Chapter 3---All Who Wander Are Not Lost (But Most Are)
Sorry about some grammatical and spelling errors in the last chapter, I was kind of rushed before I posted it, and my MSWord was all screwy. :P Bilbo didn't put his head in his hands twice, obviously. ;)
As always, reviews and thoughts more than welcome. ^^
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frodo had been wandering and exploring for hours at his leisure, although he didn't realize it. He had given up chasing the butterfly long ago, and was simply enjoying the lush scenery that surrounded him. It wasn't until the sun began to set that he came out of his dreamy trance and got his bearings.
"Oh, dear," he thought to himself, "I don't know where...where am I? I can't see Bilbo anymore...What have I done?" Frodo began to chew his nails madly, as he sat down and tried to think of a plan.
"What should I do? Face it Frodo Baggins, you're lost. Bilbo is nowhere to be seen; you have no food, nowhere to sleep, nothing familiar in sight!" He sighed, slumping to the ground.
"Not to mention, these dreadful flowers are everywhere!" He sniffled in frustration, trying to find a patch of grass not covered in blooms. Sighing, he resigned to the shelter of a large oak, as he tried to keep his eyes open.
"I've been walking all day, mmmm, so dreadfully tired; a little nap won't hurt. What have I got to lose..." Before he knew it, the tiny lad was curled up in a ball, asleep. Frodo snored gently as the sun went down, unbeknownst to his frantically searching Uncle.
**********************************************************
"Goldie, look at these! They'll be perfect for the stew," Sam Gamgee said happily, running along in the fields with his younger sister Marigold. They were collecting herbs and vegetables for their mother, Bell.
As they slowed to a stroll and walked along the thin dirt path, Goldie suddenly let out a yelp.
"What is it, Goldie?" Sam asked. He couldn't see anything from where he was standing, and was quite confused.
"It's--its--look, Sam!" Goldie's chubby finger pointed and waved madly at the spot in the distance.
As the more logical of the two, Sam thought Goldie could possibly be letting her imagination run away with her, even though it was something he tended to do as well. But he knew that his sister's fantasies did not usually consist of things that would cause her to be scared, so he decided to take a closer look. Leading Goldie by the hand, Sam walked over to the area she seemed so excited about.
"See here, see, Sam? It's a body!" Marigold cried when they got close enough, jumping around nervously. Sam gasped.
"Do you think it's---," she began, but Sam shook his head, ruffling Goldie's amber curls.
"Of course, not, you silly duck. He, she, whoever it is, is just deep asleep. I think..." Sam walked gingerly forward, as until now he and Goldie had been keeping their distance. The figure was now clearly visible as a living, sleeping Hobbit, and the two siblings breathed a collective sigh of relief. As they got even closer, Sam was astounded. This was the palest Hobbit lad he had ever seen, with skin like alabaster. His hair was dark brown, and messy, with various leaves and blades of grass in it that stuck out at odd angles. Even asleep, Sam noticed he seemed unusual, almost Elvish looking (he imagined).
Goldie, who had calmed down and was now in a take charge mood, ignored her brother's protests and poked the sleeping lad with a long stick.
"Goldie, don't! You'll hurt him!" Sam groaned, head in his hands. She just shrugged.
"He's still asleep. It didn't even stir him," she mused. "Our talkin' isn't waking him up either. Maybe we should shout in his ear." She giggled madly, and Sam couldn't help but laugh as well. Her suggestions were needless however, because right at that moment the sleeping lad opened his eyes and looked around blearily.
"Oh," he yawned, "what, what's going on? Where am I?" He thought for a minute, his mind still fuzzy with sleep. Then he remembered.
"Bilbo," he thought. "I must find Bilbo. I remember now. We were on a hike, and I wandered off. Well, I'm still lost, and I don't know what to do...The last I remember, I was taking a short nap..." Frodo's brain then fully jolted awake. "I've slept for hours!" He then turned, and noticed the two young Hobbits staring curiously at him.
"H--hello there. I didn't notice you there, I'm so terribly sorry. Please forgive me," Frodo said shyly. "My name is Frodo Baggins, and I suppose you're wondering why I'm under this tree.
***************************************************************
In a few minutes, the Gamgees and the young Baggins were properly introduced. Sam was still in awe of the unusual lad, and let Goldie do most of the talking. She was delighted to discover that Frodo now lived at Bag End with Bilbo, as she had taken an immediate liking to him. Sam was surprised at how friendly and cheerful he was, and felt warm and happy in his presence. After formalities were aside, Frodo informed Goldie and Sam of his predicament.
"Oh, we can help you, Mr. Frodo!" Goldie exclaimed. We know the way back to Bag End from here, isn't that right, Sam?" She questioned her older brother, who nodded and blushed.
"Thank you so very much Miss Gamgee," Frodo said happily, kissing her on the hand. Goldie giggled.
"Bilbo must be worried sick. And I confess, I was too," he sighed as the three Hobbits walked along towards Hobbiton. "But thanks to you two, I think it will be all right now," Frodo smiled broadly, reviling a tiny gap between his teeth. "I only hope my Uncle is not too angry."
