Selamat pagi! Err…I mean, Good Morning. (It's 9.23 am here when I post this).

Here's the new installment. Beware of a…Well, yeah. It's another cliffie.

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Keldarion dropped everything and broke into a run. Pushing past the wild-eyed Eldarion, he dashed into the wagon and knelt down, bending over his brother.

"Legolas? How do you fare?"

Legolas moaned in answer. He was lying on his side, curled into a ball, his fists pressed against his belly.

"Tell me, Legolas, what's wrong?" Keldarion said, pressing the back of his hand against his brother's clammy forehead. It was cool, no sign of fever. "Darion said you can't move."

Amid his groans, Legolas feebly chuckled. "Oh, I can move. I just can't get up."

Frowning, Keldarion noticed that Legolas kept kneading his belly. "Your stomach is upsetting you?"

Legolas nodded, his teeth gritting. "I think I'm having a cramp…or something like it."

He shut his eyes and broke into another low groan when the pain intensified. "Unh…Elbereth, help me. I shouldn't have…eaten those...unh…bloody muffins!"

"Maybe so. But I'm sure this has nothing to do with what you ate. Lift your shirt and let me check."

Keldarion couldn't hide his dismay when he saw the bruises on Legolas' abdomen. They had darkened into the glaring colors of ripe aubergine, and felt too warm under his touch.

"That bad, huh?" Legolas noticed the odd expression on his brother's face.

"A lot worse than I thought," Keldarion agreed, knowing it was no use hiding the truth from his brother. "You have serious internal injuries from the look of this."

"Kel, what can we do?" asked Eldarion from the doorway, where he hovered worriedly with Gallard.

After a quick thought, Keldarion told them, "Go prepare a pallet for him to lie down outside. And make a fire. I am going to need it."

The two scrambled away without delay, anxious to do his bidding. Turning back to his patient, Keldarion pressed his fingers along Legolas' ribcage, over his belly, and went lower until his brother cried out in anguish.

"Blast it! That hurts!"

"Sorry." Keldarion looked grim. "So, they also hit you below the belt."

"Oh, that was Movrak's doing," Legolas replied with a shrug. "He didn't appreciate the joke I made."

Shaking his head, Keldarion moved his fingers to Legolas' back, right over his kidney. "Does this hurt?"

"Not so much. But I…err…" Legolas went crimson. "Well, it hurt a lot when I…uh…"

"What?"

Legolas squirmed. "I wet myself again."

Keldarion blinked. He looked closely and noticed the damp patch on Legolas' leggings. He tried hard to keep a straight face lest he hurt his brother's feelings.

"No, that's all right. Laugh all you want," Legolas said, looking extremely sheepish. "This reminds me so much of my awkward childhood. Remember the last time I wet my bed?"

"Yes." Keldarion grinned. And then he frowned. "Wait a minute. That was my bed."

The brothers stared at each other and broke into a fit of giggles. When their laughter died down, their gazes were still locked, sending love and forgiveness back and forth. All remorse, anger and hurt from yesterday fell away at their feet and left forgotten. No words were needed, but everything was fine once again between them.

"Well, now." Keldarion cleared his throat, still smiling. "You mind if I checked?"

At Legolas' consent, Keldarion pulled down his brother's leggings and had a look. All trace of humor vanished from his face. "There's blood, Legolas. You were pissing blood."

"Oh," Legolas responded with a grimace. Actually, he was not too surprised to hear that. "No wonder it hurt like bloody Mordor."

"And it will hurt even more if we did nothing about it." Covering his brother, Keldarion asked, "Has the pain lessened? Do you think you can get up now?"

Legolas gamely tried. He pushed onto his hands to make himself rise, wincing from the effort, but fell back to the floor with a sharp cry. The pain was returning with a vengeance, intensifying in tenfold. He lay writhing in that fetal position, cursing at Movrak over and over.

"Easy, easy," Keldarion soothed, brushing the sweat-soaked hair off his brother's forehead. He then wrapped an arm around Legolas' shoulders and placed the other under his knees.

"What…what are you doing?" Legolas asked, dazed.

