A/N: Thank you for your reviews and encouragement. I was not sure if anyone
was going to like me switching the story focus to Rosie for this part 3.
When I decided to write Samwise, this is what I was thinking about. I was
fascinated by how the hobbits would react when they found out that there
were four missing hobbits and how it effected them when the ruffians took
over the Shire. I did not want to rewrite Tolkien to do it and make it more
my story from how I imagine it would have been like. So I really worried
about that when I was writing this story.
So thank you so much empyreal and Rosa Cotton for your encouragement, ShireElf for letting me know that you liked this turn in the story towards Rosie. I think what they both must of suffered while they were parted only will bring them closer together in the end.
Chapter 22
Remembering Home
"Oh, Gaffer! You're hurt badly, lay back and let me tend you," said Rosie as she bent down on the ground and placed his head into her lap. Her fleeting glances kept a watchful eye on the men as she tended the Gaffer.
His forehead had an opened gash and was bleeding freely. His gnarled old hands had burns on the inside of his palms as he tired to hold back the fires they started to save Bagshot Row. When Rosie turned him to his side she could see that they had whipped his back until it bleed. Rosie put her hands over her mouth to stop her from crying out.
"They tore up Bagshot Row! It's gone, everything is gone!" shouted the Gaffer in between his sobs. "And even the tatter gardens, gone!"
"Easy Gaffer. Quiet yourself now so I can help you," said Rosie as she tried to tear her under skirt to bandage his wounds. Her fingers trembled as she worked rapidly pulling the material apart. Tom and Jolly was soon by her side and picked up the Gaffer as they rushed him back to the stables. Rosie took one good look behind her as she ran away from ruffians.
"Lookie here, lads! More o' 'em little rat-folk!" shouted and teased what seemed like the leader of the big folk. "Round 'em up, boys. Place 'em with the others rats."
"You'll not harm them!" shouted Lotho.
"Look mates! We got yourselves a cock-whoop of a little rat," said the leader of the men. "What be your name little rat?"
"The name is Pimple," said Lotho as he crossed his arms in front of him. The Shirriffs looked at each other in surprise when Lotho did not give them his correct name. Especially not a hobbit-like name.
The big folk huddled together for a moment and talked among themselves. "That be him, that Sharkie told us of. We's to listen and follow what he be telling us. He's the boss now, til Sharkie gets here. We must do what the boss tells us."
"Why do you take trifles from the hobbits, when there are greater treasures to be had?"
"What treasure you speak of?" asked the man who led the big folk.
"Long bottom leaf. There are fields upon fields of if here. Instead of destroying, why not take the leaf from the fields to sell. I'll show you the fields if you agree not to harm any hobbits and cut us in for half the profit."
"Whatever you say, boss! Will do what you be telling us!" said the man confused by Pimple's speech.
"Then we are in an agreement! Return to Bagshot Row and tomorrow I will take you to the fields." Pimple told them.
The big folk turned around with their wagons and head back to Bagshot Row as they talked to each other saying, "What's that all about he be telling us. Sharkie all ready said we're to load up all the leaf and send it his way. The halflings are a queer bred."
The Shirriffs patted Lotho on the back and called him their leader. They all promised to stand by him.
Lotho walked over to the Gaffer and bent down on a knee. "Beg your pardon Gaffer, for your suffering. I'll build you and the folk that lost their homes another one here in Bywater. We'll start on it right away. I promise no more hobbits will be hurt."
Lotho turned to the shirriffs and told them to meet him in the old shirriff house as they had to make many plans to protect the Shire.
When all the shirriffs entered the house, they filled the room full. Lotho looked around and told them that they needed a bigger place in which to work. So he grabbed all his maps, papers and books and they moved the shirriff's house to Bag End since Frodo was not there. Bag End was the biggest place in Hobbiton.
