Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien.

And So, the Battle Begins

Chapter 2

It was sometime after the midday meal that Aragorn had gone to his foster father's room for advice as to what the latest disease the Ring-bearer could have contracted. He described how the bald spot on Frodo's head was circular, crusty, but seemingly not irritating to the hobbit as he denied any frequent itching in that area, but admitted it did from time to time. "He did not even know that he was missing any hair and very insulted when it was insinuated that he did not wash regularly," the Ranger smiled as he remembered the appalled look coming from those overly large blue eyes.

"Yes, they are meticulous when it comes to their overall appearance and grooming habits," Lord Elrond said nodding his head in agreement.

The Lord of Imladris, dressed in flowing white robe with gold filigree, was standing at a pedestal that held up an old, but well kept thick book. It's binding was white with vellum pages that had yellowed over the years. Aragorn recalled the same book Ada had used many a times when it came to ailments of Man. He was always referring to it whenever the young Estel had come back from an excursion with his brothers bearing red hives, or the time he was very sick and blisters popped up all over his body.

"Ah, I think I may have what ails our young hobbit," Elrond announced, his brows crunched together as he read the symptoms off,"crusty...mmhmm, ring...mmhmm...broken hair roots...mmhmm. Here we go. The remedy. Mix one tablespoon of molded cheese, combine with...boil it down to liquid...and..." Lord Elrond's face went ashen as he read the last instructions to himself.

Strider did not like it when his foster father became quiet, especially when reading from that book. It always meant horrible news for the recipient of the medicine. He had to know, though, if not for Frodo's sake, for his. "Ada, what is the matter?" he inquired moving closer to Lord Elrond and the book of remedies.

The Lord of Imladris pointed at the page so that his foster son may read, backing up, rubbing his temples as if he were anticipating a strong headache.

The Ranger's finger followed down the list of ingredients, including administration and the duration the patient must take the medication to be effective. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no!" Estel exclaimed as he too backed away from the book, brooking himself against a shelf for the worse migraine he was ever going to have.

"Cousin!" Merry chirped as he entered Frodo's and Sam's room. "I have heard the news. You have a bug growing in you!"

"Not just a bug, Merry, Aragorn said it was a worm!" Pippin chimed in, jumping onto his elder cousin's bed finding the edge of the quilt and exposing Frodo to the rest of the world. "Let me see?"

"Go away," Frodo said, grabbing his covers back over his head.

Sam could put up with a lot of antics coming from his master's cousins, but did not take kindly them saying that Frodo had bugs growing in him. "Now, you two just go on about your business and stop rustling up your cousin. Can't you see he's not havin' a good day."

"He never has anymore good days, Sam. Not since..." Pippin trailed off as he realized he stuck his foot in his mouth.

"Way to go there," Merry said making Pippin feel smaller than he already was.

"No, it is all right, Merry," the gentle hobbit said, pushing the covers back off his face, gathering his youngest cousin into his arms. "Do not worry, Pip, I know you did not mean anything by it," Frodo whispered into Pippin's ear, patting his back.

"Whoa! You are almost as bald as a babe's behind!" Pippin said as he got a good view at the back of Frodo's head. Being the curious hobbit that he was, the shireling brought his finger up to the spot, wanting to see what it felt like.

"PEREGRIN TOOK!" came Gandalf's boisterous voice, busting even a deaf hobbit's eardrum.

Pippin's head whipped around, hands quickly jerking back from Frodo's head to rest on his cousin's weskit, clutching at the fabric.

"Sorry, lad, but sometimes your inquisitiveness gets you more than you bargain for. You do not want to be infected as well?" Gandalf questioned, his eyes softening as he approached the Ring-bearer's bedside.

"Ew," his face squinting as if he had just been given Castor oil, waving his hands in front of him," bugs growing in me, no thanks. You can keep your worm to yourself, cousin. No hard feelings," the rascally cousin joked, hopping down from the bed to stand by Merry.

Merry had backed off the bed after he had come back to his senses at Gandalf's entrance, deciding that the second safest place for him would probably be behind Sam.

