A/N: Sorry for the late update. (I know it's not late compared to the updates some other authors do, but it's late for me.) The new school I'm going to has this "orientation" thing two weeks before school starts, where everyone gets to know each other through activities and stuff. It lasted for three days, and I was always not in the mood to update whenever I came home. But it's over now, so yay! And plus, I have two weeks to chill and update like, every day! squee!

Thank you for your lovely reviews; they made me happy! I wonder how far that petition has gone or if it's done. I would really love to start talking to you soon; I feel so distant from all of you, which makes me sad. -pout- I don't like being distant from my readers. I had really started to meet very wonderful people. Aww...but, the good news is: I gots more chocolate! And I give every kind reviewer an equal share for being so nice to me! Thank you so much!

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Disclaimer: It's not mine! We swears! -looks around and sees lawyers gone- Uhm, well...I guess...they are. -cringes, expects lawyers to come in and bombarde her with contracts and law suits- -carefully opens eye- Yes...they're mine. They're mine! Mine!

Lawyers: -rush into room- Take that back.

Me: I take it back, they're not mine. Phooey. I can still have fun with them, though. Hee...

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ch. 10

The twins and Arwen left the room to go to bed, but Estel would not be moved. He insisted on keeping a vigil over the sick prince with his father. Elrond tried arguing with the boy, but Estel had a stubborn and loyal heart and did not give in, forcing the elven lord to accept the fact that Estel would indeed be staying by Legolas' side throughout the night.

Elrond settled himself into the armchair Arwen had been occupying while Estel knelt by the side of the bed, holding once again onto Legolas' hand. His eyes never left the still face for even a moment. Legolas slept soundly, occasionally waking himself by coughing, but other than that he was fine and his state was stable.

The night dragged slowly by. Estel's eyelids soon drooped involuntarily, and he sat down with his back to the bed, his head resting back against the mattress. He was fast asleep within minutes, his hand sliding freely from Legolas'. Elrond smiled at the sight and settled back into the chair. He was a bit tired, of course, but he needed to monitor the prince's condition for any changes, good or bad.

He stayed in the chair for hours, seeing if any changes would occur. None did, and the elven lord became slightly weary. Elves had longer endurance than humans, they could go without sleep for a long time, but it had been a trying night and all Elrond wanted to do was sleep.

Elrond's head snapped up as he was awakened by the sound of a wheezing cough. He had not realized he had fallen asleep. He looked over at Legolas, who was restlessly turning over after coughing and pulling the blanket up to his shoulder with a shiver. He slowly relaxed and fell asleep once again. His breath was rasping in his throat. Elrond stood from his chair and listened intently to the prince's breathing, his brow furrowed. The ill elf's cough was only getting worse and lasting longer than it had before. It was strange.

Elrond left the room to retrieve another medicinal tea for Legolas' cough. He entered his darkened office, searching for the right herbs he would need. He started a fire in the fireplace and hung a kettle over the flame, waiting for the water inside to warm. He opened a cabinet and collected the correct herbs he would need for the tea. He measured out the right amounts of each leaf and root and collected them in a pile, waiting patiently for the water to heat to the right temperature to add the herbs. While he waited he leafed through a book to see if there were other concoctions he could make to ease the prince's pain.

Elrond suddenly jumped and the hair rose on the back of his neck when he heard an anguished cry come from Legolas' bedroom.

"ADA!"

Elrond rushed quickly down the hall and burst into the room. Estel sat on the bed behind Legolas, who was sitting up. He was leaned over and his head hung between his shoulders. He was coughing harshly, his breath rasping and broken as he tried to inhale. He could breathe out, but nothing came back in, and he felt his lungs compress with each attempt to attain oxygen. His head spun from his lack of air and his heart's beat was becoming steadily slower.

"Ada, he can't breathe," Estel said worriedly, his silver eyes large and frightened. "Help him!"

Elrond rushed forward and the boy moved out of the way to allow his father to work. The elven lord pulled Legolas back until the prince's back rested against his chest, his head on Elrond's shoulder. Legolas' struggles to breathe were becoming more and more feeble as he lost the battle. The elder elf spoke soothingly in Elvish as he rubbed the spot on Legolas' chest just over his heart, willing for the young one's lungs to work properly. He forced the prince's lungs to open and for a few moments did the breathing for the younger elf, letting his magic remind the lungs how to do what they had temporarily forgotten. Legolas slowly quieted down, the rasping becoming a soft wheeze as he was able to obtain air once more. He fell limply against Elrond's chest, extremely weary and his heart beating rapidly from the fright he had just gone through. Being suffocated by your own body was a scary thing.

