FantasyFan - I myself could not tell you what they put in that tea to make
everyone so wonky, but if the healer says 'sleep', sleep they shall! I like
to give bad guys a chance to find their souls too. Some do, some don't.
Aelfgifu - Aiden does deserve to be rewarded for his kindness. And Mira needs a good man, doesn't she?
Camellia - Gamgee - Took - Merry is at the age where he might just about start liking girls, but the "mush" thing just makes him go "ewwwww." He'll understand someday not too far into the future!
FrodoBaggins1982 - We can't let a nice guy like Aiden keep sitting around alone, can we? Glad you liked the 'too tall' line. Lots of people mentioning that. I wanted that chapter to be a little longer too, but it didn't cooperate.
Shirebound - Yes, Aiden has been pierced through the heart and by something more pleasant than a ruffian's blade!
Krista - We still have some more TLC to come. We have to get Frodo well enough to travel home. Glad you're enjoying the portrayals of the characters. That's always a challenge, especially for the ones that aren't mine. Mine can behave any way they want to, and frequently do.
Bookworm2000 - Yes, Frodo has a little of the Mad Baggins sense of humor in him. Aiden had a hard time being suave and cool with a head full of happy tea. In a normal state, he might have been a little tongue tied, but he was, shall we say, in an altered state?
Trust No One - Happy is good, after so much angst! As to whether the angst is over yet, I have to say you can only twist a plot so many times before you make a pretzel, but we still have to go deal with Bargo and Reginard, don't we?
Kay - You're welcome! Even old Bilbo knows a pretty face when he sees one. He's such a good matchmaker, isn't he? Dolan has perhaps made a bit of a turnaround. I don't know if he'll ever be 'respectable', but I doubt he'll be selling halflings again. Good on Bilbo for using the Ring for something good before it starts messing up all of Middle Earth!
TTTurtle - Glad your computer is working again! We need a little rest after that nasty fight, don't we? Returning to the Shire soon!
LotRseer3350 - We're going to let Frodo rest up and get back where he belongs soon. Bargo and Reginard need to be dealt with too.
Iorhael - Has chapter 19 allowed you to see it yet? If not, e-mail me and I'll send it to you. Things are certainly looking up at this point.
Aratlithiel - Aiden does deserve to get the girl, doesn't he? And the only thing cuter than Frodo is sleepy Frodo!
Fool of a Took - About time Aiden had a distraction from the sorrows in his life, eh? I'll be Aiden is glad of Frodo's assertion that Mira is 'too tall.' Less competition!
QTPie - 2488 - Here you are, sailing in with some great long reviews! I think all of us need a little comfort after the ride we've been on. As for Aiden, he might well be off the list of Bree's eligible bachelors if he keeps this up! Planning a sequel, yes. And writing it as we speak! Now, on to more of that comfort you like so well.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Chapter 22 - On the Mend
~*~The Prancing Pony~*~
Bilbo poured tea into five cups on the small table and replaced the kettle over the flames of the hearth. He didn't usually take tea after supper, but it seemed a good way to soothe the tiredness and anxiousness away. It had been a long day with little to do but talk and rest, and watch over the two injured members of the party who had mostly slept the day away.
Frodo was able to sit upright now, recovering his strength and energy as rapidly as only a tween can do. The salve Mira had brought was helping the marks on his back heal quickly, and he found he could wear a shirt without much discomfort. Having none of his own clothes with him, he'd had to borrow one of Bilbo's, and it hung rather loosely on his spare frame.
Aiden was sitting up on one of the beds and Frodo and Merry had pulled chairs over to the bedside. The three sat talking animatedly and sipping their tea. Merry was especially curious about Frodo's newfound friend. He had seen some of the Big Folk from a distance, but he'd never met any of them before.
"So you probably know more about the Shire than a lot of your people," Merry observed. "Do you visit often?"
Aiden considered. "When business is brisk, I'll visit the Southfarthing once every two months or so," he answered. "I've not had time to travel much within your borders aside from making trips to purchase pipeweed from the planters."
