Disclaimer: Please see chapter one
Thank you to my cohort, great friend and beta, Katy. To whom you should thank for the very existence of this story.
Chapter Seven
Elrond spun around on his heels, all thoughts concerning Legolas' state of healing, or rather lack of it, fleeing momentarily as he made his way to his friend's side.
The groan ended with glazed blue eyes blinking open, only to close again with another groan. "Careful, Mellon Nin; you will have quite a headache that was a hard blow that you took."
Blue eyes sprang open once more before squinting at Elrond. "Blow?" The confusion was all too evident in Glorfindel's voice.
"What do you remember?" Elrond felt concern rush through him, what if the blow had been even harder than he had thought?
"Remember?" Glorfindel's voice was vague, causing Elrond's heart to thump harder and faster than before. "I was… I was… Legolas!" Only Elrond's hand on his shoulder kept him on the pallet. "I was treating Legolas. What happened?"
Elrond could only, once again sigh. "We were rather hoping that you could tell us that. I found you unconscious on the floor. It would appear that you had been struck from behind." A ghost of a smile crossed his tired features. "With rather an unusual weapon." The smile widened at the familiar quirked eyebrow and puzzled frown combined. "I must ask you, old friend, to stay far away from it in future." It felt good to be able to tease Glorfindel. Tease him and come out on top. His fellow Elf could rival the Twin's when it came to jesting and playing practical jokes.
The frown grew deeper and Elrond could only laugh out loud. "It was the pestle, Glorfindel. Who ever hit you used the pestle."
"Oh. But why?"
Elrond could not answer that question. "I do not know. When I got here you were unconscious and Legolas was having another seizure. He is fine." He held his friend down once more as he tried once again to rise. "It was a minor fit, caused more I think because of the fever and the fact you could not give him the tea. Deanol is with him. Why were you attacked and Legolas left unharmed? Why as Loromaire is dead…"
"Loromaire is dead?" Elrond was relieved to note that Glorfindel's voice was stronger and calmer than it had been.
"Yes, that was Andechoriel and his men returning earlier. They found him in the rocks on the edge of Rivendell. He said his things had been spread about, that it looked as if he had been robbed. But that does not sound right. If he was guarding Legolas… I need to take another look at Legolas' letter."
Elrond stood and made his way over to the herb table, knowing full well, that he had put the pack beneath the table, safely out of the way. He had felt the need to keep the pack near to Legolas… "It is not there."
"Pardon?" Glorfindel may be giving the impression outwardly that he was feeling better, but his head was really letting him know that it was not happy.
"The pack is gone." Elrond was giving the rest of the room a quick once over, before returning to sit once again by the side of Legolas' pallet. He dismissed Deanol thoughtfully, just sitting and watching the completely unaware Prince.
"I think we both admit that there is something going on here." Elrond simply stated. "I think we may have a traitor here in Rivendell. It is the only explanation. Why else would you have been attacked and Legolas' pack taken? And if who ever it were here, why leave Legolas? Ai, I wish I could look at that letter!" Frustration coloured his voice.
Glorfindel managed to sit up without his head exploding at the pressure. "Then you will be glad to know I still have it?"
The astonished look on Elrond's face made the headache worth it. "You do? But…"
"I just never got around to putting it back into his pack." A small shrug and wry smile. "Every time I tried, something happened. In the end I just put it into my pocket. Then I forgot about it." He pulled the crumpled parchment from his pocket and handed it to Elrond.
"You! You…" Elrond could not seem to find the right words.
Glorfindel smiled through the throbbing of his head. He did enjoy seeing the normally composed Elda so wrong footed. It happened so seldom that when it did occur it was to be cherished. He took his hand back. "You do not want this then?"
Elrond's answering growl was all Glorfindel needed to heat and he released the parchment with a wince as the movement jostled his head. He deliberately avoided Elrond's gaze, sighing in relief as the other Elf turned away. Once Elrond's back faced him, he closed his eyes wishing the pain well away.
They sprang back open at the terse. "Here." A quirked eyebrow caused Elrond to say. "It is for the headache that I am sure you will not admit to having. Now, drink!"
He drank the tea, wincing at the bitterness of the herb, before watching his friend re read the missive from Thranduil. Then Elrond sat back, gazing at the unresponsive Prince as if he would suddenly wake up and tell them everything. Glorfindel found himself wishing fervently that this would happen. They were disappointed.
