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GamgeeFest's Keepsakes  by GamgeeFest

After Cormallen


9 Astron, 1419 SR



What little energy their restorative sleep had granted Frodo and Sam was gone the morning following the celebration on Cormallen. Aragorn was called to the Ring-bearer’s tent as soon as he awoke. He went with haste and found Frodo and Sam awake but weary.

“Did you not sleep well?” Aragorn asked with concern.

“We’ve done naught but sleep from what Gandalf tells us,” Sam said, a whisper of a smile on his lips. 

“Sam’s feet are bleeding,” Frodo said and ignored Sam’s look.

“And Mr. Frodo’s head is hurting him,” Sam said and crossed his arms. 

The two friends looked at each other then laughed. Aragorn chuckled as well. Tired they may be, but that was only to be expected. Their spirits appeared high, and that was what concerned Aragorn most. He called for hot water to be brought and it was promptly spared from the cooking cauldrons. He set to work crushing the various herbs he kept in the tent for the salves and teas needed. As he worked, he could feel the hobbits watching him.

“You slept well then?” he asked them.

“We did,” Frodo said. “So you’re king now. I never would have expected it when first we met you, our scraggily ranger an heir to the throne of Gondor. How does it feel?”

Aragorn chuckled at Frodo’s description. “I am not yet king, for I have yet to be crowned. That will happen soon enough.” He paused, considering Frodo’s question. “I thought I would relieved for this day to come at last, and indeed I am beyond description  for the Darkness to have passed. I always knew there would be a weight to my burden. I am just now beginning to feel its full measure.”

“You’ll do all right,” Sam said. “At any rate, you can’t do any worse.”

Aragorn laughed outright. Leave it to Sam to put things in perspective. “Indeed I cannot, though I would wish that more could be said of my reign than I ‘didn’t do worse’.” 

Aragorn finished his preparations and went to Frodo first. He massaged his temples, neck and shoulders, easing the tension there, before giving him the medicinal tea to relieve his headache. As Frodo sipped, Aragorn went to Sam and unwound the bindings on his feet. He washed the feet clean with a soft rag before applying more salve and wrapping them with fresh bandages. The feet had bled, but not much. Any pressure Sam put on them for the next few weeks would result in some bleeding. So long as it remained minimal, Aragorn was not concerned.

“There you are lads, good as... well, not new, but certainly not worse.” He grinned. Frodo and Sam laughed heartily. 

“Well we be getting proper clothes, sir?” Sam asked, easing back in bed with a contented sigh as the salve began to numb his feet.

“Yes, you will,” Aragorn said. “The envoy should be arriving within the next couple of days, and they will have clothes for you that should service you until we return to the city. We will find you a taylor once we are there.”

“So until then, we’ll be walking around in naught but our skin?” Frodo asked. Beside him, Sam giggled.

“I’ve asked the soldiers’ wives to see what they can do about getting you some robes, at least. As you won’t be wandering about very much until it is time to depart, robes should suffice you,” Aragorn said and waited for their protests at the unspoken command for them to remain in bed. 

“Very well,” Sam said.

Frodo sighed, his eyes closed. “Well, if we must, we must.” 

Aragorn lifted his eyebrows, more concerned at their lack of protest than anything else so far. The celebration truly had worn them out. He would issue orders that no one, save himself, Gandalf and Merry and Pippin be allowed into the tent, and then visits were to be kept short. Frodo and Sam were still in need of much rest. 

“Rest well, my friends,” Aragorn said. He kissed them each on the brow. “Food will be brought to you shortly. I will check on you at luncheon.”

“Thanks Strider,” Frodo and Sam said as one. 

“The thanks is mine,” Aragorn said, pride filling his heart as he looked up his brave friends. Little in stature they might be, but their spirits were greater than the mightiest of warriors. 

He exited the tent and stepped into a new day, full of light and possibility.



GF 10/3/10





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