Chapter 16
Well at last
Bilbo awoke the following morning for no apparent reason, and was pleased to see the bright sunlight that streamed through his bedroom window. Suddenly he had a startling memory jolt and quickly slid out of bed and dashed for his ill nephew's room.
"Good morning, Bilbo." Greeted Gandalf with a pleasant smile.
"Good morning, Uncle."
"Frodo." Bilbo saw the lad sitting up in bed. His skin had turned back to it's normal color and his voice no longer sounded hoarse. "Oh my dear lad." The old hobbit broke down, enveloping the little hobbit in his arms. "My dear boy-thank heavens you're well. Gandalf-how-he was so ill last night!"
The wizard chuckled. "Did I not say I would help things along a bit?"
"I feel much better, Uncle." Frodo insisted. "Might I get out of bed soon?"
Bilbo wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and stood up. "Not yet, lad. Wait until your mother and father wake up." Just to be sure, Bilbo placed a hand against the lad's forehead and cheeks, and started to sob again when he felt no fever there. "Thank you, Gandalf. You are a blessing." Bilbo choked.
Frodo lay back down on his pillow, watching his beloved Uncle leave the bedroom and head straight for the kitchen, where he found Drogo and Primula already awake. Drogo had a cup of tea in his hands and his eyes were very wide. "Bilbo-Frodo-he's just fine this morning."
Bilbo blinked. "I did not realize you two were up already!"
"We couldn't sleep well at all," Primula told Bilbo solemnly. "We were up at first light. It is amazing, Bilbo. The fever is gone and he breathes easy."
The old hobbit nodded as he sat down with them. "Thank goodness for Gandalf. Dear Frodo might not have made if had not shown up."
Primula smiled. "I feared the worst, Bilbo. Frodo just was not getting better."
"Perhaps the three of you could stay a week longer-since the dear lad missed out on all of the fun." Bilbo suggested. "I'm not doing anything important, and I always enjoy your company."
Drogo glanced at his wife who looked a bit hesitant about the idea. Her son had just recovered from a life-threatening illness and almost miraculously recovered. She preferred that Frodo take a month or so to recupperate. When she told Bilbo this, he understood completely.
"Well-perhaps another time, then." Bilbo sipped from his teacup.
Later that afternoon, Gandalf announced that he had to leave for a while and would probably be back around the Yule holidays. "A wizard's work is never done, Bilbo. Remember that." He laughed.
"Thank you for helping me," said Frodo with a smile.
"Anytime, little lad." Gandalf tipped his hat before leaving the smial.
Around tea time, Drogo and Primula helped Frodo dress warmly, packed their things and put the bags into the cart. Hugs, kisses and tears followed goodbyes, and Frodo had to be forced from his Uncle's arms. "I don't want to go home," Frodo sobbed. "I want to stay with you."
Bilbo nearly choked. "I know you do, sweetheart, but your mother and father know what is best for you. I'll come and visit you at Brandy Hall."
Frodo hiccoughed. "Truly? And will you take me hiking?"
"We'll see, lad." Bilbo gave his nephew a quick kiss. "Goodbye, Drogo and Primula. Please have a safe journey."
Primula gave Bilbo a heartfelt hug. "Goodbye, Bilbo. Thank you for everything."
"Anytime."
Bilbo watched sadly as the cart began to pull away, and waved at Frodo, who had turned around so he could face his Uncle. Eventually the cart disappeared around the bend, and Bilbo went inside, once again alone.
Bilbo awoke the following morning for no apparent reason, and was pleased to see the bright sunlight that streamed through his bedroom window. Suddenly he had a startling memory jolt and quickly slid out of bed and dashed for his ill nephew's room.
"Good morning, Bilbo." Greeted Gandalf with a pleasant smile.
"Good morning, Uncle."
"Frodo." Bilbo saw the lad sitting up in bed. His skin had turned back to it's normal color and his voice no longer sounded hoarse. "Oh my dear lad." The old hobbit broke down, enveloping the little hobbit in his arms. "My dear boy-thank heavens you're well. Gandalf-how-he was so ill last night!"
The wizard chuckled. "Did I not say I would help things along a bit?"
"I feel much better, Uncle." Frodo insisted. "Might I get out of bed soon?"
Bilbo wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and stood up. "Not yet, lad. Wait until your mother and father wake up." Just to be sure, Bilbo placed a hand against the lad's forehead and cheeks, and started to sob again when he felt no fever there. "Thank you, Gandalf. You are a blessing." Bilbo choked.
Frodo lay back down on his pillow, watching his beloved Uncle leave the bedroom and head straight for the kitchen, where he found Drogo and Primula already awake. Drogo had a cup of tea in his hands and his eyes were very wide. "Bilbo-Frodo-he's just fine this morning."
Bilbo blinked. "I did not realize you two were up already!"
"We couldn't sleep well at all," Primula told Bilbo solemnly. "We were up at first light. It is amazing, Bilbo. The fever is gone and he breathes easy."
The old hobbit nodded as he sat down with them. "Thank goodness for Gandalf. Dear Frodo might not have made if had not shown up."
Primula smiled. "I feared the worst, Bilbo. Frodo just was not getting better."
"Perhaps the three of you could stay a week longer-since the dear lad missed out on all of the fun." Bilbo suggested. "I'm not doing anything important, and I always enjoy your company."
Drogo glanced at his wife who looked a bit hesitant about the idea. Her son had just recovered from a life-threatening illness and almost miraculously recovered. She preferred that Frodo take a month or so to recupperate. When she told Bilbo this, he understood completely.
"Well-perhaps another time, then." Bilbo sipped from his teacup.
Later that afternoon, Gandalf announced that he had to leave for a while and would probably be back around the Yule holidays. "A wizard's work is never done, Bilbo. Remember that." He laughed.
"Thank you for helping me," said Frodo with a smile.
"Anytime, little lad." Gandalf tipped his hat before leaving the smial.
Around tea time, Drogo and Primula helped Frodo dress warmly, packed their things and put the bags into the cart. Hugs, kisses and tears followed goodbyes, and Frodo had to be forced from his Uncle's arms. "I don't want to go home," Frodo sobbed. "I want to stay with you."
Bilbo nearly choked. "I know you do, sweetheart, but your mother and father know what is best for you. I'll come and visit you at Brandy Hall."
Frodo hiccoughed. "Truly? And will you take me hiking?"
"We'll see, lad." Bilbo gave his nephew a quick kiss. "Goodbye, Drogo and Primula. Please have a safe journey."
Primula gave Bilbo a heartfelt hug. "Goodbye, Bilbo. Thank you for everything."
"Anytime."
Bilbo watched sadly as the cart began to pull away, and waved at Frodo, who had turned around so he could face his Uncle. Eventually the cart disappeared around the bend, and Bilbo went inside, once again alone.