The next day
The morning birds sung as the early morning sun started to shine over the horizon.
"Pssssst...Psssssst...Eldarion," Glorfindel whispered as he crawled up to Eldarion's head with Elrond close behind
"Wha-!" Eldarion started but was silenced by a long finger pressed against his lips
"Shhhhh, now how do you feel?" Elrond asked
"Like an oliphaunt sat on my chest. Other wise like one normally does after rolling down a cliff face, into a river a week prior. How are you?"
"Good, good. Now get out of bed and help me with this." Glorfindel said tilting his head to the slumbering twins
"Don't over exert yourself Eldarion, Glorfindel make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," the Elven lord said looking intently at the balrog slayer whilst patting his grandsons head "I'll go get you something for the pain."
Eldarion slowly eased himself out of bed with the help of Glorfindel and then hobbled over to a pile of supplies that had been placed in the room sometime during the night. Of these supplies ink pots and feathers were the most recurring. Eldarion was then handed an armload of feathers string and ink and directed over to a chair. Glorfindel then approached him with a merciless smile.
"They prank my lord and I. We prank them back," he said before Eldarion could ask any questions "you paint feather with ink, let it dry, tie it to string, and place into pile. Got it?"
Eldarion just nodded dumbly and did as he was told. After about the tenth feather the pain in his chest had increased to a level that even the thought of breathing caused him pain. He continued and completed about another ten feathers before his lack of breathing soon made him feel light headed. This caused him to stop his task altogether and slump forwards in his chair cradling his ribs with his broken arm and resting his head on the other.
Glorfindel was just about to reach for the next feather to weave into Elrohir's hair when he saw the Gondorian prince doubled over with a face scrunched in discomfort and pain.
"Eldarion?" He asked placing a hand on the young mans shoulder
"Mmmm?" Was the hummed reply. Just then the door to the room opened silently and Elrond walked into the room making no noise and stood behind the balrog slayer
"Are you alright? Where is Elrond I thought that he was getting you something for the pain?"
"And I was," Elrond said making his presence known. Glorfindel had the decency to look slightly surprised as his lord had managed to catch him unaware but he left it to the concern numbing his senses. Elrond made a silent gesture to Glorfindel telling him to continue with the twins and then he replaced the recently vacated floor space in front of the prince. "Eldarion could you please sit up properly so I can examine your chest?"
Eldarion nodded and then slowly, albeit reluctantly he straitened out grimacing as the flow of air proved greater than what he could handle. Elrond noticed his discomfort and became quite concerned for the state his grandson was in.
"Eldarion, I'm going to have to remove your tunic in order to gain a full view of your torso, are you ready?"
Eldarion nodded once more and raised his arms just enough so that Elrond could get the tunic off of his shoulders. Immediately when the tunic and undershirt were removed a shiver coursed through his body.
Elrond took this as a bad sign and began his examination. He placed his left hand directly over Eldarion's heart and his face deadpanned. He than began to run skilled fingers over each rib and mentally noted where Eldarion would either tense, hiss or flinch. At the point where the rib had punctured the lung he did all three simultaneously. When Elrond had finished examining Eldarion's torso he straitened out and placed his left hand on his forehead and his right hand on his left wrist. Elrond's brows knit together in concern and he looked closely at the young man who would one day rule Gondor. "How do you feel, Eldarion?"
"Fine." Was all he got out in a slightly chocked voice
"Are you in pain anywhere other than your ribs?"
"Everywhere? I don't know." The prince moaned. I've broken ribs before but why is this time different? It hurts way more than the last time.
"Calm your breathing and just think about it."
"I've got a headache? My ribs, lungs, throat and basically my entire chest feel as if they are on fire. Happy?" Eldarion mumbled whilst suppressing an involuntary shiver.
"Very," A sarcastic Elrond said whilst holding his deadpanned expression. "I'd like to move you over to your bed and further my examination. Do you require help walking to it?"
"I'll be fine." Eldarion ground out whilst getting to his feet under the healers intense gaze. As soon as he was on his feet fully, a bout of dizziness overcame his senses and he nearly fell over. Due to Elrond having experienced stubbornness in the line of kings on multiple occasions he was ready for the collapse and could steady the prince before he could fall completely. Eldarion sent Elrond a glare before the healer could say anything. Elrond chose to ignore the glare and further proceeded to lift Eldarion's left arm over his shoulders and help him over to his bed. Once they reached the bedside Elrond guided Eldarion into a sitting position on the edge of the mattress. Again he ran his fingers over the Gondorian princes torso, this time going much slower and holding places that caused pain for longer. After the Elven lord had covered the surface of Eldarion's torso, he lay him down along the bed and put his ear to his chest tapping it in multiple places. Elrond's brows knit together more tightly than they already were and then he reached underneath Eldarion flipping him over onto his stomach carefully. He than lay his ear to Eldarion's back and his brows furrowed completely. After a moment of contemplation Elrond sat Eldarion against the head board and went to retrieve the now cold tea.
