Chapter 19 – It Never Rains

Penny was having bad dreams. Of what, she was not sure, but she was aware she was restless even as she slept. It felt like she was waking up every five minutes, though of course she was not, and the dreams seemed vivid enough at times that the line between reality and fantasy was blurred. Every now and then she would become fully conscious for a second or two and the thought would flit through her head that she was going to be exhausted in the morning if this carried on. She was also aware at such moments that she was feeling increasingly unwell. Hard to put her finger on exactly, but she was feeling 'icky' and a bit achy.

Mireth murmured words over her every time she noticed Penny stirring and eventually, by the time the other ellith were arriving back from the Meduseld, Penny had passed into a slightly easier sleep.

Not for long, though.

It was the middle of the night when Penny awoke with a start. She felt that horrible sort of clammy dampness about her that meant she had been sweating all over, but that was not her immediate concern.

No, her immediate concern was much more desperate.

She had that arching in the back of her throat, her saliva glands suddenly in overdrive: she knew she was about to throw up at any moment. Not only that, but judging from the violent cramps in her stomach she also needed the latrine and urgently.

She had no time to think. She leapt to her feet, grabbing her blanket and wrapping it round her as she did so, then ran as fast as she could out of the tent.

"Pen-ii?" Mireth sat bolt upright. The other ellith in the tent were just as startled.

There was no answer. Penny, dressed in nothing but an undershift and a blanket, was already steaming over the grass outside at top speed. Eleniel, Arwen and Mireth quickly pulled dresses on over their heads and ran out after her, calling her name.

It was not terribly late, or not as far as elves were concerned who need far less rest than humans. Thus there were still a few small groups of people round the fire chattering, laughing and singing quietly. They all heard the shouting and looked up to see what the matter was. Erestor, Rhimlath, Lindir, Glorfindel and Celebdor were on their feet the moment they heard Penny's name and then saw her racing along as if a horde of orcs were on her tail.

Penny was not sure she was going to make it. She was straining against the stomach-lurching, gagging sensation in her throat. When her blanket caught on a tent-peg she had no time to stop to try and wrench it free. Instead she had to let it fall, clapping her hand to her mouth as she did so, nearly stumbling, desperate to reach her goal before her body completely rebelled against her.

Summer undershifts are made of a thin material and the moon was high and full. As Penny's blanket fell to the ground there was a collective gasp along with several oaths and load exclamations as every ellyn watching turned away at the same time, instinctively shutting their eyes as they did so.

That had been a LOT more of Penny than any of them had ever wanted to see.

One hand grasping her undershift in her hand to stop herself tripping, Penny pelted down the slight slope to the latrine. The onlookers had their hands to their eyes or were squinting slightly, their heads turned away as if unsure of quite where to look. Meanwhile, Penny near enough threw herself behind the latrine screens and immediately started retching loudly and miserably.

Something was clearly very wrong.

Several ellyn started towards the edge of the encampment to see if they could help in any way. As they did so they were overtaken by the three ellith running as fast as their legs could carry them. Lindir held out his hand to stay Eleniel as she hurried past with Penny's fallen blanket.

"No, Lindir, you stay here. We'll see to it. Please, give her some privacy."

He nodded. Penny could just be heard in the distance being very violently ill. The males turned and retreated. Most went back to the fire, suddenly quiet and uneasy, but those who knew Penny well stayed in a small group where they could just see the screens and the trio of ellith talking animatedly outside them. Glorfindel went off to let Elrond know what was happening.

The next hour was amongst the most vile Penny had yet suffered in Middle-earth, or so she decided later.

It was a good job she just made it to the latrine, because the action of her body spasming with each violent retch made sure that her bowels kicked in as well. She had no control over her body, and every few minutes it betrayed her. She was losing any solids or fluids she may have taken in over the last twenty-four hours in the most unpleasant way her body knew how.

Eventually Mireth persuaded Penny to let her come into the latrine, though that had been a battle and a half, with Penny point blank refusing between sobs and retches until they could hear her teeth chattering, and not just from the fresh night air. At which point Mireth had got very forceful indeed, reminding Penny she was a healer and seen pretty much everything in her time. She then took over the situation, helping Penny get out of the old undershift and wrapping the blanket round her to keep her warm since it was clear she could not move for a little while yet. Then she instructed the others to bring a clean undershift and some water.

As Arwen and Eleniel hurried back to the camp, Elrond met them to get an assessment of the situation. Eleniel left Arwen to it while she went to fetch the water, undershift and another blanket in case it was needed. Arwen gave her father the briefest outline of what was happening. She did not need him to tell her this was potentially very serious indeed. At only a slight remove to them both, the other ellyn stood quietly listening to what she was saying. The expressions on their faces said it all.

