Chapter 25
Seeing Her Again
Frodo saw Sam standing alone by the barred gates on the Bridge. He worried how Sam was taking all this. He approached him as Sam slowly turned around. Frodo could see the pain and worry etched on his face. "Sam whatever has happened, I promise together we will change it back. We have not come back from the very gates of Mordor and faced all that we have to see our homeland taken over. We must find out who has done all of this."
Sam nodded as Frodo wrapped his arms around his dearest friend.
The four hobbits mounted their ponies as they eagerly rushed on down the dirt road wanting to get to Hobbiton as soon as they were able, but it was forty miles from the bridge.
Everywhere they looked there were fires burning in the distance and the black smoked clouded the eastern skies.
All along the road they saw destruction from the constant moving of wagons in and out of the Shire. The green grassy meadow was trampled down and runts deep in its soil from the wagon wheels. Sam kept his eyes straining forward to see what was over the very next hill.
On they traveled quickening their pace. They rarely stopped to eat or rest. By the time the sun began to set they finally pulled into Frogmorton, but stopped as the road was barred. The shirriffs told them they were under an arrest, which only cause the four to laugh openly at them, so Frodo told them that they could follow them if they so wished.
The shirriffs offered their house so they all could get some sleep and head out at morning light.
The next morning they mounted their ponies again, but kept the same pace as they did the day before. After thirteen more miles and little to no rest, the shirriffs could no longer keep up with them and they soon out distance them.
As the four hobbits were getting close to Bywater, Sam spotted a small thin child sitting by the edge of the road crying. Sam pulled his pony to a halt and jumped down to see if he could help her.
Her curly light brown hair was in knots and her small thin face was filthy. Even her eyes looked bigger than what was natural for a hobbit. Sam picked up the little girl into his lap and comforted her while asking what was wrong. "I'm hungry," she said.
"When was the last time you have eaten?" Sam asked her.
"Three days ago," she answered.
Sam wrapped his strong arms around her to comfort her as Frodo grabbed his bag and took out the last of the Lembas. He broke a corner off and gave it to Sam to feed the girl. When Sam looked up at Frodo, Frodo could clearly see the tears were running down his face. "Who ever has done this will surely pay," said Sam as he stroked the little girls hair as he held her in his arms.
"Where is your home little one?" Sam asked gently to the little starved girl.
"Bagshot Row, but they burned it. We live in the streets now," she said.
Sam's eyes shot up towards Frodos as shock registered a crossed his face. Sam could barely take a breath. Panic seized him, as he had to ask the little girl, "Do you know Hamfast Gamgee?"
"Yes," she said.
"Where is he?"
"The big men took him away and I've not seen him any more," she said.
Sam kissed the little girl on top of her head and gave her the Lembas as he stood to face Frodo. "We've come too late, Mr. Frodo. I have to find him."
"Yes, Sam. We will save Bag End until the last. Let us go to Bywater now, perhaps he is there," Frodo told Sam.
"There will be trouble I'll wager meeting us in Bywater?" said Merry.
"If Lotho thinks he is going to get away with all of this, he'll have another thing to think about," said Pippin.
"It is not all Lotho's fault. The ruffians have taken over and Lotho is their prisoner. We must try to free him," said Frodo.
The four hobbits got on their ponies and rushed into Bywater. The streets were empty as they slowed their ponies to a walk. As they past the Green Dragon there were no candles burning in its window, nor no window to speak of since someone had busted them all out. There at the end of the building were ruffians who stopped them from traveling any further.
The ruffian thinking them common hobbits soon fled as the four hobbits pulled their swords and prepared to fight them.
"Well I had enough of all of this!" snarled Merry. "They'll be coming for us soon. We must rouse the hobbits and stop all of this here and now!"
"Good!" shouted Pippin, "Let me ride to Tuckborough and bring Tooks here!"
Frodo nodded and Pippin took off in a flash.
"I'll rouse the Cotton's they have some stout sturdy lads, and I have to find the Gaffer. I have to know he is all right," said Sam.
"Then go Sam, but rush now. Time is short," said Frodo. Merry blew his horn of Rohan and it echoed loud in the night air.
