Chapter 4
Predictions
"Ill again?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Perhaps you should keep the lad indoors from now on, eh?"
Narmadoc Goodchild, the healer in Hobbiton and beloved by many, followed Drogo inside Bag-End. Though the healer meant the suggestion as a jest, no laughter followed and he cleared his throat. The two hobbits entered the room in which Frodo slept and Bilbo stood. "Good evening, Narmadoc."
"Good evening, Master Baggins. How is young Frodo? I hear he is not well?"
Bilbo sighed. "I'm afraid not. He was happy as a clam this morning and then suddenly it all went downhill after luncheon."
Narmadoc placed a hand on the tweenager's forehead and then sat down on the bed beside his patient. "I see. Has he been exposed to any illnesses recently?"
Primula spoke. "Well.of course his father was ill with the flu last week." she glared at her husband who shrunk back a bit.
"I see. So perhaps that was the problem.Frodo does seem to catch things rather quickly."
At that, Frodo let out a soft groan and turned over in bed, snuggling under the covers to keep warm so that only the top of his head was visible. "Has he been complaining of any aches or pains anywhere?"
"He told us his throat was sore but that was about it," said Primula. "Oh Narmadoc.you don't think he is coming down with strep throat, do you? There were a few cases of that at Brandy Hall this past winter, but Frodo got lucky and wasn't ill."
Narmadoc nodded. "That may be the case, Primula. However.Frodo lad.could you sit up for me? I wanted to give you a check up."
"No." Frodo moaned. "I just want to sleep."
"You can go back to sleep after I finish, Frodo.it will only take a few moments."
Frodo finally complied and sat up, rubbing his hands over his face. "Now open your mouth and say ah so I can check your throat."
Frodo's mouth opened wide and his tongue stuck out as he said "Ahhhhhhh." and stopped when Narmadoc told him to.
"Yes.your throat does seem a bit swollen. For that I would suggest plenty of liquids.teas specifically.preferably chamomile or mint tea. For the fever." Narmadoc reached into his bag and pulled out a little bottle that contained one of the most dreaded medicines: Boneset. It was terribly bitter and often caused the patient taking it to vomit.
"Is that necessary?" asked Drogo. He recognized the color of the foul liquid right away, as he had it administered to him the past year when he had come down with the flu.
"It is by far the best treatment we have for a fever. I know it isn't the most pleasant but."
Drogo shuddered. "If you insist."
Frodo raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Papa?"
"Um."
"Liquid Ginger, Frodo." Bilbo lied. Frodo nodded.
"Oh. Can I go to sleep now?" he asked hopefully.
"Of course. That is the other thing.if in deed Frodo should come down with strep throat, make SURE he gets plenty of rest and no exceptions. That would probably mean that you two remain at Bag-End till he is fully recovered. Otherwise I would not recommend taking the journey back to Brandy Hall."
Frodo took a handkerchief from the night table and sneezed into it, causing the others to jump. "Ugh." Drogo grimaced as Frodo sniffled quite noisily and handed the soiled handkerchief to his mother. She tried to keep the mood light and teased,
"Is that for me?"
Frodo shrugged before lying back down again.
"Well.that seems to be about it. If he does get worse over the next few days, contact me immediately.don't wait."
Again, Bilbo stood and the two hobbits shook hands. "Thank you for coming."
"Anytime, Bilbo. Good evening, all." Narmadoc tipped his hat and headed out of bag-End.
"Knowing Primula," Drogo began, "she will be watching him like a hawk."
"And you had better get to bed my dear." Said Primula to Drogo with narrowed eyes. "You had quite a nasty flu last week that I nearly forgot about."
Drogo planted a kiss on her head. "I'll be all right. Do you need me to sit up with you or will you be all right alone with Frodo?"
Primula smiled gently. "I'll be just fine. Good night, you two." She watched as Bilbo and Drogo left the room and then turned her eyes back to her sleeping son. He had been the joy and pride of her life and if she ever lost him due to his weak health, she didn't know what she'd do. "My dear Frodo." She whispered, running her finger alongside his abnormally warm cheek. Frodo stirred and his eyes moved under their lids but he did not wake. "Sleep and have good dreams now, baby." She planted a kiss on his forehead before pulling the blankets up closer to his neck.
