Bitter Dregs by Aiwen

A Day Out of Nightmares

Meanwhile, Elrond had been having a day out of nightmares.

On the bed, Gil-galad went into another fit, his face twisting into a hideous parody of a grin. Where was the next round of medications Moriel had promised? Elrond stalked to the entry of the curtained-off alcove. "I need more medications now!" he said loudly. "Including a fever reducer."

"Oh balrogs." came Moriel's harassed voice. "Celebrian, go and get them. They're on the table in the other room. I can't leave Arnil right now."

"We could use another healer," said Taurwen.

Moriel muttered something uncomplimentary, then went back to trying to steady Arnil's erratic breathing.

Meanwhile, Elrond turned back to Gil-galad, stumbling a little. He'd found that he could sometimes prevent the fits triggering, but this was burning strength Gil-galad might need later.

The fit ended, and Gil went limp as a boned fish. Elrond leaned over him, but it was obvious he was breathing. Erratically, it was true, but deeply. Elrond carefully put the leg that had fallen off the bed back on, and put the cold compress back on his forehead. Gil's breathing caught, but otherwise he stayed still.

Celebrian stuck her head in, and handed him the correct dosage in two separate vials. "Thank you," said Elrond. Now he just had to get them into Gil-galad.

"Gil-galad, can you hear me?" asked Elrond. "Open your eyes if you can." Gil-galad's eyelids flickered but did not open. "I want you to drink what I give you," said Elrond. Carefully, Elrond raised Gil-galad's head. The elf's hair was damp with sweat. Gil-galad opened his eyes, but they weren't focusing properly. He tried to jerk his head away, making an incoherent protest.

"I am Elrond. Your healer." said Elrond, moving to hold his monarch's head still. Gil-galad struggled weakly, and tried to bite Elrond's hand. Elrond took a deep breath, reached within himself and focused on Gil-galad's mind. He caught a glimpse of hideous orc faces, and hands holding a curved knife. Elrond winced. No wonder Gil-galad wasn't cooperating.

"You are safe," said Elrond softly inside Gil-galad's head. "I am Elrond. Now DRINK", Elrond said, opening Gil-galad's lips and carefully spooning part of the mixture into the side of his mouth, between lips and teeth. Gil-galad swallowed reflexively. Elrond then repeated the process until Gil had taken the medication.

"Shhh. That's better," said Elrond, moving Gil-galad's head back to the pillow.

Gil's eyes darted around, finally settling on Elrond's face. "El?" he croaked.

"Yes, I am Elrond."

Gil-galad smiled faintly. His eyes closed when Elrond made no further movements. A minute's rest, then it was another fit to deal with. Elrond heard a commotion from the other end of the room, but ignored it.

A few minutes lately, Moriel came over to check on Gil-galad. "How is Arluin?" Elrond asked.

"Arluin's dead," she said bleakly.

Elrond nodded. "Borontir?"

"Only the occasional spasm, and no fever. You said Borontir only drank half a cup?"

"Yes, or maybe a bit less."

"How much did the King take again?"

"All but the dregs," said Elrond. "Arluin drank his."

Moriel closed her eyes, allowing her exhaustion to show for a moment. "Still less than Arluin, and elves process poisons faster. We can do this." What she didn't say aloud was: I hope.

The day dragged on and on, one hour blurring into the next. At first Gil-galad seemed a bit better, but then the fits came closer together again and they had to give him another dose. Sometimes, too, Gil-galad would get a fit identical to those seen with the falling sickness. He was completely unconscious for some time after those. He was also getting weaker, breathing interrupted by the fits leaving him with blue lips, and an erratic heartbeat. The intermittent fever was making him dehydrated, and it was difficult to get water into him with his swallowing reflexes unreliable.

Moriel was working beside Elrond most of the time now, leaving Borontir in Taurwen and Celebrian's care.

Elrond sat down for a moment, having just restarted Gil-galad's breathing after his lastest fit ceased. "I want to try something different," he said to Moriel. "We need a stronger muscle relaxant."

"He'll stop breathing completely if you do that," said Moriel.

"I can keep him breathing, but these spasms are draining his strength so fast his heart is going to give out unless we do something," Elrond pointed out.

"It will take both of us, for hours, with no interruptions, and it still may not work." Moriel grimaced, then shook her head. "Normally I'd forbid it, but you are right. He'll die if we don't."

"I know. We need to eat first, also, or we are likely to fail. What time is it?" Elrond suddenly realized he had no idea how long they'd been working like this.

"I don't know. I'll ask the guards and get the medication ready. You keep an eye on Gil-galad, and eat something." Moriel left, heading towards the door. Wearily, Elrond wiped his hands, and took a few bites from the pasty that had been left on the tray for him, keeping watch over Gil-galad as he did so.

Gil-galad was very still, his face icy pale and his chest barely moving with each breath. Watching Gil-galad's white face, Elrond wondered if this was the last time he'd see his friend alive with his outer eyes. It seemed such a stupid, petty way for him to die. Elrond could have sworn he'd seen a different fate waiting for Gil-galad.

Elrond sipped his tea, and began eating a pasty. He dropped the cup when Gil went into another fit. Elrond dealt with that, then poured himself some more tea, and finished his pasty. Moriel came back and ate, while Elrond took the opportunity to visit the privy. He came back just in time to help deal with another fit. They lasted longer and came far more often, but it was still that classic lockjaw fit that had so startled Elrond when he first saw it. Finally it was over, Gil-galad collapsed and lay frighteningly still. He wasn't breathing. Elrond pinched Gil-galad's nose closed and breathed into his mouth. The elf gave a weak, ragged gasp and started breathing again.

Moriel administered the antispasmodic, carefully triggering the swallowing reflex. Gil-galad was so exhausted it was difficult to get any of his muscles to react properly. Then Elrond slid into a trance state, watching his patient with senses other than eyes and ears, becoming deaf and blind to the outside world. He became heartbeat and breathing, telling them when to act and when to rest.

Chapter End Notes

A/N: I am not a doctor, and do NOT take anything in this story as medical advice. I do know that giving an unconscious person fluids by mouth is dangerous because they can choke, something that fanfiction often ignores.