Disclaimer: Tolkein owns all, except the song which belongs to The Beatles, with a few alterations.
Sorry I haven't updated for so long. I had exams (Yay!)
.............
Aragorn knew what was happening. He had known all day, he could feel it coming. The dull throbbing at the base of his skull told him. That night, when the Fellowship stopped, he left the campsite alone to gather firewood. He was only just out of sight when it became too much. He fell to his knees as the pain exploded in his head. Both hands flew up to his head and pulled at his hair, trying to make the pain go away. It blurred his vision and dulled his hearing. His breath came in short gasps as he tried to get it under control. He knew nothing but pain. He was vulnerable and alone.
But not so alone. Strong arms wrapped round his body, pulling him backward into an embrace. Gently his hands were moved away from his head and one slender hand took their place, stroking his hair. He felt himself pulled to his feet, and lead carefully back to where the Fellowship were sleeping. He felt himself sit down and heard voices in the distance. He was on top of it now. He had to be. The Fellowship couldn't know of this weakness. He had to remain normal until they went to sleep.
And then he would suffer.
.............
Legolas was worried about his friend. All day when they had been walking he had seemed less attentive than usual. There was only one thing that could make Aragorn like this. Legolas too knew what was coming. He kept an eye on the Ranger and when he left the campsite that night Legolas followed. He saw Aragorn fall to his knees and he hurried forward, taking his friend into his arms and comforting him. He knew they couldn't stay there all night. The Fellowship would worry and besides they were vulnerable like this. So he lead the Ranger back.
The Elf offered to take watch that night and Gandalf agreed. For a moment Legolas wondered if the wizard knew. But that wasn't possible. Only one other person besides himself and Aragorn knew. The Ranger was certainly not showing it now. He did look, if you looked closely enough, a little dazed. But that could be passed off as tiredness under superficial scrutiny.
One by one the Fellowship fell asleep and Legolas hurried once more to his friend's side.
..............
"Estel?" Legolas called gently.
Pain filled eyes opened and looked up at the Elf. "Aye."
Legolas sat down at his friend's head and eased it up into his lap. Both hands started running threw his hair and massaging his temples, trying to get the Ranger to relax.
"Legolas. Sing to me." Aragorn said. Legolas nodded and softly began to sing a lullaby that he had sung to Aragorn when his was little.
Little child, don't make it sad.
Take a sad song, and made it better.
Remember to let her into your heart.
Then you can start to make it better.
Little child, don't be afraid.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her under you skin.
Then you begin to make it better.
And any time you feel the pain.
Little child refrain. Don't carry the world upon you shoulders.
For well you know that it's a fool who plays in cool by making his world a little colder.
Little child, don't let me down.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart.
Then you can start to make it better.
Aragorn relax under Legolas' ministrations, but the Elf knew it wouldn't last for long. The pain would soon be back in full force and there was little he could do about it.
Looking up Legolas saw movement across the camp. Two frightened, curious eyes were peering at him through the gloom. Legolas dropped his head to he could speak into Aragorn's ear and said, "Pippin's awake."
Aragorn opened his eyes and looked up into Legolas' bright blue ones. Neither knew what to do. Besides the two of them the only other person that knew about this was Lord Elrond. It was a secret the three of them had kept for many years. Aragorn had not wanted anyone else to know of his weakness, although he had been assured many times that it was not weakness.
"Call him over." Aragorn's strained voice said eventually.
Legolas did so. The young Hobbit came uncertainly forwards, his eyes fixed on the suffering Ranger.
"What are you doing up Pippin?" Legolas asked gently.
"I couldn't sleep. Then I heard you singing, it was very beautiful." the Hobbit looked again at Aragorn. "Is he alright?"
Legolas continued to run his hands soothingly through the Ranger's hair. "He will be. By tomorrow he will be."
What's wrong with him?"
Legolas paused, unsure if he should tell or not. In his lap he felt Aragorn nod his head very slightly.
