AUTHOR'S NOTE : I apologize that I haven't had an update in the last four days. I've been v.busy with Spring Coronation and the Play that I'm in. I know I said this would be the Long Expected Party…but it's a bit difficult to write since Frodo Baggins of Bag End and I are summarizing a lot of things in our own words. This chapter is written by me.
PS : For more Gailethil/Frodo see my "All in Frodo's Mind" fic. Its about the nightmares Frodo has. Some are rather violent, so its rated R where this stuff is PG-13.
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CHAPTER 21 -- Be careful what you wish for
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Tomorrow was the big day of the party. He had hardly been able to sleep the last couple of days, but was definitely over the flu that he had had earlier on that month. They'd all been concerned that he would not make it through, but he managed. He always did. He sighed, lying in bed…wide awake. He wanted … he wasn't sure what he wanted, he just knew that this was not it. He wanted her arms around him, that's what he wanted. He was cold, and had felt cold all day for some reason. He wasn't ill…he knew that, he just…he wished sometimes that he could be with her when he was not sick and was beginning to wonder if she would like him when he wasn't? He must seem to be like a little doll to her. He closed his eyes, not someone she could really love…or want. He remembered their first kiss, and knew it was hers as well. Yet…something nagged in the back of his mind. He was not her kind. He was not an elf. He was going to die someday. How could he -really- expect her to want to stay with him? He curled up into a little ball, pulling all the blankets around him. It was unfair of him to do so. He opened his eyes, tears shimmering in them. It was about time to grow up and face facts, he was no longer a child. But a little part of him clung to the hope that she loved him for himself and he wished…he wished with all his heart that he could see her again…just one more time…before he could no longer really expect her to take care of him….before he was forced to grow up and forget dreams.
Frodo drifted off to sleep…or so he thought anyway. The image came into his mind…the little star bracelet that had frightened him so much shone like a bright beacon in the night. As it came into focus…he rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. Over at a large window seat, she was sitting down, her legs curled up underneath her, and she was wearing it…The window was open, letting the cool night air filter through the room and he wasn't entirely sure if he was there. He called out, but she did not hear him. This was not his room.
She turned around, peering for the moment at her bed…had she heard someone cry her name? No…just the wind. There was no one in the room but her. She was thinking about Frodo, because this was the last day before her birthday. Her father was throwing another party for her and she often wondered when he would stop doing that. Not many other elves had parties every year. She was wearing a soft white nightdress and a robe pulled over it. She fingered the bracelet on her wrist absently, turning it around and around, wondering why Frodo was so upset by it. The opal stars glittered and flickered with unseen flames.
Frodo cringed, his head pounding as though something sharp had sliced through it. He stared helplessly at her, fear building up in his heart. "Take it off…" he begged, but she did not hear him, nor did she see that he was even there. Shadows were building around her wrist, and they seemed to cling and fade. There was a knock at her door. Frodo's eyes turned to it, he was too preoccupied with the bracelet to even notice.
"Come in." she glanced over her shoulder at the door. Glorfindel was there, carrying a tray with two cups of tea.
"I was told you were up." he smiled at her, his eyes drifting around the room. The tall handsome elf looked very well in the white that he wore, his hair pulled back. Frodo managed to drag his eyes from the bracelet to stare at him. His eyes wide…who…was this? "I thought I would come by and see how you were doing."
"I feel better." she smiled a little wanly, "Yet still awfully tired." she yawns a little, "I don't understand it. Glorfindel…Where have you been? You know Uncle's been looking for you."
From the first moment that he saw the elf, Frodo was uneasy…he just did not like the look of him and he usually was a pretty good judge of character. He seemed…off…somehow. He watched, unable to do anything else but that. The elf put the tray down by Gailethil's side and she took one of the tea-cups thankfully and drank as though parched.
"Easy now." Glorfindel warned her, "I know. I'll talk with him soon." he took her hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing the back of it gently. "Its been a long time. That's tea all the way from Rohan, I hope you like it."
Frodo cringed as he watched, his mouth open in confusion. Gailethil…was sick? Bilbo said elves did not get sick. His head reeled.
"You've been that far away?" she looked at him in wonder, and set the cup down. She felt a little odd, and somewhat dizzy. Glorfindel noticed and steadied her in his arms.
"I've had things to do." he explained without explaining. "You should be resting, Gail." his hand stroked her head gently.
It was all Frodo could do not to burst into tears right then and there. Who was he? Was he the one who gave her the bracelet? Was he the friend she kept talking about. He curled up, unable to turn away, not wanting to watch more. Not wanting to jump to conclusions.
Glorfindel pressed her to drink some more of the tea and then smiled a bit as she did. Frodo did not like that smile. He did not like Glorfindel at all.
"I guess so." she shrugged a little, "I was tired of lying down all the time." she admits. "Its my birthday tomorrow…and I won't be able to go to the party." she yawned suddenly. "I'm sorry…" her eyes fluttered a bit as she tried to keep them open.
