The Jewel of Mirkwood

(A/N) sorry this chappy should have come before the last chapter hense why it didn't quite make sense. Sorry for messing up again but as I've said before this story is so big it won't allow me to go back and edit things. My appologise again and I hope you enjoy this little interlude.

Chapter 138

Elrohir sighed heavily as he passed the warm cloth across Legolas’ forehead again trying miserably to warm the prince’s cold clammy skin. Since stitching the wound on the prince’s abdomen some colour had returned to Legolas’ face but Elrohir was still unable to rouse the prince. Valendil sat next to him, the babe cradled safely in his arms cooing lightly. The small amount of milk they’d coaxed from Legolas’ chest had settled the child and calmed its crying but it was still restless as it sought the comfort of its parent. Both Elrohir and Valendil could not believe how wide and eager the forest green eyes of child were, as it seemed to take in everything around it. At one point Elrohir had been sure the child was listening ts cos conversation with Valendil, acting as it he understood what was being said. Having never been fortunate enough to see an elfling so young Elrohir was amazed at how lively and beautiful the child was, with its soft fluffy blonde tuffs of hair, and it’s delicate fingers and pointed ears.

“What do you think they will call him?” Roused from his pleasant gaze into the warm face of the elfling in Valendil’s arms Elrohir smiled unknowingly up at the ranger.

“I do not know. I don’t think Legolas and Glorfindel have ever discussed names for their child but I am sure it will be something that reflects his beauty.” Valendil nodded in agreement taken also by the beauty of the child he held safe in his arms. In the silence of the damp cave the two elves stared adoringly down at the babe, Elrohir having entwined his fingers with Legolas’ limp hand offering what little comfort he could to the prince until help arrived.

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“We will have to go on foot from here.” Amour drew the company to a halt at the base of a steep rock incline. It had taken them most of the night and several hours the next morning to finally reach the base of the rugged mountains. Elrohir had carried out Glorfindel’s instructions down to the word, having chosen the most remote and inaccessible cave he could find to keep Legolas safe. While it was a good plan Elrond now cursed the idea as he looked up into the mist and the dark cave entrance that was hardly visible above the cloud. The rain from the last few days had created mini waterfalls running down the rocky cliff face and it would be a treacherous climb for even the most skilled warrior.

Dismounting from their horses the baggage was quickly divided among the strongest of warriors, most remarkably it was Thranduil who carried the most, eager to get to his son. Haldir, Erestor and Elrond also carried their share of the items before Amour began to lead the way up the rocky climb, having left behind several guards to act as lookouts and protect the horses.

Glorfindel had weakened further during their journey and Filgree and Elladan struggled to keep the seneschal standing let alone force him up the steep incline. Between them they had barely managed to get Glorfindel across the few flat rocks at the very bottom of the incline before Elladan called the company in front to a halt.

“Ada! Wait, Glorfindel is not well enough to make the climb.” Filgree and Elladan sat Glorfindel ungraciously down against one of the smoother rocks, the seneschal audibly gasping for breath as he tried to keep his body upright. Never in his entire life had Glorfindel felt so weak his body refusing to move even as his mind screamed out to reach Legolas, who was now only a few meters from him. Elrond paused half way up the incline having scrambled his way after Amour and the other warriors. Looking down to the base of the rocks Elrond sighed as he watched his best friend collapse exhausted against Filgree, who was gently cradling him as he pressed a water skin to Glorfindel’s parched lips. Glorfindel weakly protested as Filgree carried the seneschal back down to the soft grass of the forest edge, where those on look out duty were setting up a small camp.

“Stay with him I will go ahead and see Legolas, if the prince’s condition allows him to be moved I will bring him down to Glorfindel as soon as I can.” Elladan nodded at his father understandingly before glancing back at where Glorfindel was now wrapped in one of Filgree’s own personal blankets. “Have the men make a fire and some shelter in case it rains, I will call to you if I need you Elladan.” Again Elladan nodded at his father before stepping down from the rocky incline and watching as the group disappeared up into the mist of the mountain.

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Elrohir was dozing silently by Legolas side, the babe cradled against his chest as Valendil took a silent watch at the entrance to the cave. From the rains and storms of the past weeks a misty fog had settled around the mountains blocking out the sun from what Valendil imagined would be a glorious day. The mist was so thick the ranger could hardly see his hand in front of his face let alone an enemy attack, yet still he leant stoically against the entrance of the cave his sword at the ready should anything materialize out of the fog.

