Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.
Note: I need to write more cliff hangers because they do give you reviews. I am glad you liked it. Let's begin.
His head was spinning madly, hurting too and Aragorn fought the desire to empty his stomach. The soft words that reached his ears were familiar but he couldn't place them. The accent was unfamiliar too. He struggled to open his eyes for a moment but when plain flared in his head he gave up.
"He is waking!"
The soft spoken words send a new wave of agony through Aragorn's head and he managed to crack one eye open. He struggled to sit up as he opened the other eye. There was movement in what no doubt was an encampment.
There was a small fire, the light made his eyes water and his head hurt. He rolled onto his side, or tried when pain flared in his stomach and he gasped.
Strong hands held him to the ground as another voice said. "Perhaps he does not understand us…"
The voices were light and musical. Somebody who was obviously in charge softly said, something coloring his voice, worry perhaps. "The Dunedin always understood the High Tongue in years past."
"They have fallen into decay and…."
"The rangers of the north have long been friends and allies of the elves of Imladris. We should follow their example…"
"But this man is only a young one and he is…"
"He is wounded! I am not going to leave him here to die! Would you leave any elven friend to die? These woods have seen enough darkness without insinuating a war with Rivendell. Now go scout ahead, I need to have a word with him alone."
Aragorn struggled, trying to break free of the gentle but firm grip. "I do not intend to harm you, young one!" The voice was soft but guarded and Aragorn opened his eyes.
It took him a moment to focus his vision. There was an elf above him and for a moment he thought it was Glorfindel. He opened his mouth to utter the name but when the elf cocked his head to the side Aragorn began to understand that this elf could not possible by Glorfindel.
This elf was younger, Aragorn could tell by the light in the eyes and the smooth hands. Yet they were calloused in the ways of archers and Aragorn knew that no amount of guess could tell him the age of this elf. The eyes were guarded and even wary when they met his own.
They were blue, the same blue as Glorfindel's eyes but there was none of the wisdom that Aragorn had often saw in his old friend's gaze. The strange elf was also blond but as Aragorn struggled to take it all in, his head flared so strongly that Aragorn feared he would lose conscious.
The world spun and he could no longer struggle against the hands that held him. He gasped with the fire that came from his stomach and the elf slowly said his voice soft. "Easy! I did not rescue you for you to kill yourself trying to sit up."
Aragorn breathed in deeply and he slowly forced himself to relax. After a moment the world stopped spinning and he slowly opened his eyes again. The elf was sitting back on his knees, looking down at him.
"What happened?" Aragorn managed after a moment.
"What were you doing in the Misty Mountains? You are a bad traveler if you think to cross the passes by nightfall." The elf said, ignoring Aragorn's question. Aragorn felt annoyance well up within him but he quelled it.
"Where were you going?" The elf questioned again without giving Aragorn a moment to gather his thoughts. Aragorn growled low, he did not like this elf. It was a feeling he received that the elf did not like him much either.
"I was going to Mirkwood. I did not mean to get nearly killed in the mountain passes and getting rescued." Aragorn said, annoyed with the elf and because he was in pain and uncomfortable.
The elf moved easily, without a sound as he went towards the fire. Yet it seemed Aragorn's answer had given him pause to think as he broke a twig in two and added it to the low fire before he said.
"And what is your business in Mirkwood?"
"I have business with King Thranduil." Aragorn snapped. One golden brow rose and then the elf said, smiling smugly.
"The wood elves will not allow you passage in the forest unless you can show some manners to one who rescued you. It is conserved rude to snap at one who saved your life."
"It is also considered rude not telling somebody what led up to the manner of rescue…., or one's name."
"And what makes you think that you deserve to know my name?" This time there was something cold in the elf's tone.
"Because without a name, how would I know to thank you? I cannot go about thanking every elf I see because my rescuer did not mention his name." Aragorn sighed, wincing with the residing pain in his skull.
"I will give you my name if you give me yours."
"Of course."
