Authors Note: A different kind of format today, from another characters
POV. I thought it might liven things up a little. One more chapter to go
after this one (sorry if I said nine chapters earlier, I was mistaken).
Thanks to all my reviewers, you rock!
Camellia: I met Billy at my local shopping mall. I had to queue for blimmin' ages but it was worth it! I got him to sign my 'art of the fellowship' book. Thanks for the support.
Pearl Took: You are always so nice to me! I don't know if I deserve it (being a young writer full of spelling mistakes and with a lot of learning to do) but you encourage me!
Silver Elf: Also, your praise is very much appreciated.
Xena: Many thanks for your reviews!
I would like to respond more, but time and space forbid it.
Okay, here's the chapter! And for people who don't know, Fastred is Elanor's husband.
Chapter Seven- The letter is found
The hobbits woke early, rested from their slumber. They found their ponies saddled ready for them, and they took with them food provided by the kindly owner of the inn, who was still scratching his head and wondering who on earth they were as they rode off.
They did not stay in any more inns because Sam still felt uneasy, so they instead slept out of doors in the shelter of dense bushes or clumps of trees. Their route was across country to Michel Delving, where they would meet the road and ride onwards to the Far Downs. They rode through Michel Delving without stopping, for Sam could not help the uncomfortable feeling that someone would recognise him and work out where he was going, and before he knew what was what the whole Shire would turn up to see him off. And he didn't want that. But what he did not know was that his own offspring knew him better than he thought they did, and someone had found his letter that very morning, much earlier than expected.
*****
"Da?" Elanor called as she knocked on the green front door of Bag End. "Da?" she called again when there was no answer. She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. Although her father showed no signs of becoming deaf, he was growing old, and Elanor imagined that he would be asleep in a comfortable armchair somewhere at the back of the house. She reached under the mat to get the spare key and let herself in. The residents of Hobbiton were trusting folk, 'Sometimes too trusting for their own good' she thought as she walked into the hall. She did not call again but walked into the parlor, then the front room and then the kitchen, but there were no signs of Sam. She furrowed her brow, pausing for a moment to think of where he could be. Bag End was a big place with many rooms lining the gently twisting corridor, and Sam could be anywhere. As she was thinking, something on the kitchen table caught her eye. An envelope made of thick parchment was propped up against the pepper pot.
"What's this?" Elanor wondered, walking over to the table and picking up the envelope.
'My Children' was written in Sam's sloping, messy script.
Elanor hesitated for a moment, and then slit the envelope open with slightly shaking fingers. She could not think what it was, but she could tell that it was to do with her Da not being here. Something told her that it was serious.
Four or five carefully folded pieces of paper fell out onto the table top. Elanor picked up the top one and began to read. It was dated six days back, and her name, as well as all her brothers' and sisters', were written on the top of the page.
'Elanor, Frodo, Rose, Merry, Pippin, Goldilocks, Hamfast, Daisy, Primrose, Bilbo, Ruby, Robin and Tom:
Firstly, I suppose you are wanting to know where I am. I have gone to be with my dear friend Frodo Baggins, who you will not remember because he sailed over the Sea a very long time ago, before most of you were born. That's where I've gone, to be with him in the Undying Lands. You see, I missed him something awful and I always meant to go and be with him eventually, and now that time has come. I am riding to the Grey Havens with my good friends Meriadoc and Peregrin.
I hope you won't be sad that I have gone and not said goodbye, but you know me, I hate goodbyes. I just wanted to slip off, and I hope you understand. Please don't be sad for my sake, and remember that you still have each other.
On the pages that follow are all the legal and proper papers that I sorted out a while ago, as well as a few instructions and goodbyes for you all.
I love you all very much and I shall never forget you.
Love your old Da, Samwise.'
