CHAPTER 6

Pimpernel sat in the chair by her brother’s bed, and studied him. She could see the scars on his wrists, where his arms lay outside the blankets. She’d seen most of his scars by now. They still troubled her mightily. She wondered if there would be outward scars from this injury.

Pippin blearily opened his eyes to see her sitting next to him. He blinked. “Pimmie?”

She looked at him sadly. “Hullo, Pippin. How are you?”

“I’ve been worse.”

She shuddered. She hated to think that while he was gone this little brother of hers had been hurt nigh unto death. He was so casual about it.

And now he was casual about this. But she could not be.

“Peregrin, I have to thank you--” she started.

He sighed. “No, you don’t, Pimmie. I did what I did. I didn’t even think about it. But I wouldn’t let harm come to Milo or Tanto. They are family; no thanks is involved.”

“But--” she stopped; she did not even know how to express what seemed to her the most dreadful thought. If he had not acted, she would be mourning her husband now, yet the knowledge that he had been a willing sacrifice to stop that ate at her. What if he had died instead of merely being injured? How would she have faced her husband every day knowing that he was there at the cost of her brother’s life? She shook her head and tried again. “But Pippin, how can I not thank you? This is a bit more than just taking the blame for me when I broke Mother’s best mirror. This was a matter of life and death!”

Pippin sighed. It was hard to see his sister so upset. He wished she would just be happy that everyone was alive, and leave it at that.

“Pimmie, don’t you understand? I can’t not react when someone is in danger. And think of the alternative. How do you think I would feel today if I had *not* acted, and just stood there? I’d be watching you and Vinca bury your husbands and have to live for the rest of my life with the knowledge that I could have done something and didn’t?”

Pimpernel was taken aback. She had not thought of it from that point of view. “Oh, Pippin!”

“I am just glad that I had the training that allowed me to act quickly. And I’m not killed, I’m just injured. I’ll be right as rain in a few weeks, you’ll see.” He gave her a smile that was a sweet reminder of the little lad he once had been. “I’m a Knight of Gondor, Pimmie, and I’m glad I can live up to that at home as well as in Minas Tirith.”

There was a tap on the door. “Come in,” Pippin called.

The door opened to admit Pervinca and Tanto. Pippin sighed. It looked as though he would have to have this whole conversation over again. And probably at least one more time with Milo. He supposed it was inevitable. But sometimes gratitude was more of a burden than a blessing. He began to understand how Frodo felt sometimes. He wished Merry were here. Merry could always find the witty remark that would lighten the mood.

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Diamond knocked on the door of Reginard Took’s apartment. This was a patient she had come to enjoy checking on.

The door was opened by an attractive lass a bit older than she. It was Reggie’s oldest daughter. “Good morning, Amethyst. Is Opal awake?”

“Yes, Diamond, she is. She’s up and dressed. Let me tell her you are here.”

Opal’s face lit up to see Diamond. The two lasses had struck up a firm friendship. Diamond had never known Opal before the accident that had cost her a leg, and so had never met the petulant spoiled brat that she once had been. And Opal’s ambition to become a healer herself gave them even more in common. Mistress Lavender and Mistress Poppy both felt that with determination, Opal’s handicap should be no bar to her goal.

She sat down and took both of Opal’s hands in hers and looked at her. “Is something troubling you?”

“Garnet told me of what happened to Pippin. How bad is it?” She felt quite worried, for the broken leg she had suffered had been so bad that they had no choice but to take it off; she dreaded the idea that her cousin might face a similar fate.

“No, no!” Diamond was quick to reassure her. “It was a clean break and should mend.”

“Well, that’s a relief! Do you suppose he’d mind if I visited? I know how dismal he must be!”

“I’m sure he would welcome a visit from you, if you feel up to walking that far--” for Opal was still learning to use crutches and tired easily. “--but he does not seem terribly dismal. I think he is grateful not to have been hurt more seriously.” She turned Opal’s hand over, and then took her wrist to take her pulse. Then she took from her neck the silk cord, from which dangled a heart that had been carved of some dark and finely grained wood. It had been the pendulum that had belonged to her Aunt Jewel, and was her most prized possession. She dangled it over Opal’s legs. The right leg, which ended just below the knee, seemed to be doing well, as far as she could tell from the patterns. Her left leg, which had also been broken in the same accident, however, was showing some residual pain.