"All I can think of at present is that we do have a mole, a traitor. Someone here is working with those threatening the Prince in Mirkwood. Only Legolas can tell us if Loromaire was with him when he entered Rivendell. Someone has gone to a lot of trouble to arrange all of this. Andechoriel was certain the scene looked like a disturbed robbery. But then, stealing Legolas' pack. Why? What were they after?" Elrond's tone was pensive, questions only leading to more unanswered questions. Why did he have the feeling he was missing something big? Very big?
"Well, if it is Thranduil's letter, they will know by now that they do not have it. That also means Legolas is in even more danger. We may also be, if they think we have any idea of what is going on." Glorfindel could only breathe a sigh of relief as his headache finally receded to a manageable level.
"I know. We need to be more careful who we choose to help us. I want the guard changing. I do not want to take chances and he was in the vicinity when you were attacked. I also think that I will pull Erestor from his normal duties to help us here. I think that two of us, at least, should stay with Legolas at all times." Elrond reached to touch Legolas' forehead, once more, wincing as he felt the heat radiating from the younger Elf.
"And that brings us to yet another mystery." He reached for the bowl that had been forgotten next to the pallet. The water was stone cold. Rising once more he crossed to the door, he asked the guard to find Erestor and ask him to come to the healing wing. He then crossed to the fire and changed the cold with fresh warm water before returning to the young Princes' side and beginning to tepid sponge Legolas once more.
"What mystery?" Although Glorfindel felt a lot better than he had he still felt a little out of it.
"Why after three days Legolas' Elven healing abilities have not kicked in? The wounds I re-dressed seem to have deteriorated instead of beginning to heal." Legolas continued to give no sign of even knowing they were with him.
"Yes! You need to look at his thigh. When I re-dressed it, well it looked dreadful. The infection…." This time Glorfindel made it into a fully upright position before pausing to sit on the side of the pallet as black spots and bright super nova's filled his line of sight. He was both relieved and nauseous when his vision cleared.
"Take it easy, Mellon Nin." Elrond reached to steady him. "Still nauseous?" The tight lips and green tinge told all. "Deep breathes, Glorfindel, you know the drill. In through your nose, nice and deep. Then out through your mouth nice and slowly." He watched his friend as he followed his instructions. By the sixth repetition, Glorfindel's green tinged face had returned to normal. Thank the Valor for the old healer who had realised that not all nausea needed treatment with herbs, at least not at first. Yes, it did not always work, but six times out of ten it did. This was one of those times.
Once Glorfindel's stomach had completely settled Elrond continued as if nothing had happened. "Now, what is wrong with Legolas' thigh wound?"
"The infection is a lot worse. It has spread to into the surrounding tissue." At Elrond's deep frown he continued. "The thigh is twice its normal size. I just do not know what could be causing…" A loud knock on the door stopped him mid flow, causing both Elves to go on the alert. The door opened to reveal the dark haired Erestor.
"You wanted to see me?" Elrond could only grin as the ink stained fingers agitatedly brushed loose hair from his face. It was obvious to all in the room that the scholar had been deep in the archive library… again. When ever Erestor 'disappeared' that was the first place to look. He could vanish for days if he really wanted to.
"Erestor, come, sit down." As the other Elf sat down, they began to tell him all that had happened.A new, fresh perspective could only help them…
Further into Rivendell, eager hands reached for the stolen pack. This had been the first time that he had been able to get away on his own since they had first returned…
Dwarf expletives turned the air blue as he realised the item he had gone to all the trouble to attain was not in fact where it aught to be. This would make things a lot more difficult. He would need to think this through a lot more …
The visitor's horn sounded through out Rivendell, drawing both the Elf and his fellow worriers from what ever jobs they had been doing, to see just who the visitors were……
To Be Continued….
Reply to reviewers.
Coolio02: Thank you, I hope you continue to enjoy.
Shadow Fox777: I have. I have!!
Deana: Thank you. I am glad you are enjoying it.
Gozilla: Thank you!
Angelbird 12241: I am glad you are enjoying this.
Gwyn: Thank you, I am glad you are still on tender hooks. I was hoping that would come over. I am working on the mistakes etc, so bare with me, please? Why is it we all like Legolas in Peril fics?
Gemini696: Grin, here you go!!
Lady Lenna: He was tired and looking after Legolas! I am so glad you like it though. Don't worry they are coming…..
Amon-ra 1996: Thank you. It's easy to snap in such situations. Trust me! I have seen cool calm collected Doctor's suddenly turn into Devils when things don't go the way they want them to. I am glad you are still hooked.
Iccle fairy: Very bad headache! Really? Elrond's stressed every where? Hmm, must be a trend! Don't you like cliffies???? Thank you. Luvu, too!!!