Hello, friends! Thanks for stopping by! Sorry it took so long to update,
but I couldn't get onto the site for a while!
Aratlithiel - If Merry is your 2nd favorite hobbit - and I take it Frodo is your first - this fic is for you! Thanks again for spotting my typos and providing little ideas when my brain gets stuck!
Endymion - I wish I could claim invention of the term "mathom", but sadly, I can't. Professor Tolkien describes a mathom as a thing for which you have no immediate or logical use, but can't really bear to throw away either. My home is crowded with them. How about yours?
Camellia Gamgee - Took - And what is Merry telling Sam about? Tales by the fireside as we continue. Frodo was rather shocked indeed, not only that the book belonged to his father, but to discover that his youth might have been entirely different for what was hidden inside!
QTPie - 2488 - Exciting? Perhaps. Many twists and turns on the road ahead! Glad you're enjoying it so far.
FrodoBaggins1982 - Now what memories could that letter have stirred up? Stay tuned.
Shirebound - Thanks for your great review! It was a good thing Frodo had company when he read that letter. In chapters to come, we'll see what might not have happened if the letter had been sent!
Iorhael - Yes, it must have been very hard for Frodo to be orphaned and overlooked among so many relatives at that time in his life. Especially with some of the things that are going on with regard to two certain older lads who think Frodo makes a good target. Read on!
Map - Welcome back! I haven't read the story you recommended, but I will look for it! Now, back to Frodo!
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Chapter 2 - River Rats
~*~Brandy Hall, Buckland 1382~*~
Frodo stumbled backwards despite his best attempts to keep his feet, as a larger, older lad planted both hands on his narrow chest and shoved him. The only thing that saved him from falling was the presence of yet another young hobbit behind him, who grabbed him and shoved him forward again.
"Do rats float, Bargo?" the one who had shoved Frodo first asked.
"I heard they sink like stones, straight to the bottom." The lad behind Frodo grinned back rather nastily.
"Leave me alone!" Frodo shouted, trying to duck past the bully in front of him. Both of the other boys were just a few years older and just a little larger than he, and it was two against one. The first one snagged him by the arm as he tried to run.
"I heard you don't like the water much, little rat," Reginard sneered, still gripping Frodo's arm. Frodo couldn't keep the fear from showing in his eyes at the sound of those words. It was no secret that his parents had passed away as a result of a tragic boating accident and Frodo had shunned the river ever since.
"That's right," said Bargo, grabbing Frodo's other arm. "An' what's more, rats are dirty little creatures." He rubbed an imaginary smudge from Frodo's cheek with his thumb.
"I think this little rat needs a bath, don't you?" Reginard said as he knocked Frodo to the ground. Frodo coughed at the cloud of dust that rose around him as he landed and struggled to get up, but the older boy was holding him down, face first against the ground.
"NO!" Frodo cried as he clawed at the sandy dirt, trying to crawl out from under the pressure on his back. It was a useless gesture. Bargo grabbed his legs while Reginard took him by the arms, and the two bigger boys lifted him up.
Frodo twisted desperately in their grasp as they left the dusty path and plunged into the undergrowth of the riverbank, laughing and taunting him as they neared the swift waters of the Brandywine.
"Let's clean him up, Reg," Bargo suggested, eyeing the terrified youngster he was tormenting. "Want to go for a swim, Baggins?" he said, addressing Frodo directly.
Blessed Eru! They meant to do it, Frodo realized. They really were going to throw him into the cold currents of the river and watch him drown! Frodo cried out in panic and thrashed as hard as he could. His terror of the river was an overwhelming force that consumed him completely.
Most of the other youngsters at Brandy Hall liked to swim in the cool waters of the Brandywine in the hot summer months, but not even Merry could coax Frodo to the river's edge, let alone into the water itself.
"Head first, Frodo. That's the only way to do it," Reginard said as Bargo laughed in response. Frodo certainly wasn't laughing, and neither was the small lad who crouched unnoticed in the undergrowth a short distance away.
Merry had seen this kind of thing before, the larger boys pushing Frodo around and saying nasty things to him that hurt his feelings. This was different, though. This was worse than anything they had done before, or at least anything he had seen them do. As intimidated as he was by the older lads, Merry was getting angry. Besides, Frodo couldn't swim! He had to do something, and fast.
