Chapter 11: A Welcomed Embrace

"What about her?" I said feeling my mouth suddenly become dry as he smiled grabbing something from his pocket.

"When your mother and I were going through the dragon horde I found this and gave it to her." He began opening his hand to see a beautiful mithril ring that had a sapphire embedded into it finishing with, "The last time I saw her she gave it back to me as a promise to come back to it and me."

I looked up at his face seeing he had tears in his eyes saying, "That was over 60 years ago… and I never stopped waiting for her to return."

I felt my body shake slightly feeling tears fill my eyes saying just above a whisper, "It's you…"

He smiled kindly wiping a tear that had fallen saying, "Yes it's me."

"Father." I said rushing over to hug him as he hugged back feeling the tears fall freely from my eyes as I said between sobs, "I never stopped believing I'd see you one day."

"Had I known about you sooner my dear I would have been there." He said making me pull away saying, "Why weren't you there?"

I saw him frown lightly saying, "I believe your mother had come to see me once she was done fighting for Rivendell, that was when I had first taken Frodo in since his parents died, she must have assumed he was mine and left."

I closed my eyes saying, "That's why she looked so sad when I asked about you…"

"Believe me, Marina I wish things were different, I have never stopped loving your mother although I'm sure she would be a lot more beautiful than I am if she were still here." He said trying to lighten the mood making me smile saying, "It wouldn't have mattered I don't believe she ever stopped loving you either."

He smiled putting his hand on my shoulder saying, "This ring belongs to you now, she would have wanted you to have it."

"Are you sure, it's all you have left of hers?" I said unsure while he put it into my hands saying, "I will always have my memories and a piece of her still lives in you, though you did get my eyes."

I smiled proudly putting the ring on my finger feeling it fit perfectly looking back up at him hugging him once more saying, "Thank you, father."


After some tears and laughs Bilbo and I walked around Rivendell eventually meeting up with Gandalf and the other hobbits, who looked very surprised and excited to see him.

After they all exchanged hugs I saw Gandalf wink towards me knowingly saying, "That is a lovely ring you have my dear."

I looked down at it while the other hobbits noticed it saying, "Thank you it was a gift from my father."

"I thought you didn't know your father?" Sam asked curiously while I smiled wider tilting my head towards Bilbo saying, "I recently found him."

They followed my eyes seeing them widened as Bilbo smiled fondly towards me hearing Pippin snort saying, "He looks more like he'd be your grandfather now."

"Oh shut it Pipsqueak!" I said running at him with my daggers out as he shrieked sprinting off into the garden hearing the laughter from everyone behind us.

Once everything was settled down we all sat eating lunch enjoying each other's company Gandalf had gone off to check on Frodo while I sat with Sam, Pippin, and Merry. Bilbo had gone for a walk with Elrond as I watched the hobbits quietly sipping on some tea.

Suddenly they all went quiet as I looked up seeing Frodo smiling towards us all watching them all run over hugging him.

I stood up walking towards him as they let him go while I said, "I'm glad you're doing better."

He came over hugging me saying quietly, "I'm glad you were there to keep them safe."

I smiled into the hug until he let go saying, "I trust Gandalf has already come to see you?"

"Yea he was there when I woke up." Frodo said as I looked to my side smiling lightly seeing him make a face as I tilted my head.

He looked over to the direction I tilted to seeing Bilbo sitting down humming smiling towards me before running to him. I watched them hug smiling knowing right now they needed to be alone but I would talk to Frodo later.

I sat on the fountain in the gardens humming lightly as it began to get dark out but I didn't feel like leaving enjoying the scenery and quiet. That was at least when I heard someone walking through the garden making a bunch of noise causing my eyes to close.

"What are you doing Pipsqueak?" I said not opening them feeling him sit next to me saying, "I wish you wouldn't call me that and Frodo was looking for you."

"He was?" I said opening my eyes seeing Pippin closer than I anticipated nodding lightly saying, "Yea he's in his room… I figured you'd be out here… you seem to like nature."

I gave him a look over he had a very soft kind of face while his eyes I hadn't noticed were emerald in color and had an innocent charm to them. I shook my head not seeing the relevance of noticing such things standing up looking towards him.

"I do indeed and thank you for letting me know Pipsqueak, have a pleasant night." I said placing a hand on his shoulder for a moment before heading back up to the stairs ignoring an irritating thumping in my chest.

I knocked on Frodo's door as he called for me to come in walking in to see him holding a book smiling towards me.

"Pipsqueak said you wanted to see me." I said seeing him laugh lightly replying, "I did yes, I talked to Bilbo earlier."

His face became more serious as I approached him sitting in a chair beside the bed while he said, "He told me everything… about your mother and how you… you're his daughter."

"I was probably just as shocked as you." I said while he smiled saying, "It makes sense though, after reading his book how much he cared about your mother."

I looked down at the book in his hands saying, "He wrote a book?"

Frodo nodded handing it to me saying, "You're welcome to read it, I'm sure he'd want you to."

"Thank you." I said taking the book from him as he laughed saying, "And once all this business is done you'll always have a home at Bag End, it's your home just as much as it's mine."

I felt tears start to fill my eyes but I quickly wiped them away saying, "I've never had a proper home… we've moved around so much."

He put a comforting hand on my shoulder saying, "You don't have to worry anymore."

"Thank you Frodo, this truly all means so much to me and I'll make sure that from here on out I shall protect you." I said giving him a confident smile saying, "I trust you won't have to after this Marina but thank you."