Chapter 41. On to Michel Delving

Ferdi helped carry his father out of the Smials. They eased old Ferdinand as gently as might be into the sling suspended between two ponies.

 ‘There you are,’ Healer Mardibold said, mounting one of the ponies and looking down upon his charge.

 ‘Cosy as a babe in his mother’s loving arms,’ Ferdinand said, though his voice was somewhat strained. He smiled to relieve his son’s obvious worry. ‘Steady, Ferdi, you’ll be frightening the ponies if you put on such a face.’

 ‘Let us take a turn about the courtyard,’ Mardi said, taking up his reins in one hand and then the other pony’s reins in the other. He eased the ponies into a walk, watching Ferdinand all the while.

 ‘I remember the feeling,’ Ferdinand said quietly, his words nearly lost in the ringing of hoof on stone. ‘Why, ‘tis nearly like riding once again.’ He closed his eyes, the better to inhale the beloved smells of ponies and leather and fresh air.

 ‘Are you well?’ Mardi asked.

Ferdinand’s eyes popped open at once. ‘Of course!’ he said stoutly. ‘Never better!’ He did not want the journey cut short before it had begun. ‘Soothing,’ he added. ‘You may go on about your business; I think I’ll have a nice little nap in this cradle the Thain rigged together for me.’

Mardi brought the ponies around to the front of the Smials and halted.

Ferdi waited for the verdict, half prepared to help lift his father from the sling and carry him once more to his little room.

 ‘What are we waiting for?’ the healer barked.

Pippin slapped Ferdi on the back and called in reply, ‘We’re waiting for the Sun! And now that she’s joined the party,’ for the Sun was just rubbing the sleep from her eyes as he spoke, ‘we’ll be on our way.’

He mounted up on Socks behind little Farry, who was already waiting on the saddle. Diamond smiled from her own mare’s back. Eglantine had set out by coach several days earlier and would meet them in Michel Delving. Tolly and Hilly settled in their saddles and followed the Thain’s party out of the courtyard.

 ‘I’ll ride with you, Ferdi, if I may?’ Reginard said at his elbow. Other groups were mounting ponies and the courtyard was all a-bustle. Those in waggons and coaches had left several days earlier, having to go round the long way, by way of Stock, up along the River to the Great East-West Road and then to Michel Delving. One of Pippin’s hopes was to build a road between Tuckborough and Bywater, and sooner than later.

 ‘Of course!’ Ferdi said. Talking about travel arrangements, they’d decided that it would be better to keep the two grey stallions separate. Thus, Tolly and Hilly escorted the Thain, while Ferdi escorted his own father and the pony of Rohan, though he rode instead of led the pony in question. It was less stressful that way—the pony trusted Ferdi, but he tended to be fretful when led. Other hopeful pony owners would be leading their racers, and a few might even transport theirs by freight waggon, to have them fresh as possible on race day. The rough and ready Tooks had no patience with such coddling. Indeed, the long journey to Michel Delving, taken at an easy pace, would serve to warm up their racing ponies before race day, keeping their muscles limber. Very sensible, the Tooks argued, even as they happily laid wagers at higher odds than might have been otherwise.

 ‘Ferdi! A word, if I may?’ Healer Woodruff called from the doorway. A look passed between her and Mardibold, and she nodded. He turned his attention back to old Ferdinand, asking a question as Ferdi handed his reins to Regi and walked back to the Smials.

Woodruff took his arm to pull him into a deserted parlour near the doorway, out of casual sight and hearing. Ferdi’s eyebrows rose as the head healer closed the door firmly behind them.

 ‘There,’ she said. Turning back to Ferdibrand, she picked up a sack left just inside the door and reached inside, pulling out a jar. ‘Balm,’ she said, opening the lid and extending it towards the head of escort. He wrinkled his nose as the pungent odour reached him, reminiscent of Pippin’s bad spell earlier in the year. ‘It works in two ways: through the skin, and also when he breathes in the fumes.’

Woodruff nodded to herself, replaced the lid carefully, and placed the jar into a well-padded drawstring bag which she handed to Ferdi before taking another small bag from the sack. She opened this and shook out some of the contents into her palm. ‘Herbs and powders,’ she said. ‘They relax the muscles, send him off to sleep. Shake the bag well, and then pour out a good palmful. Add water that’s nearly to the boil and let it steep at least ten minutes. Twenty would be better, but ten’ll do if time is short.’

 ‘Aye,’ Ferdi said in bemusement as Woodruff poured the palmful back into the bag and tied the string securely.

She gave him a serious look as she added the bag of herbs to what he already held. ‘I cannot dance attendance on the Thain,’ she said. ‘It would cause harmful talk and speculation. But you, as head of escort...’

 ‘I have to stay close to him,’ Ferdi said, ‘but we’re not even riding together!’

 ‘Diamond has the same supplies,’ Woodruff said. ‘I’m hoping that you’ll be by his side when she cannot be.’

She took a deep breath. ‘I cannot impress upon you how...’

 ‘I know,’ Ferdi said. ‘Regi told me. A lungful of dust, or smoke, or...’

 ‘Time is of the essence,’ Woodruff said. ‘If you can get the balm spread on chest, throat and back when he first starts to wheeze, you might not even need the herbs.’

 ‘Wouldn’t that be a sight?’ Ferdi said wryly. ‘I thought you were looking to avoid gossip.’

Woodruff glowered at him. ‘Be as discreet as may be,’ she snapped. ‘But do as you’re told!’

Ferdi shifted the bundles to one arm and patted Woodruff’s arm with his freed hand. ‘I’m good at that,’ he said.

 ‘Not when it comes to healers,’ Woodruff said truculently.

 ‘Especially when it comes to healers,’ Ferdi said. ‘At least, when they’re not giving orders about me.’

Woodruff cracked a very small smile. ‘I hope so,’ she said. ‘We cannot wrap him up in cotton wool, but...’

 ‘We’ll see about that,’ Ferdi said. ‘If I happen to see any cotton wool lying about, I’ll put it to good use.’

 ‘Go on with you, now,’ Woodruff said, giving him a push.

Ferdi smiled, gave her a bow, and left the parlour, and then the Smials. He tucked the bundles into his bags, took the reins from Regi, and mounted. ‘Ready to go,’ he said unnecessarily.

 ‘We almost left without you,’ Ferdinand said jovially. ‘Of course, riding a racing pony, you’d have no trouble catching us up.’

Ferdi patted the Rohan’s silky neck. ‘No,’ he said, ‘but let’s save it for the race, shall we?’

The pony snorted and tossed his head and the hobbits laughed.

 ‘He says it’ll be difficult but he’ll do his best,’ Ferdi said. ‘On to Michel Delving!’

The Tooks in the courtyard, bustling about, loading pack ponies and climbing into saddles and such, stopped to cheer this sentiment.

 ‘And...’ Ferdinand said in his best imitation of a Racing Master, ‘we’re... off!’