“You’ve been overcompensating, haven’t you?” she asked her patient.

“Well,” said Opal, with a rueful laugh, “when you’ve only the one to stand on, it’s hard not to put too much weight on it.”

“Opal, dear, that’s what the crutches are for.” She reached over to where the crutches leaned on the wall and handed them to Opal. “Here, let me see you use them.”

She watched Opal raise herself up only a bit awkwardly. It was amazing how far she had come in the last few months. Then her patient walked a few steps from the chair to the bed and back. She sat back down.

Diamond looked a bit puzzled. Something was not quite right, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “I think maybe the crutches are wrong somehow, Opal. I’m going to have Mistress Lavender take another look at you. I’m not experienced enough to be sure, but I think perhaps the crutches are the wrong size.”

“That’s possible. They were the only pair of crutches to be found in all the mathom rooms; I’m sure that they were probably meant for a hobbit a bit taller than I.” She laughed.

“I will definitely speak to Mistress Lavender. You will probably need to have a pair made for you.” She stood to go. “I’ll see you again soon, dear. I need to go check on a couple of other patients.”

“Well, give Cousin Pippin my regards when you see him again, please!”

“I will.”

From the family quarters, Diamond went to the servant’s wing--there were two other patients there: one of the kitchen lasses had burnt her arm on hot grease a couple of days before. She had to check on the burn and change the dressing. And one of the undergardeners had put his back out when he tried to shift a rock without bending his knees. He was dismayed to find he was going to have to remain in bed for a few more days, and tried to argue about it, but Diamond was firm with him. She would mention this to her mistress. Mistress Lavender would make sure that the head gardener did not allow him back to work before he had healer’s permission.

Then she went to one of the smaller kitchens, and helped herself to some elevenses. She mulled over in her mind her report for her mistress; this was only about the third time she had been allowed to see all the patients alone, and she wanted to get it right. After she reported, then she wondered what Mistress Lavender would have her to do? Would she send her to watch after Pippin again? There was definitely something interesting about him. She wondered if she could coax him into telling her some of his travels.

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Frodo and Sam arrived just before elevenses. They had insisted that Merry take his own meal with his aunt and uncle, and that he should have a nap afterward. He’d argued a bit, but Eglantine backed them up. She knew her nephew would wear himself out tending her son if she was not firm with him.

“Hullo, Mr. Pippin,” said Sam.

“Good morning, you young rascal,” said Frodo. “Are you feeling any better?”

“No complaints,” said Pippin.

“Don’t try that on me, dearest.” Frodo looked at him sternly.

Pippin wilted under his cousin’s fond gaze. “All right, if you insist on knowing, it hurts like the billy-o! And I’m glad you two are here, because I need to, well, you know…” So Frodo and Sam assisted him to relieve himself, and then settled him back down.

“You know, a broken leg does hurt a lot worse than a broken foot. But it’s nice not having broken ribs to go along with it. Though my knee is hurting me, too.”

“Let me see, Pip!” Frodo looked at the knee above the splint. It was a bit inflamed. “It looks a bit red and swollen, to me.” Pippin had suffered a dislocated knee at the Battle of the Black Gate, in addition to his many other injuries. Unlike most of his other wounds however, the knee still bothered him occasionally. “Sam, would you go across the hall and see if the healer is there. I think she should take a look.”

Sam nodded and quickly went out, and just as quickly returned with Mistress Lavender.

She examined the swollen area. “Yes. It looks like the new injury has definitely aggravated the old. It’s nearly time for another dose of willow-bark anyway, so I’ll increase the amount to help the inflammation.” Pippin made a face, but did not otherwise complain. “I’ll make up a salve for it as well.”

“Thank you, Mistress Lavender,” said Frodo. 

“Thank you for bringing it to my attention.” She turned to Pippin. “As for you, young Peregrin, there is such a thing as not complaining enough. You need to let your healers know about any pains that grow worse, or are different. There is a difference between being brave and being silly.”

Frodo and Sam laughed. “Where have we heard those words before, Mr. Frodo?”

“Well, not those *exact* words, but I think I heard several variations on the theme from our King from time to time.”

