A creaking sound met my ears.
Legolas?
I looked to the opening door and saw not Legolas, but Ryndil and Aragorn. I was elated that I would finally have relief from the pain soon.
"Hello, Frodo. I'm sorry we were so long…" Ryndil told me, coming to take my pulse.
"Your brother- how is he?" I asked.
"He is recovering," He said, smiling from his heart, "Due to Lord Aragorn's remarkable gift of healing." He continued, glancing gratefully at Aragorn, "I owe him beyond what I could ever repay."
Aragorn dismissed what Ryndil had said and sat down in the chair to my left.
"Ryndil- The medicine?" I reminded him.
"Mm? Oh! Forgive me, I'll get it right away." He said, scrambling to ready a dose, "I'm so sorry. Have you been in pain long?"
"It started getting bad about an hour ago…"
"Oh, I've been so neglectful. I should've come to check on you, but..." Ryndil was mumbling and it was hard to tell what he said, though I think it was something to the effect that the clock he'd been looking at was behind and it had confused him, "Once this settles in, you're going to have to do some breathing." He said, lifting the dose to my mouth.
Just then, the door opened and Legolas entered and greeted Aragorn and Ryndil.
"Did you tell Sam what I said?" I asked Legolas, to which he nodded in response, "Did he understand? I mean… He doesn't think I'm angry with him, does he?"
"No, not at all. He said it is good for you to rest and that you should."
I became drowsy and dazed again as the medicine began to work.
"Well, If you no longer have need of me…" Legolas began.
"Oh, yes. Feel free to go if you wish." Aragorn said, "Thank you, my friend, for staying with him."
"I was very glad to." Legolas smiled, "I hope that you find healing, Frodo. Galu am le." He said, holding his right palm to his chest and extending it toward me before taking his leave.
"Legolas!" I called out just before he disappeared out of the room, "Keep an eye on Sam, will you?"
"I will. You have my word." He told me, with a determined nod and a smile.
"Thank you…"
Ryndil felt my forehead.
"The fever seems to have gone down, that's good."
He looked down my throat again and had a good look at the bruised skin around my neck, pressing into certain places at times which made me wince. He apologized profusely for the discomfort he was causing, but continued his examination none the less.
A moment passed and Ryndil spoke:
"Has the pain gone down yet?"
It had gone down quite a bit, but I lied and shook my head to postpone the exercises- And perhaps the worst part was that I didn't even feel bad about lying. I suppose I was being very foolish and childish, but I was so tired. So tired of doing what I hated. I knew Ryndil did not enjoy causing me pain and that the exercises were only to help me, but the constant pain was driving me mad.
After another minute or two, Ryndil knew that it had certainly been long enough for the medicine to take effect and he pulled me up into position for the exercises.
"It hurts!" I complained.
"I know it does. I've done all I can to lessen the pain."
He allowed me a moment to find courage, then urged me on. I finally began the all-too-familiar process and the same debilitating ache took me once again. Aragorn made his hand available, should I need it, and with the second breath, I found that I surely did. I pressed on, but my nausea became progressively worse as I aggravated my injuries and eventually got to the point where I felt I had to stop in fear of pushing myself too far, but Ryndil assumed I stopped only because of the pain and continued to urge me on.
"I feel sick." I told him, whimpering and squeezing Aragorn's hand.
"Calm down. You'll be alright if you relax." Ryndil told me.
I couldn't relax. I was frightened and in pain and I began shivering violently.
"It's alright, Frodo… Take a moment if you need it." Aragorn said.
I shut my eyes and withdrew from the world around me for a moment, focusing solely on what was happening within my body.
"…Alright… Try again." Ryndil said.
I slowly opened my eyes and lifted them to Ryndil's face with a look of utter desperation, but he was unwavering in his resolve, though not without compassion.
I forced air to enter my lungs again and could feel my ribs shifting to allow for it. I threw my head back against the chilling sensation that erupted from the afflicted area and ejected the air from my lungs. My stomach churned and a thin layer of sweat had formed on my skin. It was like a recurring nightmare.
"I'm going to be sick…" I said, quietly.
Aragorn acted quickly and gently took my weak, limp body up into his arms and carried me into the bathroom, Ryndil following closely behind.
"Try to stay calm, Frodo… It will be easier." Aragorn told me in a low voice.
Just when I thought the pain couldn't get any worse, it did. I was a mess - shaking and sweating, doubled over on the floor, extremely disoriented and confused. The pain from being so violently ill made me feel like I was dying. Aragorn was incredibly comforting and supportive, but I had so wished Sam had been with me. I had become so accustomed to him being by me through everything. He was my only comfort for so long. Sam was dependable and loyal and kind - everything else had been unknown and treacherous and frightening. He always made me feel that somehow everything would be alright, but now I was without him- now, when I needed him so badly.
