Hello! I am back! I honestly tried to update yesterday, but every time I
tried to log in, it told me to "come back in a few hours." I kept trying
until 9:46 PM (exactly), and considering the fact that I would need to get
up at about six this morning, I decided that I would not stay up any later
or else I would be a walking zombie. It's so irritating! Something always
gets in the way of my updating! Grr!
(By the way: Thanks illuminator! It's great to get reviews from writers that you admire!)
Okay, this is the last Elvishly (I don't think that's a word) numbered chapter, and there will only be one more after this.
Just so you know, I almost cried when I wrote this. Enjoy!
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With Merry and Fatty having driven the last wagon to Crickhollow that morning, Frodo, Fatty, and Sam were left to enjoy (or in Sam's case suffer through) their last dinner at Bag End. Pippin plowed his way through eagerly, but Frodo ate slower, grieved by Sam's gloomy mood, for he had guessed why he was so miserable and it hurt him terribly to see Sam picking at his food disinterestedly, much to Pippin's distress.
"Sam!" Pippin exclaimed. "What's the matter with you! That's a perfectly good meal sitting right in front of you! Food is supposed to eaten, not stared at!"
Sam dropped his fork on the table with a loud clatter. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Just not very hungry."
"Not hungry?" Pippin grabbed the fork and forced it back into Sam's hand. "Eat! We're going to be walking remember? We don't want you keeling over after only a few miles! At that rate we'd never get to Crickhollow!"
Sam cringed visibly at the mention of their journey. Frodo, seeing Sam's eyes begin to tear up and knowing that Pippin planned to pursue the matter, decided to change the subject quickly. "Well, I wonder if we should leave some spoons in the drawer for Lobelia. What do you think about that Pippin?"
Pippin started laughing through a mouthful of half-chewed food, and even Sam managed to smile faintly, though it did not cover the sorrow in his eyes.
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" 'Our last meal at Bag End!' said Frodo, pushing back his chair. They left the washing up for Lobelia. Pippin and Sam strapped up their three packs and piled them in the porch. Pippin went out for one last stroll in the garden. Sam disappeared."
(FOTR ch. 3)
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Sam was running. Running as if the devil was behind him, tears streaking his cheeks. As soon as dinner had ended, and Frodo and Pippin became too occupied to notice if he was gone, he had left, sprinting as fast as he could, not stopping even when his breaths came in gasps and his stomach ached. He didn't care. He deserved it.
He had lied to himself, thinking he could soothe the hurts of parting by avoiding the pain, only to find that the lie had only hurt him worse, devouring him form the inside out. He could only imagine what would happen to Rosie when he and Frodo never came back. He had PROMISED her that he would visit her! He had never broken a promise in his life, never even told a lie, but the hope in Rosie's eyes had prompted him to bend the rules, deceiving her for what had though was her own good. But it wasn't. How could have ever thought it was? That was why he was running.
Frodo and Pippin didn't know he had left; probably thought he was spending his last moments in Hobbiton in the cellar bidding the beer barrels farewell. Well, so much the better, for he only wanted one other to know why he was out here, running frantically towards the Cotton farm.
As he raced up the path to the door, he could see Rosie in the kitchen, through one of the small round windows. She looked up from her work, her face changing from a smile, to a worried frown when she saw his haste. She threw down the dishtowel and ran out the door to see what was the matter.
"Sam! What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be leaving for Crickhollow with your master? Why are you still here? Why are you running? Did something bad happen?" Her questions spurred from her mouth rapidly, her voice strained, wondering what in the world could have happened to distress her Sam so.
Sam ran the last few paces separating him from his darling Rosie, and then fell to his knees before her, sobbing so hard that he could not say a word.
Rosie threw herself down beside him, hugging his gently. "Shh, its okay Sam." She whispered gently, angry with herself for being so fretful and frightened earlier, for she feared it had made him even more upset. "Don't cry Sam."
Sam let his tears lessen a little, and then whispered hoarsely. "I'm so sorry Rosie."
"Sorry for what?" she asked, puzzled.
"I lied." He croaked, talking a difficult task after his violent sobs.
"Lied about what, Sam." She brushed his hair from his forehead. What could he have said that would have made him so upset? He did not answer, so she tried again. "Sam, it's okay. You can tell me . . ."