"Oh…sure you will." Glorfindel assured her, "You'll be just fine. That's why I came back, you know. Its your birthday. Tell me…have you still been having those visions?"
"Yes." she nodded softly, "Though not since I've been ill…I really wish Uncle would let me go see him. Do you think there's any way I can? Oh…" she sighed, "I can't go against Uncle, of course." she smiled, "I'm glad you're back, Glorfindel." she leaned over and hugged him affectionately as one might hug a big brother.
Frodo watched, still confused…but then his eyes shifted to the tea, then to Glorfindel, then to the bracelet. His mouth closed and his eyes glittered. What could he do? He was not like Gailethil…he couldn't interfear…he was not really here. It was a dream, wasn't it? He'd wake up soon…from this nightmare…
And it was only the hug that she managed for shortly thereafter she drifted to sleep and her head lolled back. Glorfindel caught her head with one hand and scooped her up, into his arms. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down, tucking her in the covers. He sat on the side of the bed and watched her for a little while as she slept in complete oblivion. His fingers moved to pull the hair from her face and touch her cheek. Then he leaned down and kissed her lips tenderly. "Rest well, Melleth. Soon….you will come to me." He lifted the back of her hand that held the bracelet and kissed that as well. Then…he must have felt Frodo's presence somehow…and he looked almost directly into the stricken hobbit's eyes. He smiled, and Frodo could tell that something was not right about that smile…something…was inside of this particular elf. Something…he did not like at all.
Frodo watched as he left the room, taking the tray with him, then looked down at Gailethil frantically. "Wake up, Gail." he tried to shake her…but she wouldn't wake, and simply lay there in all her beauty. "Oh…please…." he begged., tears springing into his eyes. "Please wake up….please…"
"Frodo…Frodo wake up." he heard Merry's voice and felt himself being shaken, and he was forced to realize that day had broken and he was back in Bag End. "Happy Birthday, Cousin!" he laughed as he sat on the side of the bed. "We thought you were never going to get up. C'mon! Its time to get things ready for tonight!"
Frodo was pale and tried very hard to collect himself. He struggled not to fall to pieces, focusing upon his cousin through shimmering eyes.
"What's wrong Frodo?" Merry noticed…he always noticed. There was nothing that really did -get- past Merry. The younger hobbit then raised his eyebrows in surprise when Frodo began to cry. He frowned, remembering the words of his Aunt Angeline…and sighed a bit. She had warned him that Frodo might act a bit strange. He guessed it was up to him and drew his cousin into his arms, letting him cry.
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PS : For more Gailethil/Frodo see my "All in Frodo's Mind" fic. Its about the nightmares Frodo has. Some are rather violent, so its rated R where this stuff is PG-13.
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CHAPTER 21 -- Be careful what you wish for
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Tomorrow was the big day of the party. He had hardly been able to sleep the last couple of days, but was definitely over the flu that he had had earlier on that month. They'd all been concerned that he would not make it through, but he managed. He always did. He sighed, lying in bed…wide awake. He wanted … he wasn't sure what he wanted, he just knew that this was not it. He wanted her arms around him, that's what he wanted. He was cold, and had felt cold all day for some reason. He wasn't ill…he knew that, he just…he wished sometimes that he could be with her when he was not sick and was beginning to wonder if she would like him when he wasn't? He must seem to be like a little doll to her. He closed his eyes, not someone she could really love…or want. He remembered their first kiss, and knew it was hers as well. Yet…something nagged in the back of his mind. He was not her kind. He was not an elf. He was going to die someday. How could he -really- expect her to want to stay with him? He curled up into a little ball, pulling all the blankets around him. It was unfair of him to do so. He opened his eyes, tears shimmering in them. It was about time to grow up and face facts, he was no longer a child. But a little part of him clung to the hope that she loved him for himself and he wished…he wished with all his heart that he could see her again…just one more time…before he could no longer really expect her to take care of him….before he was forced to grow up and forget dreams.
Frodo drifted off to sleep…or so he thought anyway. The image came into his mind…the little star bracelet that had frightened him so much shone like a bright beacon in the night. As it came into focus…he rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. Over at a large window seat, she was sitting down, her legs curled up underneath her, and she was wearing it…The window was open, letting the cool night air filter through the room and he wasn't entirely sure if he was there. He called out, but she did not hear him. This was not his room.
She turned around, peering for the moment at her bed…had she heard someone cry her name? No…just the wind. There was no one in the room but her. She was thinking about Frodo, because this was the last day before her birthday. Her father was throwing another party for her and she often wondered when he would stop doing that. Not many other elves had parties every year. She was wearing a soft white nightdress and a robe pulled over it. She fingered the bracelet on her wrist absently, turning it around and around, wondering why Frodo was so upset by it. The opal stars glittered and flickered with unseen flames.
