Legolas was out cold for a good hour, as Aragorn sat at his side, never leaving him.

When the Elf woke, he woke slowly; his body feeling disconnected from his brain. His head was throbbing fiercely, and he felt weak, without the strength even to groan.

Legolas heard a sudden sigh, and realized that Aragorn was there, no doubt worrying over him. "Aragorn?"

The human had been lost in his thoughts. The rain outside had gotten heavier, and he was relieved that so far the orcs had not come after them. At the sound of the Elf's voice, soft as it was, he jumped slightly. "Legolas! How do you feel?"

Legolas sighed, his pain and weariness clearly showing. "As if I were run down by a dozen orcs."

Aragorn winced at the description. "Are there any new symptoms?"

"I feel very weak," Legolas told him, closing his eyes as his pain suddenly increased. "No doubt…as a result of this…headache..."

Aragorn said nothing, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing it when Legolas' breathing rate increased. It was a few minutes before the Elf reopened his eyes.

"I believe I know what is causing this," Aragorn said softly, not wanting his voice to increase his friend's pain.

"You do?" Legolas likewise whispered, his eyes closing and reopening again drowsily.

"Tree sap," Aragorn told him. "You had it on your hands and face. I believe that it is toxic, and that may be the reason why there is no life here; the terrible effects of the sap drove them all away."

Legolas gave a shocked laugh. "No wonder they are silent. Evil trees."

Aragorn chuckled at the absurd words.

"Orcs and evil trees…" Legolas said, sounding sleepy. "Not an ideal place to reside."

Aragorn shook his head in agreement.

Legolas closed his eyes with a sigh, reopening them with a confused look. "Where are we?"

Aragorn frowned, having thought the Elf remembered. "In a cave."

Legolas said nothing, closing his eyes again.

"You need to eat," Aragorn told him, reaching for one of their packs.

"I'd rather not," Legolas quickly said.

"I thought you said you had no other symptoms?" said Aragorn, thinking that the Elf was nauseated.

"I do not," Legolas told him. "I simply wish to remain motionless."

Aragorn was surprised at his words, not able to imagine the level of pain his friend had to be feeling. Elves were stronger then humans, and Legolas was always so good at masking and ignoring pain. For the Elf to be hurting to the extent that he wished to prevent any movement—and admitting it—the pain had to be absolutely unbearable. "Have the herbs helped at all, at any time?" Aragorn asked in desperation, upset that he couldn't seem to help his friend.

Legolas sighed, seeing no point in lying anymore. "No," he whispered.

Aragorn shook his head, slamming a fist into his other palm in frustration.

Legolas suddenly whimpered, raising his arms to circle his head and turning over onto his side.

Aragorn could do nothing but watch. Laying a hand on the Elf's arm, he sighed, before a terrible thought struck him. What if the inhabitants weren't merely driven away…what if the sap killed them? The notion felt like a knife in his stomach. I must get him to my father!

Crawling behind his friend, Aragorn started to pick him up, stopping when the Elf cried out in pain. "You need to get to Rivendell, Legolas!" he exclaimed.

Legolas' only answer was another whimper that almost sounded like a sob.

Letting go, Aragorn sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. Mayhap I should make him sleep…that way the journey will not cause him further pain.

Moving back to the fire, he quickly prepared something that would send his friend to the land of slumber. Bringing it back, he was upset to see that the Elf had not changed his position; arms still circling his head, breathing heavily.

Legolas felt himself being moved once more, but before he could protest, he heard Aragorn's gentle command.

"Drink."

Submitting, he drank the warm liquid—eyes still closed—stopping when his friend took the cup away. Within seconds he felt like he was floating, and knew what the human had done.

"Hannon le…Estel…" he whispered, before falling asleep.

Those words nearly broke Aragorn's heart. How many times had Legolas been upset when Aragorn drugged him to sleep? This time, the Elf thanked him for it…

Quickly gathering up their supplies, Aragorn packed them all on Legolas' horse and ran back into the cave.

Legolas made no sound when the human picked him up and carried him out.

Giving his horse the command to kneel, Aragorn mounted, holding his friend tightly as the horse stood. Kicking his horse into a gallop, he looked around warily, making sure that no orcs were hiding nearby.

He saw none, and sighed in relief as they left the clearing.

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

Aragorn slowed his horse, mindful that the animal was carrying two people. He'd been alternating between a fast pace and a slower one, wanting to get to Rivendell as soon as possible but knowing that his horse would tire too quickly.

Looking down at the burden in his arms, he saw that Legolas was still out cold. The sleeping herbs had worked well on him…too well, perhaps, as hours had passed, and darkness was rapidly falling.

Reaching for one of the Elf's wrists, Aragorn felt the pulse still beating, however slowly, and tried to stop worrying. Of course he has yet to awaken. His body is suffering through a terrible ordeal.

The horse suddenly slipped on something unseen, and Aragorn gripped his friend tightly, afraid to drop him. The horse regained it's footing, and Aragorn realized that it was time to stop for the night.

Quickly scanning the rocky terrain, he desperately hoped for another cave, but didn't expect to find one. Not seeing any, he sighed with despair, until he saw a dense thicket to his left.

Riding towards it, he was glad to see that it was thick enough that they could camp there unseen.

Once through the brush, he told his horse to kneel and climbed off its back, sitting the Elf against it as he unloaded Legolas' horse.

He had the campsite set up quickly, and went back to Legolas, pleased to see that his horse had not moved his position.

Smiling, Aragorn petted the animal's nose before lifting his friend and laying him near the fire, nervously wondering what the night would bring…