10. When Shall I Die?

The ponies forged on through the darkness, pushed as fast as their riders dared. The return trip might have taken longer than Fastred's grueling ride, just because of having to wait for the saddling of four ponies at each inn, instead of one, but for the fact that Fastred, Tolly and Hilly helped with the saddling whilst the Thain spoke with each innkeeper in turn to smooth the way for the coach to follow, bearing the Mayor's wife.

Whatever had been in Mardi's brew was a marvel; Fastred felt as alert as if he'd just risen from a long, restful sleep.

The dawn found them on the outskirts of Michel Delving. The innkeeper there was expecting them, had several ponies saddled and waiting as a matter of fact, for he was a shrewd hobbit and knew that the Thain invariably travelled with an escort. He also had hot sausage rolls fresh out of the oven, for them to eat as they rode along the first part of the long stretch to Greenholm.

They stopped twice at farmsteads, exchanging two tiring ponies for two fresh ones each time, for it would have been difficult to obtain four ponies at any one place, unless they'd been willing to settle for plow ponies, willing, but slow.

The Thain cast a weary eye at Fastred while they waited for the saddling at the second farm, Tolly and Hilly giving sparing drinks to their own ponies that must needs continue the journey, having joined the journey at the first farm they'd stopped at. 'I hope you're keeping track of what pony belongs to which inn or farm.' He'd had long days and nights of watching by his wife's side, and now this all-night and all-day ride was telling on him.

Fastred nodded. As a matter of fact, he had, for it was one of the instructions the chancellor had pressed upon him before he left. He handed back his empty mug to the farmer's wife with thanks as the Thain hauled himself into the saddle, and pulled himself up onto his own pony. Mardi's potion seemed to be wearing off. 'Not far now,' he said to the Thain, in part to brace himself up for the last stretch. 'We'll be there by noontide, I think. It's not quite elevenses now.'

***

Samwise heard a shout as the riders were seen descending the cleft in the steep face of the Downs, and he came out to greet them. Fastred staggered as he slid from his pony, greeted by his sisters who had also come out at the shout. 'Take him to a bed,' the Thain said sharply, and his sisters led him away.

'Well met,' Sam said as Pippin slid from his own pony. He took Pippin's arm and urged him to follow at a trot.

'Regi?' Pippin snapped.

'Still with us,' Samwise answered, 'but I don't know for how much longer.'

They came to the room where Regi lay. At the door was a hobbit that Pippin recognised, from long experience, to be a healer. 'I want a feeding tube,' the Thain said, 'quick as you can fetch one.' Startled, the healer sprang to obey even though the order flew in the face of all good sense.

Ferdi looked up, then turned to the figure on the bed, saying, 'He's here, Regi. Pip's come.'

Pippin threw himself to the side of the bed, speaking Regi's name, fumbling at his belt. When the eyes opened, he said, 'Good, you're awake,' and to Ferdi, 'sit him up for me.'

Kneeling beside Regi, Pippin continued in a soft tone, 'Hullo, Reg, I'll wager you're dying of thirst, eh?' They wouldn't have given him anything to drink, not with those wounds. The Thain wondered how he'd hung on this long. Ah, well, he'd always known the steward to be the most obstinate hobbit alive. 'I've brought you a bit of cheer.' He held the flask to Regi's lips. 'Drink up, now,' he said. 'It's not as bad as some of the healer's brews I've had to choke down.'

'What in the world?' came the outraged voice of the healer, coming into the room with the feeding tube, only to be held back by Hilly and Tolly. 'You cannot...'

'Hush, now,' Tolly said firmly. 'Wouldn't want to distract him and make him choke, now, would we?'

'There we go,' the Thain said encouragingly, lowering the flask again. 'You've managed at least half. We'll save the rest for a bit later.'

Ferdi laid Regi down again, not daring to hope. 'The Ent draught?' he whispered.

Pippin nodded, his eyes on Regi's face. The steward's eyes opened wide in surprise, and the Thain smiled. 'Aye,' he said softly, 'There's a tingle, from the soles of your feet all the way to the top of your head. Feels as if the very hair atop your pate is stretching and growing, doesn't it?'

His fingers sought an unbandaged spot on the steward's arm, and he gave an encouraging squeeze. 'I was about as far gone as you are, Reg, when Sam gave me the draught, remember?'

Regi's eyes blinked as he remembered those dark days, when they'd given Pippin up and were just waiting for him to die, only to have Sam appear, of a wonder, bearing a draught from the fabled tree-folk who lived halfway to Gondor.

