Golden snowflakes
Chapter three: Journeys and old acquaintances.
T: Hello my duckies! Sorry very happy today as I am again employed, but you don't want my life story. ForceMuette, yes I am aware that there area few spelling errors or wrongly timed space bar errors in the last chapter and in fact in all the chapters but as I do not have a beta reader I only tend to notice them once the chapter is up on ff.net. I'll try to rectify them as soon as I can. As you can guess by the title Tom shall be making an appearance but he's defiantly a little out of character, but I've made a go at explaining why. What else? Oh yes, LOTR is not mine; it will never be mine, though I wish it was! Warnings the same with the addition of ANGST, my old favourite. This chapter is dedicated to Tom Bombadil…we love you Tom!
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The sun was a blazing heat in the sky, its warmth a comfort from the cold that was encased around Frodo's heart.
He could hear Merry and Pippin talking to one another, their voices nothing more than part of the background noise to him now.
He knew he should be angry at Merry for convincing Sam to bring him along with them on the journey, for twisting the gardener's kindness to his advantage. But anger, as with all the other emotions was lost to Frodo now, faded into a raw unparalleled want.
"Mr. Frodo?" That voice, Sam's voice, was the only other reality that surrounded Frodo now and the enquiry was enough to stir him from his reverie for a moment.
"Yes, Sam?"
"Shouldn't we be setting off soon?"
"Yes. Yes indeed we should, tell Merry and Pippin to saddle up, I want a moment more to myself."
"Certainly, Sir." Sam replied before he was gone again from Frodo's side. Faded for a moment into the real world.
Frodo's eyes scanned the rolling hills of Hobbiton for a moment, seeking out each new tree, brought out of nothing by Sam's hands. Eventually his eyes came to rest upon the Mallorn, standing proud in the party field, its branches still bare of flower, yet full of promise. There was a message in that fact, Frodo knew, that something alien to the Shire could grow and prosper when given the right care, a message that hope should never be lost whatever the situation. But he knew that hope too was lost within the yearning that dominated him now.
Eventually Frodo turned from the breast of the hill and after mounting his pony `Strider` started the journey with the simple cry of,
"Onwards."
*
Every twisting, twirling by-way holds a memory now. A recollection of times full of innocence and naivety.
It is a haunting kaleidoscope of images and recollections of a Hobbit I know no longer.
I have faded far now, so far that I fear I shall never find the true me again. I will be lost forever in the darkness.
I heard you talking to me…back when I was sick and your voice recalled to me a life I had almost forgotten. Not because of the words you chose, though they were a comfort also, but because of the actual harmonics of your voice. Each rumble and soft inflection recalled to me a strength, a purity and a light that I had all but forgotten here in darkness.
Even now when all I have left of my memory is fire and want, I recall that I always found comfort in your voice. The rustic edge to your words recalling to me always a home I had left far behind. Yet now even this simple comfort is beginning to be refused to me, your voice is fading into the distance, slowly vanishing into a reality that is nothing more than dreams to me.
I am left now with Its voice, cold, harsh and false compared to the living warmth of your voice. When It speaks I forget everything apart from It, apart from the want that it has placed in my heart. And that yearning is as a cold fire inside of me now, an empty passion that can never be sated.
*
The group was coming now to the border of the Shire, soon they would turn away from the path to the East and take the road to the South. From there their journey would be simple, staying the road until they came at last to the great city of Minas Tirith.
As they crossed the Brandywine Bridge their eyes strayed to the South East, where, upon the horizon, the border of the Old Forest was just visible.
"I had wish, when we came here last, to turn down into the forest and see Tom again. Time was not on our side then, however, and so I had to curb that wish. Now, though, we may tarry, but for a little time and if you hold no objections I would ask that we might turn aside." Frodo said. The other Hobbits fell into a conference for a moment then Sam pulled his head away and said,
"It would be a pleasure to see Tom again, Sir and the Lady Goldberry also. It is just…the road to them is a dangerous one, Sir and I would not willingly take it."