Inside the cave Valendil could heard the babe beginning to cry again and the ranger smiled mildly over his shoulder as he watched Elrohir rouse himself in order to comfort the child. The cries of the babe echoed softly in the cave and Valendil watched in amusement as Elrohir tried various means of quietening Legolas son, to no avail.

It was another sound however that came from outside the cave that had Valendil reaching for his sword. Voices not far below him could be heard and not recongising them sent Valendil into a whirlwind.

“Valendil what is it?” Elrohir having seen the sudden tension in the ranger’s body moved hastily to get to his feet, his sword in one hand and the swaddled babe in the other.

“Voices, I hear someone coming but I don’t recognise them. Stay back in the shadows and protect the child.” Elrohir nodded and hastily draped a large blanket over Legolas hiding the prince’s prone form before backing himself into the far corner of the cave. Having sensed the fear in the elf that held him the babe had stopped crying, merely whimpering as Elrohir held the child tight against his chest and beneath his cloak. The air was thick with tension, as the voices got closer but no less distorted by the fog. Valendil had hidden himself strategically behind a rock at the entrance to the cave ready to pounce should the visitors be unwelcome.

As if from nowhere out of the mist a figure finally stepped into the entrance to the cave and almost instantly Valendil crash tackled them to the ground sending them both struggling and fighting to the ground. Elrohir could hardly keep up with the two struggling figures rolling around on the floor before a second figure stepped into the cave. This figure Elrohir definitely recognised and before he could think was dropping his sword and running full pelt into the arms of the figure.

“Ada!” Crying out in relief Elrohir was instantly engulfed in a strong hug from his father. The scuffle on the floor beside them was quickly ended as Valendil looked down shocked at who he had pinned to the floor.

“King Thranduil!” The dark haired king was furious, the bags he had been carrying now strewn about the place.

“Get off me!” Realising his mistake Valendil hastily removed himself from the great kings person before offering his hand down to help the elf up. Both Haldir and Amour helped the king up from the ground as Valendil apologised profusely for his actions. There was furious and apologetic exchanges of words that echoed loudly around the cave before a piercing cry silenced everyone.

Having been pushed against an unfamiliar person and in the confines of Elrohir’s cloak the newborn babe had begun to wail again. Almost instantly Elrond stepped back from his son’s embrace and watched in aw as Elrohir easily drew the child into view. There was a unanimous gasp from all those who watched the tiny babe struggle and squirm in Elrohir’s gentle grasp, it’s face red with furious discomfort and it’s forest green eyes damp with tears.

“Beautiful.” Elrohir smiled at his father as Elrond silently took the child from his son’s hold to cradle him against his own chest. “Shhh little one you are safe now.” In aw of the child he held Elrond rocked the babe back and forth in his arms, his fingers gently tracing the delicate features of Legolas’ son. Both Thranduil and Haldir were almost instantly at Elrond’s side, the proud grandparents now also trying to calm the beautiful child in the lord’s arms. The intimate family moment however was broken as a deafening scream sent chills down the spines of all those who were witness to it. From the back of the cave Legolas’ pained scream for Glorfindel echoed out into the mist of the mountains, the prince’s body beginning to shake uncontrollably beneath the blanket that Elrohir had hastily covered him with.

Swearing in Quenya Elrohir raced over to the prince’s side trying desperately to still the prince who thrashed about unaware of what damage he was doing to himself. Since passing out after the birth of his child Legolas had not awoken once but now it seemed the elixir that Valendil had mixed to calm the prince was finally wearing off.

“He has awoken, Ada!” calling over his shoulder for his father, Elrohir watched as Elrond hastily handed Haldir the babe before both he and Thranduil raced over to the prince’s side. Haldir hardly knew what to do as he stared into the eyes of his grandson, who was now crying just as loudly and desperately as Legolas was.

