Faces of War
Chapter 16: Aiding
Disclaimer: The characters so lovingly crafted are the invention of J.R.R.Tolkein....I gain nothing from my adventures trough the eyes of hobbits, elves, dwarfs, wizards and men....save perhaps the hours of enjoyment in find in writing!
Warning...this chapter has lots of "angst"....some a little descriptive....hold steady though readers...Frodo will come out of this story changed for the good!
Shire Baggins....Back to Frodo for this chapter...hope you're ready! There is more pain and suffering...and we have not yet even introduced the worst of the bad guys......Frodo finds his comfort through the eyes of a child...even though he longs for his Sam!
ClaudiaofBree...welcome to my story....I must say I am flattered indeed by your kind words...there will be many twists in this story...I do hope you'll enjoy them all. I will say that I am enjoying several of your stories now and I wonder how do you hold on to the "thread" of so many diverse stories at once? Can't wait to see more of Bound and Estel's Shire Friend !
Iorheal....Ah...a picture was made by the old cook ( who we learn in this chapter is named Toleman)...he drew the picture upon parchment with quill and ink....it was the best I could come up with I'm afraid! Sam's hurt is only just beginning...soon Merry and Pippin shall have to learn of their dear cousin's predictament!
Endymion2....I hope you'll continue to not be too shocked...much evil, angst and despair in store for many in and around aht Fellowship....Anborn has not yet been brought into the story, save through Faramir's flashbacks when he was speaking to Aragorn about the ransom note....He will be "up" in about three chapters.....hang on, he is really evil!
Frodo awoke to pain, relentless and savagely forceful pain, pain which forced him mercilessly from the relative comfort of his unconscious state. He fought against opening his eyes, wanting desperately to return to the hazy void of pain that his slumber had offered. A tiny voice came to his ears and soft tears fell upon his face and he reluctantly relinquished his quest for the forgetfulness of deep sleep as he strove instead to hear the voice at his side. "Sir Frodo" a small voice whispered "you must wake up now, don't leave your Princess..." the whispered voice became shaky with a gradually building wave of tears and despair as it cried "don't leave me with the bad men...please Sir Frodo." The voice gave up it's attempt to wake him and now small arms were twining themselves about his neck, as vines about a trellis.
"Hush now Rosetta, I said yer not ta go and waken him, not till he's good and ready ta waken...he needs all the rest he can find if he's ta get strong and fight off the blood sickness Terren warned me of with deep cuttin's" another voice, a stronger voice said. Frodo, as if from a distance, recognized the steadiness of Kylos. A small moan issued forth from his lips as he struggled to speak, and eyes still closed he managed a tortured whisper "I'll not leave my Princess" his voice rasped, he was gifted with an exclamation of joy and another tight squeeze about the neck from the figure at his side. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself looking upon the tear stained face of the waif like figure of his Princess. He winced to see the toll his pain had taken on her and he spoke a little more firmly, trying to give the little one the impression of strength as he lifted a hand to stroke her dirty cheek "I'll not let the 'bad men' get you...for like the Ranger Aragorn and the Princess Arwin...it 'tis my job to protect this Princess." He coughed with the strain of this extended speech and felt Kylos reach a hand to his neck as he was raised from the cot enough to take some water. Rosetta was all smiles as she beamed and fairly glowed in her childish delight at seeing her tale telling friend awake once more."I jest knew ye'd awaken...that ye'd not forget yer Princess" she whispered, a tear of happiness shining in her deep blue eyes. "Most assurdly not little one, I'd not forget you" the Hobbit said with a smile forced through his pain, touching ever so briefly upon his lips.
Kylos could see the pain that Frodo was trying so hard to mask, and sent Rosetta to find another fresh cup of water from the old cook who'd been instructed to assist them. Frodo sighed and shook his head a bit from side to side, trying to shake the haze of his slumber from him. He tried to sit up and was instantly reminded of his agony as he groaned involuntarily. Kylos hurriedly placed a supportive arm behind the ailing Hobbit and pulled him to a sitting position as he propped himself behind Frodo to offer the support he knew the injured Hobbit would need. Frodo hissed in pain as he was settled against the lad's chest 'why do I hurt so?' he found himself thinking as his gaze wandered to the foot of the bed and he saw the bloody dressings upon his foot. It all came back to him, the cot, the brutal kiss and the calm and detached demeanor of the man named 'Dalmer'. He trembled and suddenly felt cold as the little color he had drained from his face. Kylos, noticing the tremor in the frail body in front of him tightened his reassuring grip and waited for Frodo to speak. "How long have I slept?" the Hobbit asked warily, still shaken by the sight of the dressings upon his foot. "Nigh on two days sir, Dalmer tried ta wake ya once and then had me and Rosetta brought ta tend ye...he's given us the aid of the cook...fer what it's worth." The boy looked to Frodo's still bloody foot, it's thick linen wrappings tinged with the brown stains of old blood and the crimson marks of new, and asked "how are ya feeling sir? Ye've been through a hard time" the boy asked, concern and fear giving his words weight.