Frodo nodded. "Brandy Hall is a little out of your way, then, and Hobbiton, where Uncle Bilbo lives is farther still."
Aiden shifted, moving his shoulder slightly and wincing. Frodo gave him a sharp look. "Are you moving it like the healer said?" Frodo asked, doing his best to sound stern.
The mention of the lovely young lady who had cleaned and bandaged the wound earlier in the day made Aiden smile, even as he raised his arm and a twinge of pain warned him to move slowly. "Yes, Frodo. I would not dare disobey her, for behind that fair countenance may lie the heart of something quite formidable."
"You like her, don't you?" Merry said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I saw that silly grin on your face," he continued with a bit of a smirk.
"Meriadoc," Saradoc said sharply in reprimand, "a little courtesy, if you please. Master Aiden is not one of the lads at the Hall, and he is due more respect."
Aiden laughed. "Not to worry, Saradoc. Your son has not offended me in the least." In fact, he found Merry both charming and amusing. To Merry, he added, "You are young yet, Merry, but one day you will understand. I regret that I shall not be nearby to see the same silly grin make itself at home on your face one day as some sweet lass catches your eye."
Saradoc laughed in approval. That day might not be too far off, he realized. It seemed almost as if Merry were an inch taller already than he had been a week ago.
"Hmmm, right," Merry said noncommittally. He supposed it was true, but he wasn't about to start running after every lass in the Hall to test the theory. He sobered somewhat and reached out a small hand to grasp Aiden's larger one. "I haven't had a chance to say it yet, but thank you for helping Frodo." Sudden tears rose in Merry's eyes as he though of how close he had come to losing the cousin who meant so much to him.
Aiden squeezed Merry's hand gently. "I did so gladly, Merry, for I have made a friend in the process." He gestured toward Frodo. "Your cousin is remarkable in his resiliency, his patience, and his concern for others. He is also quite fortunate in that he has you to watch over him."
That last statement was of little comfort to Merry. Watch over him? How was Merry to do that when Frodo was leaving to live in Hobbiton? But it wasn't entirely decided, was it? He knew that Bilbo and Saradoc had agreed to the arrangement, but had Frodo spoken his assent yet? Perhaps there was still a chance that Frodo would remain in Buckland. If so, Merry vowed that he would indeed watch over his favorite cousin to the best of his ability.
"Thank you, sir," Merry said simply, accepting Aiden's compliment. Frodo dropped an arm around his shoulders and gave him a light squeeze. Merry offered silent thanks again for his cousin's safety as the three continued chatting about Bree and the Shire, Merry thoroughly amusing Aiden with legends of Buckland and the surrounding areas.
The sound of someone lightly tapping on the door interrupted the conversation. Bilbo gave Aiden a sly look and shooed Frodo and Merry from the bedside while Saradoc opened the door and greeted Mira. As before, she had with her the basket containing various salves and bandages, and neatly wrapped packets of herbs for brewing into remedies for pain, fever and other maladies.
She nodded to Aiden and smiled, once again moving to tend to Frodo first. "It's good to see you more alert, young one," she said quietly. "May I ask your name?"
"Frodo," he replied rather shyly. He had been under the influence of a heavy dose of sleeping herbs the last time she had come, and so had been spared much conversation. She wasn't going to let him off so easily this time, it seemed.
"You are looking much better than you did this morning, Frodo," Mira said warmly. "May I look at your back?"
Frodo lay down on his stomach again and pulled the oversized shirt up over his shoulders to expose the whip welts. Much of the redness had gone out of the abused skin, and the deeper cuts had begun to scab over. "This will heal quite nicely, I believe," Mira remarked, rubbing more of the tingly - feeling salve lightly over the marks. "Does it hurt you much?"
"No, not as much anymore," Frodo answered, his voice muffled by the pillow. He sat up again when she was finished, letting the shirt fall lightly over his back again. She again treated the marks on his wrists and briefly examined the bruises on his face.
"You've quite a black eye, young Frodo." She smiled at him. "A good thing it will fade a great deal before you get home, or you might be accused of brawling in the pubs." The jest made Frodo relax and he laughed.
