Chapter 17

Adette's POV

"Galadriel." I heard myself whisper. I had remembered her so vividly, as if she really had been with me. I saw her wide, sea green eyes staring intently at me, willing me to go on living. I had seen her lips curled into a faint smile, her cheeks upturned. She had kept me alive. Well, she had, and another.

Legolas.

"Legolas." I sat up quickly, instantly regretting the decision. The pain in my side ripped through me quickly, burning. I placed a hand over the place, feeling odd bumps beneath my tunic. Wait…my tunic? I realized that I was no longer wearing a tunic – but a sheer nightgown.

I gritted my teeth, mostly against the pain, but also because my husband had taken advantage of me as I laid upon what could have been my deathbed. He had dressed me in a nightgown, something I refused to wear.

I looked around, realizing that I was in a small stable, lying on a bed of hay. The smell of horses and sawdust filled my nostrils as I continued to look around, deciphering my surroundings. I was alone, except for the horses.

I combed my fingers through my hair, clearing out pieces of hay and brushing off the sawdust. Once I felt like I was cleaner, I grabbed a hold of the side of a stall and carefully got to my feet. I had to admit, it was an effort, but I made it without falling. Once I was on my feet, I lifted up my nightgown to access the damage.

An area around my ribs about the length of my dagger was disheveled and had been sewn together. Although most of the area was clean, there were a few patches of dry blood coating the wound. I tried to remember how it could have happened.

I remembered killing the scout and then hearing Legolas calling out to me frantically. I had turned just in time to see a monstrous warg behind me, and it didn't take long to jump at me. Its teeth sunk messily into my flesh, tearing at it. Luckily it let go and simply landed on top of me, although it took the breath from my lungs.

I smoothed down the nightgown and cautiously took a few steps, willing my body to grow accustomed to moving again. I had no idea how long I had been asleep for or what had happened in the past – that was when I remembered my brother. My eyes widened and my steps quickened as I hurriedly headed to the door and made my way back into daylight.

There were people all around, making themselves busy in different ways. I spied the men cleaning armor and the women cooking or keeping their children company. I saw Èothain and Freda with a red haired woman, laughing and playing. I smiled, assuming it was their mother. Freda's eyes suddenly caught mine, and she flew to me, her arms wrapping around my legs.

"Milady!" She cried, looking up at me. I smiled, although her actions had jolted my body and irritated my wound, and tried not to wince. I smoothed back her hair as the woman ran over with Èothain.

"Freda, remember yourself." The woman said sternly, but she smiled at her daughter's actions all the same. "I'm very sorry milady."

"Mama, this is the lady I told you about. She's the one that helped Èothain and I." Freda bubbled, releasing me at her mother's words. Her mother's smile grew wider, and she came towards me.

"You will never understand how much thanks I give you for my children's lives." She murmured, placing her hands on my shoulders. "May I ask your name?"

"My name is Adette, and think nothing of it. I like your children very much, they're great children." I smiled and she released me.

"My name is Faina, and thank you again." I could no longer hold back the wince, and she noticed. "You're injured."

"I'm fine, I was just going to find my husband." I explained, a hand flying to my wound. The warmth from my hand calmed the fire a bit, and I forced a smile. "I hope to see you and your children soon."

With a nod, I walked away. I continued to see people rushing about, and I wondered what exactly had gone on in the time I had been asleep. I soon came upon Gimli, who rushed towards me, knocking people to the side on his way. He reached out to hug me but I stepped back, holding my hands out.

"Whoa Gimli, where is Legolas? Where is my brother?" I questioned without taking a breath to pause in between. He averted his eyes when I asked about my brother.

"Aragorn…fell." He said sadly, his eyes still cast downward. My eyes widened, and I went to bend down but regretted it as the throbbing pain urged me to stand straight again. Only then did Gimli look up.

"I refuse to believe that. He's out there somewhere. Haven't you tried to get a search party to go and find him?"

"Théoden ordered us to carry the wounded back to Helm's Deep and to leave the dead."

"Well I don't care." I turned on my heel and began back to the stables. If there was any chance that my brother was alive, I was going to go and find him. He could be hurt, lying somewhere bleeding to death. He could be kidnapped by orcs.

"Lass!" Gimli called after me, but I didn't listen. When I reached the stables, I saw Legolas open the door quickly, as though he had busted through it. His eyes were wide and bewildered – until they laid upon me. I stopped in my tracks, waiting for him to yell at me. Instead, he charged at me and held me against him in an iron grip.

"Legolas, my wound." I choked, the throbbing becoming unbearable in his hold on me. He unwrapped his arms from around me and stepped back instantly, eyeing the area of my wound. When he was satisfied, he looked up.

"You're awake." He breathed, reaching out his hands to my face. He stroked beneath my eyes and leaned forward, brushing his lips against mine briefly. He paused then, our lips merely centimeters apart. "I was worried dúlinn."

"How long have I been asleep?"

