This Life
Written by Northelle
Summary: Elanor Gamgee stumbles upon a very special hobbit, without a memory, who has come from across the Sea, by accident.
Rating: PG-13 (some violence, battle-wounds and their aftermath)
Disclaimer: Of course; I don't own anything (like the characters) in this fic, but the text and plot is mine. I don't make any money off of this. It is purely for 'fun' and for the enjoyment of others, if they wish. I am not a medical professional. I do not claim to be one.
Feedback: Feedback is awesome, but please, no flames!
Author's notes:
I'd like to thank (again) everyone who's reviewed on this. You'll find out what happens, with persistance from me and you both. I never leave a story unfinished for too long.
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Chapter Three
All that night, Elanor could not sleep. She kept tossing and turning in her bed until Fastred started to groan with disapproval. Then she had plodded out to the spare room and lain down on the daybed, finally dozing. When she awoke, sunlight was beaming into the room.
She rose quickly, awaking Fastred. He was reluctant to get up.
"Come on, Fastred, you have to go to the doctor!"
"Mmph."
"If you don't, I will! And then you'll have to stay and make breakfast, and you know how much you hate that!"
"Alright, I'm up."
It had taken almost hours (in Elanor's mind, at least) for Fastred to
finally get dressed and eat breakfast, then he had to saddle the two ponies. When finally he had trotted off on the skewbald Eowyn with Strider loping gently behind, the sun was almost straight above their smial.
Elanor sighed and watched him retreat over the hill. Elfstan had been following under her feet all day, and was now full with second breakfast. He grasped at her skirts until she picked him up and carried him into the smial.
----------
The pony-ride to the doctors was not Fastred's highlight of the day. Eowyn was cross and kept stopping to nibble on dry, dead grass, and to make matters worse, Strider kept butting him from behind. Every time Eowyn bent down to eat, Strider would knock Fastred on the back, and he would have to scrabble to avoid hitting the ground.
Finally, however, the doctor's smial soon came into view. Fastred was eager to get this problem dealt with and behind him. He kicked Eowyn into a fast trot. Strider snorted to keep up with them.
Doctor Burrows came out of his smial as Fastred came skittering up on the two ponies. The kindly old hobbit smiled. "I expected you would come earlier... but I suppose any time is better than no time, eh?" The Doctor laughed.
Fastred dismounted and tied the ponies up, smiling softly. "Is he any better?"
"Aye. Amazingly so, too. He still doesn't seem to have any of his memory back, though," the Doctor nodded. "He should remember you."
They both went into the smial, and the Doctor continued to talk. "It's a coincidence that nobody came in while I was tending to Bronwe, and only a few has come in since. They're the few patients that I'm taking care of, though."
The Doctor's house had many extra rooms, and one of the largest was adorned with four beds. Three of them were occupied- one of them held a little lad with a bandaged arm, and an older lass with a splinted leg was in another.
Fastred smiled as his eyes alighted on Bronwe, across the room in the third bed. The three patients all looked up at the same time.
Doctor Burrows walked over to the young lad, checking his arm. Fastred walked over to Bronwe's bed and sat on it. The old hobbit's head was bound in fresh cloth now, his eyes clearer than they were before.
"How are you?" asked Fastred.
Bronwe's voice hadn't lost its soft whispering quality. "Head hurts."
"It should, for a while," he smiled, "I'm Fastred. I'm the one who brought you here yesterday. I'm going to-"
"I remember," said Bronwe with a hurt tone.
"I'm going to take you to my house, unless you remember where you live."
"No... no." Bronwe lowered his eyes. Fastred watched the doctor as he came over and checked on Bronwe again.
"Now, Fastred," said the doctor, "I want you to bring Bronwe back to me in a week's time. I'd like him to stay with you and Elanor until then, if it's possible."
"Oh, of course. Elanor wouldn't be happy if I didn't."
"Well, happy lasses make a happy household." The Doctor laughed once more. "I'll see you off, then," he said, helping Bronwe to his feet.
----------
Elanor sat in the main room on Fastred's big chair, watching Elfstan draw with his charcoal on the paper. The little lad loved to make various pictures on the paper- and on the walls, and the floors, and the doors. Elanor had to make sure that when Elfstan was done with the paper, the charcoal was tucked safely away.
