Chapter 19
The Green Dragon
Rosie pulled away from Ted in shock as her eyes widened in disbelief at what just happened.
Ted quickly pulled the bag from behind his back and presented it to Rosie. He quickly told her, "Look here Rosie, it's a bag of coins. I have a lot more where these coins come from. Lotho has inherited the Southfarthing plantation and he has a buyer for the Long Bottom leaf. He's been selling it for a time and collecting a great amounts of money for it," said Ted bragging as he continued, "He has just asked me to go into business with him, Rosie. I'm going to be rich soon. Richer than that old, crazy Bilbo Baggins. If you be my girl, Rosie. I'll give you many more of these bags of coins."
Rosie made a fist with her small hand, as her face became red with fury. "No one buys Rosie Cotton!" She brought her fist back and smacked Ted straight into his right eye and sent him spinning almost to his knees. The bag of coins dropped to the ground and spilt all around his feet. She turned scoffing off in anger.
"You stupid uppish Cottons, I'll teach you, all right! You better watch your step!" shouted Ted Sandyman cursing further under his breath as he watched Rosie stomp off. Ted Sandyman turned and froze in his steps as her brothers stood in front of him.
Jolly and Nick both stood side by side and at the exact same time they brought their fist back hitting Ted hard in the face. Ted dropped to his knees as he held his hands over his swelling eyes.
Tom came behind them and with a powerful right hook nailed Ted across his jaw that sent him sprawling to the ground. "The Cottons don't take to threats either Sandyman!" Tom shouted standing over him with his fist ready to have another go at him. But Ted Sandyman cowered laying on the ground. Tom turned and followed his two brothers to find Rosie.
Nibs came around and stomped hard with his foot against his stomach, walking over him. Nibs stuck out his tongue and followed his brothers back to the family table. Ted howled out in pain and did not know which part hurt the most. He slowly got onto his knees and crawled back to where Lotho who was sitting at a table laughing so hard he could not help Ted to his feet.
Frodo stood just a short distance away as his mouth dropped open watching the Cottons teaching Ted Sandyman a lesson. A small giggle began to escape Frodo's lips, then a loud laugh that turned into hysterical roar of laughter. All the hobbits began laughing as they watched Ted trying to crawl on all fours whimpering like a dog back to Lotho.
Frodo thought to himself that Sam should have waited a few more minutes so he could have seen this.
~*~
Sam awoken to knocking on his bedroom door and he slowly sat up in his bed. He looked out his bedroom window to get a sense of what time of day it was. The Sun was high in the sky and shown brightly in Sam's bedroom.
"Gaffer, I'll be out in a minute!" shouted Sam as he rubbed his hand across his face.
"Sam, It is Frodo. Your Gaffer let me in as he left for the tavern. It is well past noon." Frodo yelled through the locked door.
"Wait for me outside. I'll be there in a moment."
Sam walked out of his front door and down the dirt path as he shuffled his feet slowly to where Frodo waited for him.
"Sam I know you thought something was going on with Rosie and Ted last night, but it is not want you are thinking," Frodo began to tell him as Sam held up his hand not wanting to listen.
"Frodo, It's okay. I'm realizing now that I should have never dreamed that Rosie could ever care for me, I am just a simple hobbit," said Sam in a low voice.
"You love a hobbit lass who has a great upper cut," said Frodo as he demonstrated it with his fist.
"What are you talking about?" said Sam.
"Rosie! You should have seen her Sam. Rosie smacked Ted so hard that he'll not be looking out of his eye for weeks!" said Frodo excitedly as he told Sam everything that had happen.
Sam was shocked to hear how the Cotton's boys and Rosie taught him a lesson as a big smile went across his face.
Sam placed his hands into his pocket as he followed Frodo down the Bagshot road. He nodded and smiled at Frodo, listening to every word he told him.
"Deserves it right, I say. That Sandyman has been nothing but trouble. Him and that Lotho," said Sam.
"There is more, Sam! Bilbo has given me Bag End. I am now its master. Bilbo has gone to live with the elves," Frodo told him.
