Walk On

Part 4: The Hike

Dedication: I dedicate this part of the story to my copy of The Hobbit and my map of the Shire. Without them this chapter would not have been possible! =)

Also, has anyone seen the picture of Grima Wormtongue? That guy is hot! :D No, I am not insane…

Once Frodo had packed enough supplies for a day and night in the wild, he and Bilbo set out. Bilbo stopped to see The Gaffer, the gardener at Bag End, about the locking of Bag End during their absence.

When they reached the outskirts of Hobbitton it was nearing 11:00. Bilbo suggested that, since they were only going to be gone for a day and a night, they shouldn't go too far. He suggested that they journey to the Three Farthing Stone. Frodo readily agreed to this, since he had heard rumours that elves sometimes passed by, usually at night, on their way to the Havens to pass over to regions unbeknownst to Frodo.

The morning passed by in silence, mostly, although Bilbo was prone to make some comment every so often about something or other.

They stopped for second breakfast about half way to Bywater Pool. The meal was quite silent. Frodo nibbled on his food quietly, occasionally looking up to watch some birds fly by.

Just as they were packing up to leave and standing up to stretch themselves out, Bilbo suddenly laughed. Frodo looked up curiously.

"Well, Frodo my lad, I was just thinking that I passed by this very stone –." He pointed at a large stone sticking out of the ground not more than five feet in front of them. " – whilst running, without a handkerchief or hat, mind you, to the Green Dragon Inn to meet the dwarves."

Frodo grinned. They started to walk forward, and Bilbo continued with his story.

"I've told you that before of course, how I had to hurry out of Bag End so many years ago," he said. "That was so long ago, though, although sometimes it seems as if it was just yesterday." He sighed.

"I tripped over that stone," Bilbo said as they passed by it. "I've been careful to avoid it ever since, though I do not pass by here very often."

"Bilbo," Frodo said, "You have never told me fully the account of your adventure."

Bilbo looked back at him with an odd smile on his face. "Haven't I?"

"You always tell me that you shall tell me when I get older," said Frodo. "I should like to hear more of it."

"To be quite honest, Frodo, there is not much left to tell," Bilbo said. "I do not lie to you, and I tell you now that there is only one part I did not tell you about my journey."

"What is it?" asked Frodo. Then, it occurred to him. "Does this have anything to do with your dream?" He was falling behind Bilbo by this time, so he hurried to catch up to him.

"Why do you think that?" he asked casually. But Frodo could tell by his tone that the two were indeed related, so he pressed on.

"You said once that some parts of it would be too frightening for you to tell me," said Frodo. "You said this morning that you had a nightmare once. I suppose the two things were fresh in my mind, so I guessed that they were related. Am I right?"

"You are," said Bilbo, "although it was no more than a lucky guess. They are related, although the dream is about something I gained from that particular part of the journey. I suppose I can tell you the story. It's something that only one other got the full truth out of me about, I'm afraid." Then, almost to himself, he added, "It is precious to me."

"What is precious to you?" asked Frodo, who was by now very much intrigued. But Bilbo did not respond, and they fell into a long period of silence, each falling into their own reverie.

They did not stop until they had reached Bywater at noon. There they stopped for a light lunch at the Green Dragon Inn. (Bilbo pointed out where the dwarves were waiting for him on that day so long ago.) Frodo did not bring up the subject of the dream again, nor did Bilbo talk about it. They started out on the road again. They were walking at a slower pace by this time. Bilbo didn't seem to want to get to the stone very quickly. Frodo didn't mind, as he enjoyed quiet walks and he didn't get free from work at home very often to just walk. When he was outside he was usually working in the fields.

It was past teatime and nearing dinner when the Three Farthing Stone was in sight. "Bilbo, do you think we'll see elves?" Frodo asked excitedly.

"Perhaps," said Bilbo. "If they are on their way to Wood Hall. If they are on their way to the Havens to journey to the West then they generally travel more in the West Farthing."

"What is in the West?" asked Frodo. He had heard Bilbo talk many times about the Havens, elves journeying to the West, and Valinor; but he had no clue what it really was.

Bilbo laughed. "That is a tale to be told at another time, Frodo my dear boy. It is quite a long story."

They reached the stone and set up camp around it. There was a light wind, but the air was warm as it neared sunset. Bilbo started a fire to cook the dinner, and Frodo rolled out the blankets.

