Envin was dumbstruck. The candle was flickering as a light breeze entered
the tent and the hobbits let the flap fall. Silently the healer cursed
himself for speaking outright but his own scolding was drowned out by his
awe as he beheld, for the first time, one of the Ring-bearers awake and
about. This too was one of his patients he was called to see but he had
little work to do with him. Samwise was much better off than Frodo so he
centered his studies on the latter.
The majestic Ring-bearer took no heed of Envin as he stuttered and clamored to his feet clumsily. Swiftly he brushed off Merry and Pippin and came to stand at the very foot of Frodo's bed. Envin looked down at Samwise, then fell to his knees in reverence.
"My lord! Forgiveness please! I did not know that you had come hither."
Sam cocked his head and blushed to the tips of his ears. "Now, sir-"
Envin felt himself blush too. Sir? He bowed his head, "No sir forgive me, I have spoken out of turn. But I did not know you had intended to come, otherwise I would have rescheduled my treatment." Envin glanced up and Sam's look was quite comical. In any other case Merry and Pippin would have laughed but here was not the place. He trembled and looked at the ground again, overcome with the sheer honour of being in the presence of the Ring- bearer. "But I was not informed you had awaken either, sir."
Sam stuttered a moment not sure what to make of this, "N- no please Mr.- uh- "
"Envin, sir, and no need for the mister."
"Well Envin," said Sam rather uncomfortably, "You don't have to be bowin' and kneelin' and such."
Envin could not hide the blood as it rushed to his cheeks and he rose. Once that was over Sam let out a sigh and focused all of his attention on his master. He began to tremble as he approached the small bed and sobs escaped his throat at the sight. "W-wha-" Sam gulped over an immense lump that had formed in his throat, "What happened?" he choked out, "Why is he like this?" His voice was a shred of a whisper and they shook with such pain and emotion Envin found tears on his face again.
"We believe, Master Samwise, that it is due to many things. He has been hit in the head, right around here, sir," Envin pointed around to the back of Frodo's skull. "It was a bad blow, cut through- every- everything-," Envin gulped seeing tears fall down Lord Samwise's cheeks. "Master Mithrandir has offered his services in aiding him as well. His guess may be more accurate; that the blow did indeed cause a good bit of damage but also that burden he bore- it- it was just for far too long- it- it broke him-"
"Envin," came a soft voice, it was Merry's, "You should probably go." He motioned towards Sam who seemed so immensely struck by all of this he did not hear a word Envin had said. The young healer nodded and bowed to each of them. He took one last look at the beautiful figure, still as stone on the bed, brushed away some tears and left into the sunny morning.
Merry and Pippin turned sad eyes to Sam who could not tear his away from Frodo's form. He did look like a doll. Limp and lifeless, not even blinking and his eyes were somewhere else, staring infinitely into darkness. Sam finally gasped and fell to the floor again, "Oh, no, no, no........." Merry and Pippin were at his sides immediately.
"How long-" Sam gasped, "-has he been- like this-"
"About two weeks now, Sam, as long as you've been asleep," answered Merry.
"He doesn't move? At all?" Sam struggled with his questions as he could not keep from weeping.
"Not on his own, save for his eyes might try and focus on something but he never succeeds. He doesn't know where he is, who he is, or *if* he is even," said Pippin, choking on his own sobs.
"W-will he come back? L-like I did?"
"This is different, Sam, you were asleep, in a deep healing sleep, he is lost somewhere. Gandalf says-"
"Gandalf!" cried Sam.
Merry smiled, "Oh dear Sam! You've both missed so much, there are tales to tell but they can wait. Yes Gandalf is alive and that's all you need to know for now and all we'll trouble your mind with any way. You're still not well, Sam, you should be resting."
Sam frowned, "I been resting for two weeks I've had enough rest and I been away from Frodo too long if you ask me." He said curtly.
