Chapter 8
"Enter The Pirate"
"Frodo.... Wake up!" Sam whispered hoarsely in Frodo's ear. He sat up slowly rubbing his eyes.
"What is it, Sam?"
"I've got to go to work,"
"Work? What time is it," Frodo said groggily.
"It can't be past two," he said. Frodo looked out the window- the moon was high in the sky.
"What kind of work could you possibly need to do at two in the morning?" Frodo said frankly. Sam grinned.
"One of my sheriffs just caught a notorious criminal!" He said excitedly, his eyes gleamed. " And I, as the Mayor've got to go down to the Prison and write up the papers." Frodo Sat up and looked hard at Sam.
"Who is he?" Sam looked around as if he didnt want anyone to hear- a perfectly ridiculous thing to do considering it was two in the morning and they were in the Master bedroom.
"Well, he's one them corsairs-that sail around in big ships steal'n and kill'n people." Frodo's curiosity was roused.
"Pirates...I've read about them..." he said quietly. He was remembering reading many tales from Bilbo's books of lore about the Corsairs of Umbar.
"Well, it's not everyday you get to meet a pirate. I'll come with you."
Frodo dressed quickly and they soon met in the main hall. From there they headed for the stables and got two ponies ready- it would be an hour or two ride from Hobbiton to the Michel Delving where The Prison was located- they packed some of the leftovers from dinner to keep them company.
The night was cool crisp and the stars shone brightly. They had no trouble finding their way as the Road was lit up very nicely by the round moon. They talked and laughed heedlessly. It felt like the first time they had ever been on the road together. The memory of the Shadow seemed far away and they even sang songs together like they used to.
Two hours passed and they reached Micheal Delving. The prison was a tiny brick building standing in the middle of a grove of trees. It was extremely unthreatening- in fact Frodo thought it rather homely. There were blue shutters that matched the blue door and picked up the lovely white daisies growing in the window boxes. "Sam's doing," Frodo thought. Sam unlocked the door with a large set of iron keys and pushed it open. They heard a clamor inside and looked at each other anxiously. They stepped inside and Sam lit a lamp. He pointed in the direction of the cells (or cell as it should be said). They crept noiselessly to the door leading to the cell room. They met each other's eyes. Sam took a deep breath and flung open the door. Everything appeared normal. The pirate was passed out on the straw floor of his cell. His legs extended crossing his mud caked boots. His hat covered his face.
"A sparrow in a cage," Sam mused, but then the lamp on his desk caught his eye. It wasn't how he left it- it was lit. They walked cautiously to the desk. He ripped open the bottom drawer of his desk and let out a cry.
"I was sav'n that!" he reached down and plucked out a half eaten apple tart. The pirate sat up on his elbows tipping his hat back.
"Give my regards to the cook," Sam's face grew red with fury. The pirate looked at Frodo
"They don't make prison food the way they used to." Frodo was shocked to find a smile trying to creep up his face but was luckily interrupted by Sam's outburst.
"And I'd like to know how you got out of that cell in the first place!" Sam said approaching the cell door and shaking his fist.
"Oh now, don't get testy, it was a little stale." He stood up. "What do you want- something to wash it down!" Sam shouted. Frodo stood by perplexed.
"Well yes, actually, a little rum would do the trick," the pirate said swaying back and forth. Sam turned away steamed and muttered "looks like it has already." He walked back to the desk, wiped away the mud and crumbs, and motioned to Frodo to join him. Frodo took a seat beside Sam on a barrel (hobbits keep a good pantry even in a prison) as he began rustling all sorts of important looking papers around. They were full of important sounding words like "hitherto" and "Sire" and were bedecked with glittering seals with the initials "S.G." scribbled beside them. Frodo looked up to check on the pirate's whereabouts. He had slunk back down onto the ground with his back against the brick wall. He was muttering a broken song. Frodo caught the first couple words before the pirate seemed to doze off:
With Elvish Eyes I long to look at thee,
Your hair, like wisps of foaming sea.