"That is great news for you, Mr. Frodo. But I'll be missing Mr. Bilbo."
"Bilbo is living his dreams and writing his books. He will be very happy at Rivendell," Frodo told him. "Now as master of Bag End. I want you to be Bag End's gardener. Will you now work for me, Sam?"
"It'd be an honor, Mr. Frodo."
"Then it is done. Come let's celebrate with a couple of ales!" Frodo announced.
"The Ivy Bush Inn is just down the road aways," Sam told him.
"No Sam, Let's walk to Bywater, to the Green Dragon."
"What for, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked. "The Gaffer would love this news, besides the Ivy has plenty of pints of ale for us."
"You have not been in the Green Dragon for awhile. It would be great fun, please Sam."
"Okay, Mr. Frodo. On to the Green Dragon."
~*~
Sam and Frodo walked in the Green Dragon tavern and Frodo raised two fingers to Will the bartender, letting him know to send to mugs of ale to their table. Will sat upon a tall stool with his leg in bandages resting in a chair padded with pillows.
Will shouted into the kitchen that he needed two pint size mugs of ale to be poured while Frodo found a table for them to sit at.
The Green Dragon was busier than usual and it surprised Sam seeing how many tables were full for this time of day. Sam thought that the hobbits were still celebrating after Mr. Bilbo's party last night.
Rosie came out of the kitchen and grabbed two mugs and began to fill them. Will pointed to the table where she needed to bring them. A big smiled broke the corners of her face as she saw Sam sitting with Frodo.
Sam looked once and then twice at seeing Rosie walking to their table carrying the two mugs of ale. Frodo snickered, as he knew how surprised Sam was at seeing her here.
"Rosie what are you doing?" asked Sam.
"I am helping my poor Uncle Will. He had broken his leg. So I will be helping him around here until his leg has healed," said Rosie.
"Today is a day full of great news!" said Sam without thinking. "Oh, I mean you working here and all. I did not mean your Uncle's poor broken leg of course."
"Of course, Sam. I understand. What other news have you heard?" asked Rosie.
"Why our Mr. Frodo here. He is now master of Bag End." Sam told her. "We are celebrating today."
"If you wait awhile, I'll join you two for an ale. We need a toast for such a special occasion," Rosie told them.
"Sam and I plan to be here awhile," Frodo told her saying it with a big grin on his face.
"Thank you Mr. Frodo."
"For what Sam?" asked Frodo still grinning.
"You know!" said Sam shyly.
"You're welcome, Sam,"
They both raised their mugs together and drank their ales.
Rosie soon plopped down next to Sam and raised her glass to them. Sam beamed as he looked at the beautiful hobbit who sat next to him.
~*~
The months past quickly and Will could see that Rosie was great for his business and he talked his brother into letting Rosie stay on at the Green Dragon. No one was more happier about it than Samwise Gamgee. He found himself stopping at the Green Dragon nightly when he finished his gardening at Bag End. Even Frodo did not have to coax Sam for an ale at the end of each day.
Rosie and Sam spent a lot of time laughing and joking with each other. He looked forward to seeing her as often as he wished. Their friendship grew stronger with each passing month. When the business slowed down some, you would see Rosie sitting with Sam in a far booth holding hands together.
Sam found that it was not enough just seeing Rosie at the Green Dragon. It was hard for him seeing all the attention she was getting from those who stopped by the tavern for a drink. It weighed heavy on his mind. He wanted to ask Rosie to marry him and move into Bagshot Row, but it was not the place that she deserved to call her home. Sam worried how he would have enough money to fix the place fitting for her. Sam began working hard trying to scrap up enough coins to begin rebuilding number 3 of Bagshot Row.
