Chapter ten- Illness and Friends
Hello! Chapter ten is up, and although it's a bit longer than I would like, I hope it makes sense. The story does have a clearish ending at the moment, as I'm writing it now. Well, please enjoy!
Disclaimer : I own nothing, except the idea of this type of nymph, and some cd's.
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Amethyst blinked. Everything seemed fuzzy, and she could smell the smell of pipe weed and leather. She was near to a warm fire, but she shivered. She blinked again. Things seemed to go back into focus, but she wasn't sure. When she had been asleep, she had been in a hole, and everything seemed a little blurry after that. There was no way she could be back at Bag end .Not after what she had done. She lye on one of the couch, on top of many towels. She had been changed out of the party dress, and into a night gown. She felt dry, but she felt awful. Her head was pounding on the left side, while a vague sense of dread and sickness filled her stomach.
She blinked again. Her head felt sweaty and like it was about to explode, but she felt glad to be out of the rain. Maybe some humans had found her and taken pity on her. She though that until she realised that the hearth in the drawing room she looked at was her own, and the couch was also her own.
She turned her head slightly, making her head ache badly. She saw Uncle Merry smoking a pipe, reading a book. Amethyst tried not to make a sound, but soon she had to cough. He looked up, and then came over to her side.
'Amethyst! You don't want to know how much trouble you're in!' he said, waving a finger at her. When she looked scared he laughed and then said, ' Don't worry. We all forgive you. You shouldn't have run off like that. Frodo's been fretting about you since he came back with you.'
She looked a little surprised, but after making a few mental adjustments to realise who he meant by Frodo, she whispered, 'Daddy's not angry about the party?'
'Not as far as I can tell.' He said, 'Now, just lie back and I'll get you something to drink. You must be thirsty, eh?'
Amethyst nodded weakly, and Merry walked into the kitchen. He had shooed Frodo of to bed much earlier, and Gandalf and him were taking shifts. The sight of the poor child was enough to break the hardest of hearts. Monsters could never be as sweet at that, or that fragile.
Maybe what had happened was a one off. Maybe she had just done that once, and it would never happen again. But as he though that, he knew it wasn't true. But Gandalf had said that whatever she was, it might be something to do with the destruction of the ring, and just leaving her wouldn't do any good.
Gandalf had fallen asleep in the kitchen chair. Merry smiled and put the kettle on. Merry refilled his pipe and waited for it to boil. He found himself a chair, and watched the kettle. As the cheery thing sang, Gandalf seemed to wake up, and saw him making a cup of milky tea. Gandalf guessed correctly that she was up, and looked at the clock on the wall.
'It's six.' He said, 'How long have I been asleep?'
'A couple of hours Gandalf.' Said Merry as he went to the drawing room. Gandalf put his staff in front of Merry, and he stopped.
'I think I'll take this in.' he said, 'I think I should see to her.'
Merry understood, and let him.
Gandalf went into the drawing room and Frodo came into the kitchen. He held his head in his hand, and wore a pair of casual britches and a cotton shirt with his brown waistcoat over the top.
He flopped on a chair, and Merry poured out a couple more cups of tea. Frodo lent on the table and sighed again. He had bags under his eyes, and looked like Pippin did after a night out at the green dragon. Frodo wiped his face with his hand, and Merry put the cups on the table with an unnecessarily loud clunk.
Frodo looked up. 'She all right?' he asked.
'Fine. She's just woken up.' Said Merry, 'Gandalf just went into see her.'
'She's got a bit of a fever.' Said Frodo.
'You don't know that Frodo. You're no doctor.'
'Lets just say its parental intuition.' He said with a weak smile, 'Like having eyes in the back of you head. '
Merry smiled weakly back, and said, ' So having a little lass instantly makes you stay in nights and put on a few pounds?'
Frodo smiled back and said, 'Yes, more or less. Then you get hobbits like Pippin, and he never changes if he can help it.' They both laughed.
'You.were getting a lot of attention last night' said Merry, rocking on the balls of his heels and looking down at the floor.
Frodo looked away. 'Yeah. For some reason the young hobbit-lasses seem to like me a lot ever since I was sixty, but I don't believe it is down to respectability. ' Merry laughed a little, but Frodo sighed, 'No, I don't know what attracts them, but I don't think I could ever settle down with a nice lass, not at my time of life.'
*Or after what you've seen*, Merry though, but let it go in his mind. 'Really?' he asked, 'Maybe you just haven't found the right lass.'
Frodo sighed, 'There are many lasses in Hobbiton, and at least half of them are unattached. It's not like I'm not spoilt for choice. I doubt if I'm going to meet anyone again.' Frodo took a sip of his tea, 'And, anyway, I've got Amethyst to look after.'
*Bingo! * Though Merry. 'Maybe you would like to go out with Pippin and me,' he said, 'Y'know, a lads night out. A chance to have a bit of fun. Anyway, we've been missing you, Pippin and me, and Sam of course. It couldn't be a good lad's night out without you two.'
'I'm not a lad, Merry, I am a gentle hobbit.' Said Frodo, smiling in his jest, 'And I do not frequent pubs. I stay at home and do work of the village.'
'Come on Frodo, ' replied Merry, in the opposite jest, 'I think the villagers would be happy to see their mayor take part in a hobbit tradition.'
'Of what?' asked Frodo, 'Getting drunk and having a hang over? Not a brilliant tradition, you have to admit.'
'Could be worse, 'said Merry, 'You've really dropped out of the running of the Shire almost altogether, it would be good for you to have some fun, meet and nice lass, maybe get a little tipsy.'
'I'll have to think about it Merry. Anyway, I though your wife didn't like you doing that?'
'No, she doesn't, but she lets me out occasionally, but I barely have need of that, Y'know. I have a nice enough time at home.' Merry winked and raised and eyebrow as he took another sip of tea.
'I think you should ask Sam first. I don't think he would approve.' Said Frodo, 'And he has a better time at home than you do.' Frodo raised his eyebrow. Merry was almost astounded by Frodo's perception. He had always assumed he was innocent of all things of that nature.
Frodo broke the silence. 'I think maybe you should go and say good morning to your lovely wife. It's time I went to see my own girl.' Frodo drained his cup and put it back on the table.
Merry was left standing, with a feeling that Frodo had somehow got at him.
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Gandalf at the moment Frodo walked it was checking Amethysts pulse and asking her about things she knew all about, such as the shire, and how bag end was. Amethyst, although her voice sounded cracked and ill, was carrying on continually with Gandalf punctuating it with yes's and more questions.
When he noticed that Frodo had come in, he stood up and turned around. 'Frodo, your daughter does have a mild fever but for the life of me, I can't understand why. '
'So, what am I to do?' he asked, 'Is there anything I can do to make her feel better.'
