Disclaimer: Tolkein owns all characters (except Enid) and places.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate it :)
*********
Aragorn's eyes opened and he shook his head to clear it. He knew that something had woken him, but was too tired to figure out what. Gradually, as his mind began to function properly, the Ranger realized something was wrong with Legolas. His breathing was shallow and raspy and the Elf had clearly been like this for some time. Jumping up, Aragorn felt his way across the darkened room to where his friend lay. Hastily, but mindful of Legolas' injuries, Aragorn sat the unconscious Elf up and began to preform the now well practiced method of calming his breathing.
Aragorn worked frantically, but his treatment was not having any effect. If anything, Legolas' breathing becoming more and more desperate until finally, to Aragorn's horror, it stopped all together. The Ranger froze in shock, before his mind snapped into action. He carefully lay Legolas on the bed, using one hand to continue rubbing circles on the Elf's chest. The other hand pinched his friends nose and Aragorn began breathing deeply into Legolas' mouth.
The Human didn't know how long this went on for, only that he was starting to feel lightheaded. Still he kept going, painfully aware of how much danger his friend was in.
Aragorn became so caught up in what he was doing that he became completely unaware of everything around him. He nearly jumped out of his skin therefore when Legolas gasped and started breathing for himself again. The breaths were raspy and Aragorn knew he would have to work hard to settle it, but at least the Elf was breathing again.
Sitting up, Aragorn pulled Legolas up so the Elf was leaning against his chest. He continued to rub circles and his friend's chest, and was relived when, this time, Legolas breathing improved under his ministrations.
When Legolas' breathing was almost back to normal, Aragorn became aware that Legolas was coming around.
"Estel?" he muttered weakly.
"Aye Legolas, I am here." Aragorn whispered back.
"Hurts.."
"Where, mellon nin?" Aragorn questioned gently, surprised at the admission.
"My chest." Legolas told him. In fact, the Elf was in agony. His chest felt like it was on fire and every breath sent waves of pain through his whole body. Normally, Legolas wouldn't have said anything, but he was too tired and in too much pain to care about seeming weak. He desperately wanted Aragorn to give him something for the pain, but his pride wouldn't let him go as far as to ask.
"I think I've got some herbs that will help." Aragorn said, apparently reading his friend's mind. Legolas smiled in response.
Aragorn lay the exhausted Elf on the bed. He frowned when he noticed that Legolas' breathing seemed to get worse when he wasn't upright. Quickly mixing up a pain-killer and slipping in a sleeping drug, Aragorn returned to his friend's side. He help the Elf sit back up.
"Here, drink this." Aragorn held the mug up to Legolas' lips, who drank in obediently. "I don't think you should lay down mellon nin. It seems to make your breathing worse."
Legolas nodded and smiled in thanks when he realized the Ranger had slipped him a sleeping herb. Aragorn smiled in return, trying not to show how worried he was that the proud Elf had willingly submitted to the drug.
As Legolas drifted into sleep, his body slouched sideways from his sitting position. Aragorn knew Legolas would not be able to stay upright in his sleep so, taking the Elf in his arms, the Ranger sat in the bed with his back to the wall, and allowed Legolas to lean back against his chest.
For the first time since he had woken, Aragorn's mind register just how much trouble Legolas had actually been in. He instinctively tightened his grip on the Elf, mind reeling from the fact that he had almost lost his best friend.
*****
"Well now, have go got everything? Got enough food? Have a safe trip then, try not to get into too much trouble. You know you really look like you need another days rest, you look worse than last night. Now, be careful you understand. Goodbye now."
Enid chattered to the two friends as they made their horses ready. Waving goodbye to the friendly landlady, Aragorn and Legolas lead their horses to the edge of town. At the outskirts they mounted, Aragorn keeping a close eye on Legolas. He couldn't forget what had happened last time his friend had ridden.
"Are you sure you are well Legolas?" he questioned, concern colouring his voice.
"Aye Estel, I am well. Come, I sense the weather will turn against us soon."
That evening the Elf's prediction was proved right when they hit a storm. The rain pelted down, soaking both travellers to the skin. Fortunately they were approaching the end of that days travelling, so could afford to stop.
"We cannot keep riding in this, we must seek shelter." Legolas called over the thunder. He knew how dangerous it could be for humans to be completely drenched and freezing cold.
"Aye, there is a cave not far from here. We can stay there." Aragorn shouted back. Legolas was so worried about his friend, that he didn't seem to notice that he was worse. Aragorn noticed though. The Elf was shaking uncontrollably, and he looked even paler than before. Aragorn was cold, but it wasn't unbearable. Legolas' lips were starting to turn blue. 'Elves shouldn't feel the cold.' Aragorn thought, angry at the orcs for what they had done to his friend.
