Chapter Seven: Pale Rays Of Sunshine
The Hall of Fire was not quite as big as Legolas had remembered it. The grand arches of the ceiling being somewhat lower than they were before and the walls not so far apart. But the rich colour had remained, as did the tapestries and crackling fires along the walls, and soon he and the rest of his party, along with some others were comfortably seated, tempted with all sorts of delicious refreshment. His body relaxed, his frame of mind also improving – but still there, in the corner of his mind, he worried about Herendil and, shockingly even more so, the disconcerting effect that those eyes had upon him. Such lovely, curious eyes.
"Legolas?" The Prince looked up, and met another set of eyes, much warmer and mischievous ones. "It appears you have floated elsewhere. Does Herendil still worry you so?"
"Yes, I admit that he does."
Alar smiled comfortingly at him. "Do not let him. Elrond will heal him, you know this. And I know that Oloriel will assist him creditably. She is his finest apprentice, and very dedicated. Arwen's closest friend too." He added, quirking his mouth upwards. Legolas' interest was piqued.
"Is that so?"
"Indeed it is. It was amusing to see them both running around playing warriors and embarking on perilous expeditions across the gardens and woods. So free-spirited." Alar grinned once more. "As they still are."
Legolas smiled in return. "Yes, I have heard as much from Lord Elrond, and his sons. I am eager to see her again, and her friend also, for she sounds just as agreeable."
Alar laughed at this. "As long as you remain on good terms with them – for if not, look out! They've both got tempers one would not wish to ignite."
The conversation was ended with Elrond's arrival. "How is he, my lord?" Legolas asked.
Elrond nodded at the Prince. "The bleeding has stopped, and his wound cleaned and bandaged. I believe he shall be healed in a sennight, and entirely fit within another. The shaft was lightly poisoned, and hence he is with fever, but Oloriel has had cared for many suffering from fevers of worse severity and therefore is quite able to tend to him properly. Worry not." Legolas smiled, relieved.
"Hannon le, my lord."
"And now, I believe, it is time for you all to rest. Erestor, if you would escort our visitors to their quarters?"
x
Gazing down to the garden through his window, Legolas smiled as he watched the dance below. He spied Elladan flirting with a sandy haired elleth of to the side, and a little distance away Elrohir was engaged in dance with a fine figured beauty. Glorfindel sat between two pretty elleth at a small table, telling the two amusing tales, or so Legolas surmised from their plentiful laughter. He chuckled a little at the remembrance of his Adar's greeting to the Balrog Slayer upon his first visit to Rivendell.
"Glorfindel, it has been many years, my friend, Im gelir ceni ad lín. Let us be thankful that our reunion is not in the same manner as our last"
It had been some years, and a few bottles of Dorwinion later that Legolas had discovered the incident to which his Adar had referred to. "It was late at night when I arrived at Rivendell. I'd come to discuss, well, this and that with Elrond, and as Erestor guided me to my chambers, we still talked of possible courses of action. Upon opening the door, well, the three of us stood rooted to the spot – for on top of the bed, my bed, was Glorfindel and two rather lovely elleth! I shan't ever forget Elrond's face." Thranduil laughed heartily before settling down. "Whilst Elrond does not mention the event, Erestor still derives enjoyment from it – many a time has Glorfindel been teased about his fondness of this rather unconventional type of bed sport."
Legolas grinned at the remembrance of the discovery as he still watched the Balrog Slayer entertain the two. He wondered if he had any designs of that sort planned for that night. The Prince moved his eye over the congregation and saw Alar dancing with a comely sprite in lavender, and nearby the Lord and Lady were also engaged. The crowded garden was filled with many elves whom he had seen before, and he spent some time matching faces to names. In the back of his mind he thought of the lovely elleth whom he had seen earlier, but search as he might, she could not be found at all.
x
In a small dim room in the Halls of Healing, lay Herendil. Sweat coated his skin as he shivered, weakly holding onto his damp top sheet in an attempt to warm himself. His eyes pleaded silently with his caregiver, but he was denied. "No, your body is already boiling. I cannot allow you a blanket." Oloriel told him firmly, mopping his face with a cloth. "You must be strong." Herendil's face paled, and Oloriel reached for the pail next to the bed. Emptying his stomach into the container, Herendil coughed and spluttered. Oloriel could merely hold his hair away from his face and rub his back comfortingly. Offering him some water, she wondered what she could do to best comfort him. Taking the cup from his lips, she placed it to the side and began mopping his forehead, his neck, his chest...the lukewarm water would perhaps alleviate his discomfort fractionally, but it was too cold to hinder his progress.
A flushed Herendil stared up at her face gratefully through weak, miserable eyes. An unfamiliar twang reverberated through her body, causing her to frown uncertainly. Oloriel shook her head slightly. "Now go to sleep." She told him.
x
As pale rays of sunshine crept through her window, Arwen stirred. Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling in a state of peaceful contentment, before the events of the previous night crept back into her memory, and she reflected on what had passed. That a whole company had arrived at Rivendell, known to her brothers and yet not herself irked her considerably. She did not travel, and she was not privy to special information, but it annoyed her particularly when she was reminded of her own relative unimportance in the household in such a trivial way as not knowing whom her brothers were friends with. Arwen let out a short breath, and rolled onto her side. And he? Who was he? She'd wondered of it whilst out in the garden, and came to no apparent decision. Upon his looking at her, she'd lost all apparent ability to move, to think...to do anything. At first she was frightened by the intensity of his gaze, and afterwards she was angry – all those warriors were the same arrogant bunch as Oloriel had always insisted! Later she deemed him slightly haughty and soon dismissed it as fatigue. He was impossible to decipher, so blank. Except for the eyes. They had a multitude of different expressions. There the confusion began.
