The next few days were spent discovering how the vanwacoi had affected Legolas' body.

It had done more to Legolas than he had anticipated; he found that he needed much more sleep than usual, and his appetite had increased. Aragorn had assured him that it was normal for a mortal, but those words bothered Legolas greatly.

I am not human, he thought. Why must I be forced to live as one?

Thranduil was secretly overjoyed at Legolas' larger appetite—as were Elrond and Aragorn—for they all thought the elf to be too thin. It was their hope that he would gain some weight.

Legolas' ribs were still painful; he'd been very lucky that they had only been cracked and not broken, otherwise they would have taken weeks to heal with his new physical state. His shoulder, on the other hand, was a different story; having remained dislocated for so long had served to cause further damage, as Elrond had feared.

Legolas currently sat on the side of his bed, and he could not hold back a gasp as Elrond manipulated his arm, testing its range of motion.

At the sound, the healer stopped. "How high can you lift it?"

Legolas rested his arm for a minute, before extending it out before himself and slowly raising it. He stopped slightly above eye level.

Elrond frowned. "That is all?"

Legolas tried to raise it higher, his face crumbling into a pained grimace.

"Stop," Elrond quickly said, grabbing the arm and gently lowering it.

The pain in Legolas' face stayed, and Elrond went around to the other side of the bed, crawling onto it and kneeling behind Legolas. Putting a hand on his good shoulder, he said, "Relax, penneth."

Legolas sighed, and Elrond felt most of the tension leave the injured elf's body.

Removing his hand, Elrond touched Legolas' bad shoulder, gently probing it. He was unable to feel where the damage laid, but began to massage the shoulder, hoping to at least loosen the muscles that he knew were aching from holding the shoulder as stiff as Legolas did.

Legolas closed his eyes, wincing at the pain. He knew that it was for his good that Elrond did this, and said nothing, letting the healer work.

Elrond moved his hand to the right, finding that the stiffness wasn't confined merely to Legolas' shoulder. He was surprised at what he found: hard knots in the back and sides of the base of his neck. He had never felt such in an elf, and knew now that Legolas was under much more strain than he was allowing the others to see. Elrond was not surprised at this, and it saddened him to know that the vanwacoi wouldn't even allow Legolas' body to do away with the physical effects of stress.

Legolas hung his head when Elrond started to massage his neck. It hurt at first, but the muscles loosened, and it began to feel wonderful.

Elrond did a very thorough job, not wanting Legolas to feel pain from yet another location in his now nearly-fragile body.

Legolas began to doze off, but when Elrond finished, he woke. To his surprise, he saw that Aragorn had come unheard into the room.

"Is that better?" Elrond asked.

Legolas nodded, feeling his neck move with more ease. "Much. Hannon le."

Elrond nodded, patting his good arm. Getting off the bed, he went back around it and motioned for Aragorn to assist him.

Aragorn knew what his father wanted of him, and he gently held Legolas' arm as Elrond bound it to his body to prevent movement, resting it in a sling.

"Am I finally permitted to leave my room?" Legolas asked, trying to sound as healthy as he could.

Elrond nodded. "Yes, but," he held up a finger. "Listen to your body. You have not the strength and endurance of an elf anymore. When you tire, you should rest. Your body no longer replenishes itself the way that it used to, and it will not be hard to accidentally push yourself too far."

Legolas sighed. "I understand."

Elrond smiled slightly, patting his arm again.

Standing, Legolas walked towards Aragorn, relieved to finally be free.

"No running!" Elrond called after them. "No climbing trees! No archery!"

No archery…Legolas literally stopped walking at those words. Have I lost my skill thanks to this affliction?

"Legolas?" said Aragorn.

Legolas looked at his friend, forcing a smile onto his face and walking beside him out of the room.

—OoOoOoOoOoOoO—

"Has your father mentioned to you when we might leave for Imladris?"

Aragorn looked at Legolas, shaking his head. "Soon, I'd imagine."

Legolas nodded, eating a pastry that they'd snatched from the kitchens.

Aragorn couldn't help but watch. Legolas had already eaten two of them, and was starting on his third.

"What?" Legolas said, voice muffled by the sweet sticky goodness.

