Gandalf was running on the aisles and staircases of Imladris and dragging Nestarel after himself. Legolas was after them. Finally, they reached a room and Gandalf entered. "She is here." declared Gandalf.
Nestarel saw Elrond, Arwen, Aragorn and five hobbits there. One of them was too old and had sat on a chair near a bed and one of them seemed to be injured, for he was on the bed and was unconscious. Nestarel bowed to Elrond. "My lord Elrond." she said.
"My Lady Nestarel!" cried the old hobbit and jumped to his feet. "I'm Bilbo Baggins. Do you remember me?"
Nestarel's eyes grew wide in recognition. "Bilbo." she said surprised. "Please, my lady, help my son. He is badly wounded." he said desperately.
"It's great you are here, Nestarel. Come and have a look. He is almost fading." said Elrond and urged Nestarel to go closer.
Nestarel went and sat at the edge of the bed. The little hobbit was in a very bad condition. He seemed to have a temperature and breathing problems. His left shoulder had been bandaged.
Nestarel brought her hand near his forehead but as her hand touched his forehead an image that she feared the most filled her head and she withdrew her hand quickly. Her heartbeat increased. "Who has stabbed him and with what?" she asked weakly while panting and trembling a bit.
"The witch-king of Angmar with a Morgul blade." answered Aragorn and Nestarel's heart skipped a bit and she looked at Aragorn with eyes widened from fear.
"Nestarel!" called Legolas and tried to go to her side but Gandalf stopped him and looked at him with his brows furrowed. "Stay where you are, Legolas Greenleaf!" he said sternly. His eyes were like two coals ready to burn. Legolas stared at him angrily but stayed where he was.
"Please, my lady." Pleaded a cute hobbit with curly golden hair. "We are losing Mr. Forod. Help him if you can."
Nestarel glanced at the injured Mr. Frodo. "He won't die." she said quietly. "He will be swept into the realm of shadows."
"The wound is almost healed." siad Elrond. "I don't know what's the problem."
Nestarel opened the bandage from around the wound and immediately furrowed. The wound looked bad. Although it had been tended the best, it looked to be infected.
Nestarel held out her shaky hand and after a second of hesitation placed it on the wound. immediately Frodo's hitched breaths became better, but things got worse for Nestarel.
As she touched the wound images flowed in her mind. The image of the shadow that was hunting her in all of her dreams. The witch-king of Angmar.
He didn't look so different in the shape of a Nazgul. Nestarel saw him stabbed Frodo in his shoulder and felt Frodo's pain herself.
The pain started in her own chest. She could see the blade in Frodo's shoulder and when it came out of his shoulder she noticed a little piece of it had been missed. but then images changed. She was in a dark dungeon. Her hands were bond and she was in horrible pain. the door of the cell opened and there had stood the witch-king with a giant Orc, Bolg, near him.
She opened her eyes and panted hard and clenched her chest. She noticed Elrond's arms around her and realized she was trembling hard. Something warm ran from her nose and when she touched it she saw blood on her finger.
"Nestarel!" Yelled Legolas who was worried sick and was fighting with Aragorn to come to her side. "I'm fine." said Nestarel weakly and then turned to Elrond. "A piece of the blade has remained in his shoulder."
Elrond's eyes grew wide in realization. He stood immediately and took a pence. "I need your help. Do you think you can?" he said to Nestarel who nodded and cleaned her nose with a piece of cloth.
So after breathtaking moments, Elrond took out a very small piece of the blade out of Frodo's shoulder and Nestarel healed the wound. "Come back to the light, Frodo Baggins. The shadow had passed." she said and felt Frodo relaxed under her touch.
"He looks stable." said Gandalf after Nestarel finished bandaging Frodo's shoulder.
Elrond nodded. "He was so lucky that Nestarel arrived in time." he said but Nestarel hardly heard their conversation.
She stood slowly and walked away from the bed. Her head was pounding hard and her chest was throbbing. Soon she felt strong arms around her and when she raised her head, her eyes met ocean blue eyes of her prince. "Nestarel." he said with his eyes full of concern.
"She needs to rest. follow me." Arwen's soft voice was the last thing Nestarel heard before her legs gave away.
Legolas quickly held her in his arms and picked her up bridal style and followed Arwen out of the room.
Arwen guided him to a room. He gently put unconscious Nestarel on the bed and looked at her. She was so pale. Her golden hair had stuck to her sweaty forehead. Legolas pulled her hair out of her face and wiped her forehead with a damp cloth that Arwen gave to him. Arwen added a few leaves of Athelas to a bowl full of boiling water and its fantastic scent filled the room. Nestarel's breathing became steady and she murmured something under her breath.
Arwen sat at the edge of the bed and took Nestarel's hand in hers. "She has consumed so much power to help Frodo. That is why she has lost her conscious." she said quietly.
