*** I heartily apologize to my readers for the lack of update.
Unfortunately much had happened that prevented me from writing. So, let us
bypass the depressing and get on with it!
**
Oh you fools! You fools! Don't give in to fate This all we've got to fight for Rage, my darling, rage
****
" There is nothing to speak of." Sam flushed, picking up the shattered
pieces of pottery. "Begging you pardon about your teapot Mr. Frodo, I'll
do my best to replace it."
" Ignore the teapot Sam, it doesn't matter."
"Well then. I'd best be off, before I cause anymore inconvenience." Sam
muttered, turning away from his friend.
" Sam." Frodo pleaded quietly, "Please stay and speak with me. There are
many dark things in this world, and I hope your heart has not become one
of them."
"Aye." Sam nodded, sitting in the chair offered to him. He didn't speak,
and Frodo did not persuade him to. Sam sat sullenly in the silence. The
clear sounds of Hobbiton that came through the window seemed almost
vulgar next to the uneasy silence. Finally, unable to stand the
smothering silence, Sam spoke.
"She's betrothed."
" I know."
" To..Ted Sandyman." Sam grimaced, the word felt like poison on his lips.
"Yes."
" She didn't wait for me. She didn't care."
"How can't you stay that?" Frodo interrupted.
"She's betrothed." Sam repeated, as if it was all the explanation he
needed. " She's not mine."
" You're not being fair to her Sam."
" She is promised to another. It is not my place to be dear to her, what
with our history and all."
"And if he never returns? What then? Will you let her live alone until death and old age becomes her?" Frodo asked calmly, he studied Sam intently. Sam turned away from the piercing gaze of Frodo's sky eyes. He stood at the window and looked to the blooming Shire.
"For her," Sam whispered. "He will return."
**
The marshes were not even fit for a hog, Ted rallied in his mind. This
situation sickened him; he had gone from being one the most powerful
hobbits in The Shire to hiding in the nearby marshes.
Darkness was his only protection from his pursuers. With the overgrown
Meriadoc the so-called 'magnificent' and his lackey Perigrin on his tail,
there was no telling when the hunt would let up.
The smell of this hide out was overwhelmingly rotten. And there was
little food to speak of.
Whether it was his overweening pride, or the uncontrollable command of an
empty hobbit stomach; Ted Sandyman headed back to the Shire.
Hobbiton had certainly changed since his last appearance in the town.
Flowers and trees that had once been torn down were re-blooming.
Everything seemed fuller, brighter and livelier than before. He knew at
once he would be spotted, him in his grimy state among the cleanliness of
Hobbiton streets. He took the roads among the side of the houses and
bazaars, routes that few hobbits ever took. Keeping his face downcast and
pilfering clothes from a clothesline, he blended into the background.
Or at least he thought so until he was grabbed from behind.
**
"Well, well, well." Pippin said, keeping a firm hold on the squirming Ted Sandyman. He took distinct pride that though he was much younger than Ted; he certainly was stronger than the hobbit.
" Looks to me like a dirty traitor." Merry answered calmly. " Ready to take another trip Ted?"
Ted snarled, and tried his best to escape Pippin's iron grasp. All he succeeded in doing was tiring himself out and getting spittle all over. He narrowed his eyes at Merry's growing grin.
"Come now Ted. I've faced far worse than you, and seen much more frightening sights."
"Like Estella in a mood." Pippin interjected, grinning. Not even Merry the Magnificent could face up to Estella Bolger when she was riled up.
**
There was very little crime in Hobbiton, and as such the jail was almost always unoccupied. With the exception of the aftermath of the Battle of Bywater, it had rarely ever been used. Now, months after the scouring, after most of those that had participated in the defiling of the Shire had been tried and sentenced, the last of the ruffians was accounted for.
A grim Wil Whitefoot faced the prisoner behind the bars. Ted Sandyman scoffed at him and turned his back to the Mayor of Hobbiton. Wil supposed it meant that Ted still did not heed his rule.
" What should we do with him?" Wil asked the two hobbits that had dragged Ted in.
" I suppose, he will be sentenced with treason." Pippin said thoughtfully, recounting the trails. " But it should also be kept in mind that whereas the other hobbits faced their judgment Ted ran like a coward."
" Although," Merry sighed, " I would sincerely like exacting my revenge on this traitor, we must treat him like the rest of the others. Inquire to his family and friends, if he still has any, and if they will speak on his character, we will release him."
" He's going to be staying here a long time then." Said Pippin, taking a critical eye at Ted. "Because from what I hear, he has no intimate relations left on his side."
**
Pippin it seemed was right. The mere mention of his name apparently set doors being slammed. For the first time in his life, Ted could not weasel his way out of punishment. Using the last bit of dignity he had he asked for a visitation from Rosie Cotton.
" So it's true." She said quietly, standing a ways from his cell. "I had wondered."
"Look Rosie." Ted said desperately, " If you speak on my behalf, I promise you I'll release you of our contract. You can be free of me, and I can be free of this cell."
Rosie laughed bitterly at Ted's request. " What you fail to realize Ted, is that you have no more power over me. All I need to say is Mr. Merry and Pippin is that you had previously forced me into an engagement and you will never be out of your cell."
" You wouldn't would you Rosie?" Ted cajoled. " You're too good, too pure for that."
Rosie sighed loudly, and paced for a moment. " You would leave, and never return?"
"Never." Ted agreed instantly.