'Not much but keep her comfortable and warm. Oh yes, and maybe give her soft food that's easy to digest for a while.' Gandalf walked past the hobbit and went to the door. He picked up his hat and cloak, 'It might just be for a day or two.' Then, he said more to himself than anyone else, ' She may have brought on the symptoms herself for attention.'
'Gandalf, you are leaving all ready?' he asked.
'Yes Frodo, I have work outside the shire.' He put on his hat and tipped it, 'Oh yes, happy birthday Frodo. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you that earlier. '
Gandalf walked out the door, and Frodo and Gandalf engaged in a manly embrace. Then, they parted, and just before he left he said, 'Frodo, if she does anything like she did yesterday again, send message to me.' He swished his cloak, and then was on the way down his road.
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Ash woke up again, but his fever had gone and he was nearly back to normal. He was disappointed not to wake up near Amethyst, but when he saw the room he was in.
It was a fine room, better than any he had been in, legally, and he was lying on the bed.. It was unheard of for him to have a bed, let alone one so fine. He got up quickly, and regretted it almost instantly. His whole body hurt, as if he had been beaten all over again. Then he realised that his body was just stiff.
He fell on the floor, and, cursing like a worse man, he got up. He had another look around the room. It was definitely one of a lord or lady, but although grand, it seemed a little plain. It was a soft comforting green, but he gained no comfort from it. The bed was white and yellow in colour, and the room had many cupboards and tables. But one caught his eye. It was a low, simple table, but unlike the rest it had some fruit on it in a wooden bowl.
Ash looked down. He was still in his old britches and shirt, but although poor and worn. He sat next to the table, and picked up an apple, and demolished it in about a minute. Poor Amethyst, he had been stealing food off her for a while now, even if it wasn't directly. He could feel her poor ill body aching all over at the back of his mind, like an itch. But he had done everything he had to stay alive. He couldn't help it.
He could feel her own empty stomach. Well, he could fix that. She may have been ill, but she could eat already digested food, even though technically she wouldn't eat it. He would just give her the feeling and the energy and everything that went with a full stomach, without the trouble of eating it.
He had eaten another apple and a handful of berries by the time he had thought this. He was about to eat a mushroom when he heard a knock at the door. He put the bowl down and unintentionally squeaked. Then he crawled under the bed, hoping not to be caught. He went invisible, and the door opened.
A beautiful elf woman came in. She had long brown hair, like that of tree bark, and eyes that were blue like the sky. He felt an intake of breath, then remembered that the elves could enthral anyone with their beauty. Nymphs couldn't, and they weren't a very beautiful race, whatever the name suggests. Amethyst had just been beautiful, and Myotisis was beautiful because he had been brought up an elf, but Ash wasn't beautiful. He was a pail, thin youth, with hair like dark shadows, and eyes as yellow as the burning sun.
'Ash!' she called out, 'Ash! Where are you? Are you better? Have you left?'
Ash materialised under the bed and crawled out. He doubted that if she had wanted to hurt him, as she would not have such a pleasant tone in her voice. He crawled out from under the bed.
She saw him as he stood up a little uncertainly, and walked slowly towards her. 'Ash!' she exclaimed, 'Are you all right? Your eyes..'
'Yes,' he said simply, 'they are always like this. My eyes are yellow. That is how I got my name. ' The elf woman still seemed a little unsettled by him. 'Do you want me to leave?' he asked, 'I will if you but let me have a few supplies and clothes.'
'No, Ash. You said that you are looking for your sister..'She said.
'Not really, ' he said, 'She's more of a friend, but we are the only thing that either of us have left in this world. We are both orphans you see.'
'I understand, ' she said, 'She is precious to you.'
'Yes.' Said Ash, 'And I must find her. I believe she is in the country called the Shire.'
'Shire? How do you know of such places? Are you aware that you are claiming your friend lives among little people?'
'Yes.' He said, 'I also know a little of halflings. You see, as she is part hobbit herself.'
'I see, 'said the elf lady, not really understanding, 'But my husband wishes to see you. There is a delegate from Mirkwood coming a little later, and he wishes to see his guest before he leaves.'
'Who is you husband, pray?' he asked, hoping that Myotisis would be in the delegate. He would be able to help him find the Shire.
'King Ellesa of Gondor.'
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'Come on Amy, 'he said more to himself than her, as he lifted her up to put her to bed. He lifted her more easily than he would have liked, but soon he was able to put her into her own bed. She seemed a lot more comfortable, and she lay there, smiling sweetly.
He put some light but warm coverings on her, and bent over to kiss her sweet forehead. She sat up, and said' Daddy, are you angry with me?'
'What for?' he asked, 'For being ill? Running away?' he said in a voice that showed that he was angry, but not actually angry.
She looked away, 'For doing what I did yesterday.'
Frodo smiled, and sat down on the bed next to her. 'No,' he said with a grin on his face, 'but promise me you'll never run away again. You gave me such a shock, and when we couldn't find you, I was so worried you had been hurt or worse..'
Amethyst looked away. Frodo had said enough. Then she said, as if testing the water, 'You were worried about me?'
'Of course I was!' he said, 'You're my little gemstone.'
'And you're not mad at me for scaring off the lasses?' she asked.
'No. ' he replied, seeing what might become a problem.
'Because I though that maybe you would like them better, and then you wouldn't want me any more.'
'Amethyst!' he said, almost angrily, 'I will never find anyone else, and I will never leave you if I can help it!'
She seemed a little scared, but then had a coughing fit. Frodo held her as she coughed in a way that moved her whole body, and then she stopped, a little teary eyed and weak. She looked up at him, and he smiled again. He felt her forehead and plumped up the pillow behind her so she could lie against it.
He ruffed her hair that fell in ringlets and said, 'Now, are you all right to be left here? I've got some work to do, and if you need anything, all you need to do is tell any adult, right.'
'Yes Daddy.' She said. She sighed. He head ached, but she didn't like being left alone.
'Now, be a good girl for me, and you'll soon be better.'
He was about to leave when she said in a whiny ill voice, 'Daddy, tell me a story.'
'Amethyst..' He started.
'Please?' she asked, 'please? Maybe something from the red book..'
Now that got Frodo's attention. He stopped in his tracks, glad that she couldn't see his face. He turned a round slowly.
'Amethyst, how much of the red book have Sam and I read to you and Elanor?' he asked.
'Not much.' She said, 'We've read the story of Bilbo Baggins and up to the bit when you reach Rivendale, but no further.'
'Amethyst, I will tell you a little more, but this must be what you really what to know.' He said, sitting on the bed, 'As it might set off one of my.. attacks.'
'Daddy, you're always having attacks, and I don't even know WHY!' she said, her cracked voice becoming harsh. This set off another coughing attack, but she persevered,' I don't know what happened to you Daddy, ' she said in a voice that really didn't belong to her, 'and I need to know.'
