"It no longer snows!"
Aragorn was as relieved as Legolas, when they stepped outside. The snow had indeed stopped, and they could see blue sky to the north. He was grateful, for they were leaving again much too soon in his opinion; he could see from Legolas' pale face that he still needed rest, but the threat of his death from Raenwe's poisons weighed so heavily on their minds that he'd agreed to resume their journey without further delay.
"Mayhap it will feel warmer when the sun is able to show itself," said Heredil, concerned for the elf that he considered a nephew.
Legolas nodded, pushing his hair behind his ears inside the hood that he wore. He was completely bundled up against the weather, and aside from some fatigue and the dull ache in his left shoulder, he felt all right.
"Please be careful," said Heredil, as two horses were led over to them. "I wish that you would allow me to accompany you."
Legolas shook his head. "The fewer we are, the better. My father left you to rule, and I do that now," he said, with a smile. "As heir to the throne, I bid you to rule in my stead as I leave on this journey; do not try to follow us or I will be forced to throw you into the dungeon!"
Heredil shook his head with a chuckle, before reaching out to hug him. "Please return safely," he whispered into the younger elf's ear. "With your elven healing ability intact."
"I will," Legolas promised, smiling against Heredil's shoulder.
They parted, and Legolas approached his steed. The sight of the mare made him worriedly wonder what had become of Gwaeren, but before he could dwell on the sad thought, the horse suddenly knelt on the ground before him.
Aragorn laughed loudly.
Legolas looked at Heredil. "Did you tell her to do that?"
The captain shook his head, smiling. "Mayhap she could not fathom how you would be able to mount while hampered with so much clothing."
Aragorn mounted his own. "Or mayhap she's just a—"
"Very perceptive horse, yes," Legolas finished for him. "She should be," he said, as he mounted. "She is Gwaeren's sister."
Aragorn was surprised at that, and they turned around to head off.
"Oh," Legolas suddenly said, turning towards Heredil again. "If my father arrives, tell him…" he sighed, trying to put his feelings into words.
"I know," said Heredil. "I will."
Legolas smiled, and he and Aragorn rode off.
Heredil watched them ride, and suddenly Legolas turned and waved at him, much as he had done when he was an elfling. He waved back, swallowing a sudden lump in his throat. "Please return safely," Heredil whispered again. This time, it was a prayer.
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Legolas was relieved beyond words; they had managed to leave his father's palace without Thranduil arriving in time to join them. He knew without doubt that his father and Elrond had followed, and wondered how far behind they were.
"The bad weather is truly behind us," said Aragorn, as they watched the sun peer from behind the clouds.
"Indeed," said Legolas, closing his eyes as the rays touched his face.
Aragorn smiled at the sight, his spirits raised. We will find Raenwe without further trouble, and Legolas will be cured! he thought to himself.
They continued to ride north, wondering how far they would need to go.
"Do you remember anything about Raenwe's dwelling?" Aragorn suddenly asked.
Legolas looked at him. "Some things," he said. "Its interior was made of stone, for that is what I was chained to." He frowned, thinking. "His house must be quite tall, for the window was well above my head."
"What about the outside?" Aragorn asked.
The elf sighed. "That is where the problem lies. He had inflicted my injuries only moments earlier, and when we left the house, I was not very...alert." He shook his head. "I saw Gwaeren, and realized that we were outside. I tried to view my surroundings…" His frown deepened. "But I recall nothing further. Raenwe must have knocked me senseless."
Aragorn sighed. They had very little to go on. "You told us that there were not many trees on Raenwe's property. Do you still have memory of that?"
Legolas nodded. "Aye…" He closed his eyes, picturing his beloved horse neighing and kicking angrily. Behind her was flat land, absent of trees for the most part.
Aragorn watched his friend quietly, knowing what he was doing.
"His house is in a clearing within the woods," said Legolas. "I cannot recall anything further."
"What time of day was it when Raenwe set you free?" Aragorn asked.
"Morning," Legolas told him.
"Do you have any idea what time of day it was when your father found you?"
Legolas sighed, shaking his head. "No, therefore I have no idea how long it took to get from his home to the palace."
"Unfortunate," said Aragorn, echoing the sigh.
Legolas nodded. "Aye. I was told that Heredil attempted to relocate my shoulder immediately, so I suspect that there was still light."
Aragorn's eyebrows raised. "That seems likely," he agreed. "So we'll assume that it took no more than twelve hours."
Legolas nodded, as a mixed feeling of excitement and anxiety grew in his chest. I might be only hours away from being cured, he thought. Or hours away from finding out that I haven't much longer to live…
"Legolas?"
The Mirkwood Prince was slightly startled, not having realized that Aragorn had spoken again.
"Fear not," said the human, reaching out to touch his friend's arm. "We will be victorious."
Legolas smiled in reply.
The hours slowly passed, and darkness began to fall without any sign of locating Raenwe.
Legolas was secretly upset, as he'd hoped to face their foe and be done with it. The thought of wondering all night if they'd get the vanwacoi cure or not was unbearable, and he doubted that he'd get any sleep.
Aragorn could feel his friend's anxiety, and he fought not to show his own. "Will the trees watch over us again?" he asked. "We both need a full night's sleep."
I will not get any, Legolas thought. Reaching up a hand to touch the bark that he leaned against, he had the tree's answer before he even asked. "They will," he told Aragorn.
The human smiled, sitting beside his friend and handing him a cup of tea.