Never has, nor will there be,
Someone who is fairer to me.
"Why do we make things so." Sam said suddenly in a fit of frustration.
"Complicated?" Frodo finished.
"Yeah, complicated. this will take hours, I'm sorry I made you come, Mr. Frodo."
"Not at all, Sam," Frodo said half-listening, but instead imagining Sam there all alone with an escaped pirate. Frodo couldn't figure out why the pirate hadn't run off- he could obviously open the door.
"Sam, what's going to be done with him?" Frodo asked and watched to judge the pirate's response but he didn't move.
"A message is to be sent to King Aragorn, to send guards to transport said criminal to the city of Gondor to await trial," Sam read off one of his papers.
"You have to involve the King in such a small matter? Whe have our own court," but Frodo smiled even before he finished his sentence as he remembered that the "court" was the adjacent room.
"We do," Sam said.
"But seems Mr. Sparrow here has made himself quite known in Gondor- if you take my meaning."
"Sparrow?" Frodo said alarmed.
"You don't mean Jack Sparrow?" Frodo asked Sam.
"Captain, if you please," the pirate said from under his hat.
"He's also been named The Scoundrel, The Rogue and the elves've deemed him The Dark One!" Sam added anticipating Frodo's enthusiasm. Frodo didn't seem to hear him. He rushed up to the cell door and leaned on it with both hands like a child at the zoo.
"You mean to tell me you're the same Captain Jack Sparrow I've read about in all the great sea stories?"
"One and the same, mate." Jack stood up and seemed to measure Frodo with his dark eyes.
"But let's say we do this right, even though were not gentlemen- me being a pirate and you a- uh-,"
"Hobbit," Frodo put it.
"Right," He stuck his hand through the bars.
"Captain Jack Sparrow of The Xandiar, professional plunderer, murderer, looter-,"
"and overall good-for-nothing!" Sam shouted from the desk.
"oh no," Jack said slyly. "I'm very good, at lots of things."
"Frodo Baggins," Frodo gulped and shook his hand. It was a strong hand with leather tied to the palm to facilitate the tugging of the numerous ropes involved with a ship. On his index finger was a ring with a green stone that still managed to shine through the layer of filth it had acquired.
"Frodo Baggins," Jack repeated.
" That wouldn't be the same-," he said suddenly grasping Frodo's hand and turning it over to examine it. His eyes grew keen when he saw the horrid scare running like a ring around Frodo's middle finger. He released him right as Frodo became anxious.
"lovely to meet you, Mr. Baggins," He smiled revealing two gold teeth. "I Do whish it was under better circumstances." Frodo pulled the barrel from Sam's desk over to the cell.
"Tell me, Captain Sparrow, of your travels- er ventures?" Sam looked up from his work and cast a grizzly look in Frodo's direction.
"What does he want to talk to pirates for?" He thought.
"Well," said Jack " I'm not much of a story tell when me mouth be so dry."
"Oh of course!" and Frodo grabbed the empty mug off of Sam's desk and popped the cork of the barrel he was sitting on. He thrust the foaming ale into the cell to expectant fingers. Jack took a long gulp and sighed.
"Not bad, for little people that is,"
"hobbits, we prefer hobbits," Frodo said.
"right right," Jack swished his hands in front of Frodo's face.
"So, me ventures- I had just finished a run to Tol Eressea when these little people," he held up his hands
"Apologies, HOBBITS, arrested me for 'looking like a Corsair'," He said in an injured tone and added "Which of course, I am." Frodo looked at him bewildered by his slurred speech and constant fluttering of his hands.
"Did you say Tol Eressea?" Frodo exclaimed coming out of Jack's spell.
"Then it's true- the tales are true! You're Earendil's Heir, the only other mortal man to find the Undying City!"
"They have the best swag," he said matter-of-factly. Frodo looked at him with a mix of awe and disgust.
