Clear Shot 10
Feb. 4th, 2003 07:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
claudia603Title: The Clear Shot
Author: Claudia
Rating: PG13
Summary: Faramir and Boromir are on a hunting trip just inside the Shire. Boromir accidentally shoots a hobbit…
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters and make no money from them.
Story Notes: Yikes! Another young!injured!Frodo! What’s wrong with me? :-)
And for purpose of story, Frodo and Faramir and Boromir are about the same age, in their early twenties…
Clear Shot 10
When Bilbo finally spoke, the venom in his voice shocked Faramir into taking a step backward.
“What right did you have to fire arrows at an unarmed hobbit lad in his own country?”
“I assure you, Mr. Baggins,” Faramir said as humbly as possible, though he simply could not stifle the singing in his heart that had begun when he found out that Frodo was alive. “It was an unfortunate accident. My brother--”
“If it was your brother who shot the arrow, let him speak.”
“I mistook the halfling for a deer—“ Boromir began.
“Do you have fleas in your eyes, young master? How can you mistake a hobbit for a deer?” Bilbo’s eyes flashed, and he snorted scornfully. “Never mind. Such a foolish question to ask reckless lads.”
“Good sir,” Faramir said, holding out his palms in surrender. He wondered what his father would think, his two noble sons pleading before an old halfling of the rustic North. “We only wish to pay Frodo a visit. I cannot express enough our regret about the accident and how relieved we are that he is alive.”
“What is this racket?” The healer bustled into the front room, carrying bloody towels. Bilbo groaned at the sight of the blood and sank onto a bench, holding his head. He looked suddenly weary, aged by grief, and Faramir wished there was something he could say to comfort him.
The healer started when he saw Faramir and Boromir, but suddenly he grinned. “You came back! Frodo was disappointed when you left –“ He looked at his son, and his face darkened with annoyance. “Sammy, you’re still here? I asked you to go home. Your mother’s expecting you!”
“Father, please don’t send me home,” Sammy pleaded. “I can’t bear being at home not knowing…I want to be here when he…when he wakes.”
Bilbo looked up, his face hard again. “I want these men out of here, Master Rushlight. It sickens me to look upon them. And if they will not leave willingly, I will beg Gandalf and his ranger friend to remove them by force when they return.”
“Do not be absurd!” Boromir cried, and when Faramir held up his hand to silence him, he turned to his brother in a fury. “What does he mean, treating us as common criminals? As if we’d done this purposefully…as if we’ve gone into the Shire with the intention of harm!”
“You had no right to be there at all!” Bilbo said, his blue eyes unyielding.
“Mr. Baggins,” Sammy broke in. “If you please…I don’t mean disrespect, but Frodo understands that it was an accident. He already forgave them and he wants to see them. They really did all they could to save him.”
“Frodo is in no condition to see anyone,” Bilbo said with a trembling voice, and the harsh expression on his face melted. “My sweet Frodo.” He blinked back tears. “I’d do anything to trade places with him.” Sammy did what Faramir had longed to do -- he put his arm around the old hobbit, who leaned against him as if all his strength were gone.
Faramir glanced warily at Bilbo before finding a seat on another bench. Boromir joined him, clearly trying to curb his irritation. All they could do now was wait, though Faramir refused to believe that fate would be so cruel as to allow Frodo to die now.
***
The cloaked man stepped into the cottage without knocking, startling Faramir from his doze. Boromir was in a deep sleep beside him, his head propped against the wall. The cloaked man was dressed in green, similar to the rangers who guarded Ithilien. This man’s eyes were gray and keen, and he nodded briefly before asking in a low but cautious voice, “There is a very ill halfling here?”
“Yes,” Faramir said. He had heard no update from the healer, and he hoped that was a good sign. “Will you be able to help him?”
“I will do everything in my power to do so. I have known Gandalf the Grey for many years, and this halfling is very dear to him.”
“Then you are most welcome here.”
Without another word, the ranger went through the door where the healer treated his patients.
