Chapter rating: PG
Chapter 11: Prelude
December 18th
Fredigar (Freddy as he was now called) Bolger had become one of the most respected hobbits in Hobbiton. He was adroit at implementing Frodo Baggins's plans for reconstructing the buildings and support structures of the village. His most ambitious, and by-far most controversial, engineering feat was the dredging of The Water. Many had thought the pollution caused by the new Mechanical Mill was too great to ever be rectified. But Freddy would not hear of that sort of defeatist attitude.
"If I had reacted the same way when I was arrested and tortured and thrown into the Lockholes, I'd be dead now," he reminded his distracters. "Don't you dare tell me something can't be done."
Samwise Gamgee and Freddy had come up with a plan for stripping the once- lovely waterway of its pollution, and returning it to a safe source of drinking water for the community. The actual implementation of the plan had been totally left up to Freddy. Sam was busy with restoring the trees and hedges in the area, and Frodo was unwilling to leave the safety of Bag End.
Today marked the completion of the dredging of The Water. All pollution had been removed. The good hobbits of Hobbiton and Bywater had to dam and divert The Water, and then remove a good six inches of river bottom. They then replanted river vegetation and restocked the river with fish brought in from other parts of the Shire. In fact, the first time they replanted, the plants had all died. But Freddy engineered a controlled flooding of the waterway to carry away another inch of polluted mud. They replanted again. It had worked! The plants thrived. Now the little river flowed again in its banks, and the town had good, clean water. Ducks returned to swim along its icy banks.
But Freddy was beginning to suspect something terrible had happened to Frodo. Something which was slowly consuming his friend. But Frodo was completely unwilling to talk about his actions during the War, and Freddy was not going to press the issue.
"If Frodo Baggins wants to talk about things, he will. If he don't, then don't bother him," he told curious townsfolk when they asked about the mysterious Mister Baggins.
A rumor spread around the villages that the new Deputy Mayor was a very, very private person and didn't receive anyone unless they first went through Master Samwise Gamgee, Captain Meriodoc Brandybuck, Captain Peregrin Took or Master Fredigar Bolger. Eventually, the townsfolk stopped going to Bag End for official business, unless directed to. They were quite content to get necessary direction from Sam, Merry, Pippin or Freddy, and left the strange Mister Baggins alone.
This actually didn't bother Frodo in the least. He was tired most days, and frequently in a state of low-level pain. He wanted to be left alone at Bag End to try to find some quiet and rest. He was gradually dropping out of Hobbiton society and becoming somewhat of a recluse.
The rumors about Frodo hurt Sam the worst. It pained him to see the townsfolk give their praise and admiration to Merry and Pippin and Freddy (and unbeknownst to himself, to Sam), and see them politely ignore Frodo. But Sam acquiesced to Frodo's wishes for solitude. Sam didn't think it healthy, and tried to get Frodo to interact socially as many different ways as he could think of doing. But mostly Frodo respectfully declined, preferring to remain in his study at Bag End or in his bedroom at the Cotton's farm or outside on one of his frequent long walks.
In Hobbiton, the new physician was settling in nicely. Iris's services were needed and greatly appreciated by the population. Most medical problems were the typical small town and farm emergencies: cuts, scrapes, old age illnesses, the occasional broken bone or farming accident. Her next office call was to be quite different.
"Miss Proudfoot, 'Mam?" the voice said as it knocked on the door to her combined bedroom and physician's office.
"Please come in," she replied.
In walked a rather plain, but handsome and very fit hobbit in his early thirties. He was evidently from the farming class, wearing homespun and acting a bit nervous around a professional. But his demeanor was one of quiet competence and self-assuredness. Iris immediately liked him.
"Please have a seat," Iris intoned. "I'm Doctor Proudfoot. And you are?"
"Samwise Gamgee, 'Mam. Very pleased to meet you too, if I do say. It's wonderful that you're here in Hobbiton, 'Mam."
"Thank you Mister Gamgee. Now, how may I be of assistance today?"
