Disclaimer: AU Story. My third large LOTR fic. I can't stop! None of the
characters or settings are mine. They all belong to Tolkien. I wish I were
related to Tolkien, don't you? It would be so cool! Oh, and the plot here
is derived from my own imagination. Hope you enjoy.
Lil*bee: Oh be quiet and don't put yourself down. You write lovely reviews so who's to say that your stories aren't that good? I admire people a lot for writing fics about the books rather than the films. I get way too much inspiration from them.
Shirebound: Hehe- glad you liked the line. And I can see how much effort went into all of your stories! They are all fantastic! Unfairly enough. Oh and there will be lots of shadows and darkness in this fic because I tirelessly torture these poor characters. I think I should take a trip to Valinor and find inner peace.
Holly Wood: Yay! I am really pleased you liked that scene, it was lots of fun to write.
MagicalRachel: I loved your Sam POV! It was just so sweet! And thanks for your comments on the spoof. Huggles!
TrueFan: Gandalf, so far, is just a dream. But he's a powerful wizard *wink wink nudge nudge* and works in mysterious ways. Ack! OK, OK, I'm writing, I swear!
~ Chapter Nine ~
Frodo and Sam waited for Ferdirand to say something for a very long time. After he had gathered his wits together, he bowed low and looked frantically round.
"Mayor Gardener, well, I- I dunno what to say! Your honour, I never expected to be meetin' you."
He doffed his hat and bowed again. Then he shouted loudly, making both friends jump.
"Primrose! Company! Mr Underhill and Mayor Gardener!"
Frodo glanced at Sam out of the corner of his eye.
"Gardener?"
"Underhill?" Sam murmured in response. They stifled their laughter as Ferdirand and wife led them inside.
"Actually, I just came to say that I was leaving today. And to thank you for your kindness at letting me stay here," Frodo exclaimed, "You've really been extraordinary."
"Oh, of course," the farmer mumbled, blushing as he showed them the door again, "Drop by anytime, Mr Underhill. Oh and your honour, of course! Don't- don't mention it"
"G'bye, Mr Underhill," came a chorus of voices from the kitchen. The daughters were waving shyly at him. When he smiled back, they giggled so much that they almost fell over. The companions walked back out into the bright woodland with the husband and wife following close behind.
"Safe trip," Ferdirand called out uncertainly. Frodo and Sam waved farewell and then disappeared into the trees. The couple retreated back into their home and as he closed the door behind him, Ferdirand said,
"I could 'ave sworn I knew his face."
--
"But why change your name?" Frodo asked. Sam did not look at his friend but just shook his head and then said,
"That ain't important right now. I need to know why- no. No, that's the wrong question. Mister Frodo, how much do you remember?"
"I don't know. It is as if, everything is on the verge of my mind, just a step away from me remembering everything! But it only comes back in pieces. I know you. And I never forgot you." He turned to Sam at this and their eyes met. "You must understand that, Sam. I never forgot you, not ever. It's just there are some things that take a while to get back."
"Tell me all you do remember then," his comrade said quietly. Frodo paused in thought as they stepped over a fallen tree branch in the path. There were puddles everywhere, left over from the recent downpours. To be honest, Frodo did not even know where he was going with Sam. But the elation at just being with him for enough. So he decided to make the very most of his company. Not that he was planning on leaving his side ever again, that is.
"I- I remember being on a long beach with pure white sand. Someone was watching me on a cliff overhead. And I had made, or at least I think I made, a raft. Using things I had gathered from around my- around where I lived. It took ages, I remember that. And then, I just pushed off. I left there, for good I intended. And I was out there for days, no food or water. But then, I had grown used to not needing it. Anything. I just slept. My body just went on working by itself and then I woke up, knowing only what I have told you and remembering what it felt like to be, well, to be.. what's the word? Mortal."
Sam was at a loss for words. He stopped dead in his tracks and he suddenly knew what had been gnawing at the edges of his mind. Frodo had not aged. Not at all. He was just as he had been since he had left the Grey Havens. Eleven years takes its toll on a person but Frodo looked none the different. Just as he had been before. Frodo looked back at his friend.
"Sam?"
"Nothing, Mister Frodo. I just- in all my dreams of you coming back, well, I used to pretend all the time, in the first months- I expected it to be just as it was on the beach. Just you standing there and then me throwin' my arms round you and telling you how much I'd missed you. But, I thought you would be exactly the same. You're like a, no offence meant, but, you're like a ghost. One of my memories just standing there, in front of me. Except, you didn't even recognise me at first."
Frodo walked back to him and put out his hands to Sam's face. He smiled at him.
"Sam, I still am Frodo. I am still the same. All those things are still in my head. The things that happened to me. They are still there! It'll just take time for me to see them again."
Sam frowned and looked away.
"You really don't remember anything, do you?"
