Hey everyone! Here's limerick number 3! It's kinda part 2 to last chapter's limerick, lol!

To Mirkwood a human came
Aragorn was his name
He was Legolas' friend
Who he always had to tend
But his own hair he could not tame!

lol ;)

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The first thing that Legolas became aware of was pain. His head felt encased by it and he was reluctant to move, fearing to increase it.

A sudden sigh sounded and a hand took his right wrist.

Aragorn counted the pulse for a few seconds, before laying the elf's arm back down. "He will wake soon, Gimli, fear not."

But Gimli sighed again. "It is a difficult wait."

Aragorn nodded, but his eyebrows shot up when a new voice spoke.

"Forgive me, mellon-nin…I am awake."

"Legolas!" Gimli exclaimed, grabbing onto his friend's arm. "How do you feel? Are you in pain?"

Legolas reached up a hand and gingerly touched the side of his head, flinching at the feel of very tender skin and many small cuts. He wondered how many colors the skin had become.

Gimli sighed, not needing an answer to his question.

Aragorn had a cup of herbs ready, and he gently slid an arm under his friend and pulled him up high enough to drink.

Legolas gasped when everything started spinning, even with his eyes still closed. He felt as if his body was actually going in circles, and he choked on the medicine.

Aragorn pulled the cup away, waiting for the elf to get his bearings. "Forgive me," he said.

Legolas gave no reply, lying limply in his friend's arm, eyes squeezed shut tightly and his breathing labored.

Gimli shot a nervous look at Aragorn, concerned at the obvious severity of their friend's injury.

Aragorn returned the look.

Legolas opened his eyes slightly, looking up at Aragorn before closing them again.

The human recognized it as an indication that the elf was ready, and held the cup to his lips again.

Legolas drank the medicine slowly, inwardly sighing with relief when Aragorn laid him back down again. "How long?" he asked.

"You were unconsciousness for about six hours," Aragorn told him.

Legolas sighed at the news, bringing up his right hand and covering his forehead and eyes. "Ai," he whispered. "Forgive me, Aragorn."

The human frowned. "For what?"

"For ruining our trip," Legolas said, forcing his voice to sound stronger.

Aragorn shook his head, before realizing that the elf couldn't see it. "No, mellon-nin, do not apologize. The fault is not yours. Besides, this is just like old times."

Legolas moved his hand and opened one eye, able to at least make out a blurry smile on Aragorn's face—or rather, Aragorn's faces. "Your humor astounds me," he mumbled.

Gimli looked from one to the other as his friends spoke. "Old times?" he said. "I should like to hear some of those stories!"

Legolas groaned, and they were unsure if it was from pain or the dwarf's words.

Aragorn shot Gimli a grin. "I would be happy to tell you, but I do not think that now is the time; much talking will only aggravate Legolas' pain."

"Yes," Legolas said, admitting it only to prevent the human from telling embarrassing stories of their past mishaps. "Please hush."

Aragorn was aware of the elf's motive, but Gimli wasn't, and he gently patted Legolas' arm. "Just rest, my friend," said the dwarf. "We will be silent."

Legolas sighed and gave an uncharacteristic shiver. It surprised him to suddenly feel cold, and he wondered if his injury had caused a slight case of shock.

Aragorn saw his friend shiver and frowned, wondering the same thing. Grabbing one of his packs, he pulled out blankets and draped them over the cloak that already covered the elf. "Just lie still and rest," he said, unnecessarily.

Legolas closed his eyes, willing himself to ignore the pounding inside his skull. He wished that he could sleep, but he knew that the nature of his injury made it too dangerous. He suddenly thought of something that made him reopen his eyes. "The horses?"

Aragorn sighed. "We have no way of knowing what became of them. The tunnel that we came through has been blocked by the rockslide. We cannot go through it again."

Legolas sighed at that, re-closing his eyes.

"They are probably fine," said Gimli, not wanting Legolas to add mental worry to his injury-stressed body. "I would wager that they are on their way back to Minas Tirith, and the entire Gondor army will soon come looking for us."

"We are used to that, Legolas, are we not?" said Aragorn.

Legolas gave his friend a lopsided half-grin. "Unfortunately."

Gimli looked from one to the other. "Again, you taunt me with allusions to past mishaps! You might as well regale me, Aragorn, for you are talking despite Legolas' pain, and we need some way to keep him awake anyhow!"

Legolas sighed, but offered no further protests as Aragorn finally obliged the dwarf and began his story.

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Hours later found Legolas miserable. He was exhausted, dizzy, and in pain, despite Aragorn's healing herbs. He couldn't keep his eyes open—something that he hated—and kept dozing off, requiring the human or dwarf to gently but quickly wake him.

"Whatever shall I do!" the elf practically whined, sounding quite distraught. "I cannot remain awake. Please, let me sleep!"

Aragorn sighed, patting his friend's arm. Such words were extremely uncharacteristic for Legolas, who, as a rule, denied the presence of injuries until they were accidentally made public by a sudden collapse or something of that nature. For the elf to push aside his pride and beg for sleep broke the human's heart. "How I wish that I could, mellon-nin! It is too dangerous, you know this."

Legolas sighed, bringing up a hand to cover his eyes.

Gimli didn't know what to say, saddened at his friend's plight.

"I should be able to sleep with frequent forced wakings," said Legolas, sounding frustrated. "Why do you not allow it?"

"I was about to ask the same question," said Gimli.

"I thought it too soon, given the severity of your injury," said Aragorn. "I thought it wise to keep you awake a while longer."

"I cannot do it," said Legolas, his voice a whisper as his senses drifted. Praying that Aragorn would have mercy on him, he stopped fighting sleep.

Gimli was startled when the elf's hand suddenly slid from his bruised forehead and landed on the ground. The dwarf grabbed the arm and checked for a pulse, sighing with relief when he found it. He looked at his sleeping friend and then to Aragorn, wondering what the human would do.

The human was likewise startled by the abruptness in which sleep had claimed their friend, and he checked Legolas' pulse himself. He laid the elf's arm down gently and fixed the blanket. "We need to wake him very soon," he whispered. "And we must constantly monitor his heartbeat. If it slows markedly, it could be an indication of unconsciousness."

Gimli nodded, studying the many colors that adorned the elf's head.

Aragorn, unable to stop himself, checked Legolas' pulse again.

The dwarf frowned, wondering if Aragorn was being overly fearful. "Is there something that you are not telling me?" he asked.

Aragorn shook his head. "No…he has suffered many head injuries in his life, and I am always fearful when it happens again."

Gimli grinned. "More stories that require telling?"

Aragorn smiled slightly. "Another time would be best; if we become engrossed in a tale, we may let Legolas sleep for too long."

Gimli nodded, watching their injured friend. A sudden sound caught his attention, and he looked towards the cave opening to see that it had started to rain once more.

He desperately hoped that there would not be another thunderstorm...

TBC

Everyone's been going nuts waiting for Saturdays for a new chapter, so I'll try to post another one Wednesday or something! How's that? ;)