Frodo's face fell as if he had been left on his own to fight off a Barrow-wight, which he did quite well he reminded himself, wondering what Gandalf was fussing about now.

Seeing the distress upon the young hobbit's face, Gandalf proceeded to explain. "Frodo does not have a bug or worm," staying off Pippin's protest, "but a type of fungus. They call it Ringworm, because it forms a circle under the skin. It is highly contagious if not treated."

'Uh, oh' Sam thought to himself. Here it comes. The real reason Gandalf was sent in here. Sam backed up into Merry who also seemed to realize that it was going to get mighty crowded in this large space and quick.

At that same instant, Aragorn and Lord Elrond entered the chambers, with Lord Elrond bearing a tray laden with one medium sized brown earthenware bottle.

Frodo's eyes widened when he had seen how big the bottle was, watching the Lord of Imladris approach the side table, relieving himself of the small burden.

"Frodo," Lord Elrond addressed, "we have prepared the medicine you need to take," raising his eyebrows eying the hobbit. Then he uncorked the bottle pouring a small amount of a thick orange pungent smelling fluid onto a spoon and held it to the Ring-bearer's mouth.

Merry could smell the foul-smelling medicine from here and anticipated a problem if this Man, Wizard and Elf thought in the least they were going to get him to swallow that, they were going to have a fight on their hands. He smiled.

"Um, cousin," Merry stuttered stubbing his toe into cement, "Pip and I, well, we just remembered that...we have to GO!" Merry burst out, grabbing onto his cousin's wrist, closing the door behind them as they disappeared into the hallway.

Frodo stared blankly at his cousin's act of desertion. Traitors, he mumbled, his arms crossed in front of his chest, the spoon still lingering in front of his face.

"Well, Master Baggins?" Lord Elrond asked.

The gentle hobbit thought he had better get it over with. At least it was just this one spoonful. Sighing, he closed his eyes, opening his mouth hoping that the concoction did not taste as bad as it smelled. He felt the spoon sit on his tongue as his lips closed over it, the utensil extracted quickly.

Aragorn stood rigid, watching the hobbit's face as he imagined Frodo letting the medicine sit on his tongue instead of swallowing it quickly down. The eyelids that were once closed, popped opened eyes as big as blue saucers. The nose scrunched up in disgust as his alabaster skin slowly turned a shade of green. Recognizing that all too familiar look, Estel wasted no time as he took one step back as the contents in the hobbits mouth spewed out like a water fountain covering the bed linen, Lord Elrond's and Gandalf's robes, and poor Sam.

The Ring-bearer was doubled over spatting out what medicine lingered on his tongue. He needed water and now. Crawling to the other side of his bed, his shaking hand managed to pour the water from the pitcher into his cup, emptying its contents into his mouth. Taking a few moments to regain his composure, Frodo finally lifted his head, leering at his so called friends.

"Well," Lord Elrond said wiping his hands with a handkerchief he produced from a hidden pocket within his robes, "it seems that we must try it again," he proclaimed turning to pour another spoonful of medicine for the Ring-bearer to take.

Frodo's eyes widened his mouth going dry,"Oh, no! I can go bald. I am not taking that again!" the Ring-bearer refused, holding his ground, arms folded in defiance.

Lord Elrond had never had to show any authority in his own house. It was a given respect. Even his own children did not treat him this way. Taking a deep breath, he tried another tactic with the stubborn Ring-bearer. "Master Baggins, I have all night and as you see plenty of the tonic ready at my disposal. So, you can act your age and take your medicine the easy way, or..." He hated threats. He really did, but these hobbits had put his house into turmoil more times than he cared to count, "Or we can go another route," putting the fear of Elbereth into Bilbo's cousin.

Sam noticed his master's demeanonr change quite quickly, lowering his arms, as his face fell. But something in those eyes as he witnessed the blue orbs scanning his surroundings made him think twice.

"All right, just let me have another glass of water first?" he asked as he held up his cup.

"I see that you have come to your senses, my lad," Gandalf said as he retrieved the pitcher of water and poured its contents into the cup.

Slowly, Frodo put it to his lips and after taking a few sips, nodded that he was ready.