"Please call me Sam," Sam replied. "Me dad is Mister Gamgee round here. Anyways, well, you see, it's not exactly me what I've come about. It's Mister Baggins. Mister Frodo Baggins of Bag End. You see, I'm his friend, and well…well, we're getting right concerned about his health and all. He won't say naught about it to anyone else, but you see, he's hurting abit and I thought you could do something for him. Something to ease his pain and all."
"I was introduced to Mister Baggins when I first moved to Hobbiton," Iris said gently. "I'm sure you are a close friend of his, and might be worried. But Mister Baggins didn't express any concerns about his own health then. I really don't see why I should intervene in a hobbit's own personal health problems if he doesn't voluntarily come to me. Rarely does this sort of intervention work without the patient's consent."
"But you see, 'Mam," Sam continued, "you see, he's not in his right mind. Not since the War. He's all closed up. Something is really gnawing at him. And I think this gnawing at him is making him sick. I know he don't want us telling about his doings during the Troubles, but it's been bothering me ever since we came back from Gondor. Something is terrible wrong with Mister Frodo. I just know it. He's in pain most all the time now. He hides it real well, but I can see it. And that just ain't right, now is it 'Mam? It ain't right to let another person you love suffer when you know there might be a way you can help out."
"You're right, Sam," Iris said as gently as she could. "It's not right. But the patient has to want to be helped. We cannot force help upon him."
"Well, 'Mam, whether he actually says it outright or no, he's asking for help. I can hear it. Freddy Bolger noticed it too. Can you think of some way to help Mister Frodo? I mean, he's getting further and further away from real life. He stays in his little room all day, thinking on things he aught not to be thinkin' about. Sometimes when I come in un-expectantly, he's just sitting there in his chair, staring into space, muttering to himself. Is there something we can do to get him interested in living again? Back into the real world and out of the shadows? Is there something you can do?"
"Sam, this doesn't sound very good. I don't know if I will be of any help in this type of situation, but I can try. Now tell me his symptoms. Tell me about what happened to you two down South. What could have caused Mister Baggins to turn into a recluse like this?"
"Uh, 'Mam. Beggin' your pardon, but I don't think I really want to talk about the details of what we had to do in Mordor. It's not my place to talk about what happened to him there. But we went through some horrible times together. He was wounded, and I know the wound bothers him still. But it's his mind what is damaged the worse. I don't think he can stop thinking about the Ring."
"Ring?" Iris said. "What ring?"
"The Ring of Power that Mister Frodo had to carry all the way to Mordor," Sam quietly replied. "It was his task to take It to the Fires of Mount Doom. We were supposed to cast it into the fire and destroy its evil forever. And he did it! No one else in Middle Earth could have done what my Frodo did! Not the Elves, not Men, not even the Lady Galadriel or even Gandalf could do what Mister Frodo did! But now he's all twisted like, and broken. He ain't been himself ever since that day. Would you please come see him? I would give anything for him to get over whatever nightmares he keeps reliving. I want him to be healthy and strong again. Would you please go visit him up at Bag End? Maybe see if there's anything you can do? Please?"
"Well, Sam, I shall try. I'll make up an excuse to visit Bag End. It may be I will find your fears unjustifiable. But I promise you, I will go visit Mister Baggins, and look in on him from time to time. Is that satisfactory?" Iris looked into Sam's eyes.
"Yes, 'Mam," he replied, his gaze just as unwavering as hers. "I'm mighty grateful to you. Thank you."
That afternoon Iris called at Bag End.
"Miss Proudfoot," Frodo said as he answered the doorbells. "Come in. To what do I owe the honor of your visit?" He ushered her into the study.
"Thank you Mister Baggins," she started, seating herself in a chair. Frodo went to his usual chair by the fireplace and settled into his armchair with a slight lean to the right. His left shoulder was hurting him, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself.
"Oh, please call me Frodo," he interrupted.
"Only if you will call me Iris," she countered.
"Wonderful. Now that that bit of business is out of the way, what may I do for you?"
Iris intently studied Frodo throughout the conversation. "I have made an inventory of my medical supplies and find they probably will not last through the anticipated needs of the winter. Could you arrange for additional supplies to be brought in from somewhere? Perhaps you and I could travel to Bree and purchase some?"
