![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
FIC: "Into the East" by Febobe (17/?, PG)
The first sixteen chapters were posted over the period Sept. 7-19, 2011. I don't find that I had posted Ch. 17 yet; if it's a repeat, please forgive me, but I don't see it, so I don't think I'd gotten that far. Ch. 18 to come in the next few days as well.
I don't want to say too much just yet, but I've had a rush of new ideas for what's ahead in this fic, and I think y'all will REALLY enjoy what's coming several chapters down the road. And no, Frodo is NOT going to die in this fic. :) In fact, he's going to be having several new and exciting small adventures which will delight him, perhaps Sam, and possibly our beloved readers too. :)
Love always,
Febobe :)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Well, that night went a sight better, I reckon, than the one before. Mr. Frodo mostly slept, and though he was still real feverish, he mostly stayed real quiet 'cept for his cough. Lady Eowyn and Kalil took turn about sitting with us and they finally talked me into lying down some time after midnight, and when I woke up Master Merry and Master Pippin had already been downstairs, making creamed mushrooms on toast for all of us, Mr. Frodo included, and bless me if Master Pippin didn't take charge o'getting Mr. Frodo fed, and did a right nice job o'that too.
"Pippin heard that they have fresh shrimp at the market," Master Merry explained to me while Mr. Frodo was eating, "and he's sent someone to buy the best they can find. He thinks that might perk Frodo's appetite up a little; remember how he always liked them in Minas Tirith?"
I never did know quite how I felt about them shrimp things, since I'd seen 'em before their legs and heads and all got taken off, and even then, with the tails, they still didn't look like nothing I'd want to put in my mouth, but Mr. Frodo, true enough, had been right fond o'them. I didn't know about giving him something like that when he was so poorly, but he had to eat something, and I'd a'given my right arm to see him interested in food like he used to be. So I nodded.
"Might as well. I don't know how he'll take to 'em now, but it can't hurt to try."
"Pippin knows how they fried them in Minas Tirith, the way Frodo liked them then, and how to make the sauce. And here there are plenty of lemons to serve in wedges with it. That'll be nice." Master Merry patted me on the back. "Don't fret, Sam. We'll help you with him. You don't have to do it alone any more."
Well, I reckon that about set me to snuffling, but I bucked up and tried not to get teary. I'd had to do for Mr. Frodo alone that last part o'the way, and I'd got so used to it that it was hard now to let people help. But Master Merry and Master Pippin were his kin, and I didn't reckon I ought to shut family out, and they'd been brave enough to come with us, now, hadn't they? At least they did care, and that was better than if they didn't.
"I was thinking," Master Merry said, glancing over like he was making sure Mr. Frodo was still busy eating, "that maybe Frodo would show more interest in food if we could start giving him some of what they make here. He always was fascinated by foreign food - remember?"
"I remember, sir." I did. In Rivendell, he weren't that interested in eating, not till Lord Elrond started bringing in dishes that were specialties there, things he hadn't never seen before, and then he got real interested in eating. He'd liked trying new stuff in Minas Tirith, too, like that shrimp, and lobsters too, and sometimes I could get him to eat that when he didn't feel much up to anything else. It was Mr. Frodo's way to be curious about new places and new ways o'doing things. I was used to that by now, so I knew Master Merry had a point.
"Why don't we talk to Kalil about it? He'll have some good suggestions for starters, I'm sure. He came up with that sweet rice with milk last night, and Frodo ate every last bite, I tell you. He even wanted to know could we have it again today. Of course I told him we could. Kalil says it's not so hard to make. He's going to teach me how to make it, and Pippin too, because we'd like to learn."
Well, now, that was promising enough. "I reckon it couldn't hurt."
Once we all got breakfast finished up, I told Master Pippin and Master Merry to go on down to the kitchen and check on them shrimp, and see what was what, since it'd be lunchtime before we knew it. Kalil had gone out to talk with Faramir and Eowyn, but he came back, so it was just us with Mr. Frodo. Which was fine by me. And with just the three of us, it seemed like as good a time as any to bring up what Master Merry had said.