Frodo sat on the bed next to her. 'Do you know what Mordor is like?' he asked her. She shook her head.
'Mordor is a black land, so black, it is like night during the day, and pitch during the night. Mordor smell is like that of smoke and rotting flesh and death all mixed together in a single smell, knocking you out in a wave of disgust. Nothing grows there, but the native black thorny bushes, and these bushes are like black pincushions, except bigger and the thorns cut through everything, save metal.' He described, looking her in the face. His usual laughter was gone, and now he became more serious that she had ever known her to be.
'Daddy, it sounds.. horrible.'
'The whole land, sky, soil, plants, all black.' He said, looking into the distance, 'Black like nothing black enough to describe. The mere sight of the blackness would drive any person insane. The air is fowl, like breathing in sharp pieces of glass, and everything is soul destroying. The very feel to the air, the very sight of the mountains, the very existence of the place kills all hope of surviving. Orcs patrol the land, making it so horrible. Each orc seems to have been made ugly in a different way, and made to torture others in a different way, often by the very sight of them. ' Frodo looked her in the face, 'and that is why we don't read the red book that often, Gemstone, because what it describes, it not for mortals to know about.'
Amethyst looked at him. 'Daddy, you went to that place for all of us?' she asked.
'Every single one of us.' He said, kissing her on the forehead, 'So that is why I must go and do some work instead of just chatting to you all day.' he got up and walked out, a little too fast.
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So Amethyst was left to mull this over. The fever made her picture the land. It must have been like a wood after a forest fire. All ash, and burned wood and only the most horrible trees lasting, but even them being turned black.
She had only ever seen a forest fire once, and it was horrible, like a once wonderful forest had been stripped in the space of a day. It had been when she was seven. She had felt so.. powerless, weak, so disappointed that anything like that could happen in the world.
She hadn't been the only one disappointed though. Poor Sam had almost been in tears, and of course Daddy.he just looked at it, and gasped for air. He couldn't believe it either, and the whole thing, it had been discovered, had been cause by a single match being discarded into a bush. Almost as if someone liked to see that happen.
He had, of course, had another "attack" and only left his room after three days, to sort out what was to be done. Sam had gone into overdrive to try to sort it out. It had been of great help when daddy had been able to help him, being more used to the administrative side of things.
Her fever made the though seem like it was bursting out of her head, as memories mixed with thoughts and fears seemed to spill out onto the bed covers.
To be honest, Amethyst didn't even know what the attacks were, or why they happened, but all her life she could remember that often, for no reason he would go sad, and go to his room as fast as he could. Then horrible noises would come from his room, as if he was being tortured by invisible demons, or other times she swore she could hear him screaming, pleading with an unknown person, pleading him to leave all of them alone.
She had only once seen him when he was "ill" and the very sight had made her shiver all over. It had been on a walk together, and he had felt it coming onto him. Sam had told Rose and the other children to continue, but Amethyst has followed them. She didn't know why, maybe because she had been nine, maybe because she wanted to know, or maybe because she had only wanted to be with him on the walk, but by the time daddy had reached the house he has been sobbing, and Sam had been forced to restrain him.
When they walked into the hole though, daddy had suddenly gone totally mad, and started to attack Sam, screaming like a wild thing. Sam was the stronger, more muscular of the two hobbits, and had forced him to the ground, holding his arm behind his back. Somehow he coaxed Daddy into his room, and locked it behind him.
He wasn't the same hobbit she knew. This hobbit, being half pulled, half carried by Sam wasn't the same caring, happy hobbit she knew. She couldn't believe that daddy could be like that, even if he was "ill".
After that he had always quietly gone to his room when he felt an attack coming on.
But said a little voice in her head, you always feared being ill, in case the same happened to you. Remember the time you were eleven, and you had that stomach bug and you went on that walk to Brandy hall? You were so frightened of being ill that you pretended that you weren't.
Daddy didn't notice until both of you were half way their, and you couldn't keep up with him, and he was practically carrying you to brandy hall. You were their for three days in bed, and all the time you could hear people saying, "why didn't she say anything?" and people questioning his right as a father, but you didn't know at the time what they were talking about at the time.
You don't have to be afraid of that anymore, she though, as he isn't my father. He maybe as kind as my father, or a better person, or a more deserving person, but he isn't a relative. You can't get the "Illness" off him; he's not your dad. Not really.
This, for some reason, made her remember her confusion as a small child. She though that Mrs Rose, Sam and Daddy were all her parents. Rose hadn't minded her calling her Mamma, but she had worked out when she was six that she wasn't her real or adoptive mother. She just lived in the house like everyone else.
She felt dizzy and cold all of a sudden. She shivered and pulled the sheets up. Amethyst had never been afraid of the dark. It held no fears to her, as she knew, even if she didn't, that it wasn't that dark itself that was the danger, but what was in it.
It was unbearable to sit all alone, cold and shivering, without some one there. She knew that Daddy would have stayed with her if she hadn't asked such a question. She seemed to have a knack of asking difficult questions. She was the type of person who would look at the blueprints for a hole, and she would be the first person to ask, "how are the people supposed to get in and out?"
She felt so wretched. The birds outside where singing, but they gave her a headache. She decided to get out of bed. She put her feet on the ground, and tried to get up. Her legs felt weak and shivery, like she had been for a long ride, and was getting off a cart. Her head seemed to spin more for getting up, and she ended up sitting on the bed.
Then she slid onto the floor and crawled like a baby to the bookshelf and took a copy of the red book, as well as a doll to cuddle.
She crawled back to bed and wrapped the quilt around her, so just her head peaked out of the cloth cocoon. The doll was held in one small hand inside the cocoon, while the other was turning the pages of the book.
She couldn't concentrate, it made her head ache worse. She slid her hand back into the cocoon, and shivered slightly. She withdrew her head into the cocoon, like a turtle, and shivered in the warm darkness of the covers. The doll was squeezed as she shivered again.
Why had Elanor and Frodo been avoiding her? What she really that horrible? Didn't they like her any more? She shivered again. Had they known what was about to happen? They had been avoiding her all that day, and so had everyone else. She felt herself get colder, as she had a horrible though. They had just realised how different she was.
She knew she had been different all her life, you were different if you were Mr Frodo's daughter by default. Even more if you had bright Purple eyes and red hair like the blood of a demon, but it had never really hit her how different she was until her eyes had started to burn at the party. Had Elanor and Frodo been frightened of her, and didn't want to say?
Amethyst stayed under the quilt and hope, against all hopes that everyone would forget what happened at the party, so they wouldn't go and hurt Daddy about it. She hoped that they wouldn't want to get rid of her, and that no one would come and make her leave the village..
She hardly noticed how her eyes stung for a moment, while she changed everything around her. _______________________________
'Ah, Mr Took! Good Morning to you!'
