TITLE: "Brandywine"
AUTHOR: Mainframe
RATING: PG
PAIRING: None so far
Disclaimer: The Hobbits belong to J. R.R. Tolkien and are not of my creation and I make no money from this or other stories involving them, this is purely a non-profit fiction of my creation in honour of the book & movies. However this storyline is mine.
SUMMARY: It's been raining none stop for over a month in the shire and Bilbo is being driven mad by three young hobbits with too much energy to spend. But is his solution to the problem a wise one or could it led to disaster?
NOTES: Sorry about the delay all, but I've been told by my folks not to waste time writing 'that crap!'
Brandywine
1 Chapter 7: Promise
*Frodo*
*Frodo*
*Hear me my love. Come on. Yes that's right come back… follow my voice! *
Frodo blinked. Once, twice, and found that he could focus his eyes again. But couldn't remember were he was at first. He felt himself floating, and realised with a start that he was underwater. Yet where as before the water bit savagely at his soft, smooth, adolescent body, now it felt warm and wonderful.
The current no longer tossed and turned him, instead he found himself suspended a few feet from the riverbed as warm water caressed him, coaxing life back into his aching limps.
*Where am I? * His mind raced, *I remember Sam and Merry and apple picking and then…. Oh*
He sobbed as he desperately tried to find understanding *this isn't right! I should be dead, or am I? How long had he been in the water I wonder? *
*Frodo*
He turned around slowly, searching for the owner of that soft, beautiful, feminine voice that called to him so insistently and helped to warm his soul.
*Is this what it's like to be dead? * He mused.
*No love* Floated the reply, followed by a soft chuckle.
As Frodo squinted he could just make out a pale blue light working it's way towards him through the darkness.
For some reason that Frodo could not account for, he felt no fear as the light came to float before him. It shone brightly and as he watched, it started to sparkle at its outer rim and began to slowly change shape. The light in its centre pulsated faster until the light became painful to look upon and he threw his arm over his eyes protectively.
*How can I feel pain if I am dead? I don't understand. *
When the blinding light paled once more the figure of a woman floated before him, Frodo gasped before launching himself happily into her outstretched arms.
*Mama! *
As solid arms encircled him and drew him into a strong embrace, he buried his face in her neck and felt something that he had not felt in years. Home.
He felt her fingers stroking through his curls the way they always had when he needed comforting and her other arm circled his small waist, keeping him pressed to her protectively. He began to cry, feeling all the sleepless nights, waking dreams and years of tortured loneliness washed away in those few precious moments.
*Shhhh, there, there my little fish. Let it all out*
An exhausted laugh burst from his lips at the use of his old pet name.
*Mama I missed you and Papa so much! * He pulled back from the embrace just enough to see her face *Where is Papa? Is he here? Can I see him? *
She smiled sadly at him for a few moments, allowing her fingers to slowly trace the contours of his delicate face. He leaned into her touch as he always had done and she continued memorising every detail, every change.
She grasped his hand and examined it, running her figures backwards and forwards over the silken smooth skin before his hand captured hers and brought it to rest over his beating heart. Her boy was growing into a man, and a heart breaker he would be, if ever there were a hobbit as fair of face as her son she could not recall.
She reluctantly pulled her hand free, time was short and there was much that needed to be said, she would not get a second chance.
*Papa was not allowed to come Honey* she paused before continuing *But he sends you his love and wants you to know that we are always with you, in all that you do…and all that you will become* She finished.
*Why not? Who wont let him? I don't under…No* His mind whispered as he looked into his mothers pleading eyes.
Her bangs floated into her face and she absentmindedly brushed them back behind her ears. The gesture, so familiar broke his tiny hobbit heart as understanding weighed heavily on him.
She hated the emotions that leaked into his sapphire eyes. He understood that this was goodbye. And he crushed himself to her, locking his arms and legs around her in shear desperation.
*Nononononononon…. Please mama! Please! Don't make me go! * He begged in between ragged sobs *I want to stay with you; I don't want to go back. It's not fair…it's not fair*.
*I know it's not fair, I know. But it's not your time* She whispered to the mop of curls that shook against her shoulder *the years go by so fast…do you really want to leave your Uncle Bilbo? *
Primula felt her sons head shake once and smiled, silently blessing Bilbo.
