Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hi there people and oh my god, thank you all so much for your reviews. They are truly incredible. I am glad that you are enjoying and I hope that you enjoy this next chapter just as much. Many thanks to my beta enb2004, and here is Chapter 10. Enjoy!
Two days before in Imladris:
Lord Elrond was in his study, worrying over his youngest. As per Estel's request, he had just sent off his note to Thranduil, questioning on how Legolas was. Elrond hoped that the nightmare would not bother his youngest, but he knew that was a fools wish. He would talk to Estel about the nightmare later, when he was feeling stronger.
"Ada, there you are!" Elrond heard Elrohir say. "What is it my son?" Elrond asked, turning around to face Elrohir.
"Ada, Estel still burns with fever. The herbs you gave him are not working properly," Elrohir said frowning.
Elrond frowned as well. "What could cause those herbs not to work? They have always worked when Estel was sick, unless......," Elrond thought and then, the truth hit him.
"Oh no," Elrond whispered. "Ada? What is it?" Elrohir asked, taken aback when his father had suddenly run from the room, leaving the younger twin to follow the quickly fleeing elf lord.
"Ada, there you two are, I was just..." Elladan started to say but never got to finish as both his father and twin rushed by him, apparently heading for Estel's room. Shrugging his shoulders, Elladan followed, not knowing what to make of their behavior.
Elrond got to his youngest's room first, only to find that Estel was nowhere in sight. Elrond saw the open window and figured out instantly what had happened.
"May the Valar protect him," Elrond whispered in anguish.
"Ada! It's Estel. He's gone!," Elrohir said angrily. "He probably went out to "save" Legolas from whatever he had dreamed about," he thought angrily.
"Elladan, Elrohir, you must go out and find your brother. If you encounter Legolas, then Estel should not be to far behind. He must be brought back here at once. I have reason to suspect that the herbs did not work was because they are the herbs I use to treat sickness," Elrond said sadly.
"But Ada, Estel is sick," Elladan said, somewhat confused by his father's remark.
"Nay Elladan, all though that is what I thought at first as well, he had all the symptoms after all. No, I am afraid that you're brother may have been poisoned," Elrond said staring at his twin sons but not really looking at them.
Elladan and Elrohir paled visibly and sat down on Estel's bed heavily. "How?" Elrohir finally asked.
Elrond sighed sadly. "I believe it was that gash that was on his leg. The orc weapon that cut it must have had poison on it. We did not recognize it for we thought that the fever was caused by illness. I should have seen it though," Elrond said with anger directed towards himself.
"Ada! You couldn't have possibly known. Estel certainly didn't know or he would have told us. How were you supposed to know that the fever was caused by poison, and a slow acting one at that," Elladan said.
"Dan's right Ada. Think about it. We all had a very good look at the gash and there were no signs of poisoning in it at all. The poison must be a very slow acting one, designed to make the being believe they are only sick, only to have been poisoned instead," Elrohir said.
"You are right my sons, but right now, you must go out and find your brother while I look for a cure to this poison here. "Hurry back my sons, bring Estel back to me," Elrond said, before leaving Estel's room and heading for the library, where various books on poisons and their antidote's awaited him.
Elladan and Elrohir shared one quick look and then quickly packed. Within the hour, they had all their supplies and as many herbs and bandages that they could carry. They said a hasty goodbye to their father, once more promised him that they would bring Estel back to him, before galloping out of Imladris at top speed.
It twas one day later and Legolas was truly beginning to become very worried. Estel had yet to regain consciousness and it had already been one day since the orc attack.
Legolas knew that he had to get Estel to Imladris as fast as possible, but Estel's condition was making that near to impossible to do.
Estel had three very nasty gashes, one of which bled heavily every time the horse they were on sped up. Estel also stilled burned with fever.
Legolas shook his head at his best friend. Estel never did things half way, that was for sure. Looking at the sky and seeing that it was near sunset, Legolas decided to look for shelter.