"But first tell me what your business in the woods is. Strangers do not usually find the Halls of King Thranduil." This time the elf was thoughtful.
"Lord Elrond sends me with tidings and so does Gandalf the Grey."
The elf perked up and stepped closer to where Aragorn was laying and then he softly said, crouching near Aragorn so he could look him in the eye. "Then are you as rumored to be Aragorn, chieftain of the Dunedin?"
Aragorn merely gave a nod, muttering under his breath. "I have yet to proof myself of that." He looked back up at the elf, trying to push the wave of uncertainty aside. He merely looked away from the elf that seemed to have relaxed and then the elf said, breaking the tense silence between them.
"My name is Legolas. Well met, Aragorn."
"Well met, Legolas. What has happened? My memory is hazy after getting hit repeating by stones on the head."
"There was no cause to remember anything afterwards. You lost conscious when my party arrived. We had been tracking the orcs for days now. We do not allow them passage into the woods or tolerate them so close to our borders. …"
"But I was still too deep in the passes…."
"We were. If you would allow me to finish my tale then your questions will be answered." The elf chided gently, his demeanor stern but somehow playful. The elf was still guarded but Aragorn merely blamed it on the fact that they were still in danger. He closed his head, his head aching.
He drifted for a while; unsure of Legolas was still there until he once more opened his eyes and found the elf watching the night sky, sitting unmoving. His companions had not returned yet so not much time may have passed.
"Do you intend to break every rule of manners tonight and be rude? You are the first man I know to fall asleep when I tell a story." Legolas called as he looked down, his blue eyes curious.
"Then perhaps you should already know that I intend to break every rule in the book tonight…besides in my experience wounded people do not make for the best company, especially if said company is in pain." Aragorn muttered, his voice low and his eyes squeezed shut. He was sure however that Legolas heard him.
"And here I thought that I was the most boring elf." Legolas' voice drifted across the darkness.
"I grew up in Rivendell so I met many more boring elves then you." Aragorn startled when he felt a slender hand come to rest upon his head.
"Are you in pain?'
"I believe I said so already."
"Yes, you did. Such a shame, I always assumed men to have a very hard head." Legolas drew a bag to him and began rummaging. Something about the elf struck Aragorn as familiar but he could not see what. It hurt to think and he felt sleepy.
"Do not go to sleep. You have suffered from a head wound. I would hate to have to wake you every hour. You will be very grumpy then." He found he had trouble focusing and Legolas appeared concerned, through Aragorn could hardly tell.
"If I am grumpy it is your fault. Perhaps you should continue your tale so I will not fall asleep."
"I doubt even such an exciting tale could keep you awake…." Legolas found what he was looking for and he began mixing up some herbs, Aragorn had trouble focusing upon which ones they were.
His eyes were beginning to cloud when somebody shook him roughly. "Legolas, he is burning up."
This time the voice was unfamiliar and the accent was harder to guess and the elvish not easily understood. Aragorn struggled to stay awake but it felt like some orc was kicking his brains around inside his head. He moaned, not hearing the soft words being whispered.
"Aragorn, can you hear me?"
He struggled to answer but found the words would not come. Anxious eyes peered into his own but Aragorn could not focus long enough. He gagged when liquid was forced into his mouth, fingers stroking his throat to urge him to swallow. He finally did so, the bitter liquid filling his taste buds and nearly making him sick up.
Cool finger slipped over his head and Aragorn cried out. "Ada!"
"Who is he calling for, Legolas?"
"Why would a human speak the elvish tongue with such a familiarity as…?"
"Who does he think you are?"
"Ada, no, I did not mean it, I will….!" Aragorn cried out again, struggling against the darkness and pain.
"Hush, Aragorn, it is Legolas….you are…..safe….do not go….to sleep…." It seemed like the words took him a long time to reach and as the darkness finally caught up with him, Aragorn could feel somebody flinch beside him as he slipped away and knew no more.
I am so sorry it is short and cliffy again. Review of course. Will Legolas be in time to save Aragorn? We shall find out next time.