Chapter 5: Dreamflower
In the Citadel, in the room that he had begun to use as an informal study, King Elessar sighed, and removed his crown and mantle. He seated himself, and made a gesture. 'Please be seated, Faramir.'
'Thank you, sire--er, Aragorn.' It was hard for Faramir to remember sometimes that the King had asked him to use his personal name when they were alone. He hoped it would get easier as time went by.
'What do you think of these petitions from Harad and from Umbar?'
'On the surface, they seem to be just what they say: petitions to establish peaceful relations with Gondor. Nevertheless, I see things in them that do not seem completely forthright.'
'I agree. I am particularly disturbed by some of the language describing the trade that Far Harad wishes to establish. There are some things in that document with which it is better that we of the West never deal.'
'Such as slavery,' said Faramir flatly.
'Among other things.' Aragorn looked again at the petition from Far Harad. It was clear that some of these things had already been coming into the City, and the Haradrim wished to insure that such trade was not stopped.
Just then there was a rap upon the door.
Aragorn looked up crossly. What could anyone want with him at this time of evening?
'Enter.'
The door opened, and a Guardsman entered with an air of urgency. 'My Lord King, we have received word that something is seriously wrong with the Ernil i Pheriannath. He is being conveyed to the Houses of Healing as I speak!'
Without another word, Aragorn moved. Faramir followed at his heels, realizing as he hurried behind, why his liege had been dubbed Strider.
*****
Merry had no need to abandon Pippin to fetch the King, for several Guardsmen had followed from the inn. Some of them were Pippin's comrades from the Third Company. One of them raced up to the Citadel, and another, saying 'By your leave, Sir Meriadoc,' swept Pippin up in his arms and began to hurry up the street. 'We shall take him straight to the Houses of Healing.'
Merry wasted no breath in answering, for he was running as fast as he could to keep up. Gimli was right behind him.
They approached the steps of the building, and almost at the same moment, Aragorn and Faramir came dashing up.
Merry puffed, and then looked up, as he saw Aragorn take Pippin in his own arms.
'Strider,' he held up the small pouch. 'We found this. I don't know what it is, but I think he may have taken some of it.'
The King nodded, and took it from the distraught hobbit. 'Thank you, Merry.' He looked at Gimli. 'Gimli, would you please go and tell the others?'
'Aye,' said the Dwarf. He placed a strong hand on Merry's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. 'It will be all right, lad. Aragorn will take care of him.'
Merry barely heard him. He rushed to keep up, as Aragorn carried his cousin into the Houses of Healing.
*****
Gimli turned and went down the steps. He was not hurrying now. He was trying to think of how to tell Frodo and Sam about Pippin. At least the guesthouse was on the next level.
As he approached the house, he heard a familiar voice hailing him from the top of the courtyard wall. Legolas sometimes sat up there to get a better view of the stars. 'Gimli! What is wrong?'
Gimli gestured. 'Come in with me. I only wish to tell it once,' he said curtly.
Legolas lightly dropped to the ground and followed his friend inside.
Gandalf was seated in a chair by the hearthside reading a book and smoking a pipe. Frodo was on a footstool, and similarly occupied. Sam was nowhere to be seen.
The wizard and Frodo looked up, and Frodo's face grew alarmed, as he realized that neither Merry nor Pippin were in Gimli's company, as they had been when they set out for the evening.
'Where's Samwise?' Gimli asked sharply.
'He went to bed early. Gimli what is wrong?'
Gimli glanced up at Legolas, who nodded, and headed for the inner chamber which the hobbits all shared. A second later, he returned, shepherding the sleepy Sam before him, rubbing his eyes and blinking. 'Begging your pardon, Mr. Legolas, but what's going on?'
Gimli looked at the others, and realized he could no longer put off delivering the bad news. 'Young Peregrin has been taken to the Houses of Healing. The King and Merry are with him. He's in a bad way.'
*****
A chamber had quickly been prepared, and Aragorn laid Pippin upon the bed. Three other healers had joined him, bringing hot water and other items he might need.
Merry and Faramir moved out of the way, to stand against the wall by the door. Merry felt Faramir's hand upon his shoulder, but he said nothing, for he was watching intently all that Aragorn and the other healers were doing.
Aragorn took the pouch Merry had handed him, opened it, and put a forefinger into the powder. He sniffed it, and then put his tongue to it, and his eyes widened in alarm.
'How in Middle-earth could Pippin have got hold of this?' he asked 'This is poppy--very strong and pure--Haradric poppy!'
One of the other healers looked over sharply. 'Haradric poppy, my Lord?'
Merry spoke up. 'I don't understand, Strider! Healers use poppy all the time; what is so terrible about this?'
The King looked over to where he stood. 'Not this kind of poppy; this is altogether different from the poppy we grow. This kind of white poppy comes from Far Harad. It is far stronger and more dangerous than any sort grown here in the West.'
Just then the door flew open, and Frodo and Sam burst into the room, followed by Gandalf. Legolas and Gimli waited just outside the open door, hovering anxiously.
At the sight of Frodo, Merry broke away from Faramir's side, and threw himself into Frodo's arms, bursting into tears. 'Oh, Frodo! It's horrid!'
Meanwhile, Aragorn had turned his attention back to Pippin. With the assistance of the other healers, he had caused Pippin to gag. Then they held the basin near him as he retched, bringing up whatever he had in his stomach. When it looked as though the young hobbit could bring up nothing more, he turned back to one of the other healers.
'Please bring me hot water, athelas leaves and tincture of belladonna…'
The hobbits, who had been trying to comfort Merry, suddenly turned. Merry cried out 'Strider, no!' at the same moment, Sam said sharply 'Belladonna? Strider, that's deadly nightshade! It’s poison!'
'I know,' Aragorn responded softly, 'but as dangerous as it is, it is the only thing I know of that will counteract the effects of too much Haradric poppy.'
Frodo's eyes locked with those of the King and healer. 'Dangerous how?'
Aragorn turned to one of the other healers and gave her quiet instructions, then he crooked a finger at the hobbits to come over near the bed, so that they could see Pippin. They clustered together fearfully, Merry now silent, but still clinging to Frodo, remembering his fear in Cormallen when he had last seen Pippin laid low, Sam shaking his head sadly. Frodo looked appalled.
Aragorn knelt down, and looked Frodo in the eye.
'If we do this, we will make a tiny cut in a vein, and then, through a hollow reed, we will place a drop of the belladonna extract directly into his blood. It will cause his heart to race; it may make it somewhat difficult for him to breathe. Those effects should pass soon, and when he recovers, which should be quickly, he will have a dry mouth and his eyes will be sensitive to light for a few hours. That is if all goes well. I will not deny that the wrong dose could be very nearly as dangerous as that which he has already ingested. But we must do something soon to counteract the poppy, for as small as he is, most of what he took has already entered his system, and he could lapse into a sleep from which he does not waken.' Standing up, the King looked down at Pippin's limp form, and gently brushed aside a curl from his brow. 'Frodo, you are his oldest cousin. By the customs of your own people, you must choose whether I continue.'