Hello all! I apologize for the long wait. I have been very busy lately,
but I was determined to get this chapter up before school starts again.
Well, at least you all get a long chapter this time! :)
Herculeha: No, that didn't sound corny. Sam really does live in our hearts.
And thanks to all of you who commented on the proposal scene! I was a little nervous about how I would pull that off.
Ok, on with the story. Enjoy!
******************************************
"I'm famished." Declared Merry. "Have you any idea how many meals we have missed?"
"Not really." Muttered Sam, his face cupped in his hands. "I've lost track of time a while ago." He looked up at the large golden sun just peeking out over the horizon and about to slip around the curve of the earth. "If it weren't for the sun, I'd reckon that I wouldn't even know if a week had passed."
Merry shook his head despondently. "I don't care if a week has passed or just a few hours, but I've missed a meal and that's not proper for a hobbit."
Sam turned to give Merry a dubious look. "Well, what do you propose to do about it?"
Immediately, Sam knew he was in trouble when he saw the telltale mischievous glint spark in the other hobbit's eye. "You know that there is a lot of food stored in Bag End's pantries."
Shaking his head, Sam replied, "You are planning your own funeral. What do think Estella would do to you if she found you sneaking around inside?"
Merry just nodded. "It's true, she does hold Bag End in an iron grip, but I'm sure we could find a way." He smirked. "And besides, she wouldn't kill me. It's obvious she likes me."
"Whatever you say Mr. Merry."
Merry leaned closer. "So, are you with me?"
Sam shrugged. "I suppose so. I've naught to lose at the moment, and I admit that I am a little hungry."
They got to their feet. Merry reached out carefully and turned the doorknob.
Two heads of curly hobbit hair peeked around the door.
The coast was clear, so they commenced to tiptoe through Bag End's hallway as quietly as they could. They were heading straight for the pantries where all the abundance of Bag End was stored. They passed each room quickly, with the kitchen just ahead on the left, and beyond that, the pantries. As he hurried past the kitchen, Sam risked a quick glance sideways before continuing on his way . . .
And froze. Merry did as well, the looks in their eyes mirroring that of a frightened deer.
For standing there, with a startled expression on her own face, was Estella Bolger, with a tray of food in her hands.
The silence was palpable.
Finally Estella spoke, using her usual reprimanding voice. "Meriadoc! Samwise! What on earth are you doing in here? I thought I told you to stay outside!"
Merry matched her stern glare. "And what are you doing with that tray of food, my dear Estella?"
Her angry exterior seemed to melt, and for a moment she seemed to flounder about for a answer. "I . . . Rosie thought you might be hungry, so she told me to fix you both up a tray of food."
Just as Merry was about to answer, a sleepy voice interrupted him. "What's going on here?"
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam exclaimed.
Frodo walked into the kitchen, his bleary eyes taking in the three hobbits and the tray of food. "Estella, don't tell me that you finally found a soft spot in your heart for hungry hobbits?"
Estella bristled. "Of course not! I was merely following Rosie's wishes." She sighed exasperated. "Will no one do as ask for Rosie's sake? Frodo Baggins, you were told to stay in your bedroom, and you two were supposed to stay outside!"
"But we aren't." Replied Merry smugly. "What we are is hungry. And you are here with a tray of food. Why don't we just all sit down here and eat together?"
"No!" Shouted Estella suddenly. "It would be best to eat outside." She waved her hands, gesturing for them all to head for the door when suddenly, the air was pierced by a shrill scream.
Everyone tensed, including Sam, whose face began to pale.
"Rosie?" He whispered hoarsely.
Estella grimaced. "I told you it would be best to stay outside." She muttered.
She shoved the tray of food into Merry's hands before reaching out to hold Sam back, as he was trying with all his might to get to the source of that scream.
"Sam!" She yelled in his ear. "Stay here!"
He attempted to shake her off. Moisture was gathering at the corners of his eyes. "No! I've got to go to Rosie!"
"Sam, listen to me!" Estella demanded. He finally ceased his struggling, and turned his tear-streaked face to her. "Sam, its for the best. Believe me. I was present at my cousin's birth, and it's not pleasant at all. Besides, it's no place for lad to be present at a birth."
"But . . ." Sam whispered.
"No." Estella stated firmly. "Here, Sam. Just come on outside, and eat the food before it gets cold." She smiled faintly as he nodded. Then, turning to the other hobbits, she told them forcefully, "What are you all staring at? Come on! We are going outside."
They all conceded, and began to follow her towards Bag End's front door. But then they heard a sound behind them, and turned around. The midwife was coming down the hallway towards them.