"A long time ago, many years before you were born and Estel was still a young man he and I went hunting. We were ambushed by orcs, more then we could handle on our own and they took us captive. We were captive for three days. On the third day one of the orcs knocked Estel out with a club. I don't know why. That night the orcs relaxed their security, probably because Estel was still unconscious. Anyway, we were able to escape. We were many miles from Rivendell by this time and Estel wouldn't wake so I carried him. In Rivendell even Lord Elrond could not wake him and he remained unconscious for a further two weeks. Just as we had resigned ourselves to the fact that he would never wake he did." Legolas broke off here, remembering back to a time that had been one of the worst in his long life. He shuddered. "Ever since then Estel has suffered severe headaches from time to time. It doesn't happened often and when it does happen it doesn't last for more than a few hours but it's very painful." Legolas sighed. "Aside from Elrond and myself you are now the only other person who knows."
"I wont tell anyone."
"Hannon le, Pippin." Pippin smiled. He knew just enough elvish to know Legolas was thanking him.
Suddenly Aragorn's breathing quickened and he gasped out in pain. Legolas bent his head and began whispering soothingly in elvish. Pippin watched, terrified. The Young Hobbit jumped when he realized Legolas was talking to him.
"Can you fetch me my pack please Pippin?"
The Hobbit did so and Legolas began to search inside. He pulled out a herb and crumpled it into his waterskin.
"Can you sit Estel?" Struggling and leaning heavily on the Elf, Aragorn sat up. Legolas brought the bottle to the Ranger's lips and he drank greedily. Legolas carefully helped him lay back down and once more began stroking his hair. Tentatively Pippin reached out and took one of Aragorn's hands. The Ranger squeezed it thankfully and smiled at the Hobbit before shutting his eyes against the pain.
And so it went on, until the early hours of the morning. As the sun began to creep over the horizon Aragorn's breathing leveled out and he fell into a restful slumber. Legolas bent down and softy kissed the Ranger's forehead.
"You should get some sleep too Pippin." The hobbit nodded tiredly and went to lay back down.
"Hannon le, Pippin. You are a true friend."
Legolas' words made Pippin smile and he happily slept the remainder of the night away.
..............
Hannon le- thank you.
Sorry I haven't updated for so long. I had exams (Yay!)
.............
Aragorn knew what was happening. He had known all day, he could feel it coming. The dull throbbing at the base of his skull told him. That night, when the Fellowship stopped, he left the campsite alone to gather firewood. He was only just out of sight when it became too much. He fell to his knees as the pain exploded in his head. Both hands flew up to his head and pulled at his hair, trying to make the pain go away. It blurred his vision and dulled his hearing. His breath came in short gasps as he tried to get it under control. He knew nothing but pain. He was vulnerable and alone.
But not so alone. Strong arms wrapped round his body, pulling him backward into an embrace. Gently his hands were moved away from his head and one slender hand took their place, stroking his hair. He felt himself pulled to his feet, and lead carefully back to where the Fellowship were sleeping. He felt himself sit down and heard voices in the distance. He was on top of it now. He had to be. The Fellowship couldn't know of this weakness. He had to remain normal until they went to sleep.
And then he would suffer.
.............
Legolas was worried about his friend. All day when they had been walking he had seemed less attentive than usual. There was only one thing that could make Aragorn like this. Legolas too knew what was coming. He kept an eye on the Ranger and when he left the campsite that night Legolas followed. He saw Aragorn fall to his knees and he hurried forward, taking his friend into his arms and comforting him. He knew they couldn't stay there all night. The Fellowship would worry and besides they were vulnerable like this. So he lead the Ranger back.
The Elf offered to take watch that night and Gandalf agreed. For a moment Legolas wondered if the wizard knew. But that wasn't possible. Only one other person besides himself and Aragorn knew. The Ranger was certainly not showing it now. He did look, if you looked closely enough, a little dazed. But that could be passed off as tiredness under superficial scrutiny.
One by one the Fellowship fell asleep and Legolas hurried once more to his friend's side.
..............
"Estel?" Legolas called gently.
Pain filled eyes opened and looked up at the Elf. "Aye."