Elanor let the paper slip to the floor. She felt stunned. First her mother and now her Da. She couldn't imagine Bag End without him, and now she would never see him again. She had never got to say goodbye. She understood that he had not wanted that, but what she wouldn't give for one last hug and a few words. A tear slipped down her face, and she suddenly felt very lonely and hopeless. She stooped down and picked up the letter, scanning it again. The Grey Havens. A few days ride from here, she thought. An idea began to stir in her head. If she borrowed one of her Uncle Nibs' ponies and rode like the wind she could catch him up. A chance to say goodbye. But he'd be long gone by now, she thought hopelessly. She picked up the letter and scanned over it again. 'I am riding to the Grey Havens with my good friends Meriadoc and Peregrin.'
"But the live in Buckland," she whispered to herself. Buckland...that was miles away. If Sam had gone their first then there was still hope. She checked the date at the top of the note. Yes, there was time.
Then she stopped herself. Hadn't he said he didn't want a goodbye? But this wasn't a party or a procession of riders, only her. She wouldn't tell anyone, just creep off. But what about Fastred? He would wonder where she was.
"I suppose I could tell Nibs. He wouldn't tell a soul if I asked him not to," she said to herself, fingering the paper thoughtfully.
"I don't even know where the Grey Havens are!" she exclaimed out loud, jerking herself from her thoughts. "How on earth am I supposed to get there if I don't know the way?"
Then she remembered the old study. It was packed full of ancient books, dusty papers and, most importantly, maps. She hurried off down the corridor and pushed open the heavy door. It creaked slightly because it had not been used much of late. She stepped inside and cast her eyes about the room. The reams of papers had been arranged on shelves by Sam, and she ran her finger along them muttering, "Maps...where are the maps..."
She soon located the map of the Shire that had been drawn many years ago by Bilbo Baggins. She traced her finger along the road, from Hobbiton, across the Far Downs and along to the Sea. She stood very still, thinking hard for several moments.
"Well, if I am to go I should go now," she said decisively. On impulse she picked up her skirts, rolled up the map and ran from the study in Bag End, down the lane towards the Cottons' farm. She hurried through the yard, scattering chickens and turning the heads of the farm hands who were busy forking hay into the cow sheds. She stepped up to the old farmhouse door and rapped on it with her knuckles. Nibs Cotton, her uncle, answered the door after a few moments. He was too old now to do much about the farm, so he employed some of the young hobbit lads from the village to do all the hard farm work for him. He gave Elanor a warm smile and invited her in at once.
"Well, if it isn't young Elanor! It's been a while since I've seen you in these parts, Miss," he said, as he held the door open for her.
"I was going up to Bag End to do some cleaning for Da," she said. "And it's about him that I'm here."
"Oh yes?" Nibs questioned turning and looking her in the eye. "I've not seen him about much recently, as it happens," he said, looking thoughtful for a moment.
"Well, and this is strictly between you and me," Elanor said pointedly, "he's left."
"Left? Where's a hobbit of his age going to?" Nibs asked, looking surprised.
"He's gone to be with Mister Frodo. Sailing over the Sea," Elanor replied.
"The Sea? Blimey! A hobbit like Sam in a boat?" Nibs gasped, putting his hand to his forehead.
Elanor smiled; she couldn't imagine her Da in a boat either.
"The thing is, he didn't say goodbye. And I'm going after him. I'd like to ask a favor of you," Elanor continued.
"Just name it. I'm not busy," Nibs said, slightly overwhelmed at the new information.
"Well, I'll need to borrow a pony, for a week at the most. I'm leaving today as soon as I can."
"Of course, one of the lads will get one for you right away," Nibs replied.
"And I'll have to leave a message with you for Fastred. He'll be wondering where I am when I don't go back tomorrow," Elanor carried on.
"Of course," Nibs said again. "Of course, I'll remember. Now, you go and find that pony. Tom will show you which."
"Thank you so much!" Elanor said, giving him a quick hug. "And please, not a word to anyone but Fastred. I'll tell when my Da's safely off."