"No need to travel. I'll send word to Captain Merry at Brandy Hall. He can travel out to Bree and purchase whatever you need. Just draw up a list and I will see that it gets done."
"You're very kind," Iris said. "I can give you a list back at my office in Hobbiton. When would be a convenient time for you to come down?"
"Oh…I'll just send a messenger for it," Frodo said, then suddenly changed his mind, a bit suspicious of this line of questioning. "No, wait, that's silly. I'll come down tomorrow, if that is convenient with you? About eleven?"
"That is fine," she said. She noted that Frodo seemed to favor his left arm somewhat, and that he unconsciously rubbed the stump of his missing ring finger. "Must be bothering him, like Sam said, but it's nothing unusual. Sam must be hyper-sensitive to this," she thought as she stood up to leave. "I'll see you at eleven then. A pleasure again, Mister Baggins…I mean, Frodo. Please feel free to come visit any time."
"Thank you Iris," Frodo said as he escorted her to the door. "See you tomorrow."
Frodo already had plans to visit Hobbiton the next day anyway. That day he traveled over to Mayor Will Whitfoot's house to present his finished plan for the rebuilding of Hobbiton. The Mayor was pleased with the plan, and gave Frodo permission to present it to the general populace at a special meeting at the Mathom House in Micheldelving in two weeks.
"Two weeks!" Frodo exclaimed, "I can't get something that large organized in two weeks!"
"Then delegate, my boy, delegate," the Mayor boomed. He was very pleased with Frodo's plan and wanted to show it off at the earliest opportunity.
"But sir, I really am not good at running public meetings." Frodo was beginning to panic. He preferred to work quietly in the background and let others do the speaking.
Frodo continued, "…and this would be the perfect opportunity for your return to the world politic. Do you think you would be well enough to officiate the town meeting yourself? I would be able to present the plan, when appropriate. And I will take care of organizing it, as long as you do the actual officiating."
"My boy, and excellent suggestion! I accept your proposal, as long as I don't have to do the organizing," the Mayor said. And so it was agreed.
After visiting the Mayor, Frodo stopped by the physician's office. It was evident he was in a hurry to leave, so Iris gave him the list of medical supplies she required. She didn't note anything unusual, except that Frodo never took off his outer cloak. He kept it tightly wrapped against his body at all times. It was as if he was still cold inside the building.
When he got to Bag End Frodo immediately wrote Pippin a letter, asking him to organize the meeting. When Pippin received the letter the next day, he 'improved' Frodo's plan by adding a party to go with the meeting, including liberation of the casks of ale that Sharkey's men had stored at the Mathom House.
Frodo also sent Merry a letter, detailing the medical supplies urgently needed for Hobbiton. Merry traveled to The Prancing Pony at Bree and arranged the purchase of medical supplies via Mr. Butterbur. Merry traveled back after a week's stay at the hospitable inn. He even arranged for the purchase of a couple extra barrels of Barliman's Pale Ale after sampling every available brew on hand.
Word of the general meeting was published throughout the Shire, even out to Bree and Archet.
December 20th
The first new hobbit hole on New Row was finished. It was Freddy Bolger's honor to name the new road and cut the ribbon. The Gaffer moved back into Bag Shot Row #3, and Sam moved in with him. It was not a loving relationship between father and son, but the Gaffer was less proned to violence as he aged. The only abuse Sam had to deal with now was verbal, and he ignored most of that.
Frodo still spent the nights with the Cotton family, since Bag End was still under renovation. When he was not helping Sam out with Bag End restoration, he was in the study working on the presentation for the public meeting. Frodo did not get to spend any time editing his beloved Uncle Bilbo's book. The renovations to Bag End were extensive. Sam came over when he could to help Frodo. But most of Sam's time was now taken up with implementing the agricultural plan.
On December 20th, Sam made one of the scariest and most important trips of his life. When later asked, he compared it to the near-drowning he experienced on the Great River Anduin. He traveled the short distance from Bag Shot Row #3 to Farmer Cotton's farm. That night Sam asked for Rosie's hand in marriage. It was decided to announce their engagement at the Rebuilding Meeting.
