The Life of Frodo Baggins
A/N: This is one of three parts to a story entitled The Life of Frodo Baggins. The beginning of the story starts with Frodo living at Brandyhall. The second staying with Bilbo and the final instalment is about Frodo's life after Bilbo has left. I hope you enjoy it and please, please, please review. I'm really excited about this fanfic and so I hope that it's good enough for you fanfiction readers. Please enjoy and please review.
Chapter 1: The Brandywine
June 6, 2980.
Frodo Baggins, a twelve year old Hobbit sat in front of the hearth in the lounge of his Crickhollow hole with his parents talking to them about mindless drabble when there came about a sudden silence when Frodo's attention was brought back to his small horse that Uncle Bilbo had had carved for his tenth birthday.
'Frodo-lad, how would you like to go on a boating trip the day after tomorrow?' Drogo said holding Primula's hand. She didn't really approve of Frodo being out in the open water at such a young and boisterous age.
'Oh yes, Da! Of course I do! I can't wait!' Frodo jumped up and down, waving his arms as little children do. Frodo had never been out on the open river before. Drogo had taught him how to swim, but suddenly, there came a small voice in the back of his head what if I fall in or drown? But Frodo merely banished the thought. He would be with his parents, nothing would go wrong.
The rest of that day and all the day after, Frodo had been badgering his parents about the boat trip. When are we leaving? What time are we leaving? Questions like that. Sometimes Drogo and Primula would get a little annoyed at Frodo's questions but they could understand that he was excited; this being his first boat trip and all.
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Date: June 8, 2980
Frodo was up early that day, he had told Drogo and Primula that he wouldn't wake them until the sun had risen, and by the looks of things he was going to have to wait a while. Frodo got off his bed and went to his book case to find a book to read.
When Primula and Drogo had awoken, they wondered why Frodo hadn't woken them when he said he would. It was well past sunrise. The two of them went looking for their sun and they found him curled up in front of the fire place fast asleep. Drogo couldn't help but smile at his son. 'Prim, I found him,' he whispered quietly.
Primula came bustling in with the same smile on her face that her husband wore. 'Should we wake him?' she asked. Without waiting for an answer Primula bent down and shook the young Hobbit that lay in front of her.
Frodo woke with a small start and muttered an apology for not waking them up, but it more came out in a slur. He got up and suddenly all of his energy came back and he went bounding to the kitchen.
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Within a few hours, everyone was washed, dressed and perfectly ready to go out on the Brandywine, much to Frodo's delight.
They all clambered into the boat with a small pack that had an extra jacket in case it got a bit cold for Frodo, a picnic blanket, and a basket full of food ready for lunchtime when they stopped.
They sailed for a few hours, not talking of many things, but Frodo was issuing many giggles as Primula tickled him and Drogo steered the boat.
Soon they decided it was lunch time and so Drogo continued to steer as Primula and Frodo looked out for a place to stop. The two of them soon found a spot that was nice and grassy, and in the shade from the warm spring sun. Drogo parked the boat on the shore and tied it up so that it didn't float away.
They ate a large lunch. Frodo felt the need to hurry his food down his throat in order to get back onto the water, but Primula told him to slow down or he would surely choke. Frodo slowed down his pace and watched his father cooling himself down by swimming in the River.
When Frodo had finished eating, he decided to go and have a bit of a paddle with Drogo. Primula went with her but she sat upon the edge of the Brandywine with her feet dangling into the cool, brown, rushing water and watching the two boys.
'Da, can you teach me how to swim?' Frodo asked after he had freshened his head by dipping it under the water. He loved the view from under the water; it was murky and he could barely see in front of his nose but he felt that it was one of nature's many beauties.
Drogo agreed to teach Frodo how to swim, but he would do it as soon as they got back from their trip. Frodo felt a little disappointed but he understood that this trip was to be peaceful and full of enjoyment; so far, Frodo had been feeling both ever since they had left
Before long the three of them were back on the Brandywine and enjoying the light breeze that had picked up. Drogo and Primula had decided between themselves that they would surprise Frodo tomorrow that they were headed for Brandyhall, for a visit of his cousins of who he hadn't seen for a few months.
After a while, when all was quiet and there wasn't a sound but for Drogo's peaceful rowing, Frodo sat up from his daydreaming and he asked his mother if they were actually going somewhere. Drogo turned around to face his wife and gave her a subtle nod before turning back around. 'We're going to Brandyhall, Frodo, to visit our cousins.'
