Chapter Six
~~~Meanwhile~~~
Aragorn had drifted off to sleep again, in his elven brother, Elladan's arms.
"He is obviously exhausted and grieved from yesterday's incidents, and yet, he is still so strong...never in my life, have I witnessed such spirit..." Lord Celeborn whispered, standing at the doorway. Elladan looked up to his grandfather, then back at the man in his arms, and he nodded.
"Aye, Estel is incredible...one of a kind...by the way, how does Legolas fare? Has his fever passed yet?" Lord Celeborn shook his head grimly.
"Legolas is not getting better as we had hoped...his fever has taken a turn for the worst...he might...not make it through at all." Elladan looked sharply at Lord Celeborn in shock and disbelief.
"What?!" Elladan raised his voice and instantly regretted it when Aragorn moaned and frowned in his sleep. Slowly calming himself down, Elladan sighed.
"For Estel's sake especially, I pray that Legolas will make it through."
Suddenly, multiple shouts rang through the forest, alerting all the guards. Estel jerked awake, having heard the noise, without a word, he jumped up out of Elladan's arms and started to run outside, followed by Elladan and Lord Celeborn.
"What is going on?" Lord Celeborn asked a guard who was running towards the noise.
"My Lord, I am not sure myself, but I heard that there is trouble in the healing houses." Aragorn's eyes widened and took off towards the healing houses.
"Estel!" Elladan yelled and ran after him, followed by Lord Celeborn and the elven guard.
Once the four of them had reached their destination, they saw that the rest of the fellowship was at the side, trying to see what was going on. There were also dozens elven soldiers who all had their bows in hand, and an arrow fitted, pointing directly into Legolas' room.
"What is going on here?" Lord Celeborn demanded. The fellowship turned around and shrugged.
"We just got here." Gimli answered.
"Brothers! Lord Celeborn!" A familiar voice called out to them.
Suddenly, the elves in the middle of the crowd parted, revealing Elrohir.
"Elrohir! What is going on?" Aragorn ran up to him and asked anxiously. Elrohir looked guilty.
"It's my fault, I left to speak with Lady Galadriel about Legolas, and when I got back..." Elrohir hesitated.
"When you got back...what? Is it Legolas? Elrohir, speak!" Aragorn said loudly. Elrohir winced.
"When I got back, Gollum was here, blade in hand, ready to stab Legolas in the heart! I wanted to charge at him, but Gollum threatened to kill Legolas! So I shouted, calling for help, I stepped back outside to give him space, and now the guards are here. I have already told them to shoot at Gollum if he makes any more movement, but right now, all he does is talk to himself!" Aragorn's eyes widened, then moved up front, right at the doorway, surveying the scene.
Sure enough, Gollum was there, holding Legolas' dagger in his shaking hands, right at Legolas' throat, the blade already drawing a bit of blood. Gollum's eyes were glassy with tears as he was talking to the half- conscious Legolas.
"Gollum...please stop this...I know you only want to help heal my pain...but by killing me would only cause me even more pain...please, give me the dagger, Gollum." Gollum paused briefly.
"We...we didn't know...we swears...we only wanted to help...the nice elf..." Legolas smiled weakly and nodded.
"So...if pretty elf prince lives...he will be happy?" Gollum said slowly as he started to put down the dagger.
"Yes...I...I will be happy..." Legolas whispered weakly.
"Very happy?" Gollum hissed suddenly and he once again held the hilt of the blade at Legolas' throat.
"Yes, Gollum! I will be...very happy..."
"Then...we hopes elf lives..." Gollum handed the dagger to Legolas, he took it and sighed in relief.
"Gollum leaves now...rest now...shhh..." Legolas nodded.
"I will...go." Gollum nodded, turned around to the elves, hissed at them, and immediately crawled out the window.
"Stop! Don't shoot him!" Legolas commanded to the elven soldiers, and they reluctantly complied.
"Do not harm him, just make sure he is not in Lothlorien anymore." Lord Celeborn commanded, and the elves bowed and went to their posts again.
Aragorn ran over to Legolas, smiling widely, Legolas smiled shakily, but after the apparent danger, exhaustion took over him, and dropping the blade onto the wooden floor, he fell unconscious again.
"Legolas!" Aragorn called, looked at the cut on his neck, and immediately held a strip of cloth to it to stop the bleeding. Then he checked Legolas' pulse, and sighed when he felt one, weak, but it was there.
