** Chapter 4 **
When Frodo came to, he first saw blue-violet eyes staring worriedly down at him. Then he moved his eyes and saw the faces of his three other companions, then looked back at those eyes. They were Azura's.
"What has happened? Where is the pale king?!" Frodo asked, his mind in a frantic rave.
The four seemed so overjoyed to hear him speak, they didn't at first answer him, nor understood him.
Azura laughed loudly, then smiled, "Welcome back, Frodo!" Her voice sound a little heavy, as if she had been very upset.
"Welcome back!" Sam, Pippin, and Merry echoed.
Frodo tried to sit up, but Azura gently pushed him back down, with his head resting on her lap.
"You need to lay still, or you will hurt yourself." She said, resting her arm over his shoulder, then moving her hand up, and removing the rag from his forehead, and dipping it in warm water. She gently wringed it, then put it on his forehead.
"How long...have I been out?" Frodo asked, feeling dizzy and confused.
"About an hour." Sam replied, he was taking rags off his chest and shoulder, leaving him feeling cold. When Sam replaced them, they were warm, and felt better than before.
Frodo blinked a few times, and swallowed. He was shaking. He remembered the fear he felt when that Ringwraith rushed him, then he pulled out his own sword and struck out at the Ringwraith, making it fall, but as it fell, it stabbed Frodo. His shoulder, which ached, painfully.
"Why don't you sing him a song? Frodo, would that make you feel better?" Merry said, first looking at Azura, then at Frodo.
Azura's cheeks went red, but Frodo smiled lightly. "It would be pleasant."
Pippin and Merry clapped to encourage Azura, but she was quiet for a few moments, blushing in silence.
She then grinned, "You boys sure like embarrassing me!" She said, laughing, then began trying to think of something to think.
Frodo watched her stare at the fire, with a thoughtful look on her face. The fire reflected golden in her eyes, making her blue-violet eyes glow with flecks of gold burning like tiny golden stars in her eyes.
Sam, Merry, and Pippin exchanged silent grins from seeing Frodo staring up at Azura, who was oblivious.
"Ok.. I'll sing. It's a lullaby my Mother used to sing to me." Azura said, looking back at them, then down at Frodo. She smiled, then started to sing,
Dream little child, oh so fair,
of the bluest skies and
chirping birds, singing in harmony,
And the gentle waves crashing 'gainst the shore
And dream, little child
Of tall, towering castles
And knights of honor, riding,
Riding and protecting the innocent
And dream, little child
Of journeys with friends so kind
Off to the sea, the mountains,
and fields so green, and laugh together in friendship
My little child, so small and fair
Don't forget those who love you and stand strong
When the time comes, they'll see your shine
Through your smile, your heart, and strength
So, my child so fair, remember all these
And most of all, remember your dreams.
Merry, Pippin, and Sam erupted in laughter, and approving applause. Frodo smiled up at Azura, seeing her blush at the applause, and she laughed and closed her eyes, and looked away, then back with a wide grin.
"Enough! I don't think I could be embarrassed anymore!" Azura said, turning cheek to them and stared at the fire.
"Would you sing it again?" Sam asked, grinning.
Azura shook her head 'no', not looking at them. She was trying to regain her dignity.
"I wonder what is keeping Strider....I hope he didn't come across more Black Riders..."Pippin, suddenly growing anxious.
"He seems like the kind of guy who can hold his own. I am sure he's alright." Azura said, looking back at them with a less flushed face.
"Yes, I do agree." Merry said, looking at Sam and Pippin, who each nodded.
"So, how about another song?" Merry asked, grinning.
"These rags are getting cold! You three are supposed to be helping me keep him warm, not let him freeze!" Azura said, changing the subject quickly.
Each took off a rag, then dipped it in the warm water, then wringed it, and placed them back on Frodo.
"I am rather tired. I think I will lay down." Sam said, leaning his back against the tree, folding his hands across his stomach.
Merry and Pippin both leaned back onto the ground and began to rest.
Azura looked up, and saw the moon was in the middle of the sky, which meant it was only a few hours until sunrise.
She lifted Frodo by his shoulders and the back of his neck, and moved her legs from beneath him. He was quiet, and only watched her with a heavily-sleepy look. She gently laid him down on a dry bundled up blanket, and removed the cooling rags. She fixed his shirt so his shoulder was covered, then got up and fetched a blanket for him. She tossed it into the air by two ends and let it fall and drape over him.
She went and got her sword and stuck the tip into the ground near where Frodo was now asleep.
She yawned, suddenly feeling her tiredness come over her, also, a dull ache in her shoulder. She fetched a few more blankets, and tossed them over the other sleeping hobbits.
