The Healer's Choice (LOTR General Fanfiction)

12/19

Gimli stared at him, not believing that Haldir was going to leave them.

"Leave?" Gimli asked, stunned.

Haldir was the one who had given him and Aragorn hope when Legolas became injured, insisting they should not give up. And now Haldir wanted to leave them?

"I am afraid so," Haldir said to him. He understood now why Legolas said the dwarf was a wonderful companion.

"Then you have to stay, please..."Gimli begged, and added, "Please... for Legolas."

Haldir took a deep breath and said, "I will stay until Legolas has recovered more, and then I will leave."

Gimli smiled at the Lórien elf. "Thank you laddie."

Haldir only smiled. There was nothing else to be said.

Aragorn did not hear all of the conversation between Gimli and Haldir, but had heard the word 'leaving'. He approached them, curious. "Who is leaving?" he asked.

"It is certainly not me!" Gimli said at once, glaring at Haldir. The elf merely looked at the sky, trying to avoid looking at Aragorn.

Aragorn stepped closer to the elf and asked, "Haldir?"

Haldir turned his gaze to Aragorn and saw the confused look on his friend's face. But he did not say anything.

Aragorn placed his hands on Haldir's shoulders, still waiting for the elf to reply.

"I will be leaving as soon as Legolas has recovered sufficiently. I must leave soon, my friends, for my time has come," Haldir finally answered.

"Thank you, mellon-nin," Aragorn said, smiling at Haldir. But, like Gimli, he was not happy with the idea that the elf would be leaving them.


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Aragorn watched his friend, Haldir standing next to him.

"He will be fine, my friend," Haldir said, trying to comfort him.

Aragorn just kept watching Legolas. To him it looked as if the elf was not sleeping well. He was mumbling, and his body was trembling.

The man hurried to his side, afraid that something might be happening to his friend. It seemed Legolas was having a nightmare. Then the injured elf began to scream and struggled under Aragorn's hands.

"NO!"

"Kill me instead of them..." he whispered. He seemed to be only half-awake.

"What is he saying?" Gimli asked Aragorn, not understanding what was happening. Like the others, he thought the elf was getting better.

"I do not know, my friend, but I want to find out. I will ask him as soon as he wakes up," Aragorn said worried.

Aragorn and Gimli tried to calm the elf, but he could not be calmed. He continued to moan and struggle.

Haldir did not move; he watched in horror at what was happening. He could feel in his heart that there was something wrong, something that only Legolas could answer.

"Haldir?" Aragorn called to the Lórien elf, his eyes never leaving his friend. Haldir came forward, waiting to hear what Aragorn wanted.

"In the saddlebag of my horse is a small pouch. In it is a dark green herb. It acts as a sedative. I will crush it and hold it to Legolas' nose so he can breathe it in. Hopefully it will calm him down and, with luck, help cease what is disturbing him," Aragorn said.

Haldir did what he was asked and gave Aragorn the herb.

"Hold him tight!" Aragorn ordered. Haldir and Gimli struggled to hold the elf down.

"Hurry Aragorn, he has somehow found renewed strength," Gimli said.

Aragorn quickly crushed the herb and held it under Legolas' nose.

Legolas continued to fight against them as if they were his enemies. Soon the herb began to take effect but, before Legolas fell unconscious, he whispered, "Forgive me Aragorn..."

He lay still, his eyes closed, his breathing shallow. Haldir and Gimli took their hands off him, realizing the herb had worked. They looked at each other, worried.

"What was that all about?" Aragorn asked as he sat next to his friend. His eyes did not leave Legolas' face, wondering what was happening to him.