Chapter Six---Going Home, Leaving Home
Mid-May arrived in the Shire with clear blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and two things that were golden and blanketed the sky. One was the late spring sun, illuminating the bright skies and dappling the faces of the lads and lasses playing under it. The other was the cause of the confinement of one of their own, as he sat inside, staring out the window sadly at his bane; the sheets and sheets of bright yellow pollen coating the sky.
All of Hobbiton was abuzz in expecting an amazing crop of flowers and shrubs in the spring still to come. For some unfathomable reason, the flora and fauna were sprouting like wildfire that year, literally covering the bright green grass of the Shire with a variety of colorful, fragrant blooms. No one had ever seen anything like it before, but all were thrilled at the beautiful developments, enjoying them while they could.
All except one. Frodo Baggins continued to stare out the round window of Bag End, watching Sam and the Cotton boys run and shout in the distance. Bilbo, returning from a jaunt of writing in his room, sat down beside the boy and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Frodo sniffled, and looked up. "It's not fair, Uncle Bilbo. Why--why do we..." his tiny shoulders shook a little and Bilbo sighed. It was so hard for him, being the only lad who couldn't romp and play outside with the others.
"My lad, I know it's hard for you, but we must do it. Unless you want to spend the whole spring indoors?" Frodo shook his head and smiled a little. Bilbo referred to his idea of the two Bagginses staying in Brandy Hall for the remainder of the season. Frodo's allergies had gotten so bad that he literally could not go outside at all, anymore. As a result, Bilbo had asked Esme and Saradoc if he and Frodo could stay at the Hall until the end of spring. They all agreed a few months with the milder scenery by the marsh would do him no end of good.
But none of this cheered him up a bit. "I'm going to miss Sam so much. and Goldie, and Fatty...but, I suppose, I will get to see Merry. I do miss him so," Frodo thought to himself, and tried to cheer up, for Bilbo's sake.
"I suppose it won't be so bad," he whispered. Bilbo gazed at his nephew sadly, and the two got up to pack their bags for Buckland.
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"Now, be careful, my lad," Bilbo cautioned, as Frodo stood on the threshold of Bag End. "If you have any trouble breathing, we'll go straight to the nearest shady spot and rest for a bit, all right? Frodo nodded, smiling. "Thank you for letting me say goodbye to Sam. I'll miss him so much when we're away...but I know it's best, and I am very excited to Merry, Auntie Esme, and Uncle Saradoc again!" He laughed. Bilbo grinned. "That's the spirit, lad. Are you ready to go?" Frodo nodded, and the two Bagginses set off for Number Three.
In the first few minutes of their walk to Bagshot Row, Frodo had practically keeled over. Bilbo rubbed his back through a coughing and sneezing fit, and whispered, "We could always go back, my boy." Frodo adamantly shook his head.
"Do Bilbo," he answered stuffily. "By want bo say goobye to Sabm. Ib I dob't now, I bight not hab a chance to later." Bilbo sighed, and shook his head, but they continued on.
"That old Baggins stubbornness," he thought to himself.
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Sam heard a knock on the door and ran from the table to open it. He had been helping his mother make a particularly delicious stew for supper, and sneaking taters here and there for himself. "Thank you, love," Bell called from the kitchen, stirring the broth.
Sam gasped at sight of Frodo, looking more exhausted and miserable than he had ever seen. He held a handkerchief over his nose and mouth and his eyes were red-rimmed, bloodshot, and watery. When he removed it Sam could see his pointed nose was bright red as well, and rubbed raw. He coughed, and Sam spoke.
"Mr. Frodo! Are you all right? What happened?" Bell came rushing to the door, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
"My goodness, Mr. Frodo! What a sight you are! Come inside, come inside!" She beckoned to Frodo and Bilbo, before either of them could speak. Bell brought Frodo as glass of water, and as he drank appreciatively, Bilbo began to explain.
"We came to say goodbye, Bell. Frodo and I are going to spend the rest of the spring in Buckland, where it will be easier on his health." Bilbo sighed, as if he was unhappy at the prospect.
"You're...leaving?" Sam cut in, brown eyes wide and sad. "But, but you'll miss everything! Mid-year's day! May's birthday! The Free Fair! And I'll miss you!" He finished, beginning to cry. Frodo looked as if he would as well.