She looked down at her belt, and at the blue-clothed bag hanging from it. She smiled sleepily, and removed it, and set it down in between Sam and Pippin. She hoped the starberries weren't too shaken and crushed from her fall.
She then went and sat next to Frodo. She rubbed her fists on her eyes, trying to force herself to stay awake. Ten minutes of rubbing and shaking her head ended up useless. In a tired defeat, she lay down next to Frodo, and listened to the night owls hooting, and the crackling of the fire as she fell asleep.
-----
Azura felt odd. She was shaking, but it wasn't herself. She was too numb and tired to really acknowledge where she was.
She felt two arms curled beneath her knees, and her arms hung limply over someone's shoulder's. And she felt curly hair pressed against her cheek.
She heard snippets of talking, and she struggled to move in the slightest, but found she couldn't. She felt numb all over, and even breathing deeply seemed a chore. Her shoulder felt tight and numb.
"...she'll wake...get....antidote.."
".....are you sure?"
"...sure.."
"...I....she gets..well..."
"...soon.....give it time...run through her blood...it'll wake up her...she's probably....aware now..."
"....really?"
"...maybe.."
She felt her muscles loosening, and her fingertips and toes felt warm. They began to tingle. Her eyes felt wet, almost teary. Her ears tingled now too.
She tired to work her voice box, but all that came out was a soft exhale of breath.
It must be the poisroot. This must be a side effect. She didn't like it. It was like being trapped in a suffocating small room or something body tight. She could work nothing in her body.
She then felt her body being slipped off whoever was carrying her's back, and being laid gently on the ground. She heard the others sitting round her. They must have been stopping for a lunch break.
That meant it must be around noon. [I]I've been asleep for eight hours?! [/I]She thought to herself.
After ten minutes, the tingling in her limbs turned needle like, and she began to stir.
She heard laughter, and excited talking, but everyone spoke at once and made her head feel like it was spinning, as she pulled herself up to sit. She forced her eyes open, squinting in the bright light, and looking at the smiling faces of her hobbit companions.
"Are you well?" Pippin asked, having a worried smile painting his face.
"Do you feel hungry? Or thirsty?" Sam asked, reaching for a water bottle.
Azura shook her head 'no', and the first thing that came to mind was if Frodo was okay. "Frodo." She mumbled, numbly looking for him.
"I'm well." Frodo said, squatting down in front of her, his elbows resting on his knees, and his hands hanging and nearly touching his toes.
Azura stared numbly at him, her senses still quite numb.
"You have an elf's ability to recover from poisroot stings. It's a great gift to have." Strider said. He was standing near the pony, looking at her, with his arms crossed.
Azura stretched her feet forward, and noticed her boots and socks had been removed. But the cool grass on the bottom of her feet.
"You're feet look neat hairless. It's a first sight for all of us." Sam said,grinning.
Azura stared at her feet. They were long and slim, but big for her. Must be the hobbit genes...
She slowly stood, but stared at the four hobbits. They remained seated.
Merry and Pippin laughed, "We're resting now! You may have been asleep, but we've been taking turns carrying you on our backs!" Merry said, laughing soundly.
"I'm not heavy....I think.." Azura said, as she sat, next to Frodo and Sam, and Merry and Pippin were sitting in front of her.
She stared down at the four's feet, and giggled loudly despite herself. "You all have such big feet!" She laughed louder, until she couldn't laugh anymore.
The others were smiling at her, even Strider.
The numbness, then sudden rush of air and blood to her body parts had left her lightheaded and giddy.
She placed her left foot next to Frodo's, then her right next to Sam. Both her feet were slightly more than half the size of theirs, and much slimmer, and completely hairless. She stared at her feet next to theirs, then burst out laughing and leaned forward, leaning her stomach on her thighs, and laughing soundly.
"She'll recover, she's only giddy from the poisroot's side effects wearing off." Strider said, smiling.
"She...is acting...like a youngling who's had their first cup of ale!" Pippin said, laughing.
Twenty minutes later, Azura was more recovered, and less giddy, and more composed.
"Frodo has mostly been riding on the pony, but the last hour, he's insisted on walking for himself." Sam said, to Azura.
"You should ride." Azura said, turning her gaze to Frodo. "Your took a Ringwraiths' blade in your shoulder, and that's not easy to recover from."
"I will, when we start again, if you insist upon it. I still feel-"Frodo began, but then Azura poked his shoulder with her fingertip, not directly on the wound, but near it, and Frodo flinched and yelped in pain.
Azura nodded, smiled, and said, "You are riding. And so am I, so you don't fall off."
Sam, Merry, and Pippin exchanged quick grins, then they laid back in the grass and stared up at the sky, and prepared to rest while their soup boiled on a kettle on a small fire.