Further down the road Sam caught a glimpse of Jolly Cotton and his brothers carrying pitch forks while Mr. Cotton followed them from behind.
~*~
Sharky took a bottle of a green potion and he carefully opened it. Pouring just a small amount into a small glass of ale, it bubbled and fizzed turning the ale black. Sharky stirred it as the color began to fade.
He called to one of his ruffians to come in, "Bring Ted Sandyman to me," ordered Sharky.
Within moments Ted stood before Sharky. "Sit here and have a drink with me."
Ted sat down at the table and looked at the glass of ale sitting on the table. His mouth watered, as they had not had anything to drink all day. "I am willing to free you. If you tell me about the hobbits of Tuckborough, then all of this will be forgotten," said Sharky.
"Had a run in with them, I'm guessing," said Ted Sandyman as he picked up the drink and drank it down with a few gulps. Sharky pointed to his ruffian and told him to refill his glass.
"If you are thinking about getting me drunk to loosen my tongue you are wrong," said Ted as he drank down another glass and wiped his mouth with he back of his sleeve. He noticed the ale tasted much smoother.
Sharky smiled as he watched the hobbit slowly fall into a trace. "Give me the name the Baggins of the Shire."
Groggily Ted said, "Lotho Sackville-Baggins."
"Where can I find this Lotho?" asked Sharky.
"In there," Ted pointed to vault where he and Pimple were locked up.
"Do you mean to say that Pimple is this Lotho Sackville-Baggins?" Sharky asked.
"Yes," said Ted.
"Good! Now go back and lock yourself up with Lotho Sackville-Baggins," Sharky told him.
Sharky poured another ale and mixed his potion in it. He called for Grima to come to him.
"Come my faithful servant and drink with me. We have much to celebrate. The leaf has brought great wealth, as did the ale. It seems the humans of Middle Earth can not get enough of the fine stuff. It will not be long now, Grima until I will rise to power again taking what Sauron could not. To the hobbits!' Sharky raised his glass and drank to the toast and so did Grima.
Ted sat on the floor as Lotho questioned him as what happened. When Ted told him everything he had asked, cold sweat poured from his brow as the door of the vault opened and Grima walked in and locked the door.
Hideous screams poured out of the vault as well as it echoed throughout the walls of Bag End.
~*~
Sam raced over to the Cotton's. "I am Sam, Samwise Gamgee. I've come back."
"Well!" Mr. Cotton exclaimed. "The voice is right and the face is no worse than it was, Sam. But I should a' passed you in the street in that gear. You've been in foreign parts, seemingly. We feared you were dead."
"That I ain't!" said Sam, "Nor Mr. Frodo, He's here and his friends. And that is the to-do. They're raising the Shire. We're going to clear out these ruffians and their chief too. We're stating now."
"Good, good!" cried Mr. Cotton, "So it's began at last! I've been itching for trouble all this year, but forks wouldn't help. And I've had the wife and Rosie to think of. These ruffians don't stick at nothing; But come on now, lads! Bywater is up! We must be in it!"
"What about Mrs. Cotton and Rosie, It's not safe them being left alone," said Sam.
"My Nibs is with them, you can go and help them if you a mind," said Mr. Cotton.
Sam climbed on his pony and he raced off towards the Cotton house.
Pulling his pony to an halt and saw them standing on the porch as Sam's eyes locked on Rosie for the first time in a year.
His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he strained to get a better look at her.
Sam raced up the stair and stood before Mrs. Cotton, "Good evening, Mrs. Cotton," said Sam and he turned slowly towards Rosie and as his eyes met hers his heart seemed to pound harder in the confines of his own chest.
Rosie looked mostly the same and could have picked her out from the crowd, still more beautiful than memory recalled. But he also noticed that Rosie was thinner and her eyes were red from crying. It tore at his heart wanting to hold her and comfort the pain that he saw within her eyes. But as he stood there looking at her, a sparkle beamed and her face lit with happiness and Sam could tell that in her face that she had missed him as much as he had her.
"Hullo, Rosie," said Sam then glancing toward Mrs. Cotton and knew he could do no more than just greet her properly.
