17

Taking a deep breath Aragorn let go and dropped down into the snow below. As evening wore on he had debated with himself whether he should seek Legolas or no. Legolas had warned him about the dangers of the snow, how treacherous it could be for a human, how easy it was to get lost out there where everything looked like everything else. But the elf had been gone for hours, night was not far away. He was not supposed to have stayed out, just collect the fallen branches and return. Something had happened Aragorn was sure of it. The uneasy feeling that had been riding him all day had not left. The discovery of Talen's tanned hide had just made it grow.

He had donned an extra tunic and wrapped the blanket around him. He planned to follow the rough track left by the stack of wood Legolas had been dragging. It meandered into the forest skirting through the trunks of the trees. He was waist deep in the snow that surrounded their winter home, but he pushed through using his hands as shovels to clear a path in front of him. He stumbled onto the rough path left by the load of wood and began to walk quickly already feeling the cold seeping past the clothes he wore. The path was wide and easy to follow and Aragorn found himself making good progress despite the chill.

He walked swiftly taking long strides and swinging his arms to keep warm. The forest was silent and wreathed in white. Snow slid off heavy laden branches to plop heavily onto the forest floor. Aragorn marvelled that the trees kept their leaves through winter. As he walked he tried not to think of anything. But he could not help remembering the clammy feel of Talen's skin. He wiped his hands unconsciously keeping his eyes locked on the path before him.

………………………………………

He lay on a bed of snow, it was soft warm and so comfortable that for a moment he thought himself back in his room. As he thought of home he smiled and immediately was there. He walked down the elven halls eagerly reaching out to touch its familiar rough texture.Glowing lanterns hung along its length and Legolas looked down the way to see a figure walking towards him. The tilt of the head as always was a bit to the left and the figure took long strides, fingers tugging at his ends of his hair as he was wont to do when deep in thought. Legolas thought of calling out to him but did not, wanting to surprise him instead. But the king did not stop, did not even break stride as he drew close then was suddenly past him.

"Father," Legolas called out in surprise and it was only then that Thranduil slowed and looked around. But then he shook his head smiled ruefully and continued walking down the long tunnel. In quiet consternation Legolas watched him go.

"Father," he whispered.

…………………………………..

Coming abruptly from dense forest into a clearing Aragorn saw the bodies before he smelled them. When the stench hit him he dry heaved before he could stop himself. Orcs lay dead, their foul life blood spilled onto the white snow. Aragorn gave a wide berth to the first two bodies that lay awkwardly sprawled. He ran forward coming upon another in the snow.

'They must have surprised him, come upon him suddenly,' he thought.

But no, orcs were rude creatures they would never have been able to approach him stealthily. Aragorn stopped when he came to the pile of wood. It lay there mutely the vine rope coiled neatly on the snow as though Legolas had just put it there. Then as Aragorn looked further ahead, another body.

'So many,' he thought. And as he walked forward he spied an out flung hand, pale and loose upon the snow.

"Oh no," the words left his mouth in a whispered breath.

He ran dropping to his knees at the elf's side when he reached him. Legolas was barely conscious, eyes half lidded and glazed. His face and neck where Aragorn touched him was cold. His shirt was ripped and torn off in places. Aragorn gently pushed aside the remainder of the ragged cloth. There was a glaring reddish bruise on one side of his chest. Aragorn probed at it with gentle fingers yet Legolas flinched. He turned him over slightly. Legolas coughed and Aragorn saw flecks of blood upon his lips. His back was a wealth of bruises. When Aragorn lightly touched the worse one he felt something give under the skin.

"Can you hear me?" Aragorn asked him softly, one hand tenderly resting on the elf's forehead. Legolas did not speak but his eyes flickered in response.

"I must take you back to the arbour mellon nin. It will hurt when I lift you, but just for a moment."

After wrapping his upper body carefully in the blanket, Aragorn lifted him carefully. It was much easier than he had anticipated. Legolas weighed no more than a small child. Aragorn supposed that it was mortality that gave weight to men and lesser creatures.

He walked past the first body and slowed when he again approached the stack of wood. Legolas had risked his life to get it and now it lay there soon to be rendered useless with the next snowfall. Though it seemed impractical and even ridiculous Aragorn felt he must take it back to their home. And so he did, with great difficulty and pain for the load was heavy and he had not the added strength of elves to carry both burdens easily. But he made it, in less time than he thought it would take.