"Ib's nobt so bad Sam," he said, sniffling. "I'bll come back for the Free Fair, I probise." Bilbo nodded in agreement. "It will be summer before you know it, Sam. Then we'll be in Hobbiton for the rest of the year." He tried to cheer up Sam, but the boy continued to cry, and Bilbo felt overwhelmed. Luckily, Bell cut in.
"Now, now, Sam. Don't make it worse for Frodo than it already is," she said gently. "It's what's best for him, in the long run. He wouldn't even be able to come outdoors with you, if he stayed." Sam wiped his eyes, and looked up slowly. "Oh, Mr. Frodo, I'll just miss you so much. But I don't want you to be sick..." Sam sighed, and gave Frodo a hug, curling up in his lap sadly. Frodo cried softly into the smaller boy's golden brown curls. Bilbo and Bell just looked on sadly, and left the two alone for the time being to say their goodbyes.
"Bell," Bilbo said, "it goes without saying that I'll still bay Hamfast his wages for the time we're gone." She nodded. "I just hope your poor lad feels better soon." Bilbo had a queer look on his face, as if he was thinking.
"Bell..." he finally said. "I love Frodo as of he was my own. But sometimes...I'm afraid...his health is so frail. It's so difficult at times... I just don't know what I'd ever do if I lost him. If something happened to him...I've never looked after a child before, Bell. I've never been good with them. But Frodo, he's different. He's the only Baggins that's ever shown any spirit. I couldn't bear it if I wasn't doing a...a good job." Bell had been listening intently the whole time, and felt it was her time to say something.
"Mr. Bilbo, I'll be honest with you, sir, beggin' your pardon. I have six healthy, happy children, and taking care of them has been my greatest joy. You could say I know the ups and downs of parenting lads and lasses pretty well." She jumped slightly at the sound of something breaking upstairs, obviously the doing of one of her oldest, or both. Bilbo couldn't help but chuckle.
"I've watched you care for your Frodo, and I must say you have my greatest respect. That lad is a special one, indeed. One of the smartest I've ever met, for his age. Sometimes he seems...he's not ment for this world. More like an elf than a Hobbit. But let me tell you something, sir. That boy loves you more than anything. You're all he has. Try not to dwell on the future. Enjoy every moment you have with him. Mr. Frodo is a precious gift, Mr. Bilbo. To all of us. Bell patted his hand, and Bilbo smiled as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "And don't forget, you can always come to me if you need anything for him. Goodness knows I've been through every ailment imaginable with my six." Bilbo laughed. "Thank you, Bell," he said quietly.
"Anytime, Mr. Bilbo. Anytime." She smiled warmly.
The two older hobbits looked over to the lads, who had dried their tears, and were laughing at something together. The color had returned to Frodo's cheeks, and from the sound of it, his stuffy head had cleared up quite a bit. Bilbo silently breathed a sigh of relief. "At least the poor lad is feeling a bit better," he thought to himself.
When it was finally time to say their goodbyes, Sam rushed to Frodo and hugged him tightly. The older lad tried hard not to start crying again.
"Tell Goldie and the others goodbye for me, all right?" Sam nodded sadly. "Oh, Sam," Frodo said, equally forlorn, 'It will be July before you know it, and we'll be back for the rest of the year...so, chin up." Frodo tried hard to take his own advice. Embracing once more, tightly, they parted, smiling sadly at each other, nut brown eyes on sky blue.
Meanwhile, Bilbo explained to Bell that they planned to borrow a cart from Farmer Cotton to get to Buckland. She sharply shook her head.
"Now, Mr. Bilbo, that just won't do, having the lad walk all that way with his condition. I'll just lend you our cart and cart horse. We got her from Farmer Maggot, so you'll have to return her on the way back." Bilbo thought about refusing, but realized she had a point, and in a few minutes the cart was ready. While waiting outside, Frodo had begun to cough again, and Sam was trying to get him to breathe easier.
"There, Mr. Frodo. Just breathe slowly, that's it." Sam cringed as Frodo breathed in a mouthful of pollen and coughed even harder. Miserably, he covered his mouth and nose with a hanky again.
Soon it was time for Frodo and Bilbo to go, and the lad waved goodbye to Sam until he could no longer see him. Sighing, he closed his eyes against his Uncle's shoulder as the cart headed down the long dirt road, and fell asleep, his breathing wheezy. Bilbo kissed his dark curly head and looked at the road ahead, as he made their way to Brandy Hall.
