Happy Yule to all. Happy Anniversary to me this Friday.
Here's the next chapter.
---*1 Month Later*---
Rosie awoke at dawn mornings later, dazed and grieved. She put on her usual gray looking apron, though it shone a bit more confidently on her today, as did her favorite azure lace dress, as she slipped it over her auburn curl- decored head and tied it tight about her waist. The sun came, and the Shire was as bright and cheerless as the beautiful lass, barren it was, and cold it was, but free and theirs. The rain outside had finally stopped, and the morning was cool and fresh. She pulled back her hair and started with her outside chores to enjoy the beautiful morn. She labored (and would later regret it) over the axe as she chopped wood mercilessly synchronizing herself with the ever thrumming thud of the axe, ever thrumming, thrumming droning, droning, thrumming thrumming, and she found peace in her toiled heart. "Rose dear, stop now!" she heard her father behind her. She willed her hands to stop, and now that she had, a weakness came over her and she wanted ever so badly to just lay down and die, fall to the ground and stop, just stop. The axe would not leave her hand though, and there stood Sam behind her father, looking grim and tired, and wishing maybe something similar. Rose lowered her eyes to the ground in an instinctive guesture, as Farmer Cotton said softly, "Rose lass, why don't you go heat up a cup of tea for myself and young master Gamgee." As he leaned on his spade.
Sam watched the shadow of his Rose fade away in the darkness of the hole to wherest she was confined, and was it a wonder why he stared at her so, in such a concerned way, for the girl was weeping as she worked and obviously did not realize it herself. "Why does she cry so?" Sam asked Tom softly, more than empathetically, for it was breaking the poor man's heart to see Rosie so. Tom shrugged. "Women and Daughters are peculiar things Sam, you may learn that soon- one minute they've got a smile wider than the Anduin itself on their face, an' then the next they're a'crying as they chop firewood" Tom shook his head. "I dunno Sam, tricky business it is, bein' a husband and a father, a man cant live with out 'em though." This did not help Sam much, only confused him, until the farmer beckoned him inside, and he was bade to forget it again, as Rosie's head loomed back into view with the tea and sugar. Her cheeks looked a little brighter now though, and a hint of a smile played her heart shaped lips as she sipped her tea quietly, and Sam was questioned over and over again about his adventures by Nick and Nibs. She even giggled a bit behind her cup at Sam's exasperation as he repeated himself like a broken record. Sam saw the smile, and the giggle, and her slip back into somberness as she caught his eye. "Rosie would you like to go for a walk?" Sam asked her, after slipping away from her brothers, and daring as far as pulling back her curls and whispering it in her ear. I was an automatic blush, as Sam wondered at his own courage. "Going abroad has changed you Sam!" Said Rose, even more stunned than he. He went a shade darker. But nevertheless, they were out into the afternoon, watching with dark eyes, the turmoil of the ruffians just finishing being cleaned. Rosie was unearthly quiet for some time. "They destroyed all the plants in the Shire.." She murmured finally after they passed the barren party field. Sam's sigh was empathetically paining. "It will be fixed though." He said softly and confidently. "And confidence too now.." Rosie laughed quietly. "What's on your mind Rose? What bothers you so?" Sam said, not looking in her general direction. "I feel as though my heart may break in two, like it is swelling until I cant bear it" she said, putting a soft hand to her breast. "I don't understand.." Sam began. "Neither do I, but here we are." Rosie said, as they rounded a full circle and were back in front of the Cotton farm. "I will visit often Rosie, with your leave" "Goodbye Sam" she said, leaving him in the twilight. Sam came home to the newly restored Bag End later that night with a troubled face and heart, though of course he would not say, nor heed any inquires from Frodo or Pippin and Merry. 'Poor Rose' he thought, 'pinin' away like her life has already been spent or some silliness, like she is old and dying and everyone else is watching her fade, or wilt. Nah, she's different though, and I WILL find out what troubles her poor soul, but shes not like the other Rose's, not a flower is as sweet as her, nor as such a sad beauty, that's what she is: A Wild, Wilting Rose'
------------------ -------------- Thankyou Chiad for your constructive criticism, it was a good review, but its not mistakes, its my writing style. Thankyou lordoftheringsfan, I'm glad for your flattery Thankyou Elemmire for your kindness, it will not go overlooked Thankyou Daisy G. for following my story, I will work hard in your name
---*1 Month Later*---
Rosie awoke at dawn mornings later, dazed and grieved. She put on her usual gray looking apron, though it shone a bit more confidently on her today, as did her favorite azure lace dress, as she slipped it over her auburn curl- decored head and tied it tight about her waist. The sun came, and the Shire was as bright and cheerless as the beautiful lass, barren it was, and cold it was, but free and theirs. The rain outside had finally stopped, and the morning was cool and fresh. She pulled back her hair and started with her outside chores to enjoy the beautiful morn. She labored (and would later regret it) over the axe as she chopped wood mercilessly synchronizing herself with the ever thrumming thud of the axe, ever thrumming, thrumming droning, droning, thrumming thrumming, and she found peace in her toiled heart. "Rose dear, stop now!" she heard her father behind her. She willed her hands to stop, and now that she had, a weakness came over her and she wanted ever so badly to just lay down and die, fall to the ground and stop, just stop. The axe would not leave her hand though, and there stood Sam behind her father, looking grim and tired, and wishing maybe something similar. Rose lowered her eyes to the ground in an instinctive guesture, as Farmer Cotton said softly, "Rose lass, why don't you go heat up a cup of tea for myself and young master Gamgee." As he leaned on his spade.
