B2MeM fic: Cheating Death

[cairistiona]

B2MeM Challenge: G50 Hurt/Comfort, "Warm Blankets"
Format: Ficlet, Vignette
Genre: Drama, H/C
Rating: G
Warnings: None, really, unless a warning is needed for mention of OC death
Characters: Aragorn, Halbarad, OCs including Rangers Denlad, Galadh, and Eledh, and the cobbler Maevor, from "A Star In Midwinter"
Pairings: None
Summary: His people have dwindled enough.



“Eledh, quick!  Get warm blankets, lots of them!”  Halbarad half carried a stumbling and shivering Aragorn into the cottage.  Denlad hurried behind, carrying a crying toddler, the cobbler Maevor on his heels.  “And get that fire roaring!”

“I’ve got the fire, Eledh.  You see to the blankets,” Galadh said.  His stricken eyes took in Aragorn and Maevor’s youngest daughter even as he fed more logs onto the fire.  “What happened?”

“Little Héniel fell through the ice.  Aragorn saved her.”  Halbarad pulled at Aragorn’s shirt.  “Get these wet clothes off, Strider, before you catch your death.”

“G-get her dried f-first.”  He flapped hands he couldn’t feel toward the tail of his shirt, but he couldn’t seem to grasp hold of it.

Halbarad knocked his hands away.  “Denlad and Maevor are seeing to the child.”   He jerked Aragorn’s tunic over his head.  Cold water splattered onto the flagstone hearth.  “Now the boots and your breeches.”

Aragorn collapsed onto the bench, and Halbarad unceremoniously yanked off his boots and then shoved him hither and yon as he tugged his pants off as well.  Eledh showed up with an armload of blankets and tossed several to Halbarad and took the others to Denlad, who had similarly stripped the little three-year-old of her sodden dress.  He flipped a blanket expertly around her just as Halbarad did Aragorn.  “Up,” Halbarad demanded, then he kicked the bench closer to the fireplace.  “Now sit.”  He grabbed a towel and started vigorously drying Aragorn’s hair.  “That was a brave thing you did, but stupid.  You could have drowned.”

Aragorn glanced at the little one, whose lips were still blue but who nonetheless giggled as Denlad tickled her tummy, then he looked at her weeping father who had taken her into his arms.  So recently widowed, it would have been a sore blow to have lost his youngest daughter as well.   Aragorn swallowed hard.   “T’was worth it, Halbarad.  Our people have dwindled enough.”

Comments

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

This is so very Aragorn.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

“T’was worth it, Halbarad. Our people have dwindled enough.”

Worth it indeed.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I imagine he had that thought many a time.

[ellynn-ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Aww, beautiful!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

A very perceptive drabble indeed. I loved how in a few words, you've managed to capture the essence of Aragorn.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I always try to capture some truly identifiable aspect of him, even in my shorter works.

[shirebound]

Halbarad unceremoniously yanked off his boots and then shoved him hither and yon as he tugged his pants off as well.

Love that 'tough love'! This is a wonderful story.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Yes, Halbarad's not really interested in coddling at the moment... he's in full-on "frightened and angry because Aragorn scared him to death" mother hen mode. He'll calm down eventually but right now, no time for niceties. *g*

[suzll.livejournal.com]

Oh darn, I left a comment earlier but I guess LJ ate it. Anyway comment, was something along the lines of "This was perfect!!" *g*

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

LOL... thank you!

[imbecamiel.livejournal.com]

:D Oh, so Aragorn. Of course he sees a little three-year-old girl as just as much his people's hope and future as he is himself - even more, perhaps. That's part of what makes him a wonderful leader, and a truly great man. <3

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Whereas Halbarad might get a little too wrapped up in the idea that Aragorn is the only hope and so gets a little snippy here, Aragorn knows that the children are just as important as he is. I have a feeling Halbarad was a bit ashamed of himself for calling Aragorn's actions "stupid" in the heat of the moment!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I love this. How could Aragorn not have saved her.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

He couldn't have... it's his job after all to protect his people! Halbarad, on the other hand, might have thought him wiser to have at least tied a rope around his waist. *g*

[nefhiriel.livejournal.com]

I can't decide if I love Aragorn or Halbarad more during this snippet. *settles for adoring them both equally*

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I think equal adoration is definitely called for!

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Hee, seeing Halbarad all bossy like that did things to my insides, heheh.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Hee hee!

[lilybaggins.livejournal.com]

Well, obviously I'm trying to catch up here a bit, and this has been a bit like Christmas, having all these ficlets to read!!!

Mother Hen Halbarad=one of my favorite things. This was delicious! And of course Aragorn would risk his life to save that child... it's just his character. I'm surprised Halbarad hasn't learned that by now... poor Halbarad.

A very lovely story! Now I must to the second part...

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Hee hee... maybe given it's Good Friday, these are like finding Easter eggs! *g*

But glad you liked it. Poor Halbarad... I think even though he *knows* Aragorn would have to do that sort of thing, it doesn't stop him scolding in the heat of the moment when he's been frightened out of his mind but Aragorn's latest noble act. *g* Sort of like the mom that yells, "What an idiotic thing to do! I ought to wring your neck!! And, er, by the way, I'm proud of you..." *G*