"It's not okay!" He suddenly yelled, tears streaming anew from his eyes. "I lied to you! I gave you a promise I could not keep! My master and I are not staying in Crickhollow! We are going father, we are leaving the Shire, maybe never to return! Rosie, I can't come visit you! Even though my heart begs me to stay, my place is with my master, and I can't let him go alone! I'm so sorry!" His voice cracked at this last shout, and he then broke down sobbing once more.
Rosie was silent, one hand clasped over her mouth. Had he just said what she thought he did? "Oh Sam!" she cried suddenly, leaning fully against him. They sat there for long while, clinging to each other and each trying to comfort the other.
Sam pulled away from the embrace, and tilted Rosie's head up to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry Rosie." He repeated. "I just didn't want to hurt you." Just as much as she was looking into his eyes, he was looking into her honey-brown ones, seeing nothing but absolute love for him.
Even more tears threatening to spill, he decided, one last time, to tell her what he'd been wanting to tell her ever since he met her. "Rosie," he said. "For a long time, I've been wanting to tell you something." He took a deep breathing, thankful that he hadn't lost the words yet. "I just wanted . . . to tell you how I . . . I feel about you . . ." His last few words trailed off.
Rosie, her expression growing determined as he was speaking, leaned forward until her face was right up close to his. "Then how about this Sam," she said firmly. "Why don't I tell YOU what I think about you?"
Even if Sam would have been able to speak, he didn't have the time for she grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him long and hard.
After she finally released him, she was glad to see resolve growing in his eyes as well. She was even more pleased when he said to her. "I told you that we might never return. Well that doesn't rule out the possibility." He took her hands in his, though his were trembling despite the newfound tenacity. Don't cry Rosie. I'll be back. I promise."
Rosie's jovial smile spread across her face, beautiful even with the sadness that joined it. "I'll be here Sam. Even if you're gone 'til the Sun dies, I'll be waiting for you."
They embraced one last time.
*************************************************
Frodo and Pippin, shouldering their packs, looked around the house for Sam, not finding him anywhere. Finally, Frodo yelled, "Sam! Sam! Time!"
He was grateful to hear a faint, "Coming sir!" And after a few moments, Sam came into view, walking around from the back of Bag End. He smiled reassuringly at Frodo, relieving the tension that had plagued them both.
Then the three of them began their journey . . .
TBC
(By the way: Thanks illuminator! It's great to get reviews from writers that you admire!)
Okay, this is the last Elvishly (I don't think that's a word) numbered chapter, and there will only be one more after this.
Just so you know, I almost cried when I wrote this. Enjoy!
*************************************************
With Merry and Fatty having driven the last wagon to Crickhollow that morning, Frodo, Fatty, and Sam were left to enjoy (or in Sam's case suffer through) their last dinner at Bag End. Pippin plowed his way through eagerly, but Frodo ate slower, grieved by Sam's gloomy mood, for he had guessed why he was so miserable and it hurt him terribly to see Sam picking at his food disinterestedly, much to Pippin's distress.
"Sam!" Pippin exclaimed. "What's the matter with you! That's a perfectly good meal sitting right in front of you! Food is supposed to eaten, not stared at!"
Sam dropped his fork on the table with a loud clatter. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Just not very hungry."
"Not hungry?" Pippin grabbed the fork and forced it back into Sam's hand. "Eat! We're going to be walking remember? We don't want you keeling over after only a few miles! At that rate we'd never get to Crickhollow!"
Sam cringed visibly at the mention of their journey. Frodo, seeing Sam's eyes begin to tear up and knowing that Pippin planned to pursue the matter, decided to change the subject quickly. "Well, I wonder if we should leave some spoons in the drawer for Lobelia. What do you think about that Pippin?"
Pippin started laughing through a mouthful of half-chewed food, and even Sam managed to smile faintly, though it did not cover the sorrow in his eyes.
**********************************************************
" 'Our last meal at Bag End!' said Frodo, pushing back his chair. They left the washing up for Lobelia. Pippin and Sam strapped up their three packs and piled them in the porch. Pippin went out for one last stroll in the garden. Sam disappeared."
(FOTR ch. 3)
**********************************************************
Sam was running. Running as if the devil was behind him, tears streaking his cheeks. As soon as dinner had ended, and Frodo and Pippin became too occupied to notice if he was gone, he had left, sprinting as fast as he could, not stopping even when his breaths came in gasps and his stomach ached. He didn't care. He deserved it.
