Chapter 11
Lost
Frodo ran through the field about three or four miles away from Bag- End, tears flowing down his cheeks. In his fevered state nothing around him looked familiar and he was terrified. He eventually approached the edge of a forest and nearly fell into the closest clearing, panting and nearly choking on sobs. To inhabitants who might pass by the little lad would look rather rediculous, running around in just a linen night shirt, and one of these inhabitants.or rather, visitors, rode on a brilliant white stallion.
"Hullo there little one. What are you doing all the way out here alone?"
Frodo looked up from where he lay on the ground and gasped. A very tall Elf sat upon the horse. He had long blonde hair pulled back into a half braid, bright blue eyes and wore a pair of gray breeches and a pine green tunic. The reins that were attatched to his steed were made of leather with gold trimings. This Elf was probably of noble birth.
Frodo opened and closed his mouth, trying to reply but he was so tired that nothing but air came out. Elves were rarely seen in the Shire.only if they were passing through to the Grey Havens or on other errands.
"What is your name little one?" The Elf asked as he dismounted.
Again the Elf received no reply and he sighed. "All right. I do not know how I will be able to help you if you will not speak." He gave the hobbit the once-over and realized that the lad was very ill from his flushed cheeks and sweaty bangs. "We'd best get you home, lad. You're not feeling very well are you?"
Frodo shook his head. "No sir." He replied in almost a squeak.
The Elf chuckled. "Ah. So you DO have a voice do you? I am Legolas Greenleaf, the youngest son of the King Thranduil of Mirkwood. I am passing through on my way to a meeting in Gondor in case you were curious."
"Mirkwood?" Frodo cried.
"The very same. You have heard of Mirkwood I am sure."
"Oh yes. My Uncle Bilbo.he." Frodo paused.
"Well. What is your name young fellow?" Legolas asked smiling kindly.
"Frodo." Frodo told him softly. "Frodo Baggins."
"Where did you come from? I do not mean to probe but you look like you need a bit of help."
Frodo glanced over his shoulder. "Hobbiton."
"Hobbiton. You've run quite a few miles then. All right.I'll tell you what. I'll sit you up on the horse with me and I'll take you back home. Or at least when we get to Hobbiton you can show me where you live."
"Thank you." Frodo allowed Legolas to lift him onto the stallion and felt suddenly dizzy.
"Careful now. Oh dear.you are burning up!" Legolas felt the hobbit's forehead with a frown. "Noro lim!" The Elf shouted to the horse once he had re-mounted and they took off for Hobbiton.
Back at Bag-End, Primula sat sobbing hysterically after finding out that her son had run out. "He could be miles away by now!" She told Drogo who held her tightly. "Oh dear Drogo.what are we going to do? The poor darling is fever-driven.he'll be lost.he won't know the way home."
Narmadoc watched as Bilbo paced back and forth across the floor in the parlor. He felt that he was to blame, for he had forgotten to lock the door the last time he'd used it and blamed himself for falling asleep as well. "Now try and calm down.all of you." He told them seriously. "We'll form a search party and go as far as the Fanghorn Forest if we must. Sitting around and scolding ourselves will get us nowhere and certainly will not help Frodo!"
Primula quickly stood up. "Then let us go right away.I don't want my baby out there in the wilderness all alone!"
"Neither of us do, Prim." Drogo replied. "Hurry.we musn't waste time."
They grabbed cloaks and dashed out the door. Just as they reached the end of the path that led to Bag-End, they caught sight of a white stallion riding their way.
"What in the name of Middle-Earth!" Primula gasped as the horse reached them. When the horse reached them its rider pulled on the reins and the animal came to a stop.
"It's an Elf!" Drogo gasped.
"Greetings halflings." The Elf spoke after a few moments of awkward silence. "I was trecking along the edge of the woods and I happened to find this." He nodded towards Frodo, who had fallen asleep against his chest and Primula let out a cry.
"You found him!" She said and smiled as the Elf lifted her son and dismounted once again, handing him to her. Primula immediately began cradling Frodo and kissing him, and Bilbo made the gesture of the Elvish greeting (touching the thumb to the forehead) and the Elf nodded respectfully.
"I am Legolas.the youngest son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood."
"Thranduil." Bilbo repeated the name and Legolas nodded.
"Yes. And you are?"
