(no subject)
My aim is to have a longer chapter of this posted tomorrow or Wednesday. Hang in there!
BTW - any one got a title idea for this rot?
Lots of warnings, m’preg, slash, hurt/comfort etc
Strider rose from the bed and moved to fetch cloth and water to clean himself. He knew he had no control over a dream but still he was disgusted as he wiped away the evidence of his shame. A noise from the other bed caught his attention and he moved swiftly but silently over to it. Frodo had become restless and was tossing his head from side to side. He had kicked away part of his bedding.
Fetching a fresh cloth and water Strider leant over the bed to lay the cooling cloth on Frodo’s forehead. The hobbit’s skin was still pale but now had beading of sweat over the forehead and upper lip.
As Strider placed the cloth over Frodo’s forehead the hobbit opened his eyes and looked up. Strider was pleased to see that while there was confusion in the blue depth there was no fear.
“How do you feel?” Strider asked.
Frodo shifted restlessly beneath the covers. “Hot,” he said. “May I have some water?”
Strider helped Frodo to sit up a little and held the cup as the hobbit took great thirsty gasps of water. “Not so fast,” he warned. “Sip slowly or you may be sick.”
Frodo did as he was told. At last he lent back. “It tastes so cool.”
“You have a fever,” Strider said. “In a moment I will have some herbs I wish for you to take. I studied with Elrond of Rivendell and he is a healer of great wisdom.”
Frodo allowed the man to lower him back to his pillows. “Did I dream it or did you say you knew Bilbo?”
“I do,” Strider moved around the room gathering some supplies. “I met him at Rivendell many years ago, and I saw him there more recently.”
“At Rivendell?”
“Yes, he is dwelling now with the elves.”
Frodo sighed. “I came looking for him. I wanted an adventure like he had. But I fell into a nightmare instead.”
Strider sat on the side of the bed and offered Frodo another drink. “This will be bitter but you can have some more water after.”
Frodo pulled a face but he drank down the herbs and then drank more water.
“Can you tell me what happened? How long ago was it you left the Shire?”
Frodo dropped his eyes. “I am not sure. I left the Shire not long after my birthday. I walked for a while and met one of your kind, a Ranger. He was kind to me.” Frodo’s voice dropped to a whisper. “But then he had to go on and I made my way to Bree. But the outlaws found me. I lost track of time. It was several months, they held me captive, making me a servant, and….”
A tear fell onto the blanket beneath Frodo’s lowered face, and then another. Strider wanted so much to take the fragile hobbit into his arms and comfort him but he dared not. For a start he might frighten the hobbit who had encountered so much abuse from men, and again, he might also frighten himself with his desire for Frodo. Instead he offered another sip of water.
“Frodo, will you allow me to examine you?” Strider said. “I know you have burns on your feet, and some bruises. I think you also had at least two broken ribs which have healed. But I really need to see about the progress of your baby. For the sake of your child will you let me examine you?”
Frodo sniffed, “Yes,” he said in a small voice. “But I am so tired now.”
Strider reached out and stroked hair back from Frodo’s eyes. The hobbit really needed a hair cut but it was a shame to trim anything off the beautiful curls. “Rest now. We will have a look when you feel stronger.”
Frodo flopped back onto his pillows but then a frown creased his forehead. “Um. Strider… the water… that is … I need to…”
Strider could not help but smile. “Do not be embarrassed,” he reassured and lent over to pull from beneath the bed the chamber pot.
Frodo just looked at it helplessly, and a flush brought colour to his pale cheeks. “I am not… that is… I don’t think I can use it with you in the room.”
Strider thought for a moment. “I need to go downstairs and get some more water, and see about something for you to eat. Are you sure you can manage by yourself?”
Frodo nodded. “I only have to sit up a bit.”
“Very well,” Strider gathered up the water pitcher and food tray. “I will be back in just a moment.”
Strider left the room and made his way down the inn stairs. Even at this time there was bound to be someone in the kitchen. Butterbur had a hobbit helper who slept snug and warm by the ovens.
As it was Strider only gained the main corridor when he heard someone knocking on the inns’ front door. He paused for a while, wondering if to answer the summons himself. The Pranching Pony was something of an unofficial headquarters for him when in Bree and it could be one of the Rangers. Making up his mind he set the tray to one side and went to the door, drawing back the heavy latch and opening it.
“Strider,” it was Halbarad, looking out of breath and worried. “There is no time to loose. We must get Frodo out of here. There had been trouble at the jail. Families who lost loved ones and homes to the outlaws took matters into their own hands. The outlaws have been killed, but news has gone about that there was a hobbit with them. They are searching the inns. The guards told them Rangers had taken Frodo. Then want to hang him!”
