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Chapter Six: Kill that ORC!
Time speed up again and Aragorn crashed into the orc, sending both into an undignified heap on the other side of Legolas. Growling with anger, Aragorn punched the orc straight in the face, ignoring the pain in his knuckles.
Though the orc looked small, he was strong and reared up against the human, smashing him with his weight. Both fell backwards, landing atop of the injured elf. Aragorn yelled with fury and fear, Legolas made no noise ―no sound― even though Aragorn was positive that it must have hurt.
Pushing the orc back, he rolled off of Legolas and quickly drew his sword. The orc was ready though and was already charging forward with his knife raised high. Knife and sword met, clanging loudly and echoing off the nearby trees.
Twirling his sword away, Aragorn swung again, his face contorted in a mask of furry. Once again the orc side stepped, launching an attack of his own. The two battled each other for a few minutes, fighting across the whole clearing. Aragon was a better fighter and they both knew it. It would only be a matter of time till the orc was dead.
Eventually the two found themselves in a battle of strength, Aragorn's sword and the orc's knife raised high above their heads, metal screeching on metal. Then the human found the upper hand and quickly whipping his sword around, plunging it deep into the orcs chest.
With its dying breath, the orc glared up with undisguised hatred at the human,
"He will die." the orc gurgled as a bubble of blood popped around his lips, and then he went slack. Lighting flashed above them and, if it was possible, it began to rain even harder.
Aragorn was panting heavily, but still wrenched his sword out of the now dead orc and ran to Legolas side. Whipping blood away from his nose, the man brought himself to the ground with bruising force, spraying mud everywhere.
"Legolas…" he chocked out, his heart in his throat. The orc's last words had scarred him beyond belief. Reaching out a hand, he shook Legolas still form, noticing as he did so that at least the orc had been unable to hurt his friend to badly. There was a deep starch across his back but nothing more. The human had got there in time.
"Legolas!" he shouted this time, hoping the elf would, in any little way, respond. Suppressing a sob Aragorn turned the still form over, gently laying him down on his back. The human sat there too stunned and scared to reach a hand forward and find the truth out, did Legolas live.
His heart told him that of course the elf prince did, but his mind told him, that Legolas did not. All evidence pointed towards the later, Mirkwood's heir was an ashen color under all the mud and his chest was still. Ever so gently, Aragorn spread his fingers across Legolas face, waiting for the soft puff of breath to escape his friend's lips. His heart pounding in fear, he waited but just for a second. Legolas warm breath touched his skin and he felt lightheaded with relief. With a soft sob, Aragorn buried his face in his friend's tunic not caring that it muddied his face. Taking a deep breath, his heart leaped straight to a different fear. He now could guess the reason the prince had wandered off, Legolas was burning with fever, his skin much hotter than before.
"What's caused this, mellon-nin? Why has your fever spiked?" Aragorn wondered aloud as he struggled with the elf's wet tunic, trying to get a good look at Legolas's wound. Aragorn groaned at finding the beginnings of an infection, but the human would have to wait to treat it till he had more supplies. If Legolas was to survive, he must get him to his horse and the medical supplies that it carried.
First, though, he took his tunic and wiped at the mud which coated his friend face. Legolas would be very mad at him if the human allowed him to enter Imladris looking anything like 'a certain filthy ranger' as the elf described it. Cleaning as most of it off as he could, Aragorn set back for a moment, thinking.
The next step was to find a way to carry Legolas quickly, but without putting any pressure on his wound. Finally deciding that bridle style would have to do, Aragorn gently hoisted Legolas into his arms, grunting slightly.
"Mellon-nin, just hold on, don't let this infection over come you." he begged the still form, hugging him close to his own body. His heart dropped to his stomach though, the heat that afflicted the elf was all too real when he felt in burning though his clothes. Shifting Legolas, Aragorn made sure the archer's head was settled firmly against this chest. There was no way that he would allow the elven prince's head to hang limply; it was too much like he was dead.
CRIMSONSTAINS
Aragorn staggered into the meadow where he had left his horse. He had been traveling for about five hours straight without a single break. His arms shook with the effort of taking the full of Legolas weight, but he refused to even consider stopping for a rest till he had cared for his elven companion. Legolas had deterred further and needed help now.
Whistling shrilly, Aragorn tenderly let Legolas sink to the ground. Stretching his abused muscles, the human once again whistled. Looking around expectantly for his horse, he muttered,
"Come on…I need you and the supplies you carry." bending even lower over Legolas, Aragorn picked the sodden lock of blonde hair off of the elf's face. In had rained on them all night and did not show signs of stopping even now. Resting, the back of his hand on Legolas brow, Aragorn made a face.
"Your fever has yet to lower, mellon-nin. What are you trying to do…turn my hair gray with worry?" he joked, stroking Legolas face helplessly. Looking about for his horse, Aragorn rolled his eyes before starting to give off another whistle.
