Heart of a healer and friend
"Legolas! Legolas!" Aragorn called. He could hear the twins calling out their friend's name also. "Aragorn!" A soft, pained voice said. Aragorn looked around the cave desperately, holding up a lantern in hopes to see a tad bit better. The bottom of the cave was filled with water, but luckily only to Aragorn's knees. "Call my name again, mellon nin!" Aragorn said, seeing if he could locate Legolas by sound distance.
"I'm here...Aragorn..." Legolas said, he sounded closer. "Elladan! Elrohir! Come, I can hear him!" Aragorn called for his brothers. The twins immediately came to their brother's side and looked around. Elrohir took a shaky breath and took one step back, pointing. Aragorn moved the lantern to where his brother looked and gasped. Legolas lay in the water, on his back, and he was trapped under huge boulders. Blood floated in the water and covered the blonde Elf, who was shivering.
"Hold still, mellon nin. I'm coming." Aragorn said, rushing to his friend. Aragorn dropped to his knees by Legolas and took his friend's hand. "I have to move the boulders, mellon nin, but I need to know the extent of your injury." Aragorn explained. "Just get me out of here." Legolas said in a strong voice. Aragorn nodded and moved to put the Elf's head in his lap. To the Man's surprise, Legolas cried out in agony at the simple move. "Legolas?" Aragorn asked. "Something's wrong..." Legolas said painfully.
"Your head hurts?" Aragorn asked. "I don't know...everything...hurts..." Legolas said painfully. Aragorn thought for a minute and then a horrible thought popped into his head. "You broke your back...that's why." Aragorn concluded. Now, they had to more careful. Legolas shut his eyes as a wave of pain came through. "Change of plan! Elladan, Elrohir...you need to move the boulder and I'll pull him out. His back is broken along with other serious injuries." Aragorn said. The twins nodded and went to look for a stick that would be strong enough to pull back the boulder.
Aragorn put his hand on Legolas' forehead. "Don't worry...I'll get you out of here. Rest now." Aragorn tried to soothe his friend. The twins came back and positioned the stick. Legolas looked helpless, but in too much pain to care or know what was happening. Aragorn moved so he could easily pull Legolas free and nodded to the twins.
They both pulled down on the stick and the boulder started to lift free. Legolas whimpered and Aragorn grasped his friend's hand. The twins tried again and again until, finally, the boulder lifted just enough so Aragorn could slide Legolas out. Once the Prince was out, Elladan and Elrohir set the boulder down and went to their friend.
"We have to move him...it's too risky, but it is even worse to keep him in here." Aragorn said. The twins nodded. "Get me two of our sleeping mats and help me move him." Aragorn said. Legolas grasped his friend's hand when tons of pain came to him. Aragorn leaned over and kissed his friend on the forehead. "Try to relax, it relieves some pressure on your back. That might lessen the pain." Aragorn soothed.
The twins came back with the sleeping mats and helped Aragorn move Legolas. They carried him out and then laid him down on the grassy ground. Aragorn noticed his friend's eyes weren't focused and they were clouded with pain. Elladan and Elrohir started a fire as Aragon examined Legolas' wounds.
"Just as I thought, his back is broken. He has head injuries that are beyond my skill to fully heal...five shattered ribs...dislocated left shoulder...broken leg, ankle and knee...a fever and I think he is slipping into shock and delirium...and this stomach and side wound is where the blood is coming from. The stomach wound is bleeding heavily and the side wound is infected and bleeding steadily. I cannot let him sleep yet because of the head wound, try to keep him awake. We cannot bandage the wounds so the best we can do is stop the bleeding." Aragorn said to himself mainly, but aimed some of it at the twins.
The twins nodded and went to work, trying to stop as much bleeding as possible without hurting Legolas too much. Elrohir tried to keep Legolas awake, but Legolas assured him that he wouldn't sleep because of the pain. Aragorn found a cloth and wetted it with cool water from the small stream. He placed it on Legolas' forehead. The Elf looked around, his eyes still very unfocused, and smiled.
"Now it is you who is caring for me...not the...other way...around..." Legolas said. Aragorn smiled. "You are mistaken, mellon nin. 'tis always I who is caring for you. You barely have to care for me because you are the one who ends up injured." Aragorn said. Legolas looked for Aragorn, finding it rather hard because his eyes were unfocused, and then frowned. "True, but you...don't...have to...rub it in..." Legolas said sleepily. "I shall let you sleep in a moment, Legolas. I still have to look at this head injury...if I let you sleep, you...might not wake again." Aragorn said, seeing his friend's tiredness.
