Chapter 14 – Escape

When Robin awoke again a new day had started. The sun was bright outside and it shone through the window laying its morning rays on the bed. Robin looked down on Frodo fearing the worst but now his face was peaceful and his breathing soft. She smiled through the tears that glistened in her eyes and whispered thanks to no one in particular. It was at that moment that Frodo awoke and saw Robin sat next to him her head in her hands.

"My love" he whispered.

Robin looked up and Frodo saw that she had been crying.

"Oh Frodo, I have been so worried about you" Her words were full of emotion but she could not bring herself to go to him. Frodo sat up noticing that something was wrong.

"I feel fine now" he told her " The sickness has passed and Robin, thank you for been here"

Robin stood turning away from the bed.

"I shall start breakfast you must be starving" she hurried towards the door

"Robin…" he called after her but she had gone.

After he had dressed he went to the kitchen where the rest of the household were gathered.

Sam came up to him slapping him on the back

"Good to see you well mister Frodo sir"

"Aye" confirmed Rose "You had us worried"

Frodo glanced towards Robin who had been looking at him but as their eyes met her gaze dropped from his.

That night Frodo confronted Robin.

"What is the matter my darling, you have been avoiding me all day?"

"There is nothing wrong" said Robin. She was smiling but it was fake, Frodo could tell.

"Do not lie to me Robin" he said quietly "I know there is something wrong, something I have done" This was more a question than a statement though he knew in his heart that it was true.

Robin was quiet. Frodo felt an icy shudder go through him and it felt like his heart was tightening. A feeling of despair spread through his body, he knew what it was because he had felt it before. It was the feeling of something been taken away from him, a part of him, the only thing precious in his life. He wanted to scream at her, to tell her that she couldn't leave him, that he needed her but instead he kept silent, willing that she would reveal her heart to him.

"I was scared Frodo" she said eventually "I thought you were dying, I believed I was going to lose you. We have only just found love and I thought it was going to be snatched away." She was crying now, the tears dropping silently from her eyes. "I do not want to feel like that again" she continued emotionally "I need you Frodo. I love you and I need you to be there for me and yesterday… yesterday you were not."

Frodo couldn't speak. To see her so upset broke his heart and he didn't know what to do about it.

Robin was weeping openly now and Frodo moved over reaching out his hand to her. She stepped back a look of mistrust on her face.

"I cannot touch you" she whispered "You are not really here"

"I am" said Frodo regaining his voice "I am here with you now Robin, tell me what can I do to relieve this hurt you are feeling"

"There is nothing. Frodo you went to a place that I could not follow, you left me alone. And that is more terrifying than falling in love. I was scared to love you because I felt that you would resent me needing you, now I am scared to let you go in case you don't come back"

"Robin" Frodo grabbed by the arms "I shall not leave you I promise"

Robin looked at him. His blue eyes were wide with emotion the tears already starting to form.

"My beloved you already have"

"No" he gasped. She didn't answer him instead turning and picking up her bag from the floor. Throwing a shawl around her shoulders she turned back to him.

"I am going away for a few days, I need to clear my head."

"I cannot let you go Robin, I should die without you"

"You have to" she smiled at him "I promised I wouldn't leave you and I shall not. Just let me have a few days alone." She took his hand placing it on her heart "I promise I will return."

She turned and before Frodo could stop her she had gone into the night.

After picking up Hazel from the stables, Robin rode slowly to the threefarthing stone. Her heart grieved for she felt that if she could not clear her confused mind then she would never return to Bag End. At the stone she paused considering which way to turn. Initially she had intended to turn south towards home, to Tuckborough to see Pippin but instead she continued East towards Buckland. The company of her first cousin Meriadoc was what she now needed.

She rode through the night resting just once until finally by late the following evening she reached Brandy Hall.

A servant ran out with a lamp as the sound of Hazels hoofs resounded throughout the yard.

"Hail, who goes there?" the Hobbit shouted through the gloom.

Robin pulled the horse round dropping wearily from the saddle. "It is I good Mally, do not hinder me as I have journeyed far this day"

"Please forgive me Miss Took" replied Mally bowing before her then taking Hazel. "I did not realise it was you. I shall rouse the Master immediately"

"No do not disturb Master Meriadoc. Just have a girl show me to the guest rooms, I shall see him in the morning"

After she was shown to one of the Halls many guestrooms, she collapsed exhausted on the bed. Her last thoughts before she slept were of Frodo.

Robin awoke the next morning, momently forgetting were she was. But as she rose and gazed at the view from the window there was no mistaking the land that lay before her. Fresh green pastures rolled in gentle slopes down into the distance. Here and there a farmhouse or hamlet stood, smoke curling out of the chimneys, the sunlight glinting on friendly windows. And far into the distance Robin could just make out the long blue stretch of water threading through the countryside that was the Brandywine River. The country that was owned by the Brandybucks was unmistakable and Robin felt the childhood memories flooding back to her.

There was a knock on the door and Robin, expecting to see a servant enter, was surprised to see her cousin walk through the door.

"My darling Merry" she cried flinging her arms around him and kissing him on the cheek.

Merry held her back at arms length looking searchingly into her face.

"I am always glad to see you my love though you arrive without warning. Why do you come in such secrecy?"

"There is no secret cousin." She replied laughing enthusiastically " I greatly desired to see you and your family again as it has been many months. You did not use to question my visits or deter our… friendship?" She smiled coyly at him placing her hand on his arm. He looked suspiciously at her as though he did not recognise the Hobbit before him. "Are you unwell Robin?" he asked concernedly "Has something happened at Bag End?"

Robin scowled at him answering curtly "I am fine and it is typical of you Meriadoc to presume that I, being so young and naive would immediately run to my all wise and all knowing cousin as soon as I would be in trouble. If it was than your counsel I would not seek." Robin's voice softened when she perceived in Merry's face the hurt that her words caused. "Nay cousin all is well, I just missed you and a break from…things will not hurt me"

Merry smiled but in his heart he knew that she lied. He hoped that she would confide in him for he could feel the sadness within her but he knew better than to press her.

"Then you are an honoured guest and I hope you will stay awhile and we shall speak as of old when we were young, before trouble could bother us"