Note: It may take me awhile to get chapter five on, just to let you readers know! Please review!!

Chapter 4
Estel rode into the court of Rivendell and was surprised to see two identical elves running towards him. “Suliad brother!” Elrohir and Elladan greeted him enthusiastically. Estel nodded at them. “How did you know I was coming?” he asked. “We were on our balcony playing chess when Elrohir spotted you,” Elladan explained. “He cheats!” Elrohir whispered. “But, what is that?!” Elladan asked, looking at the large bundle in Estel’s arms. “Oh, well my group of rangers and I found a group of men hunting for sport. We took them out, and found him in one of the basements,” Estel moved the blanket away revealing the elf. Elladan and Elrohir both gasped at the sight of the sleeping elf in Estel’s arms. “Hurry, we need to examine him,” Elrohir stated and the trio left for the healing wing. Once they were there, Estel laid the elf down on a bed and un-covered him. He moaned and turned his head but then lay still. Elladan went to get Lord Elrond. Elrohir began examining the elf’s head. “He has no head injury, but I’m a bit worried about one thing. He has a hole in his left ear,” Elrohir told Estel. “Yes, when I found him, there was a weighted hoop through it. I removed it of course,” Estel replied. At that moment, Lord Elrond and Elladan arrived. Estel explained how he had found the elf, and then cared for him. Elrond then began looking over the elf. “He might need surgery in the future,” Elrond revealed. “Why?” Estel asked. “Look at his arm here. See how it bends on the bone slightly?” Estel looked and sure enough, the elf’s arm was bent just a little where it shouldn’t be bent. “What happened was that the bone broke, and then healed without being set. A proper surgery will easily fix that,” Estel nodded. “I see.” Just then the elf began whimpering and pulling away from Elrond’s hands. Elrond removed all contact and the elf still moaned and writhed around as if he was trying to find something. He opened his eyes, and looked around. His gaze found Estel, and he began writhing to the man. Elrond’s eyes widened. “We’ve made a mistake, quick Estel, take him in your arms again.” Estel did and the elf quieted and stilled. “What was our mistake?” Elladan asked. “I should have seen, but he is in a bonding sleep. He’s using Estel’s soul to heal. If he loses contact, he could die because he has been ripped away from his healing source.” Elladan nodded and Estel stood dumbstruck. “You mean, he’s going to expect me to… to…” Estel stuttered. “No Estel,” Elrond laughed. “He will only be very close to you, practically a brother. There will be no marriage involved whatsoever,” Elrond explained. Estel sighed in relief and asked, “So what do I do?” Elrond replied, “Keep him close, and never lose contact. Feed him three times a day. And talk to him regularly, he will hear you, and may even respond. And remember, you will be responsible for him. He won’t like contact from another person, and he can’t do anything for himself yet.” Estel nodded and stood for a while. “The first thing he needs is a bath,” he stated.
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Legolas realized something was wrong even before he woke. Something was missing. He began waking up, and found to his shock there was a lack of contact. Already the spark of light in him began to fade. He then felt hands on him, but they were not the man’s. Legolas began writhing away from the unwanted touch, and tried to find the man. He opened his eyes and saw three people. He recognized that they were elves, but he thought he was seeing double, for there were two elves exactly the same. He soon realized that they were twins. But he cared nothing about that. His light was fading rapidly, and he needed his rescuer. He soon saw the man, and began squirming towards him. The man quickly picked him up, and Legolas’ light began returning. He calmed down again. He did not know how long had passed, but he soon heard a voice. It was the man’s. “Hey, wake up, I think you are going to like this.” Legolas let himself take his time, and when he did, he could not see much, for his vision was blurry. But he could smell something sweet and thought at first that he was being fed. But then he felt the tattered scraps of clothing he had on being removed, and was very curious as to what was happening. He soon felt something warm and soothing surround him, and he moaned, wondering when was the last time he felt so good. He tried to focus his vision, but only saw the silhouette of the man. He gave up trying to figure out the situation and just relaxed. A peculiar, yet pleasant sensation of something soft rubbing gently over his body began putting him to sleep, and he finally grasped the idea that he was being bathed. “Feels too good huh, you’re going to sleep again!” the man teased lightly. Legolas never really knew when the bliss ended, but he felt himself being dried off, and was dressed in a silk night gown. For the first time in what seemed forever, Legolas was refreshed and clean. He felt himself being carried somewhere, and was held in a sitting position. He felt a tug on his hair, and jerked once more at the feel of pain, even though it was hardly anything. He pushed down the reflex to flee, and after a while he knew the man was just combing his hair out. “There, now why don’t we get some fresh air?” the man asked. Legolas felt the blanket being wrapped around him once more.