Legolas made no answer, but cried out in agony as convulsions took over. The twins backed away from the wounds and watched Aragorn. "This will make his back worse...we have to get him to Ada." Aragorn said as Legolas gripped the Man's hand. "Is that how bad it hurts, mellon nin?" Aragorn said softly.
Tears fell through Legolas' tightly closed eyes. Aragorn ran his hand down the sides of Legolas' face, pushing tears away. "Everything will be okay...I know it will. We are going to get you to Rivendell very soon." Aragorn soothed over Legolas' agonizing cries. "Estel, the only way we'd make it to Rivendell in time is by horseback. Legolas is in no condition to ride horseback...it'd kill him. One of us should go to Rivendell and bring back Ada. He could heal Legolas right here...or at least make him stable enough to ride back to Rivendell and then heal him fully in the Houses of Healing." Elladan said.
Aragorn nodded. It was the only way it would work. "Okay, but you and Elrohir should go in case something attacks you. I will keep Legolas hidden and wait for your arrival." Aragorn said. The twins nodded and Elrohir whistled for the horses, who were waiting. "If all goes well, we should return by tomorrow at nightfall." Elladan said and the two took off.
Aragorn reached into his pack and grabbed a shirt. Legolas would freeze with wet clothes on. After the horrible convulsions died down, Aragorn changed Legolas into the clothes. The button-up shirt hung loosely over the thin Elf. "Hannon le." Legolas said. Aragorn nodded and then placed his free hand on the back of Legolas' head. The Prince hissed in pain and winced, but said nothing.
"I cannot make you stay awake any longer. It should be safe to sleep now. Rest and when you wake, I will be here. I won't leave you." Aragorn said, moving his hand from the head injury and wiped a few tears from Legolas' face. The Elf smiled, unable to nod, and was asleep soon.
If anyone wanted to harm Legolas, they would have to face Aragorn first. The Man hoped that Elladan and Elrohir would be on time and he hoped Legolas would be okay.
No matter what, Aragorn wouldn't leave Legolas alone.
"Legolas! Legolas!" Aragorn called. He could hear the twins calling out their friend's name also. "Aragorn!" A soft, pained voice said. Aragorn looked around the cave desperately, holding up a lantern in hopes to see a tad bit better. The bottom of the cave was filled with water, but luckily only to Aragorn's knees. "Call my name again, mellon nin!" Aragorn said, seeing if he could locate Legolas by sound distance.
"I'm here...Aragorn..." Legolas said, he sounded closer. "Elladan! Elrohir! Come, I can hear him!" Aragorn called for his brothers. The twins immediately came to their brother's side and looked around. Elrohir took a shaky breath and took one step back, pointing. Aragorn moved the lantern to where his brother looked and gasped. Legolas lay in the water, on his back, and he was trapped under huge boulders. Blood floated in the water and covered the blonde Elf, who was shivering.
"Hold still, mellon nin. I'm coming." Aragorn said, rushing to his friend. Aragorn dropped to his knees by Legolas and took his friend's hand. "I have to move the boulders, mellon nin, but I need to know the extent of your injury." Aragorn explained. "Just get me out of here." Legolas said in a strong voice. Aragorn nodded and moved to put the Elf's head in his lap. To the Man's surprise, Legolas cried out in agony at the simple move. "Legolas?" Aragorn asked. "Something's wrong..." Legolas said painfully.
"Your head hurts?" Aragorn asked. "I don't know...everything...hurts..." Legolas said painfully. Aragorn thought for a minute and then a horrible thought popped into his head. "You broke your back...that's why." Aragorn concluded. Now, they had to more careful. Legolas shut his eyes as a wave of pain came through. "Change of plan! Elladan, Elrohir...you need to move the boulder and I'll pull him out. His back is broken along with other serious injuries." Aragorn said. The twins nodded and went to look for a stick that would be strong enough to pull back the boulder.
Aragorn put his hand on Legolas' forehead. "Don't worry...I'll get you out of here. Rest now." Aragorn tried to soothe his friend. The twins came back and positioned the stick. Legolas looked helpless, but in too much pain to care or know what was happening. Aragorn moved so he could easily pull Legolas free and nodded to the twins.