They ate a hearty meal of stewed herbs and potatoes. The Gaffer, Hamfast Gamgee, had prepared the potatoes especially for the hike. They were delicious.

The stars started to shine over dinner, and Bilbo pointed out some to Frodo. Some were named by the Hobbits, and others he pointed out were named by the elves.


"What is that star called?" asked Frodo, as he pointed to the brightest star in the sky.

"That is the Star of Earendil," said Bilbo, "named after Earendil the Mariner. It is the most beloved of all the stars to the elves."

Frodo looked up at the stars in wonder; he felt suddenly very insignificant and unimportant, being such a small person in such a big world.

"I suppose you are still itching to hear my story," said Bilbo finally. Frodo looked up eagerly. "I will start it, then, and hope that it will hold your interest, for it is a very long tale."

"You remember that I told you that after the company of dwarves and I entered the Misty Mountains, we were chased by Goblins out of the mountain. Well, I left out a rather important part, I'm afraid to say, and that is what I shall tell you tonight.

"Dori, as you'll remember, was carrying me out of the mountains. But I was dropped, and I fell a great distance, before I fell on a rock, and it hit my head, and I fell unconscious…"

Bilbo continued to talk, and Frodo listened, fascinated. He related to Frodo to finding of the Ring, in full detail, and it was the true story that Gandalf had forced out of him some years ago, not the falsified story that he had told the dwarves.

When he had finished the full story of the riddles in the dark and Gollum, Frodo asked, "It that what is precious to you? The Ring?"

"Yes," said Bilbo. "It is…very precious to me." A peculiar expression washed over his face, but then he suddenly laughed. "I have it with me, if you would like to see it." He drew out of his pocket a Ring. It was a plain, gold ring, and there appeared to be nothing special about it.

"I expected that there would be jewels and things all over it," said Frodo, "if it was so precious."

"Well," said Bilbo, "it is just one of my favourite treasures that I possess. It's useful, I daresay, when the Sackville-Bagginses come to visit." Frodo laughed. He leaned closer to Bilbo to get a closer look at the Ring, but Bilbo hastily put it back into his pocket.

"I think that we have told enough stories for the night," Bilbo said. "I think it would be best for you to go to bed, so you do not have another nightmare tonight."

"Wait a moment!" said Frodo. "What did your dream have to do with the finding of the Ring?"

Bilbo hesitated. Then, he said, "Well, it was the oddest thing. I dreamt, not too long ago, that I was old – very old – and that I no longer possessed the Ring. That scared me enough, it being a treasure of mine, but I dreamt that you had it."

"I had the Ring?"

"Yes," said Bilbo slowly, "you had the Ring. I was…well, it was odd. I saw you, and another hobbit. You were older. You were walking through a bleak, desolate land, and you were in pain. I felt as if I had caused you a great deal of pain, my dear boy, and that's something I never want you to feel."

"Oh, dear Bilbo," said Frodo gently. "I'm sure it was just a nightmare, like mine was. You could never cause me any pain, nor could some gold ring."

Bilbo shook his head. "No, it seemed so real." His voice trailed off, and he said nothing for some time. "I think that we should be getting to bed," he said at last.

Frodo crawled away from the fire and went to his sleeping bag. Bilbo followed soon after, and he kissed Frodo upon his forehead. "Goodnight, dear Frodo. I think we shall set off for home early tomorrow morning."

Frodo nodded, and he drifted off into a peaceful sleep. He was not disturbed by any nightmares this night, and for that he was very thankful.

_____________

They set off for home early the next morning. Bilbo was cheerful again; he forced a large breakfast down into Frodo's belly, telling him that they weren't going to stop for second breakfast since he wanted to reach home quickly.

They reached Bywater at noon, and after a hasty lunch, they set out on the road to home. They met the occasional farmer on the road, and they exchanged greeting.

When they reached the outskirts of Hobbitton, however, one farmer that they met had more than just greeting to exchange.

"Good day to you, Master Baggins," he said.

"And the same to you, Rufus Proudfoot," replied Bilbo.

"I just came from Hobbitton, sir, and it seems that there's a fellow lookin' for you, sir."

"Really?" asked Bilbo. "And do you know who this fellow is?"

"Well, me wife said that he's from up there in the North Farthing – queer folks up there, if you'll follow me. Well, he's looking for you, and for young Frodo, too. She said he was in a nasty mood when she met him."