"I had a nightmare. It... felt real but it was all so terrifying and here I am," he spread his arms, taking in the scenery around them, "In this beautiful place. How could anything so dark as a mountain of fire have ever been anywhere near a place like the- the-"
"Shire, sir."
And Sam knew it had come back. The shadow had returned.
--
The man gazed down at the people around him. What had the king called them? Hobbits, that was it. They were looking up at him stonily.
"What somethin' like you tall'n doin' 'ere in 'Obbiton?" asked one.
"P-pardon?" the man replied nervously, clutching at the horse's reigns, "I am sorry but I only came here on orders. I come seeking news."
"News? In the Shire? Last time we 'ad news, that Mad Old Baggins went an' destroyed the Dark Lord and then a white wizard came and threw down our mill and burnt our Party Tree. Nay, we don't like news comin' 'ere. You won't find nothin' of that sort 'ere. You can 'ead over to Buckland where the strange folk are and p'r'aps they'll 'ave something of int'rest for you. Master Peregrin and Master Meriadoc are always the ones lookin' for adventure."
The poor confused man could only pick out a few names from this that he recognised.
"I have heard of them! They are the ones in the Fellowship, were they not?"
"Aye," chorused back at him and he jumped. He had briefly met Peregrin at Cormallen. He had not been half as intimidating as these hobbits. Maybe he would be able to help him.
"Th-thank you very much, all. Um, would it be, er, possible if any...one could lead...me to Master Peregrin..." his voice trailed off as he was almost dragged away from his horse and off down a path.
--
"What's that noise?" asked Frodo. He was leaning against a tree and rubbing his aching feet. Sam glanced up from where he was sitting and strained his ears.
"Sounds like hobbits to me. Lots of 'em. I wonder why."
They looked at each other and then found themselves in the midst of Hobbiton's residents. Just about everyone was there and at the centre they were pulling along a bewildered looking man. They stopped in a huddle underneath the trees when they saw Sam and Frodo.
"Oh, hullo, yer honour," the leader said with a grin, "We heard you went off to the Grey Havens. Back already?"
"Um, yes. Who's that you've got with you?"
"This 'ere's someone lookin' for news. So we're takin' him to Buckland. 'Ere...yer honour, who's that? I think I know him." He was pointing at Frodo as he said it. All at once, the man fell down to his knees and bowed his head. He looked up again to the startled hobbits and over to where Frodo and Sam stood gaping at him.
"The Great Ringbearer and Lord Samwise! I am humbly at your service."
Everyone looked towards Frodo who had gone very pale.
Lil*bee: Oh be quiet and don't put yourself down. You write lovely reviews so who's to say that your stories aren't that good? I admire people a lot for writing fics about the books rather than the films. I get way too much inspiration from them.
Shirebound: Hehe- glad you liked the line. And I can see how much effort went into all of your stories! They are all fantastic! Unfairly enough. Oh and there will be lots of shadows and darkness in this fic because I tirelessly torture these poor characters. I think I should take a trip to Valinor and find inner peace.
Holly Wood: Yay! I am really pleased you liked that scene, it was lots of fun to write.
MagicalRachel: I loved your Sam POV! It was just so sweet! And thanks for your comments on the spoof. Huggles!
TrueFan: Gandalf, so far, is just a dream. But he's a powerful wizard *wink wink nudge nudge* and works in mysterious ways. Ack! OK, OK, I'm writing, I swear!
~ Chapter Nine ~
Frodo and Sam waited for Ferdirand to say something for a very long time. After he had gathered his wits together, he bowed low and looked frantically round.
"Mayor Gardener, well, I- I dunno what to say! Your honour, I never expected to be meetin' you."
He doffed his hat and bowed again. Then he shouted loudly, making both friends jump.
"Primrose! Company! Mr Underhill and Mayor Gardener!"
Frodo glanced at Sam out of the corner of his eye.
"Gardener?"
"Underhill?" Sam murmured in response. They stifled their laughter as Ferdirand and wife led them inside.
"Actually, I just came to say that I was leaving today. And to thank you for your kindness at letting me stay here," Frodo exclaimed, "You've really been extraordinary."
"Oh, of course," the farmer mumbled, blushing as he showed them the door again, "Drop by anytime, Mr Underhill. Oh and your honour, of course! Don't- don't mention it"
"G'bye, Mr Underhill," came a chorus of voices from the kitchen. The daughters were waving shyly at him. When he smiled back, they giggled so much that they almost fell over. The companions walked back out into the bright woodland with the husband and wife following close behind.
"Safe trip," Ferdirand called out uncertainly. Frodo and Sam waved farewell and then disappeared into the trees. The couple retreated back into their home and as he closed the door behind him, Ferdirand said,
"I could 'ave sworn I knew his face."
