Gimli and Thranduil spent most of the rest of the night watching over Legolas, allowing the others to rest, for they found in one another great comfort. And so, the mist shrouded morning found them, Gimli in a half sleep in his chair, and Thranduil awake, mind wandering, yet focused on his son.
It was not long after sunrise when Aragorn, Arwen, and Gandalf found them and offered to relieve them of their watch. To this, the two agreed, for it offered them the chance to stretch and rest. But Thranduil wanted to speak with Arwen, and the two walked down the hallways together, while Gimli retreated to his guest room to wash the sleep off of himself.
Neither Boromir nor Faramir had been seen since they had taken leave of their king the night before.
Gandalf and Aragorn sat down by Legolas' side, checking his status. The fever had intensified during the night and new grimaces of pain passed over his face.
"It breaks my heart to see him like this," Aragorn said, as he passed a cool wet cloth over the elf's forehead and fevered wounds.
"His body is working hard to expel the poison. He may yet pull through this," Gandalf assured him. "Certainly I had not expected him to make this much progress in so short a time. I would have guessed at least two or three days before his fever got so high. I only wish I knew more about Sauron's living poison."
Silence fell between the two, each lost in his own thoughts. Dawn turned into morning, the mist dissipating and the sun breaking through the clouds. All the while, no sound was heard other than the birds outside the window and the soft splash of water, as Aragorn continued to tend to Legolas.. That was why a sudden knock at the door caused both men to jump slightly.
Aragorn answered the door. There stood Varda, a servant. She looked a little nervous at having interrupted their vigil.
"Pardon me," she said, eyes fixed on the floor. "But the men at the gate claim that a giant eagle has been circling above the palace for hours."
Gandalf stood. "I will go." And then he turned and left he room, leaving Aragorn alone with Legolas.
The wizard had been gone for less than five minutes when Legolas began to groan in pain. His grimaces increased in intensity and frequency. Underneath his thin sheets, his fists clenched.
"That was my old friend Gwaihir," Gandalf said to Aragorn, coming back into the room. "He came bearing news from the North. Saruman the White is dead."
"Dead? But how?"
"That fool Grima Wormtongue, stabbed him as the Shire hobbits forced them out of their lands. Wormtongue himself was slain by those that witnessed this."
Aragorn nodded. "That would explain Boromir's return to normalcy."
"Indeed," the wizard replied, taking up the rag from Aragorn and doing what he could to soothe Legolas, for he still groaned and shook in pain. Finally, he put the cloth away and went to grab the wineskin of miruvor.
But as Aragorn watched, slowly, the elf's eyes began to open, first only partially and then fully. He blinked several times as his eyes began to focus.
"Legolas!" cried Aragorn, overcome with joy and relief.
"Aragorn," Legolas began weakly, with a smile to match. "I…I heard you calling my name. I tried to come back, but I could feel myself sliding back into the darkness. What happened? Where I am?"
"You are badly wounded but you are safe within Gondor," came Gandalf's voice. "Welcome back, my boy."
"Gandalf!" Legolas cried, turning his gaze to the wizard. "What is going on?" he asked, momentarily confused and forgetting the events that had led to his current condition.
"That does not matter now. What matters is that you are safe and alive," Aragorn said.
Legolas shook his head a little. "No, I must know."
Aragorn sighed. "When you are stronger. But now, there is someone who is anxious to see you."
He opened the door and called over a servant, giving them whispered instructions that Legolas was too weak to hear. A few moments later, Legolas could hear footsteps behind him.
Gimli, he thought, hearing the heaviness of the steps, for he was too much in pain to attempt to look behind him. A different voice took him off guard.
"Legolas!" It was his father.
Thranduil quickly closed the distance between himself and his son. When he reached the side of the bed, he bent down and embraced him, tears streaming down his fair face.
"Atar!" he cried, using the elvish word for father.
"I prayed so hard to the Valar that you would be alright. Oh my son!"
It was when Thranduil finally broke from his son and hugged the others, especially Gandalf, that Legolas finally caught sight of Gimli and Arwen. Arwen also hugged the wounded prince, and as Legolas had expected, Gimli light-heartedly joked with him.
"So, elf," he said at one point, "I suspect that now you will admit that dwarves are good better than elves. After all, one did help save you."
Legolas looked as if he had been stricken.
"Aww, come on now, that was just a joke. I didn't mean any offense."
"It is not that Gimli," Legolas said as if in a trance. Gimli noticed that Legolas had paled. "I remember all that happened." He looked about and as he saw his father, a wild light came into him and he spoke with sudden urgency. "The kingdom! They wanted the kingdom! You must protect it atar! You must not face my captors! They will kill you! They were going to use me to get to you, taking Mirkwood and then killing us both!"
"All is well, Legolas. Worry not," Thranduil reassured his son. "Your friends were able to capture the one responsible for everything and all has been dealt with."
Legolas began to feel himself calm down. "Who was it? I felt as if I had known them once before, but I could not rightly place them."
At that moment, there was a knock on the door behind Legolas. All, save Legolas, saw Faramir and Boromir standing in the doorway, both looking prepared to hold vigil over the elf, not knowing that he had awoken.
