Chapter Eight: The Ride Through The Storm
"I dozed on and off that day, with my grandmother's blessing, and the rain poured on. Grandmother arose from her bed for the first time in nearly three weeks to tell me that I was free to rest. And so I pulled the covers over my head and slept.
"All of my dreams took place under water. In them I swam, warm and contented, diving under and over roots. I had no need for air. All was silent and peaceful.
"I woke up early the next morning, the morning of the second day that Déagol was gone. Someone had left toast and a pot of tea on my nightstand. I opened the top of the pot and let the sweet-smelling steam wash over my face. Outside, the storm still raged. Lightening illuminated the room and made the shadows look like monsters.
"'Sméagol!'
"The cry startled me, and I dropped the pot. The sticky tea sweetness spread across the floor. I leapt up and raced across the corridor to my grandmother's room.
"She lay on her bed pale, pale, pale as the sheet, the sheet that I found to be sweat-soaked when I touched it. Her eyes rested at half-mast. 'Sméagol,' she moaned.
"'I'm here, Grandmother,' I said, and touched her forehead. I recoiled instantly; it was hot as smoldering embers.
"'Sméagol, I'm so hot,' she said.
"I stood up. 'Mother! Mother!'
"Iris came into the room. 'She's asleep. Daisy kept her up all night and – ' She looked at our grandmother and stopped.
"'Iris,' I said urgently, her fever is higher than I've ever seen it. I don't know what to do.' I looked at the dark sky split with lightening and made my decision. 'I'm going for Déagol.'
"'In this weather?'
"'I'd rather get wet than see her die!' I cried. Iris was silent.
"'I need you to wake up some other and look after Grandmother while I'm away,' I said when my emotions had settled. 'Do anything you can to keep her cool. Don't let her fall asleep. I'll be back the minute I can.'
"'But you don't even know where he is!' she exclaimed, her eyes wide and barely holding back tears.
"'I know he's across the river and ten miles down current,' I said.
"'What will you do, ride down the bank and call for Déagol?'
"'Unless you can think of something better,' I said.
"She looked at me and cried, 'Oh Sméagol, be careful!' Her arms threw themselves around me just as the thunder crashed.
"In the stable I decided to take Topaz, our strongest and fastest pony. I did not bother with a saddle; I would ride like the Elves.
"Out in the pelting rain I steeled myself for the sounds of thunder. Topaz, for whatever reasons of her own, was not disturbed by them. I threw by belt around her neck and used it as makeshift reins.
"The bridge was half a mile away, and I hoped that the river had not flooded it. With the milky-white lightening the only thing to pierce the dark morning, I rode on as fast as I could. Within a sixth of a mile I was splattered with mud and thoroughly soaked. 'Just keep going, Sméagol,' I told myself. 'Don't be afraid. Keep going.'
"The bridge, which required tolls during fairer weather, had been abandoned by all save myself. Topaz's hooves clattered on the boards, just barely louder than the heavy downpour. Below us the river churned and pitched.
"The people of the river had no towns; I had only an approximation of where Déagol was. Luckily each mile along the main path was marked by a post.
"The tress were no longer drunken dancers; now they were battle-hungry warriors, soldiers bent on destruction. Branches fell before and behind me, causing Topaz to cry in fear. I tried to calm her. 'Keep going, Sméagol,' I said to myself once again. 'Keep going.'
"Occasionally I could see the lights of windows on the side of the path that was opposite the river. I passed the post that indicated that I had traveled one mile since leaving the bridge. Then the post for two. Still the storm bore down with its fierce passion, and still I went on.
"'Think of Déagol,' I told myself as Topaz raced past the four-mile post. 'Think of his smile and of his hands. Think of how Grandmother will be better once he has seen to her, and think of how when this is over you can take a hot bath and have some tea. Think of how you'll teach Déagol to swim – if the pond hasn't flooded, that is. Think of Déagol and how he would tell you to not be afraid, and keep going.
"I thought of roots, and flowers, and quilts and tea. I thought of water and earth and stones. I thought of fish and minnows. Above all I thought of Déagol.