One night Ted Sandyman came in and was spending a lot of money buying everyone in the tavern a drink. He lavished Rosie with more than enough coins to completely fill her pockets for each drink she would bring him. Frodo and Sam listened to him brag of all the new land and businesses that Lotho and he had purchased, but he did not see Lotho who just walked in looking for him. Lotho scowled at the drunken hobbit shouting out his own praise of himself. Lotho grabbed Ted by the back of the neck and slapped him telling him, "You drunken fool! Shut your mouth!" He grabbed Ted and pulled him out of the tavern.
Sam and Frodo rolled their eyes at the two hobbits knowing the fools that they were.
Rosie said her farewells to her customers as they were closing the tavern for the night.
Sam walked out of the Green Dragon with Frodo. But he was unusually quiet. "What wrong Sam?"
"Do you think Rosie knows that is all drunken talk, Ted having all those coins and all?"
"Yes Sam, Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one," Frodo commented.
"Does she?" asked Sam feeling that maybe Rosie might think he was one too, because he didn't have very many coins in his pocket.
"Good night Sam!" Frodo said as he waved at him. Frodo walked up the path to Bag End and opened the door and went in.
Sam stood at the bottom of Bag End and he looked up staring at Frodo's home. Sam wished he had enough money like Mr. Frodo, instead of being poor living at number 3 of Bagshot Row. Sam daydreamed about his wedding day with Rosie and bringing her to a fine home like this someday. Rosie deserved a fine home.
Sam suddenly noticed a tall dark figure who leaned down as he slowly open the door to Bag End and walked in. Sam recognized the wizard Gandalf. He wondered why the wizard would sneak into Bag End during the middle of the night.
Sam remembered the trick that his older brother had taught him when Hamson wanted to listen to what his parents were talking about in private. He grabbed a pair of shear and went behind Bag End to pretend to trim the ferns.
Thank you all for your reviews! And welcome to all the new reviewers! I really enjoyed reading them and so happy you are enjoying this story. This is the end of the second part to this story. The third part is going to take place at the Cottons when everyone discovers that there are four hobbits missing in the Shire. They worry what could have happened to Samwise Gamgee? Please be patient with me as I have not yet started part three. It will take me a couple of days to finish my outlines, but once I have them. I will try and get those chapters up quickly.
The Green Dragon
Rosie pulled away from Ted in shock as her eyes widened in disbelief at what just happened.
Ted quickly pulled the bag from behind his back and presented it to Rosie. He quickly told her, "Look here Rosie, it's a bag of coins. I have a lot more where these coins come from. Lotho has inherited the Southfarthing plantation and he has a buyer for the Long Bottom leaf. He's been selling it for a time and collecting a great amounts of money for it," said Ted bragging as he continued, "He has just asked me to go into business with him, Rosie. I'm going to be rich soon. Richer than that old, crazy Bilbo Baggins. If you be my girl, Rosie. I'll give you many more of these bags of coins."
Rosie made a fist with her small hand, as her face became red with fury. "No one buys Rosie Cotton!" She brought her fist back and smacked Ted straight into his right eye and sent him spinning almost to his knees. The bag of coins dropped to the ground and spilt all around his feet. She turned scoffing off in anger.
"You stupid uppish Cottons, I'll teach you, all right! You better watch your step!" shouted Ted Sandyman cursing further under his breath as he watched Rosie stomp off. Ted Sandyman turned and froze in his steps as her brothers stood in front of him.
Jolly and Nick both stood side by side and at the exact same time they brought their fist back hitting Ted hard in the face. Ted dropped to his knees as he held his hands over his swelling eyes.
Tom came behind them and with a powerful right hook nailed Ted across his jaw that sent him sprawling to the ground. "The Cottons don't take to threats either Sandyman!" Tom shouted standing over him with his fist ready to have another go at him. But Ted Sandyman cowered laying on the ground. Tom turned and followed his two brothers to find Rosie.
Nibs came around and stomped hard with his foot against his stomach, walking over him. Nibs stuck out his tongue and followed his brothers back to the family table. Ted howled out in pain and did not know which part hurt the most. He slowly got onto his knees and crawled back to where Lotho who was sitting at a table laughing so hard he could not help Ted to his feet.
