Young Frodo
by Overlithe
Part 9 Surviving Parenthood
Master Beriac Brandybuck was the best healer in Buckland. He had cared
for all the most prominent hobbits in the area and Drogo trusted
him. The two rushed into and through Brandyhall. They did
not slow as they came through the door but Drogo froze as he entered
and saw his wife sitting cradling Frodo. The child hung limply
from her arms his breathing shallow and rapid. His skin was
flushed in his face and his chest but his arms and legs were a blotchy
odd color. Primula had tears in her eyes and looked to the healer
pleadingly. “I..I don’t know what to do for him, please help him
Beriac!”
He
took the child from her arms and quickly placed him on the bed to
examine him. After a few moments he turned Drogo and Primula,
“his fever is very high! I’ll need a basin of very warm water
first of all we must get this fever down. Drogo get the water.
Primula you will tell me exactly what happened.”
Primula gathered he wits and sat on the bed stroking Frodo’s
hair. “He awoke screaming as if in pain. He is always so
quiet we knew something was amiss. I picked him up and noticed
the fever. I tried to feed him to calm him and then he
vomited. After Drogo left he kept crying then all of a sudden he
tensed up his whole body was rigid. He stopped crying after that
but his skin was even warmer and he has been limp and lifeless
since.” With those final words she began to cry. “What is
wrong with him doctor?”
“Now
Primula, He is quite ill but it is probably naught than a cold with a
high fever. A high fever can cause all the things you have said.”
Beriac patted her on the shoulder.
Drogo returned with the basin, “Why do we want hot water if he has a fever?”
Beriac began to lightly sponge down Frodo as he patiently answered the
worried parents’ questions. The water feels hot to you and I but
to little Frodo here whose body is very hot it would feel like being
dropped into a bucket of cold water. We want to cool him with out
causing him to shiver. If he shivers his fever will get higher.”
Drogo nodded in understanding it made perfect sense. “I’m sorry
for asking so many questions”, he said. And shrugged his shoulders I
guess we are a bit excitable over Frodo.
“How long has the child had this rash?” Beriac asked in
alarm. Primula leaned closer, “What rash!” she asked. “Here on
his back and under his arms?” “It’s new, it was not there when I
bathed him and put him to bed tonight.” Primula was sure of this she
always paid close attention to Frodo’s skin it was so sensitive she
needed to keep and eye on him for irritations. His skin had been
its beautiful flawless, milky white earlier.
“Perhaps he has the pox then the rash oft shows up as the fever comes
on.” Beriac was thinking aloud more than speaking to anyone.
“POX, oh no! What is pox?”
“It is usually a fever and an itchy rash and about 2 weeks of
quarantine. I am sorry but none of you can leave your rooms until
I am sure what exactly this is.”
“But will Frodo be alright?” Primula looked at her son as he lay now on
the bed. He had come too while he was being sponged and now was
lying quietly looking at the stranger who was touching him.
Primula couldn’t help but smile at him he looked quite bedraggled
flushed yet he smiled and cooed at his mum.
“Aye, Prim he’ll be fine the high fever lasts a few days then it just
the rash. Mind you’ll have to keep the fever down with these
frequent sponge baths and keep him from a chill but he’ll be fine in no
time at all.”
Primula released a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding and
looked at Drogo. She wondered how she would ever survive
parenthood. Drogo Baggins remained in the corner of the room
where he had backed himself for support. He shook his head to
clear it. Had he heard correctly? Frodo would be fine? It did not
seem that it was possible a deep sense of foreboding remained in his
mind. He had seen a thing he could not explain. A waking dream it
felt to be. As he had stood looking at his sons pale form on the
bed he had seen him a full grown hobbit. It was obviously his
beautiful son; there was no other like him. He lay on a great bed
with carved headboard and he was near death. The vision passed
and he tried to dismiss the uneasiness but tears crept from his
unblinking eyes. His son would survive for now.
part 10 Scandalous News
Little Frodo recovered with out incident from his first illness. With
in a week of the frightful night the fever was gone and after three
weeks no trace of the ailment remained. Frodo was again his
glowing and playful self and in his parent’s eyes perfect.
The Yule had come and gone whilst the little family was confined to
their home. Pox was not a dangerous disease but no one desired to
cause an epidemic. Several other youngsters in Brandyhall had
also come down with the uncomfortable disease but a wide spread
outbreak had been averted.
It was a cold winter and most of the inhabitants of Buckland remained
inside the hall. It was one of the truly wonderful things about
living in Brandyhall. The community was enclosed but the quarters
were large. One could move about freely meeting with others in
the common room and yet retreat to the quiet when need be. Of
course it was also a hot bed for gossip and everyone usually knew each
other’s business.
Primula had been out with Frodo when she heard the rumors and though
she was pleased it was a bit of a surprise. Her dear cousin
Esmeralda Took was in pursuit of a husband. She was about to come
of age and evidently she had her eyes set on a specific lad.
Primula was not surprised at all to know that her cousin intended on
finding a husband. Esmeralda was a vibrant and commanding lass
and she would be a fine wife. The news was scandalous however for
she had set her sights on the Master of Buckland’s eldest son Saradoc
Brandybuck. Saradoc was all of 28 years old and her own nephew.
Primula was decidedly upset to learn that she was being blamed for the
match. She tried to recall Esme’s last visit it was before Frodo
had been ill. Before that she had visited for the funeral and
stayed on to help with Frodo. They had discussed many things
during that time including the unimportance of age in a marriage.
She had thought they were discussing her own marriage as Drogo was 18
years her senior. She hadn’t realized she was giving information
on how to snare a younger lad. Primula shook her head, “What is
that lass up too.”
Primula arrived back at her rooms and sat down by the hearth in the
rocker. Frodo was hungry and was beginning to fuss. She had
ignored his earlier attempts to get her attention but there was no
ignoring the hungry Baggins any longer. She smiled down at her lovely
child his big blue eyes staring at her. His arms waved around as
he struggled to gain control of his limbs and touch his Mum. Primula
captured his little fingers between her lips and made funny noises
prompting a laugh from Frodo. She released his hand and arranged
herself for his feeding. Then there was no sound but Frodo’s soft
rhythmic breathing and the contented noises he made as he nursed.
Primula was left to contemplate the rumors and found that she hoped
they were true. Saradoc and Esmeralda would be a perfect
match. Also it would be nice to have another Took about the place
and Esme was a wonderful friend. Really there could be no better
match she thought but she was sure she would soon be hearing from her
brother the present master of the Hall. Primula chuckled aloud
shaking her head wondering how she had gotten stuck in the middle of
the two most powerful people in the Shire. Her laugh disturbed
Frodo and she watched as he frowned his eyes closed he was nearly
asleep yet again. “Well my little Baggins things are about to get
interesting around here. Just you wait and see.” She stroked his
soft short curls and bent to kiss his nose. And he slept.