It was cut short, however, when the pounding of hoofs reached his ears. Jumping to his feet, Aragorn ran to meet his horse. Throwing his arms around the browns horses neck, he hugged him, so happy was the human to be finally getting Legolas the help he needed.
Snorting in distress, the horse backed away giving his master a stranger look. He had never been greeted with quite this much enthusiasm before.
"Oh, how you were missed the past few days!" Aragorn cried happily, leading the horse by the reigns over to where Legolas lay. Grabbing his extra herb bag and supplies Aragorn dropped back to his knees on the wet ground. Not that it matter that much, he was already soaked form head to toe.
The first step in caring for Legolas was to drain the infection for the wound, a hated job but one that needed to be done. Carefully lifted the princes upper body off the ground, Aragorn one-handily removed both the outer tunic and the undershirt. This left the Legolas bare from his waist up, except for the blood soaked bandages.
Letting out a soft grunt of distress, Aragorn cut away the cloth. Swearing angrily a minute later, when the wound gushed a steady stream of blood. He had known that Legolas had been bleeding worse than before as they had traveled, but now that he had removed all restraints it bleed freely.
Putting the pressure hurriedly back on, Aragorn waited impenitently for the blood to stop seeping through his fingers. However, the bleeding did not slow. Aragorn's heart thumped against his ribcage in fear, as he looked at Legolas sheet white face. The elf could not afford to be losing this large amount of blood. Applying more pressure, Aragorn waited in distress for the bleeding to stop.
If the bleeding did not stop, then the healer would be forced to stitch the wound, under any normal circumstances this would be a good thing. However, with an infection setting in it would be easier in the long run not to stitch it. Biting his lip with worry, he realized he had to make a decision about what to do, and quickly.
A few minutes later, Aragorn's decision was made for him. Legolas, who had been breathing for the most part steadily, began to gasp for air. His chest heaved with the effort of drawing it in, as if the simple action had just gotten a lot harder and the archer's pulse began to race even faster, trying to keep the blood circulating.
"No ― Legolas!" Aragorn cried in alarm, reaching forward he placed a soothing hand on the elf's chest. To his horror however the skin which had previously been burning now was getting colder by the second. "No,…" the shocked human whispered, realizing that Legolas would die unless he was able to control the bleeding.
Not wasting any more time, Aragorn quickly threaded a needle and began to stitch up the wound. It was a long a dirty process, leaving his hands covered in blood, and even now that he was finished, it still oozed blood slightly. But when he looked over at Legolas, Aragorn new that he had done the right thing.
Legolas face was not longer quite as pale, and his breathing was easier. The elf wasn't doing well regardless and they would be leavening immediately for Imladris. Whipping his hands carelessly against his own shirt, Aragorn made sure they were clean before mixing up a herbal drink for Legolas. After feeding this to his unconscious companion, the human packed up the little supplies he had used and before he knew it he was calling his horse forward.
"Dád!" Aragorn commanded, while scooping the limp elf into his arms. His horse complied, going down to his knees. Carefully positioning Legolas on his horses back, Aragorn slide into place behind him always being mindful of Legolas wound. /down/
"ám," Aragorn again ordered his horse. Clucking his tongue, the man urged his horse to start walking. Transferring the reigns of his horse to his left hand, Aragorn gently caught Legolas by the forehead and brought the elf back to rest against his shoulder before wrapping his arms tighter across Legolas bare chest./up/
"Just survive long enough for us to get to home, then let ada save you." the human urged, and now that Legolas was as comfortable as was possible, Aragorn knocked the sides of his horse, sending them into a gallop.
CRIMSONSTAINS
Legolas was dimly aware of what was going on around him, but his fever-confused mind could not process it all. In reality all that he really knew was that his side hurt. Not just a minor hurt, it hurt.
As more his mind drifted towards awakening he became aware of another feeling, cold. He was absolutely freezing, and the cold rain that was falling was not helping any. The only source of heat he felt was the body he was currently pressed against.
The heir of Mirkwood frowned, Where am I at? he wondered. Prying his eyes opened, Legolas was baffled for a moment, as to why there were closed in the first place. Gazing blearily down, Legolas discovered that he was on a horse. Shifting his head slightly to the left, he was given a fine sight of Aragorn's unruly hair.
Nice… Legolas thought. He shivered violently when a small bust of wind blew over him and automatically drew closer to his only source of heat…namely the human behind him. Lifting his head off the man's shoulder, where it had been resting, Legolas brought his hand up and covered his tender side.
"Legolas, you're awake!" Aragorn said, surprise clear in his voice. Quickly the man pulled on the reigns, forcing the panting horse to a stop. He had not realized that his injured friend was awake, the ranger had been concerting so hard on other things that Legolas's restless movements had a gone unnoticed. The rain and thundered had been so loud that it had drowned out Legolas weak moans of pain.