"Mr. Frodo, sir," I said, "we was wondering, Master Merry and me, whether you might like to try some more o'that foreign food. When Kalil says you're up to it, o'course. We was thinking since you liked that sweet rice so good, maybe there's other things you'd like too."
His whole face lit up like the sun coming out after a rainstorm. "Oh! I *would* like that. Very much, actually."
I looked up at Kalil. "What d'you think? Is there anything they make here he could have, something that wouldn't hurt him, but - a change, so to speak? I know he's got to be tired of eating the same old thing, 'cause he's liked everything you've made him."
Kalil nodded. "There are some things which would be good. We will start little master with soft, easy foods. Things which should sit well. If he takes them well, we try spicier food." He grinned at me, and all of a sudden I wondered what I'd got myself into. "You try too, little friend. You try new food with him."
Mr. Frodo looked at me then, and laughed, and didn't choke, and it was the most beautiful thing in the world. "You must, Sam!" he said. "We shall have another adventure, and this one far better than the last."
"I can arrange something for tea, and for dinner," said Kalil. "Little master's friends making lunch for him. We leave that alone; shrimp will be good for him. But I talk to the kitchen, and get something nice for tea and dinner."
Well, that sounded good enough to me, and Mr. Frodo looked more interested than I'd seen him in anything for a while, so I was right happy with that.
"Would you like me to read for you, sir?" I asked him. "Or maybe you'd like a nice bath?"
"A bath would be nice," said Mr. Frodo. "Do we still have that soap - sandalwood, I think it was called? I should like to use that."
Kalil stepped out to call down for water, and I checked, and sure enough we had that soap still, so I told Mr. Frodo yes, and then when the water was brought up, and not before, I started getting him out o'his night-shirt and wrapped up in a blanket so we could take him to the tub without him catching a chill. Not that there seemed to be much danger o'that here, as warm as it always felt to me. But I knew Mr. Frodo weren't as strong as me or Master Merry or Master Pippin, so I wrapped him up good, and then Kalil carried him for me and put him in the tub, real gentle. Then Kalil went downstairs to the kitchen while I gave Mr. Frodo his bath.
Quiet it was, so quiet, save for the sounds of people passing in the street below, and the lapping o'the water in the bath-tub now and then. It was real peaceful, and a warm breeze blew in, which Mr. Frodo seemed to like.
"It smells of sunshine," he said.
"I reckon it does indeed, sir. Maybe soon you'll be better enough to lie out there in the sun and soak up all that good daylight."
"I should like that." He bent his head forward for me to wash his hair. "Sam ... do you remember how dark it was in Mordor? How little light there was?"
"I remember, sir." I wet his hair good and poured on some stuff from a little bottle Eowyn had told me was good for washing hair. Then I worked it up into a lather. "There seems to be all kinds o'light here, though. Master Merry and Master Pippin say it's nice out."
"I can taste fruit in the air." He shifted a little in the tub as I rinsed the soap out o'his curls. "It tastes of oranges. And spices, I think. Some sort of spices."
"There's all kinds o'spices here, sir. You wouldn't believe what all. I don't reckon I know 'em all even close."
"Did you enjoy dinner last night?" His voice sounded warm, like he was amused, and when he sat up and let me dry his hair, he was smiling.
"It was good, real good. Strange. But good."
"What did you have to eat?"
The longing in his voice made me so glad I could've danced. "There was some kind o'battered fish on sticks. Them skewer things. And nuts with salt and pepper. And then..." I had to think about it for a minute to remember. "Lamb. It had a kind of sauce, and rice that smelled real good, and mushrooms in a sauce. Poppy seeds and almonds. And there was this flat bread with onion and mint to eat with it. And creamy little things for dessert. Sir, you'd love it. You would've eaten them mushrooms up."
"Mmm. It does sound delicious. Maybe I can get up for dinner eventually. Do you think I could?"
Well, I weren't about to discourage him hoping. "I don't see why not, sir, once you get some o'your strength back. I'd be real glad to sit at a table with you."