Frodo closed his eyes a moment and clenched his fists at the flashes of pain that radiated through his body with even the slightest movement "I've felt better," he said heavily and opening his eyes looked once more upon the offending limb" but worse than the pain, 'tis the weakness...I can scarce keep my eyes open" he mumbled, feeling his words begin to slur he asked "why am I so weak?". Kylos gestured to the bloody foot...." 'Tis the bleedin' sir, yer weak from the loss 'o yer blood." The stern faced boy looked to the bloody dressing upon the hobbit's foot..." 'Tis still seeping sir, I wanted it ta bleed clean...as Terren taught, ta prevent infection...but now I can't get the bleedin' ta stop" he said, an edge of fear creeping into his voice and then asked "do ya have a fever sir?". Frodo thought a moment on that, he did not want to scare the boy needlessly, but he knew his body well enough to recognize the signs of impending sickness. He looked grimly at the boy "not yet" he admitted.
Kylos glanced to the blood still seeping into the dressings about the hobbit's foot and then to the pale and grey cast of Frodo's skin as he reached to take the slender hand of the ringbearer in his, he was worried. He held the slender hand gently, giving the comfort of touch, whilst checking with growing alarm the dryness and growing rigidity of the skin beneath his fingers. Kylos knew that the hobbit's blood loss was taking the fluids from his body and he worried that he'd soon become fevered without fluids to sustain him. "Ye must drink all ye can sir, ye'll need the fluids ta help with the loss 'o blood" the boy said firmly. Frodo nodded, he felt so very weary, it was an effort just to hold his head erect as he leaned upon Kylos.
Rosetta returned with a pitcher of water and a big smile, she handed the water to Kylos and plunked herself down on the floor next to her Sir Frodo, being careful not to come close to the injured leg. Kylos poured the water into a cup and gently placed the cup near to the hobbits lips. Frodo was so very weak, all he wanted to was sleep, but he looked to the worried eyes of his Princess and took a few sips of the water. Rosetta eyed him with concern wrinkling the corners of her eyes as she waited for him to finish his water. Frodo smiled gently at the little one by his side " 'tis like the nectar of the elves Princess" he said as he struggled to drink "the finest wines of Rivendell could not quench my thirst so well" he whispered weakly. Rosetta's eyes lost a little of their fearfulness and her face lit up with anticipation "oh tell me of Rivendell Sir Frodo, I do so love stories of elves" she squealed in excitement. " 'twould be a pleasure little one, but this storyteller needs more nectar" he said with a twinkle in his eye. Rosetta gigged and grabbed the pitcher once more "then you shall have the freshest nectar I can find" she said with a laugh as she went off in search of the old cook who would help get more water.
Kylos moved from behind Frodo and gently laid him down once more. Frodo felt the room spin as he changed position, little flashing lights could be seen from behind his clenched eyes and he waited for the dizziness to pass. Kylos watched the expressions of pain and discomfort upon the hobbit's face and knew he'd have to be honest with Frodo. "Yer blood loss is scarin' me Sir, I need ta find a way ta stop the bleedin' " the boy whispered anxiously. Frodo waved away his concerns and said "we'll speak of me later lad, tell me what you can of the others, in what manner of place have we been imprisoned?" Kylos looked to the opening of the cavern, the shadow of a pacing guard could be seen in the dim flickering light of a nearby torch. "It 'tis a rock quarry...but we don't dig the rocks...there are big men ta do that work." Kylos said softly and then continued " I don't know the number 'o men they got here sir, but they won't let us near to 'em, they keep us ta the back of the cave."