"You can drink this now." Elrond said handing the mug to his grandson
Eldarion took the mug eagerly in his left hand and nearly gulped it all down before a hand was placed on his stilling his movements.
"Drink it slowly." Elrond said releasing Eldarion's hand.
Eldarion just nodded and drank the tea at a slower pace, not once complaining like he usually did. This furthered Elrond's concern. By now dawn was early morning and the breakfast bell would sound within the next hour. Elrond sat on the edge of the bed and watched his grandson closely.
"Do you mean to stare at me all day, my lord?" Eldarion asked as he finished the tea
"No. I mean to ask how you feel now after you have consumed the tea without complaint." Elrond responded
"My head is no longer aching and all of the minor dull aches are gone." Eldarion said smiling lightly to hopefully get the Elven lord off of his tail before he would catch the grimace he was barely holding in
"How is your chest?"
"Fine." As soon as the word past his lips Eldarion felt an uncontrollable fit of rattling coughs build up in his chest and break through his efforts of suppressing them
"It's not fine, Eldarion." Elrond said with a bitter edge supporting his grandson as the fit subsided for the time being
"What if I was to say that the tea did nothing for my chest? Sure it is now easier to breath because my throat's not as sore, but my ribs still feel as if they are being slammed into mountains and my lungs still feel as if someone has lit a fire within them." Eldarion said wrapping his right arm around his chest protectively
"Do you want me to tell you what I can of your condition or wait until your father is hear later today?" Elrond said watching as the balrog slayer approached the chair on the side of the bed
"Tell me now so I can come to terms with it before my father starts his own probing." The Gondorian prince said watching Glorfindel slouch into the chair
"Eldarion. You have a fever that is relatively low but is rapidly increasing, your heart rate is greatly accelerated, you have got fluid in both of your lungs causing the burning sensation, as well as a build up of extra fluid between your lungs and chest lining, creating pressure on you lungs and the rib that punctured your lung has been recently skewed, as well as one other and will require resetting." Elrond revealed looking directly into Eldarion's grey eyes
"So he has got pneumonia, with a build up of fluid in his chest on top and two ribs out of place?" Glorfindel asked looking at Eldarion dejectedly
"Yes that is what Elrond has said. Now Glorfindel, Of what use were the feathers?" Eldarion said trying to change the topic off of himself making a pained grimace
"Well you see penneth the twins are allergic to feathers and with them braided into their hair they will be sneezing for the remainder of the day. The reason for the black ink was to disguise the light colour of the feather so that they won't be seen easily."
"Aha." Eldarion said releasing a few more coughs, then leaning his back against the headboard whilst trying to calm his erratic breathing
Elrond stood up from the edge of the bed and walked to the stash of healing supplies he had placed onto the desk when Eldarion had first moved into the room. He opened up a leather pouch and poured a red powder into a mug of boiling water, stirring the concoction with a spoon. Elrond then placed it on the desk top and further rummaged through his supplies pulling out two other leather pouches. He poured the contents of one into the mug, a yellowish green powder and mixed it in as well. Then he got out a dish and poured out the contents of the last pouch adding only a splash of boiling water and then stirring it into a paste. He approached the bed with the items in hand and resumed his place on the edge of the mattress, all the while being watched by the prince.
"Can you drink this for me please?" Elrond said holding the mug for his grandson to take
Eldarion nodded and reached out to take the mug in his right hand forgetting that his arm was broken. Halfway through the motion Glorfindel had stopped him gently and took the mug of tea into his own hands, tipping the contents down Eldarion's throat slowly so he would not choke. When the tea was fully consumed Glorfindel lowered the mug and received a glare that looked much like Eldarion's fathers. The balrog slayer just smiled to the prince.
"What was in the tea? I don't feel any different." Eldarion said unconsciously wrapping his broken arm around his chest once more
"The red powder is to help drain out the extra fluid in your chest and the yellow powder is to prevent the pneumonia getting any worse and to break the fever as well as slow your heart rate. You'll only feel a difference when you receive your next dose in about two hours. This paste I need to spread over your chest so if you would please remove your arm I could get started." Elrond replied answering Eldarion's un asked question about the paste
Eldarion gave a curt nod and removed his arm. As he said he would Elrond then spread the paste over his chest and wrapped bandages over it to keep the paste off of the linen. A warmth spread through Eldarion's chest where the paste was applied and he felt more comfortable as his lungs did not feel to be on fire any longer.
"Hanon Le, hir nin." Eldarion smiled to Elrond
"You are welcome. Glorfindel if you would please clean up the prank supplies whilst I clean up the healing ones and meet me in my office that would be greatly appreciated. Eldarion stay in your bed and do not move out of it. Also I recommend you get some rest before the twins wake up."
The two older Elven lords left the room after they cleaned up the healing supplies and prank supplies, leaving Eldarion alone. He sat in silence for ten relatively long minutes watching the twins begin to wake.