They could not press on through the night, not with the large band of orcs and wargs that were known to roam these parts. Alas, Legolas could not press on through the night even if they didn't. He needed to stop and check Estel's injuries and see if he could do anything further for him.
Legolas continued to look for shelter but the sun was setting quickly and he was starting to become nervous. It was not wise to be out, unprotected in the dark.
Just as the sun was setting Legolas saw a cave. Legolas grimaced, a cave not being his first choice, but the setting of the sun really gave him no choice. They had to have shelter for the night, and if the closest thing was a cave, then so be it. Legolas would not let Estel suffer because of his dislike of caves.
Legolas dismounted carefully, taking extra care to hold on to Estel to make sure that he did not fall. Once Legolas was down on the ground, he carried Estel deeper in to the cave in order to protect him from the night chill.
Legolas took Estel's sleeping roll from his horse and laid it out on the ground. Picking Estel up gently once more, he carried the young man over to the sleeping roll and carefully laid him down on it.
Legolas looked at the various wounds, and decided the one that needed the most attention was the leg wound. Carefully taking off the blood soaked bandage, Legolas applied pressure in order to stop the bleeding.
When the bleeding had eventually stopped, Legolas was about to put the bandage back on when he caught sight of something disturbing. There, at the very edge of the wound, a black tint was starting to spread.
Legolas paled dramatically. So that was what the fever was from. Estel was poisoned, a slow acting poison as well from the looks of things.
Legolas was not a healer by any means, but he did know how to care for basic injuries that would often come from hunting or from skirmishes, but poisoning was another matter all together.
Legolas had to get Estel back to Lord Elrond and quickly. He was not sure for how long Estel would last. Although the poison was a slow acting one, it was already wrecking havoc with his best friends body.
Estel trembled with chills, despite the fact that his skin was hot too Legolas's touch.
Making a quick smokeless fire, Legolas prepared himself to watch Estel all night. He would not sleep, not while his friend was poisoned and could possibly get worse while he slept. No, he would watch Estel, and make sure that he continued to live, no matter what.
It was toward the middle of the night when Legolas heard a slight rustling. Instantly alert, Legolas warily eyed his surroundings but could see nothing in the penetrating darkness.
Legolas suddenly heard the sound again. "It's coming from behind me. Estel! He must be waking up!" Legolas realized.
Legolas hurried over to Estel's side. Estel was indeed shifting around a bit on the bed roll, and slightly moaned. "Come on mellon nin, you must wake," Legolas said softly yet firmly.
"Estel, please, wake up mellon nin," Legolas begged. Estel groaned once more, and slowly, he opened his eyes.
Estel was slowly becoming aware of his surroundings and his body. His entire body felt as though it has been trampled on by a horde or orcs. His ribs were burning something fierce, his arm hurt, he had a pounding headache, and his leg felt as though it were on fire.
What had happened to him? He couldn't remember at the moment. Estel let out a slight moan and turned slightly, only to find that wasn't such a good idea, as nausea threatened to overtake him. Oh how he wanted to slip back into the welcoming darkness. There was a voice calling him though. He tried to ignore the voice though it sounded familiar, and insistent. "There was something to do with that voice... Legolas!" he thought.
Estel moaned once more, and slowly opened his silver eyes. For the first few seconds he was disoriented. All he saw was a blonde blur hovering above him. Where was he? Slowly his eyes started to clear and he saw the relieved expression of Legolas's face.
"Oh mellon nin, thank the Valar that you are wake," Legolas said to him, gently pulling Estel into a hug. He took extra care to be careful of Estel's many wounds.
"It is good to see you Legolas," Estel said, hugging the elf back fiercely, ignoring the pain in his body that the hug caused. "I had feared that you would be dead by the time I found you," he whispered, his eye's full of anguish at just the thought of losing Legolas.