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Elladan and Elrohir promptly left to prepare a bath for the elf, considering Estel could not, for his arms were full. Elrond asked for a few more details about the elf’s previous treatment and conditions, of which Estel knew nothing. The twins returned saying that the bath was ready. Estel took the elf to his chambers, and found in the bathroom a steamy, scented bath. “Hey, wake up, I think you are going to like this,” he told the elf, who slowly woke, and it was clear that he was disoriented and confused. Estel removed the dirty, tattered clothing the elf was wearing and lowered him into the water. The elf moaned and his eyes squinted. Estel smiled, wondering if the elf could even calculate what was happening. Estel took a soft wash rag and began wiping the grime off the elf. He soon noticed that the elf was falling asleep. “Feels too good huh, you’re going to sleep again!” he mildly teased. After Estel cleaned the elf thoroughly, Estel dried the elf, and slipped a silk night gown on him. He grabbed a brush and carried the now clean elf to the large bed and held the elf up so he was sitting. Estel proceeded to brush out the elf’s golden hair. He jerked once or twice, but was quite calm otherwise. Thinking it would do some good Estel decided to rest out on the balcony for a while. “There, now why don’t we get some fresh air?” he asked the elf who didn’t seem to care what happened. Estel wrapped the elf up in a new and softer blanket, and took him out on the balcony. He sat down on a chair, and made himself and the elf comfortable. Estel sat thinking for some time before wondering what the elf’s name was. Then of course, the elf probably wanted to know his name. “Can you tell me your name somehow?” he asked softly. The elf looked at him, and then reached for his hand. Estel gave the elf his hand. Surprisingly, the elf traced the letter L onto his palm. “L?” Estel asked. The elf gave him a tiny nod. The elf then traced E-G-O-L-A-S. Estel thought for a minute, placing the letters together in his mind before asking “Your name is Legolas?” The elf, whom Estel now knew as Legolas, smiled, ever so slightly. “I have many names, but I will give you my elvish name. Estel. That’s who I am,” he explained to the elf. Legolas yawned, and Estel knew he must be getting tired. “So, you want to rest now? Alright,” Estel stood and carried the elf to the bed, where they slept contentedly.
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Legolas sat listing to the crickets and staring at the starry sky. The whole place was peaceful, and he was becoming stronger. He was a bit surprised when the man asked him a question. “Can you tell me your name somehow?” Legolas stared at the man. My name. What is my name, it’s been so long. Legolas, yes that’s what it is. Legolas knew he couldn’t talk yet, so he reached for the man’s hand. He then traced L onto the man’s hand. “L?” he asked. Legolas did not fully nod, for he didn’t have the strength to do so. He then traced out the rest of his name onto the man’s hand. “Your name is Legolas?” the man asked. Legolas heard his name being spoken, and smiled, for he had not been called by his name for so long. “I have many names, but I will give you my elvish name. Estel. That’s who I am.” Legolas liked that name. Hope. You’ve given my life hope, Legolas thought. He suddenly was quite tired, and yawned. “So, you want to rest now? Alright,” Legolas heard Estel say. Legolas was content to lay in the large, soft bed and rest, always close to Estel.