***
Whenever Frodo moved, pinpricks of sharp pain spread over his abdomen. He groaned, struggling to open his eyes, and when he did, a frightening, hooded figure loomed over him.
“No!” He shrank back, kicking frantically. “Stay away!” The pinpricks of pain exploded into an all encompassing fiery agony, and he sagged limply into his pillow, gasping for breath. Large hands pinned his shoulders down.
“Who are you?” Frodo said hoarsely. “Bilbo!”
“Please help him,” he heard Bilbo whisper, and Frodo immediately relaxed. The hooded figure could not be bad if Bilbo was begging him to help. “Now you are only frightening him.”
The hood was suddenly gone, revealing a face both kind and stern. The Man smiled and his eyes softened, and this put Frodo at ease. “I am sorry for frightening you, Frodo. I am called Strider, and I will do my best to help you feel better. It looks like Master Rushlight did an excellent job at keeping the wound clean. You got quite a knock in the belly, didn’t you, Master Baggins?”
Frodo groaned and shut his eyes. He felt dizzy and disjointed, but he felt safe in the hands of the kind man. Strong hands tilted his head back and held his chin steady.
“There now, my boy, swallow Strider’s tea.” Bilbo said.
Hot, bitter liquid went down Frodo’s throat. He tried to move his mouth away, but firm hands made certain that he swallowed nearly the whole mug of tea.
“Bilbo,” Strider said as if from a great distance, placing a strong but warm hand on Frodo’s brow. “The good news is that Frodo will recover. He was in deep shock but he has passed the point of danger. If he was going to bleed to death, I would not have made it in time because he would have perished within a few hours of being hit. There now, Bilbo, do not fear, for that is not the case. Now all he needs is rest.”
“Bless you…bless you!” Bilbo cried out, throwing his arms around the tall ranger. The Man smiled kindly and patted Bilbo’s back.
Frodo watched through half closed lids as Strider squeezed Bilbo’s shoulders and said, “I have done nothing. I have merely given him tea to help him relax and sleep.”
***
The first face Frodo saw upon awakening was Sammy.
“Hoy, Frodo, you’re awake!” Sammy cried, jumping from his stool, a delighted grin on his face.
“Sammy?” Frodo whispered weakly. His muscles felt heavy and he could not wriggle his fingers without great effort. Sammy had opened the window, allowing a fresh spring breeze to blow over his sweaty brow. “Where is Bilbo and the hooded stranger? What has happened?”
“It’s a long story, too long, as I’m not to disturb you for long. But…I’m happy you’re awake!”
“No, tell me,” Frodo said. The effort of talking hurt his head, and he closed his eyes. “What happened? I remember walking with you…”
Sammy was silent for so long that Frodo opened his eyes, wondering if Sammy had left. “Frodo,” Sammy finally said. “You think of me as your friend, don’t you?”
“Why, of course,” Frodo said. “What is the matter? You are worrying me.”
“I am afraid that when you find out what happened, you will not wish to be my friend any longer, and I can’t say as I blame you.”
Frodo looked at him, puzzled. “Did you hit me?”
“No!” Sammy looked even more agitated. “I’d never do that.”
“Then why should I be angry with you?”
“Well, it’s like this.” But before he could tell the tale, he startled as if remembering something more important. “What am I doing? There’s some folk that want to see you real quick.”
“Don’t try to change the subject,” Frodo said, smiling. “Out with it already.”
“But these men have been waiting all night,” Sammy said. “They won’t budge until they see you, and Father wouldn’t let them in until you woke up.”
“Men?” Frodo asked, puzzled. Could it be? He let out a pleased gasp and turned to Sammy, his blue eyes wide with joy. “Did they come back?”
Sammy nodded eagerly. “Bilbo tried to send them off. He was really put out.”
“Oh, Sammy, send them in now!”
Sammy ran to get the men, and Frodo settled into his pillow, feeling warm and cozy. He was certain the herbs would wear off and he would soon feel pain again, but for now, he would just enjoy being cared for. When he had first been aware of being in the healer’s cottage, he had been alone, frightened, and in pain. Now he had made friends of the healer and his son, the kind men had come back, and Bilbo and Gandalf had come.