Chapter 11: Prelude
December 18th
Fredigar (Freddy as he was now called) Bolger had become one of the most respected hobbits in Hobbiton. He was adroit at implementing Frodo Baggins's plans for reconstructing the buildings and support structures of the village. His most ambitious, and by-far most controversial, engineering feat was the dredging of The Water. Many had thought the pollution caused by the new Mechanical Mill was too great to ever be rectified. But Freddy would not hear of that sort of defeatist attitude.
"If I had reacted the same way when I was arrested and tortured and thrown into the Lockholes, I'd be dead now," he reminded his distracters. "Don't you dare tell me something can't be done."
Samwise Gamgee and Freddy had come up with a plan for stripping the once- lovely waterway of its pollution, and returning it to a safe source of drinking water for the community. The actual implementation of the plan had been totally left up to Freddy. Sam was busy with restoring the trees and hedges in the area, and Frodo was unwilling to leave the safety of Bag End.
Today marked the completion of the dredging of The Water. All pollution had been removed. The good hobbits of Hobbiton and Bywater had to dam and divert The Water, and then remove a good six inches of river bottom. They then replanted river vegetation and restocked the river with fish brought in from other parts of the Shire. In fact, the first time they replanted, the plants had all died. But Freddy engineered a controlled flooding of the waterway to carry away another inch of polluted mud. They replanted again. It had worked! The plants thrived. Now the little river flowed again in its banks, and the town had good, clean water. Ducks returned to swim along its icy banks.
But Freddy was beginning to suspect something terrible had happened to Frodo. Something which was slowly consuming his friend. But Frodo was completely unwilling to talk about his actions during the War, and Freddy was not going to press the issue.
"If Frodo Baggins wants to talk about things, he will. If he don't, then don't bother him," he told curious townsfolk when they asked about the mysterious Mister Baggins.
A rumor spread around the villages that the new Deputy Mayor was a very, very private person and didn't receive anyone unless they first went through Master Samwise Gamgee, Captain Meriodoc Brandybuck, Captain Peregrin Took or Master Fredigar Bolger. Eventually, the townsfolk stopped going to Bag End for official business, unless directed to. They were quite content to get necessary direction from Sam, Merry, Pippin or Freddy, and left the strange Mister Baggins alone.
This actually didn't bother Frodo in the least. He was tired most days, and frequently in a state of low-level pain. He wanted to be left alone at Bag End to try to find some quiet and rest. He was gradually dropping out of Hobbiton society and becoming somewhat of a recluse.
The rumors about Frodo hurt Sam the worst. It pained him to see the townsfolk give their praise and admiration to Merry and Pippin and Freddy (and unbeknownst to himself, to Sam), and see them politely ignore Frodo. But Sam acquiesced to Frodo's wishes for solitude. Sam didn't think it healthy, and tried to get Frodo to interact socially as many different ways as he could think of doing. But mostly Frodo respectfully declined, preferring to remain in his study at Bag End or in his bedroom at the Cotton's farm or outside on one of his frequent long walks.
In Hobbiton, the new physician was settling in nicely. Iris's services were needed and greatly appreciated by the population. Most medical problems were the typical small town and farm emergencies: cuts, scrapes, old age illnesses, the occasional broken bone or farming accident. Her next office call was to be quite different.
"Miss Proudfoot, 'Mam?" the voice said as it knocked on the door to her combined bedroom and physician's office.
"Please come in," she replied.
In walked a rather plain, but handsome and very fit hobbit in his early thirties. He was evidently from the farming class, wearing homespun and acting a bit nervous around a professional. But his demeanor was one of quiet competence and self-assuredness. Iris immediately liked him.
"Please have a seat," Iris intoned. "I'm Doctor Proudfoot. And you are?"
"Samwise Gamgee, 'Mam. Very pleased to meet you too, if I do say. It's wonderful that you're here in Hobbiton, 'Mam."
"Thank you Mister Gamgee. Now, how may I be of assistance today?"