They both pulled down on the stick and the boulder started to lift free. Legolas whimpered and Aragorn grasped his friend's hand. The twins tried again and again until, finally, the boulder lifted just enough so Aragorn could slide Legolas out. Once the Prince was out, Elladan and Elrohir set the boulder down and went to their friend.
"We have to move him...it's too risky, but it is even worse to keep him in here." Aragorn said. The twins nodded. "Get me two of our sleeping mats and help me move him." Aragorn said. Legolas grasped his friend's hand when tons of pain came to him. Aragorn leaned over and kissed his friend on the forehead. "Try to relax, it relieves some pressure on your back. That might lessen the pain." Aragorn soothed.
The twins came back with the sleeping mats and helped Aragorn move Legolas. They carried him out and then laid him down on the grassy ground. Aragorn noticed his friend's eyes weren't focused and they were clouded with pain. Elladan and Elrohir started a fire as Aragon examined Legolas' wounds.
"Just as I thought, his back is broken. He has head injuries that are beyond my skill to fully heal...five shattered ribs...dislocated left shoulder...broken leg, ankle and knee...a fever and I think he is slipping into shock and delirium...and this stomach and side wound is where the blood is coming from. The stomach wound is bleeding heavily and the side wound is infected and bleeding steadily. I cannot let him sleep yet because of the head wound, try to keep him awake. We cannot bandage the wounds so the best we can do is stop the bleeding." Aragorn said to himself mainly, but aimed some of it at the twins.
The twins nodded and went to work, trying to stop as much bleeding as possible without hurting Legolas too much. Elrohir tried to keep Legolas awake, but Legolas assured him that he wouldn't sleep because of the pain. Aragorn found a cloth and wetted it with cool water from the small stream. He placed it on Legolas' forehead. The Elf looked around, his eyes still very unfocused, and smiled.
"Now it is you who is caring for me...not the...other way...around..." Legolas said. Aragorn smiled. "You are mistaken, mellon nin. 'tis always I who is caring for you. You barely have to care for me because you are the one who ends up injured." Aragorn said. Legolas looked for Aragorn, finding it rather hard because his eyes were unfocused, and then frowned. "True, but you...don't...have to...rub it in..." Legolas said sleepily. "I shall let you sleep in a moment, Legolas. I still have to look at this head injury...if I let you sleep, you...might not wake again." Aragorn said, seeing his friend's tiredness.
Legolas made no answer, but cried out in agony as convulsions took over. The twins backed away from the wounds and watched Aragorn. "This will make his back worse...we have to get him to Ada." Aragorn said as Legolas gripped the Man's hand. "Is that how bad it hurts, mellon nin?" Aragorn said softly.
Tears fell through Legolas' tightly closed eyes. Aragorn ran his hand down the sides of Legolas' face, pushing tears away. "Everything will be okay...I know it will. We are going to get you to Rivendell very soon." Aragorn soothed over Legolas' agonizing cries. "Estel, the only way we'd make it to Rivendell in time is by horseback. Legolas is in no condition to ride horseback...it'd kill him. One of us should go to Rivendell and bring back Ada. He could heal Legolas right here...or at least make him stable enough to ride back to Rivendell and then heal him fully in the Houses of Healing." Elladan said.
Aragorn nodded. It was the only way it would work. "Okay, but you and Elrohir should go in case something attacks you. I will keep Legolas hidden and wait for your arrival." Aragorn said. The twins nodded and Elrohir whistled for the horses, who were waiting. "If all goes well, we should return by tomorrow at nightfall." Elladan said and the two took off.
Aragorn reached into his pack and grabbed a shirt. Legolas would freeze with wet clothes on. After the horrible convulsions died down, Aragorn changed Legolas into the clothes. The button-up shirt hung loosely over the thin Elf. "Hannon le." Legolas said. Aragorn nodded and then placed his free hand on the back of Legolas' head. The Prince hissed in pain and winced, but said nothing.
"I cannot make you stay awake any longer. It should be safe to sleep now. Rest and when you wake, I will be here. I won't leave you." Aragorn said, moving his hand from the head injury and wiped a few tears from Legolas' face. The Elf smiled, unable to nod, and was asleep soon.
If anyone wanted to harm Legolas, they would have to face Aragorn first. The Man hoped that Elladan and Elrohir would be on time and he hoped Legolas would be okay.
No matter what, Aragorn wouldn't leave Legolas alone.