Pippin looked at the hobbit that had hailed him. It was the father of one of the many hobbit lasses who had been flirting with Frodo the night before, hoeing his garden. Pippin smiled and waved back. He hoped like hell that he wouldn't bring up the subject of the party. Unfortunately, he did.
'I see you enjoyed Mr Baggins's party last night.' He said.
'Y-yes.' He said, looking for his pipe, 'It was great fun,' up to the bit when Amethyst did whatever she did, he added only to himself.
'Pity it started to rain.' Said the hobbit amiably, 'It might have gone on all night.'
'It started to rain?' asked Pippin.
'Yes. I though you noticed that. Everyone left at that point.' Said the hobbit conversationally, 'Even my Annabel, and she's smitten badly with Mr Baggins. '
'Yeeeeessssssss.' Said Pippin, 'I can see how bad it rained yesterday.' Then Pippin grinned desperately and said, ' I think I've got to be going..' And with that Pippin started to run towards bag end.
The hobbit went back to hoeing his garden. *What a queer fellow, * He though to himself, * But those Took's have always been a little odd *
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Amethyst felt so tired all of a sudden. She lay down as best as she could in the cocoon and pulled the covers over her head again.
Then, Elanor came in. She knew that Amethyst had been brought home late last night, and she knew that Amethyst had done something.not quiet right, last night. She had sort of..exploded last night. She couldn't forget the night of worry, the night of listening to whispers in the darkness, when she had shared a room with Goldilocks and Faramir. Faramir had needed a place to sleep, and after a while Goldilocks had come in.well, it had ended up with him on the floor and her sleeping in Amethyst bed.
She also knew that Amethyst had caught something in her night out. She knew because she had heard Mr Merry, Pippin and Mrs Estella and Diamond talking about it in vague terms, even though she wasn't allowed to eavesdrop into other people conversations. She wasn't sure how ill Amethyst was, but she knew that she was ill.
Amethyst realised slowly that someone was sitting on the bed opposite and was watching her. She struggled and forced her head out of the blanket. Elanor was sitting on the bed opposite to her and was playing with a doll. When she noticed that Amethyst was looking at her, she put it down slowly and looked at her.
Amethyst's skin was yellowish, and her forehead had a few drops of shiny sweat on them, that yellow to match her skin. Her eyes were half closed and a little swollen. Her hair looked limp and lifeless.
'Amethyst, are you all right?' she asked.
No answer.
'Amethyst? Amethyst?'
Amethyst sat up slowly, her whole body hurting too much. She held her head in her shaking hands. 'Elle?' she asked in a voice cracked with pain and swollen glands.
'You okay?' she asked, then realising how stupid that probably sounded.
'Yeah. Just a fever an' a headache.' She said, 'Nothin' bad.'
'Oh.' Said Elanor, looking down at the floor.
Amethyst couldn't stand it. 'Elle. You don't like me, do you?'
Elanor looked confused, then as if Amethyst had insulted her, 'Amethyst! What are you saying?'
'I'm saying that you don't like me.' Said Amethyst, her voice a little stronger, 'You hate me. I ruined everything last night, and you didn't even want to play with me yesterday at the party. '
'Amy..'
'IT'S TRUE!' she said in a loud voice almost in tears, 'you don't like me!'
Amethyst started coughing, dislodging a few unnoticeable tears. She wiped them away.
'Amethyst, I do like you..' Said Elanor, 'But I had work to do, so I couldn't play with you.'
'What work?' asked Amethyst, 'I know Sam and Rose would let you off chores for the party, and you wouldn't even let me go with you! '
'I couldn't let you come with me!' said Elanor, 'But dad said I can't tell you why.'
'So Sam doesn't like me?' she asked. She seemed deflated.
'No.' said Elanor, 'that isn't it, but I can't tell you the real reason. You're still my best friend in the whole world!'
'All right.' Said Amethyst, 'Keep your secrets. But if I'm really your best friend, then you'll promise to stay with me all day.'
Elanor looked at her, sighed, smiled and said, 'What game do you want to play first?'
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Pippin ran through the corridor to the office as fast he could. He had asked at least four very bemused people about the events of yesterday, and non of them could remember what had happened. This was odd. Something like this in the Shire would have spread to the furthest reaches of every part, and, definitely, not have been forgotten in the blink of an eye.
He could hear his footsteps echo around the hall. He saw the frosted window in the door, he saw the brass doorknob, and he pulled on it, and half fell in as the door opened. 'FRODO! SAM!' he shouted, waving his arms unnecessarily, 'SOME THING WEIRD'S HAPPENING IN THE SHIRE!'
Sam and Frodo sat in their chairs, looking unimpressed.
''Err, I need to talk to you.' Said Pippin, rubbing the back of his neck, 'Something, REALLY weird is happening in the Shire?'
Frodo looked at him again, and Pippin, for some reason closed the door. He grabbed a chair and said, 'No one can remember yesterday.'
That made Sam sit up. 'Really?'
'It's like someone wiped their memories and replaced it with a nicer one.'
'What do you mean?' asked Frodo.
'Well, you know.. What Amethyst did yesterday?' asked Pippin.
Sam and Frodo both nodded. 'She performed some sort of magic, which made her become powerful enough to lift herself twenty foot into the air, levitate a young hobbit lad, create a thunderstorm and unsettle everyone enough to make her seem a threat, yes, I remember.' said Frodo, 'I was their. So was Sam'
Sam nodded, 'Yes Mr Frodo. It shook me up for a bit there.'
'Well, ' said Pippin, a little output from having the subject changed, 'something's happened to replace their memories with something else. They all think they went home because it started to rain. '
'That's stupid, I had marquees set up.' started Frodo, then stopped, 'I see.'
'But do you remember Sam?' asked Pippin
'Yes, of Course!' he said indignantly, 'I don't think I could ever forget!'
'I think, 'said Frodo with tact, 'That we should ask Merry about yesterday..'
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'What do you mean, "Do I remember?"' asked Merry as he put down his paper.
'I mean, what happened yesterday at the party?' asked Pippin, who had taken charge of interrogation for some reason unknown to the rest.
'Of course I remember, 'said Merry, 'I don't think anyone could ever forget. Amethyst turned into a.'
Frodo sighed. He knew it wouldn't work like that. 'Pippin? 'He asked, 'Where were you when you first noticed this.change?'
'Err.About halfway down Sharkey's end.' He said.
'New Row.' Corrected Frodo unconsciously. Then, unexpectedly he clicked his fingers. 'Go it! Whatever happened must have only affected those outside bag end, as that was.'
'The centre of the power.' ended Merry and Frodo together.
'Right, but what does that mean?' asked Pippin.
'Meaning Amethyst did it.' Finished Frodo.
'So, is their anything for us to do?'
'Yes, Pippin. I must send message to Gandalf.'
'But, 'said Merry, 'How can we send message, when we don't know where he is?'
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Well, thank you for reading. I hope that you like this!