"We reached the seven-mile post, and the eighth. At the ninth I began to cry out Déagol's name at every wayside light. 'Déagol!' I cried as loudly as I could, slowing down Topaz so that Déagol could hear me if he was there. 'Déagol!'
"And lie a miracle, a door opened and an old hobbit in a nightcap stuck out his curly head. 'If it's Déagol you want, you've still got another twenty-two cottages to go,' he said, squinting irritably at me. 'Now be quiet so we can sleep!' He slammed the door with an authoritative flair.
"Eighteen cottages…thirteen…nine…four…I was almost there. Finally I reached large thatched house with one light shining from a window. I dismounted Topaz and ran to the door, pounding on it as hard as I could when I arrived.
"After a minute or two the door opened, and I stood face to face with a young lass of about seventeen. 'My name is Sméagol,' I gasped. 'I need to see Déagol as soon as possible.'
"And then he was there, dressed – for it was morning, I realized. I had been so long in the darkness that I was like the fireflies on the island who thought it was always night.
"'Déagol,' I said, 'my grandmother's fever is higher than it's ever been. She – '
"'Give me half a minute,' he said, and vanished into the cottage.
"Within seconds he had returned, suitcase in hand. 'I'm ready,' he said. 'Peridot, explain to Mother what happened.' Within a few steps and one swift leap, he had mounted Topaz, the suitcase balanced in front of him. 'I will lead the way,' he said. 'Sit behind me.'
"'I'll fall off,' I said stupidly.
"'Then hang on to my waist.'
"I mounted quickly and grasped him around the middle. I had been right when I thought that he was not as fragile as he looked; under his soft pale skin, he was wiry. With one sharp dig of his heel, we were off.
"He rode with determination, and with a sureness that comforted me. Tentatively I pressed my cheek between his shoulder blades. He did not flinch.
"We were soaked through and it was cold, yet his back emitted a light heat. I pressed my cheek closer.
"Before I knew it, we were racing across the bridge. Déagol leaned forward and slapped the reins.
"The second we arrived at the smial, he leaped off and I followed suit. Leaving Topaz where she was, we rushed inside.
"'I'll need alcohol, and lots of it,' he said as we ran down the corridors. 'Someone should be boiling water and I'll probably be using what's left of the kingsfoil.' Upon hearing his words, I ran off for the wine cellar.
"When I returned minutes later carrying four bottles, Déagol had laid my grandmother on top of her blankets and had undressed her. 'Pass me some of those rags,' he said, shredding kingsfoil leaves rapidly as he spoke. 'I'm going to rub the alcohol on her body so that it will take away the heat.' I tossed him a rile of rages from the corner and pulled the cork from one of the bottles using my teeth.
"'Your teeth are strong,' he said as I passed the bottle to him.
"Iris and Clover burst in followed by my mother. 'Is there any boiled water?' asked Déagol before they could speak.
"'We'll make some,' said Clover, and she and Iris ran from the room.
"Déagol turned to my mother and me. 'You can get back to sleep,' he said. 'I'll be fine.'
"'But Déagol – '
"'I have what I need, and I can manage,' he said, slowly raising his head and looking at me. Our eyes met. 'Sleep, Sméagol.'
"My mother ushered me out and she continued to walk down the hallway. I stayed outside and stared at the closed door. I would stay there, I thought. I would stay there until I was allowed in. I sat down, folded my knees against my chest, and put my arms around my doubled-over legs. Outside the storm was still continuing its wild massacre.
"The next thing I knew, Déagol was shaking me awake. 'Sméagol,' he said. He was crouching beside me. 'Wake up, my dear.'
"I opened my eyes. Sun was shining through the windows. I could hear water dripping outside.
"'Yes?' I asked faintly.
"'Her fever's broken. She's well, Sméagol. Her fever's broken and your mother is feeding her toast.'
"Trembling, I rested one hand on his shoulders. He laid one hand on my back. I pulled him close and then began to cry."