*You have to be brave my love; your Uncle is very old, though he does not seem it…and he loves you very much. I don't know what he would do if he lost you*. She paused *your all he has in this world and I want you to promise me something Frodo*
She brushed the soft dark curls that floated before his eyes and stared deeply *I want you to take care of your Uncle for us, will you do that? He's more fragile then he seems*
Frodo nodded miserably, he loved his Uncle dearly but he missed his parents more, he felt terribly torn and very alone. His emotions overcame him for he was still only a tweenager when all was said and done.
*I don't want to go! I wont go! * He shouted.
*It's too late Frodo, it's already done* She pulled him back enough to look upon his face once last time and kissed his cheek. *Promise me* She begged for she sensed that their time together was at an end.
The water surrounding them began to spin; Frodo watched in terror as within the blink of an eye it rose up to rage around them, they had to shout to one another to be heard over the deafening roar.
*Please don't make me go I want to stay! Don't leeeeave meeeeee! *
*Promise me* She repeated.
Like a knife through butter the water cut between the grief-stricken pair and Frodo was ripped away from his mother grasp. He screamed and screamed, kicking with all his strength trying to make his way back to her, but the water quickly carried him away, until all he could see of her was a pale light. It pulsed several times before it vanished.
*We love you son, we'll always be with you*
Came the unmistakable voice of his father as Frodo found himself pushed from the river, up and onto cold solid rock. Only dimly aware that he was no longer in the Brandywine, he was forced to respond to his body's demand. Taking in great lungfull's of air, choking and retched river water at the same time.
The wind began to bit once again and he realised he was naked, none of these things mattered. Frodo's heart was broken for a second time. As he lay there exposed and freezing he thought about the things that his mother had said and reached a decision.
He opened his eyes and looked around. He discovered he was lying on his stomach on top of a water-smoothed rock by the edge of the Brandywine. The rock was half buried beneath the water with its right section disappearing into the bank just a few inches beneath the dirt track.
He didn't know exactly where he was but knew he was still in Hobbiton by the unique, sweet smell of the earth combined with the scent of grass. Gritting his teeth he grasped the smooth rock and began to drag himself, slowly, away from the river and across the track. When he reached the soft grass on the opposite side of the path he allowed himself to collapse, panting into the tall grass.
"I promise," he whispered, before exhaustion took him.
Tbc
AUTHOR: Mainframe
RATING: PG
PAIRING: None so far
Disclaimer: The Hobbits belong to J. R.R. Tolkien and are not of my creation and I make no money from this or other stories involving them, this is purely a non-profit fiction of my creation in honour of the book & movies. However this storyline is mine.
SUMMARY: It's been raining none stop for over a month in the shire and Bilbo is being driven mad by three young hobbits with too much energy to spend. But is his solution to the problem a wise one or could it led to disaster?
NOTES: Sorry about the delay all, but I've been told by my folks not to waste time writing 'that crap!'
Brandywine
1 Chapter 7: Promise
*Frodo*
*Frodo*
*Hear me my love. Come on. Yes that's right come back… follow my voice! *
Frodo blinked. Once, twice, and found that he could focus his eyes again. But couldn't remember were he was at first. He felt himself floating, and realised with a start that he was underwater. Yet where as before the water bit savagely at his soft, smooth, adolescent body, now it felt warm and wonderful.
The current no longer tossed and turned him, instead he found himself suspended a few feet from the riverbed as warm water caressed him, coaxing life back into his aching limps.
*Where am I? * His mind raced, *I remember Sam and Merry and apple picking and then…. Oh*
He sobbed as he desperately tried to find understanding *this isn't right! I should be dead, or am I? How long had he been in the water I wonder? *
*Frodo*
He turned around slowly, searching for the owner of that soft, beautiful, feminine voice that called to him so insistently and helped to warm his soul.
*Is this what it's like to be dead? * He mused.
*No love* Floated the reply, followed by a soft chuckle.
As Frodo squinted he could just make out a pale blue light working it's way towards him through the darkness.
For some reason that Frodo could not account for, he felt no fear as the light came to float before him. It shone brightly and as he watched, it started to sparkle at its outer rim and began to slowly change shape. The light in its centre pulsated faster until the light became painful to look upon and he threw his arm over his eyes protectively.
*How can I feel pain if I am dead? I don't understand. *
When the blinding light paled once more the figure of a woman floated before him, Frodo gasped before launching himself happily into her outstretched arms.
*Mama! *
As solid arms encircled him and drew him into a strong embrace, he buried his face in her neck and felt something that he had not felt in years. Home.