"I'm a little young yet for that, Miss Mira," Frodo replied while Bilbo chuckled. Hopefully Frodo would refrain from such activities whether he was of the appropriate age for them or not, he mused. Still, lads would be lads!
Now that Mira had finished with Frodo, Bilbo cleared his throat and addressed his fellow hobbits. "What a fine, crisp evening it is!" He looked pointedly at Frodo and Merry, and glanced quickly at Saradoc, who grinned. "I believe I should like to take the air for a few moments. Saradoc?"
"Hmmm, yes. That sounds like a splendid idea, Bilbo." He waved to Frodo and Merry. "Come along, lads."
"But I really don't - " Merry began to protest, but his father's look stopped him.
"Come along, Meriadoc," the Master of Buckland said with a raised eyebrow and a tone that brooked no argument.
"Let's go, Mer," Frodo whispered, grinning at his cousin. Merry might be missing the point, but he wasn't.
The four hobbits donned their cloaks and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind them.
"I'll have a look at that shoulder now, if you please," the healer said as she approached Aiden. "Are you making sure to move your arm from time to time as we discussed?"
Aiden nodded, forcing himself not to grin like a fool again. "Indeed I am, although you were correct about the action causing discomfort."
"Sometimes one must merely endure," Mira said lightly, as she removed the dressing from Aiden's shoulder. "Well, sir, that looks far better already," she remarked. "I wondered about suturing it, but I think it will heal without."
"Please, call me Aiden," he said as he watched her remove another small jar of something from the basket.
"Very well, Aiden," she replied. "And I am Mira, Journeywoman of the Healercraft."
Aiden looked at her rather sharply. "So you are not yet a Master Healer, then?" He asked curiously.
"No, I have not attained my Mastery yet," she answered, smiling. "But fear not, I promise you are in capable hands."
"I doubt it not," Aiden replied casually, stealing a glance at her face as he spoke. "I must ask your pardon for my behavior this morning," he said earnestly. "I was not entirely myself, and I apologize if I said anything - - unseemly."
She blushed at the comment, but answered, "You mustn't worry with regard to your actions," she told him. "You were not impolite, just perhaps somewhat - "
"Honest?" He supplied the word with a sheepish grin. He looked at her steadily as he spoke. "I meant every word, Mira."
She looked back at him, trying to keep her expression neutral. "You are very kind, Aiden," she replied. He was rather bold, this handsome young rogue, she thought. "How is it you came by this wound?" she asked mildly as she wrapped his shoulder.
Aiden told her briefly about Frodo and the two ruffians. "I've no skill to speak of with a blade, and it seems I know little of when to duck, either," he said ruefully.
"A lack of skill with a sword is not necessarily a bad thing," she replied, "for those who wield such weapons easily usually have reason to do so." She wouldn't mind hearing this man say that his reasons for fighting were few. "Still, I would say you did fairly well in your defense," she observed. If the knife had struck a few inches lower -
"Has your family lived long in Bree?" Aiden asked. He must learn more about the charming healer who tended him. She seemed intelligent and capable, like his lost Morida, yet different at the same time. He listened intently to her reply.
"Yes, I was born here," she told him. "My father is a Master Healer, and my family and I live on the Western edge of the village. Are you a born Breelander?"
"No, I came to Bree from Archet some years ago," he replied. "As is the case with most young fellows, I felt the need to step out on my own and make my way, even if I only went as far as the next town to do so."
Mira laughed at the statement. "Have you any family in Bree?"
"I did once," Aiden replied, a sad note in his voice. "I lost them three years hence."
Mira's expression clouded at the mention of the time. "The Fever." Aiden nodded and she continued. "I remember it well. I was an apprentice at the time and so helped my father prepare for his daily rounds through the village. I did not see the patients as he did, however."
Aiden tried to remember the name and face of the healer who had tended his wife and child in their sickness. He remembered naught but Morinda and Callen, however. Could it be he had already met Mira's father? "Is he at all troubled by your being out and about on your own, tending to men wounded in brawls?"
