Reviews (97)

Author's reply

That subplot is quite taking over the story, lol! Merry and Willow are quite hopeless, really. But it will come back to Sam in the next chapter. :) I also enjoy stories where Frodo can be the supportive and strong one. He's had a rough time of it here so far, but he'll be improving now that he's had a decent sleep and doesn't have Sam crumbling to pieces before his eyes. I don't doubt that Frodo was just as protective and loyal to Sam as Sam is to Frodo. They are both equal in Frodo's eyes and he does whatever he can to help Sam on the rare occasions that Sam needs help. Though Sam was much younger when he lost his mother and can't really remember her too well, it is the one true way in which he and Frodo are connected. They both know what it is like to miss a parent. Sam still has his father and his older siblings, but he can share that lose with Frodo, something that no one else can really do. Researching the medicinal plants isn't very hard, since I have a large natural healing book that I use. Researching how to make a surgical cast was much harder (as was researching what lullabyes are supposed to sound like!) A lot of the stuff with the cast was really just guesswork. That stinky concoction is for Sam only. ;) The sedating tea was actually rather pleasant to drink, and both Frodo and Sam know better than to disobey a healer! Frodo wouldn't have won any protests, had he been coherent enough to think of one. I think flummoxed is the word to describe Merry at the end there! He really thought that putting all his attentions into a 'safe' crush with Willow was the answer to being passed over by Estella. Now he found out that Willow is interested back and he just doesn't know what to do about. :) (((Peri)))

Author's reply

We still use years and years of knowledge, we've just gotten away from the natural herbs that have been used for millenia, which is a shame I think. I love learning about natural remedies and trying to fit that into the hobbits' lives in the Shire. I can understand why Merry would find it to be somewhat mystical in origin, when really it's just centuries of trial and error or even accidental discoveries culminating into the 'everyday' knowledge that the healers now use in their trade. Frodo was nowhere near the mindset needed to endure watching Sam have his ankle reset. Now that he's rested and the current drama is over, he will be his usual self - just in time to help Merry with his drama! Such fun for Frodo. :) Thanks for reading, Althea!

Author's reply

Emotionally involved and sleep deprived. Under ordinary circumstances, Frodo would have been far more in control of himself but the shocking news followed by Sam's unprecedented meltdown was more than he could take at the moment. It was best that he take a little nap. ;) And really, it was almost too much for Merry also but he had the lovely healer to distract him from his worries. The flirting is getting rather out of hand at this point! Those two crazy kids are getting quite beyond my control. ;)

Author's reply

I have an herbal of my own, so much of the research was just looking up sprain treatments. I had to do an internet search for the plaster cast but I could never find any specifics on the plaster is actually made after the gypsum is a powder, so I just took a best guess and hoped that it would sound plausible. The box is more or less my own creation also. I found one little line that mentioned broken limbs being placed in a box and the plaster poured in, but again, nothing as to the specifics. So a lot of guess work here - I'm glad it sounds authentic! I figure that after Merry's first unsuccessful attempts to grow his own herbs, he would have shied away from it but always remained partially interested. This is an excellent opportunity for that interest to be reignited, and it certainly helps having a lovely healer explaining it all! That lullaby tormented me. I knew I wanted one and at first I was just going to find one that was serviceable because I didn't know the first thing about lullabyes. My own mother never sang them to us and I'm really only familiar with a couple of the more silly ones. I finally found a sight that had audio links to some lullabyes and once I had a tune to go by and an idea of the sorts of things that lullabyes are usually about, it wasn't too difficult coming up with the verse. That is one of the reasons it took me so long to post this chapter, as I wanted to wait a few days before going back and rereading it so I would be better able to know what needed tweaking. Between that and the cast, this chapter *was* very research-heavy! The lose of their mothers is the one real thing that Frodo and Sam have in common and is really what cemented their relationship from the very beginning. Even though Sam was much younger than Frodo and doesn't really remember his mother, he still feels that void from time to time. Sam at least had older sisters to fill that role for him but it still isn't the same. Miss Willow does appear to have some sort of interest in Merry, which Merry was not expecting. Expect some Merry angst in the next chapter! :D

Author's reply

Merry does know how to handle Frodo and would be able to get to the heart of the problem quickly. Once he knew what was truly bothering Frodo, it was only a matter of making Frodo see that he wasn't at fault - a very hard job indeed! As Merry points out, Frodo has this tendency to blame himself. Dinner talk is always entertaining with Frodo and Merry, and Sam adding his own unique perspective just makes it that much more so.