"Don't fret, brother. You are still not too heavy for me to carry," Keldarion said, admitting a small but distracted smile. He lifted and stood with a slight grunt. Cradling his burden, he gingerly maneuvered through the narrow doorway and climbed down the short flight of steps. Quickly, he went to set his brother onto the sleeping pallet that their two companions had spread for him under the lean-to.

Overwhelmed by acute pain, Legolas instinctively curled into a ball and rocked himself, back and forth. Eldarion dropped down next to him, his face as white as sheet as he fussed over his friend.

"Sweet Elbereth! Kel, what's wrong with him?"

Choosing not to answer, Keldarion gave the boy a towel and a water skin. "Here. Wet the cloth and place it on his head. That might comfort him a bit."

"But how…?"

"Darion, please. No more questions," Keldarion retorted, unable to hide his impatience. "See to Legolas and let me do my work. I have to mix a potion for him to drink."

Eldarion stared back, his eyes wet. Small tremors shook his body. Apparently, the young prince of Gondor was deeply terrified, very close to breaking apart watching his friend suffered so.

Sighing, Keldarion reached over and squeezed the boy's shoulder reassuringly. He forced a smile on his lips, trying not to show his own fear. "Legolas will be fine, Darion. I promise you this."

Nodding, even though he harbored some doubts, Eldarion blinked away his tears and focused his attention back to Legolas. Assured that his brother was in good care, Keldarion headed straight for the fire which Gallard had built up only a few feet away.

"How is he?" the draq asked quietly as he stoked the fire using a long stick.

Squatting next to his friend, Keldarion glanced briefly behind him before he whispered back, "It's bad. He has a burst spleen, that much I suspect. There are signs that he is bleeding internally. There may also be some blood clots, I'm not hundred percent sure."

Gallard also glanced worriedly at their injured companion. "What must we do?"

"Pray that he won't succumb. Though, he is too stubborn for that anyway. I will make him a healing tonic. I hope to repair what damages Movrak had done to Legolas' innards, damn the man," Keldarion muttered, his face red with renewed anger. "I'm going to need your help with something."

"Sure. What can I do?"

"Get me a small rock, about this size." Keldarion made the measurement with both hands, holding them a foot apart. "Try to find a smooth one, if you can."

Not even bothering to ask what the rock was for, the draq changed form and took flight. From the air, his razor-sharp eyes busily scanned the desert ground. There was plenty of sand and gravel and some dead bushes. But a rock?

Ah, there is one right over there!

Gallard swooped down and landed gracefully on his human feet. He bent and picked up the oblong-shaped rock. Weighing it in his hands, he found it quite heavy. But it was smooth enough to perform whatever task Keldarion had in mind.

As the camp was not too far from where he was standing, only a couple of hundred yards away, Gallard chose to run back. When he got there, Eldarion still hovered over the writhing Legolas. Armed with a bowl and a pestle, Keldarion was pounding away like mad, trying to bring out the juice of some unidentified leaves and roots.

"What should I do with this?" asked Gallard.

"Put it into the fire," Keldarion answered after a brief look, satisfied with the draq's finding.

Though he had tons of questions, Gallard kept his curiosity to himself and did as he was told, sending sparks flying when he let the rock drop.

"Kel, he is getting worse," Eldarion suddenly voiced out. He had his hands full keeping Legolas still. The ailing elf had begun to thrash about.

Nodding, Keldarion poured in a bit of water, stirred some more, and went to his brother's side. Holding the bowl in one hand, he gripped Legolas' shoulder with the other. "Here, brat. You need to take a drink."

"Drink?" Despite his pain, Legolas managed to chuckle. "What, you want a repeat performance? Let me slip on a diaper first."

Gallard and Eldarion exchanged puzzled looks but Keldarion was grinning widely, glad to know that Legolas could still joke at a time like this.

"I'd prefer to leave this diaper business to your wife," Keldarion teased. He placed the bowl against his brother's lips. "Drink, Legolas. It doesn't taste as bad as it smell."

Tentatively, Legolas took the first sip. Convinced that the taste won't make him gag, he gulped down the rest of the healing remedy. He hugged his tummy when he finished and resumed the fetal position, moaning all the while.

