depleted."
Legolas nodded, agreeing that it made sense. Inwardly, he wondered if the orcs would assemble a larger group so that they could still make good on their threat.
There was silence for a minute, since Legolas had closed his eyes again and Aragorn thought him asleep once more.
"Some still live," Legolas suddenly said, eyes still closed.
Aragorn sat forward in his chair. "You do not think that you killed them all?"
"No…" Legolas whispered, slowly drifting off to sleep.
Aragorn patted the elf's arm. "Worry not, mellon-nin. Rest."
Legolas gave a slight smile just before consciousness left him.