Afterwards, Aragorn felt Legolas' forehead, surprisingly, his fever seemed to have dropped a bit, but it was still at a dangerous level considering Legolas' condition. Aragorn sighed heavily, took a cloth, wet it in the basin of water on the table, and placed it on Legolas' sweaty forehead. Elrohir, Elladan, and Lord Celeborn watched Aragorn thoughtfully, and a small smile graced their features.
A few minutes later, Aragorn stood back up, roughly straightened himself, growled, and stalked out of the room, his eyes ablaze with anger and frustration. The three elves looked after at Aragorn's back, confused at his sudden anger.
"What just happened?" Elrohir asked.
"Why did he just...walk out like that...angrily?" Elladan shrugged his shoulders.
"I have no idea..." Lord Celeborn stayed silent, deep in thought, also confused as to why Aragorn would act that way.
Then, it dawned on him, he had seen that look in Aragorn's eyes before, many times, actually. It was there every time he brought Legolas, badly injured or almost dead, back to Rivendell, Mirkwood, or sometimes Lothlorien. At that moment, Lord Celeborn understood everything, Aragorn felt guilty and angry with himself...and Legolas. He shook his head and sighed, then, he too, walked swiftly away from the twins, in search for the ranger. The twins looked after at their grandfather's back and again, were confused at his sudden action.
"What happened just now, Elladan?" Elladan shrugged again.
"I have no idea...maybe...we're bad company?" The twins paused.
"No way! We're great company! They must just need some time alone!" Elladan said enthusiastically. Elrohir nodded and grinned.
"That's right, we are great company!" The twins laughed. But they suddenly stopped when a small moan was heard from Legolas, and they were at Legolas' bedside in a flash.
"Legolas?" Elladan asked softly.
Legolas moaned again, his eyes slowly opened, and he finally became fully conscious.
"Elladan? Elrohir? What? What are you two doing here?" Elladan smiled softly.
"We came by request of our father, he sensed that something bad had befallen you and Estel, and wanted someone to come and check on you two. Naturally, Elrohir and I volunteered! And now, we're here." Elladan exclaimed.
"Oh. Well, Estel is okay...right?" Legolas asked anxiously.
"Whoa there, Legolas, calm down, Estel is perfectly fine." Elrohir said.
"Where is he? I need to see him for myself!" Elladan and Elrohir glanced at each other, knowing that nothing could change his mind, so they only sighed.
"Stubborn prince." Elladan muttered. Legolas paused and grinned.
"I know, I'm great!" The twins rolled their eyes.
Next thing they knew, the twins were supporting Legolas while they were walking through Caras Galadhon, searching for Aragorn.
~~~Meanwhile~~~
"Estel! Estel! Hold on! Stop running!" Lord Celeborn shouted. Aragorn sighed, stopped running, and turned towards the elf lord.
"Yes? What is it, my Lord?" Lord Celeborn sighed.
~~~Back to the trio~~~
"Where did he run off to?" Elrohir asked, exasperated.
"Wait! Look! It's him! Estel and...grandfather? So this is where he went to!" Elladan exclaimed, pointing towards the two.
"Great, let's go over there then!" Elrohir said.
"Wait! Guys, look at them, those two seem to be in an argument...I don't think we should really interrupt them." Legolas stated quietly. Turns out, he was more weary and weak than he had thought.
"You're right...but it doesn't look that serious...let's go through the trees and hide there! That way, we can eavesdrop, and Legolas can be sure that Estel is completely healthy!" Elrohir laughed. Elladan rolled his eyes at his twin's suggestion. Legolas grinned and nodded.
"Come on then, I haven't done this in a while! Let's go!"
"Estel, why are you angry?" Aragorn shook his head.
"I am not."
"Oh really? You cannot lie to an Eldar, my child, I can see the fury in your eyes." Then there was a pause, and Aragorn sighed, the anger dissipating.
"I am weary..."
By now, Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas had reached the bushes beside Aragorn and Lord Celeborn, quietly listening to the conversation.
"Weary? Of what?" Aragorn looked down.
"I am weary of...of always bringing an injured or near dead Legolas back home...my home...his home...or anyone else's home for that matter!"
The twins exchanged quick glances, and Elladan elbowed Elrohir lightly in the stomach. "Not that important, huh?" Elladan whispered sharply at Elrohir. Elrohir smiled weakly, then glanced at Legolas, whose eyes were narrowed, staring straight at Aragorn, indescribable emotions flaring up inside of him.