Mira chuckled. She supposed she expected the question. "Not generally. He knows I have sense, and if he doesn't like the look of any of those who come seeking help, he will tend them himself," she explained.
"Would he like the look of me, I wonder?" Aiden said, his face reddening as he realized he had spoken aloud.
Mira looked at him sharply, her gaze steady and measuring. "I think he would find you an acceptable patient to be commended to my care," she replied, enjoying Aiden's momentary discomfort at his verbal slip.
Well, he'd gotten himself into this, Aiden thought. Nothing else for it but to forge ahead. "That being said, would you mind if I were to call on you now that I am on the mend?" He waited for her answer. A reason to hope, or an arrow through the heart?
Mira regarded him levelly and found herself smiling. There was something about him, a pleasant, comfortable manner that was both mischievous and charming by turns. She relented, handing him a small card with an address and the name Torbold Archer, Master Healer at the top. "You may, if it pleases you. Here is my father's calling card with the address."
"Thank you," he said, trying to hide how pleased he truly was with her answer. The foolish grin was lurking just below the surface and threatening to take over his face at any moment.
"I shall leave you to your rest now, Aiden," Mira said, repacking her basket and reaching for her cloak. "Please remember, to keep moving your arm at regular intervals."
He nodded. "As you command," he answered, making the effort to raise his hand in farewell. It came up slowly, part of the way, and he allowed it to drop again when discomfort turned to pain. He'd raised it higher than he had that morning, so he must be mending indeed.
Mira left the room and walked down the hallway, smiling and waving to the hobbits as she passed them in front of the inn.
"Do you suppose the dear fellow used time to his advantage, Bilbo?" Saradoc asked, watching the healer wend her way through the slowly thinning crowds in the street.
"Let us hope so, Sara," Bilbo said with a puff on his pipe. "He's not an addle - brained tween, after all."
"Your pardon, Uncle?" Frodo said, giving Bilbo a look. Frodo was a tween himself, and he didn't consider himself to be at all addle - brained.
"You know what I meant, lad." Bilbo responded, and he and Frodo shared a conspiratorial grin as the fallen leaves swirled around their feet in the brisk breeze of the evening.
~*~To be continued~*~
Aelfgifu - Aiden does deserve to be rewarded for his kindness. And Mira needs a good man, doesn't she?
Camellia - Gamgee - Took - Merry is at the age where he might just about start liking girls, but the "mush" thing just makes him go "ewwwww." He'll understand someday not too far into the future!
FrodoBaggins1982 - We can't let a nice guy like Aiden keep sitting around alone, can we? Glad you liked the 'too tall' line. Lots of people mentioning that. I wanted that chapter to be a little longer too, but it didn't cooperate.
Shirebound - Yes, Aiden has been pierced through the heart and by something more pleasant than a ruffian's blade!
Krista - We still have some more TLC to come. We have to get Frodo well enough to travel home. Glad you're enjoying the portrayals of the characters. That's always a challenge, especially for the ones that aren't mine. Mine can behave any way they want to, and frequently do.
Bookworm2000 - Yes, Frodo has a little of the Mad Baggins sense of humor in him. Aiden had a hard time being suave and cool with a head full of happy tea. In a normal state, he might have been a little tongue tied, but he was, shall we say, in an altered state?
Trust No One - Happy is good, after so much angst! As to whether the angst is over yet, I have to say you can only twist a plot so many times before you make a pretzel, but we still have to go deal with Bargo and Reginard, don't we?
Kay - You're welcome! Even old Bilbo knows a pretty face when he sees one. He's such a good matchmaker, isn't he? Dolan has perhaps made a bit of a turnaround. I don't know if he'll ever be 'respectable', but I doubt he'll be selling halflings again. Good on Bilbo for using the Ring for something good before it starts messing up all of Middle Earth!
TTTurtle - Glad your computer is working again! We need a little rest after that nasty fight, don't we? Returning to the Shire soon!
LotRseer3350 - We're going to let Frodo rest up and get back where he belongs soon. Bargo and Reginard need to be dealt with too.