--
"But why change your name?" Frodo asked. Sam did not look at his friend but just shook his head and then said,
"That ain't important right now. I need to know why- no. No, that's the wrong question. Mister Frodo, how much do you remember?"
"I don't know. It is as if, everything is on the verge of my mind, just a step away from me remembering everything! But it only comes back in pieces. I know you. And I never forgot you." He turned to Sam at this and their eyes met. "You must understand that, Sam. I never forgot you, not ever. It's just there are some things that take a while to get back."
"Tell me all you do remember then," his comrade said quietly. Frodo paused in thought as they stepped over a fallen tree branch in the path. There were puddles everywhere, left over from the recent downpours. To be honest, Frodo did not even know where he was going with Sam. But the elation at just being with him for enough. So he decided to make the very most of his company. Not that he was planning on leaving his side ever again, that is.
"I- I remember being on a long beach with pure white sand. Someone was watching me on a cliff overhead. And I had made, or at least I think I made, a raft. Using things I had gathered from around my- around where I lived. It took ages, I remember that. And then, I just pushed off. I left there, for good I intended. And I was out there for days, no food or water. But then, I had grown used to not needing it. Anything. I just slept. My body just went on working by itself and then I woke up, knowing only what I have told you and remembering what it felt like to be, well, to be.. what's the word? Mortal."
Sam was at a loss for words. He stopped dead in his tracks and he suddenly knew what had been gnawing at the edges of his mind. Frodo had not aged. Not at all. He was just as he had been since he had left the Grey Havens. Eleven years takes its toll on a person but Frodo looked none the different. Just as he had been before. Frodo looked back at his friend.
"Sam?"
"Nothing, Mister Frodo. I just- in all my dreams of you coming back, well, I used to pretend all the time, in the first months- I expected it to be just as it was on the beach. Just you standing there and then me throwin' my arms round you and telling you how much I'd missed you. But, I thought you would be exactly the same. You're like a, no offence meant, but, you're like a ghost. One of my memories just standing there, in front of me. Except, you didn't even recognise me at first."
Frodo walked back to him and put out his hands to Sam's face. He smiled at him.
"Sam, I still am Frodo. I am still the same. All those things are still in my head. The things that happened to me. They are still there! It'll just take time for me to see them again."
Sam frowned and looked away.
"You really don't remember anything, do you?"
"I had a nightmare. It... felt real but it was all so terrifying and here I am," he spread his arms, taking in the scenery around them, "In this beautiful place. How could anything so dark as a mountain of fire have ever been anywhere near a place like the- the-"
"Shire, sir."
And Sam knew it had come back. The shadow had returned.
--
The man gazed down at the people around him. What had the king called them? Hobbits, that was it. They were looking up at him stonily.
"What somethin' like you tall'n doin' 'ere in 'Obbiton?" asked one.
"P-pardon?" the man replied nervously, clutching at the horse's reigns, "I am sorry but I only came here on orders. I come seeking news."
"News? In the Shire? Last time we 'ad news, that Mad Old Baggins went an' destroyed the Dark Lord and then a white wizard came and threw down our mill and burnt our Party Tree. Nay, we don't like news comin' 'ere. You won't find nothin' of that sort 'ere. You can 'ead over to Buckland where the strange folk are and p'r'aps they'll 'ave something of int'rest for you. Master Peregrin and Master Meriadoc are always the ones lookin' for adventure."
The poor confused man could only pick out a few names from this that he recognised.
"I have heard of them! They are the ones in the Fellowship, were they not?"
"Aye," chorused back at him and he jumped. He had briefly met Peregrin at Cormallen. He had not been half as intimidating as these hobbits. Maybe he would be able to help him.
"Th-thank you very much, all. Um, would it be, er, possible if any...one could lead...me to Master Peregrin..." his voice trailed off as he was almost dragged away from his horse and off down a path.
--
"What's that noise?" asked Frodo. He was leaning against a tree and rubbing his aching feet. Sam glanced up from where he was sitting and strained his ears.
"Sounds like hobbits to me. Lots of 'em. I wonder why."
They looked at each other and then found themselves in the midst of Hobbiton's residents. Just about everyone was there and at the centre they were pulling along a bewildered looking man. They stopped in a huddle underneath the trees when they saw Sam and Frodo.
"Oh, hullo, yer honour," the leader said with a grin, "We heard you went off to the Grey Havens. Back already?"
"Um, yes. Who's that you've got with you?"
"This 'ere's someone lookin' for news. So we're takin' him to Buckland. 'Ere...yer honour, who's that? I think I know him." He was pointing at Frodo as he said it. All at once, the man fell down to his knees and bowed his head. He looked up again to the startled hobbits and over to where Frodo and Sam stood gaping at him.
"The Great Ringbearer and Lord Samwise! I am humbly at your service."
Everyone looked towards Frodo who had gone very pale.
