Wild Justice

Chapter 21: Infirmary Interlude


He awoke once more to the sensation of sunlight shining down upon his face. But unlike yesterday's awakening, Legolas' eyes were not closed in show of his extreme fatigue; instead they were open, gradually beginning to focus the world around him as he left the realm of Elven dreams. He became aware also of a presence at his side.

Legolas turned his head slightly, wondering who would be sitting at his bedside. He was still in the Healing Rooms as he had been since his attempted escape and the only people he knew had even been near him were Abie and Elrond, and that was only because he had awoken yesterday and found that out.

Intense, dark eyes were watching him. Legolas felt his breath catch at the look Lord Elrond Peredhel was giving him. It was momentary and soon forgotten as a smile and a greeting replaced it. Legolas smiled and returned the gesture, seating himself up and accepting a goblet of amber liquid that Lord Elrond gave to him whilst informing him that it was a nutritional potion needed to help with his recuperation.

It tasted of a mixture of herbs known for their healing properties, ground in with honey and water. It was strangely nice and would have been rather enjoyable as a whole if not for the rather unpleasant aftertaste it left on his tongue.

Despite himself he grimaced as he tried to swallow the flavour, a chuckling from beside him alerting him to the fact that Elrond was still watching him. Legolas looked up to see Elrond's eyes shining a little in mirth as he handed him a glass of fresh water.

"I am still working on a way for the flavour to remain enjoyable to the last despite the fact that it is medicine and therefore should hold a distasteful flavour."

"It is not too bad, my lord." The young prince offered quietly, drinking hurriedly at the water.

Elrond smiled indulgently. "No, it's not too bad. But the lingering tang is not too good either." He took the empty glass from Legolas once he was finished, placing it on the side table before speaking once again.

"How do you feel this morn?"

Legolas looked at him. "I feel well enough, my lord. Though I am… a little confused, I suppose one could say, as to what happened," he ducked his head a little. "I remember- leaving Imladris. After that, things begin to make not much sense. I felt a little ill and dizzy and then you arrived… but," he drifted off with a frown.

Elrond touched his hand reassuringly for a moment; Legolas felt his skin tingling once the Elven Lord removed his hand, but ignored the feeling, turning his mind to the events of that day.

"It is my belief that fatigue and a mild form of starvation as well as stress and the adrenaline rush of the day provoked your Elvish Healing to kick in and put you into a Healing Sleep in order to try and restore you back to health. It was most fortunate that your horse sensed the changes overcoming you and slowed, also that I was able to reach you before you succumbed into unconsciousness."

Legolas reddened a little. "And you came because your sons' told you of my condition?"

"My sons' were not the ones to tell me." Elrond answered, though he cared not to elaborate as to who had provided him with this information. "And I came because I was concerned about you. Have been since you arrived, even more so after I interviewed you about receiving sanctuary within Imladris."

Legolas shifted a little. Looking at the dark-haired elf momentarily before darting his eyes away.

"I had hoped to gain your trust," Elrond began again, Legolas could feel his deep eyes watching him, seemingly boring through him to see everything that he held inside, "I had hoped to gain it enough for you to tell me the true reasons as to why you fled your homeland, or at least to elaborate on the reasons you had given me. Alas that it was not so."

Legolas felt suddenly guiltily: "Not for lack of trust, my lord, I assure you. I trust you truly but with this I would not have delved any information whatsoever. I was- and still am- cautious about the prejudice I was to face for it." A sense of sadness overwhelmed him as he continued,

"The reactions of those closest to me, I'm afraid, have had me rather paranoid, to say the least, of being found out and most likely being sent back. I would have trusted you with anything else, but I couldn't trust anyone with this."

"You need not assure me that you trust in me, Legolas, though my heart is gladdened to here that it is so."

Legolas smiled a little sheepishly at Elrond but gave no further comment.