He sighed heavily and pulled back his face, his arms cautiously moving for me. He stopped when I moved back, knowing what he was going to do, and grinned. Ignoring my effort to move away he picked me up and carried me back into the stables.

"Two days, give or take a few hours." He laid me back down on the hay and kneeled down beside me.

"Why were you not here when I woke up?"

"I never left your side Adette." He reached for a bowl filled with some odd looking paste and a rag. "I left only to get this paste from Èowyn."

"What's is for?" I asked, wrinkling my nose as he moved closer. He smiled, setting the bowl beside me as he moved for the bottom of my nightgown. He lifted it gently up over my wound.

"For eating." He said sarcastically, dipping the rag into the bowl. I was secretly proud of Legolas, for I had taught him the ways of sarcasm.

"Legolas?" I asked sweetly. The tone must have surprised Legolas because he dropped the rag back into the bowl, and his mouth agape, looked up at me.

"Yes?"

I balled up a fist and launched it at his shoulder. His eyebrows raised in surprise, and he moved a hand to the place I had hit.

"What was that for?"

"For putting me in a nightgown you rinc."

(Jerk.)

He grinned and moved closer, his hands sweeping up to either side of my waist. He leaned over me, hovering above my face. I watched his eyes slowly moved down, as did mine, and I saw that a fair portion of the tops of my breasts were showing.

"I see no problem." He then moved his face down closer to mine and eventually closed the gap between us. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"You. Are. So. Beautiful. Dúlinn." He murmured between kisses. He rarely kept his lips on mine for more than second, fearing I would tire out. I pulled him down onto me, hoping he would take the hint and kiss me deeper. Instead, I gasped in pain and he pulled back instantly.

"Here, this will help." Legolas placed the rag against my wound, the paste stinging it just a bit. I clenched my teeth and made a fist, my fingernails digging into my palms. Legolas used his free hand to pry open my fist and squeezed my hand. "I know it stings."

"Legolas," I winced as he applied more paste, "I have to go and find Aragorn."

He stopped applying paste and froze in his place. His hand went limp in mine, falling from my hold. He then slowly looked up, only to look away the moment our eyes met. I had seen that he was still grieving.

"Adette, you are in no condition to travel."

I reached out and tilted his chin up, but he still didn't look at me. I scooted forward, using my other hand to caress his cheek. When he still didn't look, I got angry.

"Legolas look at me. I looked at you…remember?"

"Open your eyes Adette. Look at me."

"This isn't the Adette I married. The Adette I married would be fighting this, not giving up."

His eyes found mine slowly, trouble swirling like a storm in those blue hues.

"You've given up hope for him." I let go of his face and struggled to get to my feet. Legolas stood with me, trying to push me back down, but I grabbed his arms and looked sternly at him. "Galadriel told me to not give up and it saved me. So did you. I'm not giving up on my brother."

Legolas's POV

I loaded the saddlebags onto Arod, making sure that everything was tucked inside safely. He threw his mane around, snorting and whinnying happily. He knew that we were going somewhere, that he would be free soon.

"Oh!" I heard Adette moan. I whirled around, an eyebrow raised. She sounded as though we were making love, yet we weren't. I wondered if she were in pain, and made a move to go into the empty stall when she appeared, smiling from ear to ear.

"W-what were you doing?" I asked curiously as she opened the door.

"This feels great." She rolled her shoulders and I saw what she was talking about – her tunic. Both her green and burgundy tunics were soiled and so she had borrowed one of mine. It was big on her and looked like it would slip off at any moment, but it looked good on her anyways.

"Are you ready?" I asked, gripping the saddle horn. She was about to answer when we both heard odd noises outside. Raised voices and cheerful cried met my ears, and I wondered what was going on.

"I'm going to see what all the commotion is about." Adette turned and went to the door. I followed behind her, watching as she made her way towards a crowd. She must have seen something because she suddenly bolted into the people. "I knew it!"

I chased her and stopped dead when I saw her hugging a man carefully. Her head was buried into his shoulder, his dark hair falling over her as they embraced. I could hear her muffled sobs and his whispers. She pulled back smiling and he wiped her cheeks.

"Aragorn." I watched as he evaluated her when she pulled back quickly as he attempted to hug her harder. She lifted her tunic and his eyes widened as he saw her wound. Without caring if he hurt her or not, he pulled her close.

"I'm glad you're safe." I heard him whisper.

"I'm glad you're safe." She whispered back, her breathing jagged from the pain of being held so tightly. He let her go reluctantly and looked up to see me. He squeezed Adette's shoulders before heading towards me.

"I'm gone for two days and she's already hurt." He grinned although looking thoroughly disheveled and weak. He embraced me quickly.

"Le abdollen." I grinned. "You look terrible."

(You're late.)

He smiled and patted my shoulder, but before he could speak, I slipped the Evenstar into his hand. He looked down at the jewel, the love clear in his eyes as he looked back up at me, smiling gratefully.

"I need to speak with the king."