Nibs tapped the side of his nose with his finger. "Anything you say Miss."
Elanor smiled again and with a call of, 'Thank you!' she ran from the farmhouse to the stables, where one of the farm hands lead out a little black pony, exactly the right height for her.
"This is Lily," he said. "She'll keep you well." He deftly flung a saddle on her back and handed Elanor the reins. Elanor called out her thanks as she led the pony back up the road to Bag End. She had not ridden for a long time, the last time being when she was much younger and staying at the Cottons' farm. Her brothers had tried to teach her how to ride, but she only learnt the basics, for she had fallen off and grazed her knee and vowed never to sit on a pony again. She firmly pushed that thought from her mind, it was no good to be afraid at a time like this.
"Just like riding a bicycle, they said," Elanor mumbled to herself as she tried to recall all she knew about ponies. "Well, I don't have a bicycle and I can't ride one neither, but hopefully I'll be all right."
When she reached the gate, she flung the reins over the gatepost and rushed inside to pack some food and warm clothes. There was not much in the larder, but she managed to scrape together enough supplies for a few days. Sam had obviously taken most of the food for his journey. After she had taken a rug from one of the bedrooms and an old travelling cloak from a wardrobe she was ready to go. She tied her bag to the back of the saddle, mounted her pony and trotted off down the lane, a little unsteady at first but soon getting used to the jogging motion.
"I'd better hurry if I'm going to catch him," she thought, nudging her pony into a rocking canter. She swayed a little and grabbed hold of the saddle, but her pony was a clever little thing and slowed down when she lost her balance.
As she rode she had the sudden uneasy thought that she would miss him, and he would be gone before she got there. Then she remembered that her father was much older than she was, and he probably would not be going any faster than a walk.
She had soon turned out of Hobbiton and was riding through Bywater. Hobbit heads turned as they saw Elanor Gamgee cantering down the road on a pony, and some called out to her, but she did not call back.
She bit her lip and bent down low over the saddle, urging her pony to go faster. She was determined that she would get to say farewell to her Da, and she would ride all night if she had to.
Camellia: I met Billy at my local shopping mall. I had to queue for blimmin' ages but it was worth it! I got him to sign my 'art of the fellowship' book. Thanks for the support.
Pearl Took: You are always so nice to me! I don't know if I deserve it (being a young writer full of spelling mistakes and with a lot of learning to do) but you encourage me!
Silver Elf: Also, your praise is very much appreciated.
Xena: Many thanks for your reviews!
I would like to respond more, but time and space forbid it.
Okay, here's the chapter! And for people who don't know, Fastred is Elanor's husband.
Chapter Seven- The letter is found
The hobbits woke early, rested from their slumber. They found their ponies saddled ready for them, and they took with them food provided by the kindly owner of the inn, who was still scratching his head and wondering who on earth they were as they rode off.
They did not stay in any more inns because Sam still felt uneasy, so they instead slept out of doors in the shelter of dense bushes or clumps of trees. Their route was across country to Michel Delving, where they would meet the road and ride onwards to the Far Downs. They rode through Michel Delving without stopping, for Sam could not help the uncomfortable feeling that someone would recognise him and work out where he was going, and before he knew what was what the whole Shire would turn up to see him off. And he didn't want that. But what he did not know was that his own offspring knew him better than he thought they did, and someone had found his letter that very morning, much earlier than expected.
*****
"Da?" Elanor called as she knocked on the green front door of Bag End. "Da?" she called again when there was no answer. She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. Although her father showed no signs of becoming deaf, he was growing old, and Elanor imagined that he would be asleep in a comfortable armchair somewhere at the back of the house. She reached under the mat to get the spare key and let herself in. The residents of Hobbiton were trusting folk, 'Sometimes too trusting for their own good' she thought as she walked into the hall. She did not call again but walked into the parlor, then the front room and then the kitchen, but there were no signs of Sam. She furrowed her brow, pausing for a moment to think of where he could be. Bag End was a big place with many rooms lining the gently twisting corridor, and Sam could be anywhere. As she was thinking, something on the kitchen table caught her eye. An envelope made of thick parchment was propped up against the pepper pot.