"I wanted to apologise to you also," he began smoothly, ignoring the shocked look upon the blonde's face, "For the behaviour of my sons'. Even knowing the reasons as to why they did what they did, they had no rights to assault you thus. It puts a black mark on Imladris' hospitality and etiquette.

"I ask for your forgiveness on behalf of Imladris, but not on behalf of my sons'. I do not expect you forgive them anytime soon, and it shall be a long while before they have gained my full trust also."

"My lord, you have nothing to apologise for! I would not have held Imladris at blame for the actions of Elladan and Elrohir. The hospitality of Imladris has been nothing but comforting and faultless since first I arrived here."

He neglected to mention that his arrival in Imladris had been met with raised weapons towards him, but that was to be expected for a stranger at night that would not reveal his identity. No doubt his own father's methods of welcome were more extreme.

"I cannot accept your apology, my lord." Legolas said after a moment's silence in which Elrond had once again been watching him intently, though his expression was shuttered.

"Legolas, it would settle me to know that you accept my apology whether or not you believe it is needed. The fact is that I believe it is needed."

"I shan't, Lord Elrond. In this I remain adamant. To accept would be to fault and there is nothing to fault. The only persons I hold to blame for my humiliation- thankfully only witnessed by them- are Lord's Elladan and Elrohir. From them I would accept an apology but do not know if I can forgive them."

He drifted off, a small sigh escaping his lips as he turned his gaze to the window hoping that Elrond would accept his reasoning's and not press him. It was past midday already he noted absently; no doubt he would have to spend this night in the infirmary also. He wished he could leave for his own designated rooms if only to feel more at ease when on his lonesome.

After Elrond had left him the previous day he had fallen into sleep once more, only to wake up a few hours later for an evening meal and a couple more hours of being able to do nothing more than think on everything that had occurred over the last couple of days. They had certainly been dramatic thinking back on them. But they were experiences he would rather not relive again.

"Would you that I send my sons' to apologise then?" Elrond's smooth voice, cut through the silence.

Legolas snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. "No thank you, my lord. I would rather they come to me of their own accord if they are to come at all. But I thank you for the offer nonetheless."

Elrond nodded his head in acquiesce. "May we speak of… the reasons for your sanctuary? Or would you prefer to wait until a later date?"

"I would prefer to be out of this infirmary, my lord. I would feel more secure in speaking were we to be in a safer place than this to conduct such a serious conversation." His fingers tugged at the bedcovers in order to distract his thoughts from turning to his father and Ahearn.

"It shall be arraigned then. I believe you shall be out of here by tomorrow. I am satisfied that you are over the worst of your fatigue-induced coma, and you too seem to have your appetite back, though mostly due to the anti-nausea potions. Tomorrow you will be moved to your own, permanent rooms, though I will still expect you to rest and take it easy."

"Rooms, my lord?" Legolas frowned delicately, his eyes once more searching out Elrond's brown.

"Rooms, Legolas." He agreed. "You are staying here for the foreseeable future; it is the least Imladris can do to make you welcomed and comfortable. I would have done so for you even had I not yet found out of your pregnancy."

Legolas rubbed his stomach distractedly as he felt the child within shift, almost as if it knew it had been mentioned. "Really, Lord Elrond, the room I was in was perfectly fine. I do not mean to put you to any efforts on my behalf."

"Nonsense, my prince. Your status is enough to have you put into other rooms. And now that sanctuary is definite, it would be courteous to set you up in more permanent accommodations."

"If it is not too much trouble, my lord? I do not mean to be a burden…"

Elrond cut him off before that train of speech could be finished, assuring the young elf that he was under no circumstances to think of himself as a burden but as a guest, more than a guest even. He was welcomed into Imladris and as such, Elrond would do anything to make his stay here more enjoyable and less taxing for him. He was to relax, and let others worry about his problems for him if need be.