"Merry? Pippin?"
"I agree with Sam, Frodo, the old forest is a dangerous place, even in these lighter times. But I feel that we might risk the journey, for if we come into trouble we may call for Tom's aid." Merry replied.
"And I feel that we shall be in no trouble whatsoever, Frodo, times being lighter as they are." Pippin said.
"Well that is three for four and the choice is made, we shall go and see Tom. Though you may continue onwards to Minas Tirith if you wish, Sam"
"No Sir, I'd rather journey into danger with company than without. I shall come with thee."
"Very well, together we shall go then." Frodo said as he tapped Strider once with his feet, bringing the horse into a steady canter.
*
As the horses came upon the edge of the forest they made a sound deep in their throats, a sound full of expectancy and joy. Squinting hard against the sunlight Frodo managed to make a figure out upon the horizon, shadowed and indistinct. Yet there was a flash of colour, an edge of blue and yellow to the figure that brought a smile to Frodo's face.
Tapping Strider again so that the horse broke out into a trot, Frodo broke away from the group and was soon rushing towards the figure.
There stood Tom Bombadil, a smile upon his face
"Welcome to you my merry fellow."
"It is very good to see you again Tom. How did you know that we were coming this way?"
"Gandalf said that you might when I saw him last." Tom said. He seemed about to say something else when the other three Hobbits road up. Merry and Pippin moved as one and soon Tom was caught up in the middle of two tight bear hugs. Had he been of a less composed nature Tom may have blushed or perhaps hugged back. As it was he extricated the Hobbits as quickly and politely as possible.
"It is good to see you Tom."
"No Merry, it is great to see him." Pippin remarked.
"And it is good to see you again my dear Hobbits." Tom remarked. Sam remained silent as he dismounted horse, but Tom caught his eyes for a moment and an understanding passed between them.
"Well my lads the Lady Goldberry is waiting."
"Then we should go, for we would love to see the Lady again wouldn't we Merry?"
"Of course we would, Pip."
*
It was midnight and the gentle sound of Merry and Pippin sleeping close to where he was sat, was a gentle comfort to Frodo. If he strained his ears he could just hear Sam, singing quietly to the Lady Goldberry as she sewed fine silver threads into a deep golden waistcoat.
"We need to talk." Tom remarked as he approached Frodo. The cheer and playful rhythm normally evident in Tom's voice had gone and the laughter in his eyes was painful through its absence. Frodo knew then as he looked at Tom that there would be no joking as they talked, that for the moment this was the time for serious things. He pulled himself from the chair he had been sat on and followed on Tom's heals, suddenly fearful within the man's presence.
Eventually they came to rest in a glade a few feet from the house, its grassy floor a network of silvered shadows, each caused by the cold light of the moon.
"You have changed since I saw you last." Tom said at last. "You have been wounded by stab, sting and tooth, each drawing you closer to the Ring, each pushing you further into the darkness. You are searching now for a way out of that darkness, are you not?"
"I am, though how you know that is beyond me."
"I see things that you can not, comprehend things that most never will. I am First and some day I shall be last.
"You are caught now, Frodo, that much I can tell you. Caught by the song of the Ring. The harmonies it creates, though, are but a mockery of the true song."
"What do you mean?"
"Everything has a tune within its soul, Frodo, a harmonic of the Great Rhythm of Life. The Ring has tried to create a rhythm of it own, one opposed to the Great Rhythm, a Rhythm of Death if you will. But this Rhythm and the yearning it has placed in your heart can be removed."
"How?"
"There are two ways, one that I can not tell you of, for it is not for your ears. Not yet. The other way you already know of, replacing the false rhythm if the Ring with a true rhythm, a true yearning."
"The sea. You are talking about the sea are you not?"
"Yes, but the call of the sea is a traitorous one and the yearning it creates is as the yearning for the Ring, a thing not easily forgotten.