He felt her fingers stroking through his curls the way they always had when he needed comforting and her other arm circled his small waist, keeping him pressed to her protectively. He began to cry, feeling all the sleepless nights, waking dreams and years of tortured loneliness washed away in those few precious moments.
*Shhhh, there, there my little fish. Let it all out*
An exhausted laugh burst from his lips at the use of his old pet name.
*Mama I missed you and Papa so much! * He pulled back from the embrace just enough to see her face *Where is Papa? Is he here? Can I see him? *
She smiled sadly at him for a few moments, allowing her fingers to slowly trace the contours of his delicate face. He leaned into her touch as he always had done and she continued memorising every detail, every change.
She grasped his hand and examined it, running her figures backwards and forwards over the silken smooth skin before his hand captured hers and brought it to rest over his beating heart. Her boy was growing into a man, and a heart breaker he would be, if ever there were a hobbit as fair of face as her son she could not recall.
She reluctantly pulled her hand free, time was short and there was much that needed to be said, she would not get a second chance.
*Papa was not allowed to come Honey* she paused before continuing *But he sends you his love and wants you to know that we are always with you, in all that you do…and all that you will become* She finished.
*Why not? Who wont let him? I don't under…No* His mind whispered as he looked into his mothers pleading eyes.
Her bangs floated into her face and she absentmindedly brushed them back behind her ears. The gesture, so familiar broke his tiny hobbit heart as understanding weighed heavily on him.
She hated the emotions that leaked into his sapphire eyes. He understood that this was goodbye. And he crushed himself to her, locking his arms and legs around her in shear desperation.
*Nononononononon…. Please mama! Please! Don't make me go! * He begged in between ragged sobs *I want to stay with you; I don't want to go back. It's not fair…it's not fair*.
*I know it's not fair, I know. But it's not your time* She whispered to the mop of curls that shook against her shoulder *the years go by so fast…do you really want to leave your Uncle Bilbo? *
Primula felt her sons head shake once and smiled, silently blessing Bilbo.
*You have to be brave my love; your Uncle is very old, though he does not seem it…and he loves you very much. I don't know what he would do if he lost you*. She paused *your all he has in this world and I want you to promise me something Frodo*
She brushed the soft dark curls that floated before his eyes and stared deeply *I want you to take care of your Uncle for us, will you do that? He's more fragile then he seems*
Frodo nodded miserably, he loved his Uncle dearly but he missed his parents more, he felt terribly torn and very alone. His emotions overcame him for he was still only a tweenager when all was said and done.
*I don't want to go! I wont go! * He shouted.
*It's too late Frodo, it's already done* She pulled him back enough to look upon his face once last time and kissed his cheek. *Promise me* She begged for she sensed that their time together was at an end.
The water surrounding them began to spin; Frodo watched in terror as within the blink of an eye it rose up to rage around them, they had to shout to one another to be heard over the deafening roar.
*Please don't make me go I want to stay! Don't leeeeave meeeeee! *
*Promise me* She repeated.
Like a knife through butter the water cut between the grief-stricken pair and Frodo was ripped away from his mother grasp. He screamed and screamed, kicking with all his strength trying to make his way back to her, but the water quickly carried him away, until all he could see of her was a pale light. It pulsed several times before it vanished.
*We love you son, we'll always be with you*
Came the unmistakable voice of his father as Frodo found himself pushed from the river, up and onto cold solid rock. Only dimly aware that he was no longer in the Brandywine, he was forced to respond to his body's demand. Taking in great lungfull's of air, choking and retched river water at the same time.
The wind began to bit once again and he realised he was naked, none of these things mattered. Frodo's heart was broken for a second time. As he lay there exposed and freezing he thought about the things that his mother had said and reached a decision.
He opened his eyes and looked around. He discovered he was lying on his stomach on top of a water-smoothed rock by the edge of the Brandywine. The rock was half buried beneath the water with its right section disappearing into the bank just a few inches beneath the dirt track.
He didn't know exactly where he was but knew he was still in Hobbiton by the unique, sweet smell of the earth combined with the scent of grass. Gritting his teeth he grasped the smooth rock and began to drag himself, slowly, away from the river and across the track. When he reached the soft grass on the opposite side of the path he allowed himself to collapse, panting into the tall grass.
"I promise," he whispered, before exhaustion took him.
Tbc