Scars Chapter 27- Unforgivable

Disclaimer: This story is being written for enjoyment only. I do not own any of Tolkien's characters.

Author's Note: Thank you all once again for your continued kind words and interest. Both are most appreciated. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. :)

Turning to his brother, Elladan could only whisper starkly, "You have had a great impact upon all you've come in contact with during your lifetime. We linger near you, brother, never wanting to be far from your side. Do not allow thus to happen, Estel! Fight hard, young one! Fight for all of us! "

But as the night progressed, Aragorn showed little sign of having heard his brother's emotional appeal. The Ranger's stricken body remained incognizant to any outside stimuli, while his only movements consisted of involuntary bouts of shivering due to the heightening fever which burned inside of him.

Yet the same could not be said for Legolas, who lay only a short distance away from his friend. The Elf's body seemed riddled with torment. His once lithe frame was plagued with the return of flailing motions while fevered cries of anguish were torn from his lips. Elladan's attentions became more and more focused upon helping his friend as he tried in vain to comfort and settle the delirious Elf. Yet his efforts at succor did little good as the archer proceeded to fight against him while he tossed and writhed upon the ground, as if he were locked in mortal combat with some dark opponent.

For hours on end, Legolas trudged miserably across the desolate landscape that spread out before him in search of his missing friend. The soft, marshy ground, he traveled over, worked towards impeding his progress. No longer blessed with the benefit of being fleet footed, the Silvan Elf's steps sunk beneath the depths of its swirling turbidity. Murky water slopped over his booted feet, while the stench of surrounding noisome pools rose up to assault his senses. The unpalatable traveling conditions, this wasteland offered up, did little, however, to hinder his determination even as he raised his arm once more to ward off another of the troublesome insects that teamed above its noxious waters.

Taking but a brief respite as he swatted the bothersome disturbance away yet again, Legolas allowed his gaze to sweep over the remaining distance still ahead of him as he searched for any signs of hope. His efforts went unrewarded, for no promise of life flourished within this land. It spoke only of grief and despair. Yet, this did not undermine the Elf's pursuit as he made to push onward. For in his heart he knew that somewhere out there languished his wounded friend, and he would not give up upon his search until he held Aragorn within the comfort of his embrace.

Many hours passed as the leaden skies above him grew only darker with the approach of night fall. The pale moon, which tried to reclaim its rightful position within the firmament, struggled ineffectively to illuminate the gloominess now swallowing up the landscape. And as the impending darkness' hold upon the terrain grew ever more impenetrable, the conditions surrounding the Elf proved more and more deceptive. Each shadowy mound, Legolas now passed by, seemed to call out to him as if signaling the location of his missing friend.

"Estel?" He hearkened back to them as he stopped to run his hands over the smaller elevations, which rose up between never ending sloughs, for some clue to the Human's whereabouts. His ceaseless efforts provided nothing of worth as the flame of hope that lingered within his breast grew dimmer with each new failure. His own ailing body called out to him to give up upon this fruitless search, and seek rest. But the Elf would not be swayed as he verbalized his resolve, "I shall not forsake him to torment and despair! I will not stop until I find him!"

Legolas went on to cover many more treacherous leagues until finally he came to a stumbling halt as some obstacle, which laid in his pathway, rose up to catch him off guard. He was ill-prepared when his legs met up with this resistance, and he found himself tumbling forward toward the ground. He tried to protect himself as his hands shot out to break his fall, but his impact with the damp ground beneath him proved harsh. Stunned, he lay upon the muddy terrain for several seconds trying to catch his breath and regain some composure before reaching forward to seek out the purchase of this unexpected rise, he had tripped over, using it to right himself once more. He was only to be startled further when his hands came in contact with what felt like an arm instead of the firmness of ground he expected. In his growing excitement his hands rushed over torn folds of cloth, which covered the unmoving muscles of this lifeless limb, to find the shoulder it met up with until at last he was rewarded when his hand closed about a fall of long hair.

"Sweet Elbereth!" He muttered in anticipation as he frantically pushed himself into a sitting position so he could gather up the inert form beside him. Then turning the body over towards what little light the moon above provided him, tears sprang within his blue depths while his throat tightened with emotion. For the sparse light from above revealed to him that he had at last attained his long sought after goal, and that it was indeed Aragorn, whom he now held within his shaky embrace.

Elladan had only turned his back but a second to reach for more of the dandelion infusion Aragorn had prepared hours earlier. For he was unsure if it was the effects of the high fever burning within his friend or the poisons rushing through Legolas' system that were causing the Elf to become so combatant. He had thought his friend momentarily settled when he ventured to turn his eyes away from him. The raven-haired Elf felt loathe to wake his younger twin to ask for his assistance, since Elrohir had only just begun to recover from the effects of the Orc's foul poisoning himself and his ongoing recovery required some much needed rest. So Elladan tried to determine for himself whether his friend was in need of the benefits of the infusion or if it was the willow tea which might bring him utmost relief. His decision was cut short when he heard Legolas' stirring restlessly upon the ground behind him.

"Sweet Elbereth, not again!" He exclaimed as his hands quickly let go of both the vessels within his possession, and he turned to calm his friend once more. He was startled to discover that in his increasing delirium, Legolas had pitched himself sideways so that he was almost atop his brother. Swiftly the raven-haired Elf moved towards his friend so Legolas did not unwittingly bring further harm to Aragorn through his frantic motions. But before Elladan could reach him, Legolas' flailing hand clamped tightly about the Ranger's limp arm. Yet instead of wreaking further havoc, as Elladan had expected, the fair-haired archer was suddenly quieted by the contact with the Human as his crushing grip upon Aragorn's forearm softened though he did not completely let go of his friend.

Elladan moved closer to the pair though he did not attempt to break the bond that Legolas had established as he now settled the unconscious Elf more closely by his equally incognizant friend's side. Staring wordlessly at the two for long seconds, Elladan at last spoke out.

"Even in the darkest reaches of sleep, your healing touch is felt, Estel. For you do more for him now than I was able to accomplish over the past few hours. If only such a restorative bond could reach across the chasm separating the two of us and heal these wounds of old." Elladan finished in anguish as he reached out as if to grasp his brother's other hand. But before the contact could be realized, the Elf withdrew from his attempt as unshed tears sparkled within his silvery grey depths, while his tirade from earlier this day played out inside his head.

"Have you not gained anymore sense than you had before leaving Rivendell all those many years ago? Still you go charging ahead like the brash youth you were leaving caution and reason behind you! Does common sense never play into your thinking? I wash my hands of you and your ill thought out ways!"

"No!" Elladan chastised himself as he looked on in envy at the easy closeness between Legolas and his brother. "No!" He repeated again. "I do not deserve your leniency, for my crimes against you, Estel, are unforgivable!"

Author's Closing Notes: Well if you reached this point, then I thank you for reading chapter 27. I hope you enjoyed it.

Yes, I know it was short. I had a much longer segment written, but I didn't like it, so I ditched most of it. Even with rereading all the proceeding chapters of Scars, it wasn't an easy task resuming my writing of this story, though I know in my mind where I want to go with it. It's just getting from point A to point B that proves to be the difficulty along with my temperamental word processing program. :) Perhaps, however, this will prove to be the kick start I need to get back on track.

Well until next time- Sue a.k.a Quickbeam1