Mid-May arrived in the Shire with clear blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and two things that were golden and blanketed the sky. One was the late spring sun, illuminating the bright skies and dappling the faces of the lads and lasses playing under it. The other was the cause of the confinement of one of their own, as he sat inside, staring out the window sadly at his bane; the sheets and sheets of bright yellow pollen coating the sky.
All of Hobbiton was abuzz in expecting an amazing crop of flowers and shrubs in the spring still to come. For some unfathomable reason, the flora and fauna were sprouting like wildfire that year, literally covering the bright green grass of the Shire with a variety of colorful, fragrant blooms. No one had ever seen anything like it before, but all were thrilled at the beautiful developments, enjoying them while they could.
All except one. Frodo Baggins continued to stare out the round window of Bag End, watching Sam and the Cotton boys run and shout in the distance. Bilbo, returning from a jaunt of writing in his room, sat down beside the boy and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Frodo sniffled, and looked up. "It's not fair, Uncle Bilbo. Why--why do we..." his tiny shoulders shook a little and Bilbo sighed. It was so hard for him, being the only lad who couldn't romp and play outside with the others.
"My lad, I know it's hard for you, but we must do it. Unless you want to spend the whole spring indoors?" Frodo shook his head and smiled a little. Bilbo referred to his idea of the two Bagginses staying in Brandy Hall for the remainder of the season. Frodo's allergies had gotten so bad that he literally could not go outside at all, anymore. As a result, Bilbo had asked Esme and Saradoc if he and Frodo could stay at the Hall until the end of spring. They all agreed a few months with the milder scenery by the marsh would do him no end of good.
But none of this cheered him up a bit. "I'm going to miss Sam so much. and Goldie, and Fatty...but, I suppose, I will get to see Merry. I do miss him so," Frodo thought to himself, and tried to cheer up, for Bilbo's sake.
"I suppose it won't be so bad," he whispered. Bilbo gazed at his nephew sadly, and the two got up to pack their bags for Buckland.
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"Now, be careful, my lad," Bilbo cautioned, as Frodo stood on the threshold of Bag End. "If you have any trouble breathing, we'll go straight to the nearest shady spot and rest for a bit, all right? Frodo nodded, smiling. "Thank you for letting me say goodbye to Sam. I'll miss him so much when we're away...but I know it's best, and I am very excited to Merry, Auntie Esme, and Uncle Saradoc again!" He laughed. Bilbo grinned. "That's the spirit, lad. Are you ready to go?" Frodo nodded, and the two Bagginses set off for Number Three.
In the first few minutes of their walk to Bagshot Row, Frodo had practically keeled over. Bilbo rubbed his back through a coughing and sneezing fit, and whispered, "We could always go back, my boy." Frodo adamantly shook his head.
"Do Bilbo," he answered stuffily. "By want bo say goobye to Sabm. Ib I dob't now, I bight not hab a chance to later." Bilbo sighed, and shook his head, but they continued on.
"That old Baggins stubbornness," he thought to himself.
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Sam heard a knock on the door and ran from the table to open it. He had been helping his mother make a particularly delicious stew for supper, and sneaking taters here and there for himself. "Thank you, love," Bell called from the kitchen, stirring the broth.
Sam gasped at sight of Frodo, looking more exhausted and miserable than he had ever seen. He held a handkerchief over his nose and mouth and his eyes were red-rimmed, bloodshot, and watery. When he removed it Sam could see his pointed nose was bright red as well, and rubbed raw. He coughed, and Sam spoke.
"Mr. Frodo! Are you all right? What happened?" Bell came rushing to the door, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
"My goodness, Mr. Frodo! What a sight you are! Come inside, come inside!" She beckoned to Frodo and Bilbo, before either of them could speak. Bell brought Frodo as glass of water, and as he drank appreciatively, Bilbo began to explain.
"We came to say goodbye, Bell. Frodo and I are going to spend the rest of the spring in Buckland, where it will be easier on his health." Bilbo sighed, as if he was unhappy at the prospect.
"You're...leaving?" Sam cut in, brown eyes wide and sad. "But, but you'll miss everything! Mid-year's day! May's birthday! The Free Fair! And I'll miss you!" He finished, beginning to cry. Frodo looked as if he would as well.