Legolas flushed in thanks and wonder at the remarks, his tongue tied in his mouth so as to prevent him from uttering even the smallest of thoughts running through his mind. He continued to rub his hand in lazy circles over his stomach in order to placate both his babe and relax himself.

Elrond's sharp eyes noted the motions and asked him if he were hungry.

"I am fine, my Lord. My child was just moving." He ducked his head a little in shyness.

Elrond smiled despite the fact that Legolas could not see it. "And are you not hungry anyway? It is just past noontime and you have not yet had your luncheon."

"Neither have you, my lord." Legolas retorted, sending a smile to Elrond, happy to see that the Elven lord was returning the gesture.

"Which is why I was just about to ask you if you would lunch with me? Of course you are not moving from that bed until after tomorrow's check-up, but I'm sure it should still be suitable?"

"Oh, well, I am not that hungry, Lord Elrond." It was at that moment that the blond elf's stomach chose to rumble in deny of his statement. Legolas' eyes widened in disbelief and not a little betrayal at his body as he felt Elrond's gaze narrow upon him. He felt himself blushing again and blamed it on his ever-changing hormones, which he did not like at all.

"Well I do believe that even if you are not hungry, you stomach- and child- may very well be." He sent a smirk towards Legolas, causing the young elf to consider pulling his tongue out at the dark haired Elf. He resisted the urge of course.

"I do not believe I could eat anything though. I don't…"

"Come now, Legolas! You must eat something, I simply cannot take no for an answer, especially if you are to be released from here tomorrow. Besides you awoke too late for breakfast and as such have not eaten a morsel all day. I insist you eat something now, no matter what it is. Tell me, what could you eat? Name your desire and I shall have it sent for. Anything."

Legolas sighed softly; shooting another glance towards Elrond, knowing that there was no way to decline his lord's request.

"Anything?" He asked quietly.

Elrond raised a thin eyebrow but nodded his head. "Anything." He replied.

"Cinnamon?"

"Pardon?"

"Cinnamon."

"Cinnamon?" Elrond checked, eyes widened slightly.

Legolas nodded, "It wouldn't matter in what form, I would eat anything just as long as it contained cinnamon."

Elrond released a laugh, though not directed at the blond elf's expense. Legolas smiled bashfully at the Elven lord but kept their eyes connected.

"Ah! This would explain why you always smell so divine! I had wondered."

Legolas blushed but found himself laughing along also as Elrond called and sent a serving girl off with his order as well as one to fetch something substantial containing cinnamon.

"It is not that terrible, my lord." Legolas finally spoke after they had quietened.

"I never for one moment meant to make it seem as though I thought it thus. I just would never have seen you as having a fetish for such a food."

Legolas looked a little affronted at this. "Hardly a fetish. Although it is the only thing I can eat at all times, especially if I am ill and not feeling myself."

"Of course, Legolas." His eyes twinkled. "I hope I have not offended you. I myself have a particular fondness towards potatoes, raw, but that is neither here nor there."

The Prince of Mirkwood wrinkled his nose. "Raw potatoes?"

Elrond grinned at him, spreading his hands in a noncommittal way, "I really do not understand it myself."

"If you enjoy it then I suppose it can't be all that bad."

"You would wish to try it then?" Brown eyes gleamed in a mischievous way that Legolas had not before seen on the ancient elf.

"Er, I think I shall pass on that one, my lord."

Elrond just smiled, watching as the serving girl returned with two bowls of lentil soup and a plate of freshly heated cinnamon buns. Elrond passed a tray over to Legolas and casually mentioned as Legolas began to pick apart his bun that:

"Perhaps you could think about calling me Elrond, as opposed to using titles all the time?"

He took a spoonful of the soup, pretending not to notice how the fair-elf's hands stilled in their movements momentarily.

The silence between them lasted all through their meal. Although by the end of it, Elrond was pleased to note that Legolas had at least attempted the soup.


To Be Continued…?

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CS WhiteWolf