Author's reply

Frodo's sweet and innocent act might work on other hobbits, but Merry knows better! ;) Let's just hope that they don't forget their deal in all the excitement over Sam. I think that the Gamgees have the Bagginses beat on stubbornness. At least, it's safe to say that it's a draw!

Author's reply

No, she was probably keeping track of his blushes, counting every one! I wouldn't be surprised if she had a quota. ;) Merry is finding this little accident of Sam's to be very educational, in ways he would never have begun to imagine or think possible.

Author's reply

Willow is a charmer, and what's more, she knows it and knows how to use it! Merry better think quick if he wants to get out of this in one piece, key phrase there being 'if he wants to'. ;) My Merry always seems to be flummoxed by all these pretty lasses. He's completely cock-sure until he finds out that they return his interest, then he gets all tongue-tied and nervous. Silly Merry. :D I always enjoy quiet Frodo-Sam moments, especially when they talk about their mothers. It's the one thing they really have in common and is one of the reasons they have the friendship that they do. I'm glad you enjoyed the lullabye, as I was quite nervous about it. I've never attempted a lullabye before and know very little of them. I think I probably researched that just as much as I did the plaster cast! Yep, Frodo really did steal that watch. It seems Bilbo wasn't the last Baggins to steal a pocket watch (if you remember, he confesses doing so in "The Usual Suspects"). It's common for foster children to steal from their foster parents or other responsible guardians. It's some sort of internal reverse psychology. They're always afraid that they will be cast off, so they steal something, hoping to find out if their guardians are going to toss them onto the next caretaker or rather attempt to reassure them and keep them in their home. Rory was very wise to have done what he did, even though there was no way he could have known what was going through Frodo's mind. Willow's a competent healer and part of that is to be observant of all the people around her, not just the patient. She could see how exhausted Frodo was and that was first and foremost on her mind. She also knew that having to reset the foot, even just a little, would be painful and that it would only disturb Frodo further. As it was, Merry was nearly done in by it. While Frodo would have understood the need to do it and would have handled it well under normal circumstances, he was not in the head space needed to endure that.

Author's reply

Willow wouldn't have said what she did just to scare Sam into behaving himself, though that certainly was a very large part of it. Sprains can be very nasty and they can take forever to heal. One of the guys I went to massage school with had sprained his ankle a *year* earlier and he was *still* wearing a walking brace. Merry is really showing his true colors here. Without Pippin around, he really can be quite well-behaved! And with Sam down and out, there will be tons of opportunities for them to chat and get familiar with each other's ways.

Author's reply

Yes, poor Sam! He wasn't expecting to have that bombshell dropped on him and the shock of it put him completely out of his wits. Healers rarely exaggerate in my experience. If anything, they have the tendency to gloss things over so they don't look quite so bad. Thank goodness that Willow isn't prone to such behavior. Sam needed to hear it straight for it to sink in how careful he needs to be. But yes, poor Sam. He very much appreciates your comfort! Merry is such a dope around Willow. *snickers* But he really was the only one who could have gone for the healer. Had Frodo attempted, it would have taken him even longer, being unfamiliar with those clunky shoes. Sam won't be enjoying the cast. Just having something *on* his foot, covering it almost entirely, will be enough to irritate him. The itching will only make it that much more unbearable. He'll be glad when those three weeks are over. :) I'm so glad you're enjoying this!! It's growing more with each chapter, so it might wind up being a few chapters more than my last projection, though I'm sure you won't mind. ;) *hugs*

Author's reply

Frodo needs to be stern every once in awhile, especially when it comes to stubborn!Sam. He knows how to get his point across too, which is very important. Sam couldn't possibly remain evasive after that argument. ;) Board games are always good for passing the time, and the nonsense poem was so very Sam, just like something he would enjoy. Since he wrote that troll poem that he recites in FOTR, I imagine that even if he does like the more lyrical tomes, that he is drawn more to the silly poems. They do suit his carefree nature. *hugs*

Author's reply

Well, four to six months really, and for someone whose never been off his feet for more than a week at the most (and then only once at that), it is quite a long time. Frodo's timing could have been better, but he wasn't exactly thinking clearly himself either. He was just answering the question with the first thing that popped into his head. Thanks for reading!!