Fastred had been gone for about a half and and whole hour now. Elanor couldn't wait for him to get back. She had always loved to care for and help people, and she had been far out of practice ever since she moved from Bag End-- if Elfstan could be considered 'out of practice'.
The soft clopping of hooves and the jangling of a metal harness snapped her to attention. She leapt up, scooping Elfstan from the floor and trotting outside. Expecting to see her husband, she was dismayed to see the mail carrier instead. He tipped his hat to her.
"Good mornin' to ye, fair Elanor," he said, "I've got a letter from your father."
"Oh," she said, "thank you." She took the letter, which had yellowed paper and a red wax seal. Turning towards the smial, she listened as the mail carrier galloped off on his fast white pony.
Elanor went back in and opened the letter, reading it aloud to the curious Elfstan:
'Elanor-
'I was wondering how you were getting along lately. Your brother (Frodo) fell off the pony again last week, and he was in a bad state. He's far better now, but he misses you. We all miss you up here at Bag End, and are hoping you will write or visit soon.
'So how are things with you and Fastred? I hope Elfstan isn't growing up too fast, but I know I can place a safe bet that he is a handful for you. I know this letter is short, for I haven't had much time on my hands- Tom came home sick a while back and Rose and I have been waiting on him hand and foot.
'Trust one of my kin to be abed whenever possible.
'Sam-dad'
Elfstan laughed and rocked back on his heels. Elanor smiled and put the letter back in the envelope, putting it aside for Fastred to read later. She chided herself mentally for forgetting to write to her father for so long. She would make Fastred write him a letter, and then they would go and visit him together.
The sound of pony hooves once again came from outside. This time, there was no mistaking that it was two ponies. The hollow sound of wood under hoof sounded; Fastred was in the stable. Elanor once again picked up Elfstan and went outside. A chill wind was blowing from the north.
Fastred was pulling Strider into a stall when Elanor arrived. She beamed when she saw Bronwe sitting on one of the wooden chairs.
"That Eowyn has some nerve today," complained Fastred, "she kept stopping to eat the grass whenever I kicked her."
"Eowyn doesn't like being egged on," said Elanor as she walked towards Bronwe.
"Nag," Fastred whispered under his breath.
Elanor bent down, ignoring the comment. "Hello, Bronwe. Feeling any better?"
"He doesn't like riding the ponies, Elanor. He'll learn soon, you'll see," said Fastred.
A brief flicker of confusion flashed as Bronwe looked at the lass, then recognition came to him. "Elanor." He smiled softly, and looked at Elfstan. This time, confusion stayed there.
"Bronwe," she said gently, "this is my son, Elfstan." Fastred looked at them from across the stables. "Elfstan," Elanor continued, "this is Bronwe."
"Hello, Bronwe," said Elfstan, trying to get his clumsy tongue around the word.
"Hello," said Bronwe. Elanor smiled.
"Doctor Burrows says that Bronwe should stay with us for a week," said Fastred, pulling the saddle off of Strider. "What do you think?"
Elanor nodded. "I think that's just fine."
----------
When the ponies were all back into their stables, they went back inside. Elanor stirred up some tea while Fastred showed Bronwe where he would stay. The spare room was adorned with the small daybed and a dresser. Fastred's clothes seemed to fit the newcomer well enough, and Fastred had enough clothes to spare.
They sat in the main room, sipping tea. Elfstan was, once again, drawing. He wasn't too sure about bothering Bronwe yet-- he looked a little sick, like his father when he had aten raw mushrooms. Or maybe just pale.
"When did this letter arrive?" said Fastred, plucking the papers from the side table.
"Oh! I forgot. The mail carrier dropped it off while you were gone. It's from Dad," answered Elanor, blushing.
Fastred sat down and read the letter quickly. "I'll write him a letter back tonight, and drop it off at the post tomorrow." He folded the paper and set it back down where he found it.
"Who's Dad?" asked Bronwe, still watching Elfstan.
"My father. His name is actually Samwise. He's the Mayor, you know. He saved the world."
"Oh, don't start with that again, Elanor. Last time we told the story it gave Elfstan nightmares for a week," said Fastred, stirring the tea.
Elanor rolled her eyes. "When Elfstan's not listening, I'll tell the story to you, Bronwe," she said. Bronwe nodded, his eyes curious.
"Well, now he'll be listening, won't he, Elanor?" joked Fastred.
"I heard that," said Elfstan.
