Chapter Four: The Wound That Cuts the Deepest.

Summary: When Legolas gets seriously wounded in battle and falls ill to orc poison, can a young Aragorn heal him or will he die in the attempt?

Genre: Drama or angst for now.

Raiting: T for Teen.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Chapter Four: The Wound That Cuts the Deepest.

Along the road to Rivendell there rode a horse that carried two companions. One rider was an elf who was badly wounded, face pale and beaded with sweet from a high fever. The other rider was a ranger, who was clinging to the elf like he would never let go, afraid that if he did the elf would breathe his last and go to Mandos's Halls.

The elf was Legolas, and the ranger was Aragorn. The ranger was bone weary. He had not slept for three days, worrying and taking care of his ailing and wounded friend. Now his head hung wearily down, his eyes ever threatening to close in sleep.

And to make matters worse the ranger was suffering from a bad cold. His body was shaking with the chills that racked his body and like his friend a fever was setting in. He had gotten ill from being out in the pouring rain healing Legolas, but to him it was a small price to pay knowing that his friend might live.

Suddenly the ranger began coughing a racking cough threatening him to almost fall off his horse. But the horse sensing her master was in trouble stopped long enough till the spell was over. When it was over Aragorn clutched a hand to his chest, for the coughing caused him much pain.

The motion of Aragorn's coughing caused Legolas to wake up. Weakly he turned his head to look into the feverish eyes of Aragorn. Concerned for his friend he tried with all his strength to speak to him.

"Estel," he said using Aragorn's elvish name, "you have a fever. Please stop and rest before you get any worse." The ranger's head snapped up when he heard his friend speak.

"Nay my friend, you are wounded and ill and if I don't get you to my father soon, there will be no hope for you."

"But Estel you are ill…." But Legolas words where cut off when Aragorn began coughing violently again. The elf felt the ranger waver in the saddle and for a minute Legolas thought that Aragorn was going to fall off. He closed his eyes waiting for the impact but it never came.

When the spell was over Aragorn felt the whole world spin around him, his head was aching terribly. Legolas was right; he should stop and take care of himself. But he would have felt guilty if Legolas had died and he yet lived. Torn between the choices he had to make and the weariness his body was feeling the ranger began to weep.

Legolas became quickly alarmed.

"Mellon Nin, what is it?"

"Oh Legolas I am torn in two what to do. Every minute that passes by leads you closer to death. It would give me much heartache if you died because I decided to stop and rest because I was ill."

"Aragorn listen to me," said Legolas "do what you have to do. I trust in you to make the right decision. I believe in….." the elf never finished what he was going to say when the terrible cramps returned to his abdomen and the elf cried out in pain.

Aragorn held the elf close to his body, comforting him as the pain racked his body. Softly calling to his horse, Ginger continued to ride on. Legolas moaned as the pains racked his body, wishing that somehow they would end. He had been poisoned before but never like this, a terrible thought entered his head. What if Elrond could never heal him? What if there was no cure for this poison?

The fever rose again in the elf's body which alarmed Aragorn. This was one sick elf, and worse of all it seemed like after all the healing he did was to no avail. Then something happened that he would never forget for the rest of his life.

It all started when Legolas cried out when the sharp pains in his abdomen washed through his body. The pain was so intense that it took the elf great effort to even breathe.

Noticing the panicked look on the elf's face, Aragorn quickly told the horse to stop and dismounted off the horse, quickly laying Legolas gently on the ground.

The elf's face was contorted in pain and agony. He cried out the most heart-rending cries that tore at the ranger's heart. What kind of poison was this that could cause someone so much agony? The elf gave quick panting gasps like a woman with birth pangs, and that was what the pains where like. They started in his abdomen and shot around into his back. He felt like he was being stabbed over and over again with a dozen swords.

Aragorn began to put a comforting hand on the elf shoulder but then gasped in shock when the elf brushed it away.

"No leave me be." Said the elf with great pain in his voice.

"Mellon nin please, I'm trying to help you."

"No stop torturing me, I can't take the pain anymore. Why are you doing this to me?"

"Legolas don't you know who I am? I'm Aragorn, I'm here to help you." But those words fell on death ears as Legolas continued to moan and gasp in agony.

"No you are not Estel. Estel would never harm me or torture me like the heartless beast you are." Those words cut into Aragorn's heart like a knife. Could it be that suddenly Legolas did not know who he was?

"Please, it is truly I Aragorn. I want to help you; I want to ease your pain." To Aragorn's horror he saw his normally kind friend's eyes turn to hate.

"No, you are lying. You always hated me and my kind. You are torturing me because it causes you great joy to see an elf suffer, and for that I hate you." Then heartbreakingly Aragorn realized that it was true, the elf didn't recognize him and thought that he was an orc. He knew that it was the poison that was causing Legolas to act like this but still it broke his heart and he wept.

How he wished that Legolas could take his arms around him and comfort him like he did before all this started, but it was not to be. Oh how alone and helpless he felt. True Legolas was still here, but the Legolas that was lying there was not the elf he knew. This Legolas was cold, cruel, and uncaring, and right now the ranger would give anything in this world to have the old Legolas back.

Legolas continued to cry out, each cry cutting out a piece of Aragorn's heart. How long would the torture continue till Legolas breathed his last? His thoughts were broken by the weak and bitter voice of Legolas.

"What are waiting for? Are you waiting for me to die? Well kill me and do it quickly. But let it be known that you will suffer if my people find my blood on your hands." Those words became the breaking point of Aragorn.

"No!" he cried out in agony. "I don't want you to die! I would never raise a hand against you. My heart beats for you with a brotherly love that will never fade. Do not ask of me something that I could never do." Shaking all over with grief and pain Aragorn collapsed on the ground, shoulders shaking with heart rending sobs.

No it shouldn't be Legolas that had to die, he was immortal. But Aragorn knew he was mortal and if it was today that he should die so be it, even if Legolas wasn't there to comfort him in his last hours. But it wasn't supposed to be this way. He was supposed to grow to be an old man with Legolas by his side.

The elf's words echoed through his aching head. Those words of hate were like poison to his heart and it sickened him, he threw up what little he had in his stomach. He suddenly noticed how quiet it was and discovered that Legolas no longer cried out in agony; in fact he lay very still. Putting an ear to the elf's chest he found that the elf was barely breathing.

Panicking his picked up the limp form of Legolas and slowly with great effort mounted Ginger. The horse snorted at him, like she didn't like the idea that her sick and tired master didn't stop to rest and was determined to ride on. But after great urging from her master the horse continued on to Rivendell.

Aragorn held the ever fading elf in arms, one hand on the elf's heart using all his strength to bring Legolas back among the living. The ranger continued to cry in heart rending sobs, despite what Legolas had said to him he was still determined to get his friend home safe and sound. But every step that the horse took brought Aragorn closer to death's door, and one friend would be left regretting every word he said.

Oooooooh, another evil cliffy. Runs and hides from readers. Please don't kill me; I was in tears when I wrote this chapter so please don't torture me any more. I break down and cry as Sirius Black holds me Please be nice and review and no flames. The next chapter will be called "Bittersweet Homecoming." Until then may Valar's grace shine upon you.

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