Legolas was confused, what did Estel mean? "What do you mean Estel, that you feared that you wouldn't find me in time?" Legolas questioned.
"I had a nightmare that you were surrounded by orcs and wargs and they were about to kill you," Estel said quietly. What strength he had was quickly waning, though he did understand why.
Legolas could not help but laugh, even in their dire predicament. "Oh Estel, only you and I," Legolas said, shaking his blonde head mirthfully.
"Only you and I what?" Estel questioned. "You had a dream of me in dire peril, and I had a dream of you in dire peril. And what happens? We come to each others rescue, while you get injured in the process!" Legolas said, still chuckling at the irony.
Estel could not help but laugh as well. He was utterly relieved. He had saved Legolas, and Legolas had saved him.
Legolas expression suddenly turned serious though. "Estel, while most of injuries, while painful for sure, are not life threatening. However, that gash on your leg is poisoned. That is why you have a fever. The bleeding has stopped for now, and I have treated it to the best of my ability, but we must get you back to your Ada," Legolas said, his voice conveying the seriousness of his words.
"The gash on his leg was poisoned? That explained why he felt so weak and miserable," Estel thought to himself. Estel wondered why his Ada had not caught on to that fact.
As if reading his thoughts, Legolas answered Estel's unasked question. "I believe that Lord Elrond did not realize that it was poisoned because it seems to be a slow acting one. By the time I had gotten you into this cave, the edges were only just starting to turn black," Legolas said.
"Oh, that explained it. Legolas needed to drain the wound and quickly if I am to have any chance of survival," Estel thought miserably, knowing that Legolas would balk at what he was going to ask for him to do.
"Legolas, listen to me. If the poison is slow acting as you suspect, then there is still time. You must heat a dagger with the fire to make it sterile, and then puncture the wound and drain as much as the poison as you can," Estel said firmly.
Legolas eyes widened. "Nay! Mellon nin, I can not. I am not a healer, as you fully well know. Even if I was, I could not do this procedure whilst you were awake!" Legolas exclaimed.
"Mellon nin, I have full trust in your abilities. Besides, I shall guide you. It is not that hard. As for my being awake, I admit, it shall be painful for me, but the poison must be drained before to much of it gets into my system," Estel said firmly.
Legolas sighed. He knew that his friend was right, but he truly did not wish to cause Estel pain. The poison could not remain in his system though. This had to be done.
"What must I do," Legolas said, resigned to do Estel's bidding.
"First, you must get the Athelas from my healing bag along with the bandages," Estel said.
Legolas nodded and went to retrieve the various items. Once he had returned Estel continued his directions. "Take a dagger that was not used in combat and put the blade in the fire in order to sterilize it," Estel said.
Once Legolas had sterilized the blade he turned back to Estel, questioning silently what he was to do next.
"You must unwrap the bandage and find a piece of cloth for the poison to drain into," Estel said, not looking forward to what must be done next.
Estel took a deep breathe after Legolas had finsihed unwrapping the leg wound. The next few minutes would not be pleasant in the slightest for him.
"This will be the hard part, for the both of us mellon nin. You must take the dagger, and cut into the wound until blood flows freely. Once the blood turns clear, apply pressure until the wound stops bleeding. Once it stops bleeding, apply the Athelas and then tightly wrap the wound.
Legolas nodded miserably. He did not want to cause Estel any pain, but he must if his best friend was to survive.
"Legolas, I must warn you now. There is a high probability that I will pass out at sometime during the procedure. If that happens, just continue to follow the directions I have told you," Estel warned Legolas, in order to prevent his best friend from panicking.
Legolas nodded that he understood and secretly hoped that Estel would pass out, if only to spare Estel the pain that this procedure would cause him.
Taking a deep breathe, Legolas began to cut into the wound in order to release the poison from Estel's system.
Translations:
Mellon nin: My friend
Ion nin: My son
Ada: Dad/Daddy