Legolas shook his head and caressed Nestarel's cheek. "She had healed injuries much worse than this and has not even shed sweat." he said. "It's memories that are hurting her."
"Memories?" asked Arwen surprised, but Legolas didn't answer her.
His hands curled into fists. It was all his fault, his very own fault. Arwen saw his frustrated face and gently put her hand on his arm. Legolas turned to her. "She will be fine." she said with a smile. "Go and rest, Legolas. I will take care of her. Your negative feelings only made her feel worse."
Legolas looked back at Nestarel and he was silent for a moment. He then bent down and kissed her forehead and then stood. "Please take care of her, my lady, and when she woke up, send someone after me immediately no matter what time it is." he said to Arwen.
"I will. be sure." said Arwen reassuringly.
Legolas then bowed and left the room. When he went a little away from the room he slammed his fist to a pillar angrily. He would never forgive himself for what Nestarel should have gone through, ever. He walked aimlessly until he found himself in a balcony which had a beautiful view of the valley.
"You must not blame yourself for what happened for Nestarel."
Legolas turned and saw Lord Elrond standing there. "My lord." he said and bowed. Elrond came and stood beside him.
"As much as everyone tries to tell me that it was not my fault but it was." said Legolas and looked at Elrond who was watching him with sad eyes. "She didn't want to come that day. She said she didn't have good feelings about it. I knew that those lands were dangerous. I knew the Orcs of Gundabad were roaming there all day but still I took her there, fooled by my own pride that I can protect her in any condition." he said.
Elrond put his hand on his shoulder. "And you did. You fought hard to protect her. It almost cost your own life. You didn't want anything happen for her at all. You did that because you wanted to make her happy, because you love her." said Elrond firmly.
Legolas' head whipped toward Elrond and stared at him shocked. "Deep down you know that you love her." said Elrond. "That is why you don't let any Ellon get near her. That is why you can't see her hurt. She doesn't want you to blame yourself so stop it. She is going to feel the power of the witch-king more from now on as he gets more power and she needs you to stand strong beside her not to flee from her."
Legolas dropped his head. "I will do anything for her. All I want is her to be fine." he said desperately.
"I know, my son. I know." said Elrond and patted Legolas' shoulder.
***
It was before dawn when a guard knocked on Legolas' door and told him that Nestarel is awake. He almost flew to her room. He entered the room and saw her sitting between the white covers like a jewel made of pure gold. Her sleeveless light green nightgown suited her a lot. She had leaned on the pillows and was talking to Arwen with a beautiful smile on her red lips. Legolas didn't remember to be happier ever in his life than that moment.
Nestarel saw him and smiled warmly. "Legolas!" she said. "I asked Lady Arwen to not wake you up, but she insisted."
Arwen smiled at the two. "I will leave you." she said. "If you need anything, Nestarel, feel free to send after me." she then left the room.
"She is so kind and beautiful." said Nestarel quietly. Legolas went and sat at the edge of the bed. he took her hands and peered into her blue eyes. "I'm sorry to make you worried." she said calmly.
"Am I not your prince, Nestarel Umariel?" asked Legolas seriously.
"You are, my lord." answered Nestarel surprised.
"Are you not supposed to listen to my orders?" asked Legolas again.
"Yes?" answered Nestarel hesitantly, afraid of where this conversation would end.
"I promise if you don't listen to me next time I will punish you hard." he said.
Nestarel smiled at him warmly and put her delicate hand on his cheek and caressed his cheek with her thumb. "I promise to listen to you, my lord, all the time except if I see someone injured." she whispered. "I'm a healer, Legolas. I can't stand and see someone suffering when I can help him. Frodo needed my help."
"And I need you." said Legolas frustrated. Nestarel bit her lip and peered into his sad eyes. "Do you know how much it's hard for me when I see you like that? It's like the whole world fell on me. It's like someone stab me through my heart."
Nestarel took his head with her both hands. "Listen well to me, Legolas Greenleaf." she said seriously. "What happened that day was not your fault at all. you did what you could do to protect me. I never blamed you and I want you to stop blaming yourself."
Legolas peered into her eyes for a moment and then rested his forehead on hers. The morning wind blew into the room and moved the silky curtains and brought fresh air with itself. "I'm sorry." he said and closed his eyes.
"It was not your fault. Legolas, please." pleaded Nestarel and tears ran on her face.
Legolas quickly wiped her tears and kissed her cheeks. "I'm sorry. Just don't cry." he said.
"Promise me that you won't blame yourself anymore." said Nestarel.
"I will." he said and hugged her tight. he buried his nose in her silky curls and smelled in her scent. It smelled like a mixture of flowers. It was like heavens for him. The only thing that made him relaxed immediately. He then helped her to lay down on the bed again. "You should sleep. You need to rest." he said, kissed her forehead and then stood. "I will see you for breakfast." he said to Nestarel who nodded and then left the room.
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A/N: Hello my dear readers. Please take a little time for voting if you like the story.