Elrond let Legolas rest a moment, his own heart pumping quickly. That had been close. If he had stayed away any longer…

The elven lord turned to see the twins and Arwen burst into the room, their eyes wide. They glanced over the scene before them and strode forward.

"Ada, what happened?"

"He couldn't breathe," Estel answered for his foster father. "He was coughing and then he couldn't breathe in again. I thought…" Tears tacked slowly down his cheeks. In truth, he thought his friend had been about to die. He had never been so scared in his short life.

"Arwen, please sit with Legolas," Elrond ordered. "I must get the tea he needs to help his lungs. If this happens again, call me." The female elf nodded and took her father's place, allowing the prince to rest against her while Elrond left the room. Legolas seemed unconscious again; he did not respond to Arwen's Elvish.

"Estel, are you alright?" Elladan asked, kneeling down next to the bed. Estel was shaking uncontrollably and his eyes were still wide and fixed on the elven prince.

The boy only nodded, tears running down his cheeks. He let Elladan and Elrohir pull him into their embrace and allowed them to comfort him.

Elrond was back soon with a mug of tea in his hand. He made his way swiftly to the bed and sat down in front of Legolas, reaching out. The young elf's fever had lowered a few notches since he had given him the medicine. Elrond deftly shook the prince, enough to wake him but mild enough to not twinge his injuries.

"Wake, Legolas, awaken," he called in Elvish, willing the young elf to stir. Legolas moaned softly and opened his eyes. He raised his head and stared blankly at the elf lord holding the mug of tea out to him.

"You must drink this, Legolas," Elrond continued to use Elvish in order to be understood by the disoriented prince. Switching back to the common language, he commanded: "Arwen, help him drink the tea." His daughter did as she was asked and took the mug from Elrond's hand, shifting Legolas until she sat beside him and was supporting his weight on her arm. She held the cup to his lips. Reacting reflexively, he swallowed the liquid that entered his mouth until the tea was gone. Elrond and Arwen gently laid him down again and covered him with a blanket. He was already asleep before his head even touched the pillow. Elrond realized that his hands were trembling lightly. He forced himself to stop. He sat down on the bed and sighed wearily.

"Ada, what happened?" Elrohir asked. "Why couldn't he breathe?"

"Legolas' health is delicate right now," Elrond explained. "He is fighting the illness and shock from the wounds. I am not fully sure what just occurred, but the medicine should help him. Arwen, please stay with him tonight. If I am to help him more tomorrow I need rest. If anything happens, call me."

The maiden nodded and sat down next to Legolas' still form. The twins left the room now that the excitement had passed.

"Estel, you need sleep too," Elrond whispered, holding out his hand for the boy to take. "Come with me. Legolas will be fine with your sister and you can see him more tomorrow." Estel reluctantly rose and took his father's hand, his gaze never leaving the elven prince. Arwen nodded and waved him away.

"Go now," she murmured. "I will watch him." Estel slipped from the room with Elrond and went to his room. Arwen sighed and glanced at Legolas before standing and settling into the armchair to wait for night to pass.

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Elrond passed by Legolas' room the next morning. Estel was not in his own room and the elven lord figured where the boy could be. His assumption was correct. Legolas was still asleep, his breathing even and deep. His eyes were still closed, but that would only be expected. Arwen was dozing in the large armchair, her head slightly tilted to the side. Estel was on the floor, resting on his stomach with a quill in his hand. He was doodling on a spare scrap of parchment and singing a nonsensical tune. Despite the carefree appearance, his guard was not down, and he glanced at Legolas every ten seconds to check his condition.

As Elrond watched, Estel raised himself to his knees and picked up the piece of paper he had been drawing on, waddling over to the bed on his knees. He looked at Legolas' still face for a moment, then glanced at his picture. The prince had told the boy of his centií back at his home, and Estel knew from the way the elf had spoken that he loved the creatures. His drawing depicted two centií with their trunks entwined and an elf standing near. Next to the elf was a small boy, reaching tentatively out to the great animals in front of him. Estel folded the paper into quarters and placed it gently in Legolas' fingers, closing them around the parchment.

"Please get better, Legolas," Estel whispered to his elven friend. "I want to see your centií someday, and I want to go horseback riding with you and Khílya. You need to get better. Please."

Elrond backed away from the door and continued his way to his office, his heart wrenching within him.

Estel lay back down on the floor, taking up the quill again. He remembered when Legolas had taught him how to draw a centií. He began drawing another one of the great creatures, taking special care.

"When you get better, Legolas," Estel mused, "I want you to teach me how to draw a horse." Arwen stirred at the slight sound of the child's voice, her open eyes coming into focus and fixing on the two of them. She sat up straighter in the chair.

"Oh, I fell asleep," she muttered. "I was not supposed to do that, was I?"