Author's reply

Willow has had much experience with the Gamgees, the Gaffer most noteably. As such, she's come to learn that being stern and forthcoming is the best way to deal with them, and she's right. Good thing Frodo hadn't caved and given Sam the crutches! I'd hate to imagine what her reaction to that would be! Sam is too helpful sometimes. He really needs to learn to let others do the work from time to time. He'll still regret that Frodo and Merry are having to do for him, but he won't be attempting to bribe his way out of bed anymore either. Merry really is beginning to shine in this story, even when he's acting like a hormonally-charged tween! Thank you so much for reading and for such a lovely review!

Author's reply

Well, I couldn't let Sam off the hook *that* easily, otherwise the comfort would have to end. ;) Poor Sam indeed. He's never been so seriously injured before and the thought of possibly being crippled is beyond frightening to him. Thank goodness he has Frodo and Merry there to help distract him from his circumstance.

Author's reply

That paragraph was a last-minute addition. I just realized as I was getting ready to post it that the Shire would look transformed with that much snow covering it and the familiar landmarks that Merry has come to take advantage of. I'm glad you enjoyed it! Merry develops a little crush on every pretty lass he sees! He just has the good sense to keep the majority of his crushes unknown to his cousins. The lad would never get a moment's rest otherwise. The big crush is Willow though and if there's anyone who can get through his otherwise cool facade, it's her. I wonder though, how 'safe' she really is. *grins* Willow knows that the only way to make Sam take care of himself is to tell him the point-blank truth. She may have underestimated Frodo, but I can't say she's too far off the mark there either. Frodo would be taking an awful lot of baths, or letting Merry take over the charge, to keep himself from giving in to Sam. Now, he won't have any qualms with telling Sam no, which will be very good practice for him. :) She has quite the handle on Merry too, in more ways than one! She understands why he was angry and she is as observant as all good healers must be. She can see that he's just as much in shock as the others, and that she has more than just one patient at Bag End, for this visit at any rate.

Author's reply

Yes, poor Sam did have to go and get hurt, didn't he? A single misstep can change everything. Merry has yet to figure out the most important thing Frodo was trying to show him, but he will shortly. :) No matter what society or culture, there's some sort of social structure or class system. Coming from a blue collar family, and being by nature quite rustic and practical myself, and having grown up to believe myself to be somehow lesser than those around me, I would say I understand Sam's position quite well. I connect more with him than any other character. And then there's the Gaffer, who reminds me so much of my own father. Then I come from a large family, so all hobbits in general are very familiar to me. The hardest for me to write are the Elves. They're just so... aloof, for lack of a better word.

Author's reply

Thank you for mentioning that little section about Bilbo! As the years pass and Frodo's wanderlust begins to grow, he would think more and more of Bilbo and wish that he had gone with him. And I'm glad you enjoyed Merry looking like a faunt, because I don't think Merry was very pleased about it! It was just what Frodo needed to shake off any lingering nostalgia for Bilbo though. Sam might be disappointed that he didn't get those crutches but he did still promise Frodo that he would only get up to use the chamber pot. Without any assistance, he won't be attempting that on his own. He'll behave himself, now that Frodo's agreed to take some rest. You can count on Merry to be careful. He does know how to use those shoes better than Frodo does and he'll be able to get up and down the hill without too much trouble.

Author's reply

Sam's usual 'manipulations' are much more subtle than that desperate pout. Frodo would hardly think twice about Sam commenting on the chill night air and wouldn't Frodo be more comfortable in a jacket or sweater set? Why, Frodo probably even thinks that he would have gone ahead and donned the jacket anyway even though he just walked right past it seconds earlier. ;) Sprains can be a very nasty business, even without further complications. The healer's arrival is bound to shake up the peaceful atmosphere of Bag End, even if Merry's dithering after her doesn't! ;) It was far past time for Merry and Sam to have a serious heart-to-heart. They needed to clear the air between them and start over fresh. This was the perfect opportunity for them to do that and they didn't waste it.