When Frodo came to, he first saw blue-violet eyes staring worriedly down at him. Then he moved his eyes and saw the faces of his three other companions, then looked back at those eyes. They were Azura's.
"What has happened? Where is the pale king?!" Frodo asked, his mind in a frantic rave.
The four seemed so overjoyed to hear him speak, they didn't at first answer him, nor understood him.
Azura laughed loudly, then smiled, "Welcome back, Frodo!" Her voice sound a little heavy, as if she had been very upset.
"Welcome back!" Sam, Pippin, and Merry echoed.
Frodo tried to sit up, but Azura gently pushed him back down, with his head resting on her lap.
"You need to lay still, or you will hurt yourself." She said, resting her arm over his shoulder, then moving her hand up, and removing the rag from his forehead, and dipping it in warm water. She gently wringed it, then put it on his forehead.
"How long...have I been out?" Frodo asked, feeling dizzy and confused.
"About an hour." Sam replied, he was taking rags off his chest and shoulder, leaving him feeling cold. When Sam replaced them, they were warm, and felt better than before.
Frodo blinked a few times, and swallowed. He was shaking. He remembered the fear he felt when that Ringwraith rushed him, then he pulled out his own sword and struck out at the Ringwraith, making it fall, but as it fell, it stabbed Frodo. His shoulder, which ached, painfully.
"Why don't you sing him a song? Frodo, would that make you feel better?" Merry said, first looking at Azura, then at Frodo.
Azura's cheeks went red, but Frodo smiled lightly. "It would be pleasant."
Pippin and Merry clapped to encourage Azura, but she was quiet for a few moments, blushing in silence.
She then grinned, "You boys sure like embarrassing me!" She said, laughing, then began trying to think of something to think.
Frodo watched her stare at the fire, with a thoughtful look on her face. The fire reflected golden in her eyes, making her blue-violet eyes glow with flecks of gold burning like tiny golden stars in her eyes.
Sam, Merry, and Pippin exchanged silent grins from seeing Frodo staring up at Azura, who was oblivious.
"Ok.. I'll sing. It's a lullaby my Mother used to sing to me." Azura said, looking back at them, then down at Frodo. She smiled, then started to sing,
Dream little child, oh so fair,
of the bluest skies and
chirping birds, singing in harmony,
And the gentle waves crashing 'gainst the shore
And dream, little child
Of tall, towering castles
And knights of honor, riding,
Riding and protecting the innocent
And dream, little child
Of journeys with friends so kind
Off to the sea, the mountains,
and fields so green, and laugh together in friendship
My little child, so small and fair
Don't forget those who love you and stand strong
When the time comes, they'll see your shine
Through your smile, your heart, and strength
So, my child so fair, remember all these
And most of all, remember your dreams.
Merry, Pippin, and Sam erupted in laughter, and approving applause. Frodo smiled up at Azura, seeing her blush at the applause, and she laughed and closed her eyes, and looked away, then back with a wide grin.
"Enough! I don't think I could be embarrassed anymore!" Azura said, turning cheek to them and stared at the fire.
"Would you sing it again?" Sam asked, grinning.
Azura shook her head 'no', not looking at them. She was trying to regain her dignity.
"I wonder what is keeping Strider....I hope he didn't come across more Black Riders..."Pippin, suddenly growing anxious.
"He seems like the kind of guy who can hold his own. I am sure he's alright." Azura said, looking back at them with a less flushed face.
"Yes, I do agree." Merry said, looking at Sam and Pippin, who each nodded.
"So, how about another song?" Merry asked, grinning.
"These rags are getting cold! You three are supposed to be helping me keep him warm, not let him freeze!" Azura said, changing the subject quickly.
Each took off a rag, then dipped it in the warm water, then wringed it, and placed them back on Frodo.
"I am rather tired. I think I will lay down." Sam said, leaning his back against the tree, folding his hands across his stomach.
Merry and Pippin both leaned back onto the ground and began to rest.
Azura looked up, and saw the moon was in the middle of the sky, which meant it was only a few hours until sunrise.
She lifted Frodo by his shoulders and the back of his neck, and moved her legs from beneath him. He was quiet, and only watched her with a heavily-sleepy look. She gently laid him down on a dry bundled up blanket, and removed the cooling rags. She fixed his shirt so his shoulder was covered, then got up and fetched a blanket for him. She tossed it into the air by two ends and let it fall and drape over him.
She went and got her sword and stuck the tip into the ground near where Frodo was now asleep.
She yawned, suddenly feeling her tiredness come over her, also, a dull ache in her shoulder. She fetched a few more blankets, and tossed them over the other sleeping hobbits.
