A Monster Like Me ~ Legolas

A Sorry Sight

Aragorn gently laid his friend on the bed, slowly removing the hood from his head and resting a damp, cool, cloth on his forehead. 

"Aragorn," Gimli murmured softly. The man looked up to his dwarven friend. "In order to get Forn to leave us I was forced to mention Legolas, but I used Greenleaf, and for good reason. Eomer wishes to find Greenleaf, I suppose to use as a weapon to use against Forn. We cannot let Eomer know who Greenleaf truly is." 

Aragorn slowly sunk to his knees, his hand resting in Legolas' he sighed and letting his head fall against the mattress that Legolas rested upon. 

"This is a troubling development," Aragorn said and Gimli nodded grimly. He then turned back to Legolas to see him spasm in another onslaught of pain. "Guard the door, Gimli, I must examined Legolas' hand." Gimli nodded once again and moved slowly to the door, standing near it ready to slam it shut if anyone wished to open it. 

Aragorn examined Legolas' hand, pulling the glove away from his skin and looking at the darkness that was creeping around the scar. It had worsened since Aragorn last checked, and Aragorn did not know what to do. He knew that this blackness and the blackness on Forn's chest were directly related, but how to stop it from spreading? Aragorn did not know, and he was afraid that if he could not find the answer quickly, Legolas may never wake up. 

A soft knocked at the door jolted Aragorn into action, quickly replacing the glove onto Legolas' hand and yanking the hood back up over his ears, the door opened, nearly knocking Gimli to the ground. Eomer stormed into the room, his sister Eowyn trailing behind him timidly. She had appeared to be trying to stop him, but Eomer walked straight to Aragorn and yanked him away from Legolas. 

"My sister will care for your friend. You and your dwarven friend have an audience with the king." Eomer then noticed Gimli, and he dragged Aragorn over there and clasped his hand around Gimli's arm, taking them both from the room, ignoring both of their protests. 

Eowyn sent them an apologetic look, before taking her place kneeling by Legolas' side. Aragorn watched to see her reach for the hood around Legolas' face before the door was shut, blocking his worried view of his friend. 

~*~

"You brought a dragon into our lands?" The man standing beside the king was furiously pacing as he exclaimed these words. The king himself was barely looking at Aragorn and Gimli, who were kneeling in front of the throne, their hands bound behind them. He looked sick, as if each breath he took pushed him closer and closer to death. "Where is this dragon now?"

"Flew off, Wormtongue," Eomer said through gritted teeth. "As I already told you." 

"And what caused the dragon to leave?" Wormtongue asked.

"The dwarf spoke to the dragon about something called 'Greenleaf', this word seemed to cause the dragon to leave." Eomer explained, although it was forced. Eomer held no respect for the man doing the questioning on behalf of the king, Aragorn could see that clearly.

"And what is this Greenleaf? An object? Some type of weapon to use against this beast?" Wormtongue continued, peering down at Gimli with harsh eyes. 

"We believe it to be something living," Eomer explained further. "Something the beast cares for and wishes to keep safe."

"What is Greenleaf, dwarf?" Wormtongue sneered, bending down so that he was face to face with Gimli. Gimli pressed his lips together and looked away from the man who was questioning him. "You refuse to answer? You refuse to tell me what could keep Rohan safe from further attacks? That is treason... you belong in the dungeon." 

"Put me wherever you want, but I will not tell you. I would rather commit treason to a country I do not care for, than betray those close to me. The dragon is not a beast. She was cursed, and you will not harm the only thing that may bring her back."