Disclaimer: All places and characters belong to Tolkein.
Actual chapter this time. Thanks for all the reviews :) Can anyone tell me why my italics didn't work in the last chapter?
Aragorn sat at the entrance to the cave and watched the stars. The rain had stopped and the clouds vanished, leaving the night clear. Legolas had woken the Ranger for his watch over an hour ago and he had spent the time since idlely pick out the constellations that his Father had taught him. He was determinedly trying not to think about the situation they were in. It was still a good few days ride from Lothlorien, but Legolas' condition was deteriorating rapidly. Aragorn knew they could not afford any more long stops. He was amazed that his friend had managed this far but then Legolas had always been strong. For other people as well as himself.
Legolas shifted uncomfortably. Dawn was breaking and the Elf decided to give up trying to sleep. He hadn't been able to relax with his back against the stone wall and the pain in his wrist and chest only served to aggravate the situation. Sighing, he got up and crossed to sit with Aragorn.
"You're up." the man said, surprised.
Legolas rolled his eyes. "Apparently."
Aragorn smirked. "Hungry?" he asked, offering Legolas the piece of lembas bread he had been nibbling on. Taking the food, the Elf quickly finished it off.
"We should get going soon." Aragorn said. Legolas nodded in agreement.
They quickly broke camp and mounted their horses.
"Well?" Aragorn questioned worriedly.
"Aye mellon nin. Let us ride." Legolas replied, urging his horse into a steady trot. Aragorn followed close behind, keeping a careful eye on the Elf.
It was noon before they finally broke their journey. At Legolas' insistence they stopped for lunch. Aragorn quickly scouted the area and returned with a good supply of berries. The two friends ate in a comfortable silence, but quickly as they were both aware of time pressing down on them.
"We must hurry" Aragorn said restlessly.
"Aye mellon nin. But we must also eat and our horses need resting." Legolas told him. The Elf could see how nervous his friend was. The Ranger couldn't hide the fear in his eyes, Legolas knew him too well. Aragorn was clearly terrified that they wouldn't reach Lothlorien in time. It was for this reason that Legolas hadn't told him how much worse he had felt when he woke.
The Woodelf's whole body throbbed with a dull ache, which was especially bad where he was injured and in the back of his head. The headache blurred his vision, and he was having a hard time hearing what Aragorn was saying. Aside from that he was freezing and it was taking all Legolas' will power not to allow his body to shiver, something he was sure the Ranger would notice. Legolas desperately didn't want to worry his friend further. Even if Aragorn knew how bad he was feeling, they wouldn't be able to travel any faster.
Legolas gasped suddenly as a sharp pain went shooting through his chest. He pressed the palm of his hand against his ribs, trying the repress the pain. All to quickly breathing became difficult for the Elf and each breath took on a familiar rasping quality. Eyes shut, Legolas felt Aragorn move behind him and begin to rub his chest. The Elf lent back onto his friend and concentrated on the Ranger's breathing, trying to follow it. Black spots began to dance before his eyes as his brain became oxygen starved. Legolas felt his breathing ease and he let the darkness take him.
When Legolas awoke he was surprised to find that he was not only sitting upright, but also several feet off the ground. The Elf blinked wearily and became aware that he was moving. After much prodding, Legolas succeeded in getting his exhausted brain to conclude that he was on a horse, and Aragorn was behind him. The Elf shook his head to clear it and was dismayed to find that the pain in his body had increased, and the movement of the horse seemed to aggravate it. Still he decided not to say anything though.
Aragorn felt Legolas stir and relief flooded him. The Elf had been unconscious for a long time and Aragorn feared he would never wake.
"It's getting dark" Legolas said softly, his voicing rasping painfully.
"Aye." came Aragorn's only reply. One hand still holding onto his friend, the Human opened a water skin and held it up to Legolas' lips.
Legolas drank greedily, his throat felt harsh and the water was soothing.
"More?" Aragorn asked as the waterskin was emptied, to which Legolas shook his head.
"We need to stop soon, before it is too dark to hunt. I do not think I could stand another meal of berries." Legolas joked weakly.
"We will stop mellon nin, but not just yet. There is still another hours travelling to be had tonight. Get some sleep Legolas."
Legolas nodded, too weak to do anything else, and fell asleep.
Aragorn didn't stop until night had truly fallen, reasoning that it wasn't that hard to hunt in the dark. Calling his horse to a stop, he gently called his friend to wake.
"Legolas. Wake up mellon nin. We need to get off the horse and I don't want to drop you. Can you hold on while I get down?"
"Of course...Ranger...Elves are stronger than humans...any day." Legolas mumbled, eyes drifting open. Legolas' tired fingers gripped weakly at the reins. Aragorn climbed down from his horse. Legolas, his support removed swayed dangerously and finally slumped forward to lean against the horses neck, half conscious.