Legolas sat down at his friend's head and eased it up into his lap. Both hands started running threw his hair and massaging his temples, trying to get the Ranger to relax.
"Legolas. Sing to me." Aragorn said. Legolas nodded and softly began to sing a lullaby that he had sung to Aragorn when his was little.
Little child, don't make it sad.
Take a sad song, and made it better.
Remember to let her into your heart.
Then you can start to make it better.
Little child, don't be afraid.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her under you skin.
Then you begin to make it better.
And any time you feel the pain.
Little child refrain. Don't carry the world upon you shoulders.
For well you know that it's a fool who plays in cool by making his world a little colder.
Little child, don't let me down.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart.
Then you can start to make it better.
Aragorn relax under Legolas' ministrations, but the Elf knew it wouldn't last for long. The pain would soon be back in full force and there was little he could do about it.
Looking up Legolas saw movement across the camp. Two frightened, curious eyes were peering at him through the gloom. Legolas dropped his head to he could speak into Aragorn's ear and said, "Pippin's awake."
Aragorn opened his eyes and looked up into Legolas' bright blue ones. Neither knew what to do. Besides the two of them the only other person that knew about this was Lord Elrond. It was a secret the three of them had kept for many years. Aragorn had not wanted anyone else to know of his weakness, although he had been assured many times that it was not weakness.
"Call him over." Aragorn's strained voice said eventually.
Legolas did so. The young Hobbit came uncertainly forwards, his eyes fixed on the suffering Ranger.
"What are you doing up Pippin?" Legolas asked gently.
"I couldn't sleep. Then I heard you singing, it was very beautiful." the Hobbit looked again at Aragorn. "Is he alright?"
Legolas continued to run his hands soothingly through the Ranger's hair. "He will be. By tomorrow he will be."
What's wrong with him?"
Legolas paused, unsure if he should tell or not. In his lap he felt Aragorn nod his head very slightly.
"A long time ago, many years before you were born and Estel was still a young man he and I went hunting. We were ambushed by orcs, more then we could handle on our own and they took us captive. We were captive for three days. On the third day one of the orcs knocked Estel out with a club. I don't know why. That night the orcs relaxed their security, probably because Estel was still unconscious. Anyway, we were able to escape. We were many miles from Rivendell by this time and Estel wouldn't wake so I carried him. In Rivendell even Lord Elrond could not wake him and he remained unconscious for a further two weeks. Just as we had resigned ourselves to the fact that he would never wake he did." Legolas broke off here, remembering back to a time that had been one of the worst in his long life. He shuddered. "Ever since then Estel has suffered severe headaches from time to time. It doesn't happened often and when it does happen it doesn't last for more than a few hours but it's very painful." Legolas sighed. "Aside from Elrond and myself you are now the only other person who knows."
"I wont tell anyone."
"Hannon le, Pippin." Pippin smiled. He knew just enough elvish to know Legolas was thanking him.
Suddenly Aragorn's breathing quickened and he gasped out in pain. Legolas bent his head and began whispering soothingly in elvish. Pippin watched, terrified. The Young Hobbit jumped when he realized Legolas was talking to him.
"Can you fetch me my pack please Pippin?"
The Hobbit did so and Legolas began to search inside. He pulled out a herb and crumpled it into his waterskin.
"Can you sit Estel?" Struggling and leaning heavily on the Elf, Aragorn sat up. Legolas brought the bottle to the Ranger's lips and he drank greedily. Legolas carefully helped him lay back down and once more began stroking his hair. Tentatively Pippin reached out and took one of Aragorn's hands. The Ranger squeezed it thankfully and smiled at the Hobbit before shutting his eyes against the pain.
And so it went on, until the early hours of the morning. As the sun began to creep over the horizon Aragorn's breathing leveled out and he fell into a restful slumber. Legolas bent down and softy kissed the Ranger's forehead.
"You should get some sleep too Pippin." The hobbit nodded tiredly and went to lay back down.
"Hannon le, Pippin. You are a true friend."
Legolas' words made Pippin smile and he happily slept the remainder of the night away.
..............
Hannon le- thank you.
