Disclaimer: I own nothing. The full versions of this and all my fics can be found on adultfanfiction.net author ID Shanastay.
Chapter 10: Altheas
Legolas stood frozen by the door, staring at the moisture on his hand. As the knocking on the door became pounding Legolas finally came back to himself. He quickly wiped off his face and reached for the door.
Before Legolas had a chance to get to the door it burst open, spilling Aragorn onto the floor followed by Elladan and Elrohir.
Legolas looked down at the tangled mass of limbs that were his friends. He burst out laughing at the comical picture they posed.
When the door opened, Aragorn had fallen into the room and Elladan had fallen on top of him with Elrohir ending up on top.
Aragorn cursed at his adopted brothers from the bottom of the pile. "For a couple of elves you sure do weigh a lot! Get off of me already!"
Elladan looked up at Legolas from his upside down position on top of Estel. He elbowed Estel in the ribs garnering a groan from the man as he said, "How's it going Legolas? Long time, no see."
Legolas burst into a new round of laughter, grimacing as the bruises on the right side of his face pulled.
Elrohir climbed off the pile and proceeded to kick at Elladan, all the while Estel kept protesting that he was being crushed.
The three brothers finally managed to disentangle themselves, looking to where Legolas now sat on the floor, holding his midsection, peals of laughter ringing in the room.
The three looked at each other and then at Legolas who had finally reined in his mirth. Simultaneously they all exclaimed, "What?"
This caused Legolas to pause for a moment and then break into more laughter. All three brothers sported the same incredulous look on their faces.
"Alright. Enough of this." Aragorn strode forward to stand over Legolas' trembling form on the ground. Elrohir and Elladan moved to flank their brother. The three moved as one to pick the still laughing wood elf up off the floor. They proceeded to carry him out the door and down the hallway amid Legolas' laughter and protests of, "Put me down!"
When the bathing room came into view it finally dawned on Legolas what the three intended to do with him. Eyes widening he began struggling in earnest. Yelling his protests he was unheeded until Legolas torqued his injured knee in his efforts to escape. He cried out in pain and Estel motioned for them to stop.
They placed Legolas on his feet and he promptly collapsed to the floor, the re-injured knee unable to hold him up. Legolas hissed through clenched teeth as Elrohir and Elladan took up positions on either side of the fair elf.
All joking and mirth had left the trio's faces as they realized the error they had made. In silence, punctuated by hisses of pain, they made their way back to Legolas' room, where they deposited him gently on his bed.
Murmuring their apologies Elrohir and Elladan beat a hasty retreat with the promise to send Elrond to look at Legolas' knee. Aragorn sat by his friend's side as Legolas' face contorted with pain.
As the twins had left Legolas had fixed them with a baleful glare that he then turned on Aragorn. Aragorn cringed inwardly at the glare Legolas had fixed on him. If looks could kill… "What happened to your knee? Surely the three of us dragging you out of here did not injure it that severely?"
At that Legolas turned his head away and crossed his arms over his chest while studiously avoiding Aragorn's eyes.
Taking a deep breath Aragorn decided to plunge ahead. It's all or nothing now… "What happened to your face as well? You look like you picked a fight with an Ent."
Aragorn had almost given up on Legolas' answering him when he just barely heard the elf's whispered response.
"So now you decide to ask about them. Everyone has been so nice about avoiding that topic," Legolas murmured, the sarcasm in his voice not lost on Aragorn.
Aragorn was about to respond when Lord Elrond swept into the room, shooing his youngest son away from the bed. Legolas looked up at the elf lord from under his blonde lashes.
Elrond sat to Legolas' right reaching out his hands to feel around Legolas' right knee with his sensitive fingers. As he probed the injury Elrond took note of when the fair elf would involuntarily wince or release a hissed breath between his clenched teeth.
"Estel, would you take your brothers and fetch me the supplies I'll need to treat torn muscles and severe bruising?"
Legolas sent a startled look toward Elrond at that last, the elf lord still not looking at the prince.
"Yes Ada," Estel complied, pushing the two dark-haired twins who'd been hovering in the doorway out ahead of him.
"Close the door behind you, please," Elrond called to his sons' retreating backs.
Lord Elrond finally turned to fully face Legolas as the door closed. Legolas still had his arms crossed over his chest, eyes averted and a red flush had crept its way up is neck, having then reached his ears.