"Nay," Estel said in a singsong voice, still focused on his drawing. "You weren't." His sister glared at him and then her gaze turned to Legolas, who was still sleeping.

"How is he?" she asked, her voice low so as not to wake him.

"He has not died, if that is what you want to know," Estel replied, not meaning to be cheeky, just acting the age he was. "He's breathing fine. I think he's only sleeping."

"Not…anymore," a voice rasped quietly. Estel and Arwen both leaped up and moved in close. Legolas blinked in surprise at the blurry shapes above him and shied away slightly, moaning when it twinged his injuries and worsened his headache. A gentle hand found his shoulder.

"Don't try to move too much, Legolas," Arwen whispered. "You could hurt yourself." Legolas forced the world to come into focus and saw Arwen and Estel leaning over him. He turned his head to find his surroundings.

"What time is it?" he asked. He put a hand to his head and rubbed his eye with his palm.

"Just after dawn," Arwen replied.

"How do you feel?" Estel asked abruptly. Legolas gave a mirthless chuckle.

"Like dragon spit," he replied, draping an arm over his face to block out the sunshine streaming through the open balcony door. He still had a headache from the night before, and though the other two beings had not noticed, his eyes were still dilated from illness. Arwen moved his arm and placed a hand on his forehead and found it only slightly heated.

"Well, I think your fever's gone," she informed. Legolas sighed and closed his eyes.

"How long will I feel like this?" he asked. "I feel…achy, all over. I hate it." He did not feel well enough to say anything more than the facts.

"I would too," Arwen replied, pouring him a cup of water. She glanced sympathetically at the prince. Elves did not normally feel this way. She could imagine that he wished the wounds he had received killed him right now.

"Can you sit up?" she asked, turning back to him and holding out the cup. Legolas raised himself slowly to his elbows. He inched himself up and nodded slightly, reaching out for the cup of water being offered to him. He grimaced for a moment, but did not reveal any other sign that one of his wounds had protested. He took the cup carefully in his hand and raised it to his lips.

"Thank you," he muttered before taking a swig of the cool liquid. He handed the cup back to Arwen only half finished. He settled back down into a lying position and rubbed his temples.

"Do you want to eat anything?" Arwen asked. He shook his head.

"I don't feel well enough for that yet," he replied. "Thank you anyway."

"Prince Legolas," came a voice. Legolas lifted his head and gazed at Lord Elrond coming into the room, a mug of tea in his hand. "It is good to see you awake." Legolas nodded.

"I thank you and everyone else for caring for me," he said softly. Elrond smiled and set his cup on the table beside him.

"It was the least we could do," he responded. He moved in to check the bandages and the wounds. He prodded one gently, ceasing the movement when Legolas hissed in pain. He nodded, as if to himself, and raised his head.

"Elladan!" he called. It was only moments before the elder twin burst into the room, his eyes flicking around quickly. He looked immediately to Legolas, only to see the prince was awake and staring at him. He sighed and dropped his arms to his sides.

"Ada, must you do that?" he asked. "I thought something was wrong." Elrond ignored the statement.

"I need fresh bandages," he said, unwrapping the injury on Legolas' side carefully. "You know where to get them."

"Yes, Ada," Elladan grumbled, and he left the room.

"How do you feel, Legolas?" Elrond asked the younger elf.

"Not very well," he responded, raising himself slightly into a sitting position to make it easier for the elven lord to work on his wounds. "I feel very weak."

"Yes, that is only to be expected for what you went through the night before," Elrond muttered. Legolas shuddered at the memory of the beasts, their claws and teeth, their howls…

"I contacted your father," Elrond suddenly said, bringing Legolas out of his reverie of hazy memories. Legolas turned to look at him, alarmed.

"You did what?" he asked, his blue eyes wide. He shook his head. "Did the message leave yet?"

"Yes. Calen and a few guards left earlier with the message."

"Oh no…" Legolas covered his face with his hand.

"Is there a problem with informing your father about what happened?" Elrond asked, glancing up at the distraught elf prince. Legolas removed his hand and stared out of the window that was open next to his bed.

"I would rather him not knowing of what happened," he whispered. His eyes lowered to fix on his hands resting in his lap. "He would not understand."

"What do you mean?" Elrond asked, stopping his movements and coming to sit next to the prince on the bed. Legolas did not respond, only kept staring out of the window at the forest spreading below. Elrond turned and shooed his children away. Arwen took Estel's hand. The boy cast one last glance at Legolas, but submissively left the room with his sister. Once the door was fully closed and the lord's sharp elven hearing could no longer hear his children nearby, Elrond turned back to Legolas.

"What do you mean?" he repeated. Legolas sighed.