~TBC~
Written by Northelle
Summary: Elanor Gamgee stumbles upon a very special hobbit, without a memory, who has come from across the Sea, by accident.
Rating: PG-13 (some violence, battle-wounds and their aftermath)
Disclaimer: Of course; I don't own anything (like the characters) in this fic, but the text and plot is mine. I don't make any money off of this. It is purely for 'fun' and for the enjoyment of others, if they wish. I am not a medical professional. I do not claim to be one.
Feedback: Feedback is awesome, but please, no flames!
Author's notes:
I'd like to thank (again) everyone who's reviewed on this. You'll find out what happens, with persistance from me and you both. I never leave a story unfinished for too long.
----------
Chapter Three
All that night, Elanor could not sleep. She kept tossing and turning in her bed until Fastred started to groan with disapproval. Then she had plodded out to the spare room and lain down on the daybed, finally dozing. When she awoke, sunlight was beaming into the room.
She rose quickly, awaking Fastred. He was reluctant to get up.
"Come on, Fastred, you have to go to the doctor!"
"Mmph."
"If you don't, I will! And then you'll have to stay and make breakfast, and you know how much you hate that!"
"Alright, I'm up."
It had taken almost hours (in Elanor's mind, at least) for Fastred to
finally get dressed and eat breakfast, then he had to saddle the two ponies. When finally he had trotted off on the skewbald Eowyn with Strider loping gently behind, the sun was almost straight above their smial.
Elanor sighed and watched him retreat over the hill. Elfstan had been following under her feet all day, and was now full with second breakfast. He grasped at her skirts until she picked him up and carried him into the smial.
----------
The pony-ride to the doctors was not Fastred's highlight of the day. Eowyn was cross and kept stopping to nibble on dry, dead grass, and to make matters worse, Strider kept butting him from behind. Every time Eowyn bent down to eat, Strider would knock Fastred on the back, and he would have to scrabble to avoid hitting the ground.
Finally, however, the doctor's smial soon came into view. Fastred was eager to get this problem dealt with and behind him. He kicked Eowyn into a fast trot. Strider snorted to keep up with them.
Doctor Burrows came out of his smial as Fastred came skittering up on the two ponies. The kindly old hobbit smiled. "I expected you would come earlier... but I suppose any time is better than no time, eh?" The Doctor laughed.
Fastred dismounted and tied the ponies up, smiling softly. "Is he any better?"
"Aye. Amazingly so, too. He still doesn't seem to have any of his memory back, though," the Doctor nodded. "He should remember you."
They both went into the smial, and the Doctor continued to talk. "It's a coincidence that nobody came in while I was tending to Bronwe, and only a few has come in since. They're the few patients that I'm taking care of, though."
The Doctor's house had many extra rooms, and one of the largest was adorned with four beds. Three of them were occupied- one of them held a little lad with a bandaged arm, and an older lass with a splinted leg was in another.
Fastred smiled as his eyes alighted on Bronwe, across the room in the third bed. The three patients all looked up at the same time.
Doctor Burrows walked over to the young lad, checking his arm. Fastred walked over to Bronwe's bed and sat on it. The old hobbit's head was bound in fresh cloth now, his eyes clearer than they were before.
"How are you?" asked Fastred.
Bronwe's voice hadn't lost its soft whispering quality. "Head hurts."
"It should, for a while," he smiled, "I'm Fastred. I'm the one who brought you here yesterday. I'm going to-"
"I remember," said Bronwe with a hurt tone.
"I'm going to take you to my house, unless you remember where you live."
"No... no." Bronwe lowered his eyes. Fastred watched the doctor as he came over and checked on Bronwe again.
"Now, Fastred," said the doctor, "I want you to bring Bronwe back to me in a week's time. I'd like him to stay with you and Elanor until then, if it's possible."
"Oh, of course. Elanor wouldn't be happy if I didn't."
"Well, happy lasses make a happy household." The Doctor laughed once more. "I'll see you off, then," he said, helping Bronwe to his feet.
----------
Elanor sat in the main room on Fastred's big chair, watching Elfstan draw with his charcoal on the paper. The little lad loved to make various pictures on the paper- and on the walls, and the floors, and the doors. Elanor had to make sure that when Elfstan was done with the paper, the charcoal was tucked safely away.
