Beautiful
--by Egon Starcollector
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my migraine. *le sigh*
The ring, in fact, was ready the morning of Frodo's birthday. He said he needed to go to the village "on an errand." Sam and Rosie were quite aware of what the errand was, so they hid their excited smiles behind their hands. Bella was merely glad they would have a chance to decorate Bag End for the party.
She walked Frodo down the road a bit, at his request. "Bella, would you go for a walk with me after I return? There was something I wanted to ask you about...."
"Um, certainly."
"Meet me here, then, and we'll go up to the hill."
"All right." Bella grew nervous. Now what? This wasn't what was supposed to happen at all! She hurried back inside, a concerned look on her face. "Frodo wants me to take a walk with him right after he gets back from the village."
"Oh that's fine, sweetie," Rosie reassured her. "We'll finish up, and it'll give the guests more time to get here."
"If you're sure...."
"Of course!" She winked at Sam behind Bella's back; the Gamgees knew all along that Frodo was planning exactly what he'd just asked.
"Bella, I see Mister Frodo coming!"
"All right, Master Sam!" She ducked out the door and ran down the road to meet her love.
"Ready, my dear?" Frodo asked.
"I think so," she said as he took her hand.
They spoke of many things as they walked up to the hill. The harvest that year, the forthcoming holidays, the neighbors.... At last, they reached the top and sat down under Frodo's tree. They kissed and leaned against each other.
"Bella?" Frodo spoke at last.
"Yes?"
"You know that I love you...."
"And I love you."
He reached down and clasped her left hand. "I had long thought that I would always be alone. But now...I never wish to be alone again." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. "Marry me Bella."
Bella's mouth dropped open in shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing! Frodo of the Nine Walkers wanted her to be his wife? "YES!" She shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck.
He kissed her and managed to slide the ring onto her finger. "That was what I wanted to ask you. For my birthday...I wanted to give you my life."
"Frodo...." she began, tears sliding down her cheeks.
He kissed her tears away. "I love you, Bella Hardbottle--and I shall but love you more when your name is Bella Baggins."
By the time they returned to Bag End, all of the guests were there for the party. Frodo was appropriately startled, but at last he regained his composure enough to take Gandalf aside. "Can you stay a few more days? I...I'm getting married, and I would like you to perform the ceremony."
"At last. I had planned to stay a bit, in fact; when were you planning upon marrying?"
"As soon as possible. Would three days from now be too soon?"
Gandalf shook his head no. "I would be honored to perform your wedding, Frodo Baggins."
Frodo then stood before the guests and cleared his throat. "My friends, I have an announcement. Bella Hardbottle has done me the honor of consenting to become my wife."
The guests all cheered; Frodo noted that none of them seemed terribly surprised. "I suppose you know you are all invited; the wedding is to be held three days from now."
"Good thing hobbit weddings are simple," King Aragorn muttered.
Bella stepped up to Frodo. "I'll need to go over to my parents' tomorrow and invite them."
"I was just about to suggest it. And don't forget your friends; this is your wedding too, remember." He smiled tenderly at her, and she bent down and kissed him.
--by Egon Starcollector
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my migraine. *le sigh*
The ring, in fact, was ready the morning of Frodo's birthday. He said he needed to go to the village "on an errand." Sam and Rosie were quite aware of what the errand was, so they hid their excited smiles behind their hands. Bella was merely glad they would have a chance to decorate Bag End for the party.
She walked Frodo down the road a bit, at his request. "Bella, would you go for a walk with me after I return? There was something I wanted to ask you about...."
"Um, certainly."
"Meet me here, then, and we'll go up to the hill."
"All right." Bella grew nervous. Now what? This wasn't what was supposed to happen at all! She hurried back inside, a concerned look on her face. "Frodo wants me to take a walk with him right after he gets back from the village."
"Oh that's fine, sweetie," Rosie reassured her. "We'll finish up, and it'll give the guests more time to get here."
"If you're sure...."
"Of course!" She winked at Sam behind Bella's back; the Gamgees knew all along that Frodo was planning exactly what he'd just asked.
"Bella, I see Mister Frodo coming!"
"All right, Master Sam!" She ducked out the door and ran down the road to meet her love.
"Ready, my dear?" Frodo asked.
"I think so," she said as he took her hand.
They spoke of many things as they walked up to the hill. The harvest that year, the forthcoming holidays, the neighbors.... At last, they reached the top and sat down under Frodo's tree. They kissed and leaned against each other.
"Bella?" Frodo spoke at last.
"Yes?"
"You know that I love you...."
"And I love you."
He reached down and clasped her left hand. "I had long thought that I would always be alone. But now...I never wish to be alone again." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. "Marry me Bella."
Bella's mouth dropped open in shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing! Frodo of the Nine Walkers wanted her to be his wife? "YES!" She shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck.
He kissed her and managed to slide the ring onto her finger. "That was what I wanted to ask you. For my birthday...I wanted to give you my life."
"Frodo...." she began, tears sliding down her cheeks.
He kissed her tears away. "I love you, Bella Hardbottle--and I shall but love you more when your name is Bella Baggins."
By the time they returned to Bag End, all of the guests were there for the party. Frodo was appropriately startled, but at last he regained his composure enough to take Gandalf aside. "Can you stay a few more days? I...I'm getting married, and I would like you to perform the ceremony."
"At last. I had planned to stay a bit, in fact; when were you planning upon marrying?"
"As soon as possible. Would three days from now be too soon?"
Gandalf shook his head no. "I would be honored to perform your wedding, Frodo Baggins."
Frodo then stood before the guests and cleared his throat. "My friends, I have an announcement. Bella Hardbottle has done me the honor of consenting to become my wife."
The guests all cheered; Frodo noted that none of them seemed terribly surprised. "I suppose you know you are all invited; the wedding is to be held three days from now."
"Good thing hobbit weddings are simple," King Aragorn muttered.
Bella stepped up to Frodo. "I'll need to go over to my parents' tomorrow and invite them."
"I was just about to suggest it. And don't forget your friends; this is your wedding too, remember." He smiled tenderly at her, and she bent down and kissed him.