Chapter 16- May the Valar Be With You
Disclaimer: This story is being written for enjoyment only. I do not own any of Tolkien's characters.
Author's Note: Thank you all for your kind words regarding chapter 15! I hope you enjoy this next chapter as well! :)
"My lord . . . " Halfdan ventured once more, this time acknowledging that Elladan indeed seemed to finally take note of his harried existence.
"What . . . what is it?" Elladan began. His stunned, grey eyes suddenly picking up upon the anxious appearance of the Ranger now in front of him and the dripping bucket he carried within his grasp.
"Your brethren, my lord . . . " Halfdan stumbled. "They have . . . "
"Yes, yes?" Elladan pressed further his complete attentions now focused upon the present, impatient for the Ranger before him to quit side stepping himself and get to the matter at hand.
"They have taken ill . . . " The Dunadan concluded at last.
"Ill? How so?" Elladan demanded unable to keep alarm from cutting into his voice.
"Their injuries have worsened. Infection and fever have set in. Strider is with them . . . " Halfdan had all but finished stating when the Ranger realized he was talking to thin air, for not a trace that the Elf had ever lingered where he now stood was apparent. Nor was there any evidence of what must have been his speedy departure marking the flora or landscape surrounding him causing the bewildered Human to finally question for a moment if indeed he had come upon any vestige of this being at all. Shaking such fruitless thoughts aside, the Ranger once again resumed his imperative task.
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Suddenly his father's words cut into his reeling thoughts and emotions as if to lend their support.
"... It is sometimes out of desperation that we find true strength . . . "
But Aragorn had no time to reflect upon their significance as his well-trained ears suddenly picked up upon a stirring within the underbrush alerting the Ranger that someone or something was closing in upon his location. Immediate reasoning would have suggested that it was only Halfdan's anticipated return being heralded, but nevertheless, deep bred instinct claimed a tight hold as the Ranger moved his hand toward the hilt of his sword making ready for defense if it proved necessary.
He had only time to brush his palm against the sureness of its steel, when Elladan burst upon the scene. The Elf's anxious eyes immediately searching out the situation, he had now come upon.
"Elladan!" Aragorn gasped his surprise.
"What is happened here?" The Elf inquired, not taking a break to issue similar acknowledgment toward his brother as he continued on in shock, while his probing gaze scrutinized the situation. "Legolas? Elrohir . . . Brother? No!"
Kneeling without delay beside his twin, Elladan quickly gathered one of Elorhir's unbound hands within his own grasp. Turning his palm upward, the sight of his brother's now diseased flesh stole Elladan's breath away. Too stunned to utter anything further, the Elf's alarm only increased tenfold when he noted how frightfully cool to touch Elorhir's flesh felt within his own. But what really tore the elder brother's heart asunder was when he looked into the unresponsive, fever glazed eyes of his younger twin.
"How . . . how is this to be?" He finally questioned turning toward Aragorn when at last the power of speech returned to him.
"Then you did not know? ..." Aragorn began confoundedly. "Elrohir and Legolas were not like this when you went off in search of . . . " The Ranger foundered. For as bewildered as he was by his brother's and Legolas' current condition, what proved even more baffling to the Human was why Elladan would ever have taken off into the Wild without notifying him to such.
Grey eyes shined brightly as they met with Aragorn's own. Elladan continued to hold Elrohir's injured hand gently within his own as he spoke out his response. "For Valar' sake! "No, they were not like this! Yes, they were still suffering from the injuries they sustained, but never would I have left either of their sides had I known things would turn out so grievous!"
Aragorn stared back at his Elven brother, taken back a moment by his terse response before voicing. "But I thought . . . I figured . . . that you had gone out in search of aid . . . " Aragorn completed, no longer able to control his curiosity.
"No!" Elladan immediately cut him off before asking. "Legolas then too? ..."
"Yes, he is suffering the same, though presently his condition is even graver than Elrohir's . . . " Aragorn acknowledged unable to keep away the emotion that cut into his voice.
"What . . . what have you attempted then in remedy?" Elladan prompted urgently.
"I arrived but a short while ago . . . I was still with the others in my contingent burying the dead of this day," Aragorn answered while motioning toward the distant burial mound. "It was Elrohir, who sought me there. Legolas must have taken a turn for the worse. For by the time our brother reached my location, he could hardly keep himself upright . . . " Aragorn's voice broke once more. Struggling, the Ranger continued. "I did not realize that he suffered also, until he made it back to camp with Halfdan's aid . . . If I'd had known either were declining so rapidly, I would not have tarried so long from their sides . . . "
"Nor I!" Elladan replied curtly, swallowing hard against this newfound guilt and regret working to take its hold upon him. Shaking it roughly aside, he continued. "You mentioned your adjutant, Halfdan. It was he, who apprized me of what happened"
"Then you saw him?" Aragorn inquired anxiously.
" Yes, out in the Wild! Not too far back . . . he should be upon us shortly . . . "
Thank the Valar! Though I was able to bathe Legolas' wounds once again, I could not offer the same comfort to Elrohir. For in my ineptitude I spilled the contents of the bucket."
