Have read the books, but this seemed to fit in more with the movieverse (something I normally don't like, preferring bookverse.) Ah well, if you are interested, this is the first story in a series I am making that I have nicely dubbed the Feelings series. So far I have finished this one and started on a few others. Fear, Grief, Helplessness, and the Sea Longing, which I am completely fascinated with. More may follow, or be inserted between others already written.
I cannot believe how popular this story was...31 reviews! And I am only now getting across to fixing up some of the little mistakes people have mentioned to me, in spelling and grammar. It should be that little better now, though the story itself has not changed, though that might change once again later on.
A New Feeling: Sickness
(Early in the Fellowship, somewhere between Rivendell and Moria)
The Fellowship had set up their camp for the day, opting rather to travel in the cover of darkness night would bring than in the brightness of day.
Dinner was made and served as usual by Sam, who loved cooking and, to the Fellowships relief, he did so quite well. Today, he had added some nuts Aragorn had stated were edible, and they made the meal that much more delicious.
The first watch was set to Boromir and not long after the rest of the Fellowship were asleep.
He didn't know why he woke to start off with, as he had been excluded from a watch that day, but Legolas soon blinked himself awake.
A few seconds later, after seeing that Pippin wasn't raiding the foodstuffs on his watch, was when 'it' occurred. Groaning, he hunched up as a fierce cramp was felt in his stomach.
When it didn't fade right away, he just got confused. What was this that was happening? It hurt! To his surprise, he suddenly felt hot all over.
As his stomach cramped again, he couldn't help but whimper at the alien feeling. He curled himself into as much a ball as possible and waited to see if it would stop.
"Legolas, are you alright?" Pippin called quietly from his spot on a nearby rock.
"Wake Aragorn." He managed to growl out through clenched teeth. He was angered when the young Hobbit didn't immediately do so. He would have shouted at the little one, but the pain grew again in intensity and he hissed in pain as he clutched at his stomach.
Seeing that the Elf of the party needed help, Pippin soon got up and woke the Ranger.
"Is everything alright? We are not under attack?" Aragornasked, instantly alert at the thought of trouble.
"No. It's Legolas...something is wrong with him." With that, the halfling grabbed one of the Man's hands and almost dragged him to Legolas.
"Legolas, are you alright?" The Ranger asked, confused at seeing the Elf in such a distressed state. The only answer he got was a pained sound. "I cannot help if I do not know what is wrong."
"Cramps...won't go away." Legolas growled, before once again feeling the pain heighten. Without much thought, he rolled to one side and was sick.
Aragorn watched in silence for a while, before reaching down and helping his friend into a sitting position. He noticed the rise in temperature and the rashy, puffy features of the Elf.
"Poison..." The Elf muttered, before trying to curl up again.
"No, or we all wold be sick. I think you are having an allergic reaction." Aragorn winced, knowing it must have been the nuts he had added for flavor. Legolas had never had them before and was obviously never going to have them again. "I'm sorry, my friend. I think it was the nuts." He stated.
"Make it stop." The Elf whispered, before he felt his breathing becoming harder. He was propped up a bit more and laid on a rock to keep him upright.
"Pippin, stay with him. Make sure he stays upright." Aragorn ordered the young Hobbit, before going to his pack and pulling out some herbs to make a tea to sooth the Elf's stomach.
A few short minutes later and the concoction was ready. He went back to Legolas, only to find Pippin propping the Elf up, a bit of his clothing covered in vomit.
"He was sick again, Aragorn." Came the quiet reply from the halfling.
"I can see...here, move over so I can give him this." Aragorn watched as Pippin did as he was instructed, still holding onto one of the Elf's arms.
"No...." Moaned the ever increasing whine of an Elf that was not feeling his best for the first and probably only time in his long life.
"It will stop the cramps and nausea. The fever will have to go by itself, but it is not bad anyhow." Aragorn coaxed, watching as the Elf held out shaking hands for the mug. Aragorn waited until the golden head raised, before putting the cup directly to the sick one's lips.
To his great surprise, Legolas did not object and quickly drank the liquid down.
After a few minutes a relieved sigh escaped Legolas. "Your little potion has worked, the cramps are gone."
"Feeling hot?" The Ranger asked, seeing a slight nod from his friend. "And the nausea, is it too gone?"
"If you mean do I feel like I am going to be sick again, then yes, the nausea is thankfully gone."
Aragorn nodded. "Are you breathing alright?"
Legolas frowned. "I am now, but at one stage I had difficulty drawing breath."
Aragorn nodded again. "Get some sleep, Legolas. You might feel bad again tomorrow. If you do, don't hesitate to tell someone. They are bound to notice anyhow."
That grabbed the Elf's attention. "What do you mean?"
"As happens sometimes, your skin is in rashes in some places. That's natural for an allergic reaction."
Legolas' eyes closed in shame. "I feel like a fool."
"Don't. You did not know about this. None of us did."
