Made a new part of this one :) Thought it was about time. This is the story about how Frodo and Sam first met. If there already is an official one by Tolkien, then I haven't read it, which means I haven't got a clue if I'm missing anything important. But this is fanfiction, which means I'm allowed to write it my own way :)
It's a bit of a sequel to "How Bilbo come to meet Frodo", but it's only the beginning that gives hints to that one.
I really hope you will like it and please leave a review if you do! :)
Frodo and Sam
Bilbo and Frodo quickly grew accustomed to each other and Frodo started to refer to Bilbo as his uncle. Really, they were cousins, but due to the big age difference, uncle felt like a good word for the owner of the house.
They enjoyed each other's company a lot and didn't really care much for going out and meeting other hobbits. For they were pleased with just being together.
Though one day, about six weeks after Frodo's arrival, something changed. Bilbo had a gardener, an old hobbit at this time, and he was leaving. Hamfast Gamgee, mostly known as Gaffer by his friends, had been working for a long time with Bilbo's garden and he felt that he was getting too old for the work. So now he was leaving the spot to his youngest son, Samwise.
Sam was a young hobbit, about the same age as Frodo, and a good worker. A few times he had been helping his father with the garden but that had been before Bilbo's cousin had arrived.
Sam knew who he was, of course he did. The accident that killed Frodo's parents had been the talk of the year at the time of the happening. He remembered only being a young boy at the time and he had wondered why anyone would want to head out on the big water in a tiny boat with only a thin layer of wood between you and possible death. The thought still made him shiver.
The day of Sam's arrival, his father followed him to work. It was going to be one of the last times he entered the garden he loved and saw it the way he loved it.
Sam was nervous. Very nervous. He loved gardening and knew he probably was going to make a good work, but he was nervous about the fact that he now would have a master. Someone who was his employer and that would fire him if he did not do a good job that would make them pleased.
He swallowed hard, as his father was going on about where everything was located and how he was going to act around the two members of the Baggins family.
"You will be fine, son." Old Gaffer patted his son's shoulder and then gave him a small push towards the round, green door. "Go on, get on with it."
Sam took a deep breath and brushed a few strands of his light, curly hair out of his face and then knocked on the door. He had to knock exactly three times before the door was opened and he was standing before another young hobbit.
"Good morning." The hobbit smiled. He had dark, curly hair and a pair of brilliant, blue eyes that made him look friendly and gentle.
"Good morning." Sam bowed, slightly embarrassed about everything at that moment and then met the hobbit's gaze. He guessed this must be Frodo. "My name is Samwise Gamgee." He tried a smile and Frodo chuckled slightly, for of course it was him.
"Of course you are. My name is Frodo, Frodo Baggins. Come on in. You are in perfect time for tea." He stepped aside to let Sam inside and Sam, shocked over being invited inside, stood there for a short moment, before he stepped inside. He didn't dare looking back at his father, for he knew that he did something that his father had only done once during his 60 years in Mr Baggin's duty. He got invited for tea.
Frodo lead him down the hall and into a small but yet cosy kitchen. A small fire was burning and a kettle was on. Two teacups was placed on the table, together with a plate full of biscuits and a tray where two pipes and a small heap of tobacco was resting. On the faint smell, Sam guessed it must be Old Toby, the best tobacco you could find. At least according to the hobbits.
Frodo looked at him, still smiling, and then took the kettle of the fire, as it started whistling a little song. It was a strange thing to hear from a kettle, but neither Sam nor Frodo commented it. "Sit down and feel free to smoke if you like. I will just fetch my uncle." Frodo made a quick gesture towards the table, before he disappeared out through another door and of down that hall.
Sam sat down slowly, bringing his pipe out from his pocket and put some Old Toby into it and then lightened it and took a deep breath of it. He was still shocked. He couldn't believe it. He was here, in the famous Bag End, smoking his pipe like he was a friend. He was just the gardener, but yet he was invited inside.
He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes for a short minute. If everyday would be like this, then he would really like this job. Not to forget that Frodo seemed very nice. He hoped that he one day would get to know him better.
Sam opened his eyes again, as voices was heard and Frodo returned together with an older hobbit. Bilbo.
Bilbo looked younger than Sam thought he would be. He had imagined being pretty old, due to his age, but he barely looked a year older than 40. Or maybe even 35.
"Ah, here we have you then." Bilbo looked at Sam for a short moment and Sam, who was still a little shocked about his appearance, just looked back at him. "Samwise Gamgee."
When Sam heard his own name, he quickly rose from his chair, almost throwing it over, and nodded quickly.
"Yes, sir, that is me." He bowed again and when he straightened his back again, he could see Frodo smiling as he was making the tea ready. Sam realised that the bowing probably made him look very stupid.
"Mhm." Bilbo picked up his pipe and started preparing it for smoking. He sat down on the chair opposite from Sam and didn't speak again until the pipe was placed securely in the corner of his mouth, with the sweet smoke flying towards the open window behind him. "So, you are the son of Hamfast then." Bilbo gestured towards Sam to sit down, which he did, a bit insecure about everything.
"Yes, master Bilbo." Sam swallowed and played with the pipe in his hands. Somehow, Bilbo seemed scarier than Frodo. Maybe it was because Bilbo had been out on an adventure, something that everyone in The Shire knew. The Baggins that had been on an adventure in the land of the big and the brave.
"I believe you will do a much better job than your father." Bilbo looked up at Sam, a smile resting in his green eyes. "Do not get me wrong – I liked your father, but I believe you will be a good friend to Frodo." Bilbo nodded towards Frodo, whom blushed slightly as he sat down next to Sam. "He needs a few friends in his own age and not just old chaps like me." Bilbo laughed quietly and then started pouring up tea for all of them.
Sam watched him doing so and then threw a quick glance towards Frodo. Frodo looked back at him, a questioning look in his eyes. A look that Sam knew and that he replied to with his own.
"Do you think he is right?"
"I do."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"I believe this is the start of something."
"So do I, Frodo."
And in that moment, they both knew that it would take long time before they would go separate ways. A much longer time than they thought at that time.