A small tree limb lay near by, downed by the winds of the last thunderstorm that had blown through. Merry grabbed it and leapt out swinging for all he was worth. He might have looked almost comical but for the look in his eyes as he bore down on the two bullies. A head shorter than both of them and younger even than Frodo, Merry was hardly something the likes of Reginard and Bargo would back away from on a normal day.
Crack! Merry whacked Bargo in the leg with the tree limb as hard as he could, and the older lad shouted an expletive as he staggered away from Frodo. Reginard dropped Frodo and made a grab for Merry, who danced back out of the way.
"You let him be, you half - orc!" Merry yelled indignantly. "I swear, I'll - "
"You'll what, Brandybrat?" the older boy shot back as he advanced on Frodo's diminutive protector.
Merry held his ground and brandished the tree limb. "Try something and find out," he growled, trying to sound much larger than he really was. Freed from the grasp of his captors, Frodo stood up slowly, not taking his eyes off his young cousin.
Merry was entirely too bold for his own good sometimes. He might get the stuffing beaten out of him in the process, but Frodo was determined to keep the bullies from laying a hand on Merry. Frodo came up behind the nearest of the older boys and delivered a hard kick to the back of his knee, causing him to fall forward with a sharp yell of pain. At the same instant, Merry swung at Reginard, who was distracted by Bargo's howling. The branch made contact with the older boy's shoulder and Frodo slipped past him to Merry's side as Reginard reeled from the blow.
"Run, Frodo!" Merry grabbed Frodo's arm and dropped the branch as they fled, running flat out up the path toward the comparative safety of the Hall. They burst through the doors and ran on down the hallway, making several turns until they reached Merry's room. Once behind the solid wooden door, they both fell to the floor in a gasping, panting heap.
"Blast it, Merry," Frodo said between heaving breaths. "You're going to get yourself hurt doing things like that." As his breathing slowed somewhat, Frodo hugged his younger cousin in a tight embrace. "I sure am glad you did it, though."
"We look out for each other, Frodo," Merry said solemnly. "Just like we promised to." It was true that the two did their best to take care of each other. There was indeed strength in numbers, and it was harder for the bigger lads to thrash on them if they were together. Today, Frodo had been in one of his moods and had wandered off alone, with nearly disastrous results.
Merry looked at Frodo with a perturbed expression as he stood and brushed the dust from his breeches. "I've had it with those orc - faced muck munchers!" he grumbled loudly. "And I know you have too," he said, reaching out a hand to Frodo.
Frodo sighed and pushed himself to his feet, using Merry's outstretched hand for balance. "They're getting worse all the time, Mer. Sometimes I manage to avoid them, but today they were waiting for me." Frodo winced as he bent to examine a cut on his knee.
"I saw what they were doing to you," Merry said sullenly. "You're learning to swim, Frodo. That's all there is to it."
Frodo's head snapped up as he looked at Merry incredulously. "I don't want to swim, Merry. Not now, not ever." He shook his head decisively. "I'll just stay away from the paths that lead to the river, and they won't be able to drag me there again."
Merry wasn't buying it. "Right. What happens the next time, Frodo? What happens when there are more than two of them, or if they catch you alone again?" Young though he was, Merry was a practical hobbit and stubborn as well. Once he got an idea in his head, he held to it until he made something of it, and this was no exception. "I'll teach you, Frodo. There's a shallow pool in the river a ways away. The older lads leave it alone because it isn't as deep as they'd like, but it's deep enough to swim in."
Frodo looked at Merry with thinly disguised horror. "Merry, I can't!" he cried miserably. "I hate the blasted river! Please, let it go."
"No!" Merry said hotly. "Not this time, Frodo." His voice softened with his next words. "I don't want to teach you so you can go play in the water with me. I want you to learn to swim because it will make you safer." Merry looked into Frodo's eyes and spoke as honestly as he could. "You said they're getting worse all the time. What if they really do throw you in the river, Frodo?"
Frodo looked back at Merry and any protests died unspoken as he saw the serious look on the younger lad's face. "You really mean it, don't you, Merry?" he said softly, letting his gaze fall away from his cousin's pained countenance.
"Of course I mean it, Frodo. You're not just my cousin, you're my best friend." Merry's voice began to tremble just a little as he spoke. "I won't let them take you away from me. If they're going to hurt you, they'll have to hurt me too." Merry hugged Frodo fiercely, allowing his tears to break free at the thought of anything happening to his favorite cousin.
"All right, Merry. I'll try," Frodo said, his words muffled by the curly head resting against his shoulder. "You're the only one who could talk me into going near that wretched place."