"Ill again?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Perhaps you should keep the lad indoors from now on, eh?"
Narmadoc Goodchild, the healer in Hobbiton and beloved by many, followed Drogo inside Bag-End. Though the healer meant the suggestion as a jest, no laughter followed and he cleared his throat. The two hobbits entered the room in which Frodo slept and Bilbo stood. "Good evening, Narmadoc."
"Good evening, Master Baggins. How is young Frodo? I hear he is not well?"
Bilbo sighed. "I'm afraid not. He was happy as a clam this morning and then suddenly it all went downhill after luncheon."
Narmadoc placed a hand on the tweenager's forehead and then sat down on the bed beside his patient. "I see. Has he been exposed to any illnesses recently?"
Primula spoke. "Well.of course his father was ill with the flu last week." she glared at her husband who shrunk back a bit.
"I see. So perhaps that was the problem.Frodo does seem to catch things rather quickly."
At that, Frodo let out a soft groan and turned over in bed, snuggling under the covers to keep warm so that only the top of his head was visible. "Has he been complaining of any aches or pains anywhere?"
"He told us his throat was sore but that was about it," said Primula. "Oh Narmadoc.you don't think he is coming down with strep throat, do you? There were a few cases of that at Brandy Hall this past winter, but Frodo got lucky and wasn't ill."
Narmadoc nodded. "That may be the case, Primula. However.Frodo lad.could you sit up for me? I wanted to give you a check up."
"No." Frodo moaned. "I just want to sleep."
"You can go back to sleep after I finish, Frodo.it will only take a few moments."
Frodo finally complied and sat up, rubbing his hands over his face. "Now open your mouth and say ah so I can check your throat."
Frodo's mouth opened wide and his tongue stuck out as he said "Ahhhhhhh." and stopped when Narmadoc told him to.
"Yes.your throat does seem a bit swollen. For that I would suggest plenty of liquids.teas specifically.preferably chamomile or mint tea. For the fever." Narmadoc reached into his bag and pulled out a little bottle that contained one of the most dreaded medicines: Boneset. It was terribly bitter and often caused the patient taking it to vomit.
"Is that necessary?" asked Drogo. He recognized the color of the foul liquid right away, as he had it administered to him the past year when he had come down with the flu.
"It is by far the best treatment we have for a fever. I know it isn't the most pleasant but."
Drogo shuddered. "If you insist."
Frodo raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Papa?"
"Um."
"Liquid Ginger, Frodo." Bilbo lied. Frodo nodded.
"Oh. Can I go to sleep now?" he asked hopefully.
"Of course. That is the other thing.if in deed Frodo should come down with strep throat, make SURE he gets plenty of rest and no exceptions. That would probably mean that you two remain at Bag-End till he is fully recovered. Otherwise I would not recommend taking the journey back to Brandy Hall."
Frodo took a handkerchief from the night table and sneezed into it, causing the others to jump. "Ugh." Drogo grimaced as Frodo sniffled quite noisily and handed the soiled handkerchief to his mother. She tried to keep the mood light and teased,
"Is that for me?"
Frodo shrugged before lying back down again.
"Well.that seems to be about it. If he does get worse over the next few days, contact me immediately.don't wait."
Again, Bilbo stood and the two hobbits shook hands. "Thank you for coming."
"Anytime, Bilbo. Good evening, all." Narmadoc tipped his hat and headed out of bag-End.
"Knowing Primula," Drogo began, "she will be watching him like a hawk."
"And you had better get to bed my dear." Said Primula to Drogo with narrowed eyes. "You had quite a nasty flu last week that I nearly forgot about."
Drogo planted a kiss on her head. "I'll be all right. Do you need me to sit up with you or will you be all right alone with Frodo?"
Primula smiled gently. "I'll be just fine. Good night, you two." She watched as Bilbo and Drogo left the room and then turned her eyes back to her sleeping son. He had been the joy and pride of her life and if she ever lost him due to his weak health, she didn't know what she'd do. "My dear Frodo." She whispered, running her finger alongside his abnormally warm cheek. Frodo stirred and his eyes moved under their lids but he did not wake. "Sleep and have good dreams now, baby." She planted a kiss on his forehead before pulling the blankets up closer to his neck.