Author's reply

When pushed to task, Merry can be very useful. ;) While he would ordinarly wait for Frodo to ask for assistance, or offer it only when he thought Frodo might need it, he's showing that he can be self-motivated when the situation calls for it. Sam really was aiming for those crutches, but he also knew that if Frodo didn't give in, his pouting would be a good way to get some peace and quiet, and encourage Frodo to take a much-needed rest. Frodo might not like the idea that Sam is able to control him so easily when he puts his mind to it, but he'll continue to overlook all the minor ways that Sam 'encourages' him into taking more care of himself than he would normally. :D

Author's reply

So long as he doesn't become *too* natural! Pippin can be quite the handful at times and I don't think Sam would want another one of him running about the gardens, pestering him with questions and trying to 'help'. :D Merry has figured out though that he's been over-analyzing everything in regards to Sam. Now that they've both acknowledged that fact, Merry will find that Sam is not so on guard around him anymore and will be more responsive to Merry just 'being himself'. Let's face it, Merry as himself can be rather intense at times. ;) Sam isn't used to being waited on by anyone other than his sisters, and they don't smother him quite so much! Part of the problem is that he's never been injured or ill around gentlehobbits before and so he doesn't understand that when a child of gentlehobbits is ill, he's never left alone, whereas with the working-class hobbits, there's only so much time a mother or sibling can spare to sit with a sick child. They depend more on the child calling out for assistance when needed, something Sam is much more comfortable doing at home than he is with his master and Merry. This is a very new experience for him and it's going to take him awhile to get used to it. Merry's trek down to the healer's will be the next chapter, once I have it finished. The revision is taking longer than I thought it would and I might have to wind up cutting the chapter in half if it gets too much longer, but I hope to have it up before the weekend is over. :D

Author's reply

Thank you Althea! It's been a great deal of fun for me to write this story and see Sam, for once, smothered in the same care that he so often heaps upon everyone else. Merry and Sam are well on their way toward building a true friendship. Now that each of them knows where the other stands, things will be progressing much more smoothly from here on out. If anything, this accident has ensured that they will have to face each other and talk more openly they would have normally if Merry is to help take care of Sam. Likewise, Sam will be able to see that Merry is far from being a lazy guest but that he actually does help Frodo when he is visiting and carries his share of the household chores. I think I would have reacted the same way to a pouting Sam! lol I don't blame Frodo for getting out of there! If Sam had not decided to use his powers for evil *winks* it's likely that Frodo would have continued to be oblivious to Sam's subtle ways of 'manipulating' his master. Sam would hardly think of it as manipulation though. If you asked him, he would say he was just doing his job, looking after Frodo even while he's the one lying in bed hurt.

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From the bad comes the good. Sam might be kicking himself for falling but he'll come to look upon this experience quite favorably once all is said and done. This is truly the beginning of a true friendship between Sam and Merry and it's not so hard to see why Sam would be willing to later spy on Frodo at Merry's request and trust in Merry to organize the Conspiracy. hehe Frodo truly can be quite the devious little hobbit at times. I always love it when I can remind the readers of that. He's so often too serious for his own good. :) LOL Tom and Jolly have been scarred for life by that dinner experience. They'll come around eventually but that won't be for a few more years. :D Thank you for reading!!

Author's reply

Sam should always be smothered with comfort and care, but darn him - he just doesn't allow it to happen very often. :D He has no choice now and so he'll be getting all kinds of comfort, whether he likes it or not. ;) But he's a sneaky one. Notice he didn't actually promise to ask for *Frodo's* help, just that he wouldn't do anything so foolish again. He'll be asking for help when he needs it, but he'll be asking from his friends and neighbors first. LOL My fluffy cousinly banter does tend to get away from me, and usually for the better. :D It really livens up a chapter and lets us see the hobbits in their truest nature. And Frodo and Merry can never resist a competition of wits. The healer will be making life very interesting in Bag End hehehe Sam will be getting some bad news though I'm afraid but take heart - it could have been much worse. :) I'm so glad you're enjoying your present! :D

Author's reply

In a perfect world, Sam would never be made to cry and however idealistic the Shire may be, it's not perfect. But thankfully, Sam's sadness was short-lived. :) Merry's really starting to show his maturity and he's becoming more and more the future Master every year. When it comes to Frodo, he's always known just what to say to cheer him up, but now he's learning to use that to help mend rifts and heal harsh words.

Author's reply

After all the angst and drama of the last chapter, it was nice to get to the 'comfort' part of this h/c. Sam finds being fussed over by *anyone* to be somewhat uncomfortable, but that is increased doubly when its his 'betters'. He's going to have to swallow his pride a little bit here and just learn to live with it. :D If Sam had to fall and hurt himself, he certainly couldn't have done so at a better place than Bag End! It's far more comfortable than his own home and it would be much easier to treat him there also, for all that he might wish he was in his own bed.