Aragorn watched as Legolas ran out of the palace gates. He ran around slicing Orcs in half and cutting off their heads. Aragorn kept fighting but was a little surprised. Legolas never used a sword. He was always using his bow and arrows, or dagger if it was necessary. Aragorn slashed through a few more Orcs before he heard a cry. He turned to see Gimli fighting off Orcs that were trying to get to someone lying on the ground. A healer was next to the soldier, so Aragorn continued fighting.

        The Orcs soon retreated. They knew they couldn't win this battle; Aragorn knew they would be back. As he looked around he saw the healer by the same soldier on the ground. He looked closer and saw it was an Elf. Gimli walked over to the healer and bowed next to the Elf. Aragorn ran over only to see Legolas. His blue eyes were full of pain and fear. Aragorn knelt next to his friends. He placed a hand on Legolas' forehead. The Elf looked up at his friend, and Aragorn smiled at him. Legolas tried to smile back, but then his face scrunched up in pain. He cried out and tried to roll away from the healer.

        "Legolas, stay where you are. She can help you if you lie still," Aragorn assured.

        Legolas nodded as best he could and Aragorn turned his head to look at the damage. His heart sank. Legolas had been impaled straight through by a sword – his own sword. It lay next to him, covered in his blood. Aragorn looked at Legolas' face. It was the very definition of agony. The healer placed her hand over Legolas' wound and chanted something in Elvish. A couple of seconds passed. Suddenly, Legolas' eyes rolled into the back of his head. A white light shone in his wound and the bloody hole closed up.

        Legolas' eyes snapped back to the front of his head. He curled into the fetal position and screamed. He was so obviously in pain, and Aragorn hated that he didn't know how to help his friend. He looked at Gimli and knew that the Dwarf felt the same way. The healer placed her hand on Legolas' forehead and he immediately fell asleep. Aragorn picked up his friend and carried him up to his room. Aragorn cleaned Legolas and laid him in his bed. Legolas lay there, sleeping so deeply that it made Aragorn jealous. But he knew that Legolas probably hadn't been sleeping well at all in the past month or so, and the last good sleep was the past two days. But even that was recovery time. This right now was a good sleep, and he knew that Legolas would wake up feeling rested.

        The next morning, Aragorn was awoken by a shout. He jumped out of bed and ran into Legolas' room, thinking that was the only reasonable source of the sound. Indeed it was. He found Legolas curled up on the floor and clutching his stomach. He knelt next to his friend.

        "Legolas, are you alright?" Of course he wasn't, but what else could Aragorn say?

        "No. No, no. It burns. It burns, Aragorn."

        Aragorn tried to help his friend stand, but the movement caused Legolas more pain. He cried out and dropped back on the ground. A healer ran into the room. She threw Aragorn out of the way and placed her hand on Legolas' forehead. The Elven King fell asleep and the healer laid him on the bed. She turned to Aragorn.

        "King Aragorn, I know you care for your friend. I know you want to help him. But for now, you can only help by staying out of the way of the healers."        

        Aragorn nodded in defeat. He left the room and retired to his own chamber. He lay down in his bed and let sleep take him. His dreams were times he and his two friends had shared. His dreams showed Legolas' smiling face as the Elf and Gimli taunted and teased each other. Aragorn wanted it all back, but his friend Legolas may not make it through this war.

***

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