~*~
Rosie closed the door to the extra bedroom in their home. She lifted the bucket of water now soaked with blood and dirty bandages. She walked into the kitchen where her mother was putting away the sewing needle and thread. "Is he sleeping any better?" asked Mrs. Cotton.
"The powder you gave him has seemed to calm him a little more, but he fights from closing his eyes. I fear for him whether he will recover," said Rosie.
"You need your sleep as well, Rosie. I'll sit with him awhile."
"No, I promised the Gaffer that I would sit with him until he fell asleep. If Sam were here I know it would lift his spirits. The not knowing is the hardest for him. I feel for him and his sorrow. It was hard for him seeing Bagshot Row destroyed. Tis all he speaks of, that and Sam," commented Rosie.
"You miss him, too. Sam I mean," commented her mother.
"Yes, Mum. That I do. I love Sam and can't see myself without him in this world," said Rosie.
"Then keep believing Rosie, he'll return. Never give up on him if you love him," her mother comment.
"Thankee, Mum. I'll never lose my hope nor my love for him."
Mrs. Cotton hugged her daughter tightly and brushed her curls from her brow. She could see how exhausted and worried Rosie looked. It caused her to fret all the more for her.
~*~
The big folk worked taking all the leaf from the fields and shipping it to Sharkie. They built two story houses to live in all around the towns in the Shire that were close to the leaf fields. Lotho tore down Sandyman's mill and began to build a bigger building with more grinding stones. Trying to keep up with feeding all the men and the hobbits. Supplies began to run short in the towns of the Shire, as they demanded more things. Lotho found himself purchased items and spending his money faster than it was coming in.
Whenever a big folk destroyed something or stolen something from a hobbit, Lotho would pay for it. Trying to keep the peace in the Shire was becoming an impossible task for him. He hired more and more shirriffs as constant flow of complaints rolled in daily. He kept building more and more shirriff houses and began regular patrols. It was not long until there became troops of shirriffs and he sectioned them off according the areas where they belonged. The Southfarthing troops or the northfarthing troops. But trouble broke out constantly as the food became less and less.
Lotho who was now called Chief, Pimple or boss began to post rules all over the Shire and who broke the rules were to be punished.
The hobbits began to complain more and they started groups to stop Pimple from gathering all the leaf and get rid of the Big Folk from the Shire. Fighting began to break out in the once peaceful towns of the Shire. Their quiet lives were now full of large wagons moving in and out of the towns. While they watched their own fields emptied before them. The Big folk began taking what they wanted from the hobbits and Pimple could not longer pay for the things that they had done.
Months past slowly and spring was upon them. The hobbits became harder to handle as food was becoming harder to fine.
The mayor brought large numbers of hobbit to see Pimple at Bag End, but there was nothing he could do. Sharkie was demanding more and more things from him and he would not allow Pimple to say no.
Pimple argued with Sharkie telling him he wanted out of their business agreement, but he would not allow it. He gave orders to lock Pimple and Ted Sandyman in Bag End in one of the vaults there. He told the leader of the Big Folk to take over.
When the major complained again, the leader of the big folk placed him in the lockup and threaten to do the same if the hobbits got in their way or continued to complain. They posted more rules to control the hobbits and closed the Inns and taverns taking all the ale for themselves and selling the rest so the big folk could eat while the hobbits starved.
They kept the hobbits apart as much as possible so they would not group together and fight them. Soon there was a rule for almost everything they did.
When the hobbits tried to gather at the party tree in an attempt organize them themselves against the big folk, they cut down the party tree as a reminder that was not allowed.
Rosie did her best not the let the Gaffer know that they had destroyed the party tree. She felt this would be the last straw for the Gaffer to take. His wounds were healed but his spirit seemed to give up as if there was nothing more to live for. The Gaffer would sit in a rocking chair on the porch of the Cottons lost in his own thoughts and mumblings.
Mrs. Cotton rationed the food as much as she could stretch it, but it was never enough to go around. The boys kept hunting to put whatever meat on the table that could be found. She even had to resort to cooking some eatable weeds that were becoming plentiful and mixing them in her meals to fill their bellies.
