Tm#130 Loyalty
For this one Frodo needs to answer from a different perspective.
Remembering..
" The first part of their journey was hard and dreary, and Frodo remembered little of it, save the wind..." Fellowship of The Ring.
I had spent the evening reading the Red Book to Elanor and Little Frodo. We had just finshed the Rivendell chapter when I sent them off to bed. Now sitting leisurely with my pipe I had read a little bit further when I had come to this part and stopped reading.. I remembered...
We had been walking through much of the first couple days leading Bill behind us.. Not that he would have strayed from our party even if he was untethered. We had not gone a day or two when the weather had turned colder. December was howling up our legs and biting our heels. And it wasn't long before I noticed Frodo seemed to be suffering from the cold most of all. I led the pony closer to him and walked at his side. Whispering so the others couldn't hear.."Are you okay Frodo?"
That sideways look he gave me told me all I needed to know before he shook his head, then he smiled sadly and spoke. "You are not the first person to ask Sam.. but at least with you I can give the true answer.. No.. My shoulder is aching from the cold.. I was afraid if I said something to Gandalf or Aragorn they would stop the company and force some nasty tasting medication into me.."
I grinned back at him, knowing how much he hated to take medicines.. Well if he thought he was okay to keep going.. I resumed my own pace behind him.
It wasn't long though before I noticed the change.. It was subtle but the pace that he was setting was getting slower as the night wore on.. And at one time stumbled in the dark.. I reached out my hand to steady him and grabbed his arm.. Even through his winter coat I felt it..and another glance at his sweating face confirmed it.. Frodo was running a dreadful fever.. Again he shook his head as he clutched my arm and whispered.. "Say nothing, Sam.. we will soon enough anyways, see the sky is getting lighter.. Besides.. it's just.. the heat from walking.. I am sure it will pass.."
"Frodo.." I whispered back.. "It is not just the heat. You have gone as white as the frost under our feet.. I have some herbs from Elrond's garden in my pack, feverfew being one of them. I will brew you up some tea when we stop for the day..let me at least do that.. I will volunteer us to do the first watches and you can rest the entire time.. Your Sam will keep you safe from both your enemies and your friends attentions.."
He stumbled again and I discreetly caught him around the waist until he regained his feet then I let him go again.. We had to stop.. this pace was wearing on him.. but how..thinking quickly.. a bit of a stretch for a Gamgee brain.. I halted Bill and bent to examine his hooves.. Legolas who was behind us.. called the rest of the company to a halt..
"He's picked up a stone.. We need to rest him for the night is all.. and possibly if I could make a small fire and brew a little water.. I could bathe it and set it to rights.. Why in a day or so he'll be right as rain.. We just need to stop a little early if all you big folk don't mind.. Why.. Me and Mr. Frodo here will even take the extended and the first watches.."
Muse: Frodo Baggins
Fandom: LOTR
Word Count: 590
Remembering..
" The first part of their journey was hard and dreary, and Frodo remembered little of it, save the wind..." Fellowship of The Ring.
I had spent the evening reading the Red Book to Elanor and Little Frodo. We had just finshed the Rivendell chapter when I sent them off to bed. Now sitting leisurely with my pipe I had read a little bit further when I had come to this part and stopped reading.. I remembered...
We had been walking through much of the first couple days leading Bill behind us.. Not that he would have strayed from our party even if he was untethered. We had not gone a day or two when the weather had turned colder. December was howling up our legs and biting our heels. And it wasn't long before I noticed Frodo seemed to be suffering from the cold most of all. I led the pony closer to him and walked at his side. Whispering so the others couldn't hear.."Are you okay Frodo?"
That sideways look he gave me told me all I needed to know before he shook his head, then he smiled sadly and spoke. "You are not the first person to ask Sam.. but at least with you I can give the true answer.. No.. My shoulder is aching from the cold.. I was afraid if I said something to Gandalf or Aragorn they would stop the company and force some nasty tasting medication into me.."
I grinned back at him, knowing how much he hated to take medicines.. Well if he thought he was okay to keep going.. I resumed my own pace behind him.
It wasn't long though before I noticed the change.. It was subtle but the pace that he was setting was getting slower as the night wore on.. And at one time stumbled in the dark.. I reached out my hand to steady him and grabbed his arm.. Even through his winter coat I felt it..and another glance at his sweating face confirmed it.. Frodo was running a dreadful fever.. Again he shook his head as he clutched my arm and whispered.. "Say nothing, Sam.. we will soon enough anyways, see the sky is getting lighter.. Besides.. it's just.. the heat from walking.. I am sure it will pass.."
"Frodo.." I whispered back.. "It is not just the heat. You have gone as white as the frost under our feet.. I have some herbs from Elrond's garden in my pack, feverfew being one of them. I will brew you up some tea when we stop for the day..let me at least do that.. I will volunteer us to do the first watches and you can rest the entire time.. Your Sam will keep you safe from both your enemies and your friends attentions.."
He stumbled again and I discreetly caught him around the waist until he regained his feet then I let him go again.. We had to stop.. this pace was wearing on him.. but how..thinking quickly.. a bit of a stretch for a Gamgee brain.. I halted Bill and bent to examine his hooves.. Legolas who was behind us.. called the rest of the company to a halt..
"He's picked up a stone.. We need to rest him for the night is all.. and possibly if I could make a small fire and brew a little water.. I could bathe it and set it to rights.. Why in a day or so he'll be right as rain.. We just need to stop a little early if all you big folk don't mind.. Why.. Me and Mr. Frodo here will even take the extended and the first watches.."
Muse: Frodo Baggins
Fandom: LOTR
Word Count: 590