"What's this?" Elanor wondered, walking over to the table and picking up the envelope.
'My Children' was written in Sam's sloping, messy script.
Elanor hesitated for a moment, and then slit the envelope open with slightly shaking fingers. She could not think what it was, but she could tell that it was to do with her Da not being here. Something told her that it was serious.
Four or five carefully folded pieces of paper fell out onto the table top. Elanor picked up the top one and began to read. It was dated six days back, and her name, as well as all her brothers' and sisters', were written on the top of the page.
'Elanor, Frodo, Rose, Merry, Pippin, Goldilocks, Hamfast, Daisy, Primrose, Bilbo, Ruby, Robin and Tom:
Firstly, I suppose you are wanting to know where I am. I have gone to be with my dear friend Frodo Baggins, who you will not remember because he sailed over the Sea a very long time ago, before most of you were born. That's where I've gone, to be with him in the Undying Lands. You see, I missed him something awful and I always meant to go and be with him eventually, and now that time has come. I am riding to the Grey Havens with my good friends Meriadoc and Peregrin.
I hope you won't be sad that I have gone and not said goodbye, but you know me, I hate goodbyes. I just wanted to slip off, and I hope you understand. Please don't be sad for my sake, and remember that you still have each other.
On the pages that follow are all the legal and proper papers that I sorted out a while ago, as well as a few instructions and goodbyes for you all.
I love you all very much and I shall never forget you.
Love your old Da, Samwise.'
Elanor let the paper slip to the floor. She felt stunned. First her mother and now her Da. She couldn't imagine Bag End without him, and now she would never see him again. She had never got to say goodbye. She understood that he had not wanted that, but what she wouldn't give for one last hug and a few words. A tear slipped down her face, and she suddenly felt very lonely and hopeless. She stooped down and picked up the letter, scanning it again. The Grey Havens. A few days ride from here, she thought. An idea began to stir in her head. If she borrowed one of her Uncle Nibs' ponies and rode like the wind she could catch him up. A chance to say goodbye. But he'd be long gone by now, she thought hopelessly. She picked up the letter and scanned over it again. 'I am riding to the Grey Havens with my good friends Meriadoc and Peregrin.'
"But the live in Buckland," she whispered to herself. Buckland...that was miles away. If Sam had gone their first then there was still hope. She checked the date at the top of the note. Yes, there was time.
Then she stopped herself. Hadn't he said he didn't want a goodbye? But this wasn't a party or a procession of riders, only her. She wouldn't tell anyone, just creep off. But what about Fastred? He would wonder where she was.
"I suppose I could tell Nibs. He wouldn't tell a soul if I asked him not to," she said to herself, fingering the paper thoughtfully.
"I don't even know where the Grey Havens are!" she exclaimed out loud, jerking herself from her thoughts. "How on earth am I supposed to get there if I don't know the way?"
Then she remembered the old study. It was packed full of ancient books, dusty papers and, most importantly, maps. She hurried off down the corridor and pushed open the heavy door. It creaked slightly because it had not been used much of late. She stepped inside and cast her eyes about the room. The reams of papers had been arranged on shelves by Sam, and she ran her finger along them muttering, "Maps...where are the maps..."
She soon located the map of the Shire that had been drawn many years ago by Bilbo Baggins. She traced her finger along the road, from Hobbiton, across the Far Downs and along to the Sea. She stood very still, thinking hard for several moments.