~*~To Be Continued~*~
Aratlithiel - If Merry is your 2nd favorite hobbit - and I take it Frodo is your first - this fic is for you! Thanks again for spotting my typos and providing little ideas when my brain gets stuck!
Endymion - I wish I could claim invention of the term "mathom", but sadly, I can't. Professor Tolkien describes a mathom as a thing for which you have no immediate or logical use, but can't really bear to throw away either. My home is crowded with them. How about yours?
Camellia Gamgee - Took - And what is Merry telling Sam about? Tales by the fireside as we continue. Frodo was rather shocked indeed, not only that the book belonged to his father, but to discover that his youth might have been entirely different for what was hidden inside!
QTPie - 2488 - Exciting? Perhaps. Many twists and turns on the road ahead! Glad you're enjoying it so far.
FrodoBaggins1982 - Now what memories could that letter have stirred up? Stay tuned.
Shirebound - Thanks for your great review! It was a good thing Frodo had company when he read that letter. In chapters to come, we'll see what might not have happened if the letter had been sent!
Iorhael - Yes, it must have been very hard for Frodo to be orphaned and overlooked among so many relatives at that time in his life. Especially with some of the things that are going on with regard to two certain older lads who think Frodo makes a good target. Read on!
Map - Welcome back! I haven't read the story you recommended, but I will look for it! Now, back to Frodo!
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Chapter 2 - River Rats
~*~Brandy Hall, Buckland 1382~*~
Frodo stumbled backwards despite his best attempts to keep his feet, as a larger, older lad planted both hands on his narrow chest and shoved him. The only thing that saved him from falling was the presence of yet another young hobbit behind him, who grabbed him and shoved him forward again.
"Do rats float, Bargo?" the one who had shoved Frodo first asked.
"I heard they sink like stones, straight to the bottom." The lad behind Frodo grinned back rather nastily.
"Leave me alone!" Frodo shouted, trying to duck past the bully in front of him. Both of the other boys were just a few years older and just a little larger than he, and it was two against one. The first one snagged him by the arm as he tried to run.
"I heard you don't like the water much, little rat," Reginard sneered, still gripping Frodo's arm. Frodo couldn't keep the fear from showing in his eyes at the sound of those words. It was no secret that his parents had passed away as a result of a tragic boating accident and Frodo had shunned the river ever since.
"That's right," said Bargo, grabbing Frodo's other arm. "An' what's more, rats are dirty little creatures." He rubbed an imaginary smudge from Frodo's cheek with his thumb.
"I think this little rat needs a bath, don't you?" Reginard said as he knocked Frodo to the ground. Frodo coughed at the cloud of dust that rose around him as he landed and struggled to get up, but the older boy was holding him down, face first against the ground.
"NO!" Frodo cried as he clawed at the sandy dirt, trying to crawl out from under the pressure on his back. It was a useless gesture. Bargo grabbed his legs while Reginard took him by the arms, and the two bigger boys lifted him up.
Frodo twisted desperately in their grasp as they left the dusty path and plunged into the undergrowth of the riverbank, laughing and taunting him as they neared the swift waters of the Brandywine.
"Let's clean him up, Reg," Bargo suggested, eyeing the terrified youngster he was tormenting. "Want to go for a swim, Baggins?" he said, addressing Frodo directly.
Blessed Eru! They meant to do it, Frodo realized. They really were going to throw him into the cold currents of the river and watch him drown! Frodo cried out in panic and thrashed as hard as he could. His terror of the river was an overwhelming force that consumed him completely.
Most of the other youngsters at Brandy Hall liked to swim in the cool waters of the Brandywine in the hot summer months, but not even Merry could coax Frodo to the river's edge, let alone into the water itself.
"Head first, Frodo. That's the only way to do it," Reginard said as Bargo laughed in response. Frodo certainly wasn't laughing, and neither was the small lad who crouched unnoticed in the undergrowth a short distance away.
Merry had seen this kind of thing before, the larger boys pushing Frodo around and saying nasty things to him that hurt his feelings. This was different, though. This was worse than anything they had done before, or at least anything he had seen them do. As intimidated as he was by the older lads, Merry was getting angry. Besides, Frodo couldn't swim! He had to do something, and fast.
A small tree limb lay near by, downed by the winds of the last thunderstorm that had blown through. Merry grabbed it and leapt out swinging for all he was worth. He might have looked almost comical but for the look in his eyes as he bore down on the two bullies. A head shorter than both of them and younger even than Frodo, Merry was hardly something the likes of Reginard and Bargo would back away from on a normal day.