They rode in the direction of the cave, but the rain was so bad that they almost missed they entrance. After some coaxing, their horses entered the cave after them.
"We must make a fire." Legolas said, his teeth chattering.
"No, first we should get changed." Aragorn replied. He grabbed their backs and pulled out some spare clothes, dry due to their oilskin protection.
Aragorn was dismayed to to Legolas struggled to take off his tunic. The Elf could only use one hand and it was shaking so badly that he couldn't undo the clasps. Gently moving Aside his friend's's hand,the Ranger wordlessly helped Legolas take off his sodden clothes and put on some dry ones. Taking a blanket, he wrapped it around the shivering Elf. That done, Aragorn changed his own clothes and pulled a blanket around his own shoulders. For a while the two friends just stood there, allowing their freezing bodies to warm up.
"We should light a fire now." Legolas said, and Aragorn nodded.
They searched around the cave, eventually collecting enough dry twigs to light a fire. Legolas did this while Aragorn shared out the food; bread and dried meat from the inn.
As they ate, Aragorn was relieved to see Legolas' lips were no longer blue, and his shivering had stopped.
The Ranger knew he was a risk of catching a cold, so had put a herb in his own drink that would hopefully counteract this. As a precaution he had given Legolas the same herb.
"How is your chest?" Aragorn questioned, the events of last night still painfully clear in his mind.
"Well. It is constantly tight these days, but it is not too bad at the moment."
Aragorn nodded. "I wish to take a look at your injuries." he said, moving across to where his friend sat.
None of Legolas injuries were healing properly, the worse being the broken wrist and arrow wound which left his arm completely unmovable. After some prompting from Legolas, Aragorn checked on his own wound, which was healing well.
"Remember what I said last night; I do not think you should sleep lying down."
Legolas nodded "Aye, I you say so. Get some sleep Estel, I will take the first watch."
Aragorn nodded tiredly, and drifted into sleep.
*****
Mellon nin-my friend. In case anyone was wondering Estel means Hope.
*****
Sorry this took so long to post, for some reason it was a really hard chapter to write. I'm still not totally happy with it but let me know what you guys think.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate it :)
*********
Aragorn's eyes opened and he shook his head to clear it. He knew that something had woken him, but was too tired to figure out what. Gradually, as his mind began to function properly, the Ranger realized something was wrong with Legolas. His breathing was shallow and raspy and the Elf had clearly been like this for some time. Jumping up, Aragorn felt his way across the darkened room to where his friend lay. Hastily, but mindful of Legolas' injuries, Aragorn sat the unconscious Elf up and began to preform the now well practiced method of calming his breathing.
Aragorn worked frantically, but his treatment was not having any effect. If anything, Legolas' breathing becoming more and more desperate until finally, to Aragorn's horror, it stopped all together. The Ranger froze in shock, before his mind snapped into action. He carefully lay Legolas on the bed, using one hand to continue rubbing circles on the Elf's chest. The other hand pinched his friends nose and Aragorn began breathing deeply into Legolas' mouth.
The Human didn't know how long this went on for, only that he was starting to feel lightheaded. Still he kept going, painfully aware of how much danger his friend was in.
Aragorn became so caught up in what he was doing that he became completely unaware of everything around him. He nearly jumped out of his skin therefore when Legolas gasped and started breathing for himself again. The breaths were raspy and Aragorn knew he would have to work hard to settle it, but at least the Elf was breathing again.
Sitting up, Aragorn pulled Legolas up so the Elf was leaning against his chest. He continued to rub circles and his friend's chest, and was relived when, this time, Legolas breathing improved under his ministrations.
When Legolas' breathing was almost back to normal, Aragorn became aware that Legolas was coming around.
"Estel?" he muttered weakly.
"Aye Legolas, I am here." Aragorn whispered back.
"Hurts.."
"Where, mellon nin?" Aragorn questioned gently, surprised at the admission.
"My chest." Legolas told him. In fact, the Elf was in agony. His chest felt like it was on fire and every breath sent waves of pain through his whole body. Normally, Legolas wouldn't have said anything, but he was too tired and in too much pain to care about seeming weak. He desperately wanted Aragorn to give him something for the pain, but his pride wouldn't let him go as far as to ask.
"I think I've got some herbs that will help." Aragorn said, apparently reading his friend's mind. Legolas smiled in response.