He had lied to himself, thinking he could soothe the hurts of parting by avoiding the pain, only to find that the lie had only hurt him worse, devouring him form the inside out. He could only imagine what would happen to Rosie when he and Frodo never came back. He had PROMISED her that he would visit her! He had never broken a promise in his life, never even told a lie, but the hope in Rosie's eyes had prompted him to bend the rules, deceiving her for what had though was her own good. But it wasn't. How could have ever thought it was? That was why he was running.
Frodo and Pippin didn't know he had left; probably thought he was spending his last moments in Hobbiton in the cellar bidding the beer barrels farewell. Well, so much the better, for he only wanted one other to know why he was out here, running frantically towards the Cotton farm.
As he raced up the path to the door, he could see Rosie in the kitchen, through one of the small round windows. She looked up from her work, her face changing from a smile, to a worried frown when she saw his haste. She threw down the dishtowel and ran out the door to see what was the matter.
"Sam! What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be leaving for Crickhollow with your master? Why are you still here? Why are you running? Did something bad happen?" Her questions spurred from her mouth rapidly, her voice strained, wondering what in the world could have happened to distress her Sam so.
Sam ran the last few paces separating him from his darling Rosie, and then fell to his knees before her, sobbing so hard that he could not say a word.
Rosie threw herself down beside him, hugging his gently. "Shh, its okay Sam." She whispered gently, angry with herself for being so fretful and frightened earlier, for she feared it had made him even more upset. "Don't cry Sam."
Sam let his tears lessen a little, and then whispered hoarsely. "I'm so sorry Rosie."
"Sorry for what?" she asked, puzzled.
"I lied." He croaked, talking a difficult task after his violent sobs.
"Lied about what, Sam." She brushed his hair from his forehead. What could he have said that would have made him so upset? He did not answer, so she tried again. "Sam, it's okay. You can tell me . . ."
"It's not okay!" He suddenly yelled, tears streaming anew from his eyes. "I lied to you! I gave you a promise I could not keep! My master and I are not staying in Crickhollow! We are going father, we are leaving the Shire, maybe never to return! Rosie, I can't come visit you! Even though my heart begs me to stay, my place is with my master, and I can't let him go alone! I'm so sorry!" His voice cracked at this last shout, and he then broke down sobbing once more.
Rosie was silent, one hand clasped over her mouth. Had he just said what she thought he did? "Oh Sam!" she cried suddenly, leaning fully against him. They sat there for long while, clinging to each other and each trying to comfort the other.
Sam pulled away from the embrace, and tilted Rosie's head up to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry Rosie." He repeated. "I just didn't want to hurt you." Just as much as she was looking into his eyes, he was looking into her honey-brown ones, seeing nothing but absolute love for him.
Even more tears threatening to spill, he decided, one last time, to tell her what he'd been wanting to tell her ever since he met her. "Rosie," he said. "For a long time, I've been wanting to tell you something." He took a deep breathing, thankful that he hadn't lost the words yet. "I just wanted . . . to tell you how I . . . I feel about you . . ." His last few words trailed off.
Rosie, her expression growing determined as he was speaking, leaned forward until her face was right up close to his. "Then how about this Sam," she said firmly. "Why don't I tell YOU what I think about you?"
Even if Sam would have been able to speak, he didn't have the time for she grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him long and hard.
After she finally released him, she was glad to see resolve growing in his eyes as well. She was even more pleased when he said to her. "I told you that we might never return. Well that doesn't rule out the possibility." He took her hands in his, though his were trembling despite the newfound tenacity. Don't cry Rosie. I'll be back. I promise."
Rosie's jovial smile spread across her face, beautiful even with the sadness that joined it. "I'll be here Sam. Even if you're gone 'til the Sun dies, I'll be waiting for you."
They embraced one last time.
*************************************************
Frodo and Pippin, shouldering their packs, looked around the house for Sam, not finding him anywhere. Finally, Frodo yelled, "Sam! Sam! Time!"
He was grateful to hear a faint, "Coming sir!" And after a few moments, Sam came into view, walking around from the back of Bag End. He smiled reassuringly at Frodo, relieving the tension that had plagued them both.
Then the three of them began their journey . . .
TBC