Frodo recalled a conversation he'd had with Aragorn, about the reconstruction of the ruined portions of the White city, and he suddenly realized that the men outside were quarrying for the rock needed to rebuild the glory of Gondor. He thought of the image of the men he'd seen outside the cave, large men with defeated and sullen looks upon their faces and legs bound with chains and weights to bind them to their tasks. It was starting to make sense to him now, the materials to rebuild the city were being gathered from far and wide, so many had died in the war that finding the men to work the quarries had proven difficult, and Aragorn had reluctantly given his permission to use prision labor. These men were certainly the most hardened of criminals, the ones who had resisted to the last the King's attempts to free them from their own evil, Prisioners of war, they had persisted in their killing and destroying even when peace was at hand. 'Oh Aragorn' the worried Hobbit thought 'do you know of this activity? Do you know that the beauty of your city is to be bought with the blood and toil of not only these accursed prisoners of war...but the children they'd made orphans of?' He asked himself.
Frodo was concerned about the tasks set for the children, knowing that they'd not long survive the brutality of quarry work, and he asked "what work have they set for the children?" Kylos looked around to be sure no one was within earshot "we are bein' sent to the far back tunnels where we are mining gold ...gold that only a few of the guards seem to know of, " Frodo nodded, it was beginning to make sense "how large are the tunnels you are to dig in?" "They are small sir, big enough only for little ones...and some 'o the tunnels seem ta go back a bit...these caves run deep" the boy said quietly. Frodo was fading, exhaustion making his voice weak, but his mind was set, he needed to know all he could to help find a way to escape. He forced himself to stay awake and grimaced as he tried to shift his position to sit up. Kylos quickly reached to help and soon had the injured Hobbit sitting up and leaning against the wall of the cavern. Frodo leaned his slightly warm cheek into the coolness of the clammy wall, welcoming the soothing relief it brought him. He continued his questions "How many guards are there?" he paused to take a deep breath to bolster his weary mind "Are there any among the guards who may yet have compassion?" he asked, hoping against all odds that not all the men here were filled with the cruelty of Dalmer. Kylos looked about the cave a moment and then turned back to whisper to Frodo "aye, the guard Galen and the old man cook....they call 'em Toleman...'e's the one that drew the parchments of ya" Kylos frowned at his thoughtlessness as he saw Frodo pale at the memory of the events the cook had witnessed.
Frodo fought to keep his mind focused on his questions, he was so very weary and knew his time with Kylos might be limited, he pushed himself to continue to glean as much information as he could from the worried boy beside him. "The guard called Galen" Frodo was finding his breathing becoming labored as he fought to maintain control, he took a deep breath and continued " the one you mentioned....why do you feel he may have compassion for our plight?". Kylos smiled a soft and understanding smile "he is as taken by Rosetta as you yerself sir..." a shadow of pain crossed the lad's face as he explained "in the days before the dark times...he had a daughter near ta Rosetta in age. He came back from his duties as a soldier of Gondor ta find his home and farm destroyed...all he'd had burnt and his wee ones dead and untended." The boy's face was lined with pain and he looked for a moment to be the boy of twelve that he really was as sorrow and loneliness were allowed to reveal themselves.
The weary Hobbit looked intently towards the youth beside him, he'd heard the catch in Kylos' voice and ached inside for he knew that this lad had assumed the mantle of adulthood when he'd found his own parents killed. He could see that this story was difficult for Kylos to tell and he reached his cold slim hand to the boy's sturdy fingers in comfort. In that instant, the vulnerable and saddened lad disappeared and as a look of pain and disgust crossed the boy's face, a hardening set his features into an angle of cold detachment. Frodo watched a cloud of darkness settle upon the boy as he once again became the hard and cold adult his survival had called upon him to be.
Frodo sighed inwardly; Galen's family, Kylos's youth, the welfare of the orphans...was there to be no end to the pain and malice brought forth upon the world by Sauron? Kylos pulled his hand away from Frodo, impatient with himself for letting his guard down and showing weakness. Frodo respected the boy's wish to hide his pain and while he longed to wrap comforting arms about the lad, to tell him all would be better soon, he knew he could make no such promises. He added the pain and misery of the hardened boy to his own inexhaustible vault of memories that filled him with with guilt, and moved on to questions of survival.