Frodo nearly toppled out of the boat in his excitement. He hadn't seen his cousins in a while, though most of them were not his age, or he didn't always get on with them, he still liked the idea of visiting them. And when he was at Brandyhall, Esme would always dote on him and spoil him.
Drogo soon put Prim and Frodo on a look out for a place to stop for supper. But their stop would have to be quick for they were planning to travel on though the night to get to Brandyhall in the morning, provided it was safe enough.
They soon found a small spot and they took to quickly eating so that they could get back on the water as soon as possible.
When they got back into the boat, Frodo decided to get some sleep, and Drogo told Primula to do the same, though she was rather reluctant seeing as how they wouldn't stop all through the night and her husband would have to be awake for all the night.
~--*--~
It was late in the night, and there was a fog that had come over the water. Drogo was keeping his eyes peeled for anything that might hit their boat, so far it was working, but the fog was getting increasingly thicker and thicker by the minute. Primula awoke from her dreams, her head resting lightly on Drogo's arm. She looked back at Frodo, whose mouth was dangling open. He was in a deep sleep.
She pulled Drogo's face to hers where they kissed passionately. They couldn't do it with Frodo around, he always made a remark about people being and love, and how he would never love someone because it was disgusting.
Their kiss was heating up when suddenly there was a crash and the back part of the boat, along with Frodo were floating away. The boat had hit some rocks when Drogo had failed to see the turn to Brandyhall. He jumped in after Frodo to get the terrified Hobbit to safety.
Frodo, who had not learned how to swim yet, was trying his best to stay afloat, but it wasn't working very well, his head was slowly falling under the water and his foot was caught on his blanket when he had woken up suddenly. Drogo swam to the small child, quickly and freed Frodo's tangled foot, and took Frodo to the shore. 'I'm going to go and get your mother now, Frodo. You stay right here,' Drogo quickly kissed Frodo's forehead before diving back under the surface of the water to look for Primula.
All Frodo could do was to sit there and wait. He had no idea what had happened. He just remembered being tossed out of the boat and into the freezing cold water. Had his parents planned to get rid of him? Had it been an accident? Of course it had, Drogo and Primula loved Frodo. He sat himself down in front of a tree with his back resting against it. He was incredibly tired but he could not sleep. How could he when his parents' lives were at stake? He was about to start calling out for them when Drogo broke the surface of the water.
'I've found her, Frodo. Stay there. I'm going back down to get her. I will be back up soon,' Drogo said before taking a deep breath and diving under the water again.
Frodo's hope fell again as the ripples from Drogo began to stop. He could see no movement of his parents. He sat down again, with his head in his hands and began to cry. Fear of losing his parents, fear that everything in his perfect life could come crashing down in a matter of minutes.
When he had collected himself, he noticed lights to his left. He recognized them as Brandyhall, though he hadn't been in a while he would never forget that place. He decided if he should leave and get help or if he should stay there so as not to worry Drogo and Primula when they returned, if they returned. It had now been more than five minutes and Frodo's hope had all but faded. He didn't expect them to return to the surface of the Brandywine though he hated himself for thinking it. He decided to stay a little while longer, at least until there were some telltale signs that his parents would not be returning to him.
He sat and cried more, he didn't know what else to do. He felt helpless. He decided to go to the water's edge and wash his face. When the ripples from his hands had subsided, he saw something peculiar. His face looked almost red in the reflection of the water, but not the red that happens from crying, more like food colouring. Something had been added to the water. He decided to taste the water. No harm could come of that, surely. But the taste wasn't that of pure clean water, but it tasted salty which was strange because the Brandywine was fresh water not salt. He rubbed his arms with the water and they appeared red.
And then he realized what had happened.
His parents would not be coming back. Frodo splashed at the water to alert them but to no avail. He called their names loud and clear, but no response came. His life had plunged into something completely different. It was no longer a perfect life. What was to happen now? Where would he go?
He sat down and sighed. Fresh tears were pouring down his face. His parent's were gone and that was that.
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Thank you for reading. Please read and review, updates should be around once a week maybe two.
Next Chapter: Frodo goes to Brandyhall and he tells Esme and Saradoc of his parents.