The Waking Mind

Legolas felt himself coming back to the world of the living. His right leg was hurting and his left wrist throbbed abominably. He must have hurt it when he fell. Fell? No! The orc! He must have caught up to him by now. Legolas twisted his head in negation. No. No. He was so close. He had seen the tree. All he had to do was climb.

He gave a choked sob, not willing to open his eyes and confront darkness. All his effort had been in vein; he had run so far, for so long. He gave a heavy sigh of defeat and inhaled the scent of flowers in bloom. Flowers? The orc never gathered flowers. As he tried to puzzle out this riddle, a thought came to him. Was he still in the wood? Did he have a chance? If only he could wake up. Maybe, just maybe he could escape still. His brows knit in his desperation and his hand clung to what felt like wood. He tried to push himself outward in his mind, back to the world, to confront whatever lay in wait for him, even if it was muddy brown eyes.

Elrohir sat relaxed in an overstuffed chair, which was nestled in the corner of the healing room. He wore a pale blue silk shift that reached his knees and black leggings. His legs were crossed at the ankles and his feet were bare. His waist long, chestnut brown hair was loose and hung over one shoulder.

Elladan and Estel were huddled in conversation in front of the wide window, which looked out over the courtyard. They had been talking for over an hour or more. Elrohir was bored with their chatter. Estel wore a dark green silk shirt, black leggings and black boots. His dark brown shoulder length hair was parted in the middle and neatly combed, probably for the first time in his life. Elrohir snorted. Two pairs or eyes, one hazel and one grey-green looked at him curiously for a moment, and then they returned to their conversation.

Elrohir glanced over at the bed where Legolas still lay sleeping. He was curled on one side, hands loosely resting against the sides of the bed. As Elrohir looked Legolas frowned and his hands spasmodically clutched at the wooden side board; his eyes fluttered open and close.

"Estel." Elrohir called and pointed to Legolas, getting to his feet at the same time. Aragorn and Elladan turned to look at the bed. Legolas's eyes flickered open and close. Aragorn was at the bedside in a moment. He knelt and caught Legolas's groping fingers.

"He is waking." He said over his shoulder to Elladan.

"I will get adar." Elladan said, quickly going to and out the door.

Legolas heard a rush of sound and a voice, steady and deep. He could not understand the words. Fighting to awake, he forced his eyes open, but the bright sunlight was painful and he cringed, closing them quickly. He felt a hand hold his, a warm gentle hand. Frowning, he opened his eyes again, this time prepared for the onslaught of brightness. There was a blurry outline of a head. It did not look like the orc's. Legolas reached out with his right hand, trying to touch the image and another warm held took his.

"Dulu nin." Legolas whispered in a small scared voice.

The voice spoke again, deep and musical in intonation and somehow comforting.

"Estelio nin. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan nan galad." Aragorn spoke softly to Legolas, whose blue eyes stared at him unfocused. He blinked twice and then looked directly into Aragorn's eyes.

Legolas blinked when he heard the voice speak in his native tongue and tension ebbed out of his body. He was in the arms of his own kind. He blinked again, squinting against the glare and suddenly two large grey-green eyes, very close to his own, swam into focus. The elf was looking at him anxiously, his face a study of concern. His hair was dark and framed his face in unruly waves. The elf smiled and the sides of his eyes crinkled causing Legolas to smile back.

"Man le?" He whispered

"Im Aragorn." He answered smiling still at the wounded Legolas.

"Hannon le Aragorn."Legolas replied in a broken whisper. A solitary tear fell unchecked from his shimmering eyes, as raw emotion swept through him. His slim frame shook with deeply buried anguish. Aragorn gathered Legolas into this arms and a flood of tears broke loose. Legolas buried his face in Aragorn's shirt unable to control his grief any longer.

Lord Elrond entered at that very moment followed closely by Elladan. He beckoned Elrohir to him.

"Get a meal prepared for him, something he can digest easily and fresh water."

"Yes ada." Elrohir, by nature a soft hearted elf, blinked back his own tears, as he quietly left the room. Elrond walked over to the bed and placed both hands on Estel's shoulders, silently giving support. Elladan sat on the edge of the bed, his own eyes wet with emotion.

The first torrent of his grief passed and Legolas slowly pulled himself away from Aragorn's embrace. He could not look at him again. His shame bowed his head low, causing his golden hair to seep forward and hide his face. But two strong fingers gently but insistently placed under his chin, forced his head back up. Lord Elrond's gentle brown eyes looked into his.

"You have suffered enough pen neth. Do not punish yourself further. Let us help you."

Legolas closed his eyes and let himself be comforted.

Notes

pen neth young one.

ada. daddy

Hannon le thank you

Im I am

Man le Who are you?

Estelio nin. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan nan galad. Trust me listen to my words come back to the light.

Dulu nin. Help me.

adar. Father