He turned his gaze back to his master whose expression had not changed at all. Sam looked closely and thought it was like looking into a murky pond, not the clear image of what his master was. There was emptiness in his eyes and face, he was completely inanimate. Sam found himself grasping Frodo's bandaged hand and running his fingers along the fair skin. "Oh, Mr. Frodo," he whispered mournfully, "Oh master. Master! Why have you left me!" He buried his face in his hand and Frodo's and his shoulders heaved with sobbing.
When he looked up there was still no change. Sam lifted his hands and chaffed his master's cheeks gently hopping to stir something, anything! inside of him. Sam turned Frodo's head gently so it faced him more and he was amazed at how easily Frodo surrendered his will to others.
"His will is broken," said Merry as if he had read Sam's mind.
Sam choked again, "Don't you know me, Frodo? It's Sam. *You're* Sam. Don't you know your Sam?"
Frodo's eyes shifted slightly and rested on Sam but they seemed to pierce through him, go far beyond him. Merry and Pippin sighed but Sam did not turn away. He locked his gaze onto Frodo's eyes but it was useless, no sign of recognition, of even knowing that there was someone in front of him, touching his face. "How can you not know?" Sam whispered.
Sam let his head fall onto the bed again and cried until his eyes burned and his tears ran out. His cries were interrupted by Merry and Pippin as he heard them faintly as if muffled by something and very far away. When he lifted his head he found that he was very dizzy and worn out from crying.
"Gandalf!" cried Pippin.
"Yes, Peregrin, it seems you did not think of coming to me when Samwise awoke."
Sam's vision blurred, "Gandalf? You're alive?" he asked promptly forgetting his discussion with Pippin and Merry a few moments ago, his grief was far too great.
"Yes you foolish gardener. I would think of an insult that would do your Gaffer proud if I weren't so overwrought by your hastiness in getting out of bed."
Sam sobbed, "I'm sorry, Gandalf. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Gandalf paused and caught the grief-stricken hobbit. "Now, now lad! I did not mean to be so very harsh. I am sorry. You need rest and I hear you will not tolerate being away from your master so you may rest here if you like."
"But Gandalf, Frodo's- he's" Sam collapsed into sobs and buried his face in the wizard's white robes. When he lifted his head he sniffled and looked up at Gandalf teary eyed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Now lad I am not dissappointed in the least bit!"
"But I failed you! I failed you! Failed you! I promised I wouldn't leave him! I promised I wouldn't lose him! And I did Mr.Gandalf, sir! I've lost him!"
Gandalf gathered the shaking hobbit in his arms, "Sam I could not be more proud of you. You did everything you could for Frodo. You were a wonderful servent and none could ask for a better friend. You stuck by him, Samwise. Against all odds you kept him alive."
"But now he's- he's- Broken! There's nothin' left of 'im!"
Sam felt the world spin. Had he really cried all that much? He felt spent and his body sagged in Gandalf's arms. He lifted his head to look at the radiant white robes once more. "Oh-" he muttered, "I'm sorry. I've stained your white robes."
Gandalf looked down at the sopping wet tear stains all along his robes. He suppressed a chuckled. "Samwise there is no need for you to ever be sorry. You should rest now."
With that he laid Samwise under the blankets of the wide bed and tucked them around him warmly. "Get your rest, you also have had many trials and burdens to bear."
"How did you know? I wore-" he suppressed a yawn.
The wizard chuckled this time, "I have been by your bedside as well as Frodo's these past two weeks. You talk a lot in your sleep." He winked but the small hobbit did not see. Too overcome by grief and fatigue he let sleep take him.
Meanwhile Gandalf gathered Merry and Pippin who seemed to have broken down into tears again and they huddled together closely. "Oh Gandalf!" Pippin cried, "He will never wake up, will he?"
Gandalf turned to Frodo's still form but did not answer. "Come now let Samwise rest I'm sure both of them will find a great deal more peace now that they are together."
