Radek sat at the window of the guest room that Elrond had given him. There was a guard at his door and he was forced to stay inside, but he didn't mind. Elrond had been apologetic when he informed the human of the arrangements, but told Radek that it was for his own safety; not many elves would believe that he was truly innocent of the attack on the Mirkwood Prince.

Radek suddenly heard voices outside the door, and he turned around when it opened. His mouth opened in shock when he saw none other than Legolas enter the room, and he carefully stood from the window seat and stiffly bowed, holding onto the window frame for support.

Legolas was slightly surprised at the display, but even more so when the human let go of the window and sank to his knees.

"Prince Legolas," said the human, eyes lowered the floor. "Please accept my apology for the horrible act that was done to you. If there is any way that I can repay you for what you have suffered, I would gladly do so."

Legolas just stood there, his good arm—if you could call it that—tightly clasped in Aragorn's hand. He shook his head, feeling pity for the young human. "Please rise," he said.

Radek looked up at him and then behind himself at the window seat, wondering how he would get up again without causing his wound further pain.

"Help him," Legolas told Aragorn, seeing Radek's difficulty.

Aragorn quickly helped Legolas the few steps to the bed, sitting him down and then rushing to Radek, who was trying to rise.

"Thank you," Radek said, as Aragorn helped him sit on the window seat again.

Aragorn nodded in reply, looking towards Legolas when he stood from the bed. "What are you doing?" he said, quickly walking to his friend and taking his arm.

"The bed is too far away," said Legolas, limping towards a chair that sat near the window.

Radek watched as Aragorn helped Legolas over to it, inwardly wincing at the sight of the elf's right arm lying bound within a sling. He looked weak and tired, his skin pale and dull. Radek couldn't help but sigh; he knew that elves recovered very quickly from injuries, but the picture that the elven prince currently displayed seemed to deny that fact. It was very obvious that Legolas had come extremely close to death.

Legolas carefully sat in the chair, pushing Aragorn's hands away, not wanting to appear weak in front of the stranger. However, Radek's expression showed that the elf was wasting his time trying. He was weak, and it was obvious.

"You have come to ask why my brother tried to kill you," Radek stated, as Aragorn grabbed another chair from the room and set it next to Legolas, where he sat.

Legolas nodded.

Radek sighed, looking down at his hands. "An elf killed my uncle for reasons that I know not, and so my father hated elves. He never stopped speaking badly of your race, and my older brother adopted the same prejudice. We sent men from our village to Lord Elrond for help combating a plague, but he told me that they never arrived. Tanek caused a stir by saying that the men were taken captive or killed…I can only assume that they were slain by orcs."

Legolas and Aragorn were both shocked.

"He did not tell me that!" Aragorn said, looking at Legolas. "Ada said nothing of a plague."

"Mayhap he neglected to mention it to ensure your safety here," said Legolas. "If you had known, you might've insisted on going to the village to help. He did not wish you to become ill."

Aragorn sighed, knowing that Legolas' words were true. "Aye, but in this case, he would have been wrong," he said. "I would not leave you at a time like this."

Legolas smiled at his friend, and Aragorn returned it.

Radek suddenly sighed and rubbed his hands over his face, drawing their attention.

"Are you all right?" Legolas asked.

Radek lowered his hands, nodding. It felt odd for the person who had suffered so badly at his brother's hands to be asking him that. "I feel that Tanek will likely die when this situation comes to an end."

Legolas and Aragorn said nothing.

"I am resigned to it," Radek said, sadly. "A man like him cannot live for long."

"I am sure that Lord Elrond's men will try to prevent that if possible," said Legolas.

Radek nodded. "Aye, but will your father?"

Legolas took a deep breath, wincing when his chest protested the motion. "I can ask him to spare his life; he is a reasonable elf."

"Even when his son's life is at risk?"

One corner of Legolas' mouth turned up in a slight smile. "That…I cannot promise."

