Healing

In a week Legolas's superficial wounds were healed. The cuts on his hands and legs had disappeared, along with the older scars from the whippings. The newer ones were bright pink, but healing. Only his legs were still bothersome. He had torn apart delicate tendons and soft muscle tissue in his race for freedom. Even so, he painfully dragged himself to sit at the window every day; if only for an hour. The twins, Elrond or Aragorn were always willing to aid him, but his natural stubbornness had reasserted itself. He wanted to do it alone. He needed to have small triumphs.

At first he hid from them when they came to change his bandages or bring meals to him. He would bury his face in the pillows and refuse to look at them or answer any questions asked and comments made. Even so, his healers kept up a light banter with him, ignoring his silence. They knew his emotional wounds, deeper than the physical, would take much time to heal.

Aragorn had volunteered for most of the small, necessary duties that went with nursing the elf back to health. He regularly cleaned the bruises and cuts, changed the dressings and wiped him clean with soft cloths. He noticed with sadness, the way in which Legolas would keep his eyes tightly shut and clench his jaw during these necessary ministrations.

Elladan and Elrohir would change the linen on the bed, while Aragorn held the too light elf in his arms. At these times, Legolas would hide his face behind his curtain of hair. Lord Elrond came daily to supervise the intake of his medication and stayed with Legolas when evening drew nigh. He would sing, with his beautiful soft voice, of heroes of old, the beauty of trees, birds and of all life. Legolas always responded to his songs. He would turn toward the elf-lord, brilliant blue eyes unblinking in the gathering dusk and slowly fall asleep with a small smile on his lips, as night filled the sky. Lord Elrond would stay until Estel came to relieve him, for as they had discovered, when left alone at night, Legolas would suffer waking, heart wrenching nightmares, that caused him to shriek in despair and he could not be comforted for many a long hour.

Aragorn liked watching Legolas sleep. He looked peaceful and happy then. When he was awake, his blue eyes, always watchful, would darken with remembered pain and he would tilt his head until his long golden hair formed a curtain over his face. Many times he covered his face with pillows when Aragorn spoke to him. Even so, Aragorn persevered, for he knew that elves could die of grief left unchecked. Legolas did not deserve such a fate.

This night Aragorn sat near to the open window in the chair recently vacated by his father. Summer had barely begun and the air was still cool and refreshing. He resisted the urge to light his pipe, knowing the smoke was not healthy for the recovering elf. Legolas lay curled on his side facing him. His hair as always partially covered his delicate face. His eyes were closed in sleep and his breathing was regular. Aragorn shifted restlessly in his seat after a couple of hours passed. He was not sleepy, having spent the day out leisurely riding with the twins. He thought of Arwen then, and his handsome face creased into a smile. He crossed his legs and began to sing softly about the beauty of the Evenstar.

Legolas, hearing the deep melodic voice even in sleep, opened his eyes. Aragorn sat under the window crooning about the beauty of an elf maid. Legolas watched him with curiosity. He had thought at first that he was elf kind, but as the days passed, realized he was human. Well, mostly human. There was something definitely not human about him. Something old and elvish. He had never seen a real human before. Even though his father bartered goods with the men of Lake Town, the men themselves never came to Mirkwood. All business was conducted through elven messengers. He never suspected that edain could be so caring and thoughtful as Aragorn was proving to be.

"Can I get you something to drink Legolas?" the question came unexpectedly, causing him to flinch and become tense under the sheets.

Aragorn was still seated but now his elbows were resting on his knees and he was looking directly at him. Legolas did not answer for a moment but his inquisitiveness, normally a strong part of his personality caused him to ask.

"You are human?" The question was asked in a half accusatory tone.

Aragorn chuckled at the question. He had known the exact moment that the elf had awoken. He had seen the shine of his blue eyes peeping out from behind his golden hair.

"Yes I am human."

He replied with a grin, absently flicking an errant lock of hair from his face, with a quick toss of his head.

"Then how came you to be here? How is it that you call Lord Elrond father?" Legolas fired off both questions in one breath as his interest got the better of him. He actually propped himself up on the pillows in order to see the man better.

Sighing with remembered loss, Aragorn told Legolas the story of his father Arathorn, his mother Gilraen and how he came to live in Rivendell. Legolas listened with growing fascination as the tale unfolded. He has spent his entire life in Mirkwood and knew little about the history of other elven realms. Truth be told, he knew little about the history of his own people. His father had shielded his youngest son from much of the evil of the world both past and present as much as he could. Legolas did not even know how his own mother had passed.

Aragorn finished the story with a sad smile. Secretly he had rejoiced when he saw that Legolas did not try to shield his face from him. Instead he was studying him with undisguised curiosity.

"How old are you?" the elven prince asked suddenly

"I am seven and thirty years old." Aragorn said solemnly. Legolas gave a little laugh at that, a light hearted musical sound in the night.

"I am ten and one thousand years old human." Legolas volunteered, with a slight inclination of his head.

Aragorn's eyes glinted with mischief as he replied in a deadpan voice. "Really? You don't look a day over a thousand." Legolas's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the unexpected quip and he could not suppress a very un-elf like giggle. He tried to hide it behind a bandaged hand, but his giggle had infected Aragorn and both man and elf burst out laughing.

