Chapter 11

It was that time again . . . that lovely comfortable time between sleeping and waking. Frodo snuggled down into the warm enfolding blankets, turning his cheek to settle against the soft velvet that supported him. There was a gentle rocking movement and soft musical voices drifting just beyond his understanding.

"You are safe, Frodo. We will be setting up camp soon and then you can rest properly."

Too cosy to think about the words clearly Frodo tried, instead to place the owner of the voice. These words were not uttered in Gandalf's gruff tones or Aragorn's almost whisper. Neither were they spoken in Elrond's clear strong voice. Then, who? It was a big person . . . of that he was sure. Suddenly he knew.

Frodo blinked his eyes open in alarm and tilted his head back to find himself staring up into the silver eyes of Lord Celeborn. Embarrassed to be carried like a child by such a high personage, he tried to squirm upright in the arms that held him and yelped as the movement sent a sharp stab of pain through his right arm.

Celeborn frowned and laid a hand upon Frodo's chest. "Sleep, Frodo."

Before he knew what was happening the hobbit's limbs relaxed and his head slid back to rest against the elf's warm chest. By the time he realised that his body had reacted without his instruction he was too drowsy to care and merely nestled closer, allowing himself a small yawn before dipping down into sleep once more.

00000

His arm was aching and sore but then something cool was smoothed upon it and Frodo sighed at the relief it brought. There was a delicate flowery smell and something soft was laid upon the hurt and bound gently but firmly in place. This time Frodo recognised the voice of Elrond before he cracked open his eyes to see the dark haired elf tying off a fine silk bandage around the hobbit's upper arm.

"Nearly finished, Frodo."

The healer smiled as he wiped his hands upon a cloth and then touched a cup to Frodo's lips. It was warm weak ginger tea, liberally stirred with fragrant honey and he swallowed it gratefully.

Elrond spoke softly as Frodo sipped. "The wound on your arm is deep and long and there was some infection, however it has cleared and the stitches are holding well. Your main problem is the loss of blood you suffered but rest and plenty of fluids should help there."

"Thank you, Lord Elrond. I am sorry that I have been such a burden to you on this journey," murmured Frodo as he swallowed the last drops of the warming tea.

Setting the empty cup aside, Elrond tucked soft light blankets closer about his charge. "It is my pleasure to help and you are a light burden, willingly accepted."

Frodo was about to protest that he should not be so dependent upon big folk for his care when he remembered the Lady Galadriel's words and settled back instead.

If Elrond was aware of his thoughts he allowed no indication of it to show upon his smooth features, as he leaned back upon his heels and began to remove a selection of items from his herbal. Frodo resigned himself to what was to come.

When they had started out upon this journey Frodo had secretly welcomed the thought that Aragorn or Aldern would no longer be subjecting him to the weekly intimate examinations. When Aragorn had continued the practice however, Frodo had resigned himself in the hopes that when the King left the group it would be forgotten, but it seemed that Aragorn had simply passed on the responsibility to his foster father.

At some point during his unconscious state Frodo realised that he had been undressed, by whom he did not wish to consider. He was almost growing used to the situation, he decided ruefully. With a start he found that Lord Elrond had been talking and he had been so lost in thought that he had not heard him.

". . . and I must keep a regular check upon the development of the baby and your body's responses to carrying it."

The healer folded back the blankets to expose his charge's chest and abdomen and Frodo tried to very hard to concentrate upon the roof of the tent above him. When he felt Elrond palpating his newly developed breasts, however, he blushed deeply. At least they weren't sore anymore. Thankfully the hands then moved down his torso to press lightly upon Frodo's ripening belly, practiced fingers seeking to define the shape of the small form growing beneath stretching flesh.

The blankets were rearranged and the parent-to-be glanced at Elrond in alarm as the elf reached for a strange looking metal implement, which had been resting in a bowl of warm water. Folding the blankets now so that Frodo's body was exposed from hips down, Elrond issued the instruction that his patient so dreaded.

"Please bend your knees and place your feet flat upon the floor with your legs apart."

Biting his bottom lip, Frodo complied. He knew that Elrond was checking upon the formation of what he had called a "birth canal". The fact that the examination had been conducted before, however, did not make it any more comfortable now and Frodo tensed, awaiting the intruding fingers with some dread. He was not used to being examined, however professionally, in such a personal area . . . even before his anatomy had grown so wayward.

"This may feel a little uncomfortable."

That was all the warning Frodo received before the metal instrument was slowly inserted. He flinched and let out a small whimper, tensing automatically against the strange intruder. Almost of its own volition, his body tried to squirm away as he felt the sides of the new opening in his body being stretched relentlessly apart by the strange device, and he blinked helplessly as tears began to roll down his face. Elrond's gentle voice fell into his ears and mind.

"You will make this less painful for yourself if you relax, Frodo. The muscles lining the passage will loosen, making it easier for me to widen them. Take a deep breath in through your nose to a count of three and out through your mouth to a count of four."

Frodo tried to comply and once the initial shock of insertion was over the instrument became uncomfortable, rather than painful. He tried to breath as instructed and focus upon the canvas of the tent roof rather than on Elrond's dark head bent too intimately close between his legs. As he continued his examination the elven healer spoke, his voice calm and low.

"This will soon be over and there will be no further discomfort. I must check closely upon the internal formation of what I believe to be the birth canal, to ensure that it is prepared when your child is ready."

When the elf had begun his examination Frodo had been glad that he had been spared the embarrassment of having anyone else present. Now he surprised himself by desperately wanting someone there to hold his hand and he fought to still the quivering of his chin and squeezed his eyes shut as tears slid back into his hairline. To his intense relief the intrusive implement was soon removed and his nakedness covered once more. A few moments later he felt a warm damp cloth dabbing away the tears from his face and he opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lord Elrond. You must think me very foolish to behave this way over such a little thing. I don't know what's the matter with me."

The elf's face softened as he continued to blot away the last of the tears. "Some worry and intense emotional swings are quite usual and are nothing to feel sorry about. In that at least, your body and mind are reacting quite normally, for someone five months into term with their first child."

Holding a cup of water so that Frodo could sip, Elrond went on. "You will be pleased to hear that everything appears to be progressing well, both with your child and with your own body. If matters continue to . . . develop . . . as they are you will be able to give birth to your babe without surgical intervention and may even be able to feed him yourself."

Frodo fell back, wincing as his injured arm protested the sudden movement. Feed? He had thought the breasts . . . he suddenly realised that he had not considered them at all, other than as an embarrassment. He had once accidentally seen one of his aunts at Brandy Hall nursing her baby but the thought had never occurred to him that he may have to do likewise. And he was not entirely sure what he thought of the idea.

Oh my. Whatever was Bilbo going to say?

TBC