Chapter 57: A Fun bath
Galion immediately tended to the two.
Galion rushed them inside and poured them both a bath of boiling water. While the water heated, Legolas had to be tended to because of his splinters.
"Owwy! Galion, stop!" Legolas whined as Galion carefully pulled out a long splinter from Legolas' back.
"I am sorry Legolas, but I must remove these or you will get an infection... again..."
Galion continued to pull out the splinters whereas Legolas continued to complain. Eventually they where all gone, so Galion simply took a cloth of warm water, mixed with soap, and washed the patch on Legolas' back where the splinters had been. Legolas had his tunic off for all this and got very cold, so Galion took him to the bathroom, where his and Haldir's bath awaited.
Meanwhile, Tonus and Cield aided Haldir. They brought him blankets, soup, medicine for his stomach, and tried to help him all they could. Haldir lay on his bed, groaning in pain and cold. He also went to bathe once all that Tonus and Cield could do was done.
Legolas was pressed against Galion's chest. He refused to go in the bath even though he was cold. He was afraid the steam would eat him. Galion tried but every time he approached the bath, the small prince's feet darted up and glued themselves on Galion's shoulder, while his hands already held Galion's tunic.
Haldir entered the bathroom; blankets off and this time wore a towel like the time before he was to take a bath. He observed Legolas and laughed.
"Here is the little prince I have been searching for, and he is acting 'so' grown up..." Haldir chuckled and yanked Legolas off of Galion, nearly sending the butler flying into the bath.
"That's all your needed in here, good master Galion. Your job with the king never applied to caring for Legolas-
"I agreed to when his mother gave birth to such a beautiful child."
"...Yes, well, I can get Legolas in the bath from here. If I cant, I'd even let Cield have a go at putting him in the bath!"
"No! Last time Key put me in bath he stuck my head under the wawa and I could not breathe... then Ada came and he yelled at Cield and he slaped Cield's face."
Haldir smiled and kissed Legolas on his nose. Galion left shortly after that.
Haldir sat on the floor with the prince in his arms and he removed the small child's clothing. Legolas sighed and then began to squirm as Haldir stood up once more, holding Legolas above the water.
"Isn't it warm little Yellow leaf?"
Legolas nodded his head and smiled. Then, Haldir lowered Legolas just enough so that the prince's foot would touch the water. Never realizing that it actually felt good, Legolas yanked his foot out of the water, splashing water at Haldir.
Haldir sighed and put Legolas on the floor.
"I guarantee you this water is warm. Here, I will show you."
Haldir entered the bath and smiled at the warmth it brought to him. He looked at the shivering Legolas and grinned.
"Come in Legolas. It is so warm! I promise you it wont hurt."
Haldir outstretched his arm and Legolas took it, finally arriving in the bath.
"It is warm!" Legolas giggled happily, splashing the water around with his hands, occasionally the water slashing Haldir. Haldir soon wanted to join in, so he ran his hand down the water, splashing Legolas' face.
"Hey! Haldiw, don't do that!"
Legolas splashed water at Haldir's chest. Haldir returned the splash to Legolas and soon both of them where acting like elflings, splashing each other like fools. Galion heard the splashing and entered the room, groaning at what he laid his eyes on: the floor covered in water.
"Master Haldir, with you bathing with Legolas the room in wetter than ever before- aside from the one time Cield bathed as a child without his father in the room."
Haldir blushed and was soon splashed in the face with water. Haldir frowned and gently pinched Legolas' arm, just enough to let him feel a small pinch.
"Hey!" Legolas squealed.
Legolas pinched Haldir's leg and soon the two where in a pinching fight.
"Legolas, it is your bedtime now. You spent so long getting that llama. Now, I believe bath time is over for you else we will never get you to bed."
"Awww... but I'm having fun in bath! Not over!"
Haldir sighed and gently ran his fingers down the elfling's wet hair.
"Sorry Yellowleaf-
"Blue leaf," Legolas corrected, "Now I am a blue leaf."
"...Blueleaf, but bath time is over now. I told you bathes could be fun, did I not?"
"Yea..."
"Well, maybe we can take another bath another day, now it is your bedtime. I have a stomachache and soon you will. So let Galion take you out of the bath and he will put you to bed, I will come by in a few minutes to say goodnight."
"Fine Hal..."
"That's a good elfling." Haldir kissed Legolas' forehead as Galion took the prince from his bath. Legolas waved a small hand as he was wrapped in a towel and carried away from Haldir.
Haldir lay down in the bath and smiled. This bath would be refreshing and it soothed his sore stomach. By tomorrow he and the prince would have a stomach flu, so he knew he deserved this well.
To be Continued...