"Do not dally now with unproductive information, Estel," Elladan interrupted him. " But tell me more . . . tell me of their symptoms."
Following his brother's directive, Aragorn went on to explain the progression of this mysterious malady. "The areas of flesh affected by the fire have grown much worse. I didn't think I misjudged the severity of either's burns . . . "Aragorn hesitated
"Nay! For though they were bad, neither appeared life threatening," his older brother confirmed, though his admission did little to curb the guilt rising within the Human over what he could only perceive as his mistake.
Noting his brother's prompt to continue, Aragorn concluded. "As you've seen yourself, the infection has spread. Their blisters have broken open spilling forth their pus, but what has me even more worried is the effect it is having upon the neighboring blood vessels." Then taking up Elrohir's other hand, Aragorn commented. "Do you see this bruising? The pooling of blood beneath the surface? Never have I witnessed such a symptom before even in the most critical of burns among the Men I have treated. Something is not right? None of this makes any sense!"
Elladan's bright eyes met with Aragorn's yet again. Gently, he took possession of Elrohir's other hand from Aragorn's grasp. And just as considerately, he laid them to rest upon his younger twin's still torso, before moving his own to clasp Aragorn's shoulder's firmly before he spoke. "Now is not the time for second guesses, brother. We must act! Use the wisdom given to us to combat whatever is happening here. Think, Estel! For you know these environs better than I do. Do you know of any plant or herb that might aid them?"
"Such considerations have all but flooded my thoughts as I sat here waiting! Waiting for Halfdan to return with the water . . . waiting for . . . " Suddenly the Ranger stopped though his eldest brother's eyes urged him onward in his explanation. Reconsidering, Aragorn only added. "You don't know how powerless I have felt, Elladan. For my hands were tied."
"But you are not powerless, brother!" Elladan retorted. Then moving his hands down to clasp Aragorn's within his own, the Elf continued. "I see no tethers about you, brother! Do not give in, but use the knowledge given to you, Estel! Use the environs surrounding you to your advantage! Put your trust in them!"
Aragorn started at Elladan's last choice of words. For something within their content stirred a deep yet foreign emotion inside of the Ranger.
As Aragorn made to reply, a stifling gasp drew forth his attentions. Focusing on its direction, Aragorn's heart caught in his throat as he witnessed Legolas' previously still body begin to twitch then thrash about.
Immediately the Human rushed to his friend's side followed by Elladan. Elladan grasped his friend's body turning Legolas from his stomach to his side to keep the Elf from harming himself further. Aragorn provided similar relief to Legolas' now extended neck by positioning one hand on either side of the Elf's fair head then turning his head toward the ground lest he should retch and choke.
"His body burns with fever!" Elladan spoke out over their friend's still trembling form. Aragorn only nodded, well apprized of this fact through his contact with the Elf's sweat slick head. No body, whether mortal or elf-kind, could withstand a fever of such proportion for any length of time without harmful effect.
"We need to bring it down. Elrohir's as well lest he start to convulse too." Elladan acknowledged.
"I shall fetch more water." Aragorn started, before Elladan stopped him.
"No, Estel!" Your Man will be here shortly. I shall send Halfdan back to fetch more. And after I attend to Elrohir's hands, the two of us shall begin to bathe both Elrohir and Legolas to reduce their fevers. Perhaps also, I will have the Dunadan brew some more of that dreadful tea of his . . . If we can urge any into these two it might help . . . He reputed its medicinal property before toward treating the malaise. It should work on pyrexia as well." Elladan finished up before offering further direction.
"You must go into the Wild! For reducing their fever is but a stop gap measure. We must treat the infection if they are to survive this. Father has instructed you well, Estel, as did Elrohir." Elladan continued.
'And you too, my brother.' Aragorn added silently.
"Remember the tenets they taught you! You know these lands. Use them to your advantage, brother! For we put our trust in you!"
Nodding his assent, Aragorn moved his hands away from his friend's now still head to reach down and clasp one of the Elf's limp hands briefly within his own two. "I will be back shortly, Legolas. Hold on, mellon-nin." He implored. Then placing the hand gently back upon the Elf's slack torso, the Ranger turned toward his ailing brother, but Elladan stopped him from lingering further.
"He knows of your love for him, Estel, as does, Legolas. But I shall tell him of it any way. Now depart! Make haste, brother! I will watch over them and tend to them in your absence!"
Aragorn eyed his eldest brother hesitantly for a moment while blinking back emotion. Then moving quickly forward, he unexpectedly clasped Elladan to him briefly. The contact heartfelt yet so sudden, that the Elf did not have time to return the embrace as he turned to witness the now quickly departing Human, who had grown from child to a man in the blink of an eye, disappear into the surrounding hinterland.
'Be careful!' He had wanted to utter forth. Instead his words were. "May the Valar be with you, brother. May they be with us all!"
Author's Closing Notes: Well if you've reached this point then thank you for reading chapter 16. I apologize if I've left some of you confused as to what's going on. Hopefully that confusion will be cleared up in further chapters. Well until next time! Sue a.k.a. Quickbeam1