Merry and Pippin nodded and Gandalf shooed them away not turning back to the figures in the bed. One propped like a limp doll, his dreamlike gaze frozen in an empty stare. One huddled amongst the covers sobbing profusely.
The majestic Ring-bearer took no heed of Envin as he stuttered and clamored to his feet clumsily. Swiftly he brushed off Merry and Pippin and came to stand at the very foot of Frodo's bed. Envin looked down at Samwise, then fell to his knees in reverence.
"My lord! Forgiveness please! I did not know that you had come hither."
Sam cocked his head and blushed to the tips of his ears. "Now, sir-"
Envin felt himself blush too. Sir? He bowed his head, "No sir forgive me, I have spoken out of turn. But I did not know you had intended to come, otherwise I would have rescheduled my treatment." Envin glanced up and Sam's look was quite comical. In any other case Merry and Pippin would have laughed but here was not the place. He trembled and looked at the ground again, overcome with the sheer honour of being in the presence of the Ring- bearer. "But I was not informed you had awaken either, sir."
Sam stuttered a moment not sure what to make of this, "N- no please Mr.- uh- "
"Envin, sir, and no need for the mister."
"Well Envin," said Sam rather uncomfortably, "You don't have to be bowin' and kneelin' and such."
Envin could not hide the blood as it rushed to his cheeks and he rose. Once that was over Sam let out a sigh and focused all of his attention on his master. He began to tremble as he approached the small bed and sobs escaped his throat at the sight. "W-wha-" Sam gulped over an immense lump that had formed in his throat, "What happened?" he choked out, "Why is he like this?" His voice was a shred of a whisper and they shook with such pain and emotion Envin found tears on his face again.
"We believe, Master Samwise, that it is due to many things. He has been hit in the head, right around here, sir," Envin pointed around to the back of Frodo's skull. "It was a bad blow, cut through- every- everything-," Envin gulped seeing tears fall down Lord Samwise's cheeks. "Master Mithrandir has offered his services in aiding him as well. His guess may be more accurate; that the blow did indeed cause a good bit of damage but also that burden he bore- it- it was just for far too long- it- it broke him-"
"Envin," came a soft voice, it was Merry's, "You should probably go." He motioned towards Sam who seemed so immensely struck by all of this he did not hear a word Envin had said. The young healer nodded and bowed to each of them. He took one last look at the beautiful figure, still as stone on the bed, brushed away some tears and left into the sunny morning.
Merry and Pippin turned sad eyes to Sam who could not tear his away from Frodo's form. He did look like a doll. Limp and lifeless, not even blinking and his eyes were somewhere else, staring infinitely into darkness. Sam finally gasped and fell to the floor again, "Oh, no, no, no........." Merry and Pippin were at his sides immediately.
"How long-" Sam gasped, "-has he been- like this-"
"About two weeks now, Sam, as long as you've been asleep," answered Merry.
"He doesn't move? At all?" Sam struggled with his questions as he could not keep from weeping.
"Not on his own, save for his eyes might try and focus on something but he never succeeds. He doesn't know where he is, who he is, or *if* he is even," said Pippin, choking on his own sobs.
"W-will he come back? L-like I did?"
"This is different, Sam, you were asleep, in a deep healing sleep, he is lost somewhere. Gandalf says-"
"Gandalf!" cried Sam.
Merry smiled, "Oh dear Sam! You've both missed so much, there are tales to tell but they can wait. Yes Gandalf is alive and that's all you need to know for now and all we'll trouble your mind with any way. You're still not well, Sam, you should be resting."
Sam frowned, "I been resting for two weeks I've had enough rest and I been away from Frodo too long if you ask me." He said curtly.
He turned his gaze back to his master whose expression had not changed at all. Sam looked closely and thought it was like looking into a murky pond, not the clear image of what his master was. There was emptiness in his eyes and face, he was completely inanimate. Sam found himself grasping Frodo's bandaged hand and running his fingers along the fair skin. "Oh, Mr. Frodo," he whispered mournfully, "Oh master. Master! Why have you left me!" He buried his face in his hand and Frodo's and his shoulders heaved with sobbing.
