Enjoy!
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Chapter 8: Not Over Yet
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The Orc scoffed at the elf, but Elrond had now made up his mind: he was determined to save his son, and there was only one way to do it.
.
Too quick for the Orc´s eyes to follow, and to the creature´s utter dismay and surprise, Elrond lowered his bow ever so slightly, aimed at the dagger and released the arrow.
The weapon was jerked out the Orc´s hand, and only seconds later, a second and third arrow struck the foul being´s chest, catapulting it away from its prisoner indeed. With a faint grunt, it sank to the ground.
.
For a moment, nobody moved.
.
The remaining Orcs however seemed to realize that the fight was not over yet, and as if coming out of a trance, started to move simultaneously now, attacking their attackers.
But it was only a short struggle, as the elves seemed to have gained new determination after having seen their lord act so boldly.
Soon, the whole group had been taken down.
.
Elrond hurried to get to Legolas first; together with Tiriel, he cautiously cut the ropes and eased him down on the grass.
He had come to and looked at Elrond with glassy eyes, struggling to say something: "Good...shot..." he whispered with a raspy voice. While the elf-lord smiled and motioned for the others to get him a waterskin, Legolas´ eyes suddenly widened: "Aragorn..."
Elrond tried to calm him: "I will see to him. Do not worry, my dear..."
Legolas started to say something but was distracted by his horse, who had come over and now nuzzled him gently.
"Alba", he breathed, barely audible. "I knew... you would find..."
Exhaustion kept him from finishing the sentence, and he closed his eyes. Elrond watched him and subdued a worried sigh as he beheld Legolas´ weary and pained face, not wanting him to hear it.
When a third elf knelt down next to them, he left the prince in his and Tiriel´s care and went over to his son.
.
Aragorn looked as awful as his friend; he was pallid, and pain was evident in his features as well. Elrond noticed his clammy skin and the heat of fever that radiated from him and silently cursed the Orcs.
They would have to make for Rivendell with haste; fortunately, none of the elves or horses had been wounded gravely in the battle.
Elrond bandaged Legolas´ leg to prevent it from bleeding any further, then he provided Aragorn´s arm with makeshift splints for the ride home.
When he had done so, they set off.
.
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The Last Homely House was silent, the steady rush of the waterfalls in the valley being the only sound.
.
Elrond was sitting with his foster son, who was still unconscious.
The elf-lord had been shocked to see the cruelty of Aragorn´s injuries, especially considering his arm. It would take long to recover, and Elrond hoped that it would mend well enough so as to be used properly again.
He looked down on the pale face: dark shadows lay underneath Aragorn´s eyes, and he looked outright exhausted. Elrond wondered why this had had to happen, which ill-cursed fate had brought this upon them.
.
Aragorn suddenly drew a shuddering breath and moved his head slightly, but did not wake.
Elrond squeezed his uninjured hand to calm him; the man was obviously caught in fever-induced dreams, and from time to time he started to move restlessly, as if trying to get away from something.
After he had tended his many injuries, Elrond had grasped the man´s hand and had sat for a long time just thanking the Valar that they had come in time, that his son and his friend had survived.
He knew though that the worst might not yet be over; neither Legolas nor Aragorn had regained consciousness once since they had arrived at Rivendell the previous day.
Slowly, Elrond reached out and stroked Aragorn´s cheek.
The Ranger was lying flat on his back, only a thin pillow supported his head.
He seemed to have received several hard blows to his temple, and the elf-lord was quite worried about that.
Aragorn would be fortunate if it turned out to be only a severe concussion, but before he did not wake, Elrond would not be able to tell.
With a heavy heart the elf renewed the cold cloth on Aragorn´s forehead; he had done all he could, now he would have to wait.
.
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It had started to turn dark outside when Erestor entered.
As he approached the bed, his face turned grave. "How fares Estel?", did he ask quietly.