Lord Celeborn grinned inwardly, knowing that he had been right, but he decided to push it farther, wanting to find out exactly how Aragorn felt.
"Do you think that he is a burden on you?" Aragorn paused to think about how to answer his question the way his mind thought.
Unfortunately, Legolas mistook the silence as an agreement, and that was just about all he needed to burst with anger. Aragorn was just about to answer, when suddenly, Legolas emerged from the bushes, and the twins were behind him, trying to stop Legolas. His face was red with anger, tears of sadness glistening in his blue orbs, and his ability to keep awake was relying solely on his anger.
"Burden, am I?! Well, Aragorn, I am not the one who is always half dead, now am I? You have been seriously injured several times! Probably even more than myself! You think you are weary?! You are only 87 years of age! I am weary, son of Arathorn, me! I am weary of always getting entangled with evil! I have sustained pain both physically and mentally more than you could ever imagine!" Legolas yelled. Aragorn, Lord Celeborn, and the twins stared at Legolas in shock, but Aragorn was the first to recover.
"Legolas–"
"No, Aragorn, I do not need you! My mother died because of giving birth to me, and my brother died because I didn't get there fast enough! Right now, my father is alone, and my kingdom is at war with orcs, spiders, and only Valar knows what other evil there is in Mirkwood! Would you understand how any of that feels like? Have you ever had to watch your best friend be tortured to death by orcs? Of course you haven't! The only real pain you've felt physically is getting stabbed or struck with an arrow, and the only real pain you've felt mentally is watching a friend die!" Legolas scoffed, and tears slid down his face.
"But, oh no, you've never felt my pain! Nobody has!"
"Legolas, please, stop! You have misunderstood me!" Aragorn cried out.
"No, Aragorn, Lord Celeborn, Elladan, Elrohir, or anyone else that I have been a burden on, I have lasted this far, I do NOT need ANY of you now!" Legolas shouted angrily.
Then, Legolas swiftly turned around, glared at Lord Celeborn and the twins, and stormed away. Unknown to any of them, a pair of angry eyes had been watching the argument, and went to follow Legolas, hiding in the trees.
TBC...
~~~Meanwhile~~~
Aragorn had drifted off to sleep again, in his elven brother, Elladan's arms.
"He is obviously exhausted and grieved from yesterday's incidents, and yet, he is still so strong...never in my life, have I witnessed such spirit..." Lord Celeborn whispered, standing at the doorway. Elladan looked up to his grandfather, then back at the man in his arms, and he nodded.
"Aye, Estel is incredible...one of a kind...by the way, how does Legolas fare? Has his fever passed yet?" Lord Celeborn shook his head grimly.
"Legolas is not getting better as we had hoped...his fever has taken a turn for the worst...he might...not make it through at all." Elladan looked sharply at Lord Celeborn in shock and disbelief.
"What?!" Elladan raised his voice and instantly regretted it when Aragorn moaned and frowned in his sleep. Slowly calming himself down, Elladan sighed.
"For Estel's sake especially, I pray that Legolas will make it through."
Suddenly, multiple shouts rang through the forest, alerting all the guards. Estel jerked awake, having heard the noise, without a word, he jumped up out of Elladan's arms and started to run outside, followed by Elladan and Lord Celeborn.
"What is going on?" Lord Celeborn asked a guard who was running towards the noise.
"My Lord, I am not sure myself, but I heard that there is trouble in the healing houses." Aragorn's eyes widened and took off towards the healing houses.
"Estel!" Elladan yelled and ran after him, followed by Lord Celeborn and the elven guard.
Once the four of them had reached their destination, they saw that the rest of the fellowship was at the side, trying to see what was going on. There were also dozens elven soldiers who all had their bows in hand, and an arrow fitted, pointing directly into Legolas' room.
"What is going on here?" Lord Celeborn demanded. The fellowship turned around and shrugged.
"We just got here." Gimli answered.
"Brothers! Lord Celeborn!" A familiar voice called out to them.
Suddenly, the elves in the middle of the crowd parted, revealing Elrohir.
"Elrohir! What is going on?" Aragorn ran up to him and asked anxiously. Elrohir looked guilty.
"It's my fault, I left to speak with Lady Galadriel about Legolas, and when I got back..." Elrohir hesitated.