Aragorn had been wondering how to get his friend down, but found his problem solved when his horse of it's own accord knelt down in front of him. Whispering softly in thanks, Aragorn carefully lifted his friend and lent him against a tree. Seeing the Elf shiver, he removed his own cloak and wrapped it found his friend.
Legolas' horse, who had been loyally following all day, nudged Aragorn's shoulder with his head, asking if his master would be alright. Sighing, Aragorn informed the horse in elvish that Legolas would be fine.
Turning back to his friend, Aragorn was mildly surprised to see Legolas was still awake, watching him through half-lidded eyes.
"Not." he breathed wearily.
"Not what?" Aragorn asked.
"Not fine."
"I know my friend." The Ranger replied, absentmindedly playing with Legolas' hair. "But you will be. I promise. You will be."
Legolas smiled. "I believe you." he said, before drifting back to sleep.
Aragorn was now faced with a dilemma; When Legolas woke, he would need to eat, but it wouldn't be safe to leave him here, unable to defend himself, while he went to hunt. The Ranger sat back and wondered about his choices. In the end he decided to let Legolas sleep for another hour, wake the Elf, go hunting, make Legolas eat something then let him sleep all night.
"Legolas, mellon nin, wake up."
Legolas looked blearily around, clearly wondering why he had been woken.
"We both need to eat and I didn't want to leave you hear alone and asleep in case you were attacked." Aragorn explained.
Legolas nodded in understanding and Aragorn stood up. With a quick look back at his friend, the Ranger disappeared into the night.
Aragorn quickly discovered that it was quite hard to hunt at night, the reason being you couldn't see anything. Growling in frustration, the Ranger continued to scout around, looking for something edible. After half an hour he was about to give up when he was overcome with a sudden urge to return to Legolas as soon as possible. Hunting forgotten, Aragorn sprinted back to where he had left his friend.
Aragorn was relieved when he saw Legolas as he appeared to be breathing normally. However, as he mover closer the Ranger could tell something wasn't right. Legolas' face was flushed and drawn in pain, and he was shifting as if his whole body hurt. The Elf was clearly unconscious. Hurriedly reaching his friends side, Aragorn pressed a shaking hand onto Legolas' forehead, confirming what he already knew.
The Elf had a fever.
Mellon nin-my friend
Sorry that took so long. Please review and let me know what you think.
Actual chapter this time. Thanks for all the reviews :) Can anyone tell me why my italics didn't work in the last chapter?
Aragorn sat at the entrance to the cave and watched the stars. The rain had stopped and the clouds vanished, leaving the night clear. Legolas had woken the Ranger for his watch over an hour ago and he had spent the time since idlely pick out the constellations that his Father had taught him. He was determinedly trying not to think about the situation they were in. It was still a good few days ride from Lothlorien, but Legolas' condition was deteriorating rapidly. Aragorn knew they could not afford any more long stops. He was amazed that his friend had managed this far but then Legolas had always been strong. For other people as well as himself.
Legolas shifted uncomfortably. Dawn was breaking and the Elf decided to give up trying to sleep. He hadn't been able to relax with his back against the stone wall and the pain in his wrist and chest only served to aggravate the situation. Sighing, he got up and crossed to sit with Aragorn.
"You're up." the man said, surprised.
Legolas rolled his eyes. "Apparently."
Aragorn smirked. "Hungry?" he asked, offering Legolas the piece of lembas bread he had been nibbling on. Taking the food, the Elf quickly finished it off.
"We should get going soon." Aragorn said. Legolas nodded in agreement.
They quickly broke camp and mounted their horses.
"Well?" Aragorn questioned worriedly.
"Aye mellon nin. Let us ride." Legolas replied, urging his horse into a steady trot. Aragorn followed close behind, keeping a careful eye on the Elf.
It was noon before they finally broke their journey. At Legolas' insistence they stopped for lunch. Aragorn quickly scouted the area and returned with a good supply of berries. The two friends ate in a comfortable silence, but quickly as they were both aware of time pressing down on them.
"We must hurry" Aragorn said restlessly.
"Aye mellon nin. But we must also eat and our horses need resting." Legolas told him. The Elf could see how nervous his friend was. The Ranger couldn't hide the fear in his eyes, Legolas knew him too well. Aragorn was clearly terrified that they wouldn't reach Lothlorien in time. It was for this reason that Legolas hadn't told him how much worse he had felt when he woke.
The Woodelf's whole body throbbed with a dull ache, which was especially bad where he was injured and in the back of his head. The headache blurred his vision, and he was having a hard time hearing what Aragorn was saying. Aside from that he was freezing and it was taking all Legolas' will power not to allow his body to shiver, something he was sure the Ranger would notice. Legolas desperately didn't want to worry his friend further. Even if Aragorn knew how bad he was feeling, they wouldn't be able to travel any faster.
