Ooh! You people have made me SO happy! 200 reviews for 4 chapters! *faints* How I wish I could reply to them all…but I think that would take me longer than writing the story! LOL! ;) Keep the reviews coming, please; I so much enjoy reading them! You all make writing so rewarding! :)
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Aragorn almost laughed at his brother's expression of woe, but he knew that the situation was no laughing matter. Turning, he saw Legolas sitting up on his own now, no longer leaning against Elrohir. The dark-haired elf had a hand on Legolas' good arm to keep him steady, and they were both listening to the conversation.
"We should start for home tomorrow," Elladan finally said. "Legolas should rest tonight."
Before the injured elf could insist that he was fine, Elrohir scooped him up in his arms and stood so fast that it made Legolas' head spin.
"Put me down!" he exclaimed.
Elrohir chuckled, gently setting his friend on his feet.
"Have the herbs taken effect yet?" Aragorn asked, having given his friend a fast-acting one.
Legolas nodded, but he was known for hiding his pain and could very well be lying.
"Let us make camp away from this foul stench," said Elladan, gesturing to the slain orcs.
Elrohir rushed towards their horses, letting them loose.
Legolas' mare trotted towards him at a high speed, stopping before the elf with a neigh that sounded askance, as if knowing that he was injured. Legolas smiled and stroked her nose.
Aragorn took the reins of his own steed, turning in time to see Legolas attempting to mount one-handed, his elven pride stopping him from commanding the horse to kneel. "Legolas!" he exclaimed, quickly reaching up a hand and bracing his friend's back, preventing him from possibly falling.
"I am fine!" the elf protested, now safely atop his mare. It was a terrible lie, for he'd accidentally bumped his broken arm as he mounted, and it was sending unbearable stabbing pains up and down the entire limb.
"That was foolish," Aragorn said, seeing the pain in his friend's eyes. "Your pride will only hurt you further!"
"Listen to the human, Legolas," said Elrohir. "He occasionally shows wisdom!"
Aragorn shot a mock-glare at his brother, looking once more at Legolas before mounting his own horse.
Legolas sighed as they rode away from the dead orcs. After what he'd been through in the past week, he couldn't believe that he now had another injury to deal with. The pain of the broken bone was agonizing, and he eagerly awaited the effects of the painkilling herbs; he had indeed lied to his friend about their efficiency.
Aragorn kept looking at Legolas, checking to be sure that he was all right. He kept the horses' pace slow, not wanting the elf's arm to be jostled around.
They rode for about a mile before stopping.
Aragorn quickly jumped down from his horse and reached up to help Legolas dismount from his own, not wanting the elf to cause more injury to his arm.
Legolas inwardly sighed when he felt his friend's hands touch him, but he didn't complain, knowing that the human was only concerned with his well-being. The elf knew that the break in his arm was very bad; if the roles were reversed, he would be showing the same concern for Aragorn that the human was showing him now.
As Legolas touched down, he noticed that his stab wound was aching worse, and he quickly looked at his tunic to see if there was any blood. He was relieved to see none, as he knew that Aragorn would be very upset if his wound reopened again.
"Sit down while we make camp," Aragorn said to him, leading the elf over to a fallen log.
Legolas frowned. "I'm capable of helping!"
Aragorn sighed as he looked at his friend. Legolas was very pale; he hadn't been fit for that orc fight. "We don't need your help, mellon-nin. Besides, you are in pain; do not deny it."
Legolas sighed as he was forced to sit. They truly didn't need his help; the twins were setting up the camp so swiftly that they didn't even require Aragorn's assistance.
"Foul orcs!" Elladan suddenly exclaimed. "Forcing us to cut short our trip!"
Legolas made a guilty face and opened his mouth to apologize, but Elladan spoke again.
"Do not blame yourself for your injury, Legolas. We should be apologizing to you; dragging you on a trip so soon after your ordeal!"
The others nodded agreement, but Legolas shook his head, standing. "Why must we go back? It is not a serious injury."
His three friends shot him incredulous looks.
"Not serious?" Aragorn echoed. "Legolas, Ada needs to look at your arm; that is not a clean break. It will take longer to heal than usual."
"And it will hinder your ability to fight, should we come upon more orcs!" said Elladan.
"You are not safe out here, in this condition," Elrohir told him.
Legolas sighed, knowing that Elrohir wasn't only speaking of his arm. As if on cue, a sudden piercing pain stabbed into his injured limb, and he unwillingly gasped, having been caught off guard.
