The trees are mourning…the trees are mourning…

Elrond had no trouble staying awake for the rest of the night; the significance of his repetitive thought stealing away any want for rest.

If the trees are mourning, that can only mean one thing; Legolas is dying.

Sighing heavily, Elrond felt tears well up in his eyes. Looking over at Aragorn, he saw that the human had again fallen asleep; he’d tried valiantly to remain awake, but he was no Elf; it was harder for his body to resist, especially after being awake for three days.

Looking back at Legolas, Elrond studied him, searching for any sign of improvement.

He found none.

The bruising from the internal bleeding had not worsened, but neither had it bettered. Legolas was truly unconscious now; the drug Elrond had given him having worn off hours ago without the Elf waking. Elrond wondered—if Legolas lived—how long it would take him to awaken. A matter of hours? Unlikely. Days? Probably…especially if there was brain damage. After what the poor Elf had gone through, Elrond doubted that his body would heal at its normal pace.

Hearing a sudden sigh, he saw that Aragorn was awake, staring at his friend with sad eyes. “Do you think he’ll live?” Aragorn asked. “The truth, father.”

Elrond averted his eyes, looking at Legolas. The Elf was still hanging onto life, but the trees were telling him differently. He didn’t want to tell his son that, not wanting to take away the last of his hope. "I honestly don’t know, ion nin."

"Deep inside myself, I feel that he will live," said Aragorn. "But it may simply be the fact that I can not comprehend our lives without him."

Elrond nodded. It would truly be a dull life without the lively Prince of Mirkwood.

"But another part of me wonders how he can survive," Aragorn sighed. "The bleeding…if he did live, he might not be the same…"

Elrond had thought of that. It was a horrible notion; one that he couldn’t let himself dwell on. "Mayhap it is not coming from his brain. If so, then there may be only temporary damage."

Aragorn perked up at that. "Temporary?" Elrond had taught him so much in the art of healing over the years, but Aragorn had never dealt with a brain injury survivor.

Elrond nodded. "Being an Elf, mayhap Legolas’ body will be able to repair damage that is not too major."

Aragorn pondered this, nodding. It gave him new hope.

********************

The next morning, Legolas was still alive, but still unconscious. It was encouraging that he had survived the night, but to Elrond’s confusion, the trees were still mourning.

Together, he and Aragorn gave Legolas more of the medicine that Elrond had made, and they both happily noticed that the bruising on his forehead seemed a little lighter.

So why were the trees still mourning?

Aragorn was in a happier mood, as the development seemed to mean that Legolas would recover. He knew that Legolas could still have brain damage, but he was pushing that thought to the back of his mind for now. Looking over at his father, he saw Elrond standing at the window, looking troubled.

"Father."

Elrond turned at the sound of his voice, to see Aragorn beckon to him. Hurrying over, he looked at Legolas.

"Nothing is wrong," Aragorn said. "I merely wanted to tell you to take some rest. I will wake you if something occurs."

Elrond shook his head, not wanting to leave Legolas during such a crisis.

"You are beyond weary, Ada."

"As are you," Elrond countered.

"But I have youth on my side," said Aragorn, with a slight smile.

Elrond was prepared to counter that, also, but he suddenly realized that he could take the opportunity to ask someone—or something—an important question. "Mayhap I will take a short walk in the garden. When I return, you shall take a break also."

Aragorn started to protest, but didn't want his father to likewise refuse.

"I shall return," Elrond told him, leaving the room.

As soon as he was out of hearing distance of Aragorn, Elrond hastened his pace down the hall, and went out the nearest door.

The 'sound' of the mourning trees hit him harder now that he was so close to them, and he stopped, placing his hand on the bark of a thick tree. Immediately the tree tried to comfort him, knowing who he was, but the Elf cut in.

I must know, he thought. Is Legolas truly dying?

He sensed a slight confusion from the tree, as if it were surprised at his question.

Does he not suffer the effects of a toxin that has no cure? he felt the tree 'ask'. We can sense how close to death he hovers. We have felt others suffer the fate that Legolas is heading toward. If there is nothing to cure him, he will die.