"Legolas." Elrond spoke in a tone demanding that the wood elf make eye contact with him.
Legolas slowly raised his eyes until they met Elrond's. The elf lord was momentarily surprised at the fear that flickered there before Legolas tamped it down, annoyance and anger moving to cover it.
"You know."
Elrond's brow went up at the statement. When Elrond remained silent Legolas spoke again.
"You know how I acquired these injuries, though you have not shared that information with your sons. Why not tell them, especially Aragorn, since you bothered to summon him in the first place all the way from Gondor."
Elrond drew himself up to his full height, towering over the elf on the bed. He looked down at Legolas and decided now would not be the time to chide him for his attitude. "You believe I know something and am hiding it from you, yes?"
Legolas nodded imperceptibly, his expression softening somewhat.
Elrond sat back down on the bed bringing his eyes level with Legolas'. "Let me assure you I have held nothing back from you. Gandalf and I have discussed the situation, but frankly, you know more than any of us. I do know you have had at least one new vision since you have been here," he gestured towards Legolas' face, "and apparently the strength of the physical aspect has increased."
Elrond paused as he watched Legolas absorb this information. When Legolas' eyes returned to his he continued, "Al Estel knows is that you have been having violent visions that are not your own. We left it up to you to tell him the particulars if you chose to."
At this Legolas dropped his eyes and his arms from their position, feeling sorry for ever doubting Lord Elrond.
Elrond finished, "Estel is here because he is one of your dearest friends. I thought you might need someone to confide in other than myself or Gandalf. Plus Estel would have my head if he found out after the fact." Elrond smiled at his last comment as Legolas looked up at him again. Putting his hand up Elrond stopped Legolas before he could begin, reassuring him, "No apology is necessary. These visions are affecting you in ways none of us may comprehend."
Just as he finished Estel returned with the items Elrond had requested. Elrohir and Elladan still lingered in the doorway, unsure if they should enter.
As Lord Elrond sorted through the items for what he needed Legolas called out to the twins, "You can come in. I'm not angry with you. You had no idea the extent of my injury."
While Legolas was speaking Elrond had removed Legolas' boot and pushed up his leggings to give him better access to Legolas' injured knee. When he moved the fabric up onto Legolas thigh he noticed two things. The first was a half-healed cut that extended up under the fabric. Elrond ran his fingers gently along it, hearing Legolas' sharp intake of breath he looked up into Legolas' pain-filled eyes. "What other injuries are you not telling me about?"
Legolas quickly looked away, an expression of guilt crossing his face, the movement of the fingers on his right hand increasing. This movement was the second thing Elrond had noticed and he wondered at why the fair elf was rubbing what appeared to be a piece of silk between his fingers so vigorously.
Elrond sighed, looking over at Aragorn, "you forgot the altheas. Would you please retrieve some?"
"Ada, I did…"
Elrond cut him off, "Please, Estel?"
Aragorn stalked off muttering under his breath as the twins, who had stood silent at the end of the bed until now, did everything they could not to burst out laughing. They were trying so hard they looked like they were in pain. Aragorn made sure his boots came into contact with two different elvish feet as he passed by them. This elicited identical howls from both twins muttered curses, and comments of, "I thought you outgrew your clumsy stage years ago!" overlapping "Estel! My foot!"
Legolas couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, noticing the bemused expression on Elrond's face.
"You two are completely useless! Go with him!" Elrond ordered.
Grumbling at being banished twice in under an hour, Elrohir grabbed Elladan's arm, dragging him after their younger brother's receding back, slamming the door behind them.
Elrond turned back to the injured elf before him in time to watch Legolas try to stifle his laughter at Elrond's stern expression. "Do you find all of this amusing Prince Legolas Greenleaf?"
Legolas sobered at the use of his formal title. "No sir."
"Actually those three are quite amusing when they are together. I think Estel enjoys their antics much more than he lets on. He has to be so serious as king," Elrond reassured the prince, giving him a small smile. "Now, on to more serious matters. Strip. I want to see for myself the full extent of your injuries."
The smile that had been growing on Legolas' face froze. Strip? Oh hell no. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable with nudity. I'm not a human with such silly inhibitions after all. Legolas didn't want to let on how much damage had been inflicted by the visions. Elrond is a healer and sees unclothed elves all the time. Somehow he felt ashamed of the marks on his body and had no desire to reveal them to anyone.