Iorhael - Has chapter 19 allowed you to see it yet? If not, e-mail me and I'll send it to you. Things are certainly looking up at this point.
Aratlithiel - Aiden does deserve to get the girl, doesn't he? And the only thing cuter than Frodo is sleepy Frodo!
Fool of a Took - About time Aiden had a distraction from the sorrows in his life, eh? I'll be Aiden is glad of Frodo's assertion that Mira is 'too tall.' Less competition!
QTPie - 2488 - Here you are, sailing in with some great long reviews! I think all of us need a little comfort after the ride we've been on. As for Aiden, he might well be off the list of Bree's eligible bachelors if he keeps this up! Planning a sequel, yes. And writing it as we speak! Now, on to more of that comfort you like so well.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Chapter 22 - On the Mend
~*~The Prancing Pony~*~
Bilbo poured tea into five cups on the small table and replaced the kettle over the flames of the hearth. He didn't usually take tea after supper, but it seemed a good way to soothe the tiredness and anxiousness away. It had been a long day with little to do but talk and rest, and watch over the two injured members of the party who had mostly slept the day away.
Frodo was able to sit upright now, recovering his strength and energy as rapidly as only a tween can do. The salve Mira had brought was helping the marks on his back heal quickly, and he found he could wear a shirt without much discomfort. Having none of his own clothes with him, he'd had to borrow one of Bilbo's, and it hung rather loosely on his spare frame.
Aiden was sitting up on one of the beds and Frodo and Merry had pulled chairs over to the bedside. The three sat talking animatedly and sipping their tea. Merry was especially curious about Frodo's newfound friend. He had seen some of the Big Folk from a distance, but he'd never met any of them before.
"So you probably know more about the Shire than a lot of your people," Merry observed. "Do you visit often?"
Aiden considered. "When business is brisk, I'll visit the Southfarthing once every two months or so," he answered. "I've not had time to travel much within your borders aside from making trips to purchase pipeweed from the planters."
Frodo nodded. "Brandy Hall is a little out of your way, then, and Hobbiton, where Uncle Bilbo lives is farther still."
Aiden shifted, moving his shoulder slightly and wincing. Frodo gave him a sharp look. "Are you moving it like the healer said?" Frodo asked, doing his best to sound stern.
The mention of the lovely young lady who had cleaned and bandaged the wound earlier in the day made Aiden smile, even as he raised his arm and a twinge of pain warned him to move slowly. "Yes, Frodo. I would not dare disobey her, for behind that fair countenance may lie the heart of something quite formidable."
"You like her, don't you?" Merry said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I saw that silly grin on your face," he continued with a bit of a smirk.
"Meriadoc," Saradoc said sharply in reprimand, "a little courtesy, if you please. Master Aiden is not one of the lads at the Hall, and he is due more respect."
Aiden laughed. "Not to worry, Saradoc. Your son has not offended me in the least." In fact, he found Merry both charming and amusing. To Merry, he added, "You are young yet, Merry, but one day you will understand. I regret that I shall not be nearby to see the same silly grin make itself at home on your face one day as some sweet lass catches your eye."
Saradoc laughed in approval. That day might not be too far off, he realized. It seemed almost as if Merry were an inch taller already than he had been a week ago.
"Hmmm, right," Merry said noncommittally. He supposed it was true, but he wasn't about to start running after every lass in the Hall to test the theory. He sobered somewhat and reached out a small hand to grasp Aiden's larger one. "I haven't had a chance to say it yet, but thank you for helping Frodo." Sudden tears rose in Merry's eyes as he though of how close he had come to losing the cousin who meant so much to him.
Aiden squeezed Merry's hand gently. "I did so gladly, Merry, for I have made a friend in the process." He gestured toward Frodo. "Your cousin is remarkable in his resiliency, his patience, and his concern for others. He is also quite fortunate in that he has you to watch over him."
That last statement was of little comfort to Merry. Watch over him? How was Merry to do that when Frodo was leaving to live in Hobbiton? But it wasn't entirely decided, was it? He knew that Bilbo and Saradoc had agreed to the arrangement, but had Frodo spoken his assent yet? Perhaps there was still a chance that Frodo would remain in Buckland. If so, Merry vowed that he would indeed watch over his favorite cousin to the best of his ability.