"Hullo, Sam," her gentle voice echoed in his ear. "Where've you been? They said your were dead; but I've been excepting you since spring. You haven't hurried have you?" Rosie said as she tried to recover from crying thinking her world had ended as they heard horns blowing in the distance and thinking war was upon them. But here he was, standing in front of her just as she lost all hope that she would never again see him. Momentarily it angered her knowing all this time he was okay, and never a single word spoke of his disappearance. Just standing there, smiling at her. Little did he know how badly her heart was torn from missing him and all the pain she had suffered because of it.
"Perhaps not," said Sam shyly as he again glanced at Mrs. Cotton, almost wishing for one moment the woman would have a pot to stir or a floor to sweep. "But I am hurrying now. We are setting about the ruffians, and I've got to get back to Mr. Frodo. But I thought I would have a look and see how Mrs. Cotton was keeping, and you, Rosie."
"Well, be off with you!" Rosie snapped, "If you been looking after Mr. Frodo all this while, what d' you want to leave him for, as soon as things look dangerous?" Half from fear of pending danger of war and half because of all the pain from worrying about him, Rosie instantly regretted her sharp words as she saw it caused him pain.
Sam lower lip quivered as his mind wanted to blurt out his love for her and that he needed to know more than anything that she was safe before he could lift his sword to end this siege or die trying. He knew Rosie needed more than what he was able to tell her in a moment of time as it would have taken too long to explain. Sam turned and ran from the porch with his heart shattered and torn. Tears wanted to fall, but he must be brave now, bravery than he had to be in the Mountain of Doom because he was going to fight for Rosie, the Shire, and their home.
Sam jumped on his horse and pulled the reins and just as he was about to kick the pony onward, he saw Rosie running to him and he stopped....
A/N: I am so terrible to stop it here! But this is not the end just yet, Sam has a lot of things to do before he can finally tell her how much he loves her. Thank you so much for all the reviews and I promise to have the next chapter up promptly... Thank you WhiteDevil for your kind words.I am so glad you are still reading and enjoying this story.
Seeing Her Again
Frodo saw Sam standing alone by the barred gates on the Bridge. He worried how Sam was taking all this. He approached him as Sam slowly turned around. Frodo could see the pain and worry etched on his face. "Sam whatever has happened, I promise together we will change it back. We have not come back from the very gates of Mordor and faced all that we have to see our homeland taken over. We must find out who has done all of this."
Sam nodded as Frodo wrapped his arms around his dearest friend.
The four hobbits mounted their ponies as they eagerly rushed on down the dirt road wanting to get to Hobbiton as soon as they were able, but it was forty miles from the bridge.
Everywhere they looked there were fires burning in the distance and the black smoked clouded the eastern skies.
All along the road they saw destruction from the constant moving of wagons in and out of the Shire. The green grassy meadow was trampled down and runts deep in its soil from the wagon wheels. Sam kept his eyes straining forward to see what was over the very next hill.
On they traveled quickening their pace. They rarely stopped to eat or rest. By the time the sun began to set they finally pulled into Frogmorton, but stopped as the road was barred. The shirriffs told them they were under an arrest, which only cause the four to laugh openly at them, so Frodo told them that they could follow them if they so wished.
The shirriffs offered their house so they all could get some sleep and head out at morning light.
The next morning they mounted their ponies again, but kept the same pace as they did the day before. After thirteen more miles and little to no rest, the shirriffs could no longer keep up with them and they soon out distance them.
As the four hobbits were getting close to Bywater, Sam spotted a small thin child sitting by the edge of the road crying. Sam pulled his pony to a halt and jumped down to see if he could help her.
Her curly light brown hair was in knots and her small thin face was filthy. Even her eyes looked bigger than what was natural for a hobbit. Sam picked up the little girl into his lap and comforted her while asking what was wrong. "I'm hungry," she said.
"When was the last time you have eaten?" Sam asked her.
"Three days ago," she answered.