My head was spinning and my stomach in knots. I retched again and I thought I was going to faint from the pain that tore through my ribs, causing me to break down completely- tears flowing down my cheeks. I could tell it pained Aragorn greatly to see me like this. He sat close to me, one hand across my back and the other gently resting on my shoulder.
"Shh…"
He eased me back to rest against his steady frame.
"Shh… Sedho… Sedho… Thuia…" He spoke as I continued to cry, "Soon this will all be behind you… And the pain will be but a memory."
I leant back against him for a few more minutes, then he spoke again.
"Are you finished?" He asked.
I weakly nodded, tears still escaping my eyes, then Aragorn carried me back to bed wrapped up in a blanket like a child.
I tried to stop crying, but I couldn't. It was ironic- I was crying because of the pain, but crying was making the pain worse. Ryndil came to my side and tried to find what was causing me such agony.
"…Tell me where it hurts."
"…Everywhere…" I gasped.
"Where does it hurt the most?" Ryndil asked, then placed his hand near the incision, "Here?"
I nodded.
"Does it hurt… Here?" He asked, moving his hand a little further down.
I nodded again.
"And… What of this side?"
He moved his hand to hover over the lower right ribs and looked to me for an answer.
"It hurts. It's- It's awful…" I whimpered.
"You may have strained some muscles here when you were sick. It's nothing to worry about, the discomfort should pass in a few days. Do you mind if I check these?" He asked with his hand over the broken ribs.
I protested emphatically.
"Frodo… I must check to ensure there isn't further damage-"
"No! Please! I can't take it… I'm not just exaggerating, please don't!" I begged, frantically.
"If they are damaged badly, I need to know. If that went untreated, it could risk your life." He warned, but I curled up into a ball and denied him access to my chest, "Do you understand? You could die by keeping me from-"
"I don't care!" I cried, "I don't care…"
"Ryndil…" Aragorn took hold of his arm and spoke quietly, "There is no need to frighten him. He is already very frightened."
"Please… Just leave me alone…" I begged, "Leave me alone…"
Aragorn's words and my seeming disregard for my own life made Ryndil realise how dire the situation was. I was in extreme amounts of pain and at the precipice of defeat.
I became very weak and though the pain had not lessened, my sobs were now long, wistful, wheezing sighs, due to my utter exhaustion. I lay on the bed drained and despondent as Aragorn took Ryndil aside.
"This is awful… Isn't there anything that can be done for him?" Aragorn asked.
"I wish there were… He has already had a dose of the medicine. There's just nothing to be done about it."
"…What would happen if you gave him another?"
Ryndil scoffed slightly and explained.
"A high dosage could cause many problems, including potential respiratory or cardiac failure."
Aragorn set his eyes on my tormented face from where he stood, several feet away.
"…You say it could… Yet you do not say that outcome is certain." He said, "How likely is it that either would happen?"
"…They… Would be… unlikely to happen, but if either did-" Ryndil said.
"I worry for him." Aragorn said almost too quietly to hear, "Not only for how affects his body, but- I fear this amount of pain wears on his mind. Look at him. He's losing the will to live, you know this. He can't take the pain anymore."
Ryndil looked at him very seriously and considered his words, then looked to me, thoughtfully.
"…I shouldn't. If something were to happen because of it and he-" He paused, frowning. "I couldn't."
"Then let the task be put to me. Should anything happen, I will take responsibility for it."
"Oh, no. No, I couldn't let you take the blame for-"
"Then give it to him yourself, but it must be done!" Aragorn insisted, "You know he can't go on like this."
Ryndil bit his lip back a little and cast his eyes down.
"…I will do it." He said.
Aragorn nodded in approval of Ryndil's decision and came to sit by me as the second dose was prepared.
"You're going to feel better soon, Frodo. Don't give in." He said, clamping my forearm gently, then squeezing it slightly, almost as if he felt the need to hold on to me to keep me from slipping away.
Ryndil lifted my head and administered the medicine.
My body grew numb and my mind slow and delirious. Everything went out of focus and it became difficult to tell fantasy from reality.
Is this what it feels like to die?
The sun was setting and the room glowed with ethereal shades of orange and pink before fading to dusk.
I wish Sam were here…
But wait… There he was, out working in the garden at Bag End… Perhaps nothing had happened at all…
We never left the shire, did we, Sam?
"What do you mean, mister Frodo?"
Nothing…
Nothing at all.