Chapter Three
Legolas was still unconsciousness, his breathing laboured and pained, when Hroth stood up and went to the door of the hut. Firefoot's whinny alerted Eomer to Higa's return. The first light of dawn was falling gently through the empty doorway, pooling into misty purple shadows. Eomer pulled himself up, weary and cramped from hours of crouching over the elf. He had spent the night cooling the elf's brow with cloths and singing, then talking to him with a quiet determination, slipping into a half-daze himself. Once outside, the dewy grass was cold on his bare feet, waking him further. He looked towards the horizon.
In the distance he could see the riders, moving swiftly through the morning brume. The thunder of hooves reassured him, even as he felt the vibrations in the soles of his feet. The jangle of tack and the call of voices came clearly on the still air.
Two riders broke away from the group, urging their mounts to greater speed. Once in sight of the man they slowed, the horses breathing heavily, steaming in the dawn air.
Higa pulled up and dismounted. Eomer blurted out the answer to the question in his friend's eyes before it was asked.
"He lives. He's in great pain, but he still lives." The healer, a tall, spare man in leather armour slid from his horse and entered the hut, barely pausing to nod at the King.
"Offa is the best we have. He's had some experience with elves. Riders are on the way to Gondor and Ithilian. I brought the war band with us." Higa told Eomer, stroking the neck of his tired horse. He looped the reins, slapped the flank, and the horse ambled to the stream.
"Good." Eomer nodded. "I have heard nothing from Halma. But this was done by no wild creature."
"Are you sure? Fierce things have been sighted and killed since Sauron's demise."
"No beast would have humiliated him by shaving his head!" Eomer spat. "That was deliberate. This was the work of someone with knowledge of elves. Even Legolas could be overcome by a large enough group of marauders." He shivered, his bare flesh growing cold in the chilly air.
Higa nodded in reluctant agreement. "Do you hold out any hope for the dwarf?" he asked quietly. Eomer shot a look toward the hut, speaking low.
"None. Legolas would not have left him had he still been alive. Of that I'm sure."
"Perhaps he was taken captive?"
"Legolas would have died tracking them. Gimli was his dearest friend in the world." Higa looked slightly surprised at the certainty in his King's voice, but Eomer's face was calm, save for the light of revenge that fired in the back of his hazel eyes. "When I find the culprits, they will die slowly, I promise you that."
It was with relief he heard Firefoot neigh, greeting the horses of the war party. Eomer was thankful to see Eothain riding at the head of it. Eothain slid from his mount and clasped Eomer by the forearm.
"How is he?" his second asked, horrified by the bloody streaks on Eomer's body, worry on the handsome features. Eomer shook his head.
"Badly off. But there is hope. Once Offa is on his way to Meduseld, we'll find out who is marauding in Fangorn."
Offa appeared in the door frame, his dark head blurred in the predawn shadows. "Eomer King," he called softly. Eomer crossed the few steps to the healer quickly, concern clouding his features. Higa entered the shelter to sit with the elf.
"He is gravely injured, but elves have survived worse," Offa told him, leading the King a little way away. "I tended several after Helm's Deep."
Eomer shuddered, remembering the devastation wrought among the elves in that battle. Few had survived.
"The elves have remarkable recuperative powers," the healer continued. "However it may need to be more than simple physical recovery. King Aragorn was kind enough to explain it to me. If they have taken a spiritual hurt, an injury to their fea, it can cause a wound that will never wholly heal. I fear that the loss of Gimli may be more than his spirit can bear. That friendship was so much deeper than any other."
Eomer caught his breath. "What can I do?" he asked in a cracked voice.
Offa looked at him steadily. "It may be a kindness to let him go," he said simply. "Other than that, we continue as you have begun. Rest, care and time must suffice. Perhaps King Aragorn will have some deeper knowledge that will help."
"Eomer King!" Higa called gently from the ruins. "He's fretting. I think he's calling you, it's hard to tell, he can't speak."
With a grim look at Eothain, Eomer followed Offa into the hut. Legolas had a single eye open again, panic visible through the pain. Eomer knelt beside the elf, reaching to touch the face gingerly. Relief filled the eye.