"When you got back...what? Is it Legolas? Elrohir, speak!" Aragorn said loudly. Elrohir winced.
"When I got back, Gollum was here, blade in hand, ready to stab Legolas in the heart! I wanted to charge at him, but Gollum threatened to kill Legolas! So I shouted, calling for help, I stepped back outside to give him space, and now the guards are here. I have already told them to shoot at Gollum if he makes any more movement, but right now, all he does is talk to himself!" Aragorn's eyes widened, then moved up front, right at the doorway, surveying the scene.
Sure enough, Gollum was there, holding Legolas' dagger in his shaking hands, right at Legolas' throat, the blade already drawing a bit of blood. Gollum's eyes were glassy with tears as he was talking to the half- conscious Legolas.
"Gollum...please stop this...I know you only want to help heal my pain...but by killing me would only cause me even more pain...please, give me the dagger, Gollum." Gollum paused briefly.
"We...we didn't know...we swears...we only wanted to help...the nice elf..." Legolas smiled weakly and nodded.
"So...if pretty elf prince lives...he will be happy?" Gollum said slowly as he started to put down the dagger.
"Yes...I...I will be happy..." Legolas whispered weakly.
"Very happy?" Gollum hissed suddenly and he once again held the hilt of the blade at Legolas' throat.
"Yes, Gollum! I will be...very happy..."
"Then...we hopes elf lives..." Gollum handed the dagger to Legolas, he took it and sighed in relief.
"Gollum leaves now...rest now...shhh..." Legolas nodded.
"I will...go." Gollum nodded, turned around to the elves, hissed at them, and immediately crawled out the window.
"Stop! Don't shoot him!" Legolas commanded to the elven soldiers, and they reluctantly complied.
"Do not harm him, just make sure he is not in Lothlorien anymore." Lord Celeborn commanded, and the elves bowed and went to their posts again.
Aragorn ran over to Legolas, smiling widely, Legolas smiled shakily, but after the apparent danger, exhaustion took over him, and dropping the blade onto the wooden floor, he fell unconscious again.
"Legolas!" Aragorn called, looked at the cut on his neck, and immediately held a strip of cloth to it to stop the bleeding. Then he checked Legolas' pulse, and sighed when he felt one, weak, but it was there.
Afterwards, Aragorn felt Legolas' forehead, surprisingly, his fever seemed to have dropped a bit, but it was still at a dangerous level considering Legolas' condition. Aragorn sighed heavily, took a cloth, wet it in the basin of water on the table, and placed it on Legolas' sweaty forehead. Elrohir, Elladan, and Lord Celeborn watched Aragorn thoughtfully, and a small smile graced their features.
A few minutes later, Aragorn stood back up, roughly straightened himself, growled, and stalked out of the room, his eyes ablaze with anger and frustration. The three elves looked after at Aragorn's back, confused at his sudden anger.
"What just happened?" Elrohir asked.
"Why did he just...walk out like that...angrily?" Elladan shrugged his shoulders.
"I have no idea..." Lord Celeborn stayed silent, deep in thought, also confused as to why Aragorn would act that way.
Then, it dawned on him, he had seen that look in Aragorn's eyes before, many times, actually. It was there every time he brought Legolas, badly injured or almost dead, back to Rivendell, Mirkwood, or sometimes Lothlorien. At that moment, Lord Celeborn understood everything, Aragorn felt guilty and angry with himself...and Legolas. He shook his head and sighed, then, he too, walked swiftly away from the twins, in search for the ranger. The twins looked after at their grandfather's back and again, were confused at his sudden action.
"What happened just now, Elladan?" Elladan shrugged again.
"I have no idea...maybe...we're bad company?" The twins paused.
"No way! We're great company! They must just need some time alone!" Elladan said enthusiastically. Elrohir nodded and grinned.
"That's right, we are great company!" The twins laughed. But they suddenly stopped when a small moan was heard from Legolas, and they were at Legolas' bedside in a flash.
"Legolas?" Elladan asked softly.
Legolas moaned again, his eyes slowly opened, and he finally became fully conscious.
"Elladan? Elrohir? What? What are you two doing here?" Elladan smiled softly.
"We came by request of our father, he sensed that something bad had befallen you and Estel, and wanted someone to come and check on you two. Naturally, Elrohir and I volunteered! And now, we're here." Elladan exclaimed.
"Oh. Well, Estel is okay...right?" Legolas asked anxiously.