Sam decided to speak up. He hardly knew Frodo, but innately wanted to put his worries at ease.
"Mr. Bilbo won't be a bit mad sir. He always talks about you, and when he does he seems so happy. I'm sure he's only glad you're all right. You comin' to Bag End was all he could talk about for weeks!"
"Thank you, Samwise, I think you're right. I feel much better." Frodo said quietly, squeezing the boy's hand, as Goldie skipped along happily. Sam beamed and puffed out his chest in pride, which caused Frodo to laugh, a soft, melodious sound that Sam realized he wanted to hear often.
"Um..." he began feeling suddenly shy; "Beggin' your pardon, Mr. Frodo, but you can call me Sam. All my friends do." He stared at the ground and shuffled his curl-topped feet.
"Sam," Frodo replied, "I would love to be your friend, if you would have me." He smiled at Sam who laughed and nodded.
"What about me?" Goldie teased. Frodo ruffled her hair.
"And you as well Marigold Gamgee." Goldie smiled, and continued her work of picking flowers and putting them in the wicker basket she carried.
Frodo suddenly let out a loud sneeze, which caused Goldie and Sam to jump about a foot in the air. He sniffed, and laughed.
"These dratted allergies..." Frodo muttered, looking for a handkerchief and coming up short. "Bilbo wouldn't be happy about that!" He laughed to himself.
Sam handed him a woven linen handkerchief, suddenly embarrassed that he did not have something nicer. Frodo was such a respectable Hobbit, and was probably used to pocket-handkerchiefs of silk, at the least. He let out a tiny, inaudible sigh. "Bless you, Mr. Frodo," He said politely.
"Thank you, Sam," Frodo replied, blowing his thin, pointed nose.
"Are you ill, Mr. Frodo?" Goldie asked with concern, and he shook his head.
"I'm simply allergic to everything it seems." Frodo made a face, and Goldie laughed. By this time the trio had reached Hobbiton and were nearing Bag End. As soon as Frodo came in sight of the green door, he ran wildly past the Gamgees and knocked on the door. Bilbo answered it, and Frodo embraced his uncle tightly.
"Oh, Uncle, I'm so sorry. I got lost, and, I didn't mean to..." Bilbo simply shushed Frodo, and rubbed his back soothingly.
"It's all right, silme. We have time for explanations later. I'm just so, so relieved you're all right, my boy. I was..."
"...worried sick?" Frodo finished for him, and Bilbo chuckled despite himself. He hugged his nephew tighter, and neither let go for a long time.
Sorry about some grammatical and spelling errors in the last chapter, I was kind of rushed before I posted it, and my MSWord was all screwy. :P Bilbo didn't put his head in his hands twice, obviously. ;)
As always, reviews and thoughts more than welcome. ^^
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frodo had been wandering and exploring for hours at his leisure, although he didn't realize it. He had given up chasing the butterfly long ago, and was simply enjoying the lush scenery that surrounded him. It wasn't until the sun began to set that he came out of his dreamy trance and got his bearings.
"Oh, dear," he thought to himself, "I don't know where...where am I? I can't see Bilbo anymore...What have I done?" Frodo began to chew his nails madly, as he sat down and tried to think of a plan.
"What should I do? Face it Frodo Baggins, you're lost. Bilbo is nowhere to be seen; you have no food, nowhere to sleep, nothing familiar in sight!" He sighed, slumping to the ground.
"Not to mention, these dreadful flowers are everywhere!" He sniffled in frustration, trying to find a patch of grass not covered in blooms. Sighing, he resigned to the shelter of a large oak, as he tried to keep his eyes open.
"I've been walking all day, mmmm, so dreadfully tired; a little nap won't hurt. What have I got to lose..." Before he knew it, the tiny lad was curled up in a ball, asleep. Frodo snored gently as the sun went down, unbeknownst to his frantically searching Uncle.
**********************************************************
"Goldie, look at these! They'll be perfect for the stew," Sam Gamgee said happily, running along in the fields with his younger sister Marigold. They were collecting herbs and vegetables for their mother, Bell.
As they slowed to a stroll and walked along the thin dirt path, Goldie suddenly let out a yelp.
"What is it, Goldie?" Sam asked. He couldn't see anything from where he was standing, and was quite confused.
"It's--its--look, Sam!" Goldie's chubby finger pointed and waved madly at the spot in the distance.
As the more logical of the two, Sam thought Goldie could possibly be letting her imagination run away with her, even though it was something he tended to do as well. But he knew that his sister's fantasies did not usually consist of things that would cause her to be scared, so he decided to take a closer look. Leading Goldie by the hand, Sam walked over to the area she seemed so excited about.
"See here, see, Sam? It's a body!" Marigold cried when they got close enough, jumping around nervously. Sam gasped.
"Do you think it's---," she began, but Sam shook his head, ruffling Goldie's amber curls.