Legolas took it and drank, his anxious thoughts preventing him from noticing a slight difference in the flavor.
They sat there quietly for a short while, until Legolas suddenly slumped against Aragorn, as the sleeping herb in the tea took effect.
Aragorn gently pulled his friend away from the tree, leaning the elf back against his pack and covering him with blankets. Watching Legolas sleep, he suddenly realized that the elf hadn't had any breathless attacks since before they'd arrived at the palace.
Relieved, Aragorn crossed to his bedroll and lay down, looking up at the moon. It shone brightly in the dark sky, and he fell asleep praying that the next day would bring Legolas' cure.
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When Legolas woke the next morning, he was slightly confused, not remembering falling asleep. He found that Aragorn had already packed up the campsite and was pacing on the other side of the fire, obviously anxious to continue their journey. He opened his mouth to speak, but began coughing instead.
Aragorn was slightly startled at the sudden sound, and he retrieved the pot of cherry-bark tea, taking it to his friend. "Sleep well?"
Legolas nodded, accepting the cup.
"I believe that we may find Raenwe before midday," Aragorn told him.
Legolas' eyebrows shot up, and he nearly choked on his drink. "How do you know?"
The human gave a lopsided grin. "I climbed a tree," he said. "Not far to our north is a small village. I assume that he lives there."
"He must," said Legolas, lowering the cup. He made a move to stand, but seemed to change his mind.
Aragorn frowned, watching the conflicting emotions playing on his friend's face. The problem was immediately obvious to him; Legolas was afraid.
The elf didn't realize that he was displaying his feelings so openly; his mind was filled with the realization that they would soon find out whether he would live for countless more years, or only a few short months.
Aragorn reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. He said nothing, simply looking at his friend.
Legolas steadily held his gaze, reading the human's feelings through his eyes. Without words, Aragorn was able to convey to Legolas that he was not alone, and never would be as long as he drew breath.
A slight smile graced the elf's features, and he seemed to draw strength from Aragorn. Standing, he began to gather his things.
Before long, they were off, riding towards the north, and to Legolas' destiny.
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Legolas' anxiety grew again when they entered the strange village. It was a human settlement, and they didn't see any elves. People looked up when they rode in, but they didn't looked surprised at the sight of strangers.
Aragorn looked at Legolas, ensuring that the elf's hood hid his face from view, lest Raenwe recognize him. "We will be less noticeable if we dismount," he told his friend.
Legolas nodded and they both climbed down from their steeds.
"Elf horses!"
Startled, both Aragorn and Legolas turned around, to see a small boy looking up at them.
"Where did you get elf horses?" the child asked, peering at them.
Legolas was amazed. "How do you know that they are elvish?"
"They look different," said the boy, reaching over to touch them. "They look like Raenwe's horse."
The breath hitched in Legolas' lungs at the sound of their enemy's name.
Aragorn glanced around, before kneeling before the boy. "Raenwe resides here?"
The boy nodded, petting the horse's legs.
Aragorn glanced up at Legolas. "Do you know him well?"
The boy shook his name. "No, but he let me pet his horse."
Aragorn smiled gently. "Can you tell us where his home is?"
The boy looked up at Legolas, who had yet to say a word. "Are you Raenwe's brother?"
Legolas inwardly bristled at the insult. "No! What leads you to believe that?"
The child shrugged. "You're an elf too." He took a step closer, trying to peer under Legolas' hood. "And you have yellow hair!"
Legolas knelt beside Aragorn. "We need to know where he resides," he said. "He has something of mine that I came to retrieve."
The boy pointed, suspicions never entering his young, pure mind. "He lives that way," he told them. "Go into the woods and it'll come out where there are no trees."
Aragorn nodded, patting the boy's shoulder. "Thank you, young one."
The boy smiled, before running off.
Legolas sighed as they turned away, walking in the direction that they'd been lead. His heart began pounding, and he tried to force it to calm.
They entered the woods, and a few minutes later, they came to a clearing.
Legolas couldn't hold back a soft gasp as he beheld Raenwe's home…the place where all his problems had begun.
Aragorn looked at him, sympathetic to his friend's feelings. "Stay here," he said, before walking forward.
Legolas frowned, taking a step before realizing that Aragorn was merely checking to see if Raenwe was home. He hid behind a tree, not wanting their enemy to see him.
Aragorn noticed the absence of Raenwe's horse, and he looked in a window, seeing no evidence that the house was occupied. Walking to the door, he knocked on it, devising a plan should Raenwe answer it.
Legolas watched nervously. When no one answered the door, he rushed forward, joining Aragorn as he fiddled with the lock and managed to get the door open.
Once inside, they swiftly started a search for the blackstalk, praying that they would quickly find it.
At the end of the hall was a small room, and when Legolas entered it, his pounding heart nearly stopped at the sight that greeted him.
In the room was a large window, and sitting on the sill was a black plant.
Legolas' mouth went dry, and when he called for Aragorn, it came out as a croak.
The human heard him as he came out of one of the other rooms, and hurried over to his friend. When Aragorn saw the plant, he stared with shock for a minute, before quickly walking over and grasping it. He gave his friend a triumphant smile, and Legolas slowly joined him, saying nothing, looking astonished.
Aragorn looked at the plant again, at its numerous black stalks. "We have it, Legolas!"
"I think not, human."
The sudden voice startled them both, and they quickly turned around to find Raenwe standing in the doorway, smiling maniacally as he pointed a sword at them.
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(runs from screaming readers, LOL!)