Arwen slid out of bed with a frustrated sigh. She hated being ignorant, be it matter concerning people or information. It made her feel small, and useless. Perhaps it would not bother her so had she something of importance to do – mayhap she should devote herself more to healing? Arwen pondered the benefits of spending her time more productively whilst on her way to the Hall, the occupant's mirthful chatter already reaching her ears down the corridor. Entering the room she saw her family, the Northern visitors and a few others of high position eating breakfast. Only a few steps in, she stopped. He was there. His head was turned to his side so as to communicate properly with the elf beside him but she knew that it was no other.
Elladan looked up. "Arwen! Heavens you take long enough! Look who is here."
It was in that instant that the handsome elf turned his head in her direction, those magnificent eyes widening slightly, and registering no small amount of shock. Arwen, on the other hand, was just as confused as before. "Yes?"
The twins grinned at her. "Well, my woodland friend, I would like to introduce you to our little sister, Arwen. I gather she is somewhat taller than last you encountered her?" Elrohir laughed.
The elf nodded. "Yes." He managed to say, disbelief still plain on his face.
Arwen, still confused, interrupted her brothers. "I have never seen him in my life. Why should he have seen me, then?"
"Now, now, Arwen, it would not do to upset your old friend with a careless comment, now would it?" Elladan teased. Arwen frowned at him, and so he continued. "I would like you, dear sister, to meet Legolas, Prince of Greenwood." He smirked as her expression became one of mixed shock and embarrassment. The others who sat at the table chuckled good-naturedly as Arwen processed this information and went, slightly consciously, to her seat.
Legolas? No, that could not be the mischievous elfling she had known all those years ago – he was far too...serious. As she reached for the sugar bowl she peeked at him through the corner of her lashes. He was talking to Elrohir, whom was seated at his side, but she could not listen to their conversation due to the numerous chattering people who divided them. She peeked again. Well, his face looked a little similar, she concluded. A cut marked his neck, obviously from his skirmish the day before. Arwen was reminded of a question asked those years ago. "Are you going to be a great warrior?" her younger self had inquired. "One day I'll lead our warriors into battle."He had replied.
"Arwen?" She looked up.
"Yes, Elrohir?"
"Legolas has expressed his desire to visit Herendil, and I thought that it would be fitting for you to accompany him, seeing as you are so closely befriended to his own friend's caregiver. I'm sure Oloriel will not mind your intrusion. That, of course, is if Adar deems it appropriate." He added.
Elrond smiled. "I believe so. A short visit is quite acceptable."
"Very well, I shall go." Arwen smiled back, a little forcefully, if truth be told, and turned back to her breakfast, self-doubt clouding her mind.
x
The Prince glanced nervously at his companion as they exited the room together. She still had not spoken to him. After continuing in silence for some time, he seized upon the first pleasantry that entered his head. "You have been well?"
"Yes, I thank you."
"And your family?"
Legolas almost swore he caught her roll her eyes. "As you see."
"Ofcourse." Finding conversation at a halt again, Legolas pursued another topic.
"Alar tells me you have been acquainted with Oloriel for some years now." She nodded her head.
"Yes, that is true." She replied shortly. After pausing for a moment she added, "The day that you left, in fact." Slightly hurt that he had been so quickly cast aside, he made another effort.
"And she is a talented healer?"
"She is talented at many things." She answered. Reaching the room, she pushed open the door and let him enter. As she closed the door Legolas knelt on the floor next to his pale friend.
"Mellon nin, how do you fare this morning?"
Herendil smiled wanly. "I've been better." His eyes flicked over to Oloriel who had busied herself in a medicine cabinet. "She has been very attentive to me."
"Yes, Elrond assures me that Oloriel is quite capable."
The fatigued face of his friend frowned slightly. "Oloriel?"
His carer turned to look at him. "It is my name." She explained.
Herendil took in this information. "Oloriel." He repeated slowly, as if tasting the new word. He rested his head on the pillow, closing his eyes with a deep breath, before opening them again. "I am sorry, Legolas. I am not much company." He said drearily.
"Not at all. You have done well to have recovered so well, so early." Legolas reassured him. "But you need sleep. I will return later this day."
Oloriel nodded to the Prince. "Very well." She then turned to her charge. "But I cannot let you sleep whilst in such a state – the sweat has stuck to your skin. I must wash you."
Herendil shot a look at Legolas, amusement apparent through his frailty. "Goodbye then, my friend, worry not for me, for I shall not lack any attention." Legolas laughed at this glimpse of his friend's former good humour, and followed Arwen out of the room.
xxx
A/N: Pretty please, I would love it if I got some reviews - otherwise, how could I know whether anyone wanted me to finish this story or not? Thanks to Ziggy, as always, for her lovely reviews. Virtual hugs go to you.