Pippin chuckled. “I seem to remember hearing similar words to *you* cousin, from Lord Elrond as well!”

Lavender’s ears twitched. She had heard several times about the King, from Poppy, but-- “Who was Lord Elrond?”

Frodo smiled. “Elrond Half-elven, Lord of Rivendell. He is a great healer, perhaps the greatest in the world, and he saw to the King’s training.”

Lavender’s eyes grew wide. No wonder Poppy wanted to learn from this King. The marvels of Elven healing were only a distant memory in the Shire, hints of wonders barely mentioned in the oldest of medical texts, and even then only saying “it is said that once upon a time”. And then she wondered something else: the greatest healer in the world, and he had treated Frodo Baggins? There was a story there, to be sure!

Just then a maidservant arrived with Pippin’s elevenses, again bringing enough so that his visitors could enjoy the meal with him.

“I will go and see to the making of that salve, and leave you to your meal.” Lavender left, as Sam began to dish up the plates, and Frodo poured the tea.

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Lavender was working on the salve when Diamond returned to the room to make her report. She listened intently to her apprentice. The report was thorough, but concise.

“Very good, Diamond. You did well indeed. I believe you may be correct about Opal’s crutches. I will go along there tomorrow to check for myself. Her father can easily afford to have some new ones made just for her. The old ones were used simply as a matter of convenience, in order to save time. And I will have a word with the head gardener as well. I mean to do that anyway; he should teach his helpers to lift heavy things properly, so that things like that don‘t happen.” She finished mixing the salve, and put it into a small jar. “I’d like you to take this and use it on Peregrin’s left knee. His new injury has inflamed the old one.”

“Yes, Mistress Lavender.” Diamond took the jar and went across the hall to Pippin’s room. The three had finished their meal, and Frodo was perched at the foot of Pippin’s bed, while Sam was in the chair beside it. The dirty dishes had all been neatly piled on the trolley to be returned to the kitchen later.

“Hullo, Diamond!” said Pippin, brightening visibly when she came into the room.

“Mistress Lavender sent me to apply this salve, Pippin.” She turned to draw the covers away, in order to see his knee, and so missed his rosy blush.

“Do you want us to leave, Miss Diamond?” asked Frodo.

“Oh, no, this will only take a moment.” She gave him a smile which revealed her dimples again, and Pippin’s heart gave a flutter. “By the way,” she said to Pippin, “your cousin Opal sends her greetings.”

“That’s very kind of her,” he answered absently. He was noticing that the way she had her hair pinned up left little curls to escape around her ears.

She had a very pretty neck, as well.

Pippin’s eyes grew wide as her cool smooth fingers began to massage the ointment into the painful area around his knee. Then they rather glazed over, and he smiled foolishly. This was bliss, this was. He hoped that she would never stop.

Frodo saw his reaction, and studiously avoided meeting Sam’s eyes. After what Merry had revealed it was all they could do not to burst out laughing. If they once looked at one another, all was lost.

In only a moment, Diamond had finished.

Pippin sighed. “Is that all?” he asked, in a disappointed tone.

“The medicine should start working shortly. I think your knee will feel better soon.” She gave a farewell nod to Frodo and Sam, and left. Pippin was crestfallen. Then he noticed how Frodo and Sam were acting and saw the amused expressions on their faces.

“Merry told you, didn’t he?” He frowned. It wasn’t like Merry to break a confidence, even an unspoken one.

“Actually, no,” said Frodo, “he just confirmed my guess, so don’t go blaming him.”

“I suppose everybody in the world knows by now,” he said bitterly.

“It’s not that bad Mr. Pippin,” said Sam helpfully. “I don’t think Miss Diamond knows.” He stifled a chortle at the young Took‘s indignant expression. Mr. Pippin had teased him enough about Rosy, now he’d get a bit of his own back.

“If I had something in my hand right now, Sam, I’d throw it at you!” Pippin responded crossly.

“Take it easy, Pip,” said Frodo. “It’s early days yet. I believe you’ll find that your Tookish charm won’t fail.”

Pippin looked at him hopefully. “Do you mean it, Frodo?”

“I wouldn’t say so if I didn’t, dearest.”

Pippin lay back against his pillows contentedly. If Frodo said it, it had to be so.

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