"Please call me Sam," Sam replied. "Me dad is Mister Gamgee round here. Anyways, well, you see, it's not exactly me what I've come about. It's Mister Baggins. Mister Frodo Baggins of Bag End. You see, I'm his friend, and well…well, we're getting right concerned about his health and all. He won't say naught about it to anyone else, but you see, he's hurting abit and I thought you could do something for him. Something to ease his pain and all."
"I was introduced to Mister Baggins when I first moved to Hobbiton," Iris said gently. "I'm sure you are a close friend of his, and might be worried. But Mister Baggins didn't express any concerns about his own health then. I really don't see why I should intervene in a hobbit's own personal health problems if he doesn't voluntarily come to me. Rarely does this sort of intervention work without the patient's consent."
"But you see, 'Mam," Sam continued, "you see, he's not in his right mind. Not since the War. He's all closed up. Something is really gnawing at him. And I think this gnawing at him is making him sick. I know he don't want us telling about his doings during the Troubles, but it's been bothering me ever since we came back from Gondor. Something is terrible wrong with Mister Frodo. I just know it. He's in pain most all the time now. He hides it real well, but I can see it. And that just ain't right, now is it 'Mam? It ain't right to let another person you love suffer when you know there might be a way you can help out."
"You're right, Sam," Iris said as gently as she could. "It's not right. But the patient has to want to be helped. We cannot force help upon him."
"Well, 'Mam, whether he actually says it outright or no, he's asking for help. I can hear it. Freddy Bolger noticed it too. Can you think of some way to help Mister Frodo? I mean, he's getting further and further away from real life. He stays in his little room all day, thinking on things he aught not to be thinkin' about. Sometimes when I come in un-expectantly, he's just sitting there in his chair, staring into space, muttering to himself. Is there something we can do to get him interested in living again? Back into the real world and out of the shadows? Is there something you can do?"
"Sam, this doesn't sound very good. I don't know if I will be of any help in this type of situation, but I can try. Now tell me his symptoms. Tell me about what happened to you two down South. What could have caused Mister Baggins to turn into a recluse like this?"
"Uh, 'Mam. Beggin' your pardon, but I don't think I really want to talk about the details of what we had to do in Mordor. It's not my place to talk about what happened to him there. But we went through some horrible times together. He was wounded, and I know the wound bothers him still. But it's his mind what is damaged the worse. I don't think he can stop thinking about the Ring."
"Ring?" Iris said. "What ring?"
"The Ring of Power that Mister Frodo had to carry all the way to Mordor," Sam quietly replied. "It was his task to take It to the Fires of Mount Doom. We were supposed to cast it into the fire and destroy its evil forever. And he did it! No one else in Middle Earth could have done what my Frodo did! Not the Elves, not Men, not even the Lady Galadriel or even Gandalf could do what Mister Frodo did! But now he's all twisted like, and broken. He ain't been himself ever since that day. Would you please come see him? I would give anything for him to get over whatever nightmares he keeps reliving. I want him to be healthy and strong again. Would you please go visit him up at Bag End? Maybe see if there's anything you can do? Please?"
"Well, Sam, I shall try. I'll make up an excuse to visit Bag End. It may be I will find your fears unjustifiable. But I promise you, I will go visit Mister Baggins, and look in on him from time to time. Is that satisfactory?" Iris looked into Sam's eyes.
"Yes, 'Mam," he replied, his gaze just as unwavering as hers. "I'm mighty grateful to you. Thank you."
That afternoon Iris called at Bag End.
"Miss Proudfoot," Frodo said as he answered the doorbells. "Come in. To what do I owe the honor of your visit?" He ushered her into the study.
"Thank you Mister Baggins," she started, seating herself in a chair. Frodo went to his usual chair by the fireplace and settled into his armchair with a slight lean to the right. His left shoulder was hurting him, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself.
"Oh, please call me Frodo," he interrupted.
"Only if you will call me Iris," she countered.
"Wonderful. Now that that bit of business is out of the way, what may I do for you?"
Iris intently studied Frodo throughout the conversation. "I have made an inventory of my medical supplies and find they probably will not last through the anticipated needs of the winter. Could you arrange for additional supplies to be brought in from somewhere? Perhaps you and I could travel to Bree and purchase some?"