Sam put a warning hand on Pippin's shoulder. 'You remember what happened after?' he said softly.

Pippin nodded soberly. 'Aye,' he said, the agonies of the healing brought on by the draught was not a thing he would ever forget. 'But it's better than the alternative, isn't it, Reg?' The steward blinked again, and Pippin added, to encourage him, 'That babe of yours isn't born quite yet, but I've a fine set of sons to greet you when you return to the Smials.'

'Diamond,' Reginard breathed.

'She's fine,' Pippin said, 'and sends her greetings.'

Regi's head moved slightly, a nod? ...and he closed his eyes. 'Hold on, Reg,' Pippin urged, hand tightening on the other's arm. 'Give it time to work.' The other kept breathing, that was something, at least.

The Thain's escort, seeing that the deed was done, released the healer, who stepped forward, angry, but uncertain. 'Whatever are you about, giving him drink in his condition? Do you want him to die in agony?'

'No,' Pippin replied, 'of course not.' He looked down again and said under his breath, 'Though he might have to live through a bit of agony in the next day or so, I am not expecting him to die.'

The healer looked at him in horror, stunned. The Shire was ruled by one who'd taken leave of his senses. 'Steady,' Tolly said warningly, taking her arm again. 'We've done this before.' The healer choked in outrage, surely the Tooks were worse than ruffians, torturing dying hobbits in this way.

'He's asleep,' Ferdi said.

'Dying, most likely,' the healer snapped, and wrenching free of Tolly, strode to the bedside, defiantly taking up the limp wrist, only to stand silent in stunned disbelief. 'Stronger...' she gasped, then turned accusing eyes to the Thain and the Mayor behind him. 'His heart... it's going stronger. What did you do to him?'

'I gave him a bit of marvel to drink,' the Thain said softly. 'It comes from a far land, where trees walk about and a wizard once ruled.'

She stared at him, not certain now. The words indicated that he'd gone off his head, but the strengthening pulse in the steward's wrist told a different story.

The Thain looked up, then, at the Mayor. 'Rose is on her way,' he said. 'She'll be a bit slower than we were, travelling by coach, but she'll be here by suppertime at the latest, I think.' Of course the coach and escort would travel through the night and into the day, stopping only for a change of ponies at each inn. Hard knocks on the innkeepers, this sudden demand for ponies. Good thing there was gold in the Thain's coffers, yet.

Ferdi got up from his chair. 'Here,' he said abruptly to the Thain. 'Sit down, before you fall down.'

Pippin sat, caressing the arm of the chair, saying softly. 'Pleased to make your acquaintance. I do believe one of your cousins is a very good friend of mine.'

The healer shook her head. The Thain was talking to a chair...

'Have you eaten?' Ferdi asked, and Pippin shook his head.

'We had something in Michel Delving, I think, and at one of the farms there were tarts fresh out of the oven as we rode up, but nothing to speak of, really.'

'Right, then,' Ferdi said briskly. Here was a problem he could tackle. Sitting still and waiting was not his favourite chore, though he would have sat by Regi's side until the end, and past it, without complaint. 'I'll see what I can round up for you.'

Hilly and Tolly stationed themselves by the doorway as the Thain settled himself to watch, the healer warily seating herself in the chair on the other side of the bed, ready to prevent the crazed hobbit from perpetrating any other unspeakable acts on her dying patient.

Ferdi returned, followed by Fastred's sisters, all bearing trays of food, and Hilly and Tolly attended to their own needs while Ferdi kept watch at the door. He and Sam answered all the Thain's questions as they watched together. Sam excused himself early on, only to return, saying that Elanor was sleeping.

'How's Rose?' Ferdi asked.

'There's no change,' Sam answered. At the Thain's inquiring glance, he added, 'It's like she's walking in her sleep. Her eyes are open, but she makes no sign of hearing or seeing anyone.'

The Thain nodded soberly. He'd seen such cases in the Houses of Healing, during the siege of Gondor, Men frozen with horror at the sights they'd seen. He remembered the dreadful rain of severed heads, the gibbering orcs, the terrible Black Captain at the Gate as it fell to Grond. 'I don't think the Ent draught will help that sort of malady.'

The Mayor shook his head sadly. He'd brought his daughters here, bright, pert, beautiful things, shining butterflies, only to see them now with their wings tattered by the rough handling they'd endured. Would they ever be whole again?