Hello! Chapter ten is up, and although it's a bit longer than I would like, I hope it makes sense. The story does have a clearish ending at the moment, as I'm writing it now. Well, please enjoy!
Disclaimer : I own nothing, except the idea of this type of nymph, and some cd's.
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Amethyst blinked. Everything seemed fuzzy, and she could smell the smell of pipe weed and leather. She was near to a warm fire, but she shivered. She blinked again. Things seemed to go back into focus, but she wasn't sure. When she had been asleep, she had been in a hole, and everything seemed a little blurry after that. There was no way she could be back at Bag end .Not after what she had done. She lye on one of the couch, on top of many towels. She had been changed out of the party dress, and into a night gown. She felt dry, but she felt awful. Her head was pounding on the left side, while a vague sense of dread and sickness filled her stomach.
She blinked again. Her head felt sweaty and like it was about to explode, but she felt glad to be out of the rain. Maybe some humans had found her and taken pity on her. She though that until she realised that the hearth in the drawing room she looked at was her own, and the couch was also her own.
She turned her head slightly, making her head ache badly. She saw Uncle Merry smoking a pipe, reading a book. Amethyst tried not to make a sound, but soon she had to cough. He looked up, and then came over to her side.
'Amethyst! You don't want to know how much trouble you're in!' he said, waving a finger at her. When she looked scared he laughed and then said, ' Don't worry. We all forgive you. You shouldn't have run off like that. Frodo's been fretting about you since he came back with you.'
She looked a little surprised, but after making a few mental adjustments to realise who he meant by Frodo, she whispered, 'Daddy's not angry about the party?'
'Not as far as I can tell.' He said, 'Now, just lie back and I'll get you something to drink. You must be thirsty, eh?'
Amethyst nodded weakly, and Merry walked into the kitchen. He had shooed Frodo of to bed much earlier, and Gandalf and him were taking shifts. The sight of the poor child was enough to break the hardest of hearts. Monsters could never be as sweet at that, or that fragile.
Maybe what had happened was a one off. Maybe she had just done that once, and it would never happen again. But as he though that, he knew it wasn't true. But Gandalf had said that whatever she was, it might be something to do with the destruction of the ring, and just leaving her wouldn't do any good.
Gandalf had fallen asleep in the kitchen chair. Merry smiled and put the kettle on. Merry refilled his pipe and waited for it to boil. He found himself a chair, and watched the kettle. As the cheery thing sang, Gandalf seemed to wake up, and saw him making a cup of milky tea. Gandalf guessed correctly that she was up, and looked at the clock on the wall.
'It's six.' He said, 'How long have I been asleep?'
'A couple of hours Gandalf.' Said Merry as he went to the drawing room. Gandalf put his staff in front of Merry, and he stopped.
'I think I'll take this in.' he said, 'I think I should see to her.'
Merry understood, and let him.
Gandalf went into the drawing room and Frodo came into the kitchen. He held his head in his hand, and wore a pair of casual britches and a cotton shirt with his brown waistcoat over the top.
He flopped on a chair, and Merry poured out a couple more cups of tea. Frodo lent on the table and sighed again. He had bags under his eyes, and looked like Pippin did after a night out at the green dragon. Frodo wiped his face with his hand, and Merry put the cups on the table with an unnecessarily loud clunk.
Frodo looked up. 'She all right?' he asked.
'Fine. She's just woken up.' Said Merry, 'Gandalf just went into see her.'
'She's got a bit of a fever.' Said Frodo.
'You don't know that Frodo. You're no doctor.'
'Lets just say its parental intuition.' He said with a weak smile, 'Like having eyes in the back of you head. '
Merry smiled weakly back, and said, ' So having a little lass instantly makes you stay in nights and put on a few pounds?'
Frodo smiled back and said, 'Yes, more or less. Then you get hobbits like Pippin, and he never changes if he can help it.' They both laughed.
'You.were getting a lot of attention last night' said Merry, rocking on the balls of his heels and looking down at the floor.
Frodo looked away. 'Yeah. For some reason the young hobbit-lasses seem to like me a lot ever since I was sixty, but I don't believe it is down to respectability. ' Merry laughed a little, but Frodo sighed, 'No, I don't know what attracts them, but I don't think I could ever settle down with a nice lass, not at my time of life.'
*Or after what you've seen*, Merry though, but let it go in his mind. 'Really?' he asked, 'Maybe you just haven't found the right lass.'
Frodo sighed, 'There are many lasses in Hobbiton, and at least half of them are unattached. It's not like I'm not spoilt for choice. I doubt if I'm going to meet anyone again.' Frodo took a sip of his tea, 'And, anyway, I've got Amethyst to look after.'
*Bingo! * Though Merry. 'Maybe you would like to go out with Pippin and me,' he said, 'Y'know, a lads night out. A chance to have a bit of fun. Anyway, we've been missing you, Pippin and me, and Sam of course. It couldn't be a good lad's night out without you two.'
'I'm not a lad, Merry, I am a gentle hobbit.' Said Frodo, smiling in his jest, 'And I do not frequent pubs. I stay at home and do work of the village.'
'Come on Frodo, ' replied Merry, in the opposite jest, 'I think the villagers would be happy to see their mayor take part in a hobbit tradition.'
'Of what?' asked Frodo, 'Getting drunk and having a hang over? Not a brilliant tradition, you have to admit.'
'Could be worse, 'said Merry, 'You've really dropped out of the running of the Shire almost altogether, it would be good for you to have some fun, meet and nice lass, maybe get a little tipsy.'
'I'll have to think about it Merry. Anyway, I though your wife didn't like you doing that?'
'No, she doesn't, but she lets me out occasionally, but I barely have need of that, Y'know. I have a nice enough time at home.' Merry winked and raised and eyebrow as he took another sip of tea.
'I think you should ask Sam first. I don't think he would approve.' Said Frodo, 'And he has a better time at home than you do.' Frodo raised his eyebrow. Merry was almost astounded by Frodo's perception. He had always assumed he was innocent of all things of that nature.
Frodo broke the silence. 'I think maybe you should go and say good morning to your lovely wife. It's time I went to see my own girl.' Frodo drained his cup and put it back on the table.
Merry was left standing, with a feeling that Frodo had somehow got at him.
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Gandalf at the moment Frodo walked it was checking Amethysts pulse and asking her about things she knew all about, such as the shire, and how bag end was. Amethyst, although her voice sounded cracked and ill, was carrying on continually with Gandalf punctuating it with yes's and more questions.
When he noticed that Frodo had come in, he stood up and turned around. 'Frodo, your daughter does have a mild fever but for the life of me, I can't understand why. '
'So, what am I to do?' he asked, 'Is there anything I can do to make her feel better.'