"Thank you, sir," Merry said simply, accepting Aiden's compliment. Frodo dropped an arm around his shoulders and gave him a light squeeze. Merry offered silent thanks again for his cousin's safety as the three continued chatting about Bree and the Shire, Merry thoroughly amusing Aiden with legends of Buckland and the surrounding areas.
The sound of someone lightly tapping on the door interrupted the conversation. Bilbo gave Aiden a sly look and shooed Frodo and Merry from the bedside while Saradoc opened the door and greeted Mira. As before, she had with her the basket containing various salves and bandages, and neatly wrapped packets of herbs for brewing into remedies for pain, fever and other maladies.
She nodded to Aiden and smiled, once again moving to tend to Frodo first. "It's good to see you more alert, young one," she said quietly. "May I ask your name?"
"Frodo," he replied rather shyly. He had been under the influence of a heavy dose of sleeping herbs the last time she had come, and so had been spared much conversation. She wasn't going to let him off so easily this time, it seemed.
"You are looking much better than you did this morning, Frodo," Mira said warmly. "May I look at your back?"
Frodo lay down on his stomach again and pulled the oversized shirt up over his shoulders to expose the whip welts. Much of the redness had gone out of the abused skin, and the deeper cuts had begun to scab over. "This will heal quite nicely, I believe," Mira remarked, rubbing more of the tingly - feeling salve lightly over the marks. "Does it hurt you much?"
"No, not as much anymore," Frodo answered, his voice muffled by the pillow. He sat up again when she was finished, letting the shirt fall lightly over his back again. She again treated the marks on his wrists and briefly examined the bruises on his face.
"You've quite a black eye, young Frodo." She smiled at him. "A good thing it will fade a great deal before you get home, or you might be accused of brawling in the pubs." The jest made Frodo relax and he laughed.
"I'm a little young yet for that, Miss Mira," Frodo replied while Bilbo chuckled. Hopefully Frodo would refrain from such activities whether he was of the appropriate age for them or not, he mused. Still, lads would be lads!
Now that Mira had finished with Frodo, Bilbo cleared his throat and addressed his fellow hobbits. "What a fine, crisp evening it is!" He looked pointedly at Frodo and Merry, and glanced quickly at Saradoc, who grinned. "I believe I should like to take the air for a few moments. Saradoc?"
"Hmmm, yes. That sounds like a splendid idea, Bilbo." He waved to Frodo and Merry. "Come along, lads."
"But I really don't - " Merry began to protest, but his father's look stopped him.
"Come along, Meriadoc," the Master of Buckland said with a raised eyebrow and a tone that brooked no argument.
"Let's go, Mer," Frodo whispered, grinning at his cousin. Merry might be missing the point, but he wasn't.
The four hobbits donned their cloaks and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind them.
"I'll have a look at that shoulder now, if you please," the healer said as she approached Aiden. "Are you making sure to move your arm from time to time as we discussed?"
Aiden nodded, forcing himself not to grin like a fool again. "Indeed I am, although you were correct about the action causing discomfort."
"Sometimes one must merely endure," Mira said lightly, as she removed the dressing from Aiden's shoulder. "Well, sir, that looks far better already," she remarked. "I wondered about suturing it, but I think it will heal without."
"Please, call me Aiden," he said as he watched her remove another small jar of something from the basket.
"Very well, Aiden," she replied. "And I am Mira, Journeywoman of the Healercraft."
Aiden looked at her rather sharply. "So you are not yet a Master Healer, then?" He asked curiously.
"No, I have not attained my Mastery yet," she answered, smiling. "But fear not, I promise you are in capable hands."
"I doubt it not," Aiden replied casually, stealing a glance at her face as he spoke. "I must ask your pardon for my behavior this morning," he said earnestly. "I was not entirely myself, and I apologize if I said anything - - unseemly."