Penny was in very serious trouble, and they all knew it.

At last Penny's stomach and gut realised there was nothing left to get rid of for the time being and relented. She washed herself (leaves were useless) as best she could, swilled water round her mouth. She tried drinking a little, but regretted it when she more or less brought it straight back up again. Mireth and Eleniel helped her into a clean shift, Arwen wrapped a second blanket round her, and the four walked slowly back to the encampment… or tried to. The first few times they barely got a few feet away from the latrine before Penny had to make a mad dash back into it, but eventually they made it as far as Elrond and the others.

Penny was pale and shivering, her hair lank against her head. It was obvious she was very ill indeed. She barely noticed the group of concerned looking ellyn exchanging glances as they saw her. She just let Arwen, her arm round Penny's shoulder, lead her back to her tent.

Once there they wrapped her in blankets and put her to bed.

Throughout the rest of the night they watched over her as she grew increasingly feverish. At least once Elrond came and murmured quietly over her, ancient lore he had learnt from elves as old as Galadriel herself. Nor was he the only one: several among the healers recited or sang in an attempt to help Penny in any way they knew how.

She could not keep anything down, though they tried to get her to drink a little water. Mostly, though, she needed a chamber pot since she had no time to make it to the latrine each time, even if she had had the energy to get herself there (which she did not by this stage). She felt hugely ashamed and embarrassed at such moments, well aware that others could no doubt hear her even outside the tent thanks to elvish hearing and the complete lack of privacy. At least the other ellith that usually shared the tent had all gone to rest elsewhere or decided to stay up for the night, thus giving Penny some space, and she was grateful for small mercies.

In her more lucid moments, Penny was scared.

If this was something like salmonella…? God, that hospitalised people, didn't it? Even with all the advances of modern medicine, people died of that kind of thing in the twenty-first century, didn't they? What did they have here? A few bits of old twig in water. What sodding use was that?

She felt waves of despair and fear roll over her when she thought about it.

She was going to die. She had come to see Rohan, and it had bloody killed her! She was going to DIE.

Her distress was palpable to any in the tent with her, and not just because they could sense such moments. She would become more restless, try and get up or even speak. She even wept a little at times: from sheer exhaustion, feeling so horribly unwell, the shame of the diarrhoea, but mostly because she was more scared than she had ever been in her life.

"She fears death," Galadriel said quietly to Elrond. She had insisted on coming to see if there was something she could do the moment Elrond had informed her and Celeborn. "This illness is something that even in her time they sometimes cannot cure."

"Indeed." Elrond looked grim. "I have seen such illness carry off many mortals before now." He sighed. "She is young and strong. Let us pray she can fight this."

Just before dawn she was able to keep down a little water, but she seemed strangely reluctant to drink it.

"You must, Pen-ii," Mireth insisted quietly. "You need to replace the water you have lost."

"Boil," was all Penny could manage to croak out.

"What is it, Pen-ii? What do you need? If you are able to keep this down, then I can give you a little medicine." Elrond was kneeling beside her bedroll.

"Boiling kills diseases in water."

Elrond nodded. "I know, Pen-ii. You forget I have long learnt knowledge in this field. All the water we will give you from now on has been boiled and kept separate from any other water. You need not fear."

She muttered her thanks and an apology.

"Do not apologise. It is as well to tell us of anything that you think may help us heal you."

The moment they were sure she was keeping the water down they made her drink a herbal concoction made with miruvor and then, a little later, a paste of berries and herbs. The latter tasted vile – like jam and oregano – but she was assured it was the best thing to deal with stomach bugs.

She sank back to sleep, but not before bringing the jam paste back up again. They would have to try again with it later.

"What are we to do? She cannot travel in such a state and yet we have to leave today if we are to reach Minas Tirith in time."

"We cannot impose upon the Rohirrim to look after her, Ada."

Already tents and awnings were being dismantled, horses readied, bags packed. Dawn had broken and, while they would not be off for a while yet since there was much to be done, a decision had to be made about what to do with Penny. An impromptu meeting was held in Elrond's tent.

"Arwen, you know how ill she is. It is not at all practical for her to come with us, much as I am sure your father would wish her to so that he could keep an eye on her care. In her current state, she would have to stop very frequently for at least a day or two, possibly longer. She would slow us down or else get left far behind." Erestor was trying to be practical.