"Mmmph," Elrohir released an indignant groan as Elladan's arm slammed into his chest "get off of me you orc."
"Get away from me yourself, goblin." Elladan retorted shoving Elrohir away
"That is hardly fair to say muindor, you always looked more like an orc than I." The younger twin said feigning shock over being insulted
"You both look mostly the same," Eldarion said from the bed he was lying in "if one did not know you they would think that they were going mad."
This got both twins to their feet and to Eldarion's side immediately. Elladan instantly started checking his nephews vitals despite the protesting and saying he was fine. Elrohir watched with amusement and kept sending Eldarion pitying looks but still did nothing about the older twin. After Elladan had finished with his so called 'check up' Eldarion just watched the twins with a twinkle of mirth in his eyes.
"Achoo,"
"Achoo, Achoo,"
As the twins started to sneeze repeatedly, unable to stop because of the feathers braided into their hair, Eldarion burst into obnoxious laughter that reminded them of Estel, the breakfast bell sounding in the background.
"I do...ah... Say that he's... Achoo...laughing at us." Elladan said trying to hold in another sneeze
"That... ...he...Achoo...is." Elrohir said glaring at the prince
Eldarion kept laughing at the brothers of his mother and was only set into a harsh coughing fit. This sobered the twins and they went to support their nephew as soon as the hacking sound reached their ears. When the fit had subsided a tremor went through Eldarion's body, leaving him to turn into the twin that held him more tremors racing through his body.
"Go...Achoo...get ada." Elrohir commanded as his arms were full of prince
Elladan nodded and stormed out of Eldarion's chamber heading directly to his father's office sneezing the whole way. Elladan did not care that most of the remaining Imladrin folk saw him storming through the halls, nor did he heed any of them that tried to get his attention. As soon as he saw his father's office he ran the rest of the way slamming the door against its hinges. Every occupant inside the room, Erestor, Glorfindel, Lindir and his father looked up at his sudden entrance. Remembering his manners Elladan bowed at the door and then took up his father's worried gaze.
"Ada, he has...achoo...relapsed."
"Get my things. Meet me there," Elrond said dismissing the lords in his office and leaving his office in the most dignified way he could. Upon entering Eldarion's room Elrond saw his son supporting a very miserable Gondorian prince. "Elrohir, lie him flat and get a fire going. Boil some water whilst your at it."
Elrohir quickly lay his nephew down flat on the mattress and did his father's want. Elladan shortly entered the room with an additional arm load of heeling supplies to add on top of the ones already within the room. He quickly placed the items on the desk to go and help his father as Elladan was more trained than Elrohir in the arts of healing.
"Ada...Achoo...what ails him?" Elladan asked checking his nephews vitals once again, frowning at the slight fever he felt
"Pneumonia Elladan, and he has a build up of additional fluid between his chest lining and lungs putting pressure on them." Elrond answered. He quickly unwound the bandages and cleaned off the paste he has applied fifteen minutes earlier. "Elladan, two of his ribs also didn't heal correctly and I'm going to have to reset them."
Elladan nodded grimly and pushed Eldarion into the bed as they wouldn't be able to give him anything to numb the pain in his state. He nodded and soon felt as his father re broke the two offending ribs and set them into their rightful positions. Without Elladan holding Eldarion down he knew the prince would have flown off the bed faster than the eye could see at the heart wrenching screams of agony that left him.
"Hold him still and keep him calm. I'm going to make him more of the paste for his ribs." Elrond said looking grimly upon his grandson
Elladan only nodded his head and let his twin take over calming duty. Elrond returned in a manner of minutes and spread the paste over Eldarion's torso wrapping it firmly with fresh bandages. When this was done Eldarion slowly opened his eyes and slowly smiled something like an it's okay, it had to be done smile at his uncles and grandfather. Elladan gave him a regretful smile back whilst holding in a sneeze, as Elrohir was off in the centre of the room sneezing his nose off. Elrond returned after leaving the bed once more with a mug in his hands. Elladan sat the prince up and took the mug off of his father and administered the medicine slowly.
"Sleep." Elrond said as the mug was emptied whilst helping Elladan lie him down
When Eldarion was fully asleep Elladan gave his father a knowing look already knowing the answer but asked the question anyway "You drugged him, why?"
"I gave him his first course of herbs to fight off the infection half an hour ago and can't give him more and risk overdose. He's in a hell of a lot of pain because I had to reset his ribs to relieve some of the pressure in his chest. Also he won't feel the pain as his lungs get filled with air. He also needs the rest." Elrond said looking regretfully at his grandson. It wasn't my intention to have to hurt him
When the healing supplies were cleaned up Elrond went and undid the feathers in the twins hair chuckling to himself. He sent them to wash up themselves and set his own visual over Eldarion.
Elvish used
penneth - young one
hannon le - thank you
hir nin - my lord
muindor - blood brother
ada - dad/daddy