She looked down at her belt, and at the blue-clothed bag hanging from it. She smiled sleepily, and removed it, and set it down in between Sam and Pippin. She hoped the starberries weren't too shaken and crushed from her fall.
She then went and sat next to Frodo. She rubbed her fists on her eyes, trying to force herself to stay awake. Ten minutes of rubbing and shaking her head ended up useless. In a tired defeat, she lay down next to Frodo, and listened to the night owls hooting, and the crackling of the fire as she fell asleep.
-----
Azura felt odd. She was shaking, but it wasn't herself. She was too numb and tired to really acknowledge where she was.
She felt two arms curled beneath her knees, and her arms hung limply over someone's shoulder's. And she felt curly hair pressed against her cheek.
She heard snippets of talking, and she struggled to move in the slightest, but found she couldn't. She felt numb all over, and even breathing deeply seemed a chore. Her shoulder felt tight and numb.
"...she'll wake...get....antidote.."
".....are you sure?"
"...sure.."
"...I....she gets..well..."
"...soon.....give it time...run through her blood...it'll wake up her...she's probably....aware now..."
"....really?"
"...maybe.."
She felt her muscles loosening, and her fingertips and toes felt warm. They began to tingle. Her eyes felt wet, almost teary. Her ears tingled now too.
She tired to work her voice box, but all that came out was a soft exhale of breath.
It must be the poisroot. This must be a side effect. She didn't like it. It was like being trapped in a suffocating small room or something body tight. She could work nothing in her body.
She then felt her body being slipped off whoever was carrying her's back, and being laid gently on the ground. She heard the others sitting round her. They must have been stopping for a lunch break.
That meant it must be around noon. [I]I've been asleep for eight hours?! [/I]She thought to herself.
After ten minutes, the tingling in her limbs turned needle like, and she began to stir.
She heard laughter, and excited talking, but everyone spoke at once and made her head feel like it was spinning, as she pulled herself up to sit. She forced her eyes open, squinting in the bright light, and looking at the smiling faces of her hobbit companions.
"Are you well?" Pippin asked, having a worried smile painting his face.
"Do you feel hungry? Or thirsty?" Sam asked, reaching for a water bottle.
Azura shook her head 'no', and the first thing that came to mind was if Frodo was okay. "Frodo." She mumbled, numbly looking for him.
"I'm well." Frodo said, squatting down in front of her, his elbows resting on his knees, and his hands hanging and nearly touching his toes.
Azura stared numbly at him, her senses still quite numb.
"You have an elf's ability to recover from poisroot stings. It's a great gift to have." Strider said. He was standing near the pony, looking at her, with his arms crossed.
Azura stretched her feet forward, and noticed her boots and socks had been removed. But the cool grass on the bottom of her feet.
"You're feet look neat hairless. It's a first sight for all of us." Sam said,grinning.
Azura stared at her feet. They were long and slim, but big for her. Must be the hobbit genes...
She slowly stood, but stared at the four hobbits. They remained seated.
Merry and Pippin laughed, "We're resting now! You may have been asleep, but we've been taking turns carrying you on our backs!" Merry said, laughing soundly.
"I'm not heavy....I think.." Azura said, as she sat, next to Frodo and Sam, and Merry and Pippin were sitting in front of her.
She stared down at the four's feet, and giggled loudly despite herself. "You all have such big feet!" She laughed louder, until she couldn't laugh anymore.
The others were smiling at her, even Strider.
The numbness, then sudden rush of air and blood to her body parts had left her lightheaded and giddy.
She placed her left foot next to Frodo's, then her right next to Sam. Both her feet were slightly more than half the size of theirs, and much slimmer, and completely hairless. She stared at her feet next to theirs, then burst out laughing and leaned forward, leaning her stomach on her thighs, and laughing soundly.
"She'll recover, she's only giddy from the poisroot's side effects wearing off." Strider said, smiling.
"She...is acting...like a youngling who's had their first cup of ale!" Pippin said, laughing.
Twenty minutes later, Azura was more recovered, and less giddy, and more composed.
"Frodo has mostly been riding on the pony, but the last hour, he's insisted on walking for himself." Sam said, to Azura.
"You should ride." Azura said, turning her gaze to Frodo. "Your took a Ringwraiths' blade in your shoulder, and that's not easy to recover from."
"I will, when we start again, if you insist upon it. I still feel-"Frodo began, but then Azura poked his shoulder with her fingertip, not directly on the wound, but near it, and Frodo flinched and yelped in pain.
Azura nodded, smiled, and said, "You are riding. And so am I, so you don't fall off."
Sam, Merry, and Pippin exchanged quick grins, then they laid back in the grass and stared up at the sky, and prepared to rest while their soup boiled on a kettle on a small fire.