Aragorn lay the exhausted Elf on the bed. He frowned when he noticed that Legolas' breathing seemed to get worse when he wasn't upright. Quickly mixing up a pain-killer and slipping in a sleeping drug, Aragorn returned to his friend's side. He help the Elf sit back up.
"Here, drink this." Aragorn held the mug up to Legolas' lips, who drank in obediently. "I don't think you should lay down mellon nin. It seems to make your breathing worse."
Legolas nodded and smiled in thanks when he realized the Ranger had slipped him a sleeping herb. Aragorn smiled in return, trying not to show how worried he was that the proud Elf had willingly submitted to the drug.
As Legolas drifted into sleep, his body slouched sideways from his sitting position. Aragorn knew Legolas would not be able to stay upright in his sleep so, taking the Elf in his arms, the Ranger sat in the bed with his back to the wall, and allowed Legolas to lean back against his chest.
For the first time since he had woken, Aragorn's mind register just how much trouble Legolas had actually been in. He instinctively tightened his grip on the Elf, mind reeling from the fact that he had almost lost his best friend.
*****
"Well now, have go got everything? Got enough food? Have a safe trip then, try not to get into too much trouble. You know you really look like you need another days rest, you look worse than last night. Now, be careful you understand. Goodbye now."
Enid chattered to the two friends as they made their horses ready. Waving goodbye to the friendly landlady, Aragorn and Legolas lead their horses to the edge of town. At the outskirts they mounted, Aragorn keeping a close eye on Legolas. He couldn't forget what had happened last time his friend had ridden.
"Are you sure you are well Legolas?" he questioned, concern colouring his voice.
"Aye Estel, I am well. Come, I sense the weather will turn against us soon."
That evening the Elf's prediction was proved right when they hit a storm. The rain pelted down, soaking both travellers to the skin. Fortunately they were approaching the end of that days travelling, so could afford to stop.
"We cannot keep riding in this, we must seek shelter." Legolas called over the thunder. He knew how dangerous it could be for humans to be completely drenched and freezing cold.
"Aye, there is a cave not far from here. We can stay there." Aragorn shouted back. Legolas was so worried about his friend, that he didn't seem to notice that he was worse. Aragorn noticed though. The Elf was shaking uncontrollably, and he looked even paler than before. Aragorn was cold, but it wasn't unbearable. Legolas' lips were starting to turn blue. 'Elves shouldn't feel the cold.' Aragorn thought, angry at the orcs for what they had done to his friend.
They rode in the direction of the cave, but the rain was so bad that they almost missed they entrance. After some coaxing, their horses entered the cave after them.
"We must make a fire." Legolas said, his teeth chattering.
"No, first we should get changed." Aragorn replied. He grabbed their backs and pulled out some spare clothes, dry due to their oilskin protection.
Aragorn was dismayed to to Legolas struggled to take off his tunic. The Elf could only use one hand and it was shaking so badly that he couldn't undo the clasps. Gently moving Aside his friend's's hand,the Ranger wordlessly helped Legolas take off his sodden clothes and put on some dry ones. Taking a blanket, he wrapped it around the shivering Elf. That done, Aragorn changed his own clothes and pulled a blanket around his own shoulders. For a while the two friends just stood there, allowing their freezing bodies to warm up.
"We should light a fire now." Legolas said, and Aragorn nodded.
They searched around the cave, eventually collecting enough dry twigs to light a fire. Legolas did this while Aragorn shared out the food; bread and dried meat from the inn.
As they ate, Aragorn was relieved to see Legolas' lips were no longer blue, and his shivering had stopped.
The Ranger knew he was a risk of catching a cold, so had put a herb in his own drink that would hopefully counteract this. As a precaution he had given Legolas the same herb.
"How is your chest?" Aragorn questioned, the events of last night still painfully clear in his mind.
"Well. It is constantly tight these days, but it is not too bad at the moment."
Aragorn nodded. "I wish to take a look at your injuries." he said, moving across to where his friend sat.
None of Legolas injuries were healing properly, the worse being the broken wrist and arrow wound which left his arm completely unmovable. After some prompting from Legolas, Aragorn checked on his own wound, which was healing well.
"Remember what I said last night; I do not think you should sleep lying down."
Legolas nodded "Aye, I you say so. Get some sleep Estel, I will take the first watch."
Aragorn nodded tiredly, and drifted into sleep.
*****
Mellon nin-my friend. In case anyone was wondering Estel means Hope.
*****
Sorry this took so long to post, for some reason it was a really hard chapter to write. I'm still not totally happy with it but let me know what you guys think.