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If the guardsmen hadn't ridden past so quickly, Samwise the
pony would not have startled and knocked Frodo off balance,
and Frodo would not be on hands and scraped knees on the
stones of the Upper circle of Minas Tirith, gasping for
breath.
Three guards ran to him.
"Are you injured, Master Halfling?" A strong hand gripped
his arm and helped him to his feet. Another guard captured
Samwise's reins. The nervous pony resisted, yanking at the
reins, but two guards worked to calm him.
Frodo caught his breath, holding his vest in his fist, his
legs trembling. He didn't think he was injured outside of
the scrapes. He had caught himself before he hit his
protruding belly, but the fall had jarred his body. He
swallowed fearfully, his hands seeking his abdomen.
The guard who had helped Frodo to his feet glanced
nervously at Frodo's abdomen. "Come, let us get you back
to your bed and send for the healer just to be safe. May I
carry you? I think that might be wise."
Normally Frodo would be mortified by such attention, but
this time he swallowed his protests. He needed to take it
easy until Koslorn declared for certain that no harm had
come to the baby in being jarred like that. At least he
hoped Koslorn would be the one to come. He could only
imagine how frantic Aragorn would be.
"Thank you," Frodo said gratefully to the guard.
The kind guard cradled him in his arms, careful not to
jostle him as he swiftly walked up the many stairs to Frodo
and Aragorn's quarters. Frodo's legs felt weak and shaky,
and he realized just how close he had come to badly
injuring himself and probably losing the baby. If he had
not caught himself...if Samwise had been going faster...if
Frodo had been in the path of the riders--
He shuddered.
The guard set Frodo gently into his bed, and Frodo closed
his eyes in contentment as soon as his head sank into the
goose feather pillow and the cool sheets covered his heated
feet. He had never been so grateful to be in his bed.
"Thank you for your trouble." He found that he was so
sleepy he could barely articulate.
"I will send for the king. Is there anything else you
require, Master Halfling?"
"No," Frodo said sleepily. "Fetch Koslorn. Do not bother
Aragorn just yet."
Frodo's closed his eyes again against his will, snuggling
into the pillow, a content smile on his face.
***
"Frodo."
The terse voice penetrated the dark. Everything shook, like
an earthquake, like Mount Doom as it had crumbled at the
end.
"Frodo!"
Frodo's eyes flew open. Aragorn hovered over him, shaking
his shoulder, that worried crease in his forehead.
"What is it?" Frodo gasped, sitting up in bed, looking
around in bleary disorientation. Then it came back to him--
his fall from Samwise and the guard carrying him to his
chamber. The sun was much lower in the sky. He must have
napped for hours.
"Koslorn tells me you fell from your pony."
Frodo smiled softly. "I'm not hurt. It was not a long fall
and I caught myself. But how does Koslorn know? He didn't
come--"
"He did, but you were in a deep sleep and he did not wish
to disturb you. He knew that if there had been serious
injury that you would be awake and in pain." Aragorn shook
his head, releasing a relieved sigh. "Can you tell me what
happened?"
Frodo propped himself up on his elbows. "Samwise startled
when some guardsmen rode past. He has not been ridden
nearly enough, and he fears fast-moving horses. It was
nobody's fault."
Aragorn took Frodo's hand. "Thank the Valar you were not
injured, Frodo. Or the baby." He glanced to Frodo's swollen
belly. "Are you sure you have not had any pains?"
"No," Frodo said with a smile. "You're too fretful,
Aragorn. I fell a short distance off a pony, not from a
precipice."
"All the same, you're not to ride the pony anymore."
Frodo let out a sigh. Normally he would be furious by
Aragorn's overprotection and bossiness, but he was so
relieved that nothing had happened to harm the baby that he
nodded. "That is fair. I will not ride him."
Aragorn glanced at Frodo, uncertain what to make of the
hobbit's easy acquiescence.