“Frodo?”
The two Men smiled down at him. How pleasingly different it was to gaze upon their exotic faces while he was not in horrific pain!
“I’m glad you came back,” Frodo said, shifting in his bed, wincing when the pain in his stomach flared.
“Don’t move.” The one who had carried him for so long in the wild steadied his shoulders. “We cannot have you opening the wound again.”
“How did you know to come back?” Frodo clutched the Man’s arms. “It’s so good to see you! I’d wanted to thank you--”
“Thank us?” The Man who shot Frodo looked surprised. “We should be begging your pardon.”
“Who are you?” Frodo asked. “I never learned your names!”
“I am Boromir, son of Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. This is my younger brother Faramir.” He stared determinedly at his brother. “I will not keep my name a secret from one who nearly died at my hands.”
Frodo looked at them, his lips parting in awe. To think that the heir to the Steward of Gondor had accidentally shot him, but had then gone through so much grief because of it! Frodo was but one small hobbit, hardly significant to Men who came from such a grand city. And not just any Men. The sons of the Steward.
“Frodo Baggins at your service,” Frodo said in a dazed voice, though the Men already knew his name.
***
“Hobbits truly are amazing creatures,” Gandalf said, puffing on his pipe. Frodo grinned at the wizard, his blue eyes bright and curious. He was sitting up in bed, propped against several pillows, his arms crossed in front of him.
“Come now, Gandalf, you’re not getting off so easily! Tell us more about your visit in Rivendell with the elves!” He looked fondly at Sammy, who sat on a stool beside the bed. “Folk in Bree don’t know much about the elves.”
“That’s right!” Sammy said. “I want to hear about the elves. If not from you, I will beg a tale from Faramir. He and his brother aren’t leaving until next week.”
“Come now, Sammy,” Bilbo said, waving his hands in mock impatience. “Nobody tells a better tale than Gandalf and it’s best if we allow him to do so.”
“All right,” Gandalf said. “One tale. Then we must allow Frodo to sleep. It’s only been a few days since he woke.”
The healer started a kettle on the fireplace before taking his leave. When the water boiled, Sammy served the four of them soothing lemon tea garnished with mint leaves. After a few sips of the tea, Frodo closed his eyes, entranced by Gandalf’s low, rumbling voice as he brought Rivendell to life with his words.
“I believe he’s sleeping,” Sammy whispered.
“You’re right,” Gandalf said. “We should go at once.”
“He was up all those nights worrying about me,” Frodo said, opening his eyes. The three of them watched Bilbo as he snored in his chair, oblivious to all the attention on him.
“Dear Frodo,” Gandalf said, placing his hand on the young hobbit’s brow. “Sleep well tonight.”
“I will, Gandalf. Take care of Bilbo.”
“That I will.”
Frodo watched through half closed lids as Gandalf gently lifted Bilbo from his chair. The wizard wrapped him in the hobbit’s faded travel cloak, cradling him in his arms like a child. He beckoned to Sammy to follow him out.
Frodo fell asleep with vision of faraway Elven realms in his head.
TBC
Go on to next part
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no subject
Date: 2003-02-04 08:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-02-04 09:19 am (UTC)I’ve only been reading this since the beginning. I thought I should give feedback. *is a lazy beast, really*
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Date: 2003-02-04 02:11 pm (UTC)I loved this:
“Do you have fleas in your eyes, young master?.."
ha ha! Typically Bilbo, which you write so well and with such obvious affection.
Going now to read 11 and the it will be over, which is sad. But then hopefully there will be more "Lantern Gift" in the offing.. ? please
no subject
Date: 2003-02-04 09:28 pm (UTC)STRIDER!!!!!!!!!
Re:
Date: 2003-02-05 05:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-02-05 01:40 am (UTC)Heh. Just talked myself into going to reread WBII before bedtime.
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Date: 2003-02-05 05:31 am (UTC)I will soon be finishing that last chapter of WBII, hopefully sometime this weekend! :-)