"He is still unconscious", Elrond replied. "I fear that the head injuries are more serious than it looks."
Erestor´s eyes were so full of sympathy and sorrow that Elrond unexpectedly found himself keeping on talking, relieved to be able to share what ailed him: "He is so thin, Erestor", he said.
"He is thinner than I have ever witnessed in a human, leaving his body weakened and dehydrated, and the fever devours whatever strength he has left."
When he had applied a salve on Aragorn´s badly bruised stomach and belly earlier, he had been terribly appalled by the man´s skinniness.
Erestor laid a comforting hand on Elrond´s shoulder: "He has always been stronger than he looked, though", he said. "I have no doubt that he will be fine."
Elrond nodded, grateful for Erestor´s well-meant words.
.
"I have been asked to tell you that Prince Legolas has woken up", Erestor continued. "And your apprentice would like you to have a look yourself."
Elrond would have gone anyway; he was relieved to hear that Legolas had woken, and wished to talk to him, but was reluctant to leave his son alone.
"I will stay with Estel", Erestor offered, which his lord accepted gladly.
.
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When he entered Legolas´ room, Elrond feared that the younger elf might have drifted off to sleep yet again, but upon hearing the elf-lord´s footsteps, the prince´s eyes fluttered open.
Elrond´s apprentice Findiel bowed respectfully: "My lord", he said, "The prince has woken up, but he seems strangely dazed, and I fear I do not know what to think of it."
"It is alright, Findiel", Elrond said and sat down on the bed.
.
He gently took Legolas´ hand with his left and laid his right one on Legolas´ cheek to guide his gaze so they would look at each other.
Legolas´eyes indeed were glazed over, and Elrond was not sure if he had been recognized.
"Legolas", he said calmly. "Can you hear me?"
"Hear you...", Legolas echoed in confirmation. His voice was very feeble.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Think so..."
"Can you tell me who I am then?"
"Elrond..."
.
Elrond breathed deeply, feeling relief wash over him.
"Yes, it is I", he said affectionately and squeezed the younger elf´s hand. " How do you feel, Legolas?"
"Woozy."
Elrond raised on eyebrow in involuntary amusement, "woozy" certainly not belonging to his usual vocabulary.
"Are you in pain?"
"No..."
"Alright, then", Elrond said, as Legolas´s lids were drooping already, "rest now, my dear..."
.
He longed to ask the prince what exactly had happened, but due to his weakened condition, it was out of question for the time being, and Elrond would have to comply, wether he liked it or not.
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Findiel had watched anxiously, as he was afraid that he might have overlooked something.
Elrond tried to reassure him now: "He suffers from the blood loss", he said, "that and the whole ordeal he has been through. I reckon they let him starve and dehydrate as well, though the effect seems stronger on him than on Estel, which strikes me as strange, considering that Estel is human...
Anyway, make sure he drinks water and broth in regular intervals, and please do come and get me if he wakes up again."
.
Findiel nodded, somewhat relieved that he had done nothing wrong.
Elrond cast one last look on Legolas and turned to go.
Apparently, he had been right: the worst seemed not to be over yet.
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TBC
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Firefly-Maj (wildly): Okay, here´s the next chapter, now where are my reviews? #pouts#
Aragorn: Oh, come on, don´t be like that!
Firefly-Maj: They started it!
Aragorn (reasonably): Actually, they didn´t...
Firefly-Maj: You´re just worried that I´ll stop writing and leave you lying there forever...
Aragorn (smugly): No, I´m not, because I know you´ve nearly finished the next chapter already...
Firefly-Maj: Phhh... mumbles something about rewriting
Aragorn (whispers): Tell you what- you can take it out on Legolas if you stop pouting now.
Firefly-Maj (brightens up): Excellent!
Legolas: I heard that...
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The next chapter will probably be up as soon as this one, because as some of you know by now, I hate having to wait myself... hope you enjoyed this one! Maj ;)