"Then you've seen Mt. Taniqetil, Halls of Mandos. You've seen The Ring of Doom where the Valar hold council and pass their judgements."
"Far too closely," he leaned closer to the bars and whispered.
"But I can tell you've seen it too," Frodo was glued to Jack's eyes which seemed to dance from side to side.
"In dreams," he answered breathlessly. Jack backed away and began to walk the perimeter of his cell.
"I'm not the only one with wide spread tales, Mr. Baggins, and I know one more thing- I know you've seen Her." Frodo stood up. He walked to the cell door and grasped the bars.
"Elbereth." He said as though he could see Her veils blowing in the wind. Sam looked up from his papers. Jack walked toward Frodo.
"I prefer to do the stealing," he slurred the words.
"But what she took from me I can't ever get back" His eyes narrowed.
"That's why I've named Her Xandiar in the tongue of Harad."
"What does it mean?" Frodo said entranced.
"That sounds like that old hobbit word 'zandyar"- or female pig!" Sam laughed.
"No- this is Xandiar. X-A-N-D-I-A-R. Very ancient word of the people of Harad and it means-," He looked at Frodo. "Stealer of Hearts." Jack staggered backward and then leaned in closer to Frodo.
"I traversed the Seas till I found the Straight Road, that I might look into Her face again." He looked past Frodo and gestured with his hand as if he was touching a woman's invisible cheek.
"But what of the laws? No mortal can enter Valinor!" Jack looked at Frodo keenly.
"They let you in."
"I had special circumstances.," Frodo said
"But you! You came to steal!"
"The word is plunder, and plunder I did," His smile flashed gold.
"I want to show you my prize from The Undying City," He said and pulled back his long black hair to reveal a string of blue jewels on which a sliver flower was strung.
"You got t'look closely, mate." Frodo peered at the sliver flower and slowly he began to see the likeness of Elbereth emerge. Frodo gasped at its sheer beauty and looked up at him almost jealous. He smiled.
"She gave that to you?" Jack burst into laughter.
"Of course not! I'm a corsair, remember? But she caught me, being all- powerful. But when she told me that I had broken the laws of Valinor I told her that she was to blame." Frodo's jaw dropped.
"She and the Powers that be had hidden her away from me- so I had no choice but to steal from her, as she stole from me." His voice was quiet and forlorn. Frodo could tell he was lying.
"What did she say?" He asked smuggly.
"She had me sent to the Circle of Doom," Jack said "So that judgement might be passed on me," Jack laughed. Even though in his mind Frodo told himself that this was just some concoction of the pirates own making he felt his stomach drop at the thought of the Valar assembled around the him.
"How are you still alive?"
"Frodo, Frodo.," Jack raised his hands.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." His dark eyes twinkled.
"That don't explain what happened," Sam interjected who had apparently gotten swept away from his work by Jack's story.
"My dear Mayor, I thought you didn't like corsairs?" he said with a flitter of his wrist.
"I don't, and I wished Mr. Frodo didn't neither." Jack looked from Sam to Frodo who seem to pay no heed whatsoever to Sam's comment.
"Go on," Frodo said. Sam scowled and Jack threw him an apologetic look.
"What happened?" Frodo said anxiously.
"I'm afraid that's as far as one mug of cheep ale will take me, Mr. Baggins," Frodo looked at him, the sliver pendant of Elbereth glittering under his dark raggedy hair.
"That's enough for me," Sam said slamming shut a large book and standing up.
"come on, Mr. Frodo, you've had a long day," He abruptly took hold of Frodo's arm and led him toward the door and away from the pirate.
"And don't try anything else Mr. Sparrow as I've set two of my sheriffs outside," Sam said over his shoulder. Jack only smiled an appreciative grin, raised his hands palm-to-palm as a gesture of thanks and watched as the hobbits disappeared behind the door.
" And now for the rest of that tart."
