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: Wow! Lucky you! How many times you watched it now? Four, five, a trillion? Happy you enjoyed the last chapter so much!
Shirebound: Hehe. Yeah, poor old Frodo. I never give him a break. I mean, he's being tossed from your story to mine. Avalanche to Lost in Moria, Unlikely Comfort to Trials of Lórien and then onto Whispers of the Dragon. Poor Frodo. Loved the last chapter of Quarantine. My review is a bit stiff and rambl-y, sorry 'bout that. But it truly was magnificent.
MagicalRachel: Torturous and tense- that's what life's all about really isn't it? Thank so much! I think that out of my three fics, this is also my favourite. I have been reading Lost in Moria to my mum in pieces and she keeps bursting into laughter and calling me a sadist. *grumble* Doesn't appreciate me *grumble*
Koko Kung: Wahay, you're back! No secret, just an addiction to Lord of the Rings. Now - when you've read this chapter of course- go and finish that prologue! Muster! Labour! Hehehe
Maygin: What a perfectly wonderful review! It is wonderful to know that I am bringing that sort of enjoyment into your life. Thank you so much for all your beautiful comments- and thank you for taking the time to write such a great review!
Crazytook: Pleased you liked that part. It was a weird "on the spur of the moment" thing. Hehe. I can't help liking Brego. I'm not generally for the humorous animal character but sometimes horses really are like that. It was in this book of facts: a horse does not think that anything out of its line of sight exists. Hope you enjoy!
Elf of Rivendell: I take it that those two gods are from The Silmarillion. I'm so sorry but I could never get into it. *shamed look* An epic, yes but pretty damn hard to read. So that does not really feature. I'm like a horse- all the books out of my line of sight do not exist. Not in this story anyhow. Yay! Aragorn! Heehee.
Helga: Wow! Are you a mythology fan? Me too. And it is sort of like the Lethe. The endless sea. When you cross over it- rather than drink it- you forget many things that you hold dear. Am so pleased that you are enjoying this!
~ Chapter Eleven ~
Sam opened the door to Bag End. He waited for his companions to enter as well but for a time they just stood in the garden. Frodo had his head in his hands and was shaking with pent up mirth. The man- Emáten- was almost on his hands and knees trying to apologise.
"Forgive me, sir! I know not what I do, I mean, did. I never ever imagined that, what, who I would find here. I thought that you left forever! And me falling down like that. Oh, I am so sorry, my lord. I never intended- thought that-"
"Emáten. Be quiet and go inside."
The man almost fell over himself to obey, bowing and retreating at the same time. Sam had to put a hand over his mouth at the sight of his master doubled up behind, choking on laughter.
When all of them were inside, Sam took their cloaks and gear and hung them up at the side while calling,
"Rose, love, I'm back!"
"I know," his wife called back, "I'm in the kitchen!"
"Rosie, could you come here a moment? We've...guests."
Obediently, she came out of the kitchen and the trio could hear her light footfalls approaching. There was a small cry and the smash of crockery. Rosie put up her hands to her face, ignoring the shattered plate on the floor. Then, without warning, she ran down the corridor and threw her arms round Frodo. She was sobbing fit to burst.
"Oh, Mister Frodo Baggins, you are by far the most despicable hobbit I've ever met in my entire life! Going off and letting us deal with all the housework and chores. Oh, you came back! You came back!"
She backed away, her hands still on his face as she examined him sternly. He smiled at her, brushing away her tears and trying to hold back his own. And she made it quite easy to remember her. She beamed back at him, laughing through her tears. Then she whirled round to give her husband a kiss hello. But it suddenly occurred to her what a state she was in and she moved backwards, wiping her face and dusting her apron.
"Dear me," she sniffed, "M'terribly sorry, sir. I completely forgot you there. Come on in and my Sam will see you to our sitting room. Come on, Sam. Take...take Frodo with you."
Rosie cast her eyes back to her old friend, tears beginning to pour anew down her face. "Oh, dear, Mister Frodo," she breathed. And then she ran away back to the safety of her kitchen. Emáten let himself be taken into a large low room and into an armchair that seemed to grip round his middle. But he was too awe-struck to be in the presence of the famous Ringbearer to say a single word. He watched as Frodo gazed round at the room, seemingly lost in a trance. Sam touched him on his shoulder. There was a smile on his face.
"We kept it just the same. Your old room upstairs has only seen Rosie's duster since you left. Would you like to see?"
"Very much so!" Frodo cried and then remembered something. "Emáten, you don't-"
"Not at all," the man said quickly, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks. Frodo smiled at him and then looked to his friend.
"Sam...I- I need to do this alone. I'm sorry, it's just, well...it's been so very long."
"'Course not, Frodo. Go ahead."
With that, the hobbit raced out of the chamber and they heard him hurriedly climbing the stairs. When he was gone, Emáten turned to Sam, a little nervous.