"Ib's nobt so bad Sam," he said, sniffling. "I'bll come back for the Free Fair, I probise." Bilbo nodded in agreement. "It will be summer before you know it, Sam. Then we'll be in Hobbiton for the rest of the year." He tried to cheer up Sam, but the boy continued to cry, and Bilbo felt overwhelmed. Luckily, Bell cut in.
"Now, now, Sam. Don't make it worse for Frodo than it already is," she said gently. "It's what's best for him, in the long run. He wouldn't even be able to come outdoors with you, if he stayed." Sam wiped his eyes, and looked up slowly. "Oh, Mr. Frodo, I'll just miss you so much. But I don't want you to be sick..." Sam sighed, and gave Frodo a hug, curling up in his lap sadly. Frodo cried softly into the smaller boy's golden brown curls. Bilbo and Bell just looked on sadly, and left the two alone for the time being to say their goodbyes.
"Bell," Bilbo said, "it goes without saying that I'll still bay Hamfast his wages for the time we're gone." She nodded. "I just hope your poor lad feels better soon." Bilbo had a queer look on his face, as if he was thinking.
"Bell..." he finally said. "I love Frodo as of he was my own. But sometimes...I'm afraid...his health is so frail. It's so difficult at times... I just don't know what I'd ever do if I lost him. If something happened to him...I've never looked after a child before, Bell. I've never been good with them. But Frodo, he's different. He's the only Baggins that's ever shown any spirit. I couldn't bear it if I wasn't doing a...a good job." Bell had been listening intently the whole time, and felt it was her time to say something.
"Mr. Bilbo, I'll be honest with you, sir, beggin' your pardon. I have six healthy, happy children, and taking care of them has been my greatest joy. You could say I know the ups and downs of parenting lads and lasses pretty well." She jumped slightly at the sound of something breaking upstairs, obviously the doing of one of her oldest, or both. Bilbo couldn't help but chuckle.
"I've watched you care for your Frodo, and I must say you have my greatest respect. That lad is a special one, indeed. One of the smartest I've ever met, for his age. Sometimes he seems...he's not ment for this world. More like an elf than a Hobbit. But let me tell you something, sir. That boy loves you more than anything. You're all he has. Try not to dwell on the future. Enjoy every moment you have with him. Mr. Frodo is a precious gift, Mr. Bilbo. To all of us. Bell patted his hand, and Bilbo smiled as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "And don't forget, you can always come to me if you need anything for him. Goodness knows I've been through every ailment imaginable with my six." Bilbo laughed. "Thank you, Bell," he said quietly.
"Anytime, Mr. Bilbo. Anytime." She smiled warmly.
The two older hobbits looked over to the lads, who had dried their tears, and were laughing at something together. The color had returned to Frodo's cheeks, and from the sound of it, his stuffy head had cleared up quite a bit. Bilbo silently breathed a sigh of relief. "At least the poor lad is feeling a bit better," he thought to himself.
When it was finally time to say their goodbyes, Sam rushed to Frodo and hugged him tightly. The older lad tried hard not to start crying again.
"Tell Goldie and the others goodbye for me, all right?" Sam nodded sadly. "Oh, Sam," Frodo said, equally forlorn, 'It will be July before you know it, and we'll be back for the rest of the year...so, chin up." Frodo tried hard to take his own advice. Embracing once more, tightly, they parted, smiling sadly at each other, nut brown eyes on sky blue.
Meanwhile, Bilbo explained to Bell that they planned to borrow a cart from Farmer Cotton to get to Buckland. She sharply shook her head.
"Now, Mr. Bilbo, that just won't do, having the lad walk all that way with his condition. I'll just lend you our cart and cart horse. We got her from Farmer Maggot, so you'll have to return her on the way back." Bilbo thought about refusing, but realized she had a point, and in a few minutes the cart was ready. While waiting outside, Frodo had begun to cough again, and Sam was trying to get him to breathe easier.
"There, Mr. Frodo. Just breathe slowly, that's it." Sam cringed as Frodo breathed in a mouthful of pollen and coughed even harder. Miserably, he covered his mouth and nose with a hanky again.
Soon it was time for Frodo and Bilbo to go, and the lad waved goodbye to Sam until he could no longer see him. Sighing, he closed his eyes against his Uncle's shoulder as the cart headed down the long dirt road, and fell asleep, his breathing wheezy. Bilbo kissed his dark curly head and looked at the road ahead, as he made their way to Brandy Hall.