Jolly would sell the skins or trade them for food items and traveled to further townships in search for a buyer. It was forbidden, but Jolly could slip in and out without ever being detected.
Mrs. Cotton hoped Jolly would be back soon as she poured the last of the flour to make her flat bread. She worked long into the empty fields gathering and scavenging for what could be found for vegetables, while her bread cooked in her oven.
Rosie looked into the oven and noticed the bread was finally done. She took it out and placed it in the window seal to cool. Placing her oven mitts on the counter she went back to close the oven door and caught sight of two very small hands grabbing the hot bread from the window seal. She ran out the door yelling at two very thin hobbit children as they placed the bread into their bag and ran as fast as their legs could carry them.
Rosie stopped as her heart broke for the small very thin children to be that hungry to steal in order to eat. She knew everyone was going without food and seeing this only confirmed her worst fears.
~*~
Sam broke a corner off the lembas bread that Faramir had given him and gave it to Frodo as they sat in a ravine by the base of the Mountain of Doom, in Mordor. Digging in his bag he found a piece of dried fruit and a small slip of cured meat. He poured a small amount of water in a cup and shared it between the two of them. Frodo ate slowly and when he finished he told Sam he needed to sleep. But in the barren land it was going to be hard to find. They slunk under a curtain of brambles that hung down like a mat over a low rock-face. Before Sam could pull out a blanket, Frodo was sound to sleep.
Sam crawled out from the bambles and saw the brightest stars that he could ever remembering seeing. They were beautiful and picturesque in the blacken sky of Mordor. As he stood before the starlit sky his thought went back to Rosie as he envisioned her running through the green hills of the Shire laughing and singing. He saw flowers in her hair and thick meadow grasses. He saw the party tree with all the hobbits dancing and clapping their hands. Their warm faces and bright-eyed smiles gave Sam the last bit of his courage to go on another day climbing the mountain and then into the fiery cave to destroy the ring.
Sam lowered his weary eyes back to the dismal barren ground on which he stood and slunk back down behind the brambles. Laying down next to Frodo and went to sleep.
So thank you so much empyreal and Rosa Cotton for your encouragement, ShireElf for letting me know that you liked this turn in the story towards Rosie. I think what they both must of suffered while they were parted only will bring them closer together in the end.
Chapter 22
Remembering Home
"Oh, Gaffer! You're hurt badly, lay back and let me tend you," said Rosie as she bent down on the ground and placed his head into her lap. Her fleeting glances kept a watchful eye on the men as she tended the Gaffer.
His forehead had an opened gash and was bleeding freely. His gnarled old hands had burns on the inside of his palms as he tired to hold back the fires they started to save Bagshot Row. When Rosie turned him to his side she could see that they had whipped his back until it bleed. Rosie put her hands over her mouth to stop her from crying out.
"They tore up Bagshot Row! It's gone, everything is gone!" shouted the Gaffer in between his sobs. "And even the tatter gardens, gone!"
"Easy Gaffer. Quiet yourself now so I can help you," said Rosie as she tried to tear her under skirt to bandage his wounds. Her fingers trembled as she worked rapidly pulling the material apart. Tom and Jolly was soon by her side and picked up the Gaffer as they rushed him back to the stables. Rosie took one good look behind her as she ran away from ruffians.
"Lookie here, lads! More o' 'em little rat-folk!" shouted and teased what seemed like the leader of the big folk. "Round 'em up, boys. Place 'em with the others rats."
"You'll not harm them!" shouted Lotho.
"Look mates! We got yourselves a cock-whoop of a little rat," said the leader of the men. "What be your name little rat?"
"The name is Pimple," said Lotho as he crossed his arms in front of him. The Shirriffs looked at each other in surprise when Lotho did not give them his correct name. Especially not a hobbit-like name.