Fastred had been gone for about a half and and whole hour now. Elanor couldn't wait for him to get back. She had always loved to care for and help people, and she had been far out of practice ever since she moved from Bag End-- if Elfstan could be considered 'out of practice'.
The soft clopping of hooves and the jangling of a metal harness snapped her to attention. She leapt up, scooping Elfstan from the floor and trotting outside. Expecting to see her husband, she was dismayed to see the mail carrier instead. He tipped his hat to her.
"Good mornin' to ye, fair Elanor," he said, "I've got a letter from your father."
"Oh," she said, "thank you." She took the letter, which had yellowed paper and a red wax seal. Turning towards the smial, she listened as the mail carrier galloped off on his fast white pony.
Elanor went back in and opened the letter, reading it aloud to the curious Elfstan:
'Elanor-
'I was wondering how you were getting along lately. Your brother (Frodo) fell off the pony again last week, and he was in a bad state. He's far better now, but he misses you. We all miss you up here at Bag End, and are hoping you will write or visit soon.
'So how are things with you and Fastred? I hope Elfstan isn't growing up too fast, but I know I can place a safe bet that he is a handful for you. I know this letter is short, for I haven't had much time on my hands- Tom came home sick a while back and Rose and I have been waiting on him hand and foot.
'Trust one of my kin to be abed whenever possible.
'Sam-dad'
Elfstan laughed and rocked back on his heels. Elanor smiled and put the letter back in the envelope, putting it aside for Fastred to read later. She chided herself mentally for forgetting to write to her father for so long. She would make Fastred write him a letter, and then they would go and visit him together.
The sound of pony hooves once again came from outside. This time, there was no mistaking that it was two ponies. The hollow sound of wood under hoof sounded; Fastred was in the stable. Elanor once again picked up Elfstan and went outside. A chill wind was blowing from the north.
Fastred was pulling Strider into a stall when Elanor arrived. She beamed when she saw Bronwe sitting on one of the wooden chairs.
"That Eowyn has some nerve today," complained Fastred, "she kept stopping to eat the grass whenever I kicked her."
"Eowyn doesn't like being egged on," said Elanor as she walked towards Bronwe.
"Nag," Fastred whispered under his breath.
Elanor bent down, ignoring the comment. "Hello, Bronwe. Feeling any better?"
"He doesn't like riding the ponies, Elanor. He'll learn soon, you'll see," said Fastred.
A brief flicker of confusion flashed as Bronwe looked at the lass, then recognition came to him. "Elanor." He smiled softly, and looked at Elfstan. This time, confusion stayed there.
"Bronwe," she said gently, "this is my son, Elfstan." Fastred looked at them from across the stables. "Elfstan," Elanor continued, "this is Bronwe."
"Hello, Bronwe," said Elfstan, trying to get his clumsy tongue around the word.
"Hello," said Bronwe. Elanor smiled.
"Doctor Burrows says that Bronwe should stay with us for a week," said Fastred, pulling the saddle off of Strider. "What do you think?"
Elanor nodded. "I think that's just fine."
----------
When the ponies were all back into their stables, they went back inside. Elanor stirred up some tea while Fastred showed Bronwe where he would stay. The spare room was adorned with the small daybed and a dresser. Fastred's clothes seemed to fit the newcomer well enough, and Fastred had enough clothes to spare.
They sat in the main room, sipping tea. Elfstan was, once again, drawing. He wasn't too sure about bothering Bronwe yet-- he looked a little sick, like his father when he had aten raw mushrooms. Or maybe just pale.
"When did this letter arrive?" said Fastred, plucking the papers from the side table.
"Oh! I forgot. The mail carrier dropped it off while you were gone. It's from Dad," answered Elanor, blushing.
Fastred sat down and read the letter quickly. "I'll write him a letter back tonight, and drop it off at the post tomorrow." He folded the paper and set it back down where he found it.
"Who's Dad?" asked Bronwe, still watching Elfstan.
"My father. His name is actually Samwise. He's the Mayor, you know. He saved the world."
"Oh, don't start with that again, Elanor. Last time we told the story it gave Elfstan nightmares for a week," said Fastred, stirring the tea.
Elanor rolled her eyes. "When Elfstan's not listening, I'll tell the story to you, Bronwe," she said. Bronwe nodded, his eyes curious.
"Well, now he'll be listening, won't he, Elanor?" joked Fastred.
"I heard that," said Elfstan.
~TBC~