"Well, if I am to go I should go now," she said decisively. On impulse she picked up her skirts, rolled up the map and ran from the study in Bag End, down the lane towards the Cottons' farm. She hurried through the yard, scattering chickens and turning the heads of the farm hands who were busy forking hay into the cow sheds. She stepped up to the old farmhouse door and rapped on it with her knuckles. Nibs Cotton, her uncle, answered the door after a few moments. He was too old now to do much about the farm, so he employed some of the young hobbit lads from the village to do all the hard farm work for him. He gave Elanor a warm smile and invited her in at once.
"Well, if it isn't young Elanor! It's been a while since I've seen you in these parts, Miss," he said, as he held the door open for her.
"I was going up to Bag End to do some cleaning for Da," she said. "And it's about him that I'm here."
"Oh yes?" Nibs questioned turning and looking her in the eye. "I've not seen him about much recently, as it happens," he said, looking thoughtful for a moment.
"Well, and this is strictly between you and me," Elanor said pointedly, "he's left."
"Left? Where's a hobbit of his age going to?" Nibs asked, looking surprised.
"He's gone to be with Mister Frodo. Sailing over the Sea," Elanor replied.
"The Sea? Blimey! A hobbit like Sam in a boat?" Nibs gasped, putting his hand to his forehead.
Elanor smiled; she couldn't imagine her Da in a boat either.
"The thing is, he didn't say goodbye. And I'm going after him. I'd like to ask a favor of you," Elanor continued.
"Just name it. I'm not busy," Nibs said, slightly overwhelmed at the new information.
"Well, I'll need to borrow a pony, for a week at the most. I'm leaving today as soon as I can."
"Of course, one of the lads will get one for you right away," Nibs replied.
"And I'll have to leave a message with you for Fastred. He'll be wondering where I am when I don't go back tomorrow," Elanor carried on.
"Of course," Nibs said again. "Of course, I'll remember. Now, you go and find that pony. Tom will show you which."
"Thank you so much!" Elanor said, giving him a quick hug. "And please, not a word to anyone but Fastred. I'll tell when my Da's safely off."
Nibs tapped the side of his nose with his finger. "Anything you say Miss."
Elanor smiled again and with a call of, 'Thank you!' she ran from the farmhouse to the stables, where one of the farm hands lead out a little black pony, exactly the right height for her.
"This is Lily," he said. "She'll keep you well." He deftly flung a saddle on her back and handed Elanor the reins. Elanor called out her thanks as she led the pony back up the road to Bag End. She had not ridden for a long time, the last time being when she was much younger and staying at the Cottons' farm. Her brothers had tried to teach her how to ride, but she only learnt the basics, for she had fallen off and grazed her knee and vowed never to sit on a pony again. She firmly pushed that thought from her mind, it was no good to be afraid at a time like this.
"Just like riding a bicycle, they said," Elanor mumbled to herself as she tried to recall all she knew about ponies. "Well, I don't have a bicycle and I can't ride one neither, but hopefully I'll be all right."
When she reached the gate, she flung the reins over the gatepost and rushed inside to pack some food and warm clothes. There was not much in the larder, but she managed to scrape together enough supplies for a few days. Sam had obviously taken most of the food for his journey. After she had taken a rug from one of the bedrooms and an old travelling cloak from a wardrobe she was ready to go. She tied her bag to the back of the saddle, mounted her pony and trotted off down the lane, a little unsteady at first but soon getting used to the jogging motion.
"I'd better hurry if I'm going to catch him," she thought, nudging her pony into a rocking canter. She swayed a little and grabbed hold of the saddle, but her pony was a clever little thing and slowed down when she lost her balance.
As she rode she had the sudden uneasy thought that she would miss him, and he would be gone before she got there. Then she remembered that her father was much older than she was, and he probably would not be going any faster than a walk.
She had soon turned out of Hobbiton and was riding through Bywater. Hobbit heads turned as they saw Elanor Gamgee cantering down the road on a pony, and some called out to her, but she did not call back.
She bit her lip and bent down low over the saddle, urging her pony to go faster. She was determined that she would get to say farewell to her Da, and she would ride all night if she had to.