The arbour stood tall and impenetrable in front of him. It had closed on its own thinking that its occupants had gone for good. For this is what it had been taught to do by its makers. Now Aragorn stood there staring at the wall of trees close to tears. He did not know the words to make them open and the only one who could make them obey was now insentient in his arms.

Sinking to his knees on the cold wet snow still cradling Legolas Aragorn began weep. The weight of despair settled upon his shoulders like a heavy blanket.

How long he stayed there he did not know. He was freezing, soon to die, but content to give up his life for he knew Legolas would not recover form his wounds lest they be treated soon. He had drifted into a light sleep when he felt something tug at his hair. Startled he opened bleary eyes but saw nothing. He closed them again without much thought for the pull of death was seductive. But this time something tugged at his hair hard and he woke properly, wincing at the unexpected pain. Looking up he saw a tree limb that looked suspiciously like a hand holding onto the ends of his hair. Remembering his previous encounter Aragorn felt his heart begin to hammer painfully in his chest, but the tree swayed closer to him and like a mother with a slow infant gave him a gentle nudge. Aragorn clutched onto Legolas. The tree nudged him again, a little impatiently this time and then Aragorn looked in the direction he was being pushed. The arbour stood open and waiting for them.

Getting to his feet took some effort but with help from some of the trees Aragorn finally stumbled into the warmth of their winter home with his precious burden. Just before the walls closed again one of the trees delicately deposited the stack of wood next to the ranger.

…………………………………………..

Aragorn peeled back the rest of his clothing carefully, discarding the torn pieces. The elf had taken a nasty beating. His left arm was swollen and badly bruised but the bone was not broken, some of his ribs clearly were however. Aragorn was worried about the blood on his lips. It could mean that the jagged bone had penetrated the lung, in which case it would fill up with blood and the elf would suffocate or something less dangerous had bruised. Aragorn fervently prayed it was the latter case. He had never actually bound a man's rib before, but had seen it done a few times. Elladan had always made sure it was tight enough yet comfortable. But Aragorn had no bandages, no splints, no knife… So he stripped the remaining blanket with his teeth. He had no time to boil and dry each piece before use, so instead he used snow to clean off the bruises.

Legolas barely moved in all this time, but twice Aragorn caught his dazed stare. Each time the ranger smiled reassuringly at him but Legolas would only drift back to sleep. The night had come and gone before Aragorn was satisfied that he had done as much as he could. When he rose from his knees he felt stiff and sore. The arbour was chilly, the small fire he had lit the afternoon before had died down. Too tired to light another, too tired to even think Aragorn curled up on the ground next to the grass bed where Legolas lay and went to sleep.

……………………………………….

As he passed the open door of the bed chamber Galad paused as he heard a noise from within. His hand immediately went to the jewelled dagger at his side and he stepped into the room on silent feet. But it was only the king sitting there, a silver circlet in his hands.

"My lord," Galad said in a puzzled and curious tone.

Thranduil looked up and gave his son a sad smile.

"I heard his voice in the passage not far from here yester eve." he said quietly.

Galad could only nod.

"Like a fool I hurried here to see if he had come, but it was empty as it is now."

Galad nodded once again and lowered his gaze.

"But I did find these," Thranduil said touching the petals of a bunch of delicate blue flowers. They were growing in a small box on the intricately carved bedside table.

"Who tends these?" he asked.

"I do my lord," Galad answered.

Thranduil looked up and into his eyes then. They were bright and wet.

"Come ion nin," he said and Galad went into his embrace.

"It has been a while since I visited these chambers." Thranduil murmured.

"Three years adar," said Galad.

Together they looked at the flowers that Legolas had loved so much.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

ION NIN------my son

ADAR-------father

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ciryaquen------If you are sick what does that make me? (grin)

Lindahoyland----- Not just yet.

Grumpy-----------Reeeeeeeeeeeal unpleasant.

Shanna------- Creo que mis pensamientos son deteriorando.

KittiMarlowe---------- This is what happens next.

Ainu Laire-------- Always have faith in the ranger (smile)

Destiny Lot----------- Thank you very much DL.