"No need to travel. I'll send word to Captain Merry at Brandy Hall. He can travel out to Bree and purchase whatever you need. Just draw up a list and I will see that it gets done."
"You're very kind," Iris said. "I can give you a list back at my office in Hobbiton. When would be a convenient time for you to come down?"
"Oh…I'll just send a messenger for it," Frodo said, then suddenly changed his mind, a bit suspicious of this line of questioning. "No, wait, that's silly. I'll come down tomorrow, if that is convenient with you? About eleven?"
"That is fine," she said. She noted that Frodo seemed to favor his left arm somewhat, and that he unconsciously rubbed the stump of his missing ring finger. "Must be bothering him, like Sam said, but it's nothing unusual. Sam must be hyper-sensitive to this," she thought as she stood up to leave. "I'll see you at eleven then. A pleasure again, Mister Baggins…I mean, Frodo. Please feel free to come visit any time."
"Thank you Iris," Frodo said as he escorted her to the door. "See you tomorrow."
Frodo already had plans to visit Hobbiton the next day anyway. That day he traveled over to Mayor Will Whitfoot's house to present his finished plan for the rebuilding of Hobbiton. The Mayor was pleased with the plan, and gave Frodo permission to present it to the general populace at a special meeting at the Mathom House in Micheldelving in two weeks.
"Two weeks!" Frodo exclaimed, "I can't get something that large organized in two weeks!"
"Then delegate, my boy, delegate," the Mayor boomed. He was very pleased with Frodo's plan and wanted to show it off at the earliest opportunity.
"But sir, I really am not good at running public meetings." Frodo was beginning to panic. He preferred to work quietly in the background and let others do the speaking.
Frodo continued, "…and this would be the perfect opportunity for your return to the world politic. Do you think you would be well enough to officiate the town meeting yourself? I would be able to present the plan, when appropriate. And I will take care of organizing it, as long as you do the actual officiating."
"My boy, and excellent suggestion! I accept your proposal, as long as I don't have to do the organizing," the Mayor said. And so it was agreed.
After visiting the Mayor, Frodo stopped by the physician's office. It was evident he was in a hurry to leave, so Iris gave him the list of medical supplies she required. She didn't note anything unusual, except that Frodo never took off his outer cloak. He kept it tightly wrapped against his body at all times. It was as if he was still cold inside the building.
When he got to Bag End Frodo immediately wrote Pippin a letter, asking him to organize the meeting. When Pippin received the letter the next day, he 'improved' Frodo's plan by adding a party to go with the meeting, including liberation of the casks of ale that Sharkey's men had stored at the Mathom House.
Frodo also sent Merry a letter, detailing the medical supplies urgently needed for Hobbiton. Merry traveled to The Prancing Pony at Bree and arranged the purchase of medical supplies via Mr. Butterbur. Merry traveled back after a week's stay at the hospitable inn. He even arranged for the purchase of a couple extra barrels of Barliman's Pale Ale after sampling every available brew on hand.
Word of the general meeting was published throughout the Shire, even out to Bree and Archet.
December 20th
The first new hobbit hole on New Row was finished. It was Freddy Bolger's honor to name the new road and cut the ribbon. The Gaffer moved back into Bag Shot Row #3, and Sam moved in with him. It was not a loving relationship between father and son, but the Gaffer was less proned to violence as he aged. The only abuse Sam had to deal with now was verbal, and he ignored most of that.
Frodo still spent the nights with the Cotton family, since Bag End was still under renovation. When he was not helping Sam out with Bag End restoration, he was in the study working on the presentation for the public meeting. Frodo did not get to spend any time editing his beloved Uncle Bilbo's book. The renovations to Bag End were extensive. Sam came over when he could to help Frodo. But most of Sam's time was now taken up with implementing the agricultural plan.
On December 20th, Sam made one of the scariest and most important trips of his life. When later asked, he compared it to the near-drowning he experienced on the Great River Anduin. He traveled the short distance from Bag Shot Row #3 to Farmer Cotton's farm. That night Sam asked for Rosie's hand in marriage. It was decided to announce their engagement at the Rebuilding Meeting.
