Alternate Universe where Frodo didn't leave for the grey havens (Or not straight away anyway) and continued living with Sam's family until where this begins and Elanor is about three.
PROLOGE
The air was quiet. It was early late August and though the days were still sunny, the rough edge of the heat had been taken off leaving the grumpy hobbits to sleep peacefully at night without shedding most of their bed covers.
Frodo however was still awake. He lay in bed not thinking about anything in particular, and yet somehow uncomfortable.
He had moved into the bedroom he'd had as a child, because it only seemed fair that Sam and Rosie had the master bedroom. Besides, he'd always felt more comfortable here.
Suddenly, bringing a welcome end to the silence, there came voices from the main chamber. Frodo turned on his side and strained to hear, undecided on whether to make his wakefulness known and join whoever it was.
"Elanor, it was just a nightmare. And you don't want to wake Momma do you?"
"To late, dear." Came a softer voice. Frodo imagined Rosie tiptoeing over to her husband and small daughter on the sofa. He knew that their faces would break into smiles right away.
"What's wrong, Elanor?" she continued.
"I had a bad dream, Momma." Elanor said, "But... I forgot it."
"Well if you forgot it, how about going back to bed?" Sam said cheerfully, if a little to loud.
"Because I want a story, Daddy!" Frodo smiled. Elanor was the sweetest hobbit child, but she knew how to get things she wanted. And usually it wasn't hard, because with one look she could melt even the old Gaffers heart. "Tell me about the one where you and Mr.Frodo go and destroy the ring!"
At this Frodo turned away to face the wall. That wasn't a story he wanted to hear. But neither did it appear that Sam wanted to tell it, "That story's too long, little Elanor! Pick a shorter story, then we'll see."
The little girls face creased in thought, and her parents had to restrain from smiling. After a pause, she said, "What about if you just tell me the part with my name?"
So Sam began the tale of the elf city of Lorien, right from when the fellowship had left Moria until they set off along the river again. He described the landscape in great detail, and particularly the little golden flower his daughter was most interested in. Elanor was asleep before they'd finished at Galadriels mirror, but Sam continued with the story, and Frodo continued listening, right up until the end. Then, Frodo heard Rosie patter of to bed, and Sam carry Elanor into her room and then join his wife.
Frodo continued thinking about the beauty of Lorien until he was almost asleep. Then, when he was on the edge of wakefulness, a thought occurred to him. Where was the phial, which had indeed brought light in the greatest darkness? So distressed was he by this that he considered ransacking the house to find it. Don't be foolish, he thought to himself, that would wake Sam and Rosie, and make them think you've gone even more mad. With that he fell into a sleep filled with dreams about the elves, a change from the usual nightmares.
PROLOGE
The air was quiet. It was early late August and though the days were still sunny, the rough edge of the heat had been taken off leaving the grumpy hobbits to sleep peacefully at night without shedding most of their bed covers.
Frodo however was still awake. He lay in bed not thinking about anything in particular, and yet somehow uncomfortable.
He had moved into the bedroom he'd had as a child, because it only seemed fair that Sam and Rosie had the master bedroom. Besides, he'd always felt more comfortable here.
Suddenly, bringing a welcome end to the silence, there came voices from the main chamber. Frodo turned on his side and strained to hear, undecided on whether to make his wakefulness known and join whoever it was.
"Elanor, it was just a nightmare. And you don't want to wake Momma do you?"
"To late, dear." Came a softer voice. Frodo imagined Rosie tiptoeing over to her husband and small daughter on the sofa. He knew that their faces would break into smiles right away.
"What's wrong, Elanor?" she continued.
"I had a bad dream, Momma." Elanor said, "But... I forgot it."
"Well if you forgot it, how about going back to bed?" Sam said cheerfully, if a little to loud.
"Because I want a story, Daddy!" Frodo smiled. Elanor was the sweetest hobbit child, but she knew how to get things she wanted. And usually it wasn't hard, because with one look she could melt even the old Gaffers heart. "Tell me about the one where you and Mr.Frodo go and destroy the ring!"
At this Frodo turned away to face the wall. That wasn't a story he wanted to hear. But neither did it appear that Sam wanted to tell it, "That story's too long, little Elanor! Pick a shorter story, then we'll see."
The little girls face creased in thought, and her parents had to restrain from smiling. After a pause, she said, "What about if you just tell me the part with my name?"
So Sam began the tale of the elf city of Lorien, right from when the fellowship had left Moria until they set off along the river again. He described the landscape in great detail, and particularly the little golden flower his daughter was most interested in. Elanor was asleep before they'd finished at Galadriels mirror, but Sam continued with the story, and Frodo continued listening, right up until the end. Then, Frodo heard Rosie patter of to bed, and Sam carry Elanor into her room and then join his wife.
Frodo continued thinking about the beauty of Lorien until he was almost asleep. Then, when he was on the edge of wakefulness, a thought occurred to him. Where was the phial, which had indeed brought light in the greatest darkness? So distressed was he by this that he considered ransacking the house to find it. Don't be foolish, he thought to himself, that would wake Sam and Rosie, and make them think you've gone even more mad. With that he fell into a sleep filled with dreams about the elves, a change from the usual nightmares.