Tbc
BTW - any one got a title idea for this rot?
Lots of warnings, m’preg, slash, hurt/comfort etc
Strider rose from the bed and moved to fetch cloth and water to clean himself. He knew he had no control over a dream but still he was disgusted as he wiped away the evidence of his shame. A noise from the other bed caught his attention and he moved swiftly but silently over to it. Frodo had become restless and was tossing his head from side to side. He had kicked away part of his bedding.
Fetching a fresh cloth and water Strider leant over the bed to lay the cooling cloth on Frodo’s forehead. The hobbit’s skin was still pale but now had beading of sweat over the forehead and upper lip.
As Strider placed the cloth over Frodo’s forehead the hobbit opened his eyes and looked up. Strider was pleased to see that while there was confusion in the blue depth there was no fear.
“How do you feel?” Strider asked.
Frodo shifted restlessly beneath the covers. “Hot,” he said. “May I have some water?”
Strider helped Frodo to sit up a little and held the cup as the hobbit took great thirsty gasps of water. “Not so fast,” he warned. “Sip slowly or you may be sick.”
Frodo did as he was told. At last he lent back. “It tastes so cool.”
“You have a fever,” Strider said. “In a moment I will have some herbs I wish for you to take. I studied with Elrond of Rivendell and he is a healer of great wisdom.”
Frodo allowed the man to lower him back to his pillows. “Did I dream it or did you say you knew Bilbo?”
“I do,” Strider moved around the room gathering some supplies. “I met him at Rivendell many years ago, and I saw him there more recently.”
“At Rivendell?”
“Yes, he is dwelling now with the elves.”
Frodo sighed. “I came looking for him. I wanted an adventure like he had. But I fell into a nightmare instead.”
Strider sat on the side of the bed and offered Frodo another drink. “This will be bitter but you can have some more water after.”
Frodo pulled a face but he drank down the herbs and then drank more water.
“Can you tell me what happened? How long ago was it you left the Shire?”
Frodo dropped his eyes. “I am not sure. I left the Shire not long after my birthday. I walked for a while and met one of your kind, a Ranger. He was kind to me.” Frodo’s voice dropped to a whisper. “But then he had to go on and I made my way to Bree. But the outlaws found me. I lost track of time. It was several months, they held me captive, making me a servant, and….”
A tear fell onto the blanket beneath Frodo’s lowered face, and then another. Strider wanted so much to take the fragile hobbit into his arms and comfort him but he dared not. For a start he might frighten the hobbit who had encountered so much abuse from men, and again, he might also frighten himself with his desire for Frodo. Instead he offered another sip of water.
“Frodo, will you allow me to examine you?” Strider said. “I know you have burns on your feet, and some bruises. I think you also had at least two broken ribs which have healed. But I really need to see about the progress of your baby. For the sake of your child will you let me examine you?”
Frodo sniffed, “Yes,” he said in a small voice. “But I am so tired now.”
Strider reached out and stroked hair back from Frodo’s eyes. The hobbit really needed a hair cut but it was a shame to trim anything off the beautiful curls. “Rest now. We will have a look when you feel stronger.”
Frodo flopped back onto his pillows but then a frown creased his forehead. “Um. Strider… the water… that is … I need to…”
Strider could not help but smile. “Do not be embarrassed,” he reassured and lent over to pull from beneath the bed the chamber pot.
Frodo just looked at it helplessly, and a flush brought colour to his pale cheeks. “I am not… that is… I don’t think I can use it with you in the room.”
Strider thought for a moment. “I need to go downstairs and get some more water, and see about something for you to eat. Are you sure you can manage by yourself?”
Frodo nodded. “I only have to sit up a bit.”
“Very well,” Strider gathered up the water pitcher and food tray. “I will be back in just a moment.”
Strider left the room and made his way down the inn stairs. Even at this time there was bound to be someone in the kitchen. Butterbur had a hobbit helper who slept snug and warm by the ovens.
As it was Strider only gained the main corridor when he heard someone knocking on the inns’ front door. He paused for a while, wondering if to answer the summons himself. The Pranching Pony was something of an unofficial headquarters for him when in Bree and it could be one of the Rangers. Making up his mind he set the tray to one side and went to the door, drawing back the heavy latch and opening it.
“Strider,” it was Halbarad, looking out of breath and worried. “There is no time to loose. We must get Frodo out of here. There had been trouble at the jail. Families who lost loved ones and homes to the outlaws took matters into their own hands. The outlaws have been killed, but news has gone about that there was a hobbit with them. They are searching the inns. The guards told them Rangers had taken Frodo. Then want to hang him!”
Tbc