Radek nodded again. "You have a good father."

Legolas' smile widened, but the seemingly permanent ache in his chest suddenly grew, and he shifted his position in the chair. It proved to be the wrong action to take, for it only increased the pain. Legolas couldn't hold back a gasp when a sharp stab shot through his chest.

Aragorn stood and knelt beside his friend, gently taking his less-injured arm. "What is it?" he asked, nervously.

Legolas obviously couldn't move his right arm and Aragorn was clutching his left, so he was unable to reflexively grasp his chest. He squeezed his eyes closed, his breath coming in pained gasps.

Aragorn recognized the problem and let go of his friend's arm, unlacing the ties on his shirt to take a look at the healing wound.

Radek cringed at the location of the injury, wondering how the elf had survived.

Legolas pushed Aragorn's probing hand away and gently covered the healing wound with his own hand, protecting it from further hurt. He was surprised at the level of the pain, for his injuries were nearly healed. It has been two weeks, Legolas thought. This should not be happening…

Aragorn had the same thought, but his worry lessened when Legolas' eyes soon opened and his breathing eased as the pain lessened. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Legolas nodded, exhaling shakily.

Aragorn moved his friend's hand away from his chest, and, seeing nothing amiss with the wound, re-laced the ties on the elf's shirt. "You need to rest," he said. "You have exerted yourself too much today."

Legolas made a face at the human's words, but couldn't deny that his body was obviously unhappy with him at the moment. He suddenly remembered that someone else was in the room, and looked towards Radek.

The young human had a stricken expression on his face, after having witnessed the agony that his brother had caused the innocent elf.

"I am fine," Legolas found himself saying. "Worry not."

Radek said nothing, but nodded, though he looked unconvinced.

"Come," said Aragorn, starting to pull Legolas up from the chair. Before he got very far, they heard voices outside the door.

"Is my son in there!"

Legolas cringed as he realized that his father had found him.

The door suddenly flew open and the tall elven-king entered, looking worried and angry at the same time. "Legolas! What are you doing?"

Legolas tried to make himself look as healthy as possible. "Leaving."

Thranduil sighed, some of his emotions lessening as he saw that his son was all right. He looked at Radek and Aragorn before walking forward and reaching for his son. "You should not have left your room. Come and rest."

Aragorn had no choice but to let go of Legolas when Thranduil took hold of him. Not wanting to touch his friend's broken arm, Aragorn simply walked beside them as they slowly left the room.

Legolas looked over his shoulder at Radek and gave him a smile, as if to reassure the human.

Radek smiled back, so grateful that Tanek had not succeeded in killing the Mirkwood Prince.

Legolas waited for his father to speak as they made their way back to his room, but he remained silent. Legolas wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad one.

Aragorn opened the door and Thranduil brought his son over to the bed, where he forced him to lie down. The King stood over his son, looking at him expressionlessly, before looking at Aragorn.

The human inwardly cringed and went to sit on the bed, sensing a lecture.

Thranduil crossed his arms and sighed. "I do not know which of you to be more angry at."

Neither elf nor human spoke, each lowering their eyes submissively.

Thranduil sighed again and sat in the chair beside the bed. "I know that you needed answers, ion-nin," he said. "But what if this Radek had proven to be untrustworthy after all?"

"Then I would've protected Legolas with my life," said Aragorn.

Thranduil looked at him and smiled slightly. "Aye, I know. But I do not wish either of you to be harmed." He looked at Legolas again. "And you need rest. You are still not well."

Legolas sighed but said nothing, falling asleep even as he listened.

Thranduil watched his son as he drifted towards slumber…his eyes disturbingly closed.

"Forgive me," Aragorn suddenly whispered. "I would not have let Radek harm him if such was his intent."

Thranduil nodded. "I know, Estel. You have never failed to protect him when it was within your power to do so, and I am grateful."

Aragorn smiled. "So am I."