"Lord Samwise, I do not think I quite understand."
"Well, you can understand that you shouldn't be callin' me Lord. Sam will do nicely, thank you."
The man winced and lowered his gaze.
"Sorry...Sam. But, would you mind if I asked you a question?"
"Not at all," the hobbit replied, sitting himself down on a small stool by the desk. "Calm down. Stop getting' yourself all worked up. It's not like you're in front of a king."
Emáten blushed but made no comment at this. He had been taught by all his friends and family that the Ringbearer and his companions had been more than kings. They were heroes. They had given up everything to defend Middle- Earth from darkness. Oh. They were so much more than kings.
"Well," he said, knotting his fingers in his lap, "It's just...do you have a lot of friends that are giant golden eagles?"
"Goodness no! That was Gwahir. He's Gandalf's friend and he's helped us many times."
"You helped the Lord Ringbearer many times," the man offered with a small smile. Sam returned it but then his face creased back into a frown and he sighed.
"Don't take no offence at this, Emáten, but you can't call my master that. He- I don't think he remembers it yet. And I don't- I don't want to.."
"Bring it back," Emáten finished. "But, sir- Sam- you mentioned little enough to the hobbits back there about it. I still do not understand. Why did he forget? When people know that he has returned then, well, it will be a surprise to know that he hardly remembers any of it. Did he remember you?"
"Things are coming back to him slowly. When he's reminded of things and the like. He didn't know my face, at first-" Sam took in a shuddering breath at the memory. "But he said that he never forgot me- it's just some thoughts got stacked away or lost, if you take my meaning. And he doesn't remember nothin' about where he came from or what he's doing here. But don't you worry, sir, he'll be alright soon."
The man could tell there was a lot less confidence in this statement than Sam made out. And he heard the pain in his voice when he mentioned his reunion with Frodo. "He didn't know my face." He could have no idea how much that hurt Sam now. The hobbit had been too engrossed in his fear and anger at the time but afterwards, it had struck his soul deeply. The weight of eleven years crushing him. And yet Emáten could see the love in Sam's eyes when he looked upon his master. That devotion and friendship. He wondered if perhaps he would ever find a companion like that. Someone willing to die for you.
And then to know that Frodo had forgotten. However briefly. The fire of the Ring was not tormenting his mind now and he was at home, in his room, with his dearest friend close by. Ignorance was bliss.
~
Short, I know. Sorry! But this is only the beginning, my friends...
Lil*bee: Wow! Lucky you! How many times you watched it now? Four, five, a trillion? Happy you enjoyed the last chapter so much!
Shirebound: Hehe. Yeah, poor old Frodo. I never give him a break. I mean, he's being tossed from your story to mine. Avalanche to Lost in Moria, Unlikely Comfort to Trials of Lórien and then onto Whispers of the Dragon. Poor Frodo. Loved the last chapter of Quarantine. My review is a bit stiff and rambl-y, sorry 'bout that. But it truly was magnificent.
MagicalRachel: Torturous and tense- that's what life's all about really isn't it? Thank so much! I think that out of my three fics, this is also my favourite. I have been reading Lost in Moria to my mum in pieces and she keeps bursting into laughter and calling me a sadist. *grumble* Doesn't appreciate me *grumble*
Koko Kung: Wahay, you're back! No secret, just an addiction to Lord of the Rings. Now - when you've read this chapter of course- go and finish that prologue! Muster! Labour! Hehehe
Maygin: What a perfectly wonderful review! It is wonderful to know that I am bringing that sort of enjoyment into your life. Thank you so much for all your beautiful comments- and thank you for taking the time to write such a great review!
Crazytook: Pleased you liked that part. It was a weird "on the spur of the moment" thing. Hehe. I can't help liking Brego. I'm not generally for the humorous animal character but sometimes horses really are like that. It was in this book of facts: a horse does not think that anything out of its line of sight exists. Hope you enjoy!
Elf of Rivendell: I take it that those two gods are from The Silmarillion. I'm so sorry but I could never get into it. *shamed look* An epic, yes but pretty damn hard to read. So that does not really feature. I'm like a horse- all the books out of my line of sight do not exist. Not in this story anyhow. Yay! Aragorn! Heehee.
Helga: Wow! Are you a mythology fan? Me too. And it is sort of like the Lethe. The endless sea. When you cross over it- rather than drink it- you forget many things that you hold dear. Am so pleased that you are enjoying this!
~ Chapter Eleven ~
Sam opened the door to Bag End. He waited for his companions to enter as well but for a time they just stood in the garden. Frodo had his head in his hands and was shaking with pent up mirth. The man- Emáten- was almost on his hands and knees trying to apologise.
"Forgive me, sir! I know not what I do, I mean, did. I never ever imagined that, what, who I would find here. I thought that you left forever! And me falling down like that. Oh, I am so sorry, my lord. I never intended- thought that-"
"Emáten. Be quiet and go inside."