In the week that followed, Aragorn drew out the elf little by little. He brought him illustrated books from his father's study, about the plant and animal life of distant lands. He knew that the wood elf had seen little of the nature he so loved in four years. When Legolas was too tired to read for himself, Aragorn would read to him for hours. Elrohir and Elladan would join them at different times during the day. The twins would spin elaborate tales of Estel's childhood adventures, which caused Legolas to laugh more often than not. When Aragorn retaliated by relating some of the twin's escapades, they would suddenly remember unattended chores and disappear for hours.

Aragorn tried to teach Legolas how to play the game of Wizards and Trolls. He was making some headway when Elrohir, who considered himself a master of the game, stopped by and kept gainsaying his instructions.

"Not like that Estel. The king moves two steps at a time not one."

Aragorn grimaced with ill concealed annoyance since this was the third time Elrohir had interrupted. The game progressed for two minutes more when Elrohir broke in to say.

"The troll moves perpendicular to the wizard on the fourth pass Estel!"

Aragorn gave a sigh of exasperation and threw his hands up in mock surrender.

"You continue Elrohir, clearly my knowledge of the game is flawed." He ground this out between clenched teeth, rising to his feet. Unmindful of the sarcasm, Elrohir sat in the chair vacated by Aragorn and gave Legolas step by step instructions on how to play. Before they had reached midway in the game Legolas's eyes had developed a slightly glazed over look. Aragorn, who was standing behind Elrohir, gave a chuckle at the sight. He felt sorry for the blond elf. Elrohir could be such a pain when he chose to.

Lord Elrond watched with clinical eyes as Legolas walked the length of the room twice. There was only a slight tremor in his right leg; on the whole Legolas seemed the picture of health.

"Well?' three voices chorused impatiently.

Lord Elrond tried to keep a straight face as two apprehensive elves and one irritated young man glared at him, waiting for him to pass judgment on the state of Legolas's well being.

"He is well enough to go outside." He pronounced.

Four identical smiles lit up four faces. "Only until even-tide though, no riding, no going past the gates and no long walks, not even by accident." Lord Elrond glared back at the four of them. "Is that clear Elladan?" he said to his oldest son who had a habit of misunderstanding instructions.

"Very clear ada." Elladan answered the picture of innocence.

With an audible harrumph, Lord Elrond spun on his heel and flowed down the corridor to his study. The four waited until the study door closed and raced along the corridor, down to the kitchen to grab a concealed, but well stocked basket and exited the house.

Elladan led the way to the twins' special spot. His long auburn hair whipped around in the wind, getting into his eyes and mouth as he turned now and then to see how Legolas was faring. The site was not far, but he knew that his friend had been in bed for four weeks. He would tire easily. Though Elladan was very fierce in battle and strong willed naturally, one disapproving look from his father made his insides turn to jelly. He would make sure Legolas was kept safe on this little excursion.

Aragorn threw himself down with a thump on the short grass that filled the glade. Elrohir sat gracefully with legs crossed, daintily tucking in the edge of his shirt under knees. Aragorn rolled his eyes and plucked a few blades of grass to throw at his brother. But the elf ever alert for the mischief that sometimes sparkled in Aragorn's eyes, had already moved out of throwing range. They both turned to watch Elladan and Legolas walk slowly to the slight hillock on which they rested.

Legolas had slowed down to better enjoy the sun, wind and scents that pervaded the air. Elladan had insisted on lagging behind with him. The trees surprised but pleased at the presence of a wood elf murmured words of welcome to him. Neither elf spoke. Elladan knew without being told how much this short freedom meant to the younger elf.

When they finally arrived, Aragorn and Elrohir had already spread several blankets on the ground and were both basking in the sun. The basket was open and Elrohir was partaking of its contents.

"Couldn't wait huh little brother?" Elladan dug his toe into Elrohir's ribs. He however, nonchalantly kept chewing and refused to open his eyes.

Legolas gingerly lowered himself to the ground with a laugh, keeping his right leg outstretched. He was tired but happy. In a few weeks he had slipped into a familiar routine with his new found family. Elladan rummaged in the basket for two sandwiches. He handed one to Legolas, keeping one for him and leaned back against an accommodating tree with a contented smile. Aragorn opened one eye and snagged a bit of sandwich from Legolas. He did it so quickly that Legolas was left staring at his torn sandwich with his mouth open. Elladan laughed as Aragorn grinned.

"Whart's zo funny?" demanded Elrohir with his mouth full of bread.

Elladan grimaced with distaste at the sight, but answered anyway.

"The grim ranger is at it again. Must be a human trait."

In answer Aragorn whipped out a filled pipe from his tunic and proceeded to light it. The twins groaned in unison as the inevitable smelly smoke filled the clearing. Elrohir ineffectually waved at a puff of smoke that floated over his face.

"Really Estel that is the most disgusting habit you have. I am sure that smoking will kill you faster than your luckless adventures!" Elrohir carried on while Aragorn contentedly puffed away. Legolas could not help but laugh at the fussy elf. He rather liked the smell of pipe weed. The scent usually clung to most of Aragorn's clothing. It was familiar and comforting. Elrohir was still elucidating the disadvantages of smoking when the other three turned to him in exasperation and shouted.

"Elrohir SHUT UP!"

In a huff Elrohir did exactly that.

Notes

Edain, men, mankind

Ivoryil, your response filled my heart with joy and gave me energy to continue. My thanks.