With a secret mission to marry an elf, Wynne must join Legolas' and Elvenking Thranduil's new quest as a horsekeeper. She begins an adventurous journey, encountering orcs and monsters, friendly uruk-hai, a lady dwarf and many Fellowship heroes - but...
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~ Legolas sees spiders but his father is there to comfort him. Wynne feels helpless. ~
30. Tripping on Poppy
The healer covered Legolas up to his neck with a thick bear pelt. Then he dimmed one of the oil lanterns that had illuminated the room, and turned the other two off. "He needs to rest, but I'll come back and check on him regularly." He beckoned for Thranduil to come. "I want the peace treaty written and signed as soon as possible."
"I cannot leave my son." Thranduil laid a protective hand on Legolas' shoulder.
"I will stay with him," said Galion. "If he gets worse I shall fetch you immediately."
"Well. Perhaps then I might... If you promise to summon me directly. But it shall have to be a very brief withdrawal." He said the last part sternly, resuming his cold stare at the old orc.
When the orc took no notice he reluctantly followed him out.
As soon as the door closed behind them Wynne jumped to her feet and took the free place by Legolas' head. She wished she could stroke his hair like his father had done but she had no right to touch him. "How do you feel?" she asked instead.
"Great!" He smiled dreamily at her. "Pain all gone. Did you know your head shines?"
"Really?" Wynne touched her hair, which felt tangled but normal.
"Nay it does not," Galion assured her. "I think the poppy medicine is affecting him."
Legolas had resumed examining his hand. "I have never noticed before how interesting these lines are. See the magnisc... magnifschiz... the pretty pattern they form."
Wynne obediently looked, choking down her sobs. His strange behavior scared her.
"You should try to rest now," said Galion. "Shall I play something?"
"Please do," answered Wynne in his stead.
Galion took the other bed, leaning back against the white wall. He played a soothing lullaby on his flute, so sad it almost felt like a funeral hymn.
Wynne discreetly wiped away a few tears, hoping Legolas wouldn't see and be concerned.
He didn't; his fascination with his hand was still all-consuming.
Galion made a pause. "It has been a long night; you should try to sleep also. We cannot do more for him now anyway." He drew up his knees, making space for her at the foot of the bed.
"I don't know..." She looked again at Legolas' pale face and odd eyes with irises shrunk back into thin rings.
"We can take turns watching over him. I begin, and then you step in. Thranduil will come back soon too, and Nodi and Bron are probably still waiting outside. We can help him better if we are rested."