'Not much but keep her comfortable and warm. Oh yes, and maybe give her soft food that's easy to digest for a while.' Gandalf walked past the hobbit and went to the door. He picked up his hat and cloak, 'It might just be for a day or two.' Then, he said more to himself than anyone else, ' She may have brought on the symptoms herself for attention.'
'Gandalf, you are leaving all ready?' he asked.
'Yes Frodo, I have work outside the shire.' He put on his hat and tipped it, 'Oh yes, happy birthday Frodo. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you that earlier. '
Gandalf walked out the door, and Frodo and Gandalf engaged in a manly embrace. Then, they parted, and just before he left he said, 'Frodo, if she does anything like she did yesterday again, send message to me.' He swished his cloak, and then was on the way down his road.
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Ash woke up again, but his fever had gone and he was nearly back to normal. He was disappointed not to wake up near Amethyst, but when he saw the room he was in.
It was a fine room, better than any he had been in, legally, and he was lying on the bed.. It was unheard of for him to have a bed, let alone one so fine. He got up quickly, and regretted it almost instantly. His whole body hurt, as if he had been beaten all over again. Then he realised that his body was just stiff.
He fell on the floor, and, cursing like a worse man, he got up. He had another look around the room. It was definitely one of a lord or lady, but although grand, it seemed a little plain. It was a soft comforting green, but he gained no comfort from it. The bed was white and yellow in colour, and the room had many cupboards and tables. But one caught his eye. It was a low, simple table, but unlike the rest it had some fruit on it in a wooden bowl.
Ash looked down. He was still in his old britches and shirt, but although poor and worn. He sat next to the table, and picked up an apple, and demolished it in about a minute. Poor Amethyst, he had been stealing food off her for a while now, even if it wasn't directly. He could feel her poor ill body aching all over at the back of his mind, like an itch. But he had done everything he had to stay alive. He couldn't help it.
He could feel her own empty stomach. Well, he could fix that. She may have been ill, but she could eat already digested food, even though technically she wouldn't eat it. He would just give her the feeling and the energy and everything that went with a full stomach, without the trouble of eating it.
He had eaten another apple and a handful of berries by the time he had thought this. He was about to eat a mushroom when he heard a knock at the door. He put the bowl down and unintentionally squeaked. Then he crawled under the bed, hoping not to be caught. He went invisible, and the door opened.
A beautiful elf woman came in. She had long brown hair, like that of tree bark, and eyes that were blue like the sky. He felt an intake of breath, then remembered that the elves could enthral anyone with their beauty. Nymphs couldn't, and they weren't a very beautiful race, whatever the name suggests. Amethyst had just been beautiful, and Myotisis was beautiful because he had been brought up an elf, but Ash wasn't beautiful. He was a pail, thin youth, with hair like dark shadows, and eyes as yellow as the burning sun.
'Ash!' she called out, 'Ash! Where are you? Are you better? Have you left?'
Ash materialised under the bed and crawled out. He doubted that if she had wanted to hurt him, as she would not have such a pleasant tone in her voice. He crawled out from under the bed.
She saw him as he stood up a little uncertainly, and walked slowly towards her. 'Ash!' she exclaimed, 'Are you all right? Your eyes..'
'Yes,' he said simply, 'they are always like this. My eyes are yellow. That is how I got my name. ' The elf woman still seemed a little unsettled by him. 'Do you want me to leave?' he asked, 'I will if you but let me have a few supplies and clothes.'
'No, Ash. You said that you are looking for your sister..'She said.
'Not really, ' he said, 'She's more of a friend, but we are the only thing that either of us have left in this world. We are both orphans you see.'
'I understand, ' she said, 'She is precious to you.'
'Yes.' Said Ash, 'And I must find her. I believe she is in the country called the Shire.'
'Shire? How do you know of such places? Are you aware that you are claiming your friend lives among little people?'
'Yes.' He said, 'I also know a little of halflings. You see, as she is part hobbit herself.'
'I see, 'said the elf lady, not really understanding, 'But my husband wishes to see you. There is a delegate from Mirkwood coming a little later, and he wishes to see his guest before he leaves.'
'Who is you husband, pray?' he asked, hoping that Myotisis would be in the delegate. He would be able to help him find the Shire.
'King Ellesa of Gondor.'
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'Come on Amy, 'he said more to himself than her, as he lifted her up to put her to bed. He lifted her more easily than he would have liked, but soon he was able to put her into her own bed. She seemed a lot more comfortable, and she lay there, smiling sweetly.
He put some light but warm coverings on her, and bent over to kiss her sweet forehead. She sat up, and said' Daddy, are you angry with me?'
'What for?' he asked, 'For being ill? Running away?' he said in a voice that showed that he was angry, but not actually angry.
She looked away, 'For doing what I did yesterday.'
Frodo smiled, and sat down on the bed next to her. 'No,' he said with a grin on his face, 'but promise me you'll never run away again. You gave me such a shock, and when we couldn't find you, I was so worried you had been hurt or worse..'
Amethyst looked away. Frodo had said enough. Then she said, as if testing the water, 'You were worried about me?'
'Of course I was!' he said, 'You're my little gemstone.'
'And you're not mad at me for scaring off the lasses?' she asked.
'No. ' he replied, seeing what might become a problem.
'Because I though that maybe you would like them better, and then you wouldn't want me any more.'
'Amethyst!' he said, almost angrily, 'I will never find anyone else, and I will never leave you if I can help it!'
She seemed a little scared, but then had a coughing fit. Frodo held her as she coughed in a way that moved her whole body, and then she stopped, a little teary eyed and weak. She looked up at him, and he smiled again. He felt her forehead and plumped up the pillow behind her so she could lie against it.
He ruffed her hair that fell in ringlets and said, 'Now, are you all right to be left here? I've got some work to do, and if you need anything, all you need to do is tell any adult, right.'
'Yes Daddy.' She said. She sighed. He head ached, but she didn't like being left alone.
'Now, be a good girl for me, and you'll soon be better.'
He was about to leave when she said in a whiny ill voice, 'Daddy, tell me a story.'
'Amethyst..' He started.
'Please?' she asked, 'please? Maybe something from the red book..'
Now that got Frodo's attention. He stopped in his tracks, glad that she couldn't see his face. He turned a round slowly.
'Amethyst, how much of the red book have Sam and I read to you and Elanor?' he asked.
'Not much.' She said, 'We've read the story of Bilbo Baggins and up to the bit when you reach Rivendale, but no further.'
'Amethyst, I will tell you a little more, but this must be what you really what to know.' He said, sitting on the bed, 'As it might set off one of my.. attacks.'
'Daddy, you're always having attacks, and I don't even know WHY!' she said, her cracked voice becoming harsh. This set off another coughing attack, but she persevered,' I don't know what happened to you Daddy, ' she said in a voice that really didn't belong to her, 'and I need to know.'
Frodo sat on the bed next to her. 'Do you know what Mordor is like?' he asked her. She shook her head.