Sam wrapped his strong arms around her to comfort her as Frodo grabbed his bag and took out the last of the Lembas. He broke a corner off and gave it to Sam to feed the girl. When Sam looked up at Frodo, Frodo could clearly see the tears were running down his face. "Who ever has done this will surely pay," said Sam as he stroked the little girls hair as he held her in his arms.
"Where is your home little one?" Sam asked gently to the little starved girl.
"Bagshot Row, but they burned it. We live in the streets now," she said.
Sam's eyes shot up towards Frodos as shock registered a crossed his face. Sam could barely take a breath. Panic seized him, as he had to ask the little girl, "Do you know Hamfast Gamgee?"
"Yes," she said.
"Where is he?"
"The big men took him away and I've not seen him any more," she said.
Sam kissed the little girl on top of her head and gave her the Lembas as he stood to face Frodo. "We've come too late, Mr. Frodo. I have to find him."
"Yes, Sam. We will save Bag End until the last. Let us go to Bywater now, perhaps he is there," Frodo told Sam.
"There will be trouble I'll wager meeting us in Bywater?" said Merry.
"If Lotho thinks he is going to get away with all of this, he'll have another thing to think about," said Pippin.
"It is not all Lotho's fault. The ruffians have taken over and Lotho is their prisoner. We must try to free him," said Frodo.
The four hobbits got on their ponies and rushed into Bywater. The streets were empty as they slowed their ponies to a walk. As they past the Green Dragon there were no candles burning in its window, nor no window to speak of since someone had busted them all out. There at the end of the building were ruffians who stopped them from traveling any further.
The ruffian thinking them common hobbits soon fled as the four hobbits pulled their swords and prepared to fight them.
"Well I had enough of all of this!" snarled Merry. "They'll be coming for us soon. We must rouse the hobbits and stop all of this here and now!"
"Good!" shouted Pippin, "Let me ride to Tuckborough and bring Tooks here!"
Frodo nodded and Pippin took off in a flash.
"I'll rouse the Cotton's they have some stout sturdy lads, and I have to find the Gaffer. I have to know he is all right," said Sam.
"Then go Sam, but rush now. Time is short," said Frodo. Merry blew his horn of Rohan and it echoed loud in the night air.
Further down the road Sam caught a glimpse of Jolly Cotton and his brothers carrying pitch forks while Mr. Cotton followed them from behind.
~*~
Sharky took a bottle of a green potion and he carefully opened it. Pouring just a small amount into a small glass of ale, it bubbled and fizzed turning the ale black. Sharky stirred it as the color began to fade.
He called to one of his ruffians to come in, "Bring Ted Sandyman to me," ordered Sharky.
Within moments Ted stood before Sharky. "Sit here and have a drink with me."
Ted sat down at the table and looked at the glass of ale sitting on the table. His mouth watered, as they had not had anything to drink all day. "I am willing to free you. If you tell me about the hobbits of Tuckborough, then all of this will be forgotten," said Sharky.
"Had a run in with them, I'm guessing," said Ted Sandyman as he picked up the drink and drank it down with a few gulps. Sharky pointed to his ruffian and told him to refill his glass.
"If you are thinking about getting me drunk to loosen my tongue you are wrong," said Ted as he drank down another glass and wiped his mouth with he back of his sleeve. He noticed the ale tasted much smoother.
Sharky smiled as he watched the hobbit slowly fall into a trace. "Give me the name the Baggins of the Shire."
Groggily Ted said, "Lotho Sackville-Baggins."
"Where can I find this Lotho?" asked Sharky.
"In there," Ted pointed to vault where he and Pimple were locked up.
"Do you mean to say that Pimple is this Lotho Sackville-Baggins?" Sharky asked.
"Yes," said Ted.
"Good! Now go back and lock yourself up with Lotho Sackville-Baggins," Sharky told him.
Sharky poured another ale and mixed his potion in it. He called for Grima to come to him.
"Come my faithful servant and drink with me. We have much to celebrate. The leaf has brought great wealth, as did the ale. It seems the humans of Middle Earth can not get enough of the fine stuff. It will not be long now, Grima until I will rise to power again taking what Sauron could not. To the hobbits!' Sharky raised his glass and drank to the toast and so did Grima.