"Bilbo Baggins. Your father would certainly remember me. I and a group of dwarves were taken prisoner by him in fact.many many years ago."
"Taken prisoner." Legolas thought for a moment. "You were those rediculous travelers supposedly in search of dragon gold, were you not?"
"Yes we were. Please give my respects to the King when you return."
"I will certainly do so. Now do not take me rude but I must be off.I have to be in Gondor in a fortnight. I do hope everything goes well with your son.I would fetch a healer immediately."
"That's been done," Narmadoc spoke with a smile. "For I am the healer in Hobbiton."
"I see."
"It's rather a long story." Narmadoc replied.
"You do not need to explain. But it was a pleasure to have met you all but I must be off now."
Bilbo stepped forward. "Are you sure you would not care for a cup of tea?"
"Thank you, no. I am all right. Good evening." He quickly mounted and took off, leaving the others in complete shock. When Legolas was out of sight, Primula turned to Drogo whose mouth had fallen open with surprise. Eventually everyone went back inside and the front door was securely locked.
"My poor baby." Primula whispered to Frodo who lay with his eyes half open. "Thank Elbreth you're not hurt."
"Mama." Frodo whimpered as she carried him back to bed. When he was tucked in Bilbo took the lad's hand while Narmadoc gave Frodo a check up.
"Mono." Narmadoc sighed when he'd finished. "Frodo's glands are swollen at his neck and his throat itself is very red. He will have to stay in bed for a few weeks.mono is one of those very lengthy diseases."
Primula nodded. "And is there no treatment?"
"There is no treatment for Mono except bed rest and plenty of fluids." He looked at Bilbo who had taken his handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the corners of his eyes.
"We'll do everything we possibly can to help him feel better." The old hobbit told Dr. Narmadoc who smiled.
"I know you will, Bilbo. Just make sure to keep a close eye on him next time. For his fever make sure you apply a fresh compress.preferably a towel soaked with cool water. Not too cold to chill him but not warm. Also I would recommend Peppermint tea.that usually refreshes the body."
Primula smiled back. "Thank you."
When Narmadoc left Bag-End after finishing off his instructions, Drogo turned. "What a day it has been." He laughed.
Frodo ran through the field about three or four miles away from Bag- End, tears flowing down his cheeks. In his fevered state nothing around him looked familiar and he was terrified. He eventually approached the edge of a forest and nearly fell into the closest clearing, panting and nearly choking on sobs. To inhabitants who might pass by the little lad would look rather rediculous, running around in just a linen night shirt, and one of these inhabitants.or rather, visitors, rode on a brilliant white stallion.
"Hullo there little one. What are you doing all the way out here alone?"
Frodo looked up from where he lay on the ground and gasped. A very tall Elf sat upon the horse. He had long blonde hair pulled back into a half braid, bright blue eyes and wore a pair of gray breeches and a pine green tunic. The reins that were attatched to his steed were made of leather with gold trimings. This Elf was probably of noble birth.
Frodo opened and closed his mouth, trying to reply but he was so tired that nothing but air came out. Elves were rarely seen in the Shire.only if they were passing through to the Grey Havens or on other errands.
"What is your name little one?" The Elf asked as he dismounted.
Again the Elf received no reply and he sighed. "All right. I do not know how I will be able to help you if you will not speak." He gave the hobbit the once-over and realized that the lad was very ill from his flushed cheeks and sweaty bangs. "We'd best get you home, lad. You're not feeling very well are you?"
Frodo shook his head. "No sir." He replied in almost a squeak.
The Elf chuckled. "Ah. So you DO have a voice do you? I am Legolas Greenleaf, the youngest son of the King Thranduil of Mirkwood. I am passing through on my way to a meeting in Gondor in case you were curious."
"Mirkwood?" Frodo cried.
"The very same. You have heard of Mirkwood I am sure."
"Oh yes. My Uncle Bilbo.he." Frodo paused.
"Well. What is your name young fellow?" Legolas asked smiling kindly.
"Frodo." Frodo told him softly. "Frodo Baggins."
"Where did you come from? I do not mean to probe but you look like you need a bit of help."
Frodo glanced over his shoulder. "Hobbiton."
"Hobbiton. You've run quite a few miles then. All right.I'll tell you what. I'll sit you up on the horse with me and I'll take you back home. Or at least when we get to Hobbiton you can show me where you live."
