Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings.
Warnings: Angst, torture
Mindless Babble:
Elrond gently rocked Estel, a lullaby he once used to calm his children when they were younger, quietly sung. He stroked the soft locks of dark hair and tried to calm the human. Soon his son was asleep.
He smiled as he heard movement outside the door. "You may come in now," Elrond called softly. Legolas walked through the door, a sheepish grin on his face. "All of you."
The twins padded in after the blond haired elf, a light blush creeping over their cheeks. They gathered at the foot of the bed and watched as Elrond gently laid his youngest son on the bed. He pulled the blanket over the man and brushed a stray lock of hair away from the warm forehead. The elf looked up at the three younger ones.
"He is still running a fever. Would one of you please fetch a bowl of cool water and a washcloth?"
All three of them nearly leaped to find the requested items. They eventually gathered the things and presented them to the elf lord. Elrond chuckled, as he dipped the cloth in the cool water and rung it out. He placed it on the fevered brow.
"I did not realize that it took three young, clever elves to do one simple task."
Immediately, three sets of cheeks reddened.
"Will he ever get better, Ada?" asked Elrohir, sitting down on the bed, opposite of his father. He tenderly brushed his younger brother's cheeks.
"In time, he will heal." Elrond looked at each of the youngsters. In all three of them, he found worry tinged with hope. Beautiful blue eyes also held a great sorrow. In an attempt to ease the fear that had become embedded in each of the elves, he included. "Do not be concerned. The fever will most likely break tonight and will feel better in the morning."
Elrond lifted the damp cloth and dipped it back in the bowl. He wiped the sweat from Estel's ashen face. "His temperature is already dropping."
The elvin lord stood and ushered the three younger elves out of the room. "We shall let him rest in peace tonight."
Blackness wrapped around him like a shroud. The air around him seemed to be freezing and burning at the same time. Aragorn could sense that he was not alone, but he knew that whatever was out there, was not a friend. He reached for his sword but found only an empty scabbard. Fear and panic constricted his chest. He tried to run from that place that caused such terror but his legs were suddenly numb and he could not move them. He tried to scream but his voice had been stolen from him.
The shadows suddenly lifted and Aragorn could see that he was surrounded by orcs. They did not attack the defenseless human though. They just stood there screaming in fury. Aragorn clenched his fists.
There seemed to be a blanket of cold that settled over them and the orcs parted. A shadow stepped from their midst and approached the human. Aragorn recoiled in fear as the Witch King approached him.
"You may have escaped us, but you have not escaped the shadows!"
Legolas was awakened from his light doze by the screams of his friend. He jumped from his chair and stood beside Aragorn's bed. The elf looked down in horror as his friend trashed in his bed sheets. He screamed no longer but seemed to choke as if something strangled him. Words were forced out in gasping breaths.
"No… Stay away…please no!"
Legolas grabbed his friend's face hoping to wake and calm him. Unfortunately his movements sent the man even deeper into a panic. In desperation, the elf enveloped Aragorn in a firm embrace. He continued to convulse almost as if the human fought with some invisible enemy. Legolas called out to him in common trying to reach his friend, but the human fought even harder.
"Estel! Listen to me! It is I, Legolas! Listen to my voice! Please!" Legolas cried in elvish. He pulled the man's head to his shoulder. He breathed a sigh of release as his friend's struggles lessened. He continued to speak in the gray tongue until Aragorn slumped against him. The elf looked up and noticed Estel's family had also been summoned by the screams. They stared in saddened shock as Legolas rocked the sobbing human.
Eventually, Aragorn gently push away from Legolas and collapsed back onto the bed. "I'm sorry, Legolas. I'm so sorry!" The elf was surprised to find tears still flowing from the sightless eyes.
"What do you have to be sorry about, Mellon-nin?" Legolas placed his hand over the others and was saddened to see Aragorn flinch at the gentle touch.
"Too much." Aragorn closed his eyes. He shivered at the memories that threatened to swallow him.
"Tell me, Estel. Tell me what was done to you."
The man shook his head slightly. "I would not burden you with my pathetic tale."
"Too much like your father," muttered Legolas. "Please Strider, talk to me. It you do not, it will eat at you like a poison and kill you!"
"You make it sound like that is a bad thing," replied Aragorn, smiling darkly.
"Estel!" cried the elven prince, exasperated. "You are very much loved in this house."
"That may change after you have heard my story."
