Mistress-Samwise: Yay. I'm back. But I can't keep updating this often for long, I hope you know. Tomorrow, I'm going to my high school's adventure games club, so I'm happy that I'll be with fellow nerds, geeks, and, yes, even Ringers. HUZZAH! ^o^ One of you asked why Frodo was wet, and the answer is because he was just in the Brandywine (in case you don't know, this story kicks off right after a flashback that was in "Window To His Soul" in the chapter "Blood and Tears") Anywho, here's the next chapter. I'll try to write more chapters, okay? *crawls over to bedroom and falls asleep on bed* Zzzzzzzzzzz…

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            "Frodo … We brought your cousin Bilbo over… Maybe you might like to talk with him instead?"

            Frodo laid there with his face in his pillow. If anyone were in the room with him, they would immediately notice how pathetic he really looked.

            "Oh, just go away," Frodo said, muffled. He was in too much of a funk to tell who was actually speaking to him.

            "Frodo-lad?" a more older and kindly voice spoke from behind the door. "This is your cousin Bilbo. Will you let me in?"

            Frodo sat up, his hair all over the place. He growled and began to run his fingers through the tangles.

            "Fine then— Ow! Bloody…" He sucked in his breath and then sneezed. "I guess you can come in— Ow! Wouldn't hurt— OW! Son of a—"

            He was about to finish his statement when Bilbo walked in.

            "Yes, Frodo? What was that you were going to say?"

            Frodo blanched.

            "Oh, nothing…" he said, forcing his fingers through a particularly tough snag. Bilbo sighed.

            "Why don't you use a brush like a normal hobbit?"

            Bilbo handed the hobbitlad the brush from off of the dresser. Frodo quickly grabbed it from his cousin's grasp, turned around to face the wall and attempted to brush his nappy hair.

            "Don't you turn your back on me, Frodo Baggins," Bilbo stated firmly. "I was warned of your state the instant I got here and I am prepared for the worst."

            "Hah hah hah." Frodo jeered callously. Bilbo frowned.

            "I know you're angry, but this is just ridiculous—"

            Frodo cringed.

            " 'Ridiculous'…? 'Ridiculous'!?" Frodo yelled, narrowing his eyes. "I'll tell you what 'ridiculous' is! It's ridiculous to sit here and listen to all of you trying to make me feel better! 'Oh, poor little Frodo! How very sad and unfortunate he is!' The most 'sad and unfortunate' thing to happen to any of you is a spilled glass of milk! None of you have even begun to comprehend the 'sadness and misfortune' of what I had to experience back there in the river!"

            Now Bilbo was fed up.

            "For your information, young man, I saw one of my best friends die right in front of me, in case you haven't forgotten."

            Frodo found himself in quite a predicament. He had forgotten about the fact that Bilbo had witnessed a certain dwarf lord's death. Now Frodo lost his cousin's blind sympathy, but, then again, he never really had it to begin with.

            "I'm sorry, Bilbo…" Frodo murmured, hanging his head in shame. "I'm sorry for yelling at you…"

            Bilbo smiled warmly.

            "I understand, Frodo, my lad."

            "Well… You're the only one I know who does."

            "You can't expect everyone to. Hardly anybody goes through what we had to."

            Frodo sighed and fell back onto his pillow, but not before hitting his head on the headboard.

            "Ow!" He rubbed his scalp. "See, Bilbo? Something bad is always happening to me!"

            "It may seem like that, especially around these times. But it'll pass."

            "I sure hope so…"

            "That is, of course, if you let it."

            "Hmm… Right…"

            Frodo fell silent, his mind wandering off.

            "Well, my lad… Whenever you're ready, I'll be outside, alright?"

            Frodo nodded his head. His cousin always knew what to say, no matter how much he didn't want to hear it.

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Mistress-Samwise: I'm gonna go and do junk right now. Tah. *wanders off aimlessly*