Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there people! Thank you so much for your lovely reviews! So sorry for the slow updates. I'm afraid that my beta is in camp and has practically zero time to check my work and I'm afraid that the play I'm in has taken up a lot of my time. I'll try to update more often, but I can't promise anything, especially with the play only three and a half weeks away! EEEK! When the heck did that happen? Oh dear. Anyway, here is Chapter Eighteen as promised! Enjoy!
The moment that Elrond was out of the room, Legolas quickly sat up in bed and swung his legs around and tried to get up, despite Elrond's orders to the contrary.
For a moment, the world spun around him dizzyingly and he had to sit down or risk falling down, which was sure to attract Lord Elrond back to the healing room. He waited a few moments for the dizzy spell to end and then gingerly stood up and was pleased when he did not have another dizzy spell.
Now that he was up, Legolas slowly walked over to Estel's bed and plopped himself down in the chair that Elrond had only just vacated a few minutes earlier.
Now that he was sitting closer to Estel, he could study the young man somewhat better.
Estel's breathing was somewhat shallow and congested, but that was to be expected with broken ribs and a cold. Estel was very pale, a testament to the illness that he was suffering, and he did indeed still have a scorching fever.
Legolas pursed his lips worriedly. He had seen Estel fall ill before but this illness just did not fit with the patterns he had seen before. Normally, Estel would get a pounding headache, a slight cough, a sore throat, and a low grade fever.
Perhaps the herbs weren't working due to the poison. The poison had sapped much of Estel's strength. That was what Legolas hoped was the case anyway.
Legolas was brought of his musings when he was suddenly hugged tightly from behind.
"Ooof!" Legolas said as both Delelen and Thilloth hugged their little brother tightly.
"Legolas! You are finally awake! You and Estel scared us half to death tithen gwador," Delelen scolded lovingly.
Legolas looked at his two older brother's in confusion. "Del? Thil? What are you two doing here?" he asked glancing at the both of them with surprise and joy in his eyes.
"The same thing that I am doing here little Greenleaf. We were very concerned for both you and Estel," Thranduil said walking into the room with Elrond and the twins behind him.
"Ada?!" Legolas exclaimed in shock. Now he was sure that he was still unconscious or asleep for there was no way that his two middle brothers and father could be here in Imladris at the same time. It just was not possible.
Elrond saw the disbelieving look on Legolas's face and chuckled slightly.
"I assure you Legolas, that you are not dreaming. Both your father and older brothers showed up here shortly after the twins left to retrieve Estel," he said smiling slightly.
"By the way Legolas, aren't you supposed to be in bed, where I told you in no uncertain terms to stay?" Elrond asked, an eyebrow raised at the young prince.
Legolas gulped and quickly turned to his Adar. "Oh, all right. It is good to see you Ada. It's not me that you need to be concerned for, but Estel," Legolas said sadly.
"Aye, Elrond, is he any better?" Thranduil asked, pulling up a chair while sitting down next to Legolas.
Elrond sighed tiredly and sat down next to Estel, deciding to forgive Legolas for not staying in bed, for the moment at least.
"He has not become any worse or any better. His condition is stable, for the moment. I am hoping that the herbs have not worked yet due to the previous poisoning. The poison sapped much of his strength and in order for the herbs to work, Estel must regain some of that strength. That may be why he had been unconscious for so long," he said running his hands lovingly through Estel's hair.
"He will be all right though, won't he?" Thilloth asked, concern etched in his voice.
"I believe so. What truly concerns me right now is the high fever. I believe that once we are able to lower the fever, Estel may wake, though it may take a while," Elrond said hopefully.
"He shall be fine Ada. You know how stubborn Estel can be. If anyone can beat this illness, it's him. I believe he may be more stubborn than you Ada," Elrohir said trying to lighten the mood somewhat.
"Elrohir! You know as well as everyone else that there is no being in Arda that is more stubborn than our father with the possible exception of King Thranduil."
Delelen, Thilloth, and Legolas all broke out into hysterical laughter at the expression on their father's face, much to their father's dismay.
Thranduil's face had gone slack in shock and his jaw was hanging open. "Why, why you little twin elfling brats! Do not think that I won't forget what you have just said. You may be able to get away with talking to your father like that, but not with me!" he said somewhat gleefully while picturing the revenge he would inflict upon the twins.
Elrond could not help but laugh and silently thanked the twins for lightening the situation.
"Come now, you are all going to help me break Estel's fever since I know none of you are willing to leave. If you won't leave, you help. It is that simple and that goes for you as well King Thranduil," he said firmly.