"How fare the other children?" Frodo asked, concern and fear echoed in his words. Kylos stared long at Frodo, "not all the guards like children" he said and then continued thoughtfully " and it appears that some may like them a too much." Frodo stared in horror as the realization of Kylos' words sunk in and he recalled the vicious humiliation he'd suffered at the hands of Thad and Mendal. He realized in that moment that he would have to do all in his power to remain with the children, that he could not risk that their foul attentions would be brought upon the orphans. He contemplated the reality of his condition, he, in his injured state, did not pose a threat and would be unable to escape. He sighed, he would have to find a way to persuade his captors of his worth, that he might be able to assist them in their attempts to control and work the children. As his mind wandered these possibilities Rosetta returned with another pitcher of water and a smile that brightened the dank confines of the dreary cavern. Through his weariness and pain, he smiled. It brought him no small measure of comfort to be around the open and loving nature of the blond haired and spirited child bouncing towards him. Glancing to Kylos, he saw a wave of warmth and protectiveness wash across the steely expression of the hardened youth as he beheld his sister. 'I must do all in my power to keep them safe' Frodo vowed to himself 'I will bring them back to Rumeil and Terren....they have lost too much already.' he thought.
"Sir Frodo...look, the nice man gave me an apple...see?" Rosetta said with glee as she inclined her head in the direction of the opening to the cavern. Frodo smiled tiredly at her and then looked to the door to see the tall, broad chested figure of a man approach. The blond haired, and ruddy faced man had a gruff voice that matched his stocky frame, but Frodo relaxed as he perceived the kind undertones in the man's voice. "Ye've 'ad the best 'o care with this little mite eh?" the guard named Galen asked as he ruffled Rosetta curls. Rosetta smiled broadly and then sat next to Frodo to eat her apple. "Yes," Frodo agreed with a gentle smile "my care has been the very best" he said as he looked affectionately at his Princess. Galen looked to Kylos and then to the blood soaked dressings upon the hobbit's foot as he said matter of factly "ye'll be needin' more dressin's fer that wound then youngin'...'e's bled pretty steady hasn't 'e?". Kylos glanced overtly at Rosetta, he hoped the guard would understand that he didn't want to scare her further, for she'd seen enough cruelty these past days.
He needn't have worried, for Galen pulled Kylos aside as Rosetta chattered on to Frodo about elves, princesses and dreams of fair lands. The hobbit wearily noted Kylos and Galen's departure and did his best to stay attentive to the five year old lass by his side, but he felt the slow inexorable sinking of his body, as his conscious thoughts were slowly pulled away from him and the words of his Princess faded in and out of his mind.
The stocky guard made sure that they were out of earshot of Frodo and Rosetta " 'e's in a bad way lad, 'e won't tolerate much more blood loss." he said harshly. Kylos nodded, eyes wide with fear "yes, that I know, but what am I to do? I have changed the dressings and fear to tighten them further or he'll lose the blood flow to his foot." Galen looked with pity to boy before him, Kylos was glancing fearfully at Frodo and the depth of his concern could clearly be seen in the furrowing of his brow.
The stocky guard sighed and wondered once again why he'd thrown his lot in with the the likes of Dalmer and Finarian. They, all of them, indeed all men in Middle Earth had experienced loss as a result of the war, yet not all men turned their hatred to crime as he'd been persuaded to do. He was living a life of shame, holding children prisoner to make money, he hated himself for allowing his anger at the world to lead him down this path. He looked to the fair features of the ailing hobbit, the sunny smile of the one named Rosetta and once more upon the hardened face of the lad before him and he made his choice. Perhaps, there was a chance to make right of his choices after all and he decided that helping the serious lad, his spark of a sister and the sadly noble halfling would give him back his pride and light the way for him to begin his life over.
Just then, a noise from the cot brought Galen from his thoughts abruptly, "Sir Frodo, no... wake up! Please...yer scarin' yer Princess" she cried. Kylos spun around and Galen watched in horror as the tiny body began to twitch and shake as the hobbit tried to control his mind and fight off the convulsion. Frodo tried to maintain control, sought to still his shaking body but felt his will broken as his body was assaulted by wave upon wave of violent tremors and he vaguely heard voices through a grey mist. As his body wrested control from his mind, pinpoints of light filled his vision, as stars upon a velvet sky, and sound ceased to exist. His body thrashed and flailed about while Galen and Kylos fought to keep the hobbit from falling to the floor. Kylos was terrified by the vision of Frodo's body shaking without control and despite his resolve to maintain control, he felt a tear slide down his face as he stared helplessly to Galen.