"She would also find travelling very uncomfortable," Galadriel said quietly. "Any movement is a trial to her: she is wracked with aches and pains."

"The Rohirrim have one or two competent enough healers, and we would leave strict instructions as to how she was to be treated."

"With all respect, Elrond, are you sure that is the wisest of courses?" Lindir looked sceptical. "Besides, I thought the whole point of inviting her to travel with us was so she could see Gondor. At this rate-"

"She could always be sent for once she is recovered," Erestor interjected.

"Lord Elrond, you said yourself we would have to leave instructions with the healers. Would it not be better for her to stay with us who need no such instruction?" Mireth, as one of the chief healers of Imladris and a close friend of Penny's, had been asked to accompany Arwen to this meeting.

"You have seen this place," Arwen added, also addressing her father, "You have heard Elladan and Elrohir talk of it." Arwen gestured at her brothers, both sitting quietly on their father's bedroll listening to the debate swing back and forth. "The Rohirrim are a good and noble people, but their habits…"

Arwen did not finish the sentence. She knew her father understood her meaning.

"That was also what I was referring to," Lindir added quietly.

"I agree." Glorfindel's mellow tones were added to the discussion. "She managed to avoid falling ill in all the time she was in Imladris and while we were travelling. No coincidence, I would suggest."

"I am aware of that," Elrond replied. "In truth I was thinking that one or two of our number would stay with her to make sure she was properly attended to and that things were kept clean."

"As clean as they can be in this place, Ada," muttered Elladan. "There are limits even for the most conscientious of elves."

He gave an involuntary shudder. His elvish sensibilities had been sorely tried by his brief stay with the Rohirrim. It was not an experience he wished to repeat any time soon.

"If it is your decision that Pen-ii stay, then I would happily stay with her," Mireth said. "I know Celebdor would stay with me, and probably Eleniel also." Her tone made it clear, though, that she did not think this would be the best thing to do.

Arwen looked at her father, her eyes pleading. "This place has made her ill. What is to say she will not get worse if she stays here? I realise it will be hard work for her and us dealing with one so ill while we travel, but-"

"There is also the added issue of leaving a sick mortal behind us here amongst a people who are naturally inward-looking and suspicious," Elrohir pointed out. "You do not think that Pen-ii would be looked upon with displeasure? A sick stranger in their midst uninvited?"

"She would be under royal patronage, Elrohir."

"Elrohir makes a fair point, Erestor," Celeborn countered. "I can see the argument on both sides here, but I think we can only take her with us, Elrond. I understand you were trying to make things easy for all concerned, but the risk to her health is too great. You yourself commented on the conditions here in Rohan to me only the other evening, did you not?"

It was true. Elrond's sons had warned him before that first trek up the hill, but even Elrond could not quite believe it till he saw it for himself.

"Compared to some of the peoples in the north-" Elrond began.

"Oh, I think we can all agree they are not the worst of mortals by any means in terms of sanitation and cleanliness. Neither are they up to the standards we elves consider usually acceptable, however."

"Or Pen-ii's standards," Lindir pointed out. "It was one of the things that she shares with us and marks her as different from most mortals I know."

"Oh, indeed. Such things matter as much to her as they do to us." Mireth nodded her head in agreement.

There was a brief silence then as everyone looked to Elrond. His was to be the final decision.

"Can we still reach Minas Tirith in time for midsummer?"

Glorfindel and Erestor nodded.

"If necessary a small group of us can follow slowly behind if we are really losing too much time, Elrond. This is Pen-ii's life we are discussing here. I know you would agree that conditions here might do her more harm than good."

"I am aware of that, Glorfindel. I had thought, given the practical difficulties, that if I left instruction or even one or two elves here with her… But I see now that even that would probably be too much of a risk. However, it may be that we cannot help her even with all our skill. Once such a sickness takes hold, as you all well know, there is little that can be done other than hope the one affected can battle their way to health."

Another silence fell, though for a different reason this time. They all knew the stakes were high and though some of them were perhaps not as attached to Penny in friendship as Lindir or Mireth, it still saddened them to think of any mortal being in this much danger.

"Do I take it that she travels with us, then?" Arwen's voice was very quiet. Elrond crossed over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, looking down into her eyes.

"Yes. It is for the best for her sake. I quite agree with you. Do not fear, Arwen, we shall do all we can for her."

"And we shall get you to Estel in time also." Elrohir smiled and winked, then laughed as his sister flushed a little.

Back in Penny's tent a little later, Arwen was crouched down beside her. She stroked her forehead gently, and Penny opened her eyes blearily and looked up at her.

"I am sorry."