Frodo felt his stomach turn to ice.

"He must mean that your cousin Griffo is here," said Bilbo. "How very odd. I thought that you were to stay for a fortnight, Frodo?" He glanced curiously at Frodo.

"I – I thought that I was," said Frodo.

"Well," said Rufus Proudfoot, "that's all I know about the matter. But I must be going, sir, to Bywater, so I hope that this Griffo fellow finds you."

"Thank you, Rufus," said Bilbo. Griffo nodded and led his carriage down the path. Bilbo turned back to Frodo and asked, "Do you have any idea as to why Griffo is here already?"

"I don't know," said Frodo. "He told me that he's pick me up in two weeks. I do not know why he is here so early."

"I hope that you don't have to leave," said Bilbo, "because you've only just arrived."

They headed toward the familiar landscape of Hobbitton, and Frodo dreaded each step that brought him closer to the town.

They came to Hobbitton within a few minutes, and Bag End was only a few minutes away. Frodo felt as he was going to be sick; just thinking of going back so early was making him feel horribly nervous.

Then, they reached the familiar gardens of Bag End. The Gaffer was weeding the front flowerbed, and he looked up as he heard the two approach.

"Master Baggins!" he said, "And Mr. Frodo too! Mr. Griffo Boffin was just here. He's waiting up by the front doorstep for you. He insisted upon being let inside. But I told 'im you'd be by shortly, but he insisted that he wait by Bag End."

"Thank you, Hamfast," said Bilbo. The Gaffer gave his the keys to Bag End, and they hurried up to the door of Bag End, and Frodo saw that Griffo was indeed waiting. He was angry, and that meant no good for Frodo.

"Where have you been?" he snarled at Frodo. "I told you that you were to be picked up today at ten o'clock sharp!" Frodo was flabbergasted at this. It was a flat out lie! He was about to say that, but Bilbo interrupted.

"It is not his fault," said Bilbo in alarm. "If there is any fault, it is mine."

"When did he tell you that he would be picked up?" Griffo said angrily.

"He told me in two weeks," said Bilbo.

"I should have warned you, Bilbo, that the boy is a liar and is not all that he seems," said Griffo.

"That's what you told me when you dropped me off!" Frodo put in desperately.


"That's a lie," Griffo snapped. He turned to face Frodo, and he shouted, "How dare you tell such lies, you no-good hindrance!" Then he reached out and slapped Frodo hard across the face.

Bilbo looked as if he was lost for words. He looked angry, indeed angrier than Frodo had ever seen him look before. Finally, he said firmly, without a trace of anger in his voice; "I do not think that was necessary, Griffo."

"It's all right, Bilbo," Frodo said calmly. "I was wrong."

"How were you wrong?" Bilbo cried. "What did you do that was wrong?"

"I do not think that you have any right to be debating this," said Griffo shortly. "You are not the boy's guardian – I am – and you had no right to be tramping off with him in the wild. I do not think that we will take him to visit you for a long time."

Frodo's mouth dropped open. "That's not fair!" he said.

"I think that it is," he said, "because you lied and he has shown that he cannot be a responsible guardian, even for two days. Go in and get your things. We're leaving."

Frodo stood there, dumbfounded. "It's not Bilbo's fault!" he shouted. His head was spinning in anger, and there were tears running down his face.

"I don't care whose fault it is!" he shouted. "I told you to go inside and get your things, so do it!"

Bilbo turned away from Griffo and unlocked the door for Frodo. Frodo stormed inside angrily and walked down the hallway to his room. He was so furious that he couldn't see straight. He gathered up his few possessions and went back outside. Bilbo and Griffo were arguing. He knew that Bilbo could do nothing, and that Frodo probably would not see him for a long time.

There were still tears running down Frodo's face when Griffo shouted that he was leaving. Bilbo gathered Frodo into a hug and kissed him on top of his head. He leaned down and whispered into his ear, "Frodo…Frodo…I'll come for you –" He was jerked away from Bilbo by the top of his head by Griffo, and he dragged him off to the gate of Bag End.

Bilbo stood on the steps of Bag End, at a loss for words. He did not know how he had missed it, because it was so plainly obvious to him now. There was something horribly wrong going on between Frodo and Griffo, and he did not know how to stop it.