Aragorn: 17 years old

The next thing Aragorn know, he was soaking wet and in somebody's arms. As the person walked, Aragorn was being bounced around as if the person holding him were running. For some reason, Aragorn's head felt a lot more painful than usual. Mentally and physically. Same with his upper arm.

"We can rest here," a voice said.

Aragorn knew the voice but could not place it, as his head was too much dazed.

"Agreed, get a fire going please," another voice said.

"El-ron-d?" Aragorn squeaked as he tried opening his eyes.

The person holding him stopped and looked down.

"Yes, my child. It is me, you will be okay. Just hang in there," Elrond said softly as he looked down to his son's face.

Aragorn felt himself be set down at the base of a tree. He reached blindly out and grabbed what he thought were Elrond's pants. Elrond looked down to him.

"Don't leave- me," Aragorn whispered.

"I'm not, my sweet child," Elrond replied mildly.

Aragorn sensed the Elf sit next to him. Elrond held Aragorn's hand to let him know he was there. Everything was quiet and the only sound in the forest was Aragorn's deep raspy breathing.

"I know he has always been reckless, but I have never seen him this way before," a voice said.

Aragorn was in and out of sleep, but he believed the voice was Lagorion.

"I know," Elrond replied, "This is bad,"

Aragorn wanted to talk, but couldn't. He opened his eyes barely and saw a small fire by his feet. Elrond was right next to him still and he saw Lagorion across the fire. That made him smile even though it was a painful process.

Elrond put water to Aragorn's lips, but he just chocked on it instead.

"You have to drink, Estel," Elrond said sounding a little annoyed, but understanding.

Aragorn felt Elrond wrapping something around his forehead and then his arm. He assumed he had gotten a deep gash on a rock as he fell off the waterfall.

Then he felt Elrond put a cold cloth to the left side of his face where the slash was from the Elf. Aragorn jerked back at the stinging feel of it and cringed.

"Estel..." Elrond whispered warningly.

Soon Aragorn fell back asleep and Elrond and Lagorion could not wake him.

-----

"Time to go," Elrond said and dumped water over the fire, "We have to get him back to Rivendell as soon as possible. And out of this accursed forest. That's probably what's doing the most damage to him,"

"Agreed, my Lord," Lagorion said and separated the once used fire wood.

Lagorion eyed Aragorn as Elrond lifted him once more. He thought about something and then said his mind,

"My Lord, do you wish me to give him some of my light?"

Elrond shook his head and whispered,

"If you do that, I will have both of you semi drained,"

"True," Lagorion paused and then followed Elrond, "Not to argue with you, but could I give him only a little bit. Just enough to make him aware of what is going on?"

"I suppose," Elrond confessed, "If you wish,"

Elrond gently set Aragorn down again and let Lagorion do what he wanted. The Elf held Aragorn's hand and pushed it to his own forehead. Lagorion said some quiet words and Elrond could tell the Elf was already being drained of health. His facial expressions said so, but he kept giving Aragorn more.

"Lagorion, that's enough," Elrond commanded after a minute had gone by.

Lagorion however seemed not to hear the king and continued giving Aragorn his energy. A moment later Aragorn gasped and was awake again. He looked forward and saw what his friend was doing.

"Lag- stop!" he shouted and pushed him away weakly.

Lagorion fell over backwards and lay still for a moment gathering himself again. His eyes had turned a little pink and his ears weren't as aware as normal. He was gasping for air himself.

"What is going on?" Aragorn asked alarmed as he figured out what Lagorion had been doing.

"We must leave now," Elrond said and helped Aragorn stand.

He stood on his feet weakly, but at least he could do so. They would go a lot faster if all three were alert and awake. Lagorion stood a moment later and said,

"I'm okay,"

"Glad to hear," Elrond said as he supported Aragorn.

Aragorn turned and hugged Elrond since he hadn't seen him in a long while. Elrond put a water jug in his hand and told him to drink the whole thing. Aragorn obeyed and drank it without hesitation. Lagorion's power had really helped a lot, but any more would have hurt Lagorion instead.

After hugging Elrond, Aragorn stumbled onto Lagorion and gave him a big hug.

"I am glad you are okay," Aragorn whispered into the Elf's ear.

"I am glad to have you back," Lagorion said and guided Aragorn back to Elrond's aid.

