Chapter Eight
"Holly, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Holly winced as Frodo strolled up to her in the woods, looking happy but troubled at the same time.
"Of.of course Frodo, my dear cousin, what is the matter?"
"I'm troubled Holly.Pip and Merry were talking to me last night, informing me that both they.and you.would rather I end my relationship with Nina. And I thought you wanted Nina and I to be happy"
"I do Frodo, I really do" Holly looked at her cousin. "And so does Pippin and Merry but."
"But what?"
"It's the Broadbeams Frodo, they're very powerful. And Nina is engaged.we're just scared that you and Nina will be too happy to remember what danger you are putting each other into. Who knows what the Broadbeams are capable of?"
"I see your point," Frodo sat beside her. "We both see your point, but the thing is.I can't just end it, not now."
"Why not?"
"Because.well.I love her" Frodo turned his face to his cousin. "Is it so wrong?"
"No"
"Then what's the problem?"
"I've just explained what the problem is Frodo" Holly stood up in frustration. "You're both getting yourselves in danger.I couldn't be able to stand it if any of you got hurt.and what about the wedding?! Have you thought of that?! Having to stand there and watch her get married?! Is that what you want?!"
Frodo sighed. "I know you're right about it all Holly.and I know that you, Pip and merry mean well.but.if I don't end it, will you see me as a selfish hobbit?"
"Oh I don't know"
"But it would seem that way wouldn't it?"
"I suppose" Holly shrugged. "If you end it now.you'll be saving both yourself and Nina heartbreak, but if you carry on, you'll both get hurt"
"So you'll find me selfish if I do not end it.?"
Holly looked down to the ground. "I.I'd never see you as a selfish hobbit Frodo, just I think it would be for the best if you end it with Nina.sooner rather than later"
"And if I do not?"
"Who knows?" she looked up at her cousin.
Frodo let out a deep breath. "I didn't choose for this to happen Holly" he said after a long pause. "Nor did I plan for it to get as far as it already has" He paused as his cousin sat beside him, listening to every word that escaped his mouth. "I have been in love with her.for many years and I have managed to hide it from the rest of the world.and hide it from her. But after the news that.a suitor may wish to marry her, I was overcome with jealousy. I asked for your advice and you told me to go ahead with it.it was you who gave me the confidence to tell her I loved her in the first place.now you come to me and tell me to end it, just like that. Tell me now, what is it you wish me to do?"
After a long pause of agonising regret and frustration, Holly gave her answer.
"End it.it would be better for you both."
"Holly, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Holly winced as Frodo strolled up to her in the woods, looking happy but troubled at the same time.
"Of.of course Frodo, my dear cousin, what is the matter?"
"I'm troubled Holly.Pip and Merry were talking to me last night, informing me that both they.and you.would rather I end my relationship with Nina. And I thought you wanted Nina and I to be happy"
"I do Frodo, I really do" Holly looked at her cousin. "And so does Pippin and Merry but."
"But what?"
"It's the Broadbeams Frodo, they're very powerful. And Nina is engaged.we're just scared that you and Nina will be too happy to remember what danger you are putting each other into. Who knows what the Broadbeams are capable of?"
"I see your point," Frodo sat beside her. "We both see your point, but the thing is.I can't just end it, not now."
"Why not?"
"Because.well.I love her" Frodo turned his face to his cousin. "Is it so wrong?"
"No"
"Then what's the problem?"
"I've just explained what the problem is Frodo" Holly stood up in frustration. "You're both getting yourselves in danger.I couldn't be able to stand it if any of you got hurt.and what about the wedding?! Have you thought of that?! Having to stand there and watch her get married?! Is that what you want?!"
Frodo sighed. "I know you're right about it all Holly.and I know that you, Pip and merry mean well.but.if I don't end it, will you see me as a selfish hobbit?"
"Oh I don't know"
"But it would seem that way wouldn't it?"
"I suppose" Holly shrugged. "If you end it now.you'll be saving both yourself and Nina heartbreak, but if you carry on, you'll both get hurt"
"So you'll find me selfish if I do not end it.?"
Holly looked down to the ground. "I.I'd never see you as a selfish hobbit Frodo, just I think it would be for the best if you end it with Nina.sooner rather than later"
"And if I do not?"
"Who knows?" she looked up at her cousin.
Frodo let out a deep breath. "I didn't choose for this to happen Holly" he said after a long pause. "Nor did I plan for it to get as far as it already has" He paused as his cousin sat beside him, listening to every word that escaped his mouth. "I have been in love with her.for many years and I have managed to hide it from the rest of the world.and hide it from her. But after the news that.a suitor may wish to marry her, I was overcome with jealousy. I asked for your advice and you told me to go ahead with it.it was you who gave me the confidence to tell her I loved her in the first place.now you come to me and tell me to end it, just like that. Tell me now, what is it you wish me to do?"
After a long pause of agonising regret and frustration, Holly gave her answer.
"End it.it would be better for you both."