Despite Aragorn's worries, Frodo did seem to get much better during the next month. Yes, he still had to be carried, but during the day he was wide awake and alert, joining in with the conversations and sleeping and eating at the same time as the rest of the fellowship.
Frodo felt bad about having to be carried by Aragorn or Legolas all the time, but he knew it couldn't be helped. He didn't know if he would ever walk again, and Aragorn had told him that even if he would be able to, it wouldn't be for a very long time, a few years at the least.
They had been going along for a few weeks when Aragorn's fears began to turn to reality. Frodo had begun to become less attached to everything that was going on – he kept on falling asleep during the day when he was being carried, and sometimes, when he was awake, someone would say or ask him something, and he wouldn't even notice they were talking to him.
He got worse as the days went on – he became even more tired, and became weak and ill. He kept on being sick, and having violent coughing fits.
'What's wrong with Frodo?' Pippin asked Aragorn one evening.
'The infections from when he was attacked have got into his bloodstream, his internal organs are becoming infected as well.'
'Will he get better?'
'Not unless he can have proper medical help. We must get him to Rivendell as quickly as possible.'
It was early morning, and the fellowship had been walking for a few hours. Frodo was sleeping peacefully in Legolas' arms. After a while, Frodo woke up.
'Good morning, Frodo. How are you feeling today?' Legolas asked as Frodo opened his eyes.
Frodo looked at Legolas with a puzzled look in his eyes, which quickly changed to a look of fear. He screamed, making Legolas drop him out of shock, which made Frodo scream again in pain.
'What's wrong, Frodo?' Aragorn asked. 'Do you feel ill?'
Frodo shook his head; he had little since his health had started to decline. 'Who are they?' Frodo asked, pointing at Legolas and Gimli.
'You know who they are, Master Frodo.' Sam said. 'They're Legolas and Gimli.'
Frodo said the names to himself a few times, before shaking his head. 'I don't know anyone called Legolas or Gimli.'
Everyone looked to Aragorn for an explanation. 'He's beginning to lose his memory, that's a bad sign.' Aragorn said.
A month or so passed, and Frodo gradually ceased to remember more and more members of the fellowship, until the only two people he remembered were Aragorn and Merry.
The most worrying time was when Frodo forgot Sam. Sam had stayed at Frodo's side since the journey to Mt. Doom had started, a long time ago.
Another worrying fact was that Frodo would not trust anyone he didn't remember. If he forgot Aragorn and Merry, they didn't know what they could do.
Merry and Aragorn became like parents to Frodo, helping him and looking after him as Frodo had become too sick and weak to do nearly anything for himself. He had a bad temperature, nausea and was having nearly constant nightmares. Merry and Aragorn spent alternate nights awake, looking after him. By day, Aragorn carried Frodo while Merry walked at his side.
'Is he dying?' Pippin asked. Aragorn's silence was as good an answer as he would get.
No one could accept that Frodo was indeed dying. The only person who could help him now was Elrond, but he was in Rivendell. They were getting constantly closer, but they were still at least 2 months journeying away.
They walked for the next fortnight without any major happenings. Frodo was getting sicker, but he hadn't yet forgotten Merry and Aragorn.
They were walking one day when they came to a fast-flowing river. Gandalf had sent Legolas and Gimli off to try and find a bridge, but they returned having found nothing.
'Do we have to get over the river?' Sam asked.
'If we want to get to Rivendell, yes.' Gandalf replied.
'We didn't come this way on our way to Mordor.' Pippin pointed out.
'This is meant to be a shortcut.' Gandalf said, as Gimli placed one of his feet in the water and was nearly pulled right in. Legolas, however, managed to wade right into the river without being pulled along by the current.
'How can he do that?' Merry asked.
'He's an elf.' Aragorn replied. 'They can do odd things like that.'
'I can take the hobbits across, but the rest of you are too heavy.' Legolas said.
'Do we have any rope?' Aragorn asked. Sam nodded. 'We can tie one end of a piece of rope to a tree on this side of the river, and the other end to a tree on that side. We've got something to hold onto then.'
'Good idea. Legolas, take the hobbits over, and tie one end of this rope to a tree over there.' Gandalf said, handing Legolas a long coil of rope.
Legolas took the rope, and Sam, and waded across the river. The river was quite deep; it came up to Legolas' waist. Legolas placed Sam down on the far bank, and tied to rope to a tree, before coming back over with the other end of the rope, and tying it to a tree on the other side of the river. Legolas then took Merry and Pippin across, left them with Sam, and came back for Frodo. Luckily, Frodo was sleeping, so couldn't panic about being taken by Legolas. He was carried across the river, and laid on the ground.
Aragorn, Gandalf and Gimli now started to cross the river, holding onto the rope for dear life. Legolas had to come back to help Gimli at the deepest point, as his head nearly went under. They eventually reached the other side, and fell to the ground.
'Who agrees that we never take Gandalf's shortcuts again?' Gimli panted.
'Me!' Everyone apart from Gandalf (and Frodo) said.
'Um... Strider?' Pippin asked.
'Yes Pippin?'
'Is Frodo meant to have stopped breathing?'
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