"Whoa there, Legolas, calm down, Estel is perfectly fine." Elrohir said.
"Where is he? I need to see him for myself!" Elladan and Elrohir glanced at each other, knowing that nothing could change his mind, so they only sighed.
"Stubborn prince." Elladan muttered. Legolas paused and grinned.
"I know, I'm great!" The twins rolled their eyes.
Next thing they knew, the twins were supporting Legolas while they were walking through Caras Galadhon, searching for Aragorn.
~~~Meanwhile~~~
"Estel! Estel! Hold on! Stop running!" Lord Celeborn shouted. Aragorn sighed, stopped running, and turned towards the elf lord.
"Yes? What is it, my Lord?" Lord Celeborn sighed.
~~~Back to the trio~~~
"Where did he run off to?" Elrohir asked, exasperated.
"Wait! Look! It's him! Estel and...grandfather? So this is where he went to!" Elladan exclaimed, pointing towards the two.
"Great, let's go over there then!" Elrohir said.
"Wait! Guys, look at them, those two seem to be in an argument...I don't think we should really interrupt them." Legolas stated quietly. Turns out, he was more weary and weak than he had thought.
"You're right...but it doesn't look that serious...let's go through the trees and hide there! That way, we can eavesdrop, and Legolas can be sure that Estel is completely healthy!" Elrohir laughed. Elladan rolled his eyes at his twin's suggestion. Legolas grinned and nodded.
"Come on then, I haven't done this in a while! Let's go!"
"Estel, why are you angry?" Aragorn shook his head.
"I am not."
"Oh really? You cannot lie to an Eldar, my child, I can see the fury in your eyes." Then there was a pause, and Aragorn sighed, the anger dissipating.
"I am weary..."
By now, Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas had reached the bushes beside Aragorn and Lord Celeborn, quietly listening to the conversation.
"Weary? Of what?" Aragorn looked down.
"I am weary of...of always bringing an injured or near dead Legolas back home...my home...his home...or anyone else's home for that matter!"
The twins exchanged quick glances, and Elladan elbowed Elrohir lightly in the stomach. "Not that important, huh?" Elladan whispered sharply at Elrohir. Elrohir smiled weakly, then glanced at Legolas, whose eyes were narrowed, staring straight at Aragorn, indescribable emotions flaring up inside of him.
Lord Celeborn grinned inwardly, knowing that he had been right, but he decided to push it farther, wanting to find out exactly how Aragorn felt.
"Do you think that he is a burden on you?" Aragorn paused to think about how to answer his question the way his mind thought.
Unfortunately, Legolas mistook the silence as an agreement, and that was just about all he needed to burst with anger. Aragorn was just about to answer, when suddenly, Legolas emerged from the bushes, and the twins were behind him, trying to stop Legolas. His face was red with anger, tears of sadness glistening in his blue orbs, and his ability to keep awake was relying solely on his anger.
"Burden, am I?! Well, Aragorn, I am not the one who is always half dead, now am I? You have been seriously injured several times! Probably even more than myself! You think you are weary?! You are only 87 years of age! I am weary, son of Arathorn, me! I am weary of always getting entangled with evil! I have sustained pain both physically and mentally more than you could ever imagine!" Legolas yelled. Aragorn, Lord Celeborn, and the twins stared at Legolas in shock, but Aragorn was the first to recover.
"Legolas–"
"No, Aragorn, I do not need you! My mother died because of giving birth to me, and my brother died because I didn't get there fast enough! Right now, my father is alone, and my kingdom is at war with orcs, spiders, and only Valar knows what other evil there is in Mirkwood! Would you understand how any of that feels like? Have you ever had to watch your best friend be tortured to death by orcs? Of course you haven't! The only real pain you've felt physically is getting stabbed or struck with an arrow, and the only real pain you've felt mentally is watching a friend die!" Legolas scoffed, and tears slid down his face.
"But, oh no, you've never felt my pain! Nobody has!"
"Legolas, please, stop! You have misunderstood me!" Aragorn cried out.
"No, Aragorn, Lord Celeborn, Elladan, Elrohir, or anyone else that I have been a burden on, I have lasted this far, I do NOT need ANY of you now!" Legolas shouted angrily.
Then, Legolas swiftly turned around, glared at Lord Celeborn and the twins, and stormed away. Unknown to any of them, a pair of angry eyes had been watching the argument, and went to follow Legolas, hiding in the trees.
TBC...