Frodo stood just a short distance away as his mouth dropped open watching the Cottons teaching Ted Sandyman a lesson. A small giggle began to escape Frodo's lips, then a loud laugh that turned into hysterical roar of laughter. All the hobbits began laughing as they watched Ted trying to crawl on all fours whimpering like a dog back to Lotho.
Frodo thought to himself that Sam should have waited a few more minutes so he could have seen this.
~*~
Sam awoken to knocking on his bedroom door and he slowly sat up in his bed. He looked out his bedroom window to get a sense of what time of day it was. The Sun was high in the sky and shown brightly in Sam's bedroom.
"Gaffer, I'll be out in a minute!" shouted Sam as he rubbed his hand across his face.
"Sam, It is Frodo. Your Gaffer let me in as he left for the tavern. It is well past noon." Frodo yelled through the locked door.
"Wait for me outside. I'll be there in a moment."
Sam walked out of his front door and down the dirt path as he shuffled his feet slowly to where Frodo waited for him.
"Sam I know you thought something was going on with Rosie and Ted last night, but it is not want you are thinking," Frodo began to tell him as Sam held up his hand not wanting to listen.
"Frodo, It's okay. I'm realizing now that I should have never dreamed that Rosie could ever care for me, I am just a simple hobbit," said Sam in a low voice.
"You love a hobbit lass who has a great upper cut," said Frodo as he demonstrated it with his fist.
"What are you talking about?" said Sam.
"Rosie! You should have seen her Sam. Rosie smacked Ted so hard that he'll not be looking out of his eye for weeks!" said Frodo excitedly as he told Sam everything that had happen.
Sam was shocked to hear how the Cotton's boys and Rosie taught him a lesson as a big smile went across his face.
Sam placed his hands into his pocket as he followed Frodo down the Bagshot road. He nodded and smiled at Frodo, listening to every word he told him.
"Deserves it right, I say. That Sandyman has been nothing but trouble. Him and that Lotho," said Sam.
"There is more, Sam! Bilbo has given me Bag End. I am now its master. Bilbo has gone to live with the elves," Frodo told him.
"That is great news for you, Mr. Frodo. But I'll be missing Mr. Bilbo."
"Bilbo is living his dreams and writing his books. He will be very happy at Rivendell," Frodo told him. "Now as master of Bag End. I want you to be Bag End's gardener. Will you now work for me, Sam?"
"It'd be an honor, Mr. Frodo."
"Then it is done. Come let's celebrate with a couple of ales!" Frodo announced.
"The Ivy Bush Inn is just down the road aways," Sam told him.
"No Sam, Let's walk to Bywater, to the Green Dragon."
"What for, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked. "The Gaffer would love this news, besides the Ivy has plenty of pints of ale for us."
"You have not been in the Green Dragon for awhile. It would be great fun, please Sam."
"Okay, Mr. Frodo. On to the Green Dragon."
~*~
Sam and Frodo walked in the Green Dragon tavern and Frodo raised two fingers to Will the bartender, letting him know to send to mugs of ale to their table. Will sat upon a tall stool with his leg in bandages resting in a chair padded with pillows.
Will shouted into the kitchen that he needed two pint size mugs of ale to be poured while Frodo found a table for them to sit at.
The Green Dragon was busier than usual and it surprised Sam seeing how many tables were full for this time of day. Sam thought that the hobbits were still celebrating after Mr. Bilbo's party last night.
Rosie came out of the kitchen and grabbed two mugs and began to fill them. Will pointed to the table where she needed to bring them. A big smiled broke the corners of her face as she saw Sam sitting with Frodo.
Sam looked once and then twice at seeing Rosie walking to their table carrying the two mugs of ale. Frodo snickered, as he knew how surprised Sam was at seeing her here.
"Rosie what are you doing?" asked Sam.
"I am helping my poor Uncle Will. He had broken his leg. So I will be helping him around here until his leg has healed," said Rosie.
"Today is a day full of great news!" said Sam without thinking. "Oh, I mean you working here and all. I did not mean your Uncle's poor broken leg of course."