Rosie was silent, and she pondered the wisest course of action.
**
**
Oh you fools! You fools! Don't give in to fate This all we've got to fight for Rage, my darling, rage
****
" There is nothing to speak of." Sam flushed, picking up the shattered
pieces of pottery. "Begging you pardon about your teapot Mr. Frodo, I'll
do my best to replace it."
" Ignore the teapot Sam, it doesn't matter."
"Well then. I'd best be off, before I cause anymore inconvenience." Sam
muttered, turning away from his friend.
" Sam." Frodo pleaded quietly, "Please stay and speak with me. There are
many dark things in this world, and I hope your heart has not become one
of them."
"Aye." Sam nodded, sitting in the chair offered to him. He didn't speak,
and Frodo did not persuade him to. Sam sat sullenly in the silence. The
clear sounds of Hobbiton that came through the window seemed almost
vulgar next to the uneasy silence. Finally, unable to stand the
smothering silence, Sam spoke.
"She's betrothed."
" I know."
" To..Ted Sandyman." Sam grimaced, the word felt like poison on his lips.
"Yes."
" She didn't wait for me. She didn't care."
"How can't you stay that?" Frodo interrupted.
"She's betrothed." Sam repeated, as if it was all the explanation he
needed. " She's not mine."
" You're not being fair to her Sam."
" She is promised to another. It is not my place to be dear to her, what
with our history and all."
"And if he never returns? What then? Will you let her live alone until death and old age becomes her?" Frodo asked calmly, he studied Sam intently. Sam turned away from the piercing gaze of Frodo's sky eyes. He stood at the window and looked to the blooming Shire.
"For her," Sam whispered. "He will return."
**
The marshes were not even fit for a hog, Ted rallied in his mind. This
situation sickened him; he had gone from being one the most powerful
hobbits in The Shire to hiding in the nearby marshes.
Darkness was his only protection from his pursuers. With the overgrown
Meriadoc the so-called 'magnificent' and his lackey Perigrin on his tail,
there was no telling when the hunt would let up.
The smell of this hide out was overwhelmingly rotten. And there was
little food to speak of.
Whether it was his overweening pride, or the uncontrollable command of an
empty hobbit stomach; Ted Sandyman headed back to the Shire.
Hobbiton had certainly changed since his last appearance in the town.
Flowers and trees that had once been torn down were re-blooming.
Everything seemed fuller, brighter and livelier than before. He knew at
once he would be spotted, him in his grimy state among the cleanliness of
Hobbiton streets. He took the roads among the side of the houses and
bazaars, routes that few hobbits ever took. Keeping his face downcast and
pilfering clothes from a clothesline, he blended into the background.
Or at least he thought so until he was grabbed from behind.
**
"Well, well, well." Pippin said, keeping a firm hold on the squirming Ted Sandyman. He took distinct pride that though he was much younger than Ted; he certainly was stronger than the hobbit.
" Looks to me like a dirty traitor." Merry answered calmly. " Ready to take another trip Ted?"
Ted snarled, and tried his best to escape Pippin's iron grasp. All he succeeded in doing was tiring himself out and getting spittle all over. He narrowed his eyes at Merry's growing grin.
"Come now Ted. I've faced far worse than you, and seen much more frightening sights."
"Like Estella in a mood." Pippin interjected, grinning. Not even Merry the Magnificent could face up to Estella Bolger when she was riled up.
**
There was very little crime in Hobbiton, and as such the jail was almost always unoccupied. With the exception of the aftermath of the Battle of Bywater, it had rarely ever been used. Now, months after the scouring, after most of those that had participated in the defiling of the Shire had been tried and sentenced, the last of the ruffians was accounted for.
A grim Wil Whitefoot faced the prisoner behind the bars. Ted Sandyman scoffed at him and turned his back to the Mayor of Hobbiton. Wil supposed it meant that Ted still did not heed his rule.
" What should we do with him?" Wil asked the two hobbits that had dragged Ted in.
" I suppose, he will be sentenced with treason." Pippin said thoughtfully, recounting the trails. " But it should also be kept in mind that whereas the other hobbits faced their judgment Ted ran like a coward."
" Although," Merry sighed, " I would sincerely like exacting my revenge on this traitor, we must treat him like the rest of the others. Inquire to his family and friends, if he still has any, and if they will speak on his character, we will release him."
" He's going to be staying here a long time then." Said Pippin, taking a critical eye at Ted. "Because from what I hear, he has no intimate relations left on his side."
**
Pippin it seemed was right. The mere mention of his name apparently set doors being slammed. For the first time in his life, Ted could not weasel his way out of punishment. Using the last bit of dignity he had he asked for a visitation from Rosie Cotton.
" So it's true." She said quietly, standing a ways from his cell. "I had wondered."
"Look Rosie." Ted said desperately, " If you speak on my behalf, I promise you I'll release you of our contract. You can be free of me, and I can be free of this cell."
Rosie laughed bitterly at Ted's request. " What you fail to realize Ted, is that you have no more power over me. All I need to say is Mr. Merry and Pippin is that you had previously forced me into an engagement and you will never be out of your cell."
" You wouldn't would you Rosie?" Ted cajoled. " You're too good, too pure for that."
Rosie sighed loudly, and paced for a moment. " You would leave, and never return?"
"Never." Ted agreed instantly.
Rosie was silent, and she pondered the wisest course of action.
**