'Mordor is a black land, so black, it is like night during the day, and pitch during the night. Mordor smell is like that of smoke and rotting flesh and death all mixed together in a single smell, knocking you out in a wave of disgust. Nothing grows there, but the native black thorny bushes, and these bushes are like black pincushions, except bigger and the thorns cut through everything, save metal.' He described, looking her in the face. His usual laughter was gone, and now he became more serious that she had ever known her to be.
'Daddy, it sounds.. horrible.'
'The whole land, sky, soil, plants, all black.' He said, looking into the distance, 'Black like nothing black enough to describe. The mere sight of the blackness would drive any person insane. The air is fowl, like breathing in sharp pieces of glass, and everything is soul destroying. The very feel to the air, the very sight of the mountains, the very existence of the place kills all hope of surviving. Orcs patrol the land, making it so horrible. Each orc seems to have been made ugly in a different way, and made to torture others in a different way, often by the very sight of them. ' Frodo looked her in the face, 'and that is why we don't read the red book that often, Gemstone, because what it describes, it not for mortals to know about.'
Amethyst looked at him. 'Daddy, you went to that place for all of us?' she asked.
'Every single one of us.' He said, kissing her on the forehead, 'So that is why I must go and do some work instead of just chatting to you all day.' he got up and walked out, a little too fast.
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So Amethyst was left to mull this over. The fever made her picture the land. It must have been like a wood after a forest fire. All ash, and burned wood and only the most horrible trees lasting, but even them being turned black.
She had only ever seen a forest fire once, and it was horrible, like a once wonderful forest had been stripped in the space of a day. It had been when she was seven. She had felt so.. powerless, weak, so disappointed that anything like that could happen in the world.
She hadn't been the only one disappointed though. Poor Sam had almost been in tears, and of course Daddy.he just looked at it, and gasped for air. He couldn't believe it either, and the whole thing, it had been discovered, had been cause by a single match being discarded into a bush. Almost as if someone liked to see that happen.
He had, of course, had another "attack" and only left his room after three days, to sort out what was to be done. Sam had gone into overdrive to try to sort it out. It had been of great help when daddy had been able to help him, being more used to the administrative side of things.
Her fever made the though seem like it was bursting out of her head, as memories mixed with thoughts and fears seemed to spill out onto the bed covers.
To be honest, Amethyst didn't even know what the attacks were, or why they happened, but all her life she could remember that often, for no reason he would go sad, and go to his room as fast as he could. Then horrible noises would come from his room, as if he was being tortured by invisible demons, or other times she swore she could hear him screaming, pleading with an unknown person, pleading him to leave all of them alone.
She had only once seen him when he was "ill" and the very sight had made her shiver all over. It had been on a walk together, and he had felt it coming onto him. Sam had told Rose and the other children to continue, but Amethyst has followed them. She didn't know why, maybe because she had been nine, maybe because she wanted to know, or maybe because she had only wanted to be with him on the walk, but by the time daddy had reached the house he has been sobbing, and Sam had been forced to restrain him.
When they walked into the hole though, daddy had suddenly gone totally mad, and started to attack Sam, screaming like a wild thing. Sam was the stronger, more muscular of the two hobbits, and had forced him to the ground, holding his arm behind his back. Somehow he coaxed Daddy into his room, and locked it behind him.
He wasn't the same hobbit she knew. This hobbit, being half pulled, half carried by Sam wasn't the same caring, happy hobbit she knew. She couldn't believe that daddy could be like that, even if he was "ill".
After that he had always quietly gone to his room when he felt an attack coming on.
But said a little voice in her head, you always feared being ill, in case the same happened to you. Remember the time you were eleven, and you had that stomach bug and you went on that walk to Brandy hall? You were so frightened of being ill that you pretended that you weren't.
Daddy didn't notice until both of you were half way their, and you couldn't keep up with him, and he was practically carrying you to brandy hall. You were their for three days in bed, and all the time you could hear people saying, "why didn't she say anything?" and people questioning his right as a father, but you didn't know at the time what they were talking about at the time.
You don't have to be afraid of that anymore, she though, as he isn't my father. He maybe as kind as my father, or a better person, or a more deserving person, but he isn't a relative. You can't get the "Illness" off him; he's not your dad. Not really.
This, for some reason, made her remember her confusion as a small child. She though that Mrs Rose, Sam and Daddy were all her parents. Rose hadn't minded her calling her Mamma, but she had worked out when she was six that she wasn't her real or adoptive mother. She just lived in the house like everyone else.
She felt dizzy and cold all of a sudden. She shivered and pulled the sheets up. Amethyst had never been afraid of the dark. It held no fears to her, as she knew, even if she didn't, that it wasn't that dark itself that was the danger, but what was in it.
It was unbearable to sit all alone, cold and shivering, without some one there. She knew that Daddy would have stayed with her if she hadn't asked such a question. She seemed to have a knack of asking difficult questions. She was the type of person who would look at the blueprints for a hole, and she would be the first person to ask, "how are the people supposed to get in and out?"
She felt so wretched. The birds outside where singing, but they gave her a headache. She decided to get out of bed. She put her feet on the ground, and tried to get up. Her legs felt weak and shivery, like she had been for a long ride, and was getting off a cart. Her head seemed to spin more for getting up, and she ended up sitting on the bed.
Then she slid onto the floor and crawled like a baby to the bookshelf and took a copy of the red book, as well as a doll to cuddle.
She crawled back to bed and wrapped the quilt around her, so just her head peaked out of the cloth cocoon. The doll was held in one small hand inside the cocoon, while the other was turning the pages of the book.
She couldn't concentrate, it made her head ache worse. She slid her hand back into the cocoon, and shivered slightly. She withdrew her head into the cocoon, like a turtle, and shivered in the warm darkness of the covers. The doll was squeezed as she shivered again.
Why had Elanor and Frodo been avoiding her? What she really that horrible? Didn't they like her any more? She shivered again. Had they known what was about to happen? They had been avoiding her all that day, and so had everyone else. She felt herself get colder, as she had a horrible though. They had just realised how different she was.
She knew she had been different all her life, you were different if you were Mr Frodo's daughter by default. Even more if you had bright Purple eyes and red hair like the blood of a demon, but it had never really hit her how different she was until her eyes had started to burn at the party. Had Elanor and Frodo been frightened of her, and didn't want to say?
Amethyst stayed under the quilt and hope, against all hopes that everyone would forget what happened at the party, so they wouldn't go and hurt Daddy about it. She hoped that they wouldn't want to get rid of her, and that no one would come and make her leave the village..
She hardly noticed how her eyes stung for a moment, while she changed everything around her. _______________________________
'Ah, Mr Took! Good Morning to you!'