When he looked up there was still no change. Sam lifted his hands and chaffed his master's cheeks gently hopping to stir something, anything! inside of him. Sam turned Frodo's head gently so it faced him more and he was amazed at how easily Frodo surrendered his will to others.
"His will is broken," said Merry as if he had read Sam's mind.
Sam choked again, "Don't you know me, Frodo? It's Sam. *You're* Sam. Don't you know your Sam?"
Frodo's eyes shifted slightly and rested on Sam but they seemed to pierce through him, go far beyond him. Merry and Pippin sighed but Sam did not turn away. He locked his gaze onto Frodo's eyes but it was useless, no sign of recognition, of even knowing that there was someone in front of him, touching his face. "How can you not know?" Sam whispered.
Sam let his head fall onto the bed again and cried until his eyes burned and his tears ran out. His cries were interrupted by Merry and Pippin as he heard them faintly as if muffled by something and very far away. When he lifted his head he found that he was very dizzy and worn out from crying.
"Gandalf!" cried Pippin.
"Yes, Peregrin, it seems you did not think of coming to me when Samwise awoke."
Sam's vision blurred, "Gandalf? You're alive?" he asked promptly forgetting his discussion with Pippin and Merry a few moments ago, his grief was far too great.
"Yes you foolish gardener. I would think of an insult that would do your Gaffer proud if I weren't so overwrought by your hastiness in getting out of bed."
Sam sobbed, "I'm sorry, Gandalf. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Gandalf paused and caught the grief-stricken hobbit. "Now, now lad! I did not mean to be so very harsh. I am sorry. You need rest and I hear you will not tolerate being away from your master so you may rest here if you like."
"But Gandalf, Frodo's- he's" Sam collapsed into sobs and buried his face in the wizard's white robes. When he lifted his head he sniffled and looked up at Gandalf teary eyed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Now lad I am not dissappointed in the least bit!"
"But I failed you! I failed you! Failed you! I promised I wouldn't leave him! I promised I wouldn't lose him! And I did Mr.Gandalf, sir! I've lost him!"
Gandalf gathered the shaking hobbit in his arms, "Sam I could not be more proud of you. You did everything you could for Frodo. You were a wonderful servent and none could ask for a better friend. You stuck by him, Samwise. Against all odds you kept him alive."
"But now he's- he's- Broken! There's nothin' left of 'im!"
Sam felt the world spin. Had he really cried all that much? He felt spent and his body sagged in Gandalf's arms. He lifted his head to look at the radiant white robes once more. "Oh-" he muttered, "I'm sorry. I've stained your white robes."
Gandalf looked down at the sopping wet tear stains all along his robes. He suppressed a chuckled. "Samwise there is no need for you to ever be sorry. You should rest now."
With that he laid Samwise under the blankets of the wide bed and tucked them around him warmly. "Get your rest, you also have had many trials and burdens to bear."
"How did you know? I wore-" he suppressed a yawn.
The wizard chuckled this time, "I have been by your bedside as well as Frodo's these past two weeks. You talk a lot in your sleep." He winked but the small hobbit did not see. Too overcome by grief and fatigue he let sleep take him.
Meanwhile Gandalf gathered Merry and Pippin who seemed to have broken down into tears again and they huddled together closely. "Oh Gandalf!" Pippin cried, "He will never wake up, will he?"
Gandalf turned to Frodo's still form but did not answer. "Come now let Samwise rest I'm sure both of them will find a great deal more peace now that they are together."
Merry and Pippin nodded and Gandalf shooed them away not turning back to the figures in the bed. One propped like a limp doll, his dreamlike gaze frozen in an empty stare. One huddled amongst the covers sobbing profusely.