'You couldn't have known, Sam,' Pippin said softly. 'Who would have thought that ruffians would dare to enter the Shire proper, with King's Men guarding the borders, and Shirriffs prepared to shoot any Man they encounter?' Bergil always travelled with a hobbit escort for this reason, as protection against those who would shoot first, seeing a Man, and ask questions afterwards. He sighed. 'I hope we got the word out soon enough,' he said. 'I don't want any more lasses to go through what Rose and Ellie were put through.'

'Just a few more days and the message ought to reach Strider,' Sam said. 'I'd warrant he'll be a bit miffed.'

'Just a bit,' Pippin said. 'Wonder what he'll do about it?'

Reginard slept the rest of the afternoon, and Pippin dozed in his chair. Tolly stretched out on the floor while Hilly kept watch, and then Hilly slept in his turn. Trays were brought at teatime for everyone in the room, excepting the steward, of course.

Healer Verbena would never have expected him to last until teatime, but Regi surprised her, evidently gaining ground as the hours passed. The Thain made no more hostile moves towards her patient--the healer was thankful for his evident exhaustion. As long as he slept he could do no more harm, she figured.

Just before supper, Rose Gamgee was brought to the room, and Samwise sprang to his feet to greet her. 'Rose,' he said wearily. 'I'm so glad you've come.'

'How's Regi?' she asked.

'Better, I think,' Pippin answered, awakened by her arrival. 'Not any worse, at least.'

Regi himself put in his tuppenny's worth. 'I'm getting better by the hour,' he whispered, surprising them all.

Rose crossed to the bed, to lay a kiss upon his cheek. 'Good,' she said firmly. 'If things go right, we won't even have to tell Rosa about this little mishap until after the babe's born.' The steward smiled faintly at her choice of words.

'Think you could manage some more?' Pippin asked then, and Regi nodded. Ferdi moved to lift the steward, while Pippin held the flask for him to drink, and the healer spluttered, a little less energetically than before. She was seeing definite improvement in her patient, inexplicable, but sure.

'When will it start?' Regi whispered as they laid him down again, the last drop gone from the flask. Pippin hoped it had been enough.

'I'm sure you'll be the first to know,' the Thain said quietly, and the steward gave him a wry grin.

'When will what start?' Verbena asked apprehensively.

'The cure... can be worse than the dying,' Pippin answered wryly. 'When they gave me the stuff awhile back, I thought I was being roasted alive before it had finished its work.' He looked thoughtfully at the empty flask. 'I certainly hope it has not lost any of its potency.'

Healer Verbena shook her head in wonder. He was hoping his steward would feel he was being roasted alive? Only her strong sense of duty kept her from running, screaming, from the room.

One of Fastred's sisters came to the door... Hollyberry? 'Ellie's awake,' she said.

Sam took Rose's arm, and the Mayor and his wife went out of the room together.

When Elanor saw her mother, she gave a muffled sob and ran to be enfolded in the safety of Rose's embrace. 'There, there,' Rose comforted, stroking the golden curls. 'It's all right, now, my lass, Mama's here now.' She patted and stroked as Elanor wept upon her breast, murmuring soothing phrases all the while. Her voice faltered a bit to see her Rosie-lass, just sitting, staring at nothing, a hobbit lass who looked much like Hollyberry holding her hand.

When Elanor's sobs diminished, Rose lifted her daughter's chin with a gentle finger. 'I go to greet your sister,' she said softly. Elanor nodded, and allowed herself to be passed on to Samwise.

Feeling as if she ought to tiptoe, Rose crossed the room to her other daughter. 'Rosie-lass,' she crooned. 'Rosie-girl...' But her younger daughter made no sign of hearing. Rose sat down next to her daughter, taking up the hand, pressing gently, receiving no answer, not even a flutter of fingers. Her daughter continued to stare straight before her, seeing nothing. 'Has she eaten?' Rose asked abruptly.

Hollyberry shook her head. 'We've been able to get her to drink a bit, is all,' she answered.

'O my lass,' Rose breathed. 'We've got to get something into you.' Looking to Holly, she said, 'Bring me some porridge thinned with cream, and well-sweetened, lass, will you? We'll try to feed her like a babe.'

'A feeding tube, do you think?' Sam asked softly.

Rose shook her head. 'I don't want to do anything to force her,' she answered. 'I think...' she said, fumbling for words. 'I think she needs reassurance, and coddling, and perhaps to be treated like a babe, cared for and loved and cossetted.' She swallowed hard, fighting back tears, for tears might be alarming to her sadly confused daughter. 'We'll try to love her back to us.'