Frodo cringed, his head pounding as though something sharp had sliced through it. He stared helplessly at her, fear building up in his heart. "Take it off…" he begged, but she did not hear him, nor did she see that he was even there. Shadows were building around her wrist, and they seemed to cling and fade. There was a knock at her door. Frodo's eyes turned to it, he was too preoccupied with the bracelet to even notice.
"Come in." she glanced over her shoulder at the door. Glorfindel was there, carrying a tray with two cups of tea.
"I was told you were up." he smiled at her, his eyes drifting around the room. The tall handsome elf looked very well in the white that he wore, his hair pulled back. Frodo managed to drag his eyes from the bracelet to stare at him. His eyes wide…who…was this? "I thought I would come by and see how you were doing."
"I feel better." she smiled a little wanly, "Yet still awfully tired." she yawns a little, "I don't understand it. Glorfindel…Where have you been? You know Uncle's been looking for you."
From the first moment that he saw the elf, Frodo was uneasy…he just did not like the look of him and he usually was a pretty good judge of character. He seemed…off…somehow. He watched, unable to do anything else but that. The elf put the tray down by Gailethil's side and she took one of the tea-cups thankfully and drank as though parched.
"Easy now." Glorfindel warned her, "I know. I'll talk with him soon." he took her hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing the back of it gently. "Its been a long time. That's tea all the way from Rohan, I hope you like it."
Frodo cringed as he watched, his mouth open in confusion. Gailethil…was sick? Bilbo said elves did not get sick. His head reeled.
"You've been that far away?" she looked at him in wonder, and set the cup down. She felt a little odd, and somewhat dizzy. Glorfindel noticed and steadied her in his arms.
"I've had things to do." he explained without explaining. "You should be resting, Gail." his hand stroked her head gently.
It was all Frodo could do not to burst into tears right then and there. Who was he? Was he the one who gave her the bracelet? Was he the friend she kept talking about. He curled up, unable to turn away, not wanting to watch more. Not wanting to jump to conclusions.
Glorfindel pressed her to drink some more of the tea and then smiled a bit as she did. Frodo did not like that smile. He did not like Glorfindel at all.
"I guess so." she shrugged a little, "I was tired of lying down all the time." she admits. "Its my birthday tomorrow…and I won't be able to go to the party." she yawned suddenly. "I'm sorry…" her eyes fluttered a bit as she tried to keep them open.
"Oh…sure you will." Glorfindel assured her, "You'll be just fine. That's why I came back, you know. Its your birthday. Tell me…have you still been having those visions?"
"Yes." she nodded softly, "Though not since I've been ill…I really wish Uncle would let me go see him. Do you think there's any way I can? Oh…" she sighed, "I can't go against Uncle, of course." she smiled, "I'm glad you're back, Glorfindel." she leaned over and hugged him affectionately as one might hug a big brother.
Frodo watched, still confused…but then his eyes shifted to the tea, then to Glorfindel, then to the bracelet. His mouth closed and his eyes glittered. What could he do? He was not like Gailethil…he couldn't interfear…he was not really here. It was a dream, wasn't it? He'd wake up soon…from this nightmare…
And it was only the hug that she managed for shortly thereafter she drifted to sleep and her head lolled back. Glorfindel caught her head with one hand and scooped her up, into his arms. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down, tucking her in the covers. He sat on the side of the bed and watched her for a little while as she slept in complete oblivion. His fingers moved to pull the hair from her face and touch her cheek. Then he leaned down and kissed her lips tenderly. "Rest well, Melleth. Soon….you will come to me." He lifted the back of her hand that held the bracelet and kissed that as well. Then…he must have felt Frodo's presence somehow…and he looked almost directly into the stricken hobbit's eyes. He smiled, and Frodo could tell that something was not right about that smile…something…was inside of this particular elf. Something…he did not like at all.
Frodo watched as he left the room, taking the tray with him, then looked down at Gailethil frantically. "Wake up, Gail." he tried to shake her…but she wouldn't wake, and simply lay there in all her beauty. "Oh…please…." he begged., tears springing into his eyes. "Please wake up….please…"
"Frodo…Frodo wake up." he heard Merry's voice and felt himself being shaken, and he was forced to realize that day had broken and he was back in Bag End. "Happy Birthday, Cousin!" he laughed as he sat on the side of the bed. "We thought you were never going to get up. C'mon! Its time to get things ready for tonight!"
Frodo was pale and tried very hard to collect himself. He struggled not to fall to pieces, focusing upon his cousin through shimmering eyes.
"What's wrong Frodo?" Merry noticed…he always noticed. There was nothing that really did -get- past Merry. The younger hobbit then raised his eyebrows in surprise when Frodo began to cry. He frowned, remembering the words of his Aunt Angeline…and sighed a bit. She had warned him that Frodo might act a bit strange. He guessed it was up to him and drew his cousin into his arms, letting him cry.
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