The big folk huddled together for a moment and talked among themselves. "That be him, that Sharkie told us of. We's to listen and follow what he be telling us. He's the boss now, til Sharkie gets here. We must do what the boss tells us."
"Why do you take trifles from the hobbits, when there are greater treasures to be had?"
"What treasure you speak of?" asked the man who led the big folk.
"Long bottom leaf. There are fields upon fields of if here. Instead of destroying, why not take the leaf from the fields to sell. I'll show you the fields if you agree not to harm any hobbits and cut us in for half the profit."
"Whatever you say, boss! Will do what you be telling us!" said the man confused by Pimple's speech.
"Then we are in an agreement! Return to Bagshot Row and tomorrow I will take you to the fields." Pimple told them.
The big folk turned around with their wagons and head back to Bagshot Row as they talked to each other saying, "What's that all about he be telling us. Sharkie all ready said we're to load up all the leaf and send it his way. The halflings are a queer bred."
The Shirriffs patted Lotho on the back and called him their leader. They all promised to stand by him.
Lotho walked over to the Gaffer and bent down on a knee. "Beg your pardon Gaffer, for your suffering. I'll build you and the folk that lost their homes another one here in Bywater. We'll start on it right away. I promise no more hobbits will be hurt."
Lotho turned to the shirriffs and told them to meet him in the old shirriff house as they had to make many plans to protect the Shire.
When all the shirriffs entered the house, they filled the room full. Lotho looked around and told them that they needed a bigger place in which to work. So he grabbed all his maps, papers and books and they moved the shirriff's house to Bag End since Frodo was not there. Bag End was the biggest place in Hobbiton.
~*~
Rosie closed the door to the extra bedroom in their home. She lifted the bucket of water now soaked with blood and dirty bandages. She walked into the kitchen where her mother was putting away the sewing needle and thread. "Is he sleeping any better?" asked Mrs. Cotton.
"The powder you gave him has seemed to calm him a little more, but he fights from closing his eyes. I fear for him whether he will recover," said Rosie.
"You need your sleep as well, Rosie. I'll sit with him awhile."
"No, I promised the Gaffer that I would sit with him until he fell asleep. If Sam were here I know it would lift his spirits. The not knowing is the hardest for him. I feel for him and his sorrow. It was hard for him seeing Bagshot Row destroyed. Tis all he speaks of, that and Sam," commented Rosie.
"You miss him, too. Sam I mean," commented her mother.
"Yes, Mum. That I do. I love Sam and can't see myself without him in this world," said Rosie.
"Then keep believing Rosie, he'll return. Never give up on him if you love him," her mother comment.
"Thankee, Mum. I'll never lose my hope nor my love for him."
Mrs. Cotton hugged her daughter tightly and brushed her curls from her brow. She could see how exhausted and worried Rosie looked. It caused her to fret all the more for her.
~*~
The big folk worked taking all the leaf from the fields and shipping it to Sharkie. They built two story houses to live in all around the towns in the Shire that were close to the leaf fields. Lotho tore down Sandyman's mill and began to build a bigger building with more grinding stones. Trying to keep up with feeding all the men and the hobbits. Supplies began to run short in the towns of the Shire, as they demanded more things. Lotho found himself purchased items and spending his money faster than it was coming in.
Whenever a big folk destroyed something or stolen something from a hobbit, Lotho would pay for it. Trying to keep the peace in the Shire was becoming an impossible task for him. He hired more and more shirriffs as constant flow of complaints rolled in daily. He kept building more and more shirriff houses and began regular patrols. It was not long until there became troops of shirriffs and he sectioned them off according the areas where they belonged. The Southfarthing troops or the northfarthing troops. But trouble broke out constantly as the food became less and less.
Lotho who was now called Chief, Pimple or boss began to post rules all over the Shire and who broke the rules were to be punished.
The hobbits began to complain more and they started groups to stop Pimple from gathering all the leaf and get rid of the Big Folk from the Shire. Fighting began to break out in the once peaceful towns of the Shire. Their quiet lives were now full of large wagons moving in and out of the towns. While they watched their own fields emptied before them. The Big folk began taking what they wanted from the hobbits and Pimple could not longer pay for the things that they had done.
Months past slowly and spring was upon them. The hobbits became harder to handle as food was becoming harder to fine.
The mayor brought large numbers of hobbit to see Pimple at Bag End, but there was nothing he could do. Sharkie was demanding more and more things from him and he would not allow Pimple to say no.
Pimple argued with Sharkie telling him he wanted out of their business agreement, but he would not allow it. He gave orders to lock Pimple and Ted Sandyman in Bag End in one of the vaults there. He told the leader of the Big Folk to take over.
When the major complained again, the leader of the big folk placed him in the lockup and threaten to do the same if the hobbits got in their way or continued to complain. They posted more rules to control the hobbits and closed the Inns and taverns taking all the ale for themselves and selling the rest so the big folk could eat while the hobbits starved.
They kept the hobbits apart as much as possible so they would not group together and fight them. Soon there was a rule for almost everything they did.
When the hobbits tried to gather at the party tree in an attempt organize them themselves against the big folk, they cut down the party tree as a reminder that was not allowed.
Rosie did her best not the let the Gaffer know that they had destroyed the party tree. She felt this would be the last straw for the Gaffer to take. His wounds were healed but his spirit seemed to give up as if there was nothing more to live for. The Gaffer would sit in a rocking chair on the porch of the Cottons lost in his own thoughts and mumblings.
Mrs. Cotton rationed the food as much as she could stretch it, but it was never enough to go around. The boys kept hunting to put whatever meat on the table that could be found. She even had to resort to cooking some eatable weeds that were becoming plentiful and mixing them in her meals to fill their bellies.
Jolly would sell the skins or trade them for food items and traveled to further townships in search for a buyer. It was forbidden, but Jolly could slip in and out without ever being detected.
Mrs. Cotton hoped Jolly would be back soon as she poured the last of the flour to make her flat bread. She worked long into the empty fields gathering and scavenging for what could be found for vegetables, while her bread cooked in her oven.
Rosie looked into the oven and noticed the bread was finally done. She took it out and placed it in the window seal to cool. Placing her oven mitts on the counter she went back to close the oven door and caught sight of two very small hands grabbing the hot bread from the window seal. She ran out the door yelling at two very thin hobbit children as they placed the bread into their bag and ran as fast as their legs could carry them.
Rosie stopped as her heart broke for the small very thin children to be that hungry to steal in order to eat. She knew everyone was going without food and seeing this only confirmed her worst fears.
~*~
Sam broke a corner off the lembas bread that Faramir had given him and gave it to Frodo as they sat in a ravine by the base of the Mountain of Doom, in Mordor. Digging in his bag he found a piece of dried fruit and a small slip of cured meat. He poured a small amount of water in a cup and shared it between the two of them. Frodo ate slowly and when he finished he told Sam he needed to sleep. But in the barren land it was going to be hard to find. They slunk under a curtain of brambles that hung down like a mat over a low rock-face. Before Sam could pull out a blanket, Frodo was sound to sleep.
Sam crawled out from the bambles and saw the brightest stars that he could ever remembering seeing. They were beautiful and picturesque in the blacken sky of Mordor. As he stood before the starlit sky his thought went back to Rosie as he envisioned her running through the green hills of the Shire laughing and singing. He saw flowers in her hair and thick meadow grasses. He saw the party tree with all the hobbits dancing and clapping their hands. Their warm faces and bright-eyed smiles gave Sam the last bit of his courage to go on another day climbing the mountain and then into the fiery cave to destroy the ring.
Sam lowered his weary eyes back to the dismal barren ground on which he stood and slunk back down behind the brambles. Laying down next to Frodo and went to sleep.