"Do not be so foolish, Pen-ii. You cannot blame yourself for falling ill."

Penny felt so unwell it really was not funny. She was as scared as hell and just could not get warm no matter how many blankets they put on her. Arwen could feel how hot her forehead was beneath her palm.

"Pen-ii, we need to leave today, and you are perhaps too unwell to travel."

Penny immediately focused all her attention on Arwen.

"We considered leaving you here under the care of the Rohirrim. My father would have returned for you on his way North or sent for you from Minas Tirith when you are recovered."

"No!"

Penny struggled to get upright. Mireth tried to get her to lie back down but she would not, though she had little enough strength to sit up. She instead used Mireth's arm to rest on. She had no idea what she had made her ill. It could have been anything: one badly cooked piece of meat, one person's unwashed hands on a piece of fruit or any food item, bugs in the water her system was not used to, the general grottiness and filthiness of the place… Who knew? Whatever the case, Penny was convinced that if she stayed she was highly likely to ingest more of whatever bug it was, or other more virulent bugs that would finish her off even if this one did not.

"You cannot! Please! I will die if I stay here! Please, I beg you!"

"Calm yourself, Pen-ii. I was only explaining that-"

"I am safer with those who can heal, with those who are clean! Please…"

She was aware her travelling in this condition would be a huge pain in the arse for them all, but this was a case of life or death as far as she was concerned.

"Do not fear, Pen-ii. We realise that. You will go with us. I was trying to explain our reasoning, that was all."

Penny sank back down onto her bedroll. Thank God. The effort was huge to talk let alone to try and think this coherently. She nodded.

"I am sorry. Of course."

"You really are too ill to travel, but we feel we cannot leave you here. As you say, you will be better served being in the company of our healers."

'And out of the way of the filth of Rohan,' Penny thought. She glanced at Arwen and suddenly realised that was indeed a large part of the reason.

"We have cared for you this long, Pen-ii. We shall make sure you make it to Minas Tirith." Arwen tried a smile to encourage and reassure her. "You wish to see Gondor, do you not?"

Penny gave her a weak smile in return, but Arwen could see by the expression in her face she was worried if she would even make it that far.

"Do not fear, Pen-ii. You are in the best hands."

Penny knew it, but she still could not stop a tear trickling down her face. The idea that they had even considered leaving her in this hellhole... She was so grateful they had decided against it that she really did not have the words to express it.

She drifted back into a fitful sleep. Her tent was the last to be dismantled so that she could rest and be in privacy until the last possible moment.

The barrels of Rohirric beer Eomer was sending Aragorn as a wedding gift were to be taken in a small cart. The barrels were securely lashed, and a space beside them was made that was big enough for Penny to lie down and one person to sit with her. The provisions that would have taken the space were easily loaded onto horses.

Penny had managed to take the jam and herb mixture, but it was clear a little later on that even if she was no longer vomiting, anything remotely solid was going straight through her. It was not a good sign. Elrond could only hope that they could keep her intake of fluids up and the diarrhoea would not last more than a few days or a week at maximum. Otherwise even his skill might not be enough.

Eomer and Eowyn came to see them off. Both wished Arwen well and hoped her marriage would be happy and blessed. Elladan and Elrohir were given warm farewells by many of the Horse lords before they were allowed to mount their steeds.

Penny was loaded up into the cart, barely able to walk but insisting on trying. Lindir and Celebdor had hold of her on either side and Mireth was waiting in the cart for her. Celebdor jumped up into the cart and grabbed hold of her as Lindir passed Penny up to him as if she were no more than a sack of wheat. Those Rohirrim who spotted it, especially the women, muttered darkly about strangers bringing disease into their midst and it being no bad thing she was leaving, just as Elrohir had suspected they might.

"If we all come down with contagion," carped one vicious fishwife, "we will know who to blame right enough."

Eowyn, overhearing one or two of the comments, made a point of going over to Penny to say she hoped she would get better soon.

"I am sorry we have not met properly before. Lord Elrond told us a little of your story. You were fortunate indeed to have been rescued by one as noble as a Dunadan, and then to be cared for by elves. You are in the best of hands, and I am sure such skilled healers as these will see you back on your feet once more. I had hoped to meet you last night, but alas you had left the meal before I had a chance to do so. Fare you well, fair maid. May the gods of the west smile upon you."

Penny barely understood a word, but smiled as graciously as she could, nodding while she struggled to keep her eyes open. Arwen noted Eowyn's slightly raised eyebrow and piercing look back towards a gaggle of sour looking women and realised what it had been about. Some of that infamous strength of spirit showing itself, she noted. She thanked her for her hospitality, and Eowyn thanked her in turn for the great service the elves had done their people.