"That's right Legolas. I once had a cousin who had shellfish and almost died...you should be thankful this is the only reaction you have had." Pippin stated, smiling at the Elf, who looked about ready to be sick again.
"I'm dying?!" He screeched, before clamping his mouth shut and looking about the camp, thankful he didn't wake anyone else up.
"Calm yourself, Legolas. It is only a mild case. Not the best I must admit, but not the worst." Aragorn comforted the Elf.
"How long will this last?" The Elf mumbled, not caring if he sounded like an Elfling barely reached his 50th Begetting day.
"Anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Being an Elf you should recover quickly though."
"But I should be warned that I might still be sick tomorrow?" Legolas whined, not knowing how to stop the emotions in him that made him act like a child.
Aragorn chuckled. "Yes."
Legolas sighed and nodded, before he lay down on the ground near the rock and tried to go back to sleep. He instantly found his way to the Path of Dreams.
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"That was...interesting." Pippin stated, watching the blank gaze of the Elf.
Aragorn chuckled. "He will not say anything if he is ill tomorrow unless absolutely needing to. Elven pride is strong."
Pippin nodded, slightly confused as he didn't know much about Elves, and continued to watch Legolas' face. "How come he sleeps with his eyes open? It is quite...eerie to see."
"I suppose it would be to one not used to it." Aragorn replied, before yawning. "If his eyes close, wake me again. Warn Gandalf what happened after your watch is over, he will be taking the next."
Pippin nodded at that, knowing he would soon be joining the Ranger in sleep. He kept an eye on the Elf of the party for the rest of his watch, before waking up the wizard for the next watch.
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Legolas woke feeling a little dizzy, but otherwise alright. He had gone down to the nearby river to clean himself of the layer of sweat he found covering his body. To his horror, he realised Aragorn was right...he had a rash over his arms and face. Now that he was aware of the fact, he realised also that he was itchy.
Sighing, he dressed and made his way back to the camp. He couldn't help but be aware of the stares he was receiving from everyone else.
"Aragorn? I'm itchy." He stated, beginning to scratch at an arm. His hand was pushed away from the irritated skin by his Ranger friend.
"Do not scratch, you will make it worse." Aragorn stated, before going and getting a cream out of his bag. "This helps with the itching from poison ivy, while not the same thing, it should soothe the feeling."
With that said, the cold salve was applied to the rash, making the Elf gasp and back up at first by the cold sting of it. The other members of the Fellowship watched on, most amused by seeing the usually so calm and collected Elf behaving not so much collected or calm.
"Are you alright now, Legolas?" Came the worried voice of Pippin, Merry turned to stare at his friend only to see real concern in the youngest of the Nine's eyes.
"Aye, I'm fine, Pippin. Just a little itchy with this rash I have seemed to have gotten."
Pippin sighed in relief and both Aragorn and Legolas knew that the Hobbit would keep what happened last night secret unless needed.
Not long after the angry burn in his arms and face had dulled down to manageable levels, they started to move again, knowing it not to be safe staying in one place for too long.
Legolas enjoyed the walk through the trees, touching some with his long, slender fingers, as if assuring himself that they were well.
He found that while the trees in the area were fine, if not quiet and wary, he was not so. While the angry cramps that had attacked him last night were gone, he could feel his stomach start to churn with nausea once again.
He stopped, glad that nobody walked into him as he went over to lean against the nearest tree. One hand over his stomach, he rested his head on the other, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths.
"Legolas, keep on moving." Aragorn called out, not thinking this the time to stop and commune with nature.
"Hold for a moment. Let this pass first." Legolas muttered in Elvish, not wanting the others to know.
He heard Aragorn walk up to him and lay a hand on his forehead. He didn't need to see the Ranger's face to know that he was frowning.
"The fever should have been treated last night, but it would not have helped to have something else in your stomach with the tea, it would have just made you worse." Aragorn stated out loud in Westron.
At the thought of anything in his stomach, the Elf fell to his knees and went about expelling his last meal. After what seemed to be an age, his stomach calmed again, only for him to be aware of someone holding his hair out of his face and someone else rubbing his back in comforting circles.
Turning his head slightly, he realised it was the two Men. He shakily lifted a hand to his face and wiped at his mouth, grimacing at the horrible taste in his mouth. Once again he was aware of feeling hot, but then a new even more terrible thing happened.
His eyes widened and the hand on his stomach moved up where he began to rub as if sore. "I can't breathe properly!" He stated, before he was too busy trying to get as much air into his lungs as possible.
"Boromir, lean against that tree and hold him to your chest, breathe evenly and deeply. Legolas, I want you to try and breathe with him, alright?" He saw Boromir nod, before taking the Elf to the spot indicated and doing as was instructed. Aragorn then ran over to Sam. "I want you to go find me another plant, Samwise." With that, he told the Gardener what the plant looked like and watched as the Hobbit disappeared in search of it.
