Author's Note: Thanks guys for the warm welcome! Maybe I should have
written something sooner! Not sure exactly how this one is going to turn
out, but rest assured, it will have an ending! Hope you continue to enjoy
it.
Chapter 2
Bilbo had stayed on into the evening with Frodo, both of them enjoying the unaccustomed privacy. As close as Frodo was to his dear friend and gardener, it was nice to have some time without Sam underfoot! Bilbo and Frodo ate dinner together and then Frodo, tired from the long visit, fell asleep soon afterwards. Bilbo tucked him, looked down fondly at his beloved nephew with a warm smile, and continued on to his own bed.
The next morning, Frodo was awakened by an insistent knocking at his door. "Sam!" he called out sleepily, "There's someone at the door!" The knocking stopped for a moment and then resumed. "Sam!" called Frodo more loudly, "There's someone at the door!" Still Sam did not reply. With a sigh of frustration, Frodo pushed himself up onto his elbow and called out, "Come in!"
The door opened a crack and Merry's head appeared. "Frodo?" he called hesitantly.
"Come on in, Merry!" repeated Frodo. He was sitting up now and looking around for Sam. It was not like Sam to ignore someone knocking at the door. Merry and Pippin came in, also peering about.
"Where's Sam?" asked Pippin, "I don't think we've ever come to visit you without him on guard! He's a regular watchdog!"
Frodo smiled. The gardener's faithful attention to Frodo was legendary. "He must still be in bed! Merry, go wake the sluggard up!"
Merry gave Frodo a mock salute and headed over to the small alcove where Sam usually slept. "Oi! Sam! Come on you lazybones, time to rise and shine!" Merry stopped in confusion. He stared down at Sam's neatly made bed. A small apple sat in the center, exactly where Sam had tossed it the day before. Merry picked it and frowned at it as he returned to Frodo's room.
"What's the matter?" asked Pippin, watching his cousin, "Where's Sam?"
Merry looked up, still frowning. "He's not there," he replied slowly. "And what's more, his bed hasn't been slept in. This is the same apple I gave him yesterday. It was on his bed, right where he left it."
Frodo stared at Merry beginning to feel alarmed. This was so unlike Sam. Frodo couldn't imagine what could possibly keep Sam away this long unless. could his dear friend be injured somewhere? "We must find Gandalf," said Frodo quickly, "Sam wouldn't stay out all night unless something had happened to him. Gandalf will know what to do!"
"I will know what to do about what ?" A deep, somewhat amused voice sounded from just beyond the open door. As they watched, the tall wizard came strolling into the room, his pipe in hand. "I will know what to do about what?" he repeated, his smile starting to fade as he observed the worried expressions on the hobbits' faces.
"Sam seems to have gone missing," replied Frodo, his face creased with worry. "He went off yesterday afternoon when Bilbo came to visit and hasn't been seen since. You know that isn't like Sam. It was hard enough to get him to agree to take an hour off. He certainly wouldn't be gone all night unless something had happened!" Frodo was beginning to feel frantic. He just knew something awful had befallen Sam.
Gandalf frowned. Frodo was right. Sam was nothing if not steadfastly devoted to Frodo. Even the elves had noticed that Sam rarely left his master's side. It disturbed Gandalf as much as the hobbits that Sam had been missing for so long. He turned back to Frodo, "Do you know where he might have gone?"
Frodo was twisting the bedclothes fretfully, "The gardens. Merry told him about the beautiful gardens and I told him to go see them while Bilbo was here. He wasn't keen to go. Oh, I shouldn't have made him!" He buried his anguished face in his hands.
Gandalf laid his hand on Frodo's trembling shoulder. "It will be all right, Frodo." He reassured him gently. "Sam might have just gotten lost. The gardens of Rivendell are quite extensive, you know. There is nothing in Rivendell that can harm him! I will go find Aragorn and see if he can't track down our elusive gardener!" With continued reassurances to the anxious hobbits, Gandalf swept out of the room, heading towards Lord Elrond's chambers. However, Sam's disappearance worried Gandalf far more than he let on to Frodo and the others
Gandalf hurried towards Lord Elrond's quarters. He had seen Aragorn heading that way just a short time earlier. Elrond had plans to send out scouts to the surrounding lands and Gandalf knew that Aragorn would be one of them. Gandalf could hear voices as he approached the door. He stopped and then knocked. The door opened swiftly and Gandalf found himself face to face with the elf, Legolas. "Excuse me, Lord Elrond," said Gandalf politely looking past Legolas, "But we seem to have a small problem that I am hoping Aragorn can help me with. It appears we have misplaced one of our hobbits!" Elrond and the others stared at Gandalf in surprise as he continued into the room.
"Exactly which hobbit have you misplaced?" asked Lord Elrond lifting one quizzical eyebrow.
"Samwise Gamgee has not been seen since yesterday afternoon," replied Gandalf gravely. "As you know, Sam is the most loyal and devoted of servants, and for him to be gone from Frodo's side for any length of time is most unusual. I cannot imagine where he has gone off to, but I am concerned for his safety."
A tall elf standing in the corner of the room now came forward. "Was he a rather stout hobbit with light brown hair?" he asked Gandalf. Gandalf nodded. "Well then," continued the elf, "I believe I spoke with him just after midday. He was looking for the gardens. I pointed out the way."
"So," began Elrond slowly, "Master Gamgee was last seen just after midday yesterday and was headed towards the gardens. That should help narrow our search."
"I was hoping that perhaps Aragorn could take some time and see if he could follow Sam's tracks." Said Gandalf, turning to the Ranger. "He cannot have gone far. I am worried that perhaps he has injured himself in someway and is unable to return."
Aragorn nodded. "If we know that he started out on the path, it should not be too hard to follow him. Hobbits leave a most distinctive track! As you say, I cannot imagine that he has gone very far. It is more likely he simply got himself lost. Let us hope that he is well!"
"I would be happy to accompany you, Aragorn," said Legolas. Aragorn readily agreed, glad of the company.
"I will return to Frodo and the others and let them know that you are searching for their missing companion." Gandalf sighed. "I know they will be relieved to hear that a search has begun." As Gandalf headed back towards Frodo's room, Aragorn and Legolas turned towards the garden path.
Chapter 2
Bilbo had stayed on into the evening with Frodo, both of them enjoying the unaccustomed privacy. As close as Frodo was to his dear friend and gardener, it was nice to have some time without Sam underfoot! Bilbo and Frodo ate dinner together and then Frodo, tired from the long visit, fell asleep soon afterwards. Bilbo tucked him, looked down fondly at his beloved nephew with a warm smile, and continued on to his own bed.
The next morning, Frodo was awakened by an insistent knocking at his door. "Sam!" he called out sleepily, "There's someone at the door!" The knocking stopped for a moment and then resumed. "Sam!" called Frodo more loudly, "There's someone at the door!" Still Sam did not reply. With a sigh of frustration, Frodo pushed himself up onto his elbow and called out, "Come in!"
The door opened a crack and Merry's head appeared. "Frodo?" he called hesitantly.
"Come on in, Merry!" repeated Frodo. He was sitting up now and looking around for Sam. It was not like Sam to ignore someone knocking at the door. Merry and Pippin came in, also peering about.
"Where's Sam?" asked Pippin, "I don't think we've ever come to visit you without him on guard! He's a regular watchdog!"
Frodo smiled. The gardener's faithful attention to Frodo was legendary. "He must still be in bed! Merry, go wake the sluggard up!"
Merry gave Frodo a mock salute and headed over to the small alcove where Sam usually slept. "Oi! Sam! Come on you lazybones, time to rise and shine!" Merry stopped in confusion. He stared down at Sam's neatly made bed. A small apple sat in the center, exactly where Sam had tossed it the day before. Merry picked it and frowned at it as he returned to Frodo's room.
"What's the matter?" asked Pippin, watching his cousin, "Where's Sam?"
Merry looked up, still frowning. "He's not there," he replied slowly. "And what's more, his bed hasn't been slept in. This is the same apple I gave him yesterday. It was on his bed, right where he left it."