"No."
The single whispered word caused Elrond to turn from the dresser he had been retrieving a sleeping shift for Legolas to change into from. "Come now, child. I will have none of this. I have indulged you long enough. How am I to heal you if I do not know what exactly is wrong?"
From where Elrond stood Legolas looked very small on the bed, his good leg drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped around it, that right hand still moving restlessly.
Legolas tried to look defiant and Elrond strode back over to the bed and stood over him.
"You will disrobe or I will remove your clothing myself," the elf lord spoke, adding a tone of command to his voice.
Legolas paled before Elrond's glare, slowly getting up, making sure to keep his weight off his right knee. Balancing on his left leg Legolas had a bit of trouble as he removed his clothing still clasping the piece of silk in his right hand. He sat back down again to remove his remaining boot and leggings. Legolas kept his eyes downcast, his face and ears now a bright shade of red.
Elrond did not fail to note that even as he removed his clothing Legolas refused to relinquish the piece of silk in his hand. Now that Legolas had disrobed, Elrond could see the full extent of the damage done to the fair elf's once flawless body. The cut on Legolas' right thigh that had instigated this whole chain of events extended up his inner thigh almost to his genital area. It looked raw and Elrond wondered how the fair elf had managed to hide the pain it must have given him. Elrond noted a number of fading scars and bruises on the prince's torso, his gaze drawn to Legolas' left leg. A three-inch long gash had been opened on the left side of his knee. It was already mostly healed but still scabbed and was pink around the edges. It clearly had required stitches when it was new. Elrond could only guess that the prince had tended the wound himself. Thraunduil would have told me of this had he known.
Elrond laid the sleeping shift on the bed next to Legolas and walked to the other side of the bed rather than have the now pale elf turn around. Legolas sat hunched over, his hands in his lap, the right one vigorously rubbing that small piece of silk. Elrond could barely hold back the gasp that wanted to escape his lips. Legolas' back was marred by a spiderwebbing of cuts and scars. Most of his back was either newly bruised or yellowed from older injuries. A testament to the younger elf's healing abilities most of them were fairly recent yet were mostly healed. The remaining scars would fade within a couple of weeks.
Elrond moved back to the other side of the bed motioning for Legolas to put the sleeping shift on. He did so and sat back against the pillows on the bed.
Elrond gingerly sat beside the prince, withdrawing a pouch from his robes. When Elrond withdrew a number of altheas leaves from the pouch Legolas gasped. Elrond looked back up at the prince and winked. "I hid the pouch Estel brought with him and cleaned the infirmary out earlier. I had a feeling I'd need a way to get rid of my somewhat troublesome sons. They won't be back for a little while yet."
Legolas couldn't help but smile at the uncharacteristic admission of the elvin lord. That smile quickly turned to a grimace as Elrond applied the altheas to the cut on Legolas' thigh. Elrond also applied some altheas to the knee before bandaging it up. Once Elrond had finished bandaging Legolas' right knee and thigh, he tended to the left. Elrond then handed the pale elf a pair of loose leggings to wear beneath the rather short shift.
Outside the bedroom Gandalf stood watch while eavesdropping on the conversation inside. Just as Elrond started tending to Legolas' wounds the "Three Musketeers" returned. Gandalf barred them entry to a round of murmured protests. When Gandalf felt it was clear for them to enter he knocked.
Legolas had just settled back onto the bed when a knock came at the door.
Elrond called out, "Enter!" and found himself treated to an instant replay of the three brothers' earlier entrance.
Estel was tripped by Gandalf's staff and ended up on the bottom of the pile, again. He propped himself up on his elbows and rapped the fingers of one hand against the floor. Gandalf peered over the top of the tangled pile of limbs in front of him, from whence issued a number of groans and general curses. Elrohir, who had ended up on top again, grunted as he felt a boot on his back. Aragorn found himself flattened on the bottom of the pile as Gandalf proceeded to climb over the three siblings.
As he walked into the room Gandalf looked over his shoulder, "Will you be joining us?"
The three brothers disentangled themselves amidst a lot of grumbling and half-hearted threats.
"Are you three quite done yet?" Elrond inquired of his children.
A chorus of, "Yes Ada," was the response.
"So is everyone going to be visiting me today or can I expect some peace in the near future?..."