"Thank you." Frodo allowed Legolas to lift him onto the stallion and felt suddenly dizzy.
"Careful now. Oh dear.you are burning up!" Legolas felt the hobbit's forehead with a frown. "Noro lim!" The Elf shouted to the horse once he had re-mounted and they took off for Hobbiton.
Back at Bag-End, Primula sat sobbing hysterically after finding out that her son had run out. "He could be miles away by now!" She told Drogo who held her tightly. "Oh dear Drogo.what are we going to do? The poor darling is fever-driven.he'll be lost.he won't know the way home."
Narmadoc watched as Bilbo paced back and forth across the floor in the parlor. He felt that he was to blame, for he had forgotten to lock the door the last time he'd used it and blamed himself for falling asleep as well. "Now try and calm down.all of you." He told them seriously. "We'll form a search party and go as far as the Fanghorn Forest if we must. Sitting around and scolding ourselves will get us nowhere and certainly will not help Frodo!"
Primula quickly stood up. "Then let us go right away.I don't want my baby out there in the wilderness all alone!"
"Neither of us do, Prim." Drogo replied. "Hurry.we musn't waste time."
They grabbed cloaks and dashed out the door. Just as they reached the end of the path that led to Bag-End, they caught sight of a white stallion riding their way.
"What in the name of Middle-Earth!" Primula gasped as the horse reached them. When the horse reached them its rider pulled on the reins and the animal came to a stop.
"It's an Elf!" Drogo gasped.
"Greetings halflings." The Elf spoke after a few moments of awkward silence. "I was trecking along the edge of the woods and I happened to find this." He nodded towards Frodo, who had fallen asleep against his chest and Primula let out a cry.
"You found him!" She said and smiled as the Elf lifted her son and dismounted once again, handing him to her. Primula immediately began cradling Frodo and kissing him, and Bilbo made the gesture of the Elvish greeting (touching the thumb to the forehead) and the Elf nodded respectfully.
"I am Legolas.the youngest son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood."
"Thranduil." Bilbo repeated the name and Legolas nodded.
"Yes. And you are?"
"Bilbo Baggins. Your father would certainly remember me. I and a group of dwarves were taken prisoner by him in fact.many many years ago."
"Taken prisoner." Legolas thought for a moment. "You were those rediculous travelers supposedly in search of dragon gold, were you not?"
"Yes we were. Please give my respects to the King when you return."
"I will certainly do so. Now do not take me rude but I must be off.I have to be in Gondor in a fortnight. I do hope everything goes well with your son.I would fetch a healer immediately."
"That's been done," Narmadoc spoke with a smile. "For I am the healer in Hobbiton."
"I see."
"It's rather a long story." Narmadoc replied.
"You do not need to explain. But it was a pleasure to have met you all but I must be off now."
Bilbo stepped forward. "Are you sure you would not care for a cup of tea?"
"Thank you, no. I am all right. Good evening." He quickly mounted and took off, leaving the others in complete shock. When Legolas was out of sight, Primula turned to Drogo whose mouth had fallen open with surprise. Eventually everyone went back inside and the front door was securely locked.
"My poor baby." Primula whispered to Frodo who lay with his eyes half open. "Thank Elbreth you're not hurt."
"Mama." Frodo whimpered as she carried him back to bed. When he was tucked in Bilbo took the lad's hand while Narmadoc gave Frodo a check up.
"Mono." Narmadoc sighed when he'd finished. "Frodo's glands are swollen at his neck and his throat itself is very red. He will have to stay in bed for a few weeks.mono is one of those very lengthy diseases."
Primula nodded. "And is there no treatment?"
"There is no treatment for Mono except bed rest and plenty of fluids." He looked at Bilbo who had taken his handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the corners of his eyes.
"We'll do everything we possibly can to help him feel better." The old hobbit told Dr. Narmadoc who smiled.
"I know you will, Bilbo. Just make sure to keep a close eye on him next time. For his fever make sure you apply a fresh compress.preferably a towel soaked with cool water. Not too cold to chill him but not warm. Also I would recommend Peppermint tea.that usually refreshes the body."
Primula smiled back. "Thank you."
When Narmadoc left Bag-End after finishing off his instructions, Drogo turned. "What a day it has been." He laughed.