"Of course, not, you silly duck. He, she, whoever it is, is just deep asleep. I think..." Sam walked gingerly forward, as until now he and Goldie had been keeping their distance. The figure was now clearly visible as a living, sleeping Hobbit, and the two siblings breathed a collective sigh of relief. As they got even closer, Sam was astounded. This was the palest Hobbit lad he had ever seen, with skin like alabaster. His hair was dark brown, and messy, with various leaves and blades of grass in it that stuck out at odd angles. Even asleep, Sam noticed he seemed unusual, almost Elvish looking (he imagined).
Goldie, who had calmed down and was now in a take charge mood, ignored her brother's protests and poked the sleeping lad with a long stick.
"Goldie, don't! You'll hurt him!" Sam groaned, head in his hands. She just shrugged.
"He's still asleep. It didn't even stir him," she mused. "Our talkin' isn't waking him up either. Maybe we should shout in his ear." She giggled madly, and Sam couldn't help but laugh as well. Her suggestions were needless however, because right at that moment the sleeping lad opened his eyes and looked around blearily.
"Oh," he yawned, "what, what's going on? Where am I?" He thought for a minute, his mind still fuzzy with sleep. Then he remembered.
"Bilbo," he thought. "I must find Bilbo. I remember now. We were on a hike, and I wandered off. Well, I'm still lost, and I don't know what to do...The last I remember, I was taking a short nap..." Frodo's brain then fully jolted awake. "I've slept for hours!" He then turned, and noticed the two young Hobbits staring curiously at him.
"H--hello there. I didn't notice you there, I'm so terribly sorry. Please forgive me," Frodo said shyly. "My name is Frodo Baggins, and I suppose you're wondering why I'm under this tree.
***************************************************************
In a few minutes, the Gamgees and the young Baggins were properly introduced. Sam was still in awe of the unusual lad, and let Goldie do most of the talking. She was delighted to discover that Frodo now lived at Bag End with Bilbo, as she had taken an immediate liking to him. Sam was surprised at how friendly and cheerful he was, and felt warm and happy in his presence. After formalities were aside, Frodo informed Goldie and Sam of his predicament.
"Oh, we can help you, Mr. Frodo!" Goldie exclaimed. We know the way back to Bag End from here, isn't that right, Sam?" She questioned her older brother, who nodded and blushed.
"Thank you so very much Miss Gamgee," Frodo said happily, kissing her on the hand. Goldie giggled.
"Bilbo must be worried sick. And I confess, I was too," he sighed as the three Hobbits walked along towards Hobbiton. "But thanks to you two, I think it will be all right now," Frodo smiled broadly, reviling a tiny gap between his teeth. "I only hope my Uncle is not too angry."
Sam decided to speak up. He hardly knew Frodo, but innately wanted to put his worries at ease.
"Mr. Bilbo won't be a bit mad sir. He always talks about you, and when he does he seems so happy. I'm sure he's only glad you're all right. You comin' to Bag End was all he could talk about for weeks!"
"Thank you, Samwise, I think you're right. I feel much better." Frodo said quietly, squeezing the boy's hand, as Goldie skipped along happily. Sam beamed and puffed out his chest in pride, which caused Frodo to laugh, a soft, melodious sound that Sam realized he wanted to hear often.
"Um..." he began feeling suddenly shy; "Beggin' your pardon, Mr. Frodo, but you can call me Sam. All my friends do." He stared at the ground and shuffled his curl-topped feet.
"Sam," Frodo replied, "I would love to be your friend, if you would have me." He smiled at Sam who laughed and nodded.
"What about me?" Goldie teased. Frodo ruffled her hair.
"And you as well Marigold Gamgee." Goldie smiled, and continued her work of picking flowers and putting them in the wicker basket she carried.
Frodo suddenly let out a loud sneeze, which caused Goldie and Sam to jump about a foot in the air. He sniffed, and laughed.
"These dratted allergies..." Frodo muttered, looking for a handkerchief and coming up short. "Bilbo wouldn't be happy about that!" He laughed to himself.
Sam handed him a woven linen handkerchief, suddenly embarrassed that he did not have something nicer. Frodo was such a respectable Hobbit, and was probably used to pocket-handkerchiefs of silk, at the least. He let out a tiny, inaudible sigh. "Bless you, Mr. Frodo," He said politely.
"Thank you, Sam," Frodo replied, blowing his thin, pointed nose.
"Are you ill, Mr. Frodo?" Goldie asked with concern, and he shook his head.
"I'm simply allergic to everything it seems." Frodo made a face, and Goldie laughed. By this time the trio had reached Hobbiton and were nearing Bag End. As soon as Frodo came in sight of the green door, he ran wildly past the Gamgees and knocked on the door. Bilbo answered it, and Frodo embraced his uncle tightly.
"Oh, Uncle, I'm so sorry. I got lost, and, I didn't mean to..." Bilbo simply shushed Frodo, and rubbed his back soothingly.
"It's all right, silme. We have time for explanations later. I'm just so, so relieved you're all right, my boy. I was..."
"...worried sick?" Frodo finished for him, and Bilbo chuckled despite himself. He hugged his nephew tighter, and neither let go for a long time.