Chapter thirteen

Elladan and Elrohir had heard the snarls of the warg and had hurried to investigate. What they had seen had shocked them--Legolas, one arm splinted, standing at bay with one of his knives as his only weapon. And Silivrinath--wan, pale, barely able to stand, placing herself at his side, determined to do her part. Without a word to each other, the twins each knocked an arrow and fired, watching with satisfaction as the warg fell.

They hurried forward, calling, "Legolas! Sili! Thank the Valar we found you!!" Noticing Silivrinath's weakened state, Elladan voiced the question in the minds of both twins, "What has happened?"

Legolas could only sigh in relief when he saw the twins coming towards
them. For a brief moment he had been worried they had yet to fight
another foe. He had not forgotten their last rescuer, one who had turned out to be even worse. The white knife was sheathed, as the Mirkwood Prince clutched his injured arm to his chest, relief clearly upon his exhausted face. His good hand gently squeezed Sili's shoulder .

"We encountered more then we bargained for. Sili is injured from poison, she needs to see your father quickly," he informed the two.

"The two of you are indeed a welcome sight!" Silivrinath exclaimed, even as she swayed unsteadily She rallied her strength as much as she could and told them, "Legolas and I both need Father...but I fear my strength will not last much longer even though Legolas got out as much poison as he could..."

She turned, peering into the distance, "Has Ninim found Feandril?" She asked. "We must hurry"

Elladan and Elrohir remained silent, shock stilling their tongues as they watched their foster sister. At Silivrinath's question, Elladan looked at Legolas, who pointed to his own eyes.

Understanding, Elladan said, "They come now, but I fear that Feandril is spent in spite of his great heart. How fast can Ninim take you? We will guard you, but you must move swiftly...you are less than a day's journey from Imladris."

Less then a day? It was sooner than expected, but would it be fast enough? Worriedly he looked at the small Elf at his side. She looked so sickly pale, swaying on her legs. He would never forgive himself if he lost her. He nodded, patting Feandril on his soft nose, knowing the horse would follow them, taking his time.

"Very well, let us make haste. I fear Sili has little time left."

And his broken arm was mending as well, the bone setting itself, though healing wrong. He would hate it to be broken once more.

"Yes, let us go," Silivrinath murmured, clutching at Legolas' uninjured arm to remain upright. "We must hurry….."

She swayed and would have fallen, had Elrohir not stepped forward to steady her.

"You will go now," Elrohir said, holding Silivrinath while Legolas mounted Ninim. He then lifted the elf maiden up to the Mirkwood Prince, saying, "Ride on, Legolas. We will be right behind you. Noro lim!"

Legolas steadied the she elf before him, his good arm around her thin waist as his legs clutched at the horse. He did not need reins to remain seated upon a horse, Ninim knew well how to run without causing hindrance to her riders. His injured arm hung limply at his site, feeling had not returned, the broken bone effectively cutting off nerves and muscle. It was better this way. It no longer hurt him, though the arm was useless. Luckily the twins were there to protect them. Ninim moved swiftly. They would soon be in Rivendell.

Silicrinath clung to Legolas, reassured by the steady sound of his heart. She felt Ninim's muscles ripple as the horse sped across the grasslands and she was reassured by the voices of Elladan and Elrohir. She strained to see ahead of them--she had heard something.

"Legolas," she said, "I hear something. Please tell me it's the Bruinen."

Legolas peered ahead and he did indeed see the Bruinen. He felt some of the tension ease as they drew ever nearer.

"Aye, Sili," he told her, "It is the Bruinen. We will be in Rivendell within the hour." Very privately he thought, "I only hope it is soon enough!"

He spoke encouraging words to Ninem, ending with, "Just bear us as
swiftly as you can for a little longer, Ninem. Noro lim!"

The river drew ever closer and Legolas sighed in relief as Ninem
entered the Ford, water spraying away from her flying hooves

As they regained dry land, Ninem again resumed her distance eating
pace.

Arwen was in the courtyard when she heard the clatter of hooves and
looked up to see Legolas, one arm hanging limply at his side, mounted on Ninem and coming toward her at high speed. She also saw, to her mixed joy and worry, Silivrinath clinging to the Mirkwood Prince.

Turning to the closest elf to her she said, "Call my father! Legolas and Silivrinath have returned and it appears he is needed!"

The messenger ran to find the Elf Lord as Arwen went to meet Legolas.
Legolas managed a smile for Arwen as she rushed up to him as he sat
upon the exhausted Ninem.

"I told you that I would bring Sili home," Legolas said softly, "But I fear it may not be a happy homecoming..."

Just then Elrond came hurrying up, his face anxious. Seeing the state the two young elves were in, his question was brief and to the point.

"What happened?"