When Aragorn stopped the horse, all Legolas realized was that the pain dismissed and he breathed a sigh of relief. Though it was still painfully, it was manageable.
"Answer me!" the human behind him said in a warning tone, as he spoke Aragorn gently brought Legolas back to rest against his shoulder again.
"Where are we…" Legolas asked, his voice colorful with confusion.
"On the way back to my home," Aragorn answered, leaving his free hand against the prince's brow, feeling for a change of temperature.
"ah…" Legolas whispered so quietly that Aragorn almost did not catch it. Now that he did not have the full agony of his wound to concentrate on, Legolas realized just how cold he really was and began to shake harder than before.
Aragorn, feeling the elf's body began to tremble, sighed. Legolas was hot, not cold, no matter was the prince's mind told him. But, the human had it not in his heart to let Legolas sit there 'freezing' so he carefully pulled him closer to his own body, hoping that the body heat he was giving off would be enough.
They were silent for a few moments, Legolas in too much pain to talk. The rain was still drizzled down on them, but not with the furry of before. Finally, Aragorn gently prodded the horse forward into a slow walk. Legolas immediately gasped his body tensing. His tired mind had not been prepared for the amount of pain riding the horse could cause, even if it was just a walk. The prince dreaded to think of the pain of riding at full speed.
"Estel…" Legolas ground out, a note of panic in his voice.
"Yes, Legolas?" Aragorn asked, gently stroking the elf's golden hair hoping to pass his calmness over to the prince.
"…it…hurts!" Legolas gasped out, his breathing rate increasing dramatically dew to pain. Aragorn winced at that, but stopped the horse again.
"Let me fix you up a pain killer," Aragorn insisted, "and a sedative." he added as an afterthought.
"No." Legolas said bluntly, his breathing calming slightly as his body went limp against Aragorn's.
"No!, Legolas you are in huge amounts of pain…let me ease it for you. Did you not just say yourself that it hurt." The human augured.
"am…fine…now." Legolas whispered. And it was the truth, a very smaller sliver of it. The flare up had died down now.
"fine,'" Aragorn snorted. He might not be able to see his friends face from this position but he could hear the pain in Legolas weak voice. The elf was most defiantly not fine. Transferring his grip on the reigns to his hand which was holding Legolas in place, he dug in his breast pocket for the leaves which he had set aside especially for his purpose.
"Are you going to take them…or am I stuffing them down your throat." the healer said bluntly. In response Legolas held out his hand for them. Smiling his victory, the human placed them in Legolas palm. Folding Legolas fingers back over the leaves, Aragorn was assured that he would not drop them.
It took Legolas a minute or two of sluggish chewing just to eat the small plants. Aragorn was ready and waiting with a water skin when he finished. Tilting it against Legolas lips, the elf was forced to take several long gulps of water before Aragorn replaced it in the saddle bags.
Resting his full weight back against Aragorn's warm body, Legolas found himself exhausted from just eating the few leaves and drinking. Aragorn shifted his grip on the elf, he had been hoping to get Legolas to eat something but…Legolas looked so tired. He decided that he would let the matter slide for the moment.
"sleep." He ordered, not caring that his herbs would force the elf to. Legolas let out a soft sigh, allowing his eyes to drift shut.
Aragorn once again prodded his horse to start moving…this time Legolas made no objection. Smiling slightly, Aragorn kicked the horse into a full blown gallop again. His heart was lighter then when he had started out. Legolas was now improving, hopefully; the prince had at least woken up.
TBC…
Well, at least this time I didn't leave with a cliffie! Now they have a horse and are making their way to Rivendell, Review and they will get their faster! I love reading every single one of them!
Review Responses:
ElrondofImladris: Thanks so much! Yea, I let the cat out of the bad a little too soon…ah well ;)
fe-chan13: I know, I am so evil! You should be glad I updated when I did, I almost waited! (That would have made me really evil!)
BrindyB: *smiles innocently* Why did I leave it like that…I don't know it looked like a good breaking point! (laughs evilly in the background!) Thanks for reviewing!
robinsmum: Yes, that was a very evil ending wasn't it! It's a deal! I didn't kill him, so now you can help Aragorn clean him up! Legolas really should start listing to us humans, we always have such good ideas =)
Kindered Spirit: *goes over and comforters you* It's ok, I didn't kill him, at least not yet! Hannon le!
Firecracker27: Yes, Legolas totally had a Monday! No I will never ease up on my elf, not as long as I live! ;) Yea, I am sure Legolas had a Monday everyday of the week with writers like us!
imaginariamente: I was wondering where you were for the last chapter! Know I get it! I like where this is going very much so…partly because I know what is going to happen!