The man almost fell over himself to obey, bowing and retreating at the same time. Sam had to put a hand over his mouth at the sight of his master doubled up behind, choking on laughter.
When all of them were inside, Sam took their cloaks and gear and hung them up at the side while calling,
"Rose, love, I'm back!"
"I know," his wife called back, "I'm in the kitchen!"
"Rosie, could you come here a moment? We've...guests."
Obediently, she came out of the kitchen and the trio could hear her light footfalls approaching. There was a small cry and the smash of crockery. Rosie put up her hands to her face, ignoring the shattered plate on the floor. Then, without warning, she ran down the corridor and threw her arms round Frodo. She was sobbing fit to burst.
"Oh, Mister Frodo Baggins, you are by far the most despicable hobbit I've ever met in my entire life! Going off and letting us deal with all the housework and chores. Oh, you came back! You came back!"
She backed away, her hands still on his face as she examined him sternly. He smiled at her, brushing away her tears and trying to hold back his own. And she made it quite easy to remember her. She beamed back at him, laughing through her tears. Then she whirled round to give her husband a kiss hello. But it suddenly occurred to her what a state she was in and she moved backwards, wiping her face and dusting her apron.
"Dear me," she sniffed, "M'terribly sorry, sir. I completely forgot you there. Come on in and my Sam will see you to our sitting room. Come on, Sam. Take...take Frodo with you."
Rosie cast her eyes back to her old friend, tears beginning to pour anew down her face. "Oh, dear, Mister Frodo," she breathed. And then she ran away back to the safety of her kitchen. Emáten let himself be taken into a large low room and into an armchair that seemed to grip round his middle. But he was too awe-struck to be in the presence of the famous Ringbearer to say a single word. He watched as Frodo gazed round at the room, seemingly lost in a trance. Sam touched him on his shoulder. There was a smile on his face.
"We kept it just the same. Your old room upstairs has only seen Rosie's duster since you left. Would you like to see?"
"Very much so!" Frodo cried and then remembered something. "Emáten, you don't-"
"Not at all," the man said quickly, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks. Frodo smiled at him and then looked to his friend.
"Sam...I- I need to do this alone. I'm sorry, it's just, well...it's been so very long."
"'Course not, Frodo. Go ahead."
With that, the hobbit raced out of the chamber and they heard him hurriedly climbing the stairs. When he was gone, Emáten turned to Sam, a little nervous.
"Lord Samwise, I do not think I quite understand."
"Well, you can understand that you shouldn't be callin' me Lord. Sam will do nicely, thank you."
The man winced and lowered his gaze.
"Sorry...Sam. But, would you mind if I asked you a question?"
"Not at all," the hobbit replied, sitting himself down on a small stool by the desk. "Calm down. Stop getting' yourself all worked up. It's not like you're in front of a king."
Emáten blushed but made no comment at this. He had been taught by all his friends and family that the Ringbearer and his companions had been more than kings. They were heroes. They had given up everything to defend Middle- Earth from darkness. Oh. They were so much more than kings.
"Well," he said, knotting his fingers in his lap, "It's just...do you have a lot of friends that are giant golden eagles?"
"Goodness no! That was Gwahir. He's Gandalf's friend and he's helped us many times."
"You helped the Lord Ringbearer many times," the man offered with a small smile. Sam returned it but then his face creased back into a frown and he sighed.
"Don't take no offence at this, Emáten, but you can't call my master that. He- I don't think he remembers it yet. And I don't- I don't want to.."
"Bring it back," Emáten finished. "But, sir- Sam- you mentioned little enough to the hobbits back there about it. I still do not understand. Why did he forget? When people know that he has returned then, well, it will be a surprise to know that he hardly remembers any of it. Did he remember you?"
"Things are coming back to him slowly. When he's reminded of things and the like. He didn't know my face, at first-" Sam took in a shuddering breath at the memory. "But he said that he never forgot me- it's just some thoughts got stacked away or lost, if you take my meaning. And he doesn't remember nothin' about where he came from or what he's doing here. But don't you worry, sir, he'll be alright soon."
The man could tell there was a lot less confidence in this statement than Sam made out. And he heard the pain in his voice when he mentioned his reunion with Frodo. "He didn't know my face." He could have no idea how much that hurt Sam now. The hobbit had been too engrossed in his fear and anger at the time but afterwards, it had struck his soul deeply. The weight of eleven years crushing him. And yet Emáten could see the love in Sam's eyes when he looked upon his master. That devotion and friendship. He wondered if perhaps he would ever find a companion like that. Someone willing to die for you.
And then to know that Frodo had forgotten. However briefly. The fire of the Ring was not tormenting his mind now and he was at home, in his room, with his dearest friend close by. Ignorance was bliss.
~
Short, I know. Sorry! But this is only the beginning, my friends...