"It is quite interesting to see you with such an appetite," said Aragorn, smiling.

Legolas nodded, sighing. "Aye…I do not know how you humans stop yourselves from eating everything in sight! At this rate, I shall surely outgrow my clothes within a month!"

Aragorn smiled. "Ten more pounds won't even be noticeable on you."

Legolas put down the pastry. "I do not wish to gain ten pounds. I have weighed the same for millennia! Ada has tried all my life to make me eat more, but…" he shook his head. "When I was hungry, I ate. When I was filled, I stopped." He looked down at himself. "This is simply the way that I am. I have learned perfect balance with my weight and it aids me in battle and climbing trees…and…" His voice trailed off, as he realized what else the vanwacoi had taken from him.

Aragorn frowned sympathetically. Searching for a way to change the conversation, he looked down off the balcony that they sat on. "Those warriors are very skilled," he said.

Following his gaze, Legolas looked to where a group of elves were practicing swordplay. He tried to identify them, but to his shock, his vision failed him at such a distance.

Aragorn looked at him, sensing his distress. "Legolas?"

"I cannot tell who they are!" Legolas exclaimed, squinting. "I should be able to see them with ease!"

Aragorn inwardly winced at accidentally drawing his friend's attention to yet another disability.

Legolas closed his eyes, sighing softly.

"Legolas—"

"Do not apologize," said the elf. "It is in no way your fault." He suddenly stood. "I wish to ask your father when he plans to leave. Coming?"

Aragorn nodded, following after his friend.

—OoOoOoOoOoOoO—

Elrond walked down the hall, deep in thought. So preoccupied was he, that he almost didn't hear Thranduil's approach.

"Elrond! Legolas is not in his room!"

Elrond smiled slightly. "I know, I let him leave."

Thranduil frowned. "Are you sure that was wise?"

Elrond raised an eyebrow.

Thranduil smiled slightly. "Foolish of me…naturally every decision that you make is wise."

Elrond chuckled at his old friend as they walked together down the corridor. "I am considering beginning our journey tomorrow."

Thranduil stopped walking. "Tomorrow? You believe Legolas to be sufficiently healed?"

Elrond sighed. "My experience with mortals—pardon the term—has shown me that their mental state has a lot to do with their physical one."

Thranduil frowned, listening.

"Legolas is a master at hiding his emotions. He outwardly shows calm, while inside he is full of anxiety," Elrond said, remembering how knotted the muscles in Legolas' neck had been.

"What exactly are you saying?" Thranduil asked.

"I fear for his anxious state because he lacks his elven healing," said Elrond. "The sooner that we begin the journey, the sooner that I can cure him from the vanwacoi." And the sooner Raenwe gives him the antidote to the poison, he thought. "We cannot leave him in such a nervous state for long, for his health is now compromised."

"Are you saying that stress may make him ill?" the king asked.

Elrond nodded. "It happens often, to mortals." He saw his friend's distress at Legolas being referred to in that way. "Forgive me…your son is still an elf, but I know of no other way to refer to his condition. Physically, he now lives as if he were mortal."

Thranduil nodded, with a sigh. "Ai…what has Legolas done to deserve such a tragic life?"

Elrond echoed the sigh. "I often wonder the same about Estel."

"You often wonder what?"

Turning, the two elves found Aragorn and Legolas walking up behind them.

Thranduil's face showed both relief and concern. "How do you feel, penneth?" he asked, reaching out a hand to grasp his son's good arm.

Legolas smiled slightly. "I am all right. Has a decision been made on when we leave?"

Elrond nodded. "Tomorrow."

Legolas' eyebrows shot up, and he smiled. "I shall go pack," he said, walking past them.

"With only one arm?" said Thranduil, slightly amused despite the situation.

"I'll help him," said Aragorn, following his friend.

The two elves watched as the human chased after Legolas.

"It is amazing to see that despite Legolas' many years, he has a human as his closest friend," Thranduil suddenly said.

Elrond smiled. "Aragorn is special, as is Legolas."

The Mirkwood King nodded, and the two elves walked on, to their own rooms so that they could prepare for the upcoming journey…one that they desperately hoped would end with the finding of Legolas' cure.