Ted sat on the floor as Lotho questioned him as what happened. When Ted told him everything he had asked, cold sweat poured from his brow as the door of the vault opened and Grima walked in and locked the door.
Hideous screams poured out of the vault as well as it echoed throughout the walls of Bag End.
~*~
Sam raced over to the Cotton's. "I am Sam, Samwise Gamgee. I've come back."
"Well!" Mr. Cotton exclaimed. "The voice is right and the face is no worse than it was, Sam. But I should a' passed you in the street in that gear. You've been in foreign parts, seemingly. We feared you were dead."
"That I ain't!" said Sam, "Nor Mr. Frodo, He's here and his friends. And that is the to-do. They're raising the Shire. We're going to clear out these ruffians and their chief too. We're stating now."
"Good, good!" cried Mr. Cotton, "So it's began at last! I've been itching for trouble all this year, but forks wouldn't help. And I've had the wife and Rosie to think of. These ruffians don't stick at nothing; But come on now, lads! Bywater is up! We must be in it!"
"What about Mrs. Cotton and Rosie, It's not safe them being left alone," said Sam.
"My Nibs is with them, you can go and help them if you a mind," said Mr. Cotton.
Sam climbed on his pony and he raced off towards the Cotton house.
Pulling his pony to an halt and saw them standing on the porch as Sam's eyes locked on Rosie for the first time in a year.
His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he strained to get a better look at her.
Sam raced up the stair and stood before Mrs. Cotton, "Good evening, Mrs. Cotton," said Sam and he turned slowly towards Rosie and as his eyes met hers his heart seemed to pound harder in the confines of his own chest.
Rosie looked mostly the same and could have picked her out from the crowd, still more beautiful than memory recalled. But he also noticed that Rosie was thinner and her eyes were red from crying. It tore at his heart wanting to hold her and comfort the pain that he saw within her eyes. But as he stood there looking at her, a sparkle beamed and her face lit with happiness and Sam could tell that in her face that she had missed him as much as he had her.
"Hullo, Rosie," said Sam then glancing toward Mrs. Cotton and knew he could do no more than just greet her properly.
"Hullo, Sam," her gentle voice echoed in his ear. "Where've you been? They said your were dead; but I've been excepting you since spring. You haven't hurried have you?" Rosie said as she tried to recover from crying thinking her world had ended as they heard horns blowing in the distance and thinking war was upon them. But here he was, standing in front of her just as she lost all hope that she would never again see him. Momentarily it angered her knowing all this time he was okay, and never a single word spoke of his disappearance. Just standing there, smiling at her. Little did he know how badly her heart was torn from missing him and all the pain she had suffered because of it.
"Perhaps not," said Sam shyly as he again glanced at Mrs. Cotton, almost wishing for one moment the woman would have a pot to stir or a floor to sweep. "But I am hurrying now. We are setting about the ruffians, and I've got to get back to Mr. Frodo. But I thought I would have a look and see how Mrs. Cotton was keeping, and you, Rosie."
"Well, be off with you!" Rosie snapped, "If you been looking after Mr. Frodo all this while, what d' you want to leave him for, as soon as things look dangerous?" Half from fear of pending danger of war and half because of all the pain from worrying about him, Rosie instantly regretted her sharp words as she saw it caused him pain.
Sam lower lip quivered as his mind wanted to blurt out his love for her and that he needed to know more than anything that she was safe before he could lift his sword to end this siege or die trying. He knew Rosie needed more than what he was able to tell her in a moment of time as it would have taken too long to explain. Sam turned and ran from the porch with his heart shattered and torn. Tears wanted to fall, but he must be brave now, bravery than he had to be in the Mountain of Doom because he was going to fight for Rosie, the Shire, and their home.
Sam jumped on his horse and pulled the reins and just as he was about to kick the pony onward, he saw Rosie running to him and he stopped....
A/N: I am so terrible to stop it here! But this is not the end just yet, Sam has a lot of things to do before he can finally tell her how much he loves her. Thank you so much for all the reviews and I promise to have the next chapter up promptly... Thank you WhiteDevil for your kind words.I am so glad you are still reading and enjoying this story.