Legolas gasped suddenly as a sharp pain went shooting through his chest. He pressed the palm of his hand against his ribs, trying the repress the pain. All to quickly breathing became difficult for the Elf and each breath took on a familiar rasping quality. Eyes shut, Legolas felt Aragorn move behind him and begin to rub his chest. The Elf lent back onto his friend and concentrated on the Ranger's breathing, trying to follow it. Black spots began to dance before his eyes as his brain became oxygen starved. Legolas felt his breathing ease and he let the darkness take him.
When Legolas awoke he was surprised to find that he was not only sitting upright, but also several feet off the ground. The Elf blinked wearily and became aware that he was moving. After much prodding, Legolas succeeded in getting his exhausted brain to conclude that he was on a horse, and Aragorn was behind him. The Elf shook his head to clear it and was dismayed to find that the pain in his body had increased, and the movement of the horse seemed to aggravate it. Still he decided not to say anything though.
Aragorn felt Legolas stir and relief flooded him. The Elf had been unconscious for a long time and Aragorn feared he would never wake.
"It's getting dark" Legolas said softly, his voicing rasping painfully.
"Aye." came Aragorn's only reply. One hand still holding onto his friend, the Human opened a water skin and held it up to Legolas' lips.
Legolas drank greedily, his throat felt harsh and the water was soothing.
"More?" Aragorn asked as the waterskin was emptied, to which Legolas shook his head.
"We need to stop soon, before it is too dark to hunt. I do not think I could stand another meal of berries." Legolas joked weakly.
"We will stop mellon nin, but not just yet. There is still another hours travelling to be had tonight. Get some sleep Legolas."
Legolas nodded, too weak to do anything else, and fell asleep.
Aragorn didn't stop until night had truly fallen, reasoning that it wasn't that hard to hunt in the dark. Calling his horse to a stop, he gently called his friend to wake.
"Legolas. Wake up mellon nin. We need to get off the horse and I don't want to drop you. Can you hold on while I get down?"
"Of course...Ranger...Elves are stronger than humans...any day." Legolas mumbled, eyes drifting open. Legolas' tired fingers gripped weakly at the reins. Aragorn climbed down from his horse. Legolas, his support removed swayed dangerously and finally slumped forward to lean against the horses neck, half conscious.
Aragorn had been wondering how to get his friend down, but found his problem solved when his horse of it's own accord knelt down in front of him. Whispering softly in thanks, Aragorn carefully lifted his friend and lent him against a tree. Seeing the Elf shiver, he removed his own cloak and wrapped it found his friend.
Legolas' horse, who had been loyally following all day, nudged Aragorn's shoulder with his head, asking if his master would be alright. Sighing, Aragorn informed the horse in elvish that Legolas would be fine.
Turning back to his friend, Aragorn was mildly surprised to see Legolas was still awake, watching him through half-lidded eyes.
"Not." he breathed wearily.
"Not what?" Aragorn asked.
"Not fine."
"I know my friend." The Ranger replied, absentmindedly playing with Legolas' hair. "But you will be. I promise. You will be."
Legolas smiled. "I believe you." he said, before drifting back to sleep.
Aragorn was now faced with a dilemma; When Legolas woke, he would need to eat, but it wouldn't be safe to leave him here, unable to defend himself, while he went to hunt. The Ranger sat back and wondered about his choices. In the end he decided to let Legolas sleep for another hour, wake the Elf, go hunting, make Legolas eat something then let him sleep all night.
"Legolas, mellon nin, wake up."
Legolas looked blearily around, clearly wondering why he had been woken.
"We both need to eat and I didn't want to leave you hear alone and asleep in case you were attacked." Aragorn explained.
Legolas nodded in understanding and Aragorn stood up. With a quick look back at his friend, the Ranger disappeared into the night.
Aragorn quickly discovered that it was quite hard to hunt at night, the reason being you couldn't see anything. Growling in frustration, the Ranger continued to scout around, looking for something edible. After half an hour he was about to give up when he was overcome with a sudden urge to return to Legolas as soon as possible. Hunting forgotten, Aragorn sprinted back to where he had left his friend.
Aragorn was relieved when he saw Legolas as he appeared to be breathing normally. However, as he mover closer the Ranger could tell something wasn't right. Legolas' face was flushed and drawn in pain, and he was shifting as if his whole body hurt. The Elf was clearly unconscious. Hurriedly reaching his friends side, Aragorn pressed a shaking hand onto Legolas' forehead, confirming what he already knew.
The Elf had a fever.
Mellon nin-my friend
Sorry that took so long. Please review and let me know what you think.