"Of course, Sam. I understand. What other news have you heard?" asked Rosie.
"Why our Mr. Frodo here. He is now master of Bag End." Sam told her. "We are celebrating today."
"If you wait awhile, I'll join you two for an ale. We need a toast for such a special occasion," Rosie told them.
"Sam and I plan to be here awhile," Frodo told her saying it with a big grin on his face.
"Thank you Mr. Frodo."
"For what Sam?" asked Frodo still grinning.
"You know!" said Sam shyly.
"You're welcome, Sam,"
They both raised their mugs together and drank their ales.
Rosie soon plopped down next to Sam and raised her glass to them. Sam beamed as he looked at the beautiful hobbit who sat next to him.
~*~
The months past quickly and Will could see that Rosie was great for his business and he talked his brother into letting Rosie stay on at the Green Dragon. No one was more happier about it than Samwise Gamgee. He found himself stopping at the Green Dragon nightly when he finished his gardening at Bag End. Even Frodo did not have to coax Sam for an ale at the end of each day.
Rosie and Sam spent a lot of time laughing and joking with each other. He looked forward to seeing her as often as he wished. Their friendship grew stronger with each passing month. When the business slowed down some, you would see Rosie sitting with Sam in a far booth holding hands together.
Sam found that it was not enough just seeing Rosie at the Green Dragon. It was hard for him seeing all the attention she was getting from those who stopped by the tavern for a drink. It weighed heavy on his mind. He wanted to ask Rosie to marry him and move into Bagshot Row, but it was not the place that she deserved to call her home. Sam worried how he would have enough money to fix the place fitting for her. Sam began working hard trying to scrap up enough coins to begin rebuilding number 3 of Bagshot Row.
One night Ted Sandyman came in and was spending a lot of money buying everyone in the tavern a drink. He lavished Rosie with more than enough coins to completely fill her pockets for each drink she would bring him. Frodo and Sam listened to him brag of all the new land and businesses that Lotho and he had purchased, but he did not see Lotho who just walked in looking for him. Lotho scowled at the drunken hobbit shouting out his own praise of himself. Lotho grabbed Ted by the back of the neck and slapped him telling him, "You drunken fool! Shut your mouth!" He grabbed Ted and pulled him out of the tavern.
Sam and Frodo rolled their eyes at the two hobbits knowing the fools that they were.
Rosie said her farewells to her customers as they were closing the tavern for the night.
Sam walked out of the Green Dragon with Frodo. But he was unusually quiet. "What wrong Sam?"
"Do you think Rosie knows that is all drunken talk, Ted having all those coins and all?"
"Yes Sam, Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one," Frodo commented.
"Does she?" asked Sam feeling that maybe Rosie might think he was one too, because he didn't have very many coins in his pocket.
"Good night Sam!" Frodo said as he waved at him. Frodo walked up the path to Bag End and opened the door and went in.
Sam stood at the bottom of Bag End and he looked up staring at Frodo's home. Sam wished he had enough money like Mr. Frodo, instead of being poor living at number 3 of Bagshot Row. Sam daydreamed about his wedding day with Rosie and bringing her to a fine home like this someday. Rosie deserved a fine home.
Sam suddenly noticed a tall dark figure who leaned down as he slowly open the door to Bag End and walked in. Sam recognized the wizard Gandalf. He wondered why the wizard would sneak into Bag End during the middle of the night.
Sam remembered the trick that his older brother had taught him when Hamson wanted to listen to what his parents were talking about in private. He grabbed a pair of shear and went behind Bag End to pretend to trim the ferns.
Thank you all for your reviews! And welcome to all the new reviewers! I really enjoyed reading them and so happy you are enjoying this story. This is the end of the second part to this story. The third part is going to take place at the Cottons when everyone discovers that there are four hobbits missing in the Shire. They worry what could have happened to Samwise Gamgee? Please be patient with me as I have not yet started part three. It will take me a couple of days to finish my outlines, but once I have them. I will try and get those chapters up quickly.