Aragorn gently grabbed his friend and sat him on the log again, where Legolas stayed motionless, clutching his arm.
The twins moved closer, wishing that there was something they could do to ease his pain. They both blamed themselves, as the trip had been their idea.
"I am all right," Legolas said, sensing their concern. He tried to keep the pain out of his voice, but didn't succeed.
The twins sighed, going back to making camp.
Rummaging through his pack, Aragorn searched for a stronger herb that could be safely combined with the other that he'd already given Legolas. He didn't find any, and sighed. "Stay right here," he told his friend, as if Legolas were an elfling.
Slightly amused, Legolas nodded.
Aragorn gave him a slight smile, standing and walking off, searching the ground for a certain plant.
Now that no one was watching, Legolas let his façade drop from his features and groaned softly, closing his eyes and clutching his arm tighter.
A hand touched the shoulder on his good arm a minute later, and he snapped his eyes open, having not heard anyone coming.
Elladan and Elrohir sat on each side of him, looking worried. Elladan especially had a look of guilt on his face.
"Your intentions were good," Legolas said. "Do not fault yourselves for my injury, for there is nothing that you can do to change it."
The twins said nothing for a moment.
"While that may be true, it is still distressing to see you suffer," Elladan said, gently.
"It is distressing to be the one suffering," Legolas answered, smiling in an attempt to ease their guilt.
The twins smiled back, but Legolas could tell that they did it only for his sake.
Aragorn came within view again, carrying with him a pile of dark leaves. "Here," he said, handing one to the elf. "This one works best without water."
Legolas took the leaf, obediently chewing it. He was surprised at its pleasant taste.
Standing, Elrohir crossed to the middle of their camp to build a fire. "I have a mind to continue our storytelling," he said, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.
Aragorn smiled. "Have you more mishaps—er, tales of Legolas?"
Elrohir laughed, to Legolas' dismay. "Many more, yes…but I think that those can wait for another time. Instead, I shall tell Legolas a tale of a young Estel!"
Aragorn grimaced, making everyone laugh.
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Darkness fell quickly, and a hush eventually fell over the campsite.
Legolas lay staring at the stars, unmoving, feeling a strange floating sensation throughout his body. It took his hazy mind a while to realize that Aragorn had slipped a sleeping herb into his water. The pain in his arm was dulled, but not by much.
Aragorn watched him, wondering why the elf did not sleep. He wondered if mayhap he hadn't given Legolas enough of the herb, but shook his head, as that was highly unlikely. The only answer had to be that the elf was in too much pain to sleep.
Legolas heard Aragorn walking over, and turned his head to face him.
"How is your arm?" the human asked, kneeling beside him.
"Fine," Legolas lied.
Aragorn made a face. "Then why do you not sleep?"
"I lie here marveling at the odd effects of your herbs," Legolas told him, smiling slightly. "It is an interesting sensation…floating while ones back is to the ground."
Aragorn smiled. "Why do you fight it, mellon-nin?"
Legolas looked back to the stars. "I do not fight it, I am simply enjoying the night."
"In other words," said Aragorn. "You can't sleep because your arm hurts too much."
Legolas looked at him again. "You are a very stubborn human."
Aragorn nodded. "Aye, and you are a very stubborn elf."
Smiling, Legolas blinked his eyes. "Worry not for me, Estel, sleep comes."
Aragorn noted the dreamy tone to the elf's voice, and knew that what he said was true. "Rest well."
Legolas didn't answer, asleep already…eyes once again shut.
Sighing heavily, Aragorn inwardly groaned at the sight. His friend's body had finally recovered enough for him to sleep with his eyes open, and now a new injury had rendered them once again closed.
Moving back to his bedroll, Aragorn retrieved his cloak and picked up a large rock before tiptoeing back to his friend. Kneeling beside the elf, he checked to be sure that his injured arm was secure in its sling before he rolled up the cloak and placed it against Legolas' upper arm, sitting the rock against it to hold it there. If there was something that Legolas was known for, it was turning over in his sleep. At least this way, he wouldn't roll onto his broken arm.
As if on cue, the elf suddenly tried to turn in that direction, but the rock stopped him and he slept on without waking.
Aragorn blinked, in shock at his perfect timing in preventing disaster. Deciding that his friend needed to be watched, he returned to his bedroll and dragged it beside the elf, laying down and gently grasping Legolas' good arm, so that if his friend attempted to move in his sleep, Aragorn would know.