"Long has the sea been calling to you, Frodo, far longer than the Ring and so your yearning for it is far more of a danger to you than your yearning for the Ring. It will be the thing to tear you away from your companions and from the last source of light in your life, Frodo."
"Then the sea is not an option to me, not while the other choice still lies ahead of me."
"Until then, Frodo, the gem you wear should be of help, though I urge you only to use it when you feel you have no other choice."
"The more I use it, the more immune to its healing effects I shall become?"
"Yes."
"Then I shall use it only in need.
*
This is a dream; he knows this, yet it is reality also. He could feel the cold, clammy, presence of the air around him and the stench of the dead bodies that litter the floor before him.
He could feel the fear and the hope in his heart, both bright white lights that would not fade.
He could see Sting; feel the weight of the elfish blade (its light pail now compared to the strength with which it had burned but moments ago) a comfort to him, both in the dream and in the reality.
He could hear his voice as a song sprung from his mouth, though the part of him that was dreaming knew where he was to go. Each word that he sung was a poison to his dreaming mind, for stars could give him no hope now. What could?
The returning voice came, but there was an edge of another to the voice now.
An edge of Gollum.
Yet still he rose up the ladder behind the beast of an orc, still sliced Sting through his skin.
As he came to his Master though, there was nothing of Frodo in that naked shivering creature. No, what Sam's dreaming mind saw now was Gollum, his skin charred now by the flames of Orodruin and yet still real and living.
"Where is my Master?" He enquired, his voice still shaken, emotional.
"Hess Gone Ssam, losst in the darknessss." The creature supplied, his eyes flashing in the half-light.
"No. He's safe. This is a dream, you're a dream."
"Not a dream preciousss, no. Masstersss safe he saysss, but that'sss not true is it preciousss? No, nasssty Hobbit never found Massster. He left Massster here in the tower, losst in the darknessss."
"You're lying. Mr. Frodo's not been himself of late I'll warrant you, but he is free of this place."
"Ignorant Hobbit, not himself he saysss, but he doesn't know why does he preciousss?
"Massster hearsss the sea now, it isss calling to him, pulling him in. Massster hasss been lost for so long now that the sea will soon be hisss only way out." The creature said. Sam knew the truth in those words and felt the fear catch him again.
Frodo would leave; Frodo would cross the sea and never return.
"If he is still lost here how so I find him?" He enquired after a moment.
"You mussst find the right song, the harmony that will drown the sea from hisss heart forever."
"And how can I do that?"
"You musst see thingsss that are hidden to you at the moment. You musst learn to read him again, you must lean to talk to him again and most importantly you musst learn to place your faith in starss again." The creature remarked before he faded away and Sam was looking at his master at last.
As Sam drifted back into his normal dreams again, the fear that Frodo would leave him was suddenly replaced in his heart with a keen desire, one he had thought he would never feel again.
The desire to find his master again no matter what the cost was to his own life.
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T: There we go. Just a few bits of explanation to help you enjoy the story a little bit more:
1. I've always seen Tom as a character with the potential to have a threat of danger to him (A bit like Gandalf) and so I made the assumption that there is another side to Tom that we don't see in LOTR. Of course this theory is going to go topside when I read the Adventures of Tom Bombadil, but until that point it stays!
2. The idea of Goldberry sewing was one that wouldn't leave me alone and so I put it in. I am aware that she probably isn't a housework type of wife but still it works…kind of.
3. Finally the imagery in the last little bit is very important. Not only is Sam linking Frodo and Gollum together in his mind he is also using Gollum as the face to present ideas and opinions that he does not wish to hear or that he does not understand. For me using Gollum as the presenter of these opinions was just showing you guys that EVERYONE has a bit of Gollum inside of them somewhere.
Anyway Chapter four is being worked on, but I wont have much free time now so I warn you that there may be a VERY big gap. I will try my best to get it out ASAP as I have no desire to lose the nice reviews your giving me, or in fact your interest.