"I'm here," he whispered. "Rest. Offa will take you to Meduseld. We'll put you up in the King's Chamber, get you well again. He and Higa will give you the best we have to offer. Eothain, Halma and I are heading back into the forest. We will bring whoever did this to you to justice."
Legolas looked at him with anger. "Nnhh," he mumbled, struggling to move under his blankets. He twisted his head to the side violently, breaking open the bandages, allowing the blood to start running again. Eomer reached for a cloth and gently sponged it. Legolas twisted away from him.
"What?" Eomer asked softly. "You have to get well. I can take care of whatever is in Fangorn."
The elf twisted again, lips pressed together, fighting the groan of pain that tried to escape. His eye settled on Eomer once again, seething with fury.
"Eomer King," Offa said quietly. "Perhaps it would be better if you accompanied the Prince to Meduseld. I believe it would ease his mind."
Legolas grunted and looked at the healer, grateful for the comprehension, agreement replacing the fury. Eomer stared at him. "Without clearing out Fangorn? Without finding Gimli?" he spat.
Offa pulled at Eomer's shoulder, as the elf's face went blank. He closed his eye and stopped his exertions. The sudden stillness frightened the King.
"Legolas, no!" he called, gently stroking the neck, "Don't!"
The healer pushed the man out of the way, feeling for the pulse at the neck, gently opening the eyelid to inspect the eye. He took a clean cloth and began to cool the forehead, murmuring soothing words in a low voice. Satisfied, he signalled to Higa to take his place and stood up.
"A private word, Eomer King?" he asked.
Eomer stormed out of the hut, followed by the healer. "I need to find out who did this!" he said, spinning around to face Offa. The venom in his voice caused the others, busy with caring for the horses, setting up the litter that would transport the elf, preparing food, to stare at him.
"He," and Offa's emphasis was deliberate, "needs you to be with him. And he needs you calm. Not opening up more wounds."
Eomer rocked back on his heels, conscious of the stares of the others. "I didn't mean it like that," he snapped.
Offa was crisp and official. "You may not have the temperament for nursing, Eomer King, but that elf is depending on you. For whatever reason, he is anchoring his spirit to you. Do not abandon him. Or we may as well bury him here."
Such plain speaking stunned Eomer. He looked about, but the others were suddenly busy shaking out the fur blankets for the litter, checking the harness. Eothain went into the shelter with rocks to heat, studiously avoiding Eomer's eyes. The King felt utterly ashamed, and bent his head, strands of his hair falling forward, hiding the hot flush on his cheeks.
"We shall rest the horses for a while, Lord King." Offa continued in the same blunt voice. "I would prefer not to move the patient until the sun is higher in the sky. The morning damp may prove uncomfortable to him. He must be kept warm and quiet. You and I shall ride beside him at all times, and if necessary, we will stop. It will be a long journey, my Lord, for he can not be jostled about like a sack of grain!"
Eomer, head still bent in contrition, nodded. "That is the best course, then, Offa?"
"Either that or we rebuild this hut and spend the winter here. I'd rather not, though, much as I don't want to move him."
Eomer looked up at him in shock. "Would that be best for him?" he asked, horror in his voice. "The ride here was rough. Did that make things worse?"
The healer shook his dark head. "I cannot say. I promise you, my Lord, we will care for him as gently as if he were home in his own bed. That he is still alive is the best hope we have. But you must be with him."
Eomer fought down the rage at his impotence. "I should be out there, looking for whoever did this! He would not leave Gimli! At least I can bring his body back, perhaps that will give him some peace."
Offa reached out and gripped the King by the forearm. Eomer looked at him, chewing his lip in fury. Offa's dark eyes were kind and sympathetic.
"Lord King, he knows what happened to the dwarf. It is we who are ignorant. Eothain and Halma will clear out the refuse responsible for this barbarity and bring you their heads on their pikes. Legolas needs you." The stress was soft on the word. "Come, wash, eat, have some wine and return to him."
Eomer turned and began to walk to the stream, motioning for the healer to follow. They passed horses drinking, men filling water bags. Upstream a way from the commotion, Eomer bent down and splashed cold water on his tired eyes, his hot cheeks. Then he looked up at the healer.
"There are some things about this that you may not be aware of." he began, finding himself unsure of how to explain. "Before he and Gimli left, that last time, well, he and I," he stammered.
