febobe

Title: Into the East
Author: Febobe (Frodo Baggins of Bag End)
Rating/Warnings: PG (graphic food descriptions, some occasionally graphic medical angst - NO CANON CHARACTER DEATH. I promise! It may seem at first that I'm headed that direction, but I absolutely guarantee, NO canon characters will be killed off in this fic!)
Summary: After the Quest, Frodo comes down with a serious illness, and journeys to Harad in search of better health.
Characters: Frodo, Sam, Elrond, Eowyn, Faramir, Merry, Pippin, an OC named Kalil (partly in tribute to Claudia's own Khalil), other supporting OCs, appearances by Aragorn and possibly Arwen. Others TBA, if any.
Disclaimer: I do not own and have not created any of J.R.R. Tolkien's work, neither characters nor world nor any of his concepts. I'm just playing in the sandbox, with no ill intent. Original characters, including (but not limited to) Kalil are my own creation, and I would appreciate it if they weren't used without asking. (Unlike Tolkien, I'm not dead!) This fic meets FrodoHealers standards and is free from profanity, sex, and slash.
Notes: Sam lovers, I think this is a fic you'll enjoy, as it strongly features his voice and viewpoint. Frodo lovers, this is definitely a fic you'll enjoy, especially if you're an old-school FrodoHealers fan. Faramir and Eowyn, Merry and Pippin will all have significant roles to play throughout this fic, though it takes a few chapters to get there. Also, please note that I have chosen Indian food for the predominant culinary culture of Harad. I realize that it may well be closer to Middle Eastern cookery, but I wanted to give it a distinctive tie and recognizable flavor, and I chose Indian. No ill will intended if you prefer a different interpretation; just know that this is my interpretation only and I realize it isn't the only potential take on Haradraic food out there. A word about Kalil and the Haradrim: I intend absolutely no disrespect to any culture or language. But the people of Harad would look and seem strange to Sam, Shire hobbit that he is, and more so than the fair-skinned elves and Big Folk he knew well. As for Kalil's language, I realize some people are fluent in multiple languages, but Kalil isn't as fluent as some people. I think he does pretty well myself!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Well, I reckon I sat there and talked about our journey for a solid hour. Kalil brought that milk up for Mr. Frodo and I gave it to him, helping him take slow sips till it was all gone, and then I let Kalil join us for more o'the story. Every now and then Mr. Frodo would put in, and correct me, or add something, and that made me feel better, 'cause at least he seemed to be in his right mind enough to know we was telling the story and not there.

I'd got through the boat and the mountains and Gollum and the Dead Marshes and Ithilien and the rabbit stew and Faramir and his men, all the way up to the part about that awful spider, when Mr. Frodo spoke again, and at first it was so quiet I didn't reckon I could tell what he said, so I apologized and asked him to tell me again.

"I'm...hungry."

Well, if my jaw didn't go straight through the floor that time! "What do you fancy, sir?"

"Nothing...much. Soup, or...some broth...and maybe...more milk...."

I was that afraid to leave him still, so I looked at Merry. "Would you?"

"Of course. I'll be right back."

Eowyn and Kalil got up and went with him, and Faramir stepped out into the hall, and that left me and Master Pippin with Mr. Frodo, and I know I must've been grinning ear to ear, I was that pleased.

"Do you want me to go on, sir? Master Merry's gone to see about getting you something. He'll be back soon."

Mr. Frodo shook his head. "Wait," he said. "When...he's back...go on." He kind of squinted, like he was trying to work out something. "What...time...is it?"

"I don't rightly know, sir. Past midday."

"I think it's nearly tea-time," said Pippin. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." Mr. Frodo shifted position a little. "And thirsty."

I gave him some more water, and he seemed to like that. "Is there anything else I can do for you, sir, to make you feel easier?"

He coughed. "Perhaps some candied ginger, if there's any about."

Well, I knew right where we'd put that, so I got him a bite o'that, and slipped it into his mouth. He sort o'smiled.

"Thank you, Sam.... That's lovely...."

"Just you rest, sir. Master Merry, he'll be back soon, with something good for you."

"I'm sure...."

Well, we sat there, real quiet, till we heard footsteps, and finally Lady Eowyn opened the door and let in Kalil and Master Merry, Kalil with a big tray, and Master Merry looking pleased as punch.

"Hullo, Frodo!" he said, real cheerful. "I've made a soup for for you: lamb and barley, with good vegetables in it. And some toast: there's a market here that sells the sort of bread we like, plain white loaves. I've toasted a bit for you, and cut the crusts off and all. There's rice-pudding, too, and some milk, warmed and sweetened with a bit of honey. And if you feel up to it, I'll cream some mushrooms for your supper later. How does that sound?"

"Lovely, Merry. Sam?"

"Right here, sir." I was already working on his pillows, propping him up so's he could see the tray and so's I could feed him real easy, without him choking. "Now, what d'you want first? That soup smells like it's good and hot. Do you good, sir."

He nodded. "Soup, yes, please."

Kalil set the tray down real easy, and I took the spoon and fed him a little soup, and kept alternating that with sips o'milk, and that seemed to go down easy enough. Merry had cooked everything real tender and soft, so he was able to eat it, and when we finished about half that soup, he decided he'd like a little toast circle, so I fed him one o'those, and then he wanted to try the rice pudding, so I gave him a few spoonfuls o'that till he said he was full, and could he please have the rest o'the milk. He drank that up, and I was right pleased with how he'd done, considering how sick he was. Kalil looked right pleased, too, and I couldn't say as I blamed him.

"Go on," Mr. Frodo said. "Tell the rest of the story. Merry's back."

So I started back up, and Kalil and Eowyn took away the tray, and we sat there talking the rest o'the afternoon.

And not a word about missing tea from anyone. We were all just so happy to see Mr. Frodo eat, I reckon, that nobody cared.

Some things weren't so important after all.

-to be continued-