Telling Eldarion to keep bathing Legolas' head with the damp cloth, Keldarion unsheathed his sword and stepped to the fire. Using the blade, he jabbed and prodded until the small rock tumbled out onto the sand. Sliding his sword back into its scabbard, the elf shrugged off his cloak and wrapped the scorching rock with it, hot steams rising and all.

Legolas' eyes widened when his brother walked purposely towards him with the bundled-up rock. "What the bloody heck…"

"It's all right. I've learned this unique method from the Corsairs," Keldarion said, kneeling down. "They use hot stone to ease injuries to the innards."

Legolas scooted backward in fear. "What are you going to do with that blasted thing? Swing and ram it up my ass?"

Hearing this, Gallard couldn't help but broke into gleeful chortle. Eldarion was left blinking like an owl. He didn't trust the look of that odd bundle either.

"Of course not. Don't be ridiculous." Keldarion rolled his eyes. He grabbed Legolas' arm before his brother could bolt. "Relax, brat. I have no intention to harm you, you know that. This may give you some discomfort at first, but you will feel a lot better afterwards."

Legolas still looked suspicious. "How does the blasted rock work? It's blazing hot!"

"Exactly. It only works when it's hot," Keldarion said. "Try to lie on your back as straight as you can. Don't bend too much. Gallard, hold this."

Handing the bundle to the draq, Keldarion reached down to unbutton his brother's shirt. He parted the hems, leaving the flat plane of Legolas' stomach into full view. And then he tugged down the waistband of Legolas' leggings, just low enough to preserve his modesty.

His hands fisting at his sides, Legolas stared beseechingly at his brother. "Kel…I…I don't think…"

Keldarion understood his brother's doubt. With a kind smile, he gently stroke Legolas' sweaty temple. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

"But…"

"I could never kill you, brother. Not in a million years. Forget what I said yesterday."

Legolas was quiet for several moments before he mustered a wobbled grin. "It's not that."

"Then, what is it?"

"You had better hurry up. My bladder is acting up again."

"Oh." Reclaiming the rock from Gallard, Keldarion told the draq to support Legolas' shoulders. "And Darion, you hold down his legs."

"Is this really necessary? I'm not going to struggle," Legolas protested when they wrapped their arms securely around him.

"Oh, but I think you will," Keldarion responded. Holding the bundle by its knot on top, he smiled down at his brother. "Holler if you want, but please don't sock me in the eye."

"Just get on with it, will you?" Legolas retorted, his eyes rolling.

With steady hands, Keldarion lowered the rock and pressed its bottom gently against his brother's belly.

"Son of a warg!" Legolas yelped. It was not too hot, thanks to the wrapping, but still he jerked about and cursed in colorful languages.

"Stop struggling!" Keldarion scolded, pushing down Legolas' thighs with his knee. He lifted the rock and pressed it back down, choosing another spot this time. "It hurts, I know, but only for a short while. The pain will disappear after your innards have absorbed the heat."

"Why don't you just put me back under Movrak's stupid rock? It amounts to the same thing!" Legolas yelled, still couldn't stop struggling. "Ai! Blast it all!"

He continued to curse, foul and loud. Busily pressing and lifting after every ten seconds, Keldarion tried to ignore his brother's crass ramblings. But even his temper was getting considerably thin these days.

"Shut your mouth or I'll wash it with lye soap!" he warned.

"Oh, save me the threats!" Legolas shot back. "Movrak already poured a bucketful of lye soap down my gullet!"

Keldarion went still, horrified. "He did what?"

"Soap water." Legolas sighed, resigned at last. "To make me talk, he forced me to drink soap water made of lye soap. Lots of it."

Gallard screwed his face in distaste, while Eldarion gasped out loud. His eyes watering, the boy covered his mouth and leaped to his feet. The other three watched as he left the camp at a run and went stumbling to his knees in the sand. They didn't need to see his face to know that he was crying.

"Oh, bummer." Legolas was stricken. "I never meant to let him find out about it. He has had enough already."

"Right, look who's talking." Gallard was amused. "Legolas, if you promise not to kick your brother, I will go and soothe our young friend."

