Disclaimer: Not mine.
Estel was woken the next morning by a well aimed pillow to the face. So deeply asleep had he been he woke with a start, his heart thumping. He turned to find a broadly smiling Elf. Legolas was practically bouncing on the next pallet. Or at least, bouncing as much as he could with his legs strapped in position to the bed. Despite himself, Estel could not help but smile.
"Good Morning. Come on we have a lot to do."
"What?" Estel was still sleep fuddled.
"Ada is coming soon. I need to be ready for him." The beam was bright and Estel was pleased to see it, the last few weeks had been hard on all of them. A glance at the curtained windows brought a sneaking suspicion to mind.
"Legolas, what time is it?" A sheepish grin replaced the broad smile. "It is still early is it not?"
"It will be light soon. Can you hear the birds singing to greet the day? Even the birds are joining in." The beam was back
A deep sigh, "Do not change the subject. Just how early is it?" He rose from his own bed and crossed to the curtained windows, pulling the drapes all he could see was the deep black of night. "Turning to the bed once again he glared at his friend. "Just what do you have to do that it is so important you even wake before the day?"
"Well, I need to bathe…" he was cut off once more
"A bath is going to take four hours?!" Estel's voice was incredulous.
"No, but I need to get dressed, you need to get ready. We need to have breakfast…" He stopped listening as he could only stare in amazement at his friend. Was Legolas even stopping to breath between words?
"All right!" He put his hands up. "I give in! Why could Elladan have not slept with you last night? It was his turn…" Actually he had a good idea as to why Elladan had swapped night's, Estel had a feeling Elladan had an idea about just what would be happening this morning. Estel would have to pay back in kind. Still mumbling to himself he made his way to Legolas side and began undoing the straps that Elrond still deemed necessary when Legolas was in bed.
Morning really had finally broken by the time the two friends were making their way down to the Hall of Fire. Estel had to admit that Legolas had been right in his calculations of how much time would be needed to get ready. They would only just make the tail end of breakfast.
Legolas had calmed down somewhat the nearer they got to the hall. The smile somewhat strained. They were greeted warmly as they made their way inside. Estel noticed just how quiet Legolas had become and glancing over at his friend found him pushing his food around the plate, none found its way into his mouth. Saying nothing he kept a close watch.
It was Elrond who broke the silence. "Legolas, you need to eat. You will need the nourishment." They all watched as he took a few mouthful's before returning to play with the food once more. Eventually none of them could take any more and it was with a sense of relief that Elrond wheeled Legolas from the room, leaving the other's to finish their somewhat disjointed meal.
Elrond made his way to the House of Healing, having decided the day before that the largest room would be the best place for the treatment to take place. He was pleased as he wheeled Legolas in that all of his instructions had been carried out to the full. All of the pallets that normal hugged the walls had been pushed to one side leaving the middle of the room completely clear. He made his way into the space, before stopping and applying the brakes.
"Now, for the first few days, Legolas. We will be concentrating on your muscles and getting them back into some kind of shape. Then we will begin some light weight work to build up on that." At Legolas frown of surprise he stopped. "What is wrong?"
"I just thought we would start walking today. I thought…" He stopped, head hanging down. Shoulders slumped.
"Oh, Legolas, I am sorry. It does not work like that, I thought you knew? Your muscles have been wasting while they have been immobilised, you need to work to regain the muscles." he knelt by Legolas' side and swiftly removed the splint from his left leg. "See? The muscles have wasted through lack of use. If I were to let you try and do more than stand, you would fail. The muscles can not support you. What we need to do is some massage today with oils to relax the muscles and ligaments. After a few days we can begin by starting some movements." At Legolas' dismayed look Elrond smiled. "It is ok, Penneth. We will all be with you, but go to fast and you will cause more damage. I would not want that, would you?" At Legolas' head shake he stood and gathered all of the things he would need.
It was a much dispirited Legolas who left the room. Elrond had been gentle, but by the end of the session Legolas felt as if his legs were on fire, a deep burning in the muscle that deepend with every touch of Elrond's hands. He realised all too well know that his recovery was going to be long and hard fought for.
Two long painful weeks followed. Legolas' had had to ask for a pain killing herb before the end of the noon day meal that first day. It soon became apparent that the only way Legolas could have the treatments were if he took the herbs first and as much as Legolas hated taking them and the muzzy feeling that they gave him, if he wanted to walk he would have to compromise.
It was at the beginning of the second week that Legolas noticed something wrong with one of his friends. Elladan had begun to act differently around him and he had asked to be taken off the rota of those who spent night's sleeping in Legolas' room in case he had another fir or needed something. No one else seemed to have picked up on this, but Legolas also noticed that Elladan's smile no longer reached his eyes. He had decided to speak to him at the end of the week if there was no change.
This was ruined rather effectively on the Friday morning when an urgent call for help from Elrond was received in Imladris. Before the hour was out Elrond and Elladan were making their way to a small village on the far reaches of Imladris. Before leaving Elrond had given every one explicit instructions
On how to treat Legolas. From the report given, Elrond would not be back for at least five days.
All went well; Elrohir had been woken early on the Saturday morning to the sound of Legolas having a fit. Glorfindel had decided against Legolas having his treatments that day as he was still groggy with the medication given to him, so the day was spent in the gardens with Legolas reading while the others swam.
Legolas was feeling much better the next day and so it was agreed that Glorfindel would give him his therapy. Estel decided to join them, watching as his friend struggled to even raise his leg off the chairs board. By the time Glorfindel called a halt Legolas was exhausted. Estel volunteered for the job of taking care of Legolas, leaving Glorfindel free to look at the morning's dispatches from the guards.
Estel was laughing and joking, trying to cheer Legolas up, but was not having any real joy with it. They all knew too well how down Legolas would be after these sessions.
He did not notice just how quiet Legolas was; normally they could at least expect an answer. But, Estel was too involved in picking Legolas up and sitting him back in the chair. It was not until he moved away from the chair to kneel and strap Legolas in that he realised something was wrong. Looking up quickly he realised Legolas had a vacant expression on his face. He reached to shake Legolas' shoulder, but before he could do any more Legolas began to jerk as another fit took hold. Estel tried desperately to hold his friend down and keep him safe but the force of the convulsions proved too much. Just when Eestel thought he had managed to keep his friend in his chair, Legolas was ripped by another convulsion, one that Lifted him bodily off the chair, sending Estel crashing into one of the pallets that had been moved to one side. The last thing Estel could remember was Legolas falling from the chair as his own head connected to the wooden pallet and darkness descended…..
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: I like a mobile LEGOLAS. If he can move then he can get into trouble.
Gozilla: No need to wait anymore here it is.
Pointy-eared-elfsP: I thought having it day for day would get extremely boring and I like it this way.
Legolas19: Yep Legolas will be pulling wheelies in no time at all.
Galadriel1010: That is a really cool thing to say and I hope that you continue to enjoy the stories that I write
melmel: Thanks, I hope that this chapter meets your seemingly high expectations.
Lady of the Twilight Woods:P I am not sure whether it came across in the chapter but his is like the first ever Wheelchair so it is a very new concept in Middle Earth
Beling: That's our twins. Still angry that they were not in the movie. First they cut Glorfindel and then they cut my Twins.
Estel-Elf-Lover: Wow that's a really cool thing to say thanks. But the applause belongs to my beta Shell or Mcross if you want to read her stories.
A Sly Fan: Okay writing this half asleep what was your review trying to say?
Thanks for all your reviews and please continue to do so as it makes my job completely utterly worthwhile.
Love
meisalliam
