Chapter 27. Wakening Once More

Number Seventy-four lay in some dreadful place that was the Lockholes and yet was not. This was one of the wizard’s most vibrant dreams, in which the prisoner not only saw a whitewashed ceiling above and heard the voices of loved ones, but felt warm softness cocooning him, instead of the chilly harshness of the bare stones beneath him.

It was the wizard’s dream, and yet... in the previous dreams someone took his hand to comfort him, and then there would be searing pain. In this dream, he was cradled and comforted, and warm! He did not know when last he had felt warm... When the feeling of safety left him, he knew the pain was about to start again and begged for mercy. No more the daring leader of a rebel band, he was simply Number Seventy-four, waiting for release, waiting for the wizard to tire of His game.

’When will Estella come, do you think?’ came the voice of the dream-Rosamunda. Why, didn’t she see? Estella was right over there, demure and smiling. Estella, demure? In the wizard’s vision, she was. In the wizard’s vision, his family crowded round him, their faces sorrowful and loving, speaking gentle words—and then would come the assault of pain. He wished he could blot it all out, the comfort as well, for it only made the following agony that much harder to bear.

’That depends on whether Ferdi was awake and aware enough to tell Rudi anything,’ Odovacar answered. Ferdi? Who was Ferdi? He had yet to appear in the dreams the  Voice of the wizard wove for Number Seventy-four.

’I keep listening for ponies’ feet,’ dream-Rosamunda said, and dream-Odovacar agreed. The wizard was certainly obliging this day; Number seventy-four heard a clatter outside the window as she spoke. He felt a dull surprise--he could not recall a window in the earlier dream.

Rudi and Twig rode into the Cottons’ yard, pulling up before the wide steps. They were met by Young Tom, who came out of the barn to take their ponies.

’Didn’t you find her, then?’ Tom asked, seeing that Rudi had brought a lad with him, dressed in fine clothing, a Took of the Great Smials more than likely.

’O yes,’ Rudi said, ‘indeed. Twig here was a great help to me in finding her.’

The lad nodded gravely to Tom, who smiled and bowed.

’Tom Cotton, at your service,’ he said.

’And at your family’s,’ Twig answered with a bow of his own, though he did not give his full name.

’Come along, Twig,’ Rudi said, giving the lad a little push towards the steps. ‘They’re waiting for us.’

They walked up the steps and into the house. Mrs Cotton was bent over the oven, testing a cake, and heard rather than saw them come in. ‘I’ll be right with you!’ she said cheerily.

 Rudivacar answered, ‘It’s just me, Mrs Cotton, Rudi Bolger. I’d heard Freddy was poorly so I’ve returned sooner than I thought.’

’Ah,’ Mrs Cotton said, frowning at her cake tester. ‘You’d best go and see him right away then. It’s true, he’s right poorly at the moment.’

Rudi nodded soberly, grabbing Twig’s arm and leading her rapidly from the kitchen. At the bedroom door, she hung back, apprehension plain on her face. ‘Come along,’ Rudi said, firmly but kindly. ‘There’s no easy way to do this.’ She swallowed hard and nodded, and he pushed the door open and entered. Rosamunda was stretched out on the bed, holding Freddy close, and Odovacar sat nearby with his hand on Freddy’s arm.

’I come bearing a surprise,’ Rudi said cheerfully, though his heart was wrung with grief at the sight of his nephew, scarcely breathing, eyes half-open staring at nothing. Behind him he heard Estella catch her breath in a sob.

’Freddy!’ the girl whispered. ‘O Freddy, what have they done to you?’ She stumbled forward, throwing herself onto the figure on the bed, clinging and weeping. Rosamunda sat up, staring.

But... this was not the dream-Estella at all--prim and proper, sweet and smiling--but dressed as a lad with rough-cropped curls and strong arms that clung to him tightly.

’Estella?’ Rosamunda said incredulously, taking in the cropped curls and lad’s clothing. In another moment, she’d thrown her arms about the girl, and Odo had joined the embrace. They clung together for a long moment before Freddy’s voice was heard.

’Do someone please tell me what’s going on! Why is everyone piled atop me? Don’t they have enough beds here, you’ve started using me as a mattress?’

’Freddy,’ Rosamunda gasped. ‘You’ve come back to us!’

’Back?’ Freddy said, puzzled. ‘Have I been away?’ No one answered the question, but Odovacar returned to his chair, taking the hand Freddy held out to him, and Rosa sat up on the bed, with Estella beside her. ‘Estella,’ he said finally, after a long look at his sister. ‘What have you done to your hair?’

’Don’t you remember?’ Estella said with well-feigned cheer. ‘Rosemary Bolger cut it!’ She swallowed hard. Freddy was so thin, with his sunken cheeks and the dark hollows under his eyes, she wanted to burst into tears on the spot, but she settled for running her fingers through her hair to make it stand up straight on her head, a comical sight she knew from looking in the mirror in the suite at the Great Smials.

’I know that, but that was months ago,’ Freddy said. ‘Oughtn’t it to have grown out by now?’

Though there were tears in her eyes, Estella sat straighter and kept her smile firmly in place. Lifting a hand to the back of her head, she bounced the curls in her palm. ‘I don’t know,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘It’s so easy and light this way, and if I forget to brush it you’d hardly notice! I think I ought to keep it just this way, don’t you?’

’But your clothes,’ Freddy went on.

Estella looked down. ‘You can blame that on the Tooks,’ she said haughtily. ‘They took away my own clothes when I was in the bath and left these in their place. Some fine joke, I’d say!’ For a wonder, Freddy laughed.

Frodo came in blinking sleepily. ‘What’s the ruckus?’ he asked, immediately noticing that Freddy was sitting up, awake and aware. ‘You’re making enough noise in here to waken the dead!’

’Estella’s returned and is trying to turn everything downside-up again already,’ Freddy said. He pulled his hand free of Odovacar’s and held it out to his sister. She took it and allowed him to draw her close for a kiss on the cheek. ‘It is good to see you, Babe,’ he said.

’Indeed, Gaffer,’ she returned with a kiss of her own, ‘it is good to be here.’

’Well,’ said Rosamunda, ‘let us find you some proper clothes. Perhaps Rosie might have something...’ Estella sighed but maintained her bright smile. Skirts again, when breeches were so much more comfortable and free. Ah, well, she thought. I’ll manage, somehow. I always do. She gave Freddy’s hand a gentle squeeze and released it, took her mother’s hand, and allowed herself to be led from the room.

’Freddy!’ Frodo said. ‘It’s good to see you awake, finally. Are you hungry?’

’No,’ Freddy answered. ‘But that hasn’t stopped anyone up until now. Bring on the food.’

Estella, dressed in one of Rose’s frocks and with a bright ribbon tied around her cropped curls, arrived at the same time as the tray of food. Under her relentless onslaught of cheerful nonsense Freddy polished off the meal and found himself asking for more.

Samwise met Frodo coming out of the room with a broad smile on his face, still chuckling at one of Estella’s outrageous remarks. ‘Things are better then?’ he asked hopefully.

’Much improved, Sam,’ Frodo said. ‘He’s back to where he was before...’ he didn’t want to say it, and Sam nodded, not needing to hear. ‘I think you can go back and see to the repairs at Bag End, now.’

Sam nodded. Mr Frodo meant that he wouldn’t be wearing himself out in worry over his cousin, and Sam could relax his vigilance. ‘Very good, Mr Frodo,’ he said. ‘I’ll get right on it.'