Chapter Five: Bittersweet Homecoming.

Summary: See Chapter One

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

Genre: Drama for now.

Rating: T for Teen.

Author's note: Sorry this took so long to update but I was having trouble coming up with some good ideas for this chapter. But here it is. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter Five: Bittersweet Homecoming.

Lord Elrond sat behind his desk, a pile of paperwork stacked before him. There were so many things for him to do. Write out orders, send letters, and sign documents. But at the moment his mind wasn't centered on his work, he was worried and concerned.

Indeed he did have something to worry about, his son Estel and his friend Legolas had just three days ago went on a hunting trip and they should have been home by now. But there had been no sign of their presence gracing the gates of Rivendell so the lord feared that something had befallen them.

Of course Elrond was not the only one that was worried over Estel and Legolas. His twin son's Dan and Ro were also worried about them. Usually the two boys were happy, and also trying to play tricks on each other. But lately they had been too melancholy and worried to do anything, so they just like their father waited by the window and watched for the familiar faces of their brother and Legolas.

Elrond had told his chief healers to prepare some medicines just in case one or both of them needed healing. It never failed that one of them came home injured or ill, or close to death's door. But every time they pulled through and soon the halls of Elrond would be filled with the laughter of a ranger, and tinkling bell like laughter of an elf. But little did Elrond know that this time it would not be the case. That this time instead of his halls filling with laughter and joy, they would be filled with the cries of mourning and grief.

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Aragorn slowly raised his head as he sensed the familiar presence of home that he knew was close by. The ranger was so tired and weak that for a moment he forgot where he was and what he was doing. But suddenly he remembered that he was returning home from a hunting trip that went horribly wrong, for they had gotten ambushed by a band of orcs and now his friend Legolas lay terribly wounded and ill in his arms. He stopped his horse long enough to check his breathing, he was still breathing, but low was his breathing slow and rasping, like he was dying?

To his great horror he discovered it was not Legolas who was breathing like that. For even though the elf was breathing slowly it was because he was in a deep healing sleep, though his face was still deathly pale.

It was then that he knew it was himself that was breathing like that, and the healer in him knew that his cold had gotten much worse. It had turn into full blown pneumonia. But he was almost home, just a few more miles and he and Legolas would be home. And then his father and brothers would take them in their arms and nurse him and Legolas back to health and everything would be all right.

He nudged his horse on, even though every movement of the horse brought great pain to his feverish and aching body. Suddenly without warning Aragorn's body was seized with a violent fit of coughing. His body shuddered with the effort of his violent coughing and the world spun around him.

"Forgive me Mellon nin," where the last words that left the ranger's lips before he collapsed off of his horse……and then everything went black.

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It was at that time that Haldir and his brothers were traveling the same road as Aragorn was, for they too were going to Rivendell, but for a different purpose, for they had some important political matters to discuss with the lord of Rivendell. Suddenly the frantic whinnies of a scared horse reached their ears. Fearing that someone was under an attack, they raced their horses toward the sound, which was further down the road.

Suddenly before his brothers could say a word, Haldir gave a heart-rending cry and quickly dismounted off of his horse. They saw him run toward two bodies that were lying in the middle of the road. Haldir instantly recognized the one as the crown prince of Mirkwood, Legolas. The elf's wounds were bleeding profusely again because the impact of hitting the ground caused them to open up. The sight of the horrific wounds made Haldir's blood turn cold. He put a comforting hand on the elf's forehead and his eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Haldir?" he whispered.

"Yes my young prince, it is I and my brothers. Pray, tell me what happened?"

"I and Estel were on a hunting trip when suddenly we were ambushed by orcs. I got stabbed in the arm and slashed in the side with a poisoned blade. Estel tried to heal me even though he was desperately ill himself….." his eyes grew wide with the sudden realization that Estel was not nearby.

"Estel, where is he?" it was then that Haldir heard the raspy breathing of the person lying not to far from Legolas, his heart sank when he realized that it was Estel.

Oh Valar not him also, he thought. But then he realized that Estel was only terribly ill and not wounded like Legolas was. He put a comforting hand on the young ranger's forehead but he got no response. Panicking he called his two brother over.

"Brother, bring the horses quickly! We must get these two to Rivendell as fast as possible. Legolas is seriously wounded and Estel is close to death." With the help of his brothers Haldir mounted his horse with the dying Estel in his arms, and one of his brothers carried Legolas, and with all speed they raced to the gates of Rivendell.

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"My sons, please eat something before you become sick too." Elrond gently chastised his sons. They were sitting outside at the dinner table having lunch but lately they had been so worried about Legolas and Estel that hadn't felt like eating much of anything. Dan was picking at his food while Ro kept looking to the gates of the city hoping to see the faces of Legolas and Estel. Dan broke the silence that suddenly enveloped the scene.

"Ada if they don't come back today please let us go out and search for them, I just can't sit by and wait not knowing that something could be terribly wrong with them."

"All right my sons, if they don't come back….." but he never got finished because the frantic cries of the guards at the gate reached their ears.

"Lord Elrond, come quickly, a black cloud has come today." With their hearts in their throats, Elrond and his sons raced to the gates, dreading what they would discover but knowing deep down what happened.

Elrond had to restrain Ro from rushing to Haldir's side when his son saw the limp form of Aragorn in the elf warrior's arms.

"Hold fast inon-nin." He said comfortingly to his son even though like him he was shaking with fear. Haldir bowed his head respectfully to Lord Elrond and his sons, they returned the greeting.

"Lord Elrond, I found your son and the prince Legolas lying on the road not to far from home." Elrond held his breath, waiting to hear what happened.

"Before the prince fell back asleep he told me that when they were on a hunting trip they were ambushed by orcs. The prince got terribly wounded and one of the wounds is poisoned, but luckily your son must have gotten most of the poison out or the prince would have been dead by now."

"And what of my son," the elf lord asked Haldir with concern, "was he wounded also." Haldir struggled with keeping from crying as he told Elrond about the condition of his adopted son.

"Nay he is not wounded, but seriously ill, in fact…." He paused as tried to regain his composure, "he is dying my lord." Upon those words Elrond rushed over and took Estel from Haldir's arms, while Dan took Legolas. They ran to the healing wards knowing that every precious minute they lost meant that they would loose a chance of saving Aragorn. And so the elf lord worked well into the night, praying that some way, some how the young ranger would pull through.

Well that's it, two more chapters and then it will be over. Sob! The next two chapters will be called "He's Was Too Young" and "An Immortal's Heart". If you really demand for those chapters I'll post them quicker than you can say "Holiday Whoobie Whatie?" By the way I have a question for my reviewers, "Out of all the characters from LOTR and my fan fics, who do you think is cuter? Aragorn, Boromir, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Faramir, or Amrod?" Just curious to know.

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