Silver Peonies, Blue Chicories (Aralas)

𐦖healing𐦖

The little girl ran towards the three, without any fear nor hesitation.
Legolas figured that she probably was not well taught from her parents for just walking straight to strangers, let alone not even men.
"Who are you, little girl?"
Legolas asked, trying to stay calm and not rip everything apart due to Aragorns condition.
"I am Aveth, do you need help?"
She asked, slightly tilting her head to her side.
It reminded Legolas of Tauriel, wich made him even sadder.
"Yes, our friend was hurt and needs treating, are your parents home?"
"No, my parents went away a long time ago, but my older sister is there!"
So that is why she just walked up to them, because her parents hadn't had the chance to teach her.
"Could you bring us to your sister Aveth?"
The elf asked.
Aveth nodded and walked back to the house, followed by Gimli and Legolas, who carried Aragorn.

As they stepped through the door, a big flying pan flew towards Gimli, hitting him straight in the face.
"Roseth! Stop!"
Aveth shouted.
But Gimli had already stumbled back, grumbling.
Legolas pushed Aragorn into Gimli's arms and pulled his daggers.
"They are friendly Roseth, and their friend is hurt"
Aveth said.
Now, not only one but two out of three friends were hurt,
but apparently Gimli was not worth enough to talk about.
"What did I tell you about bringing strangers home?"
Roseth said. She had darkbrown hair- almost black and it was cut short wich made her look like a boy on the first look.
"Please help them"
Aveth begged, pulling off one of the best puppy-eyes Legolas has ever seen.
Back then, when he was a young little elfling, he always used the puppy-eyes to get something, and almost every time, it worked on his father.
He smiled slightly at the memories, but his smile faded as fast as it came and he watched Aveth trying to convince her older sister.

Eventually, Roseth agreed and she let them all in.
in the meantime, Gimli was dazed and he was brought to bed immediately.
Once he was gone, Roseth wanted to shoo Legolas away from Aragorn so she could care for him without distraction, but Legolas would not go. He insisted on staying on Aragorns side, wich annoyed Roseth but she let him be.
"He lost blood"
She said.
Legolas bit back an sarcastic comment and just nodded, leaning himself against the wall.
"He will be okay"
Again, it was something Legolas already knew, but this time, it felt good to hear it from someone else. Roseth pulled the pants up to Aragorn's knee and cleaned the wound with alcohol, then started to treat the wound.
"You're an elf right?"
Roseth asked.
"Yes"
Legolas answered. Normally, he wouldn't give away any information even if it was obvious, but then again, Roseth was treating his lover's wound and gave them a place to stay. Legolas would be damned if he said something wich brought the three of them back to the streets.
"From Rivendell? I heard stories of them."
Legolas mentally rolled his eyes.
"No, Mirkwood, actually."
"Oh, so you're like a guard who got send on a quest or are you just a passer-by?"
Legolas stiffened.
It would be really smart to not give away his status and risk it that the girl would tell anyone.
"I am just a passer-by, no quest, only traveling around, then I saw these two and decided to help"
Legolas lied. In his head, he made a reminder to tell Aragorn and Gimli of this cover-story.
"Ah"
Made Roseth. She was concentrated on bandaging the wound.
"How is it in Mirkwood? I've never been there. Is it just as beautiful as everyone says about Rivendell?"
Legolas thought for a moment.
"It is beautiful indeed, but I do not know if I shall compare it with Imladris- I mean Rivendell. As a member of the men-kind, you would probably get lost in the woods on your way there. We once met dwarves who wandered there for days in a circle.
But as an elf, it is really dear to me.
I am very fond of my homeland."
He finally said, risking a look at her face.
While he talked, she stopped in her act of bandaging the wound and just looked at him.
"You talk very well of Mirkwood.
You must miss it"
"I do."
And with that, the conversation ended, because both Legolas and Roseth wanted Aragorn to be okay again.

A bit time had passed.
Legolas was healing himself, Aragorn had a few other not so bad injuries and slept peacefully after he was fully treated, and Gimli awoke not soon after Aragorn was brought to bed.
Legolas had told him about the cover-story and Gimli found it okay.
After that, Gimli told Legolas to get some sleep, but both of them knew that he would not until Aragorn woke up.
Gimli tried to talk Legolas out of it, but like expected, he failed.
So, Legolas sat next to Aragorns bed, being careful to not touch anything and take as little space as it was possible.
After a while, Aragorn opened his eyes and blinked a few times. 
Legolas, of course noticed and cradled Aragorn's cheek in his soft hand.
"Welcome back meleth nín. (My love)"
He whispered. Aragorn smiled softly and just wanted to lean in for a kiss, but Legolas shoved him back. Roseth was walking in the room.
"He has awakened."
Informed Legolas.
She nodded and made her way to Aragorn.
"Hello, I'm Roseth, you're staying in my house for a while"
She said. Aragorn looked at her for a moment, before letting his gaze fly over to Legolas, who nodded to show him that it was true.
Then, the ranger smiled.
"Thank you for keeping us sheltered. I will find a way to repay you"
Aragorn said.
"Oh drop the formalities, there's nothing you could do"
Roseth answered.
"I will give you two a bit privacy, I suggest you haven't met yet?"
"Wha-"
"Yes, you are right. It would be very nice of you to give us a bit privacy so we can introduce ourselves."
Legolas cut Aragorn off.
Roseth frowned, nodded and walked out of the room.
"So, we have not met yet, hm?"
Aragorn asked, with a playful smirk on his face.
Legolas rolled his eyes but smiled lovingly, sitting down on the bed.
"I told her I was a passer-by and met you and Gimli on my travels. We met when you were already unconscious, so in this story, you do not know me yet."
"Can I fall in love with you again?"
"If you insist"
"Yes, I very much do insist"
Legolas laughed.
His laugh was beautiful, Aragorn thought.
„Your laugh, dear stranger. It is beautiful."
„Oh, you flatter me."
Now, they both laughed and held each others hands.
„May I get a kiss?"
Aragorn asked flirty, like an idiot.
„But i have known you for what? Hours?"
Legolas answered and made it sound like a big tragedy. Aragorn thought it was a tragedy.
„A one hundred years or a few hours, what will it matter to you? It probably even feels the same"
Aragorn said, without thinking twice.
Legolas looked from happy, lovingly and bright to sad, taken aback and like he was hit in the face with the fist of reality in a second.
„That is not true. I do enjoy and adore every single second with you"
He mumbled, shifting away from Aragorn.
He sounded hurt.
Aragorn hated himself for hurting Legolas.
„Legolas, I am sorry, I did not mean it like that-"
„Okay"
Legolas cut him off again and stood up.
„I am going to sleep, please wake me up if anything happens."
He said before disappearing out of the door.
Aragorn wanted to hit himself on the head so he would get unconscious again and not feel what he was feeling right now.
The ranger buried his head in his pillow and sighed. It smelled okay. He wanted to smell Legolas. Legolas always smelled good. Aragorn wondered if he himself smelled good. He never thought of that before. But he trusted Legolas enough that he would tell him if he did not smell good- if Legolas ever talked to him again.
Now, that was probably an exaggeration, Aragorn admitted to himself.

It was evening, the sun was setting and Roseth got everyone out of bed and gathered them in the old kitchen.
„It's not much, but it's something at least"
She said as she put down three plates with each three potatoes in front of
Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas.