Chapter 4- Drogo
Aubrey sat stunned, 'Frodo Baggins has a son! Ugh, why is it that when I finally get to meet my perfect guy, he is married and has a son? Why? Why do you hate me?' she looked up at the ceiling. She turned and threw her face into her pillow. She was going to scream out her frustration, but felt pressure in her bladder, "Oh man, I gotta go!" She got up and walked into the hall, saw Frodo and rushed to catch up to him.
Just as he opened a door in the hallway Aubrey caught up to him, "Excuse me, Frodo?"
"Aubrey, is anything wrong?" Inside the room Drogo heard distant voices and opened his eyes. He saw his father by the door, talking to someone that he couldn't see. The other person was hidden by the open door.
"Where is the bathroom? I would like to freshen up," her voice was like . . . her voice was just like in his dreams. It had to be her.
"Of course, lass. This way," he guided her to a door across the hall from Drogo's room.
"Thank you, Frodo." Drogo heard a door close and waited for his father to come and get him up.
Frodo soon opened his door fully, "So, you're already up."
"Well, almost," he slung his feet over the edge of the bed. He rubbed his eyes and hopped out of bed, but not without stumbling over some material on the floor.
"You better get dressed, our young guest is up," Frodo chuckled at his son as Drogo was trying to get a dirty shirt off his foot.
"Is that who you were talking to?" Drogo got the shirt off his foot and grabbed some clothes from the end of his bed, then went to change behind the changing curtains in his room.
"Her name is Aubrey, if you would like to know," Frodo stated sitting on the edge of Drogo's bed.
"I heard," he pulled his favorite white shirt on over his head and put on his brown work pants. He came out from behind the curtain, "I've never heard that first name before. It's very original."
"Neither have I, now that I think of it. Although her last name seems familiar."
"What is it?"
"Cander."
"That does seem familiar," Drogo gathered some more of the clothes off of his floor. Frodo was very curious that he was finally cleaning up his room, after being only told about six hundred times this week. "Well, I'm going in the back to the garden to take a walk."
"I thought you wanted to see our guest."
"I do, but I can't very well see her when she's in the bathroom, can I?" He walked out to the hall and threw his dirty clothes into a basket to be washed. His father followed him out and walked toward the kitchen as Drogo walked into the back.
Aubrey got out of the bathroom and walked into what looked like the kitchen. Frodo was walking between the stove and the table, trying to set the table and cooking some breakfast at the same time.
"Good morning," she smiled walking up to him and helped him with the three dishes that he was juggling.
"Morning lass, up for some breakfast?"
"You up for some help?" She took all three plates and set the table.
"Thank you," he tipped the pan to show her what he was cooking, "Do you like eggs?"
"Very much so, but no thank you. That soup filled me up." Aubrey smiled at him and he looked at her clothes. They were very dirty and her jeans were tattered and torn. Her shirt was barely there, and for the first time actually thinking about it, she was kind of embarrassed. Nothing showed, mind you sick people, but she still felt a little embarrassed.
"Did you want to take a bath and change into something clean?"
"I don't think I would look very glamorous in your clothes, Frodo. No offense or anything."
"Don't worry. You can barrow some of my wife's clothes. You look about her size," he turned off the stove, gave the eggs a final stir in the pan and turned to go down the hall.
"She won't mind?" Aubrey followed him to another room.
"I wouldn't think she would. She has been gone for quite a while now."
"Oh. I'm so sorry."
"It's alright, lass."
They entered a room and Frodo began rummaging through an old looking trunk at the side of the room. Aubrey looked around and saw countless drawings and crocheted pieces plastered all over the wall. She turned and saw Frodo was still looking through the trunk and decided to look closer at the artwork. She found a small picture of a baby, more then likely of his son. She saw other pictures that were of countryside roads and other nature scenes and smiled at the pure awe of the talent that was used.
"Here," she turned around to Frodo who handed her a few dresses. She accepted them and looked at Frodo. He smiled and pushed her toward the bathroom. "Take a nice, warm bath, and you'll feel refreshed."
After half an hour, Aubrey came back out wearing a dark green dress that was for normal, casual wear. 'This isn't that bad.' The dress hung lightly from her body, but still showed her curves. She stepped out from the bathroom, drying her hair with the towel. "You look very nice."
"Thank you," she looked around, "When am I going to meet your son?"
"I'm not sure, he went for a walk a while ago and hasn't come back yet," Aubrey sat at the table with Frodo and began to have a deep conversation about his life after the adventure with the ring. And about his son, Drogo, which he said is about her age maybe a year older. And about his wife who disappeared over twelve years ago.
"Gandalf told me about a raid that happened quite a while ago . . . I never knew that it would reach all the way here."
"Yes, neither did I. That is why we weren't prepared," he stared into his tea.
"For all that it is worth, Frodo. Even if you were expecting it, I don't think there was much to prepare with. You did all you could."
He smiled at the young lass, "How is it that you are so mature? Many of your age are usually playing around in piles of leaves and in mud fights."
"Although that does sound fun, I needed to be mature to help my mother when my father died."
"I'm sorry lass."
"It's alright. I have adjusted, many people still think that I haven't, but I never really got to know my father since I was two when he died. The only way I know him is through pictures, memories and my mother . . ."
"What about your mother? She must be terribly worried about you."
"Yes. I suppose she is . . ." Aubrey looked toward a window facing out toward the road leading to the market.
"Aubrey?"
"A walk sounds like a good idea. Do you know of any good places?"
Frodo sensed that she didn't want to go any further into the subject, "Well, there is a garden out back."
"Alright. Thanks for the talk Frodo," she took her other clothes along with the other dresses to the room she woke up in and folded them nicely. She dried her hair the rest of the way and put it back up in the clip that she still had, although it was now missing a few of its teeth. She looked in the mirror and fixed all the parts that were standing up the best she could. When she decided that her hair was the best it was going to be she left the room and started to walk down the hall.
'That is so sad about his wife. I wonder how his son is dealing with it.' She looked up at all the pictures on the walls. She stopped at a specific picture of Frodo, a hobbit lass that looked his age, and a baby that was cradled in her arms. She had light colored hair with blue eyes, smiling big for the picture.
"She was beautiful. And she looks familiar some how," suddenly she closed her eyes and saw a great flame coming toward her. She shook her head and tried to focus on the picture once again. She looked at the background of the picture and saw a beautiful garden. She stepped away from the picture and looked at it as a whole. She saw her reflection in the glass of the frame and thought, 'I wish I still had that. A full family. I wish that I had more memories; too bad I was only two when it happened. Maybe if I was older, then I could have enjoyed more . . .'
She walked over to the back door and stepped out into the sunlight. Aubrey walked deep into the garden and found a small, stone bench to sit on. Bushes surrounded the bench and patch of grass with all colors. Roses, carnations and lilies surrounded her by all sides. All the colors seemed to mix together as if they created a mosaic. The picture was lost in the sea of colors that no mere hobbit's eye could catch. Aubrey smiled and let the sea of petals dance with the light wind passing through the seemingly timeless maze of color.
In front of her there was a small pond with fish swimming near the surface. Aubrey let her hair down and clipped half of it back up. She dipped her toes into the small pond and the fish came up to her toe to nibble. The fish were big enough to be koi fish, but instead of the normal orange and white color, some were blue and silver, red and gold. They perfectly matched the radiance of the Koi back home. She laughed a little and remembered a time when she was only three years old.
*~*Flashback*~*
"Wow! Look at all the big fishys!"
"Yes, these are Koi fish, Aubrey," her mother came up next to her, "would you like to feed them?"
"Can I?!" Aubrey's eyes shown with excitement. Her mother smiled at the eager young child.
"Open your hands," Aubrey did as was told and she got a handful of fish food. She threw it over the pond and laughed as all the Koi followed the food.
*~*End Flashback*~*
"Oh mother," she held her amulet close to her chest, "Please be with me. I don't know what to think anymore." From inside her hands she could see light trying to break through. "How . . . it can't be glowing . . . can it?" She opened her hand and sure enough the amulet was glowing brightly. It soon faded, and the amulet was once again a normal jewel surrounded by gold roots.
"Mom?"
***
Only a few feet away, Drogo was pacing back and forth. "How can it be? She couldn't be the dream girl . . ."
"Who couldn't be what dream girl?" Drogo turned to see his best friend, Faramir Gamgee trimming up the grass; at least that was what he said he was doing.
"Nothing of your business, Faramir. And shouldn't your elder sister, Elanor, be doing our lawn? I mean that is what my father is paying her for."
"Oh, come now, Drogo. I'm your best friend. And as such, I'll always be in your business. Besides, my one and only older sister decided that she wanted to go and see the gentlehobbits at the Market today." Drogo rolled his eyes, and tried desperately to get back into his train of thought.
Faramir looked through the nearby grass and bushes, "Is that the dream girl you were referring to?"
Drogo stepped beside him and peered through the bushes. It was her, only she was awake and in a dress. The last time he saw her she was asleep, peacefully in the guest bed, with strange, ripped clothing on. But this dress complemented her figure perfectly, and her hair flowed down from the clip like an auburn waterfall. She was looking at the amulet lying still in her hand, like she was waiting for it to jump to life. Her eyes were so focused; so intense . . . Drogo had fallen into his own deep gaze without realizing it.
"Drogo! Hey Drogo!" Faramir hit his friend in the head causing him to fall into the brush beside them, involuntarily drawing attention to them.
Aubrey jumped a little hearing the slight bump of something falling on the ground nearby. She looked in the direction that the sound came from and saw a young gentlehobbit waving at her. He had light brown hair and was a little chubby with brown eyes. His clothes were a little grungy and the pants had over a dozen grass stains, "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I disturb you Miss?" Aubrey smiled, not noticing the other hobbit on the ground hidden by the bushes above him.