"Enter The Pirate"
"Frodo.... Wake up!" Sam whispered hoarsely in Frodo's ear. He sat up slowly rubbing his eyes.
"What is it, Sam?"
"I've got to go to work,"
"Work? What time is it," Frodo said groggily.
"It can't be past two," he said. Frodo looked out the window- the moon was high in the sky.
"What kind of work could you possibly need to do at two in the morning?" Frodo said frankly. Sam grinned.
"One of my sheriffs just caught a notorious criminal!" He said excitedly, his eyes gleamed. " And I, as the Mayor've got to go down to the Prison and write up the papers." Frodo Sat up and looked hard at Sam.
"Who is he?" Sam looked around as if he didnt want anyone to hear- a perfectly ridiculous thing to do considering it was two in the morning and they were in the Master bedroom.
"Well, he's one them corsairs-that sail around in big ships steal'n and kill'n people." Frodo's curiosity was roused.
"Pirates...I've read about them..." he said quietly. He was remembering reading many tales from Bilbo's books of lore about the Corsairs of Umbar.
"Well, it's not everyday you get to meet a pirate. I'll come with you."
Frodo dressed quickly and they soon met in the main hall. From there they headed for the stables and got two ponies ready- it would be an hour or two ride from Hobbiton to the Michel Delving where The Prison was located- they packed some of the leftovers from dinner to keep them company.
The night was cool crisp and the stars shone brightly. They had no trouble finding their way as the Road was lit up very nicely by the round moon. They talked and laughed heedlessly. It felt like the first time they had ever been on the road together. The memory of the Shadow seemed far away and they even sang songs together like they used to.
Two hours passed and they reached Micheal Delving. The prison was a tiny brick building standing in the middle of a grove of trees. It was extremely unthreatening- in fact Frodo thought it rather homely. There were blue shutters that matched the blue door and picked up the lovely white daisies growing in the window boxes. "Sam's doing," Frodo thought. Sam unlocked the door with a large set of iron keys and pushed it open. They heard a clamor inside and looked at each other anxiously. They stepped inside and Sam lit a lamp. He pointed in the direction of the cells (or cell as it should be said). They crept noiselessly to the door leading to the cell room. They met each other's eyes. Sam took a deep breath and flung open the door. Everything appeared normal. The pirate was passed out on the straw floor of his cell. His legs extended crossing his mud caked boots. His hat covered his face.
"A sparrow in a cage," Sam mused, but then the lamp on his desk caught his eye. It wasn't how he left it- it was lit. They walked cautiously to the desk. He ripped open the bottom drawer of his desk and let out a cry.
"I was sav'n that!" he reached down and plucked out a half eaten apple tart. The pirate sat up on his elbows tipping his hat back.
"Give my regards to the cook," Sam's face grew red with fury. The pirate looked at Frodo
"They don't make prison food the way they used to." Frodo was shocked to find a smile trying to creep up his face but was luckily interrupted by Sam's outburst.
"And I'd like to know how you got out of that cell in the first place!" Sam said approaching the cell door and shaking his fist.
"Oh now, don't get testy, it was a little stale." He stood up. "What do you want- something to wash it down!" Sam shouted. Frodo stood by perplexed.
"Well yes, actually, a little rum would do the trick," the pirate said swaying back and forth. Sam turned away steamed and muttered "looks like it has already." He walked back to the desk, wiped away the mud and crumbs, and motioned to Frodo to join him. Frodo took a seat beside Sam on a barrel (hobbits keep a good pantry even in a prison) as he began rustling all sorts of important looking papers around. They were full of important sounding words like "hitherto" and "Sire" and were bedecked with glittering seals with the initials "S.G." scribbled beside them. Frodo looked up to check on the pirate's whereabouts. He had slunk back down onto the ground with his back against the brick wall. He was muttering a broken song. Frodo caught the first couple words before the pirate seemed to doze off:
With Elvish Eyes I long to look at thee,
Your hair, like wisps of foaming sea.
