A friendly trip 2

4.

He lay on something soft. He sat up even before he opened his eyes, heart already racing. Looking around he saw an empty room. It was cluttered with papers and bottles all over every surface. Rising from the bed he was lying in he exited the room, only to found a larger room. It was full of beds along the walls, and a fireplace in the middle with embers still glowing. It was warm, and spread an orange light on the floor. The wooden walls were decorated with the nicest pattern along the doors and windows, and the thin curtains were a light brown color. It had wooden tables and simple beds. It felt like the healing chambers in Mirkwood, almost, yet more man made.

Aragorn lay in one of the beds. He almost ran over to kneel by him, but found he was asleep. His skin was still as pale as before with flushed cheeks, but the sweat on his forehead was wiped off and his clothes clean. The blanket lay over his shoulders, which was bare, showing his normal tanned skin being as pale as a ghost. He lay a hand on his cheek to still find it scolding hot.

He must have fallen off of his horse, he realized. He hoped he hadn't injured Aragorn in the fall. Then his headache made itself known, and he closed his eyes, rubbing them softly.

When the door opened he looked over his shoulder to see a man enter. He had a dark beard, and dark hair the length of Aragorn's. He looked oddly like him, but there were differences like rounder cheeks and thinner lips. He smiled when he saw him, and his eyes crinkled. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, thank you." Legolas said and rose to his feet, a slight hesitation in his voice.

"I understand you must be confused. You fell off your horse."

He blinked, trying to remember. "Yes, I figured I must have." He glanced down at Aragorn again, before turning to fully face the man. "I must thank you."

"You do not have to thank me." The man said, eyes glistening. "I did it gladly. I must say, It's been a while since any of us have seen an elf. Many never have."

Legolas smiled then. "Most elves are not so adventurous."

The man laughed. "Is it so? I must say we've been curious."

"Elves are like men, just fairer and we never curse."

The man laughed then and went to pour a cup of water from a jar, only to offer it to Legolas. He drank gladly, not realizing how thirsty he had been. He must have forgotten to drink during the ride.

"Forgive me." He said in his soft voice, feeling surprisingly vulnerable being in a man's village, weak and injured. "Where are we?"

"It's not much. A small village only. We rarely get travelers around this area."

"I suppose I was desperate."

"I suppose you must have been. He's your friend, I suppose?"

Legolas nodded, clutching the cup to stop his hand from shaking. "He is."

The man nodded. "A man and an elf. What a pair. How rude of me. I'm Gleomor."

"Legolas." Legolas offered, not feeling like exposing his title just yet.

"It's a pleasure Legolas." Gleomer said and gave him another charming smile. "I wish it was under different circumstances."

"So do I." He said with a shy, formal smile.

"I was just going to warm some food." Gleomer said and went to search in a capinet. "Are you hungry?"

"I am, actually." He said, now feeling his head began to spin slightly. He assumed he hadn't eaten during the ride either. He did not even remember how long he had rode for. His head was muddy, and he had a hard time thinking clearly.