14 Days
14 Days to Healing
Muse: Frodo / FOTR
~DandyB
My first coherent thought was of pain. My shoulder was burning with a cold I had never experienced before. How foolish of me to put on the Ring after all the warnings from Gandalf and Strider. Where was Sam? My last sight of him was a crumbled heap by one of tower ruins? How are we going to get to Rivendell? My shoulder ached, a chill wind blew over me, was it his breath? I opened my eyes and spoke "Where is the pale king?"
No..no.. no.. that was not what I meant to ask. I shook my head. The pain from that movement nearly caused me to pass out again.
"Who, sir?" sounded the voice of my concern. Tears ran down my face.
"Oh Sam.. you are okay, I am so glad."
Did I say it? Did I get it right that time? I still could not be sure.
"Help me, Help me to sit up. What happened?"
They did as I requested, then I saw the flames burning bright against the early morning sky. What were they thinking?
"You foolish hobbits have built the fire up again. Where is Strider?" I was beginning to feel better now that I wasn't lying down. Every movement had sent another painful wave down my arm.
Sam looked at the others and then he spoke. "Sir, it was Mr. Strider who told us the build up the fire to keep you warm, don't you remember? He had gone off again looking for a weed or something. After you told him about your shoulder and all, he kept saying something about needing Athelias and when I asked him what that was he said it was kingsfoil, but what he would want with a weed is beyond me, I never heard it had any virtue. He's gone again, begging your pardon sir, I don't know if we can trust him. It's nearly dawn now, sir and he's been gone most of the night."
"Sam, we have been all through this before, he has seemed to guide us well so far, up until last night when I foolishly put on the Ring." Our conversation came abruptly to an end when Strider reappeared.
"Frodo? You are awake? How does your shoulder feel? No, don't speak I can tell it pains you. I have found a plant that will help to heal part of your wound, but it will not heal it all. I have found the black rider’s knife along with a piece of his cloak. " He took a deep breath "Frodo, I am afraid you have a splinter of the knife in your shoulder. That sort of wound is beyond the virtue of my small plant, so we must get to Rivendell as soon as can be. I will have the others breakdown the camp as I cleanse your cut" As he talked he placed water on the fire to boil. "I will have the others divide up the stores and leave what we can here, and you must ride the pony, I see you are still too weak to stand."
When the water was ready, he crushed in three of the leaves, and spoke softly over the bowl. It was elvish, but I could not make out the words. As the smell of the herb blew through the air, I saw the weariness of the restless night drop from the other hobbits faces, and a small smile lit Striders. Taking one of my shirts he tore it into strips and used it to bathe my shoulder before binding it up. He also washed my arm and side, and some of the pain and cold left them. I couldn't use my arm, so he fashioned a sling for it.
"Rest now, while we break camp we are 14 days out of Rivendell, and we must leave as soon as it’s full light."
Only 14 days, it seemed like a lifetime.
Tbc..
Muse: Frodo / FOTR
~DandyB
My first coherent thought was of pain. My shoulder was burning with a cold I had never experienced before. How foolish of me to put on the Ring after all the warnings from Gandalf and Strider. Where was Sam? My last sight of him was a crumbled heap by one of tower ruins? How are we going to get to Rivendell? My shoulder ached, a chill wind blew over me, was it his breath? I opened my eyes and spoke "Where is the pale king?"
No..no.. no.. that was not what I meant to ask. I shook my head. The pain from that movement nearly caused me to pass out again.
"Who, sir?" sounded the voice of my concern. Tears ran down my face.
"Oh Sam.. you are okay, I am so glad."
Did I say it? Did I get it right that time? I still could not be sure.
"Help me, Help me to sit up. What happened?"
They did as I requested, then I saw the flames burning bright against the early morning sky. What were they thinking?
"You foolish hobbits have built the fire up again. Where is Strider?" I was beginning to feel better now that I wasn't lying down. Every movement had sent another painful wave down my arm.
Sam looked at the others and then he spoke. "Sir, it was Mr. Strider who told us the build up the fire to keep you warm, don't you remember? He had gone off again looking for a weed or something. After you told him about your shoulder and all, he kept saying something about needing Athelias and when I asked him what that was he said it was kingsfoil, but what he would want with a weed is beyond me, I never heard it had any virtue. He's gone again, begging your pardon sir, I don't know if we can trust him. It's nearly dawn now, sir and he's been gone most of the night."
"Sam, we have been all through this before, he has seemed to guide us well so far, up until last night when I foolishly put on the Ring." Our conversation came abruptly to an end when Strider reappeared.
"Frodo? You are awake? How does your shoulder feel? No, don't speak I can tell it pains you. I have found a plant that will help to heal part of your wound, but it will not heal it all. I have found the black rider’s knife along with a piece of his cloak. " He took a deep breath "Frodo, I am afraid you have a splinter of the knife in your shoulder. That sort of wound is beyond the virtue of my small plant, so we must get to Rivendell as soon as can be. I will have the others breakdown the camp as I cleanse your cut" As he talked he placed water on the fire to boil. "I will have the others divide up the stores and leave what we can here, and you must ride the pony, I see you are still too weak to stand."
When the water was ready, he crushed in three of the leaves, and spoke softly over the bowl. It was elvish, but I could not make out the words. As the smell of the herb blew through the air, I saw the weariness of the restless night drop from the other hobbits faces, and a small smile lit Striders. Taking one of my shirts he tore it into strips and used it to bathe my shoulder before binding it up. He also washed my arm and side, and some of the pain and cold left them. I couldn't use my arm, so he fashioned a sling for it.
"Rest now, while we break camp we are 14 days out of Rivendell, and we must leave as soon as it’s full light."
Only 14 days, it seemed like a lifetime.
Tbc..