Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. You know what's mine and what isn't. I just want
to own Sam, that's all, nothing else? Please???
Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm so thrilled to see that *someone* read my story and liked it! God bless you! And, so, here is Chapter 2. Enjoy it, and then review it! Pretty please with sugar on top?? If I get no reviews, I probably won't post Chapter 3.
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"Bless me, Mr. Frodo, are you seein' what I'm seein'?" Sam whispered, his eyes going wide and his mouth gaping open.
"A hobbit!" Frodo rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "I must be dreaming!"
"Beggin' yer pardon, but I don't think we can be both havin' the same dream!"
"Master, Mistress," the lead horseman said, bowing his head at the pair standing in the courtyard next to the stream.
Durein inclined her head slightly in greeting, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Blian do the same.
"Yes, Captain?" Durein asked, still eyeing the hobbit duo. The quickly whispered exchange and wide eyes made her wonder what was going on. There was something about them that was…odd. She just couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"We found these two early this morn. We thought it wise to bring them here since Orcs may still be about."
At the mention of Orcs, the blue-eyed hobbit became impossibly paler, and the other's hand automatically went to an empty scabbard. 'Definitely something odd going on here', Durein thought.
"A wise decision indeed," Blian praised, "One cannot be too careful in times such as these. Please, please," he said, waving the entourage in the direction of the stables, "go, and rest yourselves and your mounts. I think we can handle things from here."
A last doubtful eye was cast toward the pair of halflings then the guards broke formation and went to claim much desired rest.
Blian turned his full attention to the new arrivals and a weary smile stole across his face. "I am Master Blian, this is Mistress Durein, we are keepers of this castle and leaders of our respective peoples. You must excuse our hospitality. The past few weeks have been trying, as I'm sure you know. Now, if I may ask, what are your names? Which village are you from? Do you have any others from your village that will be arriving soon?"
The one with crystal blue eyes stepped forward, finally dropping the hand of his friend. "I-I am Frodo Baggins of Hobbiton, The Shire." He gestured at his companion. "This is Samwise Gamgee, also of Hobbiton, The Shire." Sam bobbed his head awkwardly in greeting.
Durein blinked stupidly, The Shire? Hobbiton? She pursed her lips and wracked her weary mind but could think of no such village in their providence by that name. A sideways glance at Blian showed his forehead wrinkled in concentration as he also tried to place the location of this 'Shire'.
"Beggin' yer pardon, missus, we didn't know of no other hobbits other than around the Shire," Sam burst out, looking closely at Durein. "To be honest, we didn't know of no other people at all in these parts."
It was then Durein put her finger on what was so odd about the new arrivals. Their clothes were unlike anything the local hobbits wore. The facial features and coloring were also just a tiny bit different from her people, not enough though to cause them to be unable to assimilate with the others. It was no wonder they gave her such strange looks, they had no idea that there were hobbits in places other than their Shire.
"There have been hobbits, and men, coexisting in these parts for centuries. We didn't know of any 'Shire' until today," Durein replied, still mentally reviewing the differences between her and the new arrivals. It was just a little unsettling at how closely the one named Samwise was studying her, though. Admittedly, she didn't look her best in blood stained clothes…but then, who did? She was horrified to feel a slow flush working its way up her throat and into her face. Self-consciously, she brushed at the filthy tunic she still hadn't found time to change.
Blian asked, "Where is this 'Shire' you speak of? What is it like?"
Frodo then gave them a general idea of where the Shire was. "It's beautiful, most beautiful place I've seen," he sighed. His heart was still in Bag End, and walking along the roads of Hobbiton.
"Aye, reminds me a bit of this small garden here," Sam chimed in softly, craning his neck this way and that to see what treasures the stone walls contained.
Durein was relived to see that Samwise's attention had finally been captured by something else, then her lips split in a small smile. It had been many weeks since anyone had been able to enjoy the garden her father had loved so well. A spot of warmness began to banish the cold around her heart from seeing the light and the wonder in Samwise's eyes. Other things were reflected in Samwise's eyes--exhaustion, hunger, and a deep sadness. Frodo didn't look much better. It had obviously been a long road they had traveled together.
"Master Samwise, you have my permission to look around this courtyard to your heart's content. In the mean time," here Durein paused, glancing quickly to Blian, "We bid you welcome and are invited to partake of what little we have to offer. Please, come this way." Turning she began to lead the hobbits out of the courtyard.
Sam's cheeks turned a bright red at being called 'Master' and Frodo chuckled at his embarrassment. It was the first real laugh Sam had heard from Mr. Frodo in a long while. It was worth the unwanted attention to see color come back into his face and the sparkle in his eyes.
~~tbc~~
Short, I know. One of those 'transition' chapter things. Hang with me; the next chapter will probably be longer.
Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm so thrilled to see that *someone* read my story and liked it! God bless you! And, so, here is Chapter 2. Enjoy it, and then review it! Pretty please with sugar on top?? If I get no reviews, I probably won't post Chapter 3.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Bless me, Mr. Frodo, are you seein' what I'm seein'?" Sam whispered, his eyes going wide and his mouth gaping open.
"A hobbit!" Frodo rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "I must be dreaming!"
"Beggin' yer pardon, but I don't think we can be both havin' the same dream!"
"Master, Mistress," the lead horseman said, bowing his head at the pair standing in the courtyard next to the stream.
Durein inclined her head slightly in greeting, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Blian do the same.
"Yes, Captain?" Durein asked, still eyeing the hobbit duo. The quickly whispered exchange and wide eyes made her wonder what was going on. There was something about them that was…odd. She just couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"We found these two early this morn. We thought it wise to bring them here since Orcs may still be about."
At the mention of Orcs, the blue-eyed hobbit became impossibly paler, and the other's hand automatically went to an empty scabbard. 'Definitely something odd going on here', Durein thought.
"A wise decision indeed," Blian praised, "One cannot be too careful in times such as these. Please, please," he said, waving the entourage in the direction of the stables, "go, and rest yourselves and your mounts. I think we can handle things from here."
A last doubtful eye was cast toward the pair of halflings then the guards broke formation and went to claim much desired rest.
Blian turned his full attention to the new arrivals and a weary smile stole across his face. "I am Master Blian, this is Mistress Durein, we are keepers of this castle and leaders of our respective peoples. You must excuse our hospitality. The past few weeks have been trying, as I'm sure you know. Now, if I may ask, what are your names? Which village are you from? Do you have any others from your village that will be arriving soon?"
The one with crystal blue eyes stepped forward, finally dropping the hand of his friend. "I-I am Frodo Baggins of Hobbiton, The Shire." He gestured at his companion. "This is Samwise Gamgee, also of Hobbiton, The Shire." Sam bobbed his head awkwardly in greeting.
Durein blinked stupidly, The Shire? Hobbiton? She pursed her lips and wracked her weary mind but could think of no such village in their providence by that name. A sideways glance at Blian showed his forehead wrinkled in concentration as he also tried to place the location of this 'Shire'.
"Beggin' yer pardon, missus, we didn't know of no other hobbits other than around the Shire," Sam burst out, looking closely at Durein. "To be honest, we didn't know of no other people at all in these parts."
It was then Durein put her finger on what was so odd about the new arrivals. Their clothes were unlike anything the local hobbits wore. The facial features and coloring were also just a tiny bit different from her people, not enough though to cause them to be unable to assimilate with the others. It was no wonder they gave her such strange looks, they had no idea that there were hobbits in places other than their Shire.
"There have been hobbits, and men, coexisting in these parts for centuries. We didn't know of any 'Shire' until today," Durein replied, still mentally reviewing the differences between her and the new arrivals. It was just a little unsettling at how closely the one named Samwise was studying her, though. Admittedly, she didn't look her best in blood stained clothes…but then, who did? She was horrified to feel a slow flush working its way up her throat and into her face. Self-consciously, she brushed at the filthy tunic she still hadn't found time to change.
Blian asked, "Where is this 'Shire' you speak of? What is it like?"
Frodo then gave them a general idea of where the Shire was. "It's beautiful, most beautiful place I've seen," he sighed. His heart was still in Bag End, and walking along the roads of Hobbiton.
"Aye, reminds me a bit of this small garden here," Sam chimed in softly, craning his neck this way and that to see what treasures the stone walls contained.
Durein was relived to see that Samwise's attention had finally been captured by something else, then her lips split in a small smile. It had been many weeks since anyone had been able to enjoy the garden her father had loved so well. A spot of warmness began to banish the cold around her heart from seeing the light and the wonder in Samwise's eyes. Other things were reflected in Samwise's eyes--exhaustion, hunger, and a deep sadness. Frodo didn't look much better. It had obviously been a long road they had traveled together.
"Master Samwise, you have my permission to look around this courtyard to your heart's content. In the mean time," here Durein paused, glancing quickly to Blian, "We bid you welcome and are invited to partake of what little we have to offer. Please, come this way." Turning she began to lead the hobbits out of the courtyard.
Sam's cheeks turned a bright red at being called 'Master' and Frodo chuckled at his embarrassment. It was the first real laugh Sam had heard from Mr. Frodo in a long while. It was worth the unwanted attention to see color come back into his face and the sparkle in his eyes.
~~tbc~~
Short, I know. One of those 'transition' chapter things. Hang with me; the next chapter will probably be longer.