Legolas began to speak as gentle hands lifted Silivrinath from him. "I found Sili in the midst of battle with Uruk-Hai. At first all seemed well, but she became ill. She has been poisoned, Lord Elrond, and it is affecting her sight. I removed as much of the poison as I could when we first discovered it---"

Legolas slid from Ninem's back, then turned to caress the horse with
his good hand, saying, "Brave Ninem! You gave us your all! We would not be here were it not for you..."

Legolas turned back to Elrond, saying, "Elladan and Elrohir should be here soon. They saved us from a warg and have been guarding our flight..." The Mirkwood Prince shook his head, fatigue and worry taking their toll.

Elrond had listened gravely to Legolas' words a frown deepening on
his features.

"We must begin treatment at once! Come with me--hurry!"

As they hurried through the halls Elrond began planning the treatment Silivrinath would need. He also noted Legolas' broken arm and knew that there was more healing to do.

"Tell me all that you can about Sili's injury," he said.

Legolas complied, telling the Elf Lord everything he could remember, ending with, "Can you heal her, Lord Elrond? Will she regain her sight?"

"I hope so, Legolas," Elrond told him, "But it is much too early to know for certain."

"Sili has feared sleep," Legolas told the Elf Lord. "She had my promise to keep her from sleep until we arrived here..."

Elrond smiled thinly, saying, "As always, Sili's instincts served her well. That, and the fact that you withdrew the poison, very probably will be the telling factors."

As they hurried into the room where Silivrinath had been taken, Elrond told Legolas, "You must rest. As soon as I have treated Sili, I will see to your arm."

Legolas nodded, telling Elrond, "Sili splinted it as best she could. We didn't know it then, but the poison was already affecting her...

"I understand," the Elf Lord said. "Go now. Rest. I will come to you as soon as I can."

Some time later, Elrond emerged from Silivranath's room. He moved to the room given to Legolas, entering quietly.
Legolas looked up as Elrond entered, asking at once, "Lord Elrond? How is she?"

The Elf Lord smiled tiredly, "The danger is past Legolas. She will live. She is resting now. I must tend to your arm."

As Elrond unbound the splint from his arm, Legolas asked, "Lord Elrond? Will Sili lose her sight?"

"I do not think so," Elrond replied, "But we must wait and see. We will know when she wakes, but that may be quite some time from now. Fighting the poison and sleep, as well as worry has exhausted her."

Legolas nodded slowly. "She seemed more worried about the few cuts I have taken than her own wound--"

"I know," Elrond replied. "Prepare yourself, Legolas. This will be painful..."

Hours later Legolas, his arm freshly splinted and now in clean clothes, sat by Silivrinath's bed. He watched her as she slept, worry and hope battling for dominance in his mind.

"Heb amdir," he whispered, looking at his sleeping friend and remembering her use of those words when they were prisoners in the slave camp "I am trying, Sili, but hope is difficult for me right now..."

As if she heard him, Silivrinath's head began to move slowly from side to side. Silivrinath felt consciousness returning to her. She felt the soft sheets, smelled the bloom scented air, and knew she was in Rivendell.

Without opening her eyes, Silivrinath called, "Legolas? Are you here? And are you well?"

Legolas leaned forward at the soft words. He saw Elrond passing the room and beckoned to him. He saw that his friend's eyes were still closed...

"I am here, Sili," he told her as Elrond moved to stand near him. "We are safe now--we are in Rivendell. Lord Elrond has healed you. Open your eyes."

"I am afraid, Legolas," Silivrinath told him. "I am afraid that when I open my eyes, I will see no more than I see now..."

"Come, Sili, you must try! Open your eyes!" Legolas urged her.

"Yes, daughter," Elrond said in his gentlest voice, "Open your eyes. We are here with you. It will be well"

Silivrinath's eyelids fluttered. Very slowly she opened her eyes. Legolas dared not speak; he feared for his childhood friend He watched, barely breathing, as Silivrinath blinked several times.

Silivrinath raised her hands and rubbed her eyes, carefully. When she opened them again she smiled. The first thing she saw was Legolas, Elrond beside him...

"I can see!" Her voice, weak though it was, radiated joy.

Legolas smiled hugely at Silivrinath's words. Now all would truly be well. Silivrinath looked past Legolas, to her foster father. She swallowed, then spoke, "Father, I must apologize to you for disobeying you..."

"Hush, Daughter," Elrond said. "There is time enough for that later. You still have to heal."

"But I want you to know this," Silivrinath insisted. "I will not venture out alone again--it was foolish and served no purpose. I found nothing of Mother or Father.."

Elrond nodded, remaining silent. Having heard the full story from Legolas, he knew that something might yet come of the strange sightings, but he was relieved that his foster daughter was willing to be more cautious in the future..

"Then all is well," he said. "You have returned to us and for that we thank the Valar. And do not worry, Sili...we will solve the mystery of your parents. Heb amdir."

Silivrinath nodded and smiled sleepily. A moment later she drifted back into a healing sleep.

Silivrinath's journey was done.