“Hold him still Thranduil or he will injure himself further!” Scared for his son’s life Thranduil instantly obeyed Elrond’s command, Elrohir, Valendil and the king now forced to physically restrain the prince as Elrond tore the blankets from the prince’s body to expose the wound on his lower abdomen. Elrond remembered all to clearly how quickly infection had taken over Legolas body, when the prince had the wound on his neck, and now similarly he was seeing the same thing. The crude stitches Elrohir had made in Legolas’ opening had already split, and where Elrond would have expected to see the healing to begin, was now oozing a horrid fluid, a sure sign of infection. Elrond’s hands were covered in blood as he closed his eyes in silent frustration, he could not concentrate with both the crying of the child and Legolas’ pitiful screams of Glorfindel’s name.

“Haldir!” Frustrated and angry Elrond glanced over his shoulder at where the March warden was trying and failing to quiet the child down. “Take the babe down to Filgree, if you can not stop him crying.” Haldir looked a little shocked that Elrond had shouted at him but having seen the injury on Legolas, the march warden was not wiling to argue. Whatever was happening to Legolas was serious and Haldir did not want to interfere with the aid Elrond would be providing.

“He is hungry I think, and distressed that Legolas is crying too.” Elrond nodded as he watched Haldir cradle the babe against his chest gently rocking him to try and calm him down.

“Then take him down to Filgree and Glorfindel but be careful and take two of the guards with you.” Haldir nodded in agreement before grabbing a spare blanket and quickly disappearing from the cave the two guards trailing behind him and into the mist. The child’s cries could still be heard in the distance but were soon overpowered by Legolas’ own screams of pain. Turning his attention back to the prince Elrond furrowed his brow as he ran his bloodied hand over Legolas’ still bloated stomach.

“He is in pain Elrond, please what is wrong with him.” Thranduil moved hastily around to support his son’s head as Legolas fell limply back, to weak to continue the struggle he had been putting up. Elrond sighed and shook his head before reaching across to his pack and removing the slender knife he kept with his medical supplies. Thranduil whimpered and fought the feel of unconsciousness that swept across him, having seen the knife before in a similar situation. Gwendolyn had faced the knife the night she was taken from them, her screams much the same as Legolas’ whimpers were now and Thranduil feared to loose the son like he lost his daughter in law.

“I have to split the other stitches, that is all.” Having seen Thranduil’s fear Elrond tried to alleviate some of the worry in the king although the lord knew nothing would do that. “He is still swollen for some reason, and his own healing has not begun as it should, immediately after the birth of the child.”

“What does that mean?” Remarkably it was Valendil who spoke up having placed a supportive hand upon the king’s shoulder. He and Thranduil had never been the friendlies during Valendil’s time at Mirkwood’s court but both shared the concern for the youngest prince. Elrond glanced knowingly across at Elrohir who lowered his head silently in acknowledgement.

“It means he is either severely infected or he still carries another child.” Elrohir answered silently for Elrond who was now slicing through the remaining few stitches. Thranduil could hardly believe what he was hearing and could only watch on in fear as Elrond put the knife aside before gently easing his hand into the bleeding opening. Legolas bucked up in pain crying out Glorfindel’s name as Elrond braced himself against the prince’s stomach as he began to feel for signs of the worst inside the prince. It was a tense time for everyone, Elrohir wiping the blood from where it was dripping down his father’s hand as Valendil and Thranduil continued to hold Legolas still. Eventually Elrond sighed heavily and closed his eyes his hand slipping slowly from Legolas’ body.

“What is it Ada?” Taking his fathers hand Elrohir wiped the blood as crudely as he could from his skin as Elrond sat back and finally opened his eyes to look down into the fearful gaze of Legolas, who despite his pain still managed to linger in consciousness.

“Thank the valar that there is nothing there, he is just extremely swollen with the infection. I was sure he was only carrying one child.” Thranduil and Valendil both breathed a sigh of relief, knowing well the consequences of what would have happened if Legolas had been forced to expel a second child, which most likely would have died. “Help me Elrohir, we will pack his wound with healing herbs then merely bandage it. If we can stem the infection his body will heal itself as it was meant to. Then we must get him back to Imladris so that he and Glorfindel may aid one another in their healing undisturbed and in a safe environment.” Everyone nodded in agreement and with Elrohir’s help Elroeganegan to hastily pack Legolas’ wound. All the while Legolas remained conscious his fearful and pained gaze never leaving that Thranduil’s hovering above him. Glorfindel was close, Legolas could feel him but in his fatigue he was powerless to call to his lover for comfort, so instead he took comfort from the loving gaze of his father as he fought the pains of his body.

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