Legolas' voice trailed off garnering the attention of everyone in the room. His eyes had lost their focus and his softly whispered word caused all movement to cease.
"Sanctuary."
Legolas continued speaking, his eyes glazed over, speech barely audible.
"What has brought me
To this place
Of silence and solitude?
I am alone."
"What is he saying?" Elladan whispered as Legolas continued.
There was a pause as everyone listened to the strange phrases leaving Legolas mouth.
"Chaos surrounds me…"
Suddenly struck by inspiration, Aragorn exclaimed, "It's a poem. He's reciting a poem. But it's not one I've ever heard."
Elrond nodded in agreement, "So it would seem. The question is, is this piece written by the person Legolas is apparently linked to?"
"I fear
Fear reprisal
For daring to hope…"
"And if this poem belongs to this female, what information can we glean from it?" Elrond finished.
Everyone listened in tense silence, waiting for Legolas to finish. The tone of the poem was clearly disturbing, despair evident in the words.
"What is it to hope?..."
"I don't like the sound of this. Not at all," Elladan protested.
"Hush! Let us listen to all of it," Gandalf admonished.
"What is this place?..."
"At least nothing seems to be harming him or her," Elrond pointed out.
"Why do I hide?
Please.
Someone.
Get me out!" Legolas shouted this last, leaning forward on the bed, then falling back into the pillows.
"Is it over?" By now everyone had crowded around the bed to listen, Aragorn on the side opposite Elrond posed the question.
Elrond responded, looking into the wood elf's eyes, seeing the persistent lack of focus, "I do not believe so."
Gandalf observed from behind Elrond, "You would almost believe him to be asleep but for him speaking."
Legolas was silent for a while, his lips forming words, but no sound escaping him. He startled everyone in the room when he shouted, "THE TRUTH DOESN'T MEAN SHIT IN THIS HELL-HOLE! IT MEANS NOTHING!"
"That wasn't a poem," Elrohir observed.
"Really?" Estel responded, voice laced with sarcasm.
Legolas drew his legs up to his chest and began rocking back and forth as hot tears streamed down his face. He hiccupped as he sobbed into his knees. As quickly as they began his sobs stopped. Legolas suddenly stood from the bed, taking several strides away.
"Now what?" Elladan asked.
Elrond had stood as Legolas left the bed and now took several steps towards him.
Aragorn noticed Legolas' posture suddenly stiffening and his hands curling into fists. Aragorn called out to his father, "Ada…" just as Legolas turned, lashing out at the elvin lord with his fist, taking the older elf by surprise. It was only because of years of training that Elrond was able to evade the wood elf's fist, falling back onto the bed.
The other occupants of the room moved to aid Elrond, but he waved them back, "Legolas is not after me. We're seeing how these visions manifest themselves physically. I do not believe he will harm me." Elrond stood up now on the alert for any other attacks should they present themselves.
Legolas was muttering in such a way that no one could understand what he was saying. He suddenly moved as if he was leaving, but stopped mid-stride his back to Elrond. He seemed to be listening to something or someone. He started to move again and stopped just as suddenly as before.
Without warning Legolas turned and stalked towards Elrond, the older elf giving ground before the fire he saw raging in the prince's eyes. Before he knew what hit him Elrond found himself on his back, Legolas straddling him with one hand pressing uncomfortably on his neck. Aragorn moved to his father's aid, but again, Elrond waved him back, "I'm alright," he managed to choke out.
Everyone in the room gasped as Legolas brought his face within inches of Elrond's and then proceeded to lick the side of Elrond's face! Legolas pushed Elrond back onto the bed before climbing off and stalking away. As everyone else tended to Elrond, Aragorn watched Legolas snatch up his bow and an arrow. Elrond managed to reassure everyone else and stood back up only to freeze as he found Legolas pointing a fully drawn bow at him.
"Stop."
The tone of the single word sent shivers down the spines of everyone present as well as the absolutely cold expression on the prince's face. No one moved as Legolas' arm began to shake. Legolas suddenly let up on the bow, letting the arrow clatter to the floor as his eyes rolled back into his head and his legs gave way beneath him and he crumpled to the floor.
Aragorn noticed that even as Legolas fell he held onto his bow with a death grip, his body curling protectively around it once he was on the floor.
"What the hell is going on here?" Aragorn exclaimed as they all stood looking at the crumpled unconscious figure on the floor.
Please review.