Never has, nor will there be,
Someone who is fairer to me.
"Why do we make things so." Sam said suddenly in a fit of frustration.
"Complicated?" Frodo finished.
"Yeah, complicated. this will take hours, I'm sorry I made you come, Mr. Frodo."
"Not at all, Sam," Frodo said half-listening, but instead imagining Sam there all alone with an escaped pirate. Frodo couldn't figure out why the pirate hadn't run off- he could obviously open the door.
"Sam, what's going to be done with him?" Frodo asked and watched to judge the pirate's response but he didn't move.
"A message is to be sent to King Aragorn, to send guards to transport said criminal to the city of Gondor to await trial," Sam read off one of his papers.
"You have to involve the King in such a small matter? Whe have our own court," but Frodo smiled even before he finished his sentence as he remembered that the "court" was the adjacent room.
"We do," Sam said.
"But seems Mr. Sparrow here has made himself quite known in Gondor- if you take my meaning."
"Sparrow?" Frodo said alarmed.
"You don't mean Jack Sparrow?" Frodo asked Sam.
"Captain, if you please," the pirate said from under his hat.
"He's also been named The Scoundrel, The Rogue and the elves've deemed him The Dark One!" Sam added anticipating Frodo's enthusiasm. Frodo didn't seem to hear him. He rushed up to the cell door and leaned on it with both hands like a child at the zoo.
"You mean to tell me you're the same Captain Jack Sparrow I've read about in all the great sea stories?"
"One and the same, mate." Jack stood up and seemed to measure Frodo with his dark eyes.
"But let's say we do this right, even though were not gentlemen- me being a pirate and you a- uh-,"
"Hobbit," Frodo put it.
"Right," He stuck his hand through the bars.
"Captain Jack Sparrow of The Xandiar, professional plunderer, murderer, looter-,"
"and overall good-for-nothing!" Sam shouted from the desk.
"oh no," Jack said slyly. "I'm very good, at lots of things."
"Frodo Baggins," Frodo gulped and shook his hand. It was a strong hand with leather tied to the palm to facilitate the tugging of the numerous ropes involved with a ship. On his index finger was a ring with a green stone that still managed to shine through the layer of filth it had acquired.
"Frodo Baggins," Jack repeated.
" That wouldn't be the same-," he said suddenly grasping Frodo's hand and turning it over to examine it. His eyes grew keen when he saw the horrid scare running like a ring around Frodo's middle finger. He released him right as Frodo became anxious.
"lovely to meet you, Mr. Baggins," He smiled revealing two gold teeth. "I Do whish it was under better circumstances." Frodo pulled the barrel from Sam's desk over to the cell.
"Tell me, Captain Sparrow, of your travels- er ventures?" Sam looked up from his work and cast a grizzly look in Frodo's direction.
"What does he want to talk to pirates for?" He thought.
"Well," said Jack " I'm not much of a story tell when me mouth be so dry."
"Oh of course!" and Frodo grabbed the empty mug off of Sam's desk and popped the cork of the barrel he was sitting on. He thrust the foaming ale into the cell to expectant fingers. Jack took a long gulp and sighed.
"Not bad, for little people that is,"
"hobbits, we prefer hobbits," Frodo said.
"right right," Jack swished his hands in front of Frodo's face.
"So, me ventures- I had just finished a run to Tol Eressea when these little people," he held up his hands
"Apologies, HOBBITS, arrested me for 'looking like a Corsair'," He said in an injured tone and added "Which of course, I am." Frodo looked at him bewildered by his slurred speech and constant fluttering of his hands.
"Did you say Tol Eressea?" Frodo exclaimed coming out of Jack's spell.
"Then it's true- the tales are true! You're Earendil's Heir, the only other mortal man to find the Undying City!"
"They have the best swag," he said matter-of-factly. Frodo looked at him with a mix of awe and disgust.