When Frodo's body had finally stilled, the man released his grip and looked to the blood soaked bandages upon the hobbit's foot. The dressing could contain the blood no longer and a bright pool was gathering slowly underneath the cot. Rosetta had stared in shock as Frodo's body had shaken, but the sight of the blood was more than she could bear and she burst into tears and began to sob. Kylos let lose his grip on the hobbit's leg and wrapped his arms soothingly about his sister and he sought to still her cries, as he stared, lost into the eyes of Galen. The man sighed, the hobbit would die with continued blood loss, they'd have to cauterize the wound.
"Kylos lad" the man said gently "the wound'll have ta be sealed." Kylos looked puzzled as he continued to rock his sister in his arms he replied "we've tried all manner 'o dressings and such and none'll stop the blood." Galen sighed and lowered his voice, not wishing to distress the wee one in Kylos's arms "not dressed lad, sealed...the wound 'tis bleedin' from the bone, it must be cauterized with a heated blade." Rosetta's continued tears did not allow her to hear Galens' words but Kylos blanched as the impact of Galens' words came to rest in his fear filled mind.
Kylos soothed his sister as best he could and then brought her to the old cook, with orders from Galen to keep the child away, and he returned to Frodo's bedside. Galen was taking strips of linen he'd been using as dressings for the hobbit's wounds to tie Frodo securely to the cot. Kylos started to protest but Galen stopped him " 'tis for his own good lad, the pain 'o this'll drive him nigh onto insanity if he awakens whilst 'tis being done." He placed his large roughened hand upon the lad's shoulder to steady him and went to get his sword, which was heating in the brazier near the opening of the cavern.
Frodo moved his head a little from side to side as he began to gain consciousness. He felt the stiffness of his muscles and the pain of his throbbing foot as he gradually became aware of his surroundings. He tentatively tried to move his arm to as he sought to sit up only to find himself bound to the cot, as he'd been before. The memory of his treatment at the hands of Dalmer came to him and his eyes flew open as he sought to find Kylos. As he was about to question Kylos he saw from the corner of his eye the figure of a large man approaching and his mind was overcome with fear. He opened his mouth the scream, only to find it covered by the large roughened hand of Galen, he whimpered in his panic and frantically thrust his head from side to side. Galen looked to the wide fear filled eyes of the hobbit and then to Kylos " I've got ta do this quick lad, I can't be caught helpin' ya." Frodo felt the heat of Galen's blade and his eyes opened wider yet in his panic as he saw Galen lift the sword and bring it's hilt down upon his head.
The guard moved without pause to the foot of the bed where Kylos had removed the dressing from Frodo's foot and had cleansed the wound, grabbing the foot he passed the heated blade across the wound for a brief moment. The smell of seared flesh and burnt hair wafted over the cot and Kylos nearly gagged from the assault upon his senses. Galen set the sword down carefully and moved to where Kylos stood, rooted to the spot, frozen in shock and he took the lad in his arms. Kylos started in surprise, he hadn't allowed anyone to do that in a very long time and he stiffened involuntarily. Galen sighed, he could tell that the boy'd been hurt too by the cruel events of the past months, but he couldn't take the time to ponder that now. He backed away from the boy and took his face in his hands to secure his full attention "Kylos, ye must wash the wound with cool water every hour and keep it covered. It'll bleed no more, but it will blister and will bring the halfling pain. If his pain becomes too much, send fer me and I 'll set him back ta sleep."
The last comment brought Kylos from his state of shock and he glared at the man before him "set him back ta sleep? Is that what ye call what ye did just now?" Galen gestured for Kylos to keep his voice down as he replied "aye, it 'tis the only way lad....I am charged with keepin' ya quiet and outta sight, outta the notice of all...and if I can't do that then ye'll all be in danger." Kylos stared, his anger not allowing him to comprehend, Galen tried again "This is a prisoner of war camp, run by the King, and whilst he does not know of all that happens in the caves, he knows we're here. Regular visits are made by the King's procurement officers as they bring food stuffs and arrange for the transport of quarried rock back ta the city." Kylos stared numbly, still not understanding the urgency of Galens request. Galen gave his explanation one last try
" Dalmer won't risk his mining, he's too greedy, and if it 'twere a choice between being discovered and killin' the lot of ya.....ye'd all be sacrificed...the halfling too."