Aragorn had a feeling that this was going too easy, but maybe he had misjudged the hobbit.

As soon as Lord Elrond closed in the distance between the spoon and Frodo's mouth, a small hand came up from nowhere, knocking the spoon and its contents onto Elrond's robes, as the cupful of water splashed Gandalf in the face.

Yep, I misjudged him the Ranger said to himself as the sneaky shireling crawled out of reach of searching hands, leaping off the bed, headed toward the door.

Frodo had just a few more Man sized feet to go before he reached freedom. Just as he grasped the doorknob, a force snatched the squirming Ring-bearer off his feet, carrying him back to the bed restraining his arms across his chest.

"Let me go, Aragorn! Let me go!" Frodo yelled out, kicking out into the air.

The Elf had recovered his composure long enough to pour another spoonful of medicine. Turning around he strode over to the semi restrained halfling.

Sam did not know what to make of this situation, but they knew best he supposed. He excused himself quietly and quickly. He would have to deal with his master's wrath soon enough.

Outside the door, Sam ran into the cousins that had taken off earlier, deserting his cousin.

"I see our cousin is taking his medicine well?" Merry inquired as he heard thuds and bangs coming from behind the closed door.

"You should know better, Merry," Pip said, "leaving Frodo in the hands of those Big Folk. He..." Pip stopped as a voice yelled out, followed by their cousins voice reciting words in Elvish obviously not thanking them. A sly grin crossed the youngest cousin's face. "He's holding his own."

"You hold his mouth, he bit me!" Gandalf bellowed.

Frodo had gotten loose as he kicked at the medicine, hitting his intended target, again soaking Elrond with the Orange liquid.

The Ranger tackled the Ring-bearer who feigned hurt, holding his hurt shoulder letting out a yelp. Fearing that he had really hurt Frodo, he loosened his grip and received a kick in his shins as the hobbit slid out from under him.

Anger getting the better of him, not because of the pain, but because he had been outsmarted, Estel grabbed Frodo's ankles, dragging him across the floor. He then gathered the squirming, kicking body once more into the air, finding his seat on a divan. Taking his strong legs, he crossed them over the little body in scissoring him in. Taking one of his Man sized arms, hugged the Ring-bearer, restraining both arms while having one hand free, forcing open the little mouth.

Realizing the Ranger had the best of him, Frodo's blue eyes teared up as Lord Elrond neared, once again with the horrid liquid.

Looking into those big blue depths, Estel's anger faltered, "I am sorry, Tithen Min, but you have to take it."

Seeing his ploy did not work, the gentle hobbit's face hardened and an Elvish word spurted forth from his mouth.

"Oh, my, such language. I only hope Bilbo washes your mouth out with soap after we got done here!" Strider said, holding tighter upon the stubborn hobbit.

Seeing his chance, the Lord of Imladris shoved the pungent liquid into the small mouth, Aragorn assisted by pinching the lips tightly together after the spoon had been removed to prevent Frodo from spitting it out.

Noticing that the hobbit had not swallowed it yet, long fingers held the nose closed and the other hand stroked the stretched neck, manipulating the muscles to force Bilbo's cousin to down the medicine.

Frodo's body betrayed him, swallowing the liquid. Soon the hands disappeared and the spent hobbit inhaled deeply of the free air he had been denied.

Straightening his back, Lord Elrond pulled at his robes, tucking a strandof hair back behind his pointed ear, he addressed the wearied Ring-bearer, eyes locking, "Now, Master Baggins, we only have one more dose tonight then twice a day for the next six weeks," he stated and at that the Master of the Houses of Healing exited the room without looking back, taking his earthenware bottle with him.

Strider loosened his grip on the Ring-bearer, his arms numb as if he had battled a troop of Orcs, letting the small figure slide to the floor in a heap.

"Most stubborn," was all Gandalf said as he also exited the room in a huff, nursing the thumb that had been bitten.

Frodo sat on the floor like a child would as if he had been scolded after having a tantrum, mulling over his mind the "Or else" statement the Lord of Imladris had just enforced.

tbc