Elrond's hand slid from the tree, and he leaned heavily against it, in despair. The tree somehow seemed to shift, as if attempting to make him comfortable. I thought I'd found an antidote, he told the tree. But if you sense no change in his condition, then I must have failed…

You administered an antidote? the tree asked, its 'emotion' changing. Elrond could feel a stirring in the air, as if all the trees had been listening and perked up at those words.

I cannot be positive as of yet, but I believe that it may be, Elrond told it.

The tree didn't reply, but Elrond could hear a great rustling of leaves, as if a sudden wind had blown.

We do not sense that he has grown worse, the tree finally said. His soul feels no closer to departing his body than it did last night.

Elrond stood up straighter. Are you saying that he seems no closer to death?

Yes.

Smiling, Elrond patted the tree's bark. Thank you, my friends…mayhap you will need to mourn no longer.

********************

Aragorn suddenly realized that he was finally alone with Legolas. Pushing himself out of the chair, he sat on the bed, placing a hand on his friend's arm. "Legolas? Mellon nin?"

Legolas didn't respond, lying motionless with his eyes closed, his soft breathing seeming almost loud in the quiet room.

Aragorn sighed. "Legolas, please, don't let this poison defeat you! You have too much to do here. You mean too much to a lot of people." He shook his head with a slight smile. "Who will help me fight orcs?" His friend gave no reply, as he expected, and he sighed again, carefully touching the bruised skin on Legolas' forehead. To his surprise, it didn't seem as tender.

Taking the Elf's wrist, Aragorn felt his pulse, finding no change. It was both encouraging and discouraging, as it wasn't worse but neither was it better.

Sighing, Aragorn fixed the covers around the Elf, making sure that he stayed warm; a thing that was hard for a body to do—human or Elf—when blood loss was a factor, whether external or internal.

A sudden wind blew into the open window, and it caught Aragorn’s attention. He felt a sudden lightness in the air, and frowned, thinking it odd. Crossing to the window, he looked out and saw his father leaning heavily against a tree. His heart broke at the despair he saw in Elrond's face, but the Elf's expression suddenly changed. He looked like he was concentrating on something, and Aragorn abruptly realized that he was talking to the tree.

Legolas told me that the trees fear for his life, he thought. What are they telling Father? He opened his mouth to call out to him, but Elrond suddenly let go of the tree and headed towards the door.

Aragorn felt his heart start to pound with nervous anticipation, as he heard his father coming down the hall. "What did the trees tell you?" he asked, meeting him at the door.

Elrond gave him a smile. "They said that Legolas seems no closer to death’s door. If that truly was the antidote, then he will live."

Aragorn smiled back, overjoyed. Impulsively, he grabbed his father and hugged him tightly.

Elrond smiled and returned the embrace. "I am as happy as you are, ion nin, but do not raise your hopes too high just yet…"

"I know," Aragorn said. Letting go, he went back to the bed, with Elrond beside him. "Look, the bruising looks like it has faded somewhat."

Elrond bent over the bed, studying Legolas closely. A minute later he nodded his agreement. "You are correct."

Aragorn sighed with relief, sitting in the chair again. "After Legolas recovers, I think it will be quite a while before we go on another hazardous trip."

Elrond half-smiled. "I wish that could be so, but I highly doubt it."

Aragorn shook his head. "This time I am serious. You did not see Legolas, father…he hid his pain from me, but I could tell that something was wrong. I should have forced him to tell me what it was. Mayhap something more could've been done…"

Elrond shook his head. "The journey to Rivendell would still have taken the same amount of time. There was nothing further to be done. You know that the Prince is a proud Elf, you are not the only person he has fooled."

"But that is the problem," said Aragorn. "I was not fooled. I kept asking him what was wrong, but he wouldn’t tell me." He frowned. "Or, rather, he told me that he was merely troubled about the silent trees. He didn't tell me about his pain until I practically interrogated him. By then, I'd figured it out, based on the way he moved and his behavior."

Elrond nodded. "I seem to recall knowing a certain human who tells everyone that he is fine when he clearly is not."

Aragorn made a face at him, and the Elf chuckled.

***** 

I find it quite amusing that everyone's reading this story at the very moment that I'm posting all these chapters tonight, LOL...I have only one request. Could you review please, and let me know what you think? LOL! Thanks! :)