"Then you've seen Mt. Taniqetil, Halls of Mandos. You've seen The Ring of Doom where the Valar hold council and pass their judgements."
"Far too closely," he leaned closer to the bars and whispered.
"But I can tell you've seen it too," Frodo was glued to Jack's eyes which seemed to dance from side to side.
"In dreams," he answered breathlessly. Jack backed away and began to walk the perimeter of his cell.
"I'm not the only one with wide spread tales, Mr. Baggins, and I know one more thing- I know you've seen Her." Frodo stood up. He walked to the cell door and grasped the bars.
"Elbereth." He said as though he could see Her veils blowing in the wind. Sam looked up from his papers. Jack walked toward Frodo.
"I prefer to do the stealing," he slurred the words.
"But what she took from me I can't ever get back" His eyes narrowed.
"That's why I've named Her Xandiar in the tongue of Harad."
"What does it mean?" Frodo said entranced.
"That sounds like that old hobbit word 'zandyar"- or female pig!" Sam laughed.
"No- this is Xandiar. X-A-N-D-I-A-R. Very ancient word of the people of Harad and it means-," He looked at Frodo. "Stealer of Hearts." Jack staggered backward and then leaned in closer to Frodo.
"I traversed the Seas till I found the Straight Road, that I might look into Her face again." He looked past Frodo and gestured with his hand as if he was touching a woman's invisible cheek.
"But what of the laws? No mortal can enter Valinor!" Jack looked at Frodo keenly.
"They let you in."
"I had special circumstances.," Frodo said
"But you! You came to steal!"
"The word is plunder, and plunder I did," His smile flashed gold.
"I want to show you my prize from The Undying City," He said and pulled back his long black hair to reveal a string of blue jewels on which a sliver flower was strung.
"You got t'look closely, mate." Frodo peered at the sliver flower and slowly he began to see the likeness of Elbereth emerge. Frodo gasped at its sheer beauty and looked up at him almost jealous. He smiled.
"She gave that to you?" Jack burst into laughter.
"Of course not! I'm a corsair, remember? But she caught me, being all- powerful. But when she told me that I had broken the laws of Valinor I told her that she was to blame." Frodo's jaw dropped.
"She and the Powers that be had hidden her away from me- so I had no choice but to steal from her, as she stole from me." His voice was quiet and forlorn. Frodo could tell he was lying.
"What did she say?" He asked smuggly.
"She had me sent to the Circle of Doom," Jack said "So that judgement might be passed on me," Jack laughed. Even though in his mind Frodo told himself that this was just some concoction of the pirates own making he felt his stomach drop at the thought of the Valar assembled around the him.
"How are you still alive?"
"Frodo, Frodo.," Jack raised his hands.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." His dark eyes twinkled.
"That don't explain what happened," Sam interjected who had apparently gotten swept away from his work by Jack's story.
"My dear Mayor, I thought you didn't like corsairs?" he said with a flitter of his wrist.
"I don't, and I wished Mr. Frodo didn't neither." Jack looked from Sam to Frodo who seem to pay no heed whatsoever to Sam's comment.
"Go on," Frodo said. Sam scowled and Jack threw him an apologetic look.
"What happened?" Frodo said anxiously.
"I'm afraid that's as far as one mug of cheep ale will take me, Mr. Baggins," Frodo looked at him, the sliver pendant of Elbereth glittering under his dark raggedy hair.
"That's enough for me," Sam said slamming shut a large book and standing up.
"come on, Mr. Frodo, you've had a long day," He abruptly took hold of Frodo's arm and led him toward the door and away from the pirate.
"And don't try anything else Mr. Sparrow as I've set two of my sheriffs outside," Sam said over his shoulder. Jack only smiled an appreciative grin, raised his hands palm-to-palm as a gesture of thanks and watched as the hobbits disappeared behind the door.
" And now for the rest of that tart."