A/N - Due to complaint about the technical inaccuracy of my last chapter (shame on you for being anonymous and not leaving e-mail), I would like to point out that it is highly unlikely that there is only one field in Gondor. I would also like to add that the comment concerning the extent of Aragorn's kingship is part of a (not really) running joke from my other Hobbit story. I am sat here with all three books in front of me and will attempt to use the correct specifics. However, it is all a bit of fun anyway, and if you get that hung up over a few mistakes in a story then you probably have no life.
Chapter 2 - Olympic Villages and why Hobbits and early mornings don't mix.
In the three months that had passed since King Elessar had made his announcement, Middle Earth had become a place of frenzied excitement and activity. The scouring of the Shire in the summer (A/N - yes I know that it took place in October time in the book, but for the purpose of this story it happened in the summertime.) halted preparations there slightly, but soon the mood of festivity was heightened again. Overall, Middle Earth was the happiest it had been since Bilbo's heyday.
The rules, instructions and general information concerning the Olympics had been released and dispatched two weeks after the meeting in the Gondor fields. There were to be almost 100 events in total, that fell into many different classes: the main being those of Men, Hobbits, Elves and Dwarves (although these were certainly not the only ones). Each main race would have an equal number of events that they were eligible to enter and, in addition, there were to be events open to all occupants of Middle Earth.
Preparations for the Hobbit classes were initially due to commence in Hobbiton after the men and other outsiders had been removed. However, the Official Olympics of Middle Earth had attracted so much interest in the Shire that they were forced to find a new meeting place to prevent overcrowding in Hobbiton. Several locations were suggested, but it was eventually agreed that the best solution would be to create an Olympic village in one of the many miles of open space in the Shire. This being settled, a comprehensive list of events was sent to every Hobbit inhabited village in Middle Earth. Individuals would sign up for the event or event they desired to participate in and then attend the three weeks of trials in the Olympic Village at the beginning of September.
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September the first, the day in which Frodo and his friends were due to be travelling to the Olympic Village dawned sultry and cloudless. Frodo was roused at dawn by an extremely excited Sam who bought him breakfast in bed (consisting of bacon and tomatoes in case you were interested), before forcing him to get ready to leave. As the Olympic trials were being held in a location nearer to Hobbiton than Buckland, Merry and Pippin had been temporarily residing in the rebuilt inn in Bywater - which they left at about the same time Frodo was woken in order to meet the others at Bag End.
At half past six, the doorbell of Bag End was rung by Merry.
"Master Frodo, Master Frodo! They're here!!" Sam could be heard to say from inside.
"Well answer the door then Sam, they'll be getting impatient standing on the doorstep." Frodo said.
"OK, Master Frodo. I'm coming Merry, Pip, don't run off."
Pippin and Merry waited outside the door for a moment listening to the sound of Sam running to let them inside - footsteps followed by a loud crash and an "OW!" Suddenly the door was opened by Frodo, who was almost doubled over with laughter.
"What happened?" said Merry.
Frodo remained silent (well not silent, but unable to speak) for a few seconds, before replying:
"Sam...... Sam...... was so excited to be going to the Olympic trials that he......." Frodo paused, his recurring bout of laughter preventing him from continuing. ".....He ran into the hallway, tripped straight over his pack and did three somersaults before landing in the kitchen in a heap." Frodo finished, waving his hands around for dramatic effect. Merry and Pippin, who obviously hadn't found this tale anyway near as funny as they were evidently supposed to, stood mutely in the doorway before spotting Frodo's potentially dangerous glance and creasing up in insincere laughter.
As soon as Frodo walked into the kitchen to retrieve the now somewhat battered Sam, Pippin said to Merry:
"Is Frodo always like that or is it just the early morning?"
"I think he found your secret stash of Bud Light, Pip."
"Yeah, I really should have disposed of that shouldn't I?"
"Yes Pippin. Seriously though, I don't think we should be concerned at Frodo's sudden insanity. We all know he's not even the slightest bit normal until after second breakfast."
"I suppose." replied Pippin, "Look, they're coming back now - let's set off."
The four companions left Bag End ten minutes later after much delay - mostly concerning the whereabouts of Sam's pipeweed and Frodo's teddy bear. They reached as far as the end of New Row before Sam exclaimed (loudly enough for the people in Brandy Hall to hear): "Master Frodo, I think we've left the gas on!"
Sam then ran, in record time, back to Bag End to turn off the offending gas, before turning back to rejoin the group.
"Hey, Sam - what events were you planning on entering?" said Merry, looking like he was formulating a plan (for your future reference and personal safety if Merry looks like he is formulating a plan RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!).
"Ummm..... vegetable picking, mushroom eating, the piggyback race and possibly the apple throwing event. Why?" said Sam, looking very suspicious and curious.
"Yeah why? Merry." said Frodo, with a look similar to Sam's upon his face.
"Well....... pippin and I have a bet going with some of the hobbits in Bree that it would be a Shire hobbit who would qualify for the 'free for all' 100m race." said Merry.
"And you're telling me this because........" said Sam, having obviously not thought about what Merry had just said.
"Sam - you'd be perfect to enter. We saw the way you raced back to Bag End just now."
"You know," said Sam in almost disbelief, "Hobbits and early mornings really should not mix - it gives them strange ideas."
And with that final comment, no more was said on the subject, and the remainder of the journey to the Olympic Village was commenced in silence - with the exception, of course, of Pippin's occasional bursts of song.
A/N - So......... good, bad, better, worse? Please review! Due to my lack of finance you won't get any prizes, but I do have the rather tempting (or not) reward of winning any categories you come up with! Empress Greenleaf of Mirkwood - do you have any preference as to which event you win? Rachel xx