Lagorion suddenly laughed and flopped Aragorn's hair around saying,

"Your hair is messed up again, Estel!"

Aragorn smiled, but stumbled back almost falling over.

"Lagorion, not now!" Elrond said harshly and caught his son again.

Aragorn looked sick already again, but Lagorion looked away as he wiped the smile off his face.

"Let's go," Elrond said.

The three walked through the woods for the remainder of the day and towards the end, Aragorn collapsed onto Elrond.

"Sorry- I- I can't... go any... farther," Aragorn whispered as his eyes were closed.

Elrond and Lagorion both knew that Lagorion's light had helped get Aragorn get through the day, but now the power was wearing off, making Aragorn feel worse. They also knew that they should let Aragorn have rest, since every human needed it. Aragorn sat down at the base of a tree and leaned his head against the bark.

"I can't..." Aragorn murmured to nobody in particular as he gasped for air.

Elrond crouched down next to him as Lagorion watched the forest around them. They were about another day's walk to get out of Mirkwood, and Elrond and Lagorion knew this.

"I can't... father," Aragorn whispered again through his clamped teeth.

Elrond put his arm around Aragorn's shoulders and Aragorn leaned into his protectively.

About an hour past and Lagorion had made a vegetable soup for Aragorn. For it was the only food the Elves had carried.

"Here," Lagorion handed Elrond a bowl of the soup, "For Estel,"

Elrond took the bowl and shook Aragorn gently and said,

"Estel, wake up child. We have food for you,"

Aragorn moaned a little, but opened his eyes slowly to the gestor. Elrond saw him shake his head and close his eyes again.

"You aren't going to get any better by not doing anything, Estel," Elrond explained, "You must eat this... it looks very good,"

Aragorn sighed and slowly took the bowl in his own hands. Elrond thought he might drop it, so he put a shielding hand at the rim of the bowl just in case. Aragorn ate a couple bites and said,

"Thank you,"

Elrond saw that his eyes were red as if he had been crying a lot, in which he assumed he had. The last week had been very stressful for the human. Humans didn't deal with stress as well as Elves could.

"I can't," Aragorn handed the bowl to Elrond as he gripped his head with his free hand, "I am too hot... I am on fire!" he suddenly burst out and sat all the way forward.

"You are freezing cold, you have a fever," Elrond explained pushing Aragorn back again, "You must eat this, please,"

Aragorn eyed the food in Elrond's hands and his stomach lurched and his head threw forward. And that was when he threw up all over Elrond's lap. He was surprised he had been able to keep it all on for so long.

Lagorion stared with his mouth wide open as he put together another bowl of soup. Aragorn looked horror struck as he wiped his mouth clean. Elrond only stared at his lap and then up to Aragorn. Tears came to Aragorn's eyes as his throat burned and said,

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, it just..."

Elrond handed the bowl of soup to Lagorion and positioned Aragorn to sit back again. He said softly,

"It's okay, that was good. I should have listened to you," he paused as he looked at Aragorn's terrified face, "You feel better now, right?"

"I guess," Aragorn moaned and closed his eyes again.

"I am going to go clean myself off, okay?" Elrond asked Aragorn, "I will be right back,"

Aragorn clutched Elrond's arm and gasped,

"Don't leave me!"

Elrond looked to Lagorion and the Elf handed the king a wet cloth. Elrond used it to clean his pants and shirt clean, as best he could anyway.

"Are you still there?" Aragorn whispered.

Aragorn was still gripping Elrond's arm tightly, so this confused the Elf. He explained,

"Yes, I am here for you my child. I won't leave you. What hurts? How can I help?"

"Dizzy..." Aragorn said and opened his eyes and peered towards Elrond barley.

Aragorn made a strange noise and Elrond watched as Aragorn's eyes went straight to the back of his head and fell backwards onto the tree.

"Estel?" he whispered.

Aragorn had already fallen asleep again and Elrond or Lagorion didn't have the heart to wake him now. They very well knew that humans got quite grumpy when they were sick as they had encountered before when Aragorn had gotten sick.

Elrond decided to eat Aragorn's soup so it wouldn't go bad and the three stayed in the same spot all night waiting for morning to come. Only it was hard to tell exactly when that did come since the trees were so high and full. So, they waited, all hoping Aragorn would feel better in the morning.