"Go ahead. See to Darion. Talk some sense into him. I'll be fine." Legolas waved the draq away. He was indeed feeling slightly better. Whatever painful cramps he had just now was thankfully receding. That only left the constant soreness in his guts.

Didn't need to be told twice, Gallard released his friend and rose. He approached Eldarion on silent feet and sat next to the still weeping boy. Seconds later, he was striking up a heartfelt conversation.

"A blasted draq gives a pep talk to a young human—I never thought to see the day." Keldarion chuckled. He turned back to his brother. "A bucketful of lye soap, huh? No wonder your stomach is such a mess."

Legolas grunted as Keldarion pressed the rock lightly against his side. "I made a lot worse mess when I went horribly sick all over Movrak's floor. It was not pretty. The mess, I mean. Not the floor."

"I know. I'm the one who cleaned up the evidence, didn't I?" Chuckling, Keldarion moved the rock below Legolas' navel.

"The Corsairs taught you this strange technique?" Legolas asked, finding it hard to believe that the Corsairs would even bother to share their healing knowledge with their prisoners.

"They didn't actually teach me, but I have seen enough to understand how it works."

"I never knew a hot rock can heal."

"Not heal, exactly," Keldarion explained. "Every rock and stone has minerals, you see. Our internal system reacts to them, particularly when they are heated up and then pressed close to our skin. The Corsairs fully believe that, besides bringing down swellings or bruises, hot stone also helps repair messed-up blood circulations, which also includes blood clots."

Legolas stared. "What gibberish are you talking about?"

"You don't understand what I'm saying?"

"Not even a scrap."

"Never mind." Keldarion sighed. "I can't fully comprehend it myself. It's purely technical."

"You mean, you are not totally sure yourself?" Legolas was not impressed. "Huh. So I'm just your bloody experiment, am I?"

Keldarion grinned. "Yes. Flattered, aren't you?"

"Flattered, my butt." Legolas scowled. He went silent for a while, watching his brother worked. "Kel? Seriously, how bad is my condition? Am I going to die from this?"

"Stubborn as you are? I'm sure you'll live to see another century."

The rock was already losing heat, so Keldarion put it away and took out his pot of aloera juice. He spread the soothing gel all over Legolas' chest and belly. "To be honest, I still have reasons to worry. You have burst your spleen, I believe."

"My spleen? How can you tell?"

"What, you don't believe me? I can cut you open and show it to you."

"Err…No, thank you." Legolas turned deathly pale to that notion. "Has the hot stone mended it, you think?"

"I can't guarantee that, unfortunately," Keldarion replied, buttoning down his brother's shirt. "The tonic I gave you will stop the internal bleeding, at least. But the spleen I'll leave until we are back at Minas Tirith, where we have all the time and instrument to treat it. We may have to take it out, though, if worse come to worst."

"WHAT! Take the spleen out?" Legolas sputtered with shock.

"Relax. You can still lead a normal life without a spleen."

"Easy for you to say. It's not your spleen."

Laughing, Keldarion draped a light blanket over his brother, covering him to his waist. "I'm going to change your leggings."

Legolas made a face. "Don't bother. I will only soil it again."

Tilting his head, Keldarion studied his brother's glum expression. "It doesn't bother me, Legolas. I'm your brother. You would do the same for me if our positions were reversed."

Legolas' eyes were doleful. "I'm not as loyal as you are, Kel. I only give you grief, one after another."

"That's not true and you know it," said Keldarion. "Talk that way again and I'll make you eat my boots!"

As Keldarion changed him into clean leggings, again, Legolas gazed at his brother's kind handsome face, thinking how incredibly lucky he was to have Keldarion as a brother. He was not exactly perfect, but no matter how angry or disappointed he was, Keldarion never failed to do his brotherly duties. No matter what it takes, he was always there to save the day.

In a way, Keldarion was right. Legolas had been taking his older brother for granted.

"Kel, I'm very sorry for putting you all through that," Legolas softly said. "It won't happen again."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Keldarion gently rebuked with a smile. His job done, he went to sit by his brother's head. "You know, when I first saw you in that house, I was about ready to chop off some human heads. But when you told me to leave, I felt like murdering you instead."