Sam watched the shadow of his Rose fade away in the darkness of the hole to wherest she was confined, and was it a wonder why he stared at her so, in such a concerned way, for the girl was weeping as she worked and obviously did not realize it herself. "Why does she cry so?" Sam asked Tom softly, more than empathetically, for it was breaking the poor man's heart to see Rosie so. Tom shrugged. "Women and Daughters are peculiar things Sam, you may learn that soon- one minute they've got a smile wider than the Anduin itself on their face, an' then the next they're a'crying as they chop firewood" Tom shook his head. "I dunno Sam, tricky business it is, bein' a husband and a father, a man cant live with out 'em though." This did not help Sam much, only confused him, until the farmer beckoned him inside, and he was bade to forget it again, as Rosie's head loomed back into view with the tea and sugar. Her cheeks looked a little brighter now though, and a hint of a smile played her heart shaped lips as she sipped her tea quietly, and Sam was questioned over and over again about his adventures by Nick and Nibs. She even giggled a bit behind her cup at Sam's exasperation as he repeated himself like a broken record. Sam saw the smile, and the giggle, and her slip back into somberness as she caught his eye. "Rosie would you like to go for a walk?" Sam asked her, after slipping away from her brothers, and daring as far as pulling back her curls and whispering it in her ear. I was an automatic blush, as Sam wondered at his own courage. "Going abroad has changed you Sam!" Said Rose, even more stunned than he. He went a shade darker. But nevertheless, they were out into the afternoon, watching with dark eyes, the turmoil of the ruffians just finishing being cleaned. Rosie was unearthly quiet for some time. "They destroyed all the plants in the Shire.." She murmured finally after they passed the barren party field. Sam's sigh was empathetically paining. "It will be fixed though." He said softly and confidently. "And confidence too now.." Rosie laughed quietly. "What's on your mind Rose? What bothers you so?" Sam said, not looking in her general direction. "I feel as though my heart may break in two, like it is swelling until I cant bear it" she said, putting a soft hand to her breast. "I don't understand.." Sam began. "Neither do I, but here we are." Rosie said, as they rounded a full circle and were back in front of the Cotton farm. "I will visit often Rosie, with your leave" "Goodbye Sam" she said, leaving him in the twilight. Sam came home to the newly restored Bag End later that night with a troubled face and heart, though of course he would not say, nor heed any inquires from Frodo or Pippin and Merry. 'Poor Rose' he thought, 'pinin' away like her life has already been spent or some silliness, like she is old and dying and everyone else is watching her fade, or wilt. Nah, she's different though, and I WILL find out what troubles her poor soul, but shes not like the other Rose's, not a flower is as sweet as her, nor as such a sad beauty, that's what she is: A Wild, Wilting Rose'
------------------ -------------- Thankyou Chiad for your constructive criticism, it was a good review, but its not mistakes, its my writing style. Thankyou lordoftheringsfan, I'm glad for your flattery Thankyou Elemmire for your kindness, it will not go overlooked Thankyou Daisy G. for following my story, I will work hard in your name