Offa crouched down beside his exhausted King. "Most people were aware of the relationship, my Lord. It need not trouble you."
"I know that!" Eomer said, shaking his head. Tendrils of filthy hair blew across his eyes and he pushed them away, irritably. "That's not it at all. What most people do not know is the reason the relationship ended."
Offa pulled a clean cloth out of a belt pouch and handed it to Eomer, who began to wipe his face with it. "You may depend on my discretion."
"We had a, well, a misunderstanding. Gimli was part of it. I handled things badly." He sighed ruefully. "It was a mess. Now, if I take him home, without even looking for Gimli," he choked on the name, "how can I face him?"
"Trust him", Offa said, simply. "He knows. If, as you believe, the dwarf is dead, it is you he is staying for. He will need all your strength until he regains his own." He cupped his hand a took a drink from the stream, flicking the water from his fingers when he finished. "Love is never easy, Lord King."
Eomer looked steadily at the dark haired man beside him. Then he dipped the cloth in the stream again and began washing. "Go back to him, tell Higa to stay with him until I return. It won't take long to get Eothain organized."
The healer stood up. "Of course, my Lord."
"One other thing, Offa," Eomer said, wiping the back of his neck. "You call me Eomer."
Eomer dressed quickly in the spare clothes Higa had brought with them, pulling his now dry boots back on. While he ate quickly with Eothain and his lieutenant, he set plans in motion for scouring Fangorn.
"Whoever it is, Eothain, do your best to bring them in alive. If you can't, their heads will do. Send riders as often as you can." He took a deep drink of wine from the skin. "When," he uttered sadly, "you find Gimli's body, treat him with all due honour. Legolas will decide what to do for him then."
Eothain nodded sadly, remembering the dwarf fondly. "What of the Ents, Eomer? What has happened to them, that such things can happen in their wood?"
Eomer swore under his breath. "I don't know, Eothain. Whatever you do, try not to piss off the trees. You were at Helm's Deep."
As Eomer was a leader who controlled his men as easily as he controlled his horses, Eothain was soon ready to depart. He saluted, as the war band made it's way toward the unknown menace threatening Fangorn. Eomer returned the salute, nodded to the men who would escort the patient back to Meduseld, and entered the hut, feeling as if he could now give the elf all his attention.
"He hasn't stirred, Eomer." Higa said, shifting to make room for the King between the elf and the dog. "His breathing is pretty rough though." Offa continued to mix powders in a cup, checking the water on the fire.
"Legolas?" Eomer whispered, leaning over the still figure. "I'm sorry, I didn't understand. Of course I'm coming with you. I thought I was doing the right thing before, but I understand now. I hope you do too. Got a lovely litter set up for you, comfortable fur blankets, you can sleep the whole way home." He savoured the word. Yes, home. For a while.
The elf's breathing seemed to ease. Offa, put down his cup and gently felt the pulse at the neck, nodded and motioned with his other hand for Eomer to continue talking. Higa excused himself, taking used bandages with him.
Eomer glanced at Offa, his brow furrowing, then sighed and decided the healer was to be completely trusted.
"Whatever you need me to do, love, I'll do. Please don't ask me to ride in the litter, though, I was in one once before when I broke my leg and I hated it. You'll love it, though. No worries, no stress. Besides, I don't think we'd both fit in there. They didn't have elves in mind when it was built. But you'll be able to see the stars tonight, if you're awake. It looks like we're taking the scenic route home. You'll like the room, still got the tapestries you chose the last time you were there, I didn't have the heart to take them down. I guess I was still hoping you'd come back. I know now that you would have, and Gimli too..." he broke off. Offa shook his head.
Eomer gulped and groped for another subject.
"I'll have Arod brought to Meduseld. You'll be glad to see him when you're up and about. Hroth is here, he's won't leave your side. He's missed you. We'll go look at those trees, too. But first you have to get well. Rest, heal. I'll be here to look after you all the time."
Offa nodded in approval as the elf's brutalized face seemed to relax. He returned to his potions, turning his back on Eomer and the elf.
Eomer gently replaced the cloth on Legolas' forehead, then bent down and softly kissed an uncovered patch of skin.