Chapter 28. Starting Over

There was a sharp pain in his leg, and his breath came short and fast as powerful jaws closed on his ribs with crushing force. He writhed but they held him fast, and his screams emerged as whimpers as his struggles weakened.

A voice intruded into the nightmare and Ferdi grasped at it like a drowning hobbit holding to a rope. ‘Steady, Ferdi!’

 ‘Help me,’ he whispered. He felt now a hand gripping his, and heard Everard talking urgently.

 ‘I’m here, Ferdi. You’re safe in the Smials. Safe! Keep still...’

 ‘Ev’ard,’ he gasped. ‘Dogs, all around. Have a care!’

 ‘What seems to be the trouble?’ Healer Woodruff said nearby. Ferdi didn't know it, but she'd come in response to the watchers' urgent summons. 

 ‘He’s out of his head,’ Everard said worriedly.

A cool hand stroked Ferdi’s forehead. ‘Fever,’ Woodruff said. ‘Always a concern with dog bites. Roll him on his side that I may take a look at the wound.’

Ferdi fought as best he could as the dogs rolled him over, seeking better purchase, but they were too strong for him. He could no longer hear Dapple’s screams. Tears leaked from his squeezed-shut lids as he mourned... but then he had little time left himself, it seemed, before he joined her.

He cried out as pain flared hot and bright in his leg, oblivious to the soothing voices, dreams, he thought, fantasies of a dying hobbit seeking some illusion of comfort in his last moments.

Woodruff murmured at length and then there was more pain in the leg, much more pain, as he bucked and fought the hands that restrained him, and after an eternity of pain came a sudden cool rush that made him gasp.

 ‘Are you going to stitch him up again?’ Everard said.

 ‘No, we’ll leave the wound open for proper drainage,’ Woodruff said.

 ‘What is it? What’s happened?’ Pippin’s voice came.

 ‘The red swelling,’ Woodruff said succinctly. ‘I’ve had to open the wound, cut out the bad part, and then we flushed the wound well. I hope that will take care of the problem.’

 ‘Will he lose the leg?’ Pippin asked in hushed tones.

Ferdi half-rolled over at that, muttering, ‘Dogs have half-chewed it already, and now Woodruff’s worrying it completely off...’

 ‘Welcome back to the world, Ferdi,’ Everard said close to his ear. ‘You thought for a time that we were the dogs, I think.’

 ‘He ought to keep the leg, if he heeds healers’ advice and stays abed as long as he ought,’ Woodruff said.

 ‘Hear that, Ferdi?’ Pippin sounded closer. ‘Stay in the bed!’

 ‘You’re a fine one to talk,’ Ferdi grumbled. ‘Many’s the time I’ve sat upon you to keep you...’

 ‘Here’s the willow-bark tea,’ a breathless healer’s assistant said.

 ‘Ferdi, we’re going to roll you over and sit you up,’ Woodruff said briskly. ‘Don’t fight us, now.’

 ‘Fight you? Why would I fight you?’ Ferdi said as they moved him. ‘Save for the fact that you want to force one of your bitter brews down my throat...’

 ‘Hardly as bitter as it might be,’ Woodruff said, ‘but we didn’t have time to do better.’

Ferdi blearily opened his eyes to survey his surroundings. He counted three healers in addition to Everard, Pippin, and even Mayor Samwise hovering in the background. ‘What is this, a party?’ he said. ‘Couldn’t you come up with something better to drink than willow-bark tea?’

 ‘Drink,’ Woodruff said firmly, pushing the cup against his lips. He drank.

There was a flurry in the doorway and Ferdi’s sister Rosemary was there, exclaiming over him and pressing past the others to his bedside. ‘I came as quickly as I could,’ she said. ‘Hally’s following with the children in the waggon.’

Looking to the Thain she said, ‘Thank you.’

Ferdi finished the potion and pushed the cup away. ‘Thank him, for what? Scaring you half out of your wits, I wager.’

 ‘He sent a quickpost rider, and ordered the innkeepers along the way to provide fresh mounts for the return,’ Rosemary said.

 ‘You rode quickpost ponies?’ Ferdi said in astonishment. His prim and proper sister, mother many times over, plump and pleasant, had ridden the swift ponies kept for fast riders?

 ‘Just like old times, baby brother,’ she said with a laugh and a kiss for his forehead. She frowned and turned to Woodruff. ‘Fever?’

 ‘We’re dealing with it,’ the healer said. ‘Now, Ferdibrand, how about a hearty portion of liver, followed by a proper meal and a rest?’

 ‘Leave the liver and I’ll take the rest,’ Ferdi quipped.

 ‘I’ll just go to greet our da and be back to see to your eating that liver,’ Rosemary said with a pat for his shoulder.

 ‘It is good to see you again, Rosie,’ Woodruff said.

 ‘I’m not so sure,’ Ferdi said.

 ‘Yes, it is such a trial to have a managing older sister about,’ Rosemary said with a smile. ‘Don’t you worry, Ferdi, we’ll get that liver down and have you out of the bed in a week.’

 ‘Two,’ Woodruff said, ‘or better yet, three.’

All but Ferdi laughed.

***

They carried old Ferdinand to his son’s bedside again that evening, to share late supper. ‘You’re looking better, son,’ the old hobbit said. ‘Got some colour in your face.’

Rosemary refrained from telling him it was the fever. She concentrated on feeding him his supper and keeping him occupied with amusing stories about his grands.

 ‘And Hally’s bringing them all?’ Ferdinand said.

 ‘Yes, we thought we’d stay for the races,’ Rosemary said. ‘I hear Ferdi’s Penny has a good chance of winning.’

 ‘Hilly’s riding her,’ Ferdinand said. ‘He told me so earlier today.’

 ‘He’s working Penny?’ Ferdi said.

 ‘He is,’ Ferdinand said. ‘He came to me for advice, and I told him he was doing everything he needed to do, from his answers to my questions.’

Ferdi sighed and relaxed against his pillows. Penny would run, and perhaps win. Of course, he’d have to give half the purse to Hilly for riding, but every little bit would help. He had to heal quickly enough to ride the stallion of Rohan in the All-Shire Race, little more than a month away.

He had to ride, and win, or forfeit Dapple and Penny. They were all he had in the world. If he lost them, he’d have naught, perhaps not even the position of head of escort with its steady wages, for once he confessed before the Tooks that he was a thief, surely Pippin would not keep him on.

He sighed. He’d started over before, from nothing, but at the moment found the thought too wearying to bear.

 ‘But you’re tired, brother,’ Rosemary said softly. ‘I think you ought to try to sleep.’

 ‘Sleep,’ Ferdi murmured, and allowed her to pull the pillows away, to lay him down to rest. Sleep was welcome, even with the danger of nightmares. Indeed, he wished he could sleep his troubles away, waken to a fresh day and a fresh life...