The various elves looked at each other in surprise but all said that they would stay. It was rare for Lord Elrond to allow anyone to stay while he was treating a patient, even if it was one of his own children.
"Very well. Legolas, with one arm I know you can not do much but just by speaking to Estel you may very well help him wake. Elladan, Elrohir, go run a cool bath. Make sure the water is not to cold but not to warm either. Hopefully, that shall help reduce the fever. Thranduil, Thilloth, Delelen, if you could help us bathe Estel, that would be most helpful," Elrond said.
"Do not worry Ada. We shall all do whatever it is that you ask of us, baring toilet training," Elladan said wryly.
Elrond smiled and nodded in acceptance. "Let us get to work then," he said simply.
It was several hours later and Estel had been bathed several times with cool water and had had various herbs shoved down his throat, though he did not know it.
It was late evening already and the fever had finally started to go down.
"Thank the Valar," Legolas said after feeling Estel's forehead. While there was still a fever it was not nearly as high as it had been.
Elrond came forward, having heard Legolas's words, and felt Estel's brow for himself. He smiled when he felt that the fever had gone down tremendously.
"Good, I believe the fever should break sometime tonight. We need not worry anymore, the herbs have finally taken effect," Elrond said, relief visible in his face.
"Thank the Valar. Now that we need not worry anymore Ada, you should go and get some rest. You haven't slept in days and you need the rest. We shall watch over him during the night just in case Ada," Elladan said.
Seeing that Elrond was about to object, Thranduil stepped in.
"Listen to your sons mellon nin, you are badly in need of rest. You have had the least amount of rest out of all of us. You will do Estel no good if you collapse from exhaustion, he said logically.
Elrond raised an eyebrow at Thranduil that did not bode well.
"Very well mellon nin, I shall rest but only if you and yours sons do as well. That means you as well Legolas. I do not want any of you in this room until the sun has dawned tomorrow morning. Yes, I will abide by that as well if you shall," he said.
Thranduil paused to consider this. On one hand, he very badly wanted to stay with Estel in case he should wake, on the other, Elrond was in desperate need of sleep and he would not sleep if Thranduil did not sleep.
"Very well mellon nin, we accept your terms," he said, accepting his half defeat. At least he had gotten Elrond to get some rest even if he to as well.
"WE?!" Legolas, Thilloth, and Delelen said together.
"Yes, WE my sons, as in all of us. You are in need of rest very badly as well, you in particular Legolas," Thranduil said firmly.
His three sons grumbled but accepted this. There was no changing their father's mind once it was made up. It would be far easier to move the Misty Mountains than change their father's mind about something.
"Good. Elladan, Elrohir, you are both tired as well so I want only one of you to be awake at a time. Take shifts throughout the night. If I find out that you were both awake, you shall be very sorry indeed," Elrond warned his twins.
The twins gulped audibly and turned to their father.
"We understand Adar, only one of us shall be awake at the same time," Elladan said, elbowing Elrohir in the ribs when he looked as though he were about to object.
Elrond nodded. "Goodnight to you all. Remember, no one but the twins are to be in here until the dawn," he said sternly before kissing Estel once on the brow and walked out of the room.
Once Elrond was out of the room and far enough away from the room as not to hear anything, Thranduil and his sons turned to the twins.
"Elladan, Elrohir, if Estel wakes during the middle of the night, you are to rouse up immediately. I care not if your father says we are not to enter until dawn. If Estel is awake, I want to be there for him," Thranduil said seriously.
"We understand King Thranduil. Should Estel wake, we shall rouse all of you," Elrohir said, knowing that he would ask the same should it be the opposite way around.
Nodding in satisfaction, Thranduil gently clasped Legolas's good arm and led him away from the healing room, his two elder sons reluctantly following.
Once Thranduil and his three sons were gone, Elrohir turned to his twin. "Elladan, should we heed Ada's warning or just both stay awake despite what he said?" he questioned.
Elladan gave Elrohir a look that screamed what to do you think? "Of course we shall both stay awake, Ada should know this by now anyway. Honestly Ro," he said shaking his head in amusement.
Elrohir laughed and sat down next to Estel on one of the various chairs with Elladan doing the same.
Within minutes, both of the twins were fast asleep and unaware of anything that was happening around them.
Translations:
Ion nin: My son
Tithen gwador; Little brother
Tithen pen: Little one
Arda: Middle Earth
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Adar: Father
Mellon nin: My friend