"I do not wish for him to see me like this," Legolas responded. "I…it's hard to explain to someone who does not know my father like I do."Elrond nodded and shifted in his position on the bed, beginning to clean Legolas' wound again.

"Try to explain in the best way you can," he whispered. "I am able to understand most things, I am sure your attempts will not be in vain." The prince nodded gratefully.

"Our relationship…is not…what one would expect," he started, fiddling with the hem of the bedsheet in much of a manner Estel would. "We…do not agree on many things, and one of those things…is honor. Honor and loyalty. Honor and loyalty is what he stresses most."

"I am not sure I see the point here," Elrond said, slightly puzzled by what the prince meant. Legolas gave a chuckle dry of mirth.

"Exactly," Legolas whispered. "What I am trying to say is…we do not have a good relationship with each other and…he will…most likely blame me for what has happened."

"How could he?" Elrond asked, disbelief clear in his tone. "Animals are unpredictable in actions and nature, you could not have known that they would attack or even come this far north. I do not see…"

"My father is one that places blame," Legolas interrupted, his eyes flicking from the window to Elrond's own. "This is more than just the wolves' attack. It was my fault we became distant, it is still my fault. Many things have happened since my mother's death, which was my fault as well. I know he blames me for it, I have seen it in his eyes. He accuses me. Do you not see why I travel so often, why I stay away from him? Every time I see him, it gets steadily worse. He seems to try and make sure I never forget the weakness that killed my mother. I was weak that night and still am in many ways. I cannot face him like this, I cannot."

"Legolas, sûicen," Elrond murmured, placing a hand on the prince's arm. "You take blame and guilt that does not belong to you. Your father does not blame you, I am sure of that. It was no one's fault your mother died, save for the vecz whose hand at which she was killed. You do not deserve to carry that burden of guilt." (The original title of this fic; you can see why)

"You don't understand!" Legolas burst out, tears forming in his eyes. "I was close enough to stop the dagger, I could have done something, I remember thinking that I should do something even as the weapon began to descend, but the only reason I stayed my hand was because I was afraid. I was frightened of the vecz and that fear, that weakness, kept me back, kept me away from saving my nana. I…I never…" The words trailed away as he openly began to weep. Trying to keep his tears hidden from the elven lord, he turned and buried his face into his pillow, willing for the broken sobs to cease. Elrond placed a gentle hand on Legolas' trembling shoulder, murmuring Elvish to calm the younger elf down. The prince soon quieted, but kept his face buried in his pillow, too ashamed to even look at Elrond. The elven lord sat silent by his side for a few moments when the door opened and Elladan entered, carrying bandages. He glanced at the still scene before him and handed the bandages to Elrond, who nodded in thanks.

"Is everything alright, Ada?" Elladan asked, gazing at the prince lying still on the bed in obvious concern. Elrond nodded.

"Yes, Elladan," the elven lord responded quietly, unrolling the bandages. "You may leave now." The elder twin nodded and exited the room.Elrond waited a few moments before he could no longer hear Elladan outside the door.

"He is gone," he whispered to Legolas. "You must rise for me to help your wounds." The elven prince reluctantly sat up and turned around, wiping the tears away with the back of his hand. He settled his hands into his lap and bowed his head as Elrond cleaned and rebound his injury.

"I understand, Legolas," Elrond whispered soothingly. Legolas raised his head, his blue eyes large and staring openly into Elrond's.

"I know why you blame yourself, but know this: what happened the night of your mother's death was not of your doing. The only way it could ever be your fault is if you wanted your mother dead," the elven lord explained gently. Legolas began to speak, but Elrond raised a hand for silence. "I know you were near enough to stop the dagger from reaching its destination, yet you were only a child at the time. And how would you have stopped it? Your mother would have wanted you to stay away and stay safe. She would not have wanted you hurt from trying to save her."

Legolas lowered his gaze once again. He did not know how exactly to respond. Elrond used the silence and lack of the prince's open gaze to finish the job of tending to the young elf's wounds. Legolas sighed and laid down again, moving slowly to not disturb his fragile state. Elrond gathered the bandages and healing materials he had brought and opened the door.

"Hannon le, Lord Elrond," Legolas whispered, closing his eyes and falling into a light sleep. Elrond's keen elven hearing heard the thanks and he turned to gaze tenderly at the still form resting peacefully on the bed.

"Rest well, ïon un edi-vientê, son of the forest," the elven lord murmured, leaving the room and quietly closing the door behind him.

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Aww...poor guy. Anywho, reviews, please! Oh, and to the reviewer who sent me apple pie: Is it homemade? Just askin'. I'd luv it even if it wasn't. Thank you, that was a very nice change! -snarfs pie in 2 seconds flat- Byeses! I promise that next update will be quicker!