Chapter 2- At The Fortress of Bag End



"Frodo, Frodo, where is that boy?" An old hobbit said annoyingly as he walked through the circular passages of his long time home and fortress.

"He'sss gone to go and find Gandalf," a raspy, slurring voice replied from a room off to the side of the hall.

"Oh dear, that cold you have seems to be getting worse, my old friend Smeagol. I think you should take some more rest," the old hobbit replied, turning towards the voice. He entered the room and was looking around.

"We thinksss we've taken that council of yourssss before. We thinksss we're doing a pretty good job of ssstaying in bedsss, Mr. Bilbo Bagginssss," Smeagol replied. He was lying in his bed, as he'd been doing for quite a bit of time. It was because of this nasty little cold he'd developed, and he wasn't enjoying his rest at all. But at least he had his long time friend, Bilbo, to talk to. "Did yousss take caresss of oursss bussssinessss with Mr. Frodosss? Did you tell him the story?"

"Ohh, yes. I did that ages ago. He said the story was a new bit of information and that he'd been wondering about how we got it ever since we gave it to him seventeen years ago. Though I think the little rat told Gandalf our secret. It's disappointing really. I thought we'd get away with keeping that ring secret forever. It was so handy at times.. " Bilbo said off-handedly.

"Yesss, and The Precious and I wassss ssssso upssset when you took it from ussss in that ssstupid riddle game you made usss play."

"Riddles. hmmmm. How about another game? Ehh? I'll bet you whatever I have in my pocket to whatever you have in yours?"

"Ridiculousss. I have no pocketssss."

"And I have nothing in mine today, so it's fair." Bilbo said with a smirk on his face. "My old friend, we've had so many good times together. We've beaten quite a few armies with secrets learned with that ring of ours. But that time is passed. We're too old now. Why, I'm turning one- hundred-and-twenty-eight next week. And you, you should have been dead long ago; you were old when I was born! My old friend, we're getting much too old to do much at all."

"Well, I can still play a game of riddles. Shall we?" Smeagol said.

"Of course, old friend."

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"Gandalf! Gandalf!" Frodo called running about the corridors. He'd just been speaking to that annoying old Stoor, Gollum. He couldn't handle much more of that annoying little beast of a man. He may be a good friend to Bilbo and all, but he was no friend to Frodo. And he had a horrible cold; Frodo almost wished he would die. He knew it was mean but so was Gollum. His own family had kicked him out years before; something about thinking he killed his best friend.

But right now, Frodo needed to find Gandalf. The Stoor had been useful in the sense that he knew Gandalf was going to be leaving shortly. Frodo needed to find Gandalf before he left.

"Frodo, my boy! What is the matter?" Gandalf said, suddenly appearing right in front of Frodo.

"I thought you were going to help me with this ring?" Frodo asked, out of breath from running down the halls.

"Help you? In what way?"

"You told me to keep it safe. But how am I to do that when The Shire is the next target of Sauron?"

"You must leave, and leave quickly. Make for Rivendell. There will be two elves waiting for you there by the names of Elladan and Elrohir. They will take you to a safe-haven. There it shall be discussed what shall happen to the ring."

"And will you come with me? I do not know if I can do this alone," Frodo squeaked. He was nervous, he didn't want to leave the Shire just before it's biggest battle ever.

"I am sorry Frodo, I have an errand I must do first. There are many people who need to be present when we decide the fate of the ring. I need to find all of them and make sure they get to Rivendell. But you shall not do this alone. Your friends have been making arrangements to leave their duties and come with you."

"What? Who would volunteer to come on this journey to no where?"

"Samwise, Meriadoc, and Peregrin. They have all their arrangements made." Gandalf said smiling.

"No! They can't leave! Pippin is in charge of Fort Took and it just won't do to have someone else in charge. Meriadoc is supposed to be making sure that the fort at Brandybuck Hall is ready for the attack. And Sam, Sam has to stay and watch over The Gaffer. His health is failing after that wound he took in the last battle."

"Fort Took is in good hands. Merry left the Hall yesterday after seeing that everything was secure. And Sam said there is no way you're leaving without him. It's all in hand. And the elves are coming, Frodo. They will see that the Shire folk are not over run. Go now. You must leave the Shire. Go now. You have little time. I will see you again, before you get to Rivendell. I hope to catch up with you before you reach Bree."

"Thank you Gandalf." And Frodo ran off to his room, preparing a list of what to pack in his head along the way.

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