1.1 Sam's Tale

Reviews coveted and appreciated!

"I asks, yes. And if that isn't nice enough, I begs!"

Author: Nilramiel@aol.com, aka RosieCotton

Rating: G, PG, R

Genre: General/Romance

Setting: The Shire, July 1420

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1.2 Chapter 28: Lily

Rating: G

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Lily Chubb had been a healer for over forty years. Her mother had also been a healer, and two of her three brothers were healers, although more often hobbit women tended toward the profession. Healing tended to run in families, both the herb lore and the skills being passed from mother to daughter or father to son through the years. It was a good living, especially in the springtime, when lots of babies were born, although often as not payment was in grain or vegetables rather than in coin. Lily didn't mind. She loved her work, the sorrow and the joy of it, and the hobbits living nearby loved her, for she was as gentle as the evening and as patient as a hobbit could be.

On the morning of the last day of July, Lily was making breakfast when there was a knock on her door, loud enough to make her jump. Before she could even put the lid back onto the pot, the knock was repeated, even more urgently.

Wiping her hands on her apron, Lily went to the door and flung it open, stepping back quickly as Samwise Gamgee practically fell into the smail. By the looks of his sweaty face and the sound of his breathing, he had run all the way from the Row.

"Why Sam, whatever is the matter?" Lily asked, surprised and pleased to see him. She had delivered Sam herself, she and her mother, and could never look at him without seeing the plump squalling babe of so long ago. She had known him all of his life, and was a good friend to all of the Gamgees.

"It's Rosie," Sam said, biting his lower lip, "She's sick."

Lily was not easily ruffled. Emergency situations were rare in the Shire, and besides, Lily could tell that Sam was worried, not panicked.

"Alright, Sam, come in and tell me what's happening, while I get my things."

Sam followed Lily into the hole, wringing his hands a little and managing a smile for her two oldest grandchildren, who had scampered out of the back bedroom to see who the visitor was.

"Well," Sam said, as Lily removed her apron and gathered her little bag of supplies and herbs, "Rosie's been sick nigh onto a week, just a bit of flu, I thought, but the last few days she has been givin' most of her breakfast back to the garden, if you follow me."

"I do," Lily assured him, gesturing to her granddaughters to come from the hallway to the kitchen.

"And she's never sick, never," Sam continued, worry staining his voice, "I can't remember a time she's ever been ill, long as I've known her, and that being nearly all my life."

Lily gave a few instructions to the girls for finishing up the breakfast, and telling Mr. Chubb the situation, then nodded to Sam and led him out the door.

"No," she said, "Rosie Cotton - well, Rosie Gamgee I should say," she corrected, smiling at Sam, "is a right healthy lass. I do remember her having one fever as a child, but not serious. Mostly with her 'twas bumps and bruises, and the arm she broke that time."

"Aye, an that's what's got me so worried," Sam confessed. "She's always been hale and strong, right up until this week, and this morning the worst day yet."

"Is she fevered?" Lily asked, walking quickly to match Sam's worried pace, "How is her colour?"

"No, not fevered so's I can tell, though she says she feels hot. And she is a bit pale. She's been dizzy off and on, too," Sam said. "I'm right flummoxed about her, Miss Lily."

Lily took Sam's arm and squeezed gently as they turned up the lane to the Row. "I know y'are, Sam," she said gently, "Try not to worry. Likely as not it's nothing ta worry over."

They found Rosie in the little parlor, sitting in the armchair nearest the open window. Frodo was with her, having brought her a mug of tea and a damp cloth to cool her forehead. As Miss Lily and Sam came down the hallway, they could hear Rosie talking.

"Oh, Mr. Frodo, please don't fuss over me," she was saying. "I'm just fine."

"You're not fine, Rosie," Frodo insisted gently. "You need to drink this, if you can. Besides, I promised Sam I would keep my eye on you while he went for Mistress Lily."

At that very moment, Sam and the healer came into the parlor, and both went straight to Rosie, Sam taking her hand but staying to the side so the healer could examine his wife.

"Hullo, Rosie," Lily said, feeling the younger hobbit's forehead and neck with the back of a gentle hand. "Tell me how you are feeling."

Rosie did, relating the same symptoms reported by Sam, but with less worry in her tone.

"And how about in the afternoons, and the evenings, Rosie? How do you feel then?" Lily asked, pressing gently against Rosie's abdomen and feeling her heartbeat with the flat of her hand.

"Well, I feel good in the evenings, actually," said Rosie. "Afternoons too, mostly, 'cepting I feel a bit tired. Every night I think I have licked this flu, but then the next morn it's back again."

Lily smiled, and turned to Sam. "How long have you been married, Samwise?"

Sam was taken aback by the question, but he did not hesitate. "Three months. Three months tomorra in fact," he answered, running his fingers over his wife's hand.

"Well, Samwise Gamgee," Lily said, standing up and grinning broadly at both of them, "I'm ashamed of ye. Rosie t'aint any sisters, but you have plenty, and you should know morning sickness when you see it."

"Morning sickness?" Rosie said, her eyes widening.

"Aye," said Lily, bending and kissing her cheek, "Ye've nothing wrong with ye at all, and I reckon that you'll be feeling a lot better in another few weeks, 'cept you will be gaining a bit o' weight before long. Samwise, don't look so shocked. What did you think was likely to happen when you got yerself wedded?"

"But…we…it's so soon!" Sam stammered. "Are you sure?"

"Well, of course we can't be completely sure until springtime, when the wee one arrives," Lily said matter-of-factly, "but based on my years of knowing, I'd wager you two have a family in the making."

Rosie jumped up from her chair, heedless of the mug, which fell with a clattering splash to the floor and rolled against the baseboard. She threw her arms around Sam, kissing him and weeping. "A baby, Sam! We are going to have a little one! Oh, Sam!"

Sam held her, and slowly a grin spread over his broad face. Relief and wonder mingled in his heart and overflowed, while Frodo and Lily's laughter echoed from the walls of the smail.

~TBC~

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Acknowledgements: The characters, setting, and much of the dialog belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, and I give full credit to him. This story focuses on the relationship of Samwise Gamgee and Rose Cotton, and it is how I imagine the events following the Hobbits' return to the Shire following the War of the Ring and King Aragorn's coronation and marriage. If you have read the book, The Return of the King, you will find the events familiar. I have tried to "fill in the gaps," regarding Sam's courtship to Rose Cotton. Sam is my favorite character in Tolkien's work, and this is written with the deepest respect for both Tolkien and the noble Samwise.