"I'd like that, Sam." He smiled from under a mop o'damp curls. "I would."
-to be continued-
I don't want to say too much just yet, but I've had a rush of new ideas for what's ahead in this fic, and I think y'all will REALLY enjoy what's coming several chapters down the road. And no, Frodo is NOT going to die in this fic. :) In fact, he's going to be having several new and exciting small adventures which will delight him, perhaps Sam, and possibly our beloved readers too. :)
Love always,
Febobe :)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Well, that night went a sight better, I reckon, than the one before. Mr. Frodo mostly slept, and though he was still real feverish, he mostly stayed real quiet 'cept for his cough. Lady Eowyn and Kalil took turn about sitting with us and they finally talked me into lying down some time after midnight, and when I woke up Master Merry and Master Pippin had already been downstairs, making creamed mushrooms on toast for all of us, Mr. Frodo included, and bless me if Master Pippin didn't take charge o'getting Mr. Frodo fed, and did a right nice job o'that too.
"Pippin heard that they have fresh shrimp at the market," Master Merry explained to me while Mr. Frodo was eating, "and he's sent someone to buy the best they can find. He thinks that might perk Frodo's appetite up a little; remember how he always liked them in Minas Tirith?"
I never did know quite how I felt about them shrimp things, since I'd seen 'em before their legs and heads and all got taken off, and even then, with the tails, they still didn't look like nothing I'd want to put in my mouth, but Mr. Frodo, true enough, had been right fond o'them. I didn't know about giving him something like that when he was so poorly, but he had to eat something, and I'd a'given my right arm to see him interested in food like he used to be. So I nodded.
"Might as well. I don't know how he'll take to 'em now, but it can't hurt to try."
"Pippin knows how they fried them in Minas Tirith, the way Frodo liked them then, and how to make the sauce. And here there are plenty of lemons to serve in wedges with it. That'll be nice." Master Merry patted me on the back. "Don't fret, Sam. We'll help you with him. You don't have to do it alone any more."
Well, I reckon that about set me to snuffling, but I bucked up and tried not to get teary. I'd had to do for Mr. Frodo alone that last part o'the way, and I'd got so used to it that it was hard now to let people help. But Master Merry and Master Pippin were his kin, and I didn't reckon I ought to shut family out, and they'd been brave enough to come with us, now, hadn't they? At least they did care, and that was better than if they didn't.
"I was thinking," Master Merry said, glancing over like he was making sure Mr. Frodo was still busy eating, "that maybe Frodo would show more interest in food if we could start giving him some of what they make here. He always was fascinated by foreign food - remember?"
"I remember, sir." I did. In Rivendell, he weren't that interested in eating, not till Lord Elrond started bringing in dishes that were specialties there, things he hadn't never seen before, and then he got real interested in eating. He'd liked trying new stuff in Minas Tirith, too, like that shrimp, and lobsters too, and sometimes I could get him to eat that when he didn't feel much up to anything else. It was Mr. Frodo's way to be curious about new places and new ways o'doing things. I was used to that by now, so I knew Master Merry had a point.
"Why don't we talk to Kalil about it? He'll have some good suggestions for starters, I'm sure. He came up with that sweet rice with milk last night, and Frodo ate every last bite, I tell you. He even wanted to know could we have it again today. Of course I told him we could. Kalil says it's not so hard to make. He's going to teach me how to make it, and Pippin too, because we'd like to learn."
Well, now, that was promising enough. "I reckon it couldn't hurt."
Once we all got breakfast finished up, I told Master Pippin and Master Merry to go on down to the kitchen and check on them shrimp, and see what was what, since it'd be lunchtime before we knew it. Kalil had gone out to talk with Faramir and Eowyn, but he came back, so it was just us with Mr. Frodo. Which was fine by me. And with just the three of us, it seemed like as good a time as any to bring up what Master Merry had said.
