Little Child, Be Not Afraid

The rain pounded harshly against the glass of the small, round window. Frodo nibbled his lip as he lay, sheets tucked securely around his neck, on his bed trying to sleep. Brandy Hall was a very large place, but it did not escape the intensity of a barreling thunderstorm.

Frodo was alone in his humble little bedroom. He had moved into it just a few months earlier, as he was close to entering his tweens. He was glad to have a room to himself. Sharing a bedroom with one cousin after another got very tiring, especially if you didn’t get along with that cousin too well.

"Frodo?"

The lad jumped at the frightened voice that cut through the continuing downpour. Frodo turned his head, opening his eyes, to see a small figure standing beside his bed. A flash of lightning illuminated Merry’s tear-stained face. Then a crash of thunder exploded. The little one scurried underneath the sheets as if a fire had been lit to his heels.

"Did the storm wake you, Merry?" Frodo asked, pulling Merry to his side and wrapping a protective arm around him.

Merry sniffled. "I could see hands through my window. Big, bony hands. Frodo, it scared me!"

"Don’t be scared, Merry. It’s only the tree beside your window. The wind makes the branches look like hands. They’re not real. It’s just the tree."

Merry sniffled again. Frodo rubbed his thumb across his young cousin’s cheeks, wiping away the tears. "Do you understand, Merry?"

"Yes," the lad squeaked out. "And, the rain is so hard and the thunder so loud. Why does it have to sound so scary?"

"Because that’s the way it is," Frodo replied, stroking Merry’s curls off his forehead. "I was told once by a very wise, old hobbit that the same rain that draws you to me falls all over the land. It nourishes plants and trees. Fills the rivers with new water. Gives drink to thirsty creatures, including hobbits. And when you wake in the morning, a beautiful world will greet you."

"Really?" the barely audible voice said.

Frodo smiled despite the dark. "It never fails. Everything will be fine in the morning." He hugged Merry close. Sounding older than his years, Frodo continued, "Rain is part of life. It comes and it goes. Now close your eyes, and I’ll hold you. There’s nothing to fear tonight."

Merry closed his eyes, feeling safe in his older cousin’s arms. It wasn’t the first time he had come seeking comfort, but this was the first time Frodo had told him this and it did give him the comfort he needed.

As Merry’s breathing eased, Frodo leaned over and kissed his forehead and whispered, "I'll still be here in the morning."

***

Author note: Some lines featured in this story are from "Lullaby For a Stormy Night" by Vienna Teng. The lyrics is what inspired this story to come about.