The night passed slowly for Legolas and Aragorn, as the elf was unable to sleep.
"Go to bed, mellon-nin," said Legolas. "There is no reason for you to miss your rest."
Aragorn shook his head, from where he sat on the side of his friend's bed. "I would never leave you alone with such anxious thoughts, Legolas," he said. "For I know that to be the reason for your sleeplessness."
Legolas sighed, using his good arm to sit himself up in the bed. "This is a strange affliction," he said. "I find myself unable to control my unease…"
Aragorn nodded. "That is to be expected; you have had a terrible injustice done you. However, you have no reason to fear; my father has the antidote."
Legolas nodded with relief. "I know."
Aragorn studied his friend, seeing fatigue clearly visible in his features. He suddenly realized with concern that Legolas' endurance was likely now even less than that of a human, because physical limitations were something that Legolas wasn't accustomed to, and his body would not know how to deal with it. "You need to sleep, Legolas…"
The elf sighed, blinking his eyes tiredly.
An idea suddenly occurred to Aragorn. "Why don't we go to the kitchens and get something warm to drink? It may help."
Legolas nodded, moving to get out of his bed.
"Let me get my robe," said Aragorn, heading for the door. "I'll be right back."
Preoccupied with his situation, Legolas didn't realize that they could've picked up the human's robe on the way.
Rushing into his room, Aragorn grabbed his healing pack and searched for a sleeping herb. Finding it, he grabbed his robe and stuck it into the pocket, rushing out the door.
Meeting up with his friend, they took a quiet walk to the kitchens and crept inside, like children not wanted to be caught doing something wrong.
"Sit down," Aragorn said. "I'll get it."
Legolas obeyed.
Aragorn lit a fire in the fireplace, before getting two cups and a jug of milk. Being sure that Legolas' back was to him, he placed the herbs in one of the cups and poured the milk into a pot, holding it over the fire.
Legolas was silent as he sat at the table. His left arm still rested in its sling, and his good arm sat in his lap. His posture was slumped, and he looked so much like a lost little elfling that it nearly brought tears of sympathy to Aragorn's eyes.
Stirring the milk to keep it from burning, Aragorn looked at the shelves, searching to see if there were any more pastries like the ones that Legolas had eaten earlier. He spotted them and removed the milk from the fire, pouring it into the cups and retrieving the sweets.
Legolas blinked when the cup was set in front of him, and his eyes opened wider at the sight of the pastries. He immediately reached out a hand for one, taking a bite and closing his eyes in sheer bliss.
Aragorn smiled at the expression on Legolas' face. He took a pastry himself, eyeing the herb-laden cup of milk that Legolas had yet to touch.
Only able to use one arm, the elf put down his food and reached for the cup. He drank half of its contents before finishing the pastry.
Aragorn smiled wider when Legolas took a second one. "You are right; at this rate, you shall outgrow your clothes within a month."
Legolas dropped his food as if it had burned his fingers. It landed on the table with a gooey splat.
Aragorn shook his head. "Eat it, Legolas! A day of overindulging will not hurt you, mellon-nin." To prove it, he took a second one himself.
Legolas said nothing, picking up the pastry and finishing it. He swallowed the last bite slowly, savoring the sweet strawberry flavor before drinking the rest of his milk.
"Feel better?" Aragorn asked.
Legolas nodded, giving his friend a slight smile that turned into a yawn.
Aragorn stood from his seat. "Time to put the elfing to bed," he joked.
Legolas made no move to rise, and when Aragorn pulled him up from the chair, he found out why.
The elf's legs buckled beneath him and he fell against Aragorn, who narrowly avoided tripping over his own chair, grabbing Legolas before he further injured his shoulder.
"Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed, sitting him back in the chair. The elf's eyes were closed, and the human realized that he had fallen fast asleep.
Rubbing a hand over his face, Aragorn sighed, having thought that he'd be able to get his friend back to his room before the herbs took effect. He realized with shock that he'd given Legolas too much, as the elf now had the physical constitution of a mortal rather than an elf. A stab of fear laced through him at the implications. Too much of another herb could've killed him! he thought with a shudder.
Sliding an arm around Legolas' back and his other behind the elf's knees, Aragorn carefully lifted his friend from the chair. Walking towards the door, he gently kicked it open, sticking his head out and looking both ways. I hope that no one sees me carrying him through the palace, he thought, as he crept out the door and quickly—but quietly—made his way back to Legolas' room.
Laying the elf in the bed, Aragorn pulled the covers up over him. He noticed that it felt chilly in the room, and suddenly wondered if the vanwacoi had caused Legolas' elven tolerance for heat and cold to desert him.
Deciding that it was likely, Aragorn retrieved another blanket from the closet and draped it over his friend. Sighing, he frowned at the sight of Legolas' closed eyes. Are they closed do to his injury, or does the vanwacoi force him to sleep as a human?
Too many anxious thoughts started to tumble through Aragorn's mind, and he sighed, shaking his head as if to clear it. No…I will not dwell on it. Father can make the antidote, and Legolas will be fine. He refused to think about the poison that aimed to steal Legolas' life in six months unless they gave Raenwe the antidote to the vanwacoi.
Sighing loudly, Aragorn ran his hands through his hair, turning and walking away from the bed. He stood at the window, looking out at the darkened night.
The landscape around the Mirkwood palace was lovely, visible in the light of the moon. He looked north, in the direction that Legolas' horse had rode in from, and his expression hardened.
You will regret crossing Legolas Thranduilion, Raenwe, he thought. I swear, you will regret it…
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Aw, Legolas with insomnia! LOL poor elf! Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Wait until you see what I have in store for the poor elf! (runs)