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One Who Sticks Closer than a Brother by Lindelea	4 Review(s)
Leithian	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 3/7/2025
I have just started reading Jewels (in one sitting, no self discipline, at all). Just want to give them all a hug, especially poor Tolly. By the way, what has happened to Ferdi, here, that he can't speak properly? Sorry, as always, I read your works at random, and don't know the backstory. Poor Tolly. The Troubles seem such a horrible time for everyone. Somehow, the casual cruelty reminds me of the atrocities committed against civilians in WW2. Of course the Tookish resistance also reminds me of the Maquis that operated in the forests and conducted guerilla warfare. Ferdi's nickname is the 'Fox'? Seems fitting. Take care Author Reply: That sounds so familiar ("in one sitting, no self discipline at all). Some of my stories are like pearls strung together, and this one has references to several earlier "pearls" on the string. Let my try to give you a nutshell version to help: In FirstBorn, set two years before this story (I think... I'm typing off the top of my head), after a tragedy where Diamond loses the child she's carrying, Faramir falls in with a bad crowd of peers, where mischief shades into trouble-making. Because they "know better" than the adults who set the rules, they venture past a "Danger" sign on a closed trail and become trapped above a raging river. One runs for help and finds Ferdi, bird-watching with Rudi. Ferdi sends Rudi for help and goes to do what he can, but he is swept away and presumed drowned until late the next day, when the farmer who found him downriver (only half-drowned) brings him back to the Great Smials. This is the time Tolly is remembering in his fever-induced delirium at the beginning of "One Who Sticks Closer". In Runaway (co-written by JoDancingTree), set in November before this story, though still very young, vicious gossip drives Faramir to run away (to Gondor, though he has no idea of how far away it is) because he thinks his parents will be better off without him. Trying to prevent a scandal, Ferdi and Tolly work together to conceal his disappearance until he can be found and brought back. Unfortunately, their efforts lead to accusations that they are in league with child-stealing ruffians, and following Pippin's wishes, Merry nearly banishes them from the Shire. Farry wakes up from a fever just in time to clear their names. Pippin and Everard have made a false accusation and must pay restitution or suffer the penalty, in this case, banishment. Ferdi and Tolly's pride prevents them from accepting full restitution in the form of half of Pippin's and Everard's assets, which leads to more troubles down the road. In A Matter of Appearances (set about a week after Yule 1 and 2), Pippin is trying to repair the damage he's done to Ferdi and Tolly's reputations. Thus, Tolly escorts Farry to Pearl's farm, and Ferdi is supposed to escort the lad back just in time for a grand celebration with Mayor Sam and Master Merry. Ruffians in the Shire to steal the Tooks' treasure waylay Ferdi and Farry on the way back. Ferdi is seriously injured, has an out-of-body experience and is pronounced dead by the searchers looking for him and Farry after they don't show up when they're supposed to. Meanwhile, the ruffians have recognized Farry – worse, they really are the child-stealing type. While Pippin and Merry lead a muster to try to rescue Farry, and Sam leads a group aiming to capture some of the ruffians who split off from the main body, back home at the Smials, Ferdi is shrouded and buried, but he's rescued from the grave because of the vision had by a delirious hobbit. One of the ruffians turns against the others, buying Farry just enough time for the muster to arrive. Just as Farry is rescued, a message comes from Elesssar at the Bridge; seeing Farry's peril in the palantír, he has ridden like the wind down from New Annúminas. Merry and Pippin bring Farry to the Bridge, where Elessar applies the magic of athelas to all three of them to heal them from their trauma. Then the King rides back north, where the royal party is preparing to travel to Gondor. They'll stop at the Bridge for a grand fare-well celebration with the Travellers, of course. That story ends (and this story begins) with Tolly returning from the Bounds with Sam after escorting the ruffians to their deaths. Ferdi's head injury from the ruffians' club is not survivable, the Shire healers fear; he's bleeding internally, and losing ground, and they don't have the skills or knowledge to deal with a brain bleed. A day after he's taken out of the grave, he loses his ability to speak and is partially paralyzed. Tolly is also in bad shape mentally and emotionally from the horrors of child-stealing and the guilt he feels from letting two ruffians go the previous October, fearing that they might have shown these murderous ruffians safe passage into and out of the Shire. A serious fever is already going around the Shire, and the hobbits who were mustered are extra vulnerable after riding nonstop for two days in icy winter temperatures with the added stress of knowing they might not come in time to save Farry from a horrifying fate. Reflecting the impact of stress on the body in real life, the effects of that stress linger even after they recover him safe. (And the mustered hobbits don't have the benefit of athelas to dissipate those stress hormones like Pippin, Merry, and Faramir.) I think that should be enough background to set you on a steady footing, but if I'm wrong, please let me know if anything else puzzles you. (And hopefully I got the html tags right in this answer so that it's readable!) Author Reply: p.s. Ferdi's ability to sing even though he cannot talk is based on real-life situations where a person is able to sing clearly despite having had a stroke that wiped out their ability to speak. The area of the brain where speech is generated is in one hemisphere of the brain; however, singing appears to be controlled by an area in the other hemisphere of the brain. Thus, a non-verbal stroke victim may be able to sing even though they are unable to speak! I've seen this phenomenon in real life.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 6/14/2007
Oh, Aragorn--what a limitation you've put on yourself and the folk of the Hobbits! Come on, Pippin--put it together! Author Reply: I know... I would love to know what JRRT's thoughts were, about his Edict. I don't recall if any of his letters discuss the matter. As far as I know, it's only mentioned in one place--the Tale of Years, isn't it?

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 6/14/2007
Oh yes! Pippin will understand! (And I'm not just saying that because of you know what; I would say that anyway!) but because Pippin is Pippin, and he knows Ferdi very well--it's likely the only hobbit he knows better is Merry. Author Reply: Yes, I have every confidence in Pippin! (If not Nell, who practically reads Ferdi's mind because of their close bond. That's not exactly a spoiler, because the next chapter isn't written yet, only outlined. But you're right, he knows Ferdi very well, sometimes even better than Ferdi knows himself, I think.) I am shirking my duties, and must go... How tempting on a cloudy morning to bask in the light shining from the screen. But there's much to be done today, and I have stolen as much fanfic time from the schedule as I could... Will hope to post more in the next day or two. (And quite looking forward to your next posting as well!) Author Reply: p.s. Ferdi's ability to sing even though he cannot talk is based on real-life situations where a person is able to sing clearly despite having had a stroke that wiped out their ability to speak. The area of the brain where speech is generated is in one hemisphere of the brain; however, singing appears to be controlled by an area in the other hemisphere of the brain. Thus, a non-verbal stroke victim may be able to sing even though they are unable to speak! I've seen this phenomenon in real life.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 6/14/2007
Methinks that there is a pair of hobbits that need the healing hands of the King. But what a prognosis! Poor Ferdi! Author Reply: Wow, quick response! Poor Ferdi, indeed, but there are still some chapters yet to come. Thanks!

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