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Estel woke to the sun shining through the balcony door. Birds were chirping and the low rumble of a distant waterfall was a soothing morning sound. Estel looked over at Legolas, and smiled. Legolas was almost completely buried under the blankets, and he was using Estel’s shoulder as a pillow. His hand rested lazily on Estel’s chest. Estel reached over and laid his arm over Legolas, who stirred. He opened his eyes and blinked. “Morning Legolas,” Estel greeted the waking elf. Legolas looked up at him, and then laid his head back down. Estel sat up, disrupting Legolas, who was not awake yet, but groaned as he stretched. Estel reached down and lifted Legolas up with him. “Your hair is a mess again,” Estel stated eyeing the frizzy knots that had gotten into Legolas’s hair. Estel lifted Legolas up and he walked over to the dresser to retrieve the brush. As he combed Legolas’s hair once more he hummed an old elvish tune. It was made to comfort and relax the listeners, and it was obviously working well for Legolas. At that moment, the twins entered with a large platter of food. “Good morning Estel!” Elladan greeted the human. “How is he?” Elrohir ask looking at Legolas. “Morning, he’s fine, I’ve learned something about him!” The twins placed the platter down on a table by a chair, and sat down beside Estel. Legolas looked back and forth at the twins. “So, what did you learn?” Elladan inquired. “Well, he gave me his name by tracing the letters on my hand,” Estel told the twins. “His name is Legolas,” Estel grinned as Legolas looked back up at him. “Really, I see he is awake and responsive, but he hasn’t tried to talk at all?” Elrohir asked. “No, not at all. He will whimper, or make some noises, but he doesn’t talk,” Estel replied. Elrohir nodded. “Well, ada told us to tell you something. He saw that…that Legolas’ muscles were deteriorated. He thinks the best idea is to have him use them. If he can’t do it on his own, then bend his arms and legs as far as they will bend safely. Hold them for a few seconds and then release the tension. Work the muscles every day, and encourage him to try walking. I’ll add in, try to get him talking, we could learn some details,” Elrohir finished. Estel nodded. “Well, we’ll leave you two to breakfast!” Elladan grinned as he and his brother left.

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Legolas felt an arm wrap around him, and he blinked, aware that his vision was clear now. “Morning Legolas,” Estel smiled at him. Legolas just laid his head back down, still not quite awake. Estel sat up, and Legolas fell back onto the mattress. Legolas felt the need to move, and he stretched, yawning as he woke. Estel lifted him up so that he sat leaning against Estel. “Your hair is a mess again,” he stated. Legolas did not really care what his hair looked like right now. But it was nice to sit and listen to the song Estel hummed. Legolas was a bit startled when the door opened and the two almost identical elves walked in, carrying a platter of food. They had long dark hair, and had light brown eyes. “Good morning Estel!” the taller one grinned. “How is he?” the other one asked, looking right at him. Legolas looked at each twin in turn, trying to find ways to identify them. Legolas suddenly smelled the food, and realized he was hungry. He glanced in the direction of the platter, but could only see bowls. Legolas realized the elves had left when Estel stood up, lifting him up. Legolas’ eyes widened as he saw the contents of the platter. There were three bowls of soup, soft breads and two small bowls of white poofy stuff. Estel sat in the chair and pulled the table closer so that the food was well in reach. Estel took a spoon, and began to feed Legolas. Legolas ate as much as Estel fed him, but it seemed that he had quit too soon. “If you eat too much, you won’t like the result very much!” Estel explained. Estel then began to eat himself, but continued to give Legolas bites of food now and then. When the meal was over, Estel sat holding Legolas for around thirty minutes. He then got up and arranged pillows on the edge of the bed. He left a gap between two pillows. On one end, he placed a smaller pillow on another pillow. Estel then sat down in the gap, and laid Legolas over his lap. That way he was supported in all places. Legolas waited curiously, wondering what was going to happen.

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Once the twins left, Estel sat in the chair and looked over the meal. Soups, bread and whipped cream as a dessert. He and Legolas ate in peace together, the elf clearly enjoying every bit. After they had finished, Estel waited a bit for their meal to settle before he got up and began arranging pillows on the bed. He sat down and began to work on Legolas’ arms and legs, slowly restoring them to strength.