"Gimli, start a fire, we are not going anywhere for a while yet." He commanded, watching as the Dwarf went and did as he was told without any complaint. The other Hobbits crowded about Gandalf, as if staying with him would make everything all right.
He then went over to Legolas himself, watching as the Elf tried to draw breath at the same deep pace as the Gondorrim holding him propped up against his chest. Aragorn could see the panic in the Elf's eyes, knowing this to be a first for the young Elf to witness let alone be feeling.
"Good, Legolas. Keep awake and you will be fine." He stated with a much needed confident smile. The Elf nodded slightly, but soon was trying to even his breathing out again.
Sam came back with a handful of the plant just then and showed it to Aragorn. "Is this it, Strider?" Asked the Gardener.
Aragorn picked it out of the little ones hands and nodded. "Thank you Sam." He said, before going over to the fire that had been started and picked up a stick that was smoldering in flame. He quickly turned it toward the plant, watching the leaves catch fire, before they began to smoke.He went back over to his friend.
"Legolas, it might seem hard and make you feel sick again, but try to breathe deeply of the smoke. It will help open your airway so you can breathe normally again."
Legolas did as he was told, breathing in as much as the smoke he could. It smelled foul and, as Aragorn had warned him, he was sick again, this time over himself. After that though, he realised he was breathing a little easier. He began to breathe deeply of the smoke, knowing that it was working and, after a few long minutes, he was sure his breathing was normal.
He closed his eyes in utter relief, breathing as deeply as the Man holding him for a few more minutes just in case. He felt himself drifting off into a healing sleep, eyes still closed, but knowing for the time being he would live.
"He's closed his eyes, Aragorn." Came the voice of Pippin.
Aragorn just nodded, went and gently began to unbutton the shirt Legolas had on. "Will someone please get one of my warmer shirts out of my pack for him? He will want something warm on after this."
Merry, being closest went and got the shirt, while the soiled one was balled up and put in a bag by itself to be cleaned as soon as possible.
"We have to keep moving...it is not safe to linger here." Gandalf announced, indicating that Boromir should carry the Elf as he was still holding him. It was only then that they all realised what had truly just happened and their faces turned white.
They had almost lost one of their numbers...and only three knew why. Gandalf had decided then and there to talk to Legolas when the Elf woke.
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Legolas had to open his eyes when he woke, which had him worried. He couldn't remember fully what had happened to render him unconscious.
The sun was shining merrily down on the sleeping companions, the loud snores of Gimli making sure he was not still asleep and in bizarre dream.
"You're awake now, I see." Came Gandalf's voice from behind him.
"Aye, though I do not remember falling asleep..." Legolas muttered, raising one hand to gently rub at his chest which was a little sore.
"Hmm, not surprising really. Let's just say, you gave us all quite a scare." Gandalf replied, going over to the Elf and sitting behind him.
"The tea Aragorn gave you that first night for the cramping must have delayed this reaction. You could not breathe."
Suddenly events came back to Legolas' muddled mind. With a gasp, he suddenly began shaking, pulling the blanket around him tighter over...one of Aragorn's shirts? So this was what it felt like to be cold, he though suddenly, not truly knowing why it was so funny at the time.
"Am I alright? Oh, Gandalf I was so afraid I was going to die..." With that said, Gandalf wrapped his arms around the Elf gently and held him.
"You almost did...if not for Aragorn keeping a straight mind in the situation, we would have lost you for sure..."
That was too much for the Elf's mind to digest and before he could think to stop himself he was quietly weeping into Gandalf's shoulder, scared of what could have happened to him.
"I am sorry." Legolas said when he had calmed down.
Gandalf chuckled. "Don't be. Sometimes feelings can overwhelm us. You almost died and you come from an immortal race." The wizard gently hugged the Elf prince close, before letting his Elf charge get comfortable on the bedroll he was on. "Now, get back to sleep."
Legolas nodded, wiped at his face, before he fell back to sleep.
He was woken early the next evening by Aragorn gently shaking him. "I'm up..." he mumbled, before yawning loudly, his chest seeming to not like the action very much.
"We start moving soon. Pack your things and get ready." Aragorn stated, before going over to Gandalf and talking too quietly for him to hear.
"Oh, Legolas, next time give us some warning, please." Frodo said, pale in the coming nightfall.
Legolas grimaced. "I'm hoping there won't be a next time." He stated, before finding his pack and pulling out one of his own tunics to wear.
He noticed the rash on his arms was almost gone and with a hopeful feeling, he emptied some of his drinking water into a cup to see if the same could be said to his face. It was.
What he had told the Ringbearer was true...he didn't want a repeat of what had happened. Luckily, he didn't have one.
THE END
A/N - So what did you think? Or did you give up before the end? Please review, I would really like to know what people thought, even if it is to say it was as bad as I think it is. Ah well, please don't flame me, this is my first LotR fic.