Frodo stared at Merry beginning to feel alarmed. This was so unlike Sam. Frodo couldn't imagine what could possibly keep Sam away this long unless. could his dear friend be injured somewhere? "We must find Gandalf," said Frodo quickly, "Sam wouldn't stay out all night unless something had happened to him. Gandalf will know what to do!"
"I will know what to do about what ?" A deep, somewhat amused voice sounded from just beyond the open door. As they watched, the tall wizard came strolling into the room, his pipe in hand. "I will know what to do about what?" he repeated, his smile starting to fade as he observed the worried expressions on the hobbits' faces.
"Sam seems to have gone missing," replied Frodo, his face creased with worry. "He went off yesterday afternoon when Bilbo came to visit and hasn't been seen since. You know that isn't like Sam. It was hard enough to get him to agree to take an hour off. He certainly wouldn't be gone all night unless something had happened!" Frodo was beginning to feel frantic. He just knew something awful had befallen Sam.
Gandalf frowned. Frodo was right. Sam was nothing if not steadfastly devoted to Frodo. Even the elves had noticed that Sam rarely left his master's side. It disturbed Gandalf as much as the hobbits that Sam had been missing for so long. He turned back to Frodo, "Do you know where he might have gone?"
Frodo was twisting the bedclothes fretfully, "The gardens. Merry told him about the beautiful gardens and I told him to go see them while Bilbo was here. He wasn't keen to go. Oh, I shouldn't have made him!" He buried his anguished face in his hands.
Gandalf laid his hand on Frodo's trembling shoulder. "It will be all right, Frodo." He reassured him gently. "Sam might have just gotten lost. The gardens of Rivendell are quite extensive, you know. There is nothing in Rivendell that can harm him! I will go find Aragorn and see if he can't track down our elusive gardener!" With continued reassurances to the anxious hobbits, Gandalf swept out of the room, heading towards Lord Elrond's chambers. However, Sam's disappearance worried Gandalf far more than he let on to Frodo and the others
Gandalf hurried towards Lord Elrond's quarters. He had seen Aragorn heading that way just a short time earlier. Elrond had plans to send out scouts to the surrounding lands and Gandalf knew that Aragorn would be one of them. Gandalf could hear voices as he approached the door. He stopped and then knocked. The door opened swiftly and Gandalf found himself face to face with the elf, Legolas. "Excuse me, Lord Elrond," said Gandalf politely looking past Legolas, "But we seem to have a small problem that I am hoping Aragorn can help me with. It appears we have misplaced one of our hobbits!" Elrond and the others stared at Gandalf in surprise as he continued into the room.
"Exactly which hobbit have you misplaced?" asked Lord Elrond lifting one quizzical eyebrow.
"Samwise Gamgee has not been seen since yesterday afternoon," replied Gandalf gravely. "As you know, Sam is the most loyal and devoted of servants, and for him to be gone from Frodo's side for any length of time is most unusual. I cannot imagine where he has gone off to, but I am concerned for his safety."
A tall elf standing in the corner of the room now came forward. "Was he a rather stout hobbit with light brown hair?" he asked Gandalf. Gandalf nodded. "Well then," continued the elf, "I believe I spoke with him just after midday. He was looking for the gardens. I pointed out the way."
"So," began Elrond slowly, "Master Gamgee was last seen just after midday yesterday and was headed towards the gardens. That should help narrow our search."
"I was hoping that perhaps Aragorn could take some time and see if he could follow Sam's tracks." Said Gandalf, turning to the Ranger. "He cannot have gone far. I am worried that perhaps he has injured himself in someway and is unable to return."
Aragorn nodded. "If we know that he started out on the path, it should not be too hard to follow him. Hobbits leave a most distinctive track! As you say, I cannot imagine that he has gone very far. It is more likely he simply got himself lost. Let us hope that he is well!"
"I would be happy to accompany you, Aragorn," said Legolas. Aragorn readily agreed, glad of the company.
"I will return to Frodo and the others and let them know that you are searching for their missing companion." Gandalf sighed. "I know they will be relieved to hear that a search has begun." As Gandalf headed back towards Frodo's room, Aragorn and Legolas turned towards the garden path.