Crack! Merry whacked Bargo in the leg with the tree limb as hard as he could, and the older lad shouted an expletive as he staggered away from Frodo. Reginard dropped Frodo and made a grab for Merry, who danced back out of the way.
"You let him be, you half - orc!" Merry yelled indignantly. "I swear, I'll - "
"You'll what, Brandybrat?" the older boy shot back as he advanced on Frodo's diminutive protector.
Merry held his ground and brandished the tree limb. "Try something and find out," he growled, trying to sound much larger than he really was. Freed from the grasp of his captors, Frodo stood up slowly, not taking his eyes off his young cousin.
Merry was entirely too bold for his own good sometimes. He might get the stuffing beaten out of him in the process, but Frodo was determined to keep the bullies from laying a hand on Merry. Frodo came up behind the nearest of the older boys and delivered a hard kick to the back of his knee, causing him to fall forward with a sharp yell of pain. At the same instant, Merry swung at Reginard, who was distracted by Bargo's howling. The branch made contact with the older boy's shoulder and Frodo slipped past him to Merry's side as Reginard reeled from the blow.
"Run, Frodo!" Merry grabbed Frodo's arm and dropped the branch as they fled, running flat out up the path toward the comparative safety of the Hall. They burst through the doors and ran on down the hallway, making several turns until they reached Merry's room. Once behind the solid wooden door, they both fell to the floor in a gasping, panting heap.
"Blast it, Merry," Frodo said between heaving breaths. "You're going to get yourself hurt doing things like that." As his breathing slowed somewhat, Frodo hugged his younger cousin in a tight embrace. "I sure am glad you did it, though."
"We look out for each other, Frodo," Merry said solemnly. "Just like we promised to." It was true that the two did their best to take care of each other. There was indeed strength in numbers, and it was harder for the bigger lads to thrash on them if they were together. Today, Frodo had been in one of his moods and had wandered off alone, with nearly disastrous results.
Merry looked at Frodo with a perturbed expression as he stood and brushed the dust from his breeches. "I've had it with those orc - faced muck munchers!" he grumbled loudly. "And I know you have too," he said, reaching out a hand to Frodo.
Frodo sighed and pushed himself to his feet, using Merry's outstretched hand for balance. "They're getting worse all the time, Mer. Sometimes I manage to avoid them, but today they were waiting for me." Frodo winced as he bent to examine a cut on his knee.
"I saw what they were doing to you," Merry said sullenly. "You're learning to swim, Frodo. That's all there is to it."
Frodo's head snapped up as he looked at Merry incredulously. "I don't want to swim, Merry. Not now, not ever." He shook his head decisively. "I'll just stay away from the paths that lead to the river, and they won't be able to drag me there again."
Merry wasn't buying it. "Right. What happens the next time, Frodo? What happens when there are more than two of them, or if they catch you alone again?" Young though he was, Merry was a practical hobbit and stubborn as well. Once he got an idea in his head, he held to it until he made something of it, and this was no exception. "I'll teach you, Frodo. There's a shallow pool in the river a ways away. The older lads leave it alone because it isn't as deep as they'd like, but it's deep enough to swim in."
Frodo looked at Merry with thinly disguised horror. "Merry, I can't!" he cried miserably. "I hate the blasted river! Please, let it go."
"No!" Merry said hotly. "Not this time, Frodo." His voice softened with his next words. "I don't want to teach you so you can go play in the water with me. I want you to learn to swim because it will make you safer." Merry looked into Frodo's eyes and spoke as honestly as he could. "You said they're getting worse all the time. What if they really do throw you in the river, Frodo?"
Frodo looked back at Merry and any protests died unspoken as he saw the serious look on the younger lad's face. "You really mean it, don't you, Merry?" he said softly, letting his gaze fall away from his cousin's pained countenance.
"Of course I mean it, Frodo. You're not just my cousin, you're my best friend." Merry's voice began to tremble just a little as he spoke. "I won't let them take you away from me. If they're going to hurt you, they'll have to hurt me too." Merry hugged Frodo fiercely, allowing his tears to break free at the thought of anything happening to his favorite cousin.
"All right, Merry. I'll try," Frodo said, his words muffled by the curly head resting against his shoulder. "You're the only one who could talk me into going near that wretched place."
~*~To Be Continued~*~