Pippin looked at the hobbit that had hailed him. It was the father of one of the many hobbit lasses who had been flirting with Frodo the night before, hoeing his garden. Pippin smiled and waved back. He hoped like hell that he wouldn't bring up the subject of the party. Unfortunately, he did.
'I see you enjoyed Mr Baggins's party last night.' He said.
'Y-yes.' He said, looking for his pipe, 'It was great fun,' up to the bit when Amethyst did whatever she did, he added only to himself.
'Pity it started to rain.' Said the hobbit amiably, 'It might have gone on all night.'
'It started to rain?' asked Pippin.
'Yes. I though you noticed that. Everyone left at that point.' Said the hobbit conversationally, 'Even my Annabel, and she's smitten badly with Mr Baggins. '
'Yeeeeessssssss.' Said Pippin, 'I can see how bad it rained yesterday.' Then Pippin grinned desperately and said, ' I think I've got to be going..' And with that Pippin started to run towards bag end.
The hobbit went back to hoeing his garden. *What a queer fellow, * He though to himself, * But those Took's have always been a little odd *
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Amethyst felt so tired all of a sudden. She lay down as best as she could in the cocoon and pulled the covers over her head again.
Then, Elanor came in. She knew that Amethyst had been brought home late last night, and she knew that Amethyst had done something.not quiet right, last night. She had sort of..exploded last night. She couldn't forget the night of worry, the night of listening to whispers in the darkness, when she had shared a room with Goldilocks and Faramir. Faramir had needed a place to sleep, and after a while Goldilocks had come in.well, it had ended up with him on the floor and her sleeping in Amethyst bed.
She also knew that Amethyst had caught something in her night out. She knew because she had heard Mr Merry, Pippin and Mrs Estella and Diamond talking about it in vague terms, even though she wasn't allowed to eavesdrop into other people conversations. She wasn't sure how ill Amethyst was, but she knew that she was ill.
Amethyst realised slowly that someone was sitting on the bed opposite and was watching her. She struggled and forced her head out of the blanket. Elanor was sitting on the bed opposite to her and was playing with a doll. When she noticed that Amethyst was looking at her, she put it down slowly and looked at her.
Amethyst's skin was yellowish, and her forehead had a few drops of shiny sweat on them, that yellow to match her skin. Her eyes were half closed and a little swollen. Her hair looked limp and lifeless.
'Amethyst, are you all right?' she asked.
No answer.
'Amethyst? Amethyst?'
Amethyst sat up slowly, her whole body hurting too much. She held her head in her shaking hands. 'Elle?' she asked in a voice cracked with pain and swollen glands.
'You okay?' she asked, then realising how stupid that probably sounded.
'Yeah. Just a fever an' a headache.' She said, 'Nothin' bad.'
'Oh.' Said Elanor, looking down at the floor.
Amethyst couldn't stand it. 'Elle. You don't like me, do you?'
Elanor looked confused, then as if Amethyst had insulted her, 'Amethyst! What are you saying?'
'I'm saying that you don't like me.' Said Amethyst, her voice a little stronger, 'You hate me. I ruined everything last night, and you didn't even want to play with me yesterday at the party. '
'Amy..'
'IT'S TRUE!' she said in a loud voice almost in tears, 'you don't like me!'
Amethyst started coughing, dislodging a few unnoticeable tears. She wiped them away.
'Amethyst, I do like you..' Said Elanor, 'But I had work to do, so I couldn't play with you.'
'What work?' asked Amethyst, 'I know Sam and Rose would let you off chores for the party, and you wouldn't even let me go with you! '
'I couldn't let you come with me!' said Elanor, 'But dad said I can't tell you why.'
'So Sam doesn't like me?' she asked. She seemed deflated.
'No.' said Elanor, 'that isn't it, but I can't tell you the real reason. You're still my best friend in the whole world!'
'All right.' Said Amethyst, 'Keep your secrets. But if I'm really your best friend, then you'll promise to stay with me all day.'
Elanor looked at her, sighed, smiled and said, 'What game do you want to play first?'
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Pippin ran through the corridor to the office as fast he could. He had asked at least four very bemused people about the events of yesterday, and non of them could remember what had happened. This was odd. Something like this in the Shire would have spread to the furthest reaches of every part, and, definitely, not have been forgotten in the blink of an eye.
He could hear his footsteps echo around the hall. He saw the frosted window in the door, he saw the brass doorknob, and he pulled on it, and half fell in as the door opened. 'FRODO! SAM!' he shouted, waving his arms unnecessarily, 'SOME THING WEIRD'S HAPPENING IN THE SHIRE!'
Sam and Frodo sat in their chairs, looking unimpressed.
''Err, I need to talk to you.' Said Pippin, rubbing the back of his neck, 'Something, REALLY weird is happening in the Shire?'
Frodo looked at him again, and Pippin, for some reason closed the door. He grabbed a chair and said, 'No one can remember yesterday.'
That made Sam sit up. 'Really?'
'It's like someone wiped their memories and replaced it with a nicer one.'
'What do you mean?' asked Frodo.
'Well, you know.. What Amethyst did yesterday?' asked Pippin.
Sam and Frodo both nodded. 'She performed some sort of magic, which made her become powerful enough to lift herself twenty foot into the air, levitate a young hobbit lad, create a thunderstorm and unsettle everyone enough to make her seem a threat, yes, I remember.' said Frodo, 'I was their. So was Sam'
Sam nodded, 'Yes Mr Frodo. It shook me up for a bit there.'
'Well, ' said Pippin, a little output from having the subject changed, 'something's happened to replace their memories with something else. They all think they went home because it started to rain. '
'That's stupid, I had marquees set up.' started Frodo, then stopped, 'I see.'
'But do you remember Sam?' asked Pippin
'Yes, of Course!' he said indignantly, 'I don't think I could ever forget!'
'I think, 'said Frodo with tact, 'That we should ask Merry about yesterday..'
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'What do you mean, "Do I remember?"' asked Merry as he put down his paper.
'I mean, what happened yesterday at the party?' asked Pippin, who had taken charge of interrogation for some reason unknown to the rest.
'Of course I remember, 'said Merry, 'I don't think anyone could ever forget. Amethyst turned into a.'
Frodo sighed. He knew it wouldn't work like that. 'Pippin? 'He asked, 'Where were you when you first noticed this.change?'
'Err.About halfway down Sharkey's end.' He said.
'New Row.' Corrected Frodo unconsciously. Then, unexpectedly he clicked his fingers. 'Go it! Whatever happened must have only affected those outside bag end, as that was.'
'The centre of the power.' ended Merry and Frodo together.
'Right, but what does that mean?' asked Pippin.
'Meaning Amethyst did it.' Finished Frodo.
'So, is their anything for us to do?'
'Yes, Pippin. I must send message to Gandalf.'
'But, 'said Merry, 'How can we send message, when we don't know where he is?'
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Well, thank you for reading. I hope that you like this!