"Master Samwise?"
TBC
Herculeha: No, that didn't sound corny. Sam really does live in our hearts.
And thanks to all of you who commented on the proposal scene! I was a little nervous about how I would pull that off.
Ok, on with the story. Enjoy!
******************************************
"I'm famished." Declared Merry. "Have you any idea how many meals we have missed?"
"Not really." Muttered Sam, his face cupped in his hands. "I've lost track of time a while ago." He looked up at the large golden sun just peeking out over the horizon and about to slip around the curve of the earth. "If it weren't for the sun, I'd reckon that I wouldn't even know if a week had passed."
Merry shook his head despondently. "I don't care if a week has passed or just a few hours, but I've missed a meal and that's not proper for a hobbit."
Sam turned to give Merry a dubious look. "Well, what do you propose to do about it?"
Immediately, Sam knew he was in trouble when he saw the telltale mischievous glint spark in the other hobbit's eye. "You know that there is a lot of food stored in Bag End's pantries."
Shaking his head, Sam replied, "You are planning your own funeral. What do think Estella would do to you if she found you sneaking around inside?"
Merry just nodded. "It's true, she does hold Bag End in an iron grip, but I'm sure we could find a way." He smirked. "And besides, she wouldn't kill me. It's obvious she likes me."
"Whatever you say Mr. Merry."
Merry leaned closer. "So, are you with me?"
Sam shrugged. "I suppose so. I've naught to lose at the moment, and I admit that I am a little hungry."
They got to their feet. Merry reached out carefully and turned the doorknob.
Two heads of curly hobbit hair peeked around the door.
The coast was clear, so they commenced to tiptoe through Bag End's hallway as quietly as they could. They were heading straight for the pantries where all the abundance of Bag End was stored. They passed each room quickly, with the kitchen just ahead on the left, and beyond that, the pantries. As he hurried past the kitchen, Sam risked a quick glance sideways before continuing on his way . . .
And froze. Merry did as well, the looks in their eyes mirroring that of a frightened deer.
For standing there, with a startled expression on her own face, was Estella Bolger, with a tray of food in her hands.
The silence was palpable.
Finally Estella spoke, using her usual reprimanding voice. "Meriadoc! Samwise! What on earth are you doing in here? I thought I told you to stay outside!"
Merry matched her stern glare. "And what are you doing with that tray of food, my dear Estella?"
Her angry exterior seemed to melt, and for a moment she seemed to flounder about for a answer. "I . . . Rosie thought you might be hungry, so she told me to fix you both up a tray of food."
Just as Merry was about to answer, a sleepy voice interrupted him. "What's going on here?"
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam exclaimed.
Frodo walked into the kitchen, his bleary eyes taking in the three hobbits and the tray of food. "Estella, don't tell me that you finally found a soft spot in your heart for hungry hobbits?"
Estella bristled. "Of course not! I was merely following Rosie's wishes." She sighed exasperated. "Will no one do as ask for Rosie's sake? Frodo Baggins, you were told to stay in your bedroom, and you two were supposed to stay outside!"
"But we aren't." Replied Merry smugly. "What we are is hungry. And you are here with a tray of food. Why don't we just all sit down here and eat together?"
"No!" Shouted Estella suddenly. "It would be best to eat outside." She waved her hands, gesturing for them all to head for the door when suddenly, the air was pierced by a shrill scream.
Everyone tensed, including Sam, whose face began to pale.
"Rosie?" He whispered hoarsely.
Estella grimaced. "I told you it would be best to stay outside." She muttered.
She shoved the tray of food into Merry's hands before reaching out to hold Sam back, as he was trying with all his might to get to the source of that scream.
"Sam!" She yelled in his ear. "Stay here!"
He attempted to shake her off. Moisture was gathering at the corners of his eyes. "No! I've got to go to Rosie!"
"Sam, listen to me!" Estella demanded. He finally ceased his struggling, and turned his tear-streaked face to her. "Sam, its for the best. Believe me. I was present at my cousin's birth, and it's not pleasant at all. Besides, it's no place for lad to be present at a birth."
"But . . ." Sam whispered.
"No." Estella stated firmly. "Here, Sam. Just come on outside, and eat the food before it gets cold." She smiled faintly as he nodded. Then, turning to the other hobbits, she told them forcefully, "What are you all staring at? Come on! We are going outside."
They all conceded, and began to follow her towards Bag End's front door. But then they heard a sound behind them, and turned around. The midwife was coming down the hallway towards them.
"Master Samwise?"
TBC