A flustered lad came to interrupt. 'I'm sorry, Sir,' he said to Sam. 'The Thain wants you. Urgent, he says.'

Sam hugged Elanor, then released her, his eyes going to Rose. 'It's starting,' he said.

'Go,' she answered. 'They'll need you to help stop him throwing himself out of bed.'

'Who?' Hollyberry asked curiously.

'The steward,' Rose answered, as Sam ran from the room, all mayoral dignity set aside.

Hollyberry stared in astonishment. Last she'd heard, the steward could barely lift his eyelids, much less a finger. However did they expect the dying hobbit to throw himself out of the bed?

Sam reached Regi's room to find the steward writhing in the grip of the four other Tooks. 'Glad you could tear yourself away,' Pippin gasped. 'He's getting stronger, I think.'

Healer Verbena was watching in helpless dismay. Instead of a peaceful death, as comfortable as they could make it, she watched her patient twisting in agony, emitting moans that tore at her heart. 'How can you do this?' she whispered.

'It's the only way to save him,' Sam said gently as he moved past her.

'Take his head,' Pippin snapped, and Sam bent over the pillows, taking Regi's face between his hands.

'Steady, now, Reg,' he said. 'By morning it'll be over. Fight it.' He looked to the healer. 'We'll need more strong hobbits to hold him, when we tire.'

Nodding, speechless, released from the spell that froze her, Verbena swept from the room, and after rounding up five burly farmers, she took herself off to check on Rose and Elanor, and to look in on Fastred, who had fallen into a bed and now slept like one dead, scarcely breathing. Why had they invited the Thain and his Tooks to come to Greenholm, anyhow? Ruffians paled by comparison.

She could not bear to watch in the steward's room any more this night. Telling Holly, and her sister Raz that she could be found in her bed, if needed, she took herself off, to toss and turn sleepless, helpless to do anything, silently cursing Fastred and his brother Leot for bringing Tooks to Greenholm.

At dawn, she arose, splashing water on her face, creeping to the steward's room to find all still and quiet there, the fight over. She blinked away tears. She would never be over the sorrow of the steward's death throes, so completely unnecessary.

The Thain looked up at her step, as did the chancellor on the other side of the bed. Ferdi nudged the still figure of the steward. 'Regi,' he whispered. 'Verbena's back. Would you like to order your breakfast now?'

To her utter astonishment, the steward's eyes opened, he grinned, and started to sit up, the Thain moving to aid him, but once he was sitting, he thrust aside helping hands and swung his feet over the side of the bed.

'Order breakfast?' he said. 'Only sick folk eat their breakfast in a bed. Where are my clothes?'

***

Note to the reader:
Sorry about that, I thought I'd already posted chapter 10, and so went ahead and posted 11 and then got pulled away: no time to proofread, and wouldn't you know it? One of the few times I don't look over a chapter before and after publishing, something like this happens! Ah, well, here's chapter 10... and apologies.

Notes to readers from original posting:

Pansy, to answer your questions:
You asked: "Didn't Pimpernel marry a Bolger?" Yes, she did. But there's more story to come, in "Flames", mind... and she's not married to the Bolger in "Merlin", that's for sure.
You asked: "Also, weren't the twins born by the wagon at the beginning of 'End of his Rope'?" Yes, there were twins born in "Rope", a girl and a boy, as a matter of fact. You are remembering correctly. But people can have more than one set of twins, after all.

Dana, Thanks for the faithful reviews. I am still working out the details about what you previewed a snippet of, so you won't see it in your mailbox today. Enjoy the story anyhow!
 
LadyJea, You are an astute reader! And you don't have to wait any longer. Today is the day we find out Regi's fate. Whew. And the very first chapter title ("Sheep May Safely Graze") is one of my favourite Bach pieces (the accompaniment is so flutelike and pastoral). My very favourite has to be "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" but sadly it would not fit in this story as a chapter title, so I will just have to listen to it by itself.

FantasyFan, You got it, right on the money! Cantatas! Yes! (Ok enough exclamation points) I must admit that rather than taking inspiration from the titles, I am writing the chapters and then perusing the list of titles to pick out what fits best. Kind of like those standardized tests we used to have to take. ("What title best fits the paragraph?" I used to hate those! ...and now I'm doing it for fun...) Loved your insightful comments about the characters. JRRT doesn't say who marries Rosie-lass, does he?

Comments, as always, are very welcome. Hope to catch you tomorrow!