She blushed at the comment, but answered, "You mustn't worry with regard to your actions," she told him. "You were not impolite, just perhaps somewhat - "
"Honest?" He supplied the word with a sheepish grin. He looked at her steadily as he spoke. "I meant every word, Mira."
She looked back at him, trying to keep her expression neutral. "You are very kind, Aiden," she replied. He was rather bold, this handsome young rogue, she thought. "How is it you came by this wound?" she asked mildly as she wrapped his shoulder.
Aiden told her briefly about Frodo and the two ruffians. "I've no skill to speak of with a blade, and it seems I know little of when to duck, either," he said ruefully.
"A lack of skill with a sword is not necessarily a bad thing," she replied, "for those who wield such weapons easily usually have reason to do so." She wouldn't mind hearing this man say that his reasons for fighting were few. "Still, I would say you did fairly well in your defense," she observed. If the knife had struck a few inches lower -
"Has your family lived long in Bree?" Aiden asked. He must learn more about the charming healer who tended him. She seemed intelligent and capable, like his lost Morida, yet different at the same time. He listened intently to her reply.
"Yes, I was born here," she told him. "My father is a Master Healer, and my family and I live on the Western edge of the village. Are you a born Breelander?"
"No, I came to Bree from Archet some years ago," he replied. "As is the case with most young fellows, I felt the need to step out on my own and make my way, even if I only went as far as the next town to do so."
Mira laughed at the statement. "Have you any family in Bree?"
"I did once," Aiden replied, a sad note in his voice. "I lost them three years hence."
Mira's expression clouded at the mention of the time. "The Fever." Aiden nodded and she continued. "I remember it well. I was an apprentice at the time and so helped my father prepare for his daily rounds through the village. I did not see the patients as he did, however."
Aiden tried to remember the name and face of the healer who had tended his wife and child in their sickness. He remembered naught but Morinda and Callen, however. Could it be he had already met Mira's father? "Is he at all troubled by your being out and about on your own, tending to men wounded in brawls?"
Mira chuckled. She supposed she expected the question. "Not generally. He knows I have sense, and if he doesn't like the look of any of those who come seeking help, he will tend them himself," she explained.
"Would he like the look of me, I wonder?" Aiden said, his face reddening as he realized he had spoken aloud.
Mira looked at him sharply, her gaze steady and measuring. "I think he would find you an acceptable patient to be commended to my care," she replied, enjoying Aiden's momentary discomfort at his verbal slip.
Well, he'd gotten himself into this, Aiden thought. Nothing else for it but to forge ahead. "That being said, would you mind if I were to call on you now that I am on the mend?" He waited for her answer. A reason to hope, or an arrow through the heart?
Mira regarded him levelly and found herself smiling. There was something about him, a pleasant, comfortable manner that was both mischievous and charming by turns. She relented, handing him a small card with an address and the name Torbold Archer, Master Healer at the top. "You may, if it pleases you. Here is my father's calling card with the address."
"Thank you," he said, trying to hide how pleased he truly was with her answer. The foolish grin was lurking just below the surface and threatening to take over his face at any moment.
"I shall leave you to your rest now, Aiden," Mira said, repacking her basket and reaching for her cloak. "Please remember, to keep moving your arm at regular intervals."
He nodded. "As you command," he answered, making the effort to raise his hand in farewell. It came up slowly, part of the way, and he allowed it to drop again when discomfort turned to pain. He'd raised it higher than he had that morning, so he must be mending indeed.
Mira left the room and walked down the hallway, smiling and waving to the hobbits as she passed them in front of the inn.
"Do you suppose the dear fellow used time to his advantage, Bilbo?" Saradoc asked, watching the healer wend her way through the slowly thinning crowds in the street.
"Let us hope so, Sara," Bilbo said with a puff on his pipe. "He's not an addle - brained tween, after all."
"Your pardon, Uncle?" Frodo said, giving Bilbo a look. Frodo was a tween himself, and he didn't consider himself to be at all addle - brained.
"You know what I meant, lad." Bilbo responded, and he and Frodo shared a conspiratorial grin as the fallen leaves swirled around their feet in the brisk breeze of the evening.
~*~To be continued~*~