Chapter 3
Interlude
**My apologies to my readers, for not updating in QUITE a while, all my tying was lost and I am very busy during the weeks. Unfortunately, unless the Fates are with me, you shall not see more until at least one or two more weeks. Thanks and love you all! ~Silver-Kalan**
Frodo came to, listening to the crackling fire, his muscles felt stiff, but he was no longer cold. Someone had placed a pile of blankets over him as he slept.
Opening his eyes the hobbit looked around. Merry and Pippin were curled together on the other side of the fire. To his right was Sam, his head nodding slowly onto his chest.
Frodo smiled and tried to sit up, the slight movement startled Sam awake and he looked down at his friend.
"Oh, Mr. Frodo, you're awake," he said, joyously but in a hushed tone. Sam bent over and helped his master sit up. "How do you feel?" he asked.
"Not cold anymore, just a bit stiff," he answered, and graciously took a cup of tea that was offered to him.
"Well, I should think so, Mr. Frodo, you've been sleepin' all day and half the night," he said. Frodo was surprised but the just shook his head and sipped his tea. Then a sudden thought came to him and he grasped Sam's arms.
"What about Kalan Sam? Is he all right?" he asked anxiously. At this Sam's face fell and he looked over his shoulder, nodding toward one side. Frodo shifted to look around him, his eyes went wide.
"Oh no," he breathes and crawled over the where Kalan lay, Sam close behind. He knelt beside the prone form his eyes searching the boy's face.
Kalan lay still under his blankets; his face was so pale that it could have been transparent. His skin was clammy and his hair was plastered to his forehead. Kalan's breath came in ragged gasps. Frodo's sharp eyes caught the rapid eye movement of dreams under his lids. Now and again a small moan or whimper would escape his lips, betraying the painful nature of those dreams.
His gaze moved downward and he caught sight of the bandaged hand. Gently, the hobbit took the injured hand in his own, softly stroking the limp fingers, his eyes turned sad.
"He saved me, Sam," he whispered, "he did this trying to break through the ice. He let me use up all the air, took none for himself. He nearly died for me," he laid the hand back down and covered it with a blanket.
Sam watched his master and good friend for a moment before answering. "That he nearly did, Mr. Frodo. But Gandalf said that he should be fine with another day's rest. Surprisingly, his wounds have already healed much." His eyebrows rose to punctuate his words. He put an arm around Frodo's thin shoulders. "He'll be fin, Mr. Frodo, I'm sure of it," Frodo smiled and nodded. There was a grunt from the mouth of the cave that made the two hobbits jump.
"Well, it is good to see you away, Master Baggins," said Gimli gruffly, he sat near the entrance his axe near his hand. "That one has yet to awaken, but he will soon, I suppose."
"Gimli where are the others?" Frodo asked, just then noticing there were only six of the company in the cave.
"Aragorn and that crazy elf are out looking for more food, Boromir is patrolling and no one knows where that blasted wizard is!" he said exasperated.
Frodo nodded and yawned, he felt sleepy again but he was still concerned about Kalan. Sam, of course, noticed and smiled. The gardener sat down against the cave wall beside the unconscious boy.
"Go on and sleep, Mr. Frodo, I'll watch him," he placed a callused hand on Kalan's forehead, smoothing back the dark hair. He looked up again at Frodo, "He asked about you, you know," he said. Frodo, who was lying back down looked back.
"What?" he asked. Sam nodded.
"Yes, it was the first thing he said, asking if you were all right. Like he wasn't even concerned for himself," Sam looked back down at his charge, "He's genuine, almost innocent," he mused then shook his head, smiling. "Here I am blabbering when you should be sleeping, go on, sir, all will be well," he reassured.
Frodo nodded and crawled back under his blankets, promptly falling asleep.
Interlude
**My apologies to my readers, for not updating in QUITE a while, all my tying was lost and I am very busy during the weeks. Unfortunately, unless the Fates are with me, you shall not see more until at least one or two more weeks. Thanks and love you all! ~Silver-Kalan**
Frodo came to, listening to the crackling fire, his muscles felt stiff, but he was no longer cold. Someone had placed a pile of blankets over him as he slept.
Opening his eyes the hobbit looked around. Merry and Pippin were curled together on the other side of the fire. To his right was Sam, his head nodding slowly onto his chest.
Frodo smiled and tried to sit up, the slight movement startled Sam awake and he looked down at his friend.
"Oh, Mr. Frodo, you're awake," he said, joyously but in a hushed tone. Sam bent over and helped his master sit up. "How do you feel?" he asked.
"Not cold anymore, just a bit stiff," he answered, and graciously took a cup of tea that was offered to him.
"Well, I should think so, Mr. Frodo, you've been sleepin' all day and half the night," he said. Frodo was surprised but the just shook his head and sipped his tea. Then a sudden thought came to him and he grasped Sam's arms.
"What about Kalan Sam? Is he all right?" he asked anxiously. At this Sam's face fell and he looked over his shoulder, nodding toward one side. Frodo shifted to look around him, his eyes went wide.
"Oh no," he breathes and crawled over the where Kalan lay, Sam close behind. He knelt beside the prone form his eyes searching the boy's face.
Kalan lay still under his blankets; his face was so pale that it could have been transparent. His skin was clammy and his hair was plastered to his forehead. Kalan's breath came in ragged gasps. Frodo's sharp eyes caught the rapid eye movement of dreams under his lids. Now and again a small moan or whimper would escape his lips, betraying the painful nature of those dreams.
His gaze moved downward and he caught sight of the bandaged hand. Gently, the hobbit took the injured hand in his own, softly stroking the limp fingers, his eyes turned sad.
"He saved me, Sam," he whispered, "he did this trying to break through the ice. He let me use up all the air, took none for himself. He nearly died for me," he laid the hand back down and covered it with a blanket.
Sam watched his master and good friend for a moment before answering. "That he nearly did, Mr. Frodo. But Gandalf said that he should be fine with another day's rest. Surprisingly, his wounds have already healed much." His eyebrows rose to punctuate his words. He put an arm around Frodo's thin shoulders. "He'll be fin, Mr. Frodo, I'm sure of it," Frodo smiled and nodded. There was a grunt from the mouth of the cave that made the two hobbits jump.
"Well, it is good to see you away, Master Baggins," said Gimli gruffly, he sat near the entrance his axe near his hand. "That one has yet to awaken, but he will soon, I suppose."
"Gimli where are the others?" Frodo asked, just then noticing there were only six of the company in the cave.
"Aragorn and that crazy elf are out looking for more food, Boromir is patrolling and no one knows where that blasted wizard is!" he said exasperated.
Frodo nodded and yawned, he felt sleepy again but he was still concerned about Kalan. Sam, of course, noticed and smiled. The gardener sat down against the cave wall beside the unconscious boy.
"Go on and sleep, Mr. Frodo, I'll watch him," he placed a callused hand on Kalan's forehead, smoothing back the dark hair. He looked up again at Frodo, "He asked about you, you know," he said. Frodo, who was lying back down looked back.
"What?" he asked. Sam nodded.
"Yes, it was the first thing he said, asking if you were all right. Like he wasn't even concerned for himself," Sam looked back down at his charge, "He's genuine, almost innocent," he mused then shook his head, smiling. "Here I am blabbering when you should be sleeping, go on, sir, all will be well," he reassured.
Frodo nodded and crawled back under his blankets, promptly falling asleep.