"You have been here such a little time and yet achieved so much. We shall forever be in your debt."

"And all of Arda shall be in yours," Arwen murmured.

Eowyn said nothing though she knew Arwen was referring to. She rubbed at her newly healed left arm. A hint of sadness passed over her face as that moment of terrible horror was relived for an instant in her own head.

Arwen reached out a hand and touched her arm briefly, smiling gently. "We shall meet again soon. Fare you well till then. It has been an honour and a pleasure to meet you."

Eowyn smiled. "I too have been honoured and pleased to meet you, Lady Arwen. Truly."

Eomer made a small speech thanking the elves for the good they had done, saying Rohan had been truly blessed to have ones such as they walk among them. He had lavished gifts upon them the previous evening, giving them various weapons or artefacts showing the best of Rohirric craftsmanship. No doubt he was well aware they would be nothing more than curiosities to ones of such skill and artistry as elves. Even so, they had been warmly and gratefully received and the thanks of Elrond and the others had been sincere. Now Celeborn responded in kind, presenting Eomer with a truly splendid elvish sword as a gift by which the elves would forever consider him friend. Eomer inclined his head in gratitude, the pride in his face clear for all to see.

Then, at long last, the diplomatic formalities over with, they were off.

Jolted and bumped every now and then in the cart, Penny had no idea what lay ahead of her. She would have a hellish couple of days at least, but even if this did not kill her, how long would it last? Would she arrive in Minas Tirith still vomiting her guts up and unable to go more than an hour without rushing to the latrine? Would she even live to make it that far?

The cart hit another lump of grass, and Penny gasped as the vehicle bumped heavily over it.

"My apologies," Naurdir glanced round to Penny and Mireth. "I am trying to choose the flattest path, but there is little I can do at times."

"No matter, Naurdir, do not worry," Mireth smiled. She turned back to Penny. "Are you warm enough?"

Penny shivered and shook her head. Mireth pulled out another blanket from the little pile she was sitting on and laid it over Penny. "There. Try and rest. The moment you feel you need to relieve yourself then you must let me know. Do not feel shy. If we need to stop, we will stop no matter how frequently or where we might be."

Quite how the logistics of it would be managed in the wide open, flat, rolling countryside of Rohan, Penny had no idea. She was not sure she wanted to think about it.

Mireth put a flask to her lips and encouraged her to drink some of it. Penny recognised it as the herbal mixture they had already given her once in the early hours. It also contained something to help her sleep, though she little knew it, and she soon felt herself lulled into drowsiness, the gentle swaying of the cart as Naurdir managed to drive over some smoother ground helping also.

Mireth watched her friend as she drifted off to sleep. Then she looked up to see Eleniel riding alongside them, looking as worried as Mireth felt. The two exchanged a glance, unspoken concern passing between the two, yet they both knew that nothing could be done other than wait and see what fate had in store.

Those who say the Rohirrm make no mention of the Valar, Eru or anything akin to the belief and lore of the elves or Numenoreans forget the oath of Eorl (which Eomer renewed with Aragorn) which mentions both: "And Cirion said: this oath will last for the remembrance of the glory of the land of the star and of the faith of Elendil the faithful. They shall keep it, those who sit on the thrones in the West, and the One who dwells above all thrones forever." see Unfinished Tales Yes, those are Cirion's words, but Eorl and subsequent Rohirric kings swore by them and made allegiance by them. There is little or no mention of religion in ANY of the peoples of Middle-earth (even the elves). However, that does not mean that the Rohirrim would not swear by such things or have some understanding, though it could be argued that any deep understanding on such matters was held by the elves alone, and possibly within Gondorian lore and Dunedain stories (thanks to their Numenorean heritage). Hence my having Eowyn hoping 'the gods of the west' would smile upon Penny and heal her. I left it vague since we have no idea what word (if any) the Rohirrim used for 'Valar'. It may be they used the same word or had their own – we do not know.

The berry/jam paste and herb mix is actually one I heard of on a food programme on BBC Radio 4. Unfortunately I cannot now remember the berry or the herb, but I think it was cranberry or redcurrant (though it could have been something else entirely), and something like thyme or sage. Anyway, the point was that both were excellent curatives but mixed together they acted to form a superb antibiotic that was particularly effective for food poisoning and stomach disorders.

And I have to say I was not sure whether to be amused or alarmed by the amount of people who thought she was pregnant. Yes, I know some of you were joking, but not all of you...