"I'm so very sorry, Kel. I truly am."

"I'm sorry too, especially about yesterday." Keldarion grinned. "That was a nice right hook you gave me. Sent me flat on my ass."

"It won't be the last." Legolas broke into a wide yawn. "Hmm. Why am I so sleepy all of a sudden?"

"Ah, the tonic must be taking effect then." Keldarion was mighty pleased to see Legolas blinking hard, trying to stay awake.

"It won't…" Another yawn. "…make me sick? Like the other potions you made?"

"No, but it will keep you sedated for several hours." Gently, Keldarion rubbed his brother's eyebrows. "Rest, Legolas. Your body truly needs it."

When Gallard and Eldarion returned, Legolas was already passed out cold.

"How is he?" the draq asked, taking his arm from around the boy's stoop shoulders.

"As you can see, he is asleep. But it will be a good healing sleep." Keldarion glanced at Eldarion. The boy still looked a bit shaken. "Are you all right, Darion?"

Eldarion gave a last sniffle and nodded. "I'm fine, I guess. Sorry I got spooked. I couldn't stand to hear how Legolas has suffered for me."

"No one would think less of you for that." Standing, Keldarion gripped the boy's shoulders. "You are still young, Darion. There is a long path ahead of you. Don't be too quick to give in after what you've seen and experienced."

"I promise I'll try not to," Eldarion said, sheepishly looking at his feet. "But I'm going to need lots of help. Just look at the mess I've created. My father won't be too happy with me when I get home."

"Oh, absolutely." Keldarion grinned. "But that is how a true father goes. He worries, he nags, he scolds. It's his job. Despite all his sternness, Darion, your father loves you very much."

"I know that, but sometimes he is too stubborn to even listen to me." Eldarion sighed forlornly.

Gallard snorted. "So where do you think you got your genes from? You can be as obstinate as a mule yourself."

The boy gave the draq a dirty look. "Very funny."

Keldarion gave the boy a slight push towards the tent. "Now go to sleep. Take all the rest you can get."

Eldarion did not protest. With a tired wave, he walked to the tent and crawled in.

"I'll go check our tail," Gallard announced before he changed form and flew into the air.

The camp suddenly felt too quiet with the draq gone. After dousing the fire, Keldarion went to check the horses. Even though not well pleased by their sandy surroundings, the four beasts were doing fine. In fact, Legolas' black stallion was seriously having the hot for Keldarion's mount, trying to bite the white mare's neck to urge her to mate.

"Down, boy," Keldarion scolded, pushing the stallion away from the mare. Annoyed, the beast turned and whacked the elf across the chest with his snout.

Keldarion swore. He leaped out of the way when the snout came again to wallop his head. "Fine! Do whatever you want, you bloody lusty animal," he grumbled. "Just don't get her with foal this time. I already have two from you in my stable yard."

Keldarion left the horses to their business. Needing rest himself, he went to sit beside his brother, leaning his back against the wagon. Staring at the rising sun, he tried to come out with what to say to his own wife when they got home.

Nope. He didn't think Aislinn would be too happy to see him, either.

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"Keldarion! Awake!"

He instantly jerked back to consciousness when someone called his name urgently. Sheer boredom must have lulled him into a doze. The draq was standing right in front of him, arms akimbo.

"Gallard? What…?"

"We have to get moving now," the draq hurriedly said. "We have a big problem."

By then, Eldarion had also stirred and was emerging from his tent. "What's going on?"

"Is the army catching up on us?" Keldarion quickly got to his feet and went to scan the horizon where they had come from earlier. He saw no signs of the army.

"We've got bigger problem than that." Gallard couldn't hide his panic. "A huge sandstorm is heading this way. And we are right in its path."

TBC….

A/N : 'Hot stone' is a Malay traditional healing method. Mostly, new mothers use it to ease their stomach muscles after a recent birth, and for the blood circulations. It is also good to be put under our feet. (Make sure the hot stone is carefully wrapped in thick cloth, or you will be scorched!). I've tried it several times. It's pure bliss!