"You did no such thing, kind sir. I was about to go seek some company anyway. Are you by any chance, Drogo? I heard from his father that he was looking for me."
Faramir smiled, "I'm not," he quickly pulled Drogo up from the ground and out of his dreaming, "but he is." Aubrey looked at the hobbit now dusting himself off. He was a bit taller then the chubby one, and much more handsome. He looked as though he was part elf, just like his father, but his hair was a dark blond, almost a brown. And his eyes were a light blue that seemed to look into your soul. And Aubrey noticed his great build, not too skinny . . . but not chubby like his friend.
"Thanks a lot, Faramir."
"No problem . . . But what did I do that needed thanks?"
"Pushing me into the bushes," Drogo said aggravated.
"Well, I wouldn't have hit you upside the head if you weren't in your own dreamland," he pushed Drogo again, but Drogo kept his balance this time. Drogo hit him upside the head and they started to argue and wrestle on the ground, totally forgetting about the girl that stood before them.
Aubrey laughed at the pair, keeping a hand in front of her mouth so she wouldn't seem too rude. They turned to look at what she was laughing at. "I think that it is safe to say you two are best friends." Faramir nodded and Drogo straighten himself up to look somewhat decent. For a few minutes he stood there, frankly very embarrassed. Faramir looked between the two and found that they both were afraid to look at one another.
"Well, I don't want to sit here all day in Lilly's garden," said Faramir and made his way over to Aubrey, with Drogo in his grasp. He stood before Aubrey, "My name is Faramir Gamgee. Son of Samwise and Rosie Gamgee." He took a deep bow and stepped back for Drogo's introduction.
Drogo went up to Aubrey and took her hand and kissed it, "M' lady, my name is Drogo Baggins. Son of Frodo and Lilly Baggins." He let her hand go and bowed.
"Not to mention show-off extraordinaire," Faramir added in a type of whisper or grumble.
Aubrey stood up, no one noticing she was blushing, "I'm Aubrey Cander." She curtsied the best she could and stood before the two boys, "It was very nice to meet you two, especially you Drogo; your father has told me a lot about you." Drogo blushed and there was an awkward silence between the three of them.
"Well, I'm off. Mother wanted me to fetch something for her from Market. . . Good luck, Drogo." Faramir raced off after winking at his friend.
The two stood in front of one another, not sure what to say to one another.
"Sorry about Faramir. Sometimes he gets carried away in introducing people. He is just that way with his good heart," Drogo rubbed the back of his head a little nervous, "So, what exactly did my father say about me?"
"Nothing embarrassing, I assure you. Just telling me that you are one of the most intelligent and handsome young hobbits that he knows." Aubrey turned toward the garden away from Drogo. She touched some of the rose's petals, feeling their silk affect, "This is a beautiful garden."
"It was my mother's pride and joy. Apart from her family, that is. I remember that I used to help her plant some of these flowers in the spring, and water them daily. I have taken the job of taking over the garden for her, although Faramir's older sister, Elanor, is suppose to come in here once in a while to trim and take out the weeds. The memories made with both of my parents in this garden were some of the best memories I have," he put his arms behind his back and paced around the small area.
"She was very beautiful," Aubrey turned to him. Drogo was confused, and it showed on his face. "I saw her picture in the hallway. She looked like a nice person. Someone with a good heart," Aubrey explained.
Drogo smiled at her, "Thank you, she was. Although, I don't remember her very well. She was taken when I was five years old."
"By the raid right?"
"Yes," he watched her, wondering how she knew, "she was one of the few taken."
"I'm so sorry. I know what it's like to lose a loved one when you are young. I lost– Oh, I'm sorry I shouldn't be prying into your personal business like this."
"No, it's alright," he laughed at himself, "Frankly, I don't know why I'm telling you about her, but I feel comfortable telling you. You don't seem like the type that would be quick to judge."
"Well, there's one thing that's going for me," she sat down on the bench and held her head in her hands, breathing a heavy sigh.
"What do you mean by that?" He sat next to her.
She looked at him straight in the eyes, "Nothing." She grabbed her amulet and turned away. Drogo almost sworn that he saw a tear form in her eye.
"It must be something important if you are upset by it."
"Who said anything about being upset?" She sounded like she hadn't been crying at all, like she was as calm as ever. She turned toward him again and smiled, "Your father was fixing breakfast when I left, and you must be getting hungry. Come on." She got up, but Drogo caught her arm.
She looked down at him, "I know that we just met and all, but I want you to know that I'm here for you. You can tell me anything. I want you to feel comfortable here."
She smiled lightly and took his hand, "Thank you. That means a lot to me. To be in a strange place, it's good to know that I have at least one friend. At least one person to trust." He got up and walked with her hand-in-hand back to Bag End.