Disclaimer: I'm back. My computer has had its rest and now we are back in action. Thank you all for your patience and I hope to update this story as much as I did with the last. Reviews are at the bottom. If I do not reply to anyone's review, please know that it has been read anyway. Thanks again and enjoy!

Chapter 4

Over the following few hours, the prince made little improvement. His pulse remained weak and slow, but he breathed unaided and was conscious for short periods of time. These tiny things, like staying awake, made Estel happy. After having seen his best friend die before him, all the little things now mattered more than ever.

It was during this time that the Ranger remembered about Danuinel. He was still waiting in the dungeon. Estel made sure that Elrond would watch over the archer before he made his way back down to the cells. He found the Elf in the same cell as he had been occupying the day before.

"How is he? The prince, I mean." Danuinel said, moving towards the bars. Estel was wary though, he did not venture too close to the Elf for fear of what he might do.

"He lives." Estel stated, not wanting to give everything away before he found out more about the Elf before him.

"This is good news. You must be very happy that your friend will live." Danuinel smiled at the Ranger. "I understand that you are wary of my actions in this. I can assure you that I am in no way part of an evil plan. What I did for the prince was repayment for something that he did for me long ago."

"You were a friend of his? He has never mentioned you." The Ranger said, cautious of what he was saying.

"Yes. We were friends. I am glad that I was able to help. And you, being a healer, knew to stitch the wound?" The Elf asked.

"Of course. I would ask what you did to help Legolas?" Estel asked, feeling slightly better about the situation. He had no way of telling whether or not this Elf was telling the truth but he felt that this was not a lie.

"When I heard about the poison, I knew I had to do something. I was the one with access to herbs that could help. Not knowing if they would do any good or not, I coated my blade with a particular herb and went looking for him. When I found out that I was short on time, I tried to hurry, but I feared I was too late. It turns out that I was wrong. My heart sings on hearing that the prince will live. May I see him?" Danuinel explained.

"I do not know about that. I have no way of telling if you lie or not. You could be anyone. I will talk to Legolas when he wakes. We will see then." Estel said, turning to leave. Danuinel sighed in relief in hearing that he was not too late, but understood Estel's plight.

The Ranger decided to speak to his father about what the Elf had told him. Elrond would know what to do about it. He said that he had access to the herbs that could help Legolas. In that case, where was he? And how did he know what would help? It was not written in any books…

As Estel had thought, Elrond was in the room with Legolas. The prince had fallen into sleep a while ago and had not woken. He was plagued with nightmares which he could not be woken from. Elrond could only sit and watch as the young prince fought with invisible enemies.

The Ranger strode into the room, alerting Elrond to his presence. The Elven Lord stood up and moved to Estel's side.

"Did you find out anything of any worth?" Elrond asked, turning his gaze to his youngest son. The Ranger nodded his head, the dark hair sliding across his broad shoulders as he did so.

"Yes. He claims to be a friend of Legolas', but Legolas has never mentioned him to me. His name is Danuinel…" The Ranger informed his father about everything he had been told by the stranger. The Elven Lord listened intently, occasionally nodding or looking confused.

"Well, I agree that he could be anyone. He does seem to tell the truth however. I had that feeling as soon as I saw him. But how he knew about the poison and how to treat it, I do not know. I could not find the antidote anywhere. I think that we should indeed wait and see what Legolas has to say about all of this." Elrond said, after Estel told him about the Elf.

"Could you not wake him?" Estel said, noticing how the ill Elf wreathed and twisted.

"Nay. It seems that he has gone too deep to be woken from this. He must come out of it himself. I do not think it will take long, though. He has been like this for an hour or so. It had to be ending soon. If it does not, I fear he will be exhausted and sore when he does wake. I have to go and see to something. I am sure you will sit with him?" Elrond half-asked.

"Of course, you need not ask, Ada." Estel replied, sitting down in the now-vacant chair.

As Elrond had predicted, Legolas did wake after a while. He was tired and stiff, but aware of everything around him. This was an improvement since the last time. Estel did not say anything for a few minutes to allow the Elf to adjust to being awake.

"Hello, Estel." The prince whispered, turning towards his best friend.

"And to you, mellon-nin. You seem to have had an eventful rest. If you could call it a rest." Estel smiled. Legolas chuckled slightly and put his head back down on the pillow.

"Estel, what happened? How did I come back? I remember dying so clearly, but there is nothing after that." Legolas said quietly, a concentrated look appeared on his face as if he were trying desperately to remember. He could remember sitting with everyone around him, it was so hard to breathe. More difficult than any other times. Then everything drifted away, sounds, colours and vision, all left. Then there was nothing but peace.

TBC

Replies:

HarryEstel: Glad you can relate to my computer problem. I was so annoyed when that happened. It did work but it took me forty minutes to get to my homepage. Then I got frustrated and gave up.

LiLred: Not heard from you before. Not that I'm complaining or anything. Did you read Hidden Truth, I'm assuming you did since you were happy that I am writing a sequel.

silver20: My fic rox? Great! No one has said those words yet! Go you! And me! Thanks!

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