"Mr. Frodo, sir," I said, "we was wondering, Master Merry and me, whether you might like to try some more o'that foreign food. When Kalil says you're up to it, o'course. We was thinking since you liked that sweet rice so good, maybe there's other things you'd like too."
His whole face lit up like the sun coming out after a rainstorm. "Oh! I *would* like that. Very much, actually."
I looked up at Kalil. "What d'you think? Is there anything they make here he could have, something that wouldn't hurt him, but - a change, so to speak? I know he's got to be tired of eating the same old thing, 'cause he's liked everything you've made him."
Kalil nodded. "There are some things which would be good. We will start little master with soft, easy foods. Things which should sit well. If he takes them well, we try spicier food." He grinned at me, and all of a sudden I wondered what I'd got myself into. "You try too, little friend. You try new food with him."
Mr. Frodo looked at me then, and laughed, and didn't choke, and it was the most beautiful thing in the world. "You must, Sam!" he said. "We shall have another adventure, and this one far better than the last."
"I can arrange something for tea, and for dinner," said Kalil. "Little master's friends making lunch for him. We leave that alone; shrimp will be good for him. But I talk to the kitchen, and get something nice for tea and dinner."
Well, that sounded good enough to me, and Mr. Frodo looked more interested than I'd seen him in anything for a while, so I was right happy with that.
"Would you like me to read for you, sir?" I asked him. "Or maybe you'd like a nice bath?"
"A bath would be nice," said Mr. Frodo. "Do we still have that soap - sandalwood, I think it was called? I should like to use that."
Kalil stepped out to call down for water, and I checked, and sure enough we had that soap still, so I told Mr. Frodo yes, and then when the water was brought up, and not before, I started getting him out o'his night-shirt and wrapped up in a blanket so we could take him to the tub without him catching a chill. Not that there seemed to be much danger o'that here, as warm as it always felt to me. But I knew Mr. Frodo weren't as strong as me or Master Merry or Master Pippin, so I wrapped him up good, and then Kalil carried him for me and put him in the tub, real gentle. Then Kalil went downstairs to the kitchen while I gave Mr. Frodo his bath.
Quiet it was, so quiet, save for the sounds of people passing in the street below, and the lapping o'the water in the bath-tub now and then. It was real peaceful, and a warm breeze blew in, which Mr. Frodo seemed to like.
"It smells of sunshine," he said.
"I reckon it does indeed, sir. Maybe soon you'll be better enough to lie out there in the sun and soak up all that good daylight."
"I should like that." He bent his head forward for me to wash his hair. "Sam ... do you remember how dark it was in Mordor? How little light there was?"
"I remember, sir." I wet his hair good and poured on some stuff from a little bottle Eowyn had told me was good for washing hair. Then I worked it up into a lather. "There seems to be all kinds o'light here, though. Master Merry and Master Pippin say it's nice out."
"I can taste fruit in the air." He shifted a little in the tub as I rinsed the soap out o'his curls. "It tastes of oranges. And spices, I think. Some sort of spices."
"There's all kinds o'spices here, sir. You wouldn't believe what all. I don't reckon I know 'em all even close."
"Did you enjoy dinner last night?" His voice sounded warm, like he was amused, and when he sat up and let me dry his hair, he was smiling.
"It was good, real good. Strange. But good."
"What did you have to eat?"
The longing in his voice made me so glad I could've danced. "There was some kind o'battered fish on sticks. Them skewer things. And nuts with salt and pepper. And then..." I had to think about it for a minute to remember. "Lamb. It had a kind of sauce, and rice that smelled real good, and mushrooms in a sauce. Poppy seeds and almonds. And there was this flat bread with onion and mint to eat with it. And creamy little things for dessert. Sir, you'd love it. You would've eaten them mushrooms up."
"Mmm. It does sound delicious. Maybe I can get up for dinner eventually. Do you think I could?"
Well, I weren't about to discourage him hoping. "I don't see why not, sir, once you get some o'your strength back. I'd be real glad to sit at a table with you."
"I'd like that, Sam." He smiled from under a mop o'damp curls. "I would."
-to be continued-