Chapter 3: Of Extra Baggage
Frodo yawned and stumbled as he walked on the uneven ground. A strong pair of hands caught him before he met the ground and dusted him off gingerly. "Are you farin' well, Mr. Frodo? If you're tired, I can always go an' ask Gandalf about takin' a rest for a bit," asked the grown-up hobbit, that he now knew as Sam. Frodo shook his head resolutely. This was just like one of Cousin Bilbo's hikes through the woods of Buckland! And when it was over they would be going home to eat some nice hot soup and bread, then mama would give him a large, jammed pastry she managed to save from tea time. So he could last this little hike couldn't he? It wasn't even past afternoon tea yet.
"No, I'm alright," chirped Frodo looking up at Sam with a smile. "I'll be fine, I'm a big grown hobbit now, so you don't need to take care of me." As if to prove his statement Frodo scampered speedily ahead of Sam and waved. "Come on!" He hadn't remembered the last time when he had had so much fun! But there were so many people this time. Maybe Cousin Bilbo was having a party! Frodo giggled in delight.
*
Sam quickly caught up to Frodo and pulled on the hood that had fallen off the mass of brown curls it had been covering. "Now look here Mr. Frodo, if you're going to be feelin' tired at all, just tell me. And we can stop and make camp for the time," said Sam. Frodo nodded and was about to start walking again, when Sam stopped him. "And be makin' sure that you're keepin' warm. We don't want you to be getting' sick do we Mr. Frodo?" Frodo shook his head and pulled down his hood further. "That's a good lad." smiled Sam and he patted Frodo on the back. The young hobbit looked up at Sam and gave him a winning smile.
*
Boromir sighed, the day was dragging on and they were taking an even slower pace than they had before. With the two youngest hobbits usually calling out for a stop or a rest for food or to complain, their pace was already slacken. But now with the little one in tow, the Ringbearer, he reminded himself firmly, the fellowship was traveling at a snail's pace. But he is making good time, and he isn't complaining…unlike his kin over there. Thought Boromir, glancing at the two other hobbits who were talking to each other. One of them, Merry, was tossing a rosy-cheeked apple up and down in his hand as he gestured animatedly at the younger one, Pippin, who was listening intently. Every now and then, the two would glance curiously over at Sam and the miniature Ringbearer and whisper, but for the moment, they weren't complaining. But still no better than extra baggage. He thought grimly.
Every day wasted was another day gained for the Enemy; time for Sauron's forces to march to his call towards the cursed lands of Mordor. And when all came, the first that would be attacked would be Osgiliath where the garrisons were stationed. He tried to pay no heed to the nagging voice in his head, whispering, taunting him that Osgiliath would fall, but his heart know that it was the truth. It was Minas Tirith's last line of defense against an attack, with it taken over by Sauron's forces, the assault against the Minas Tirith shall start. He needed to go to them and so did Aragorn; the firstborn of Denethor the Steward and the King of Gondor would lead the troops of Minas Tirith into battle and victory. Not play nursemaid with a bunch of Halflings and coddle a child. Minas Tirith needed her king, as much as Boromir resented admitting it, though the idea of a king was beginning to sound well in his mind. But there will be no king, and no city should Sauron's forces destroy it first. Thought Boromir, with a grimace of distaste at the idea as he slung his shield more snugly around his back and resumed trudging through the wilderness.
*
"Merry?"
"What?" Merry replied around his bite of the apple.
"Why doesn't Gandalf turn Frodo back?" said Pippin holding his arms behind his head as they walked through the thinning woodlands.
Merry turned to regard Pippin with a look of surprise. "What do you mean?"
Pippin shrugged, "What I mean is that if Gandalf turned Frodo into that little hobbitling," he stopped to cock his head towards Frodo as their cousin stumbled on the ground once more, "Then he should know how to turn him back to normal. Certainly Gandalf doesn't mean to keep Frodo so . . . small for the rest of the trip."
"Of course he doesn't," said Merry with a laugh. "He just probably needs some time, maybe tonight, during camp. Just think of it Pip, we're going to see some real wizarding magic!"
Pippin's expression brightened considerably. "And not to mention Frodo's going to be back to normal. But it was fun, seeing Frodo smaller than us for once."
"I'm sorry to bring you this news, but I can't turn your cousin Frodo back to 'normal'," came the familiar voice of the grey wizard.
"What?!" Merry and Pippin weren't the only ones to react. The entire fellowship had come to a complete stop, all were staring or gaping at the wizard in complete astonishment.
"But Mr. Gandalf . . ." started Sam.
"There is nothing I can do here. The spell that had taken place was something even I didn't expect. I only managed to change it somehow before it did any real harm to Frodo." answered Gandalf with a quick glare at Sam, "Aragorn! We stop to make camp now." And with that the wizard strode into the forest again without a word.
"He can't turn Mr. Frodo back?" squeaked Sam a look of dismay flooding his face.
*
Aragorn saw the distress in the hobbits' faces. He was worried as well, but he also understood Mithrandir's predicament. "There is no need to fret for the moment. Gandalf will find a way. He just needs to think for a while. This has no doubt bruised his pride." Well, he was making a commendable attempt to placate the halflings' fears.
"But why can't Gandalf turn Frodo back?" asked Pippin, pointing to the little hobbit, who at the moment were oblivious to their conversation, sitting next to Gimli who was lighting a fire.
With a sigh, Aragorn motioned them closer. "This morning Frodo came with a close brush with death. Whatever spell Gandalf first had cast was meant to kill." The hobbits looked at him in horror, "But when he realized it was Frodo and not an enemy, Gandalf was able to change the spell somehow."
"To change the Perhenian into tithen perhennian?" asked a cool voice, Aragorn could almost hear the slight smirk in his friend's tone. Legolas stepped forword, a soft smile alighting his face, "There is no need for Mithrandir to worry. No harm shall come to the Ringbearer. Not while the fellowship remains true."
"But I still worry. We shall be moving into open wilderness in a few more leagues. There we shall be open to attack. We must get through Hollin unseen by any of the Enemy or his spies," said Aragorn moving away from the hobbits and leaving them to their own thinking while speaking with Legolas.
Leogolas nodded and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Everything will be alright, mellon nin. We survived your childhood, and your brothers, so we should be able to get through this." a smile danced in his eyes"None shall go wrong save the hungering of a hobbit's stomach and the complaint of weariness, Aragorn." grinned Legolas, "And perhaps the matter of a rather irritated wizard."
"I'll take care of the hobbits, mellon nin. You can take care of the wizard," said Aragorn with a smirk.
*
Frodo gazed at the fire hungrily as Sam began roasting some of the fowl Aragorn had managed to catch moments ago. "Sam?" he asked,looking up at the stout hobbit.
Sam looked back at him intently. "Is there something the matter Mr. Frodo? There's nothin' t'worry about, the bird'll be done quite soon. I know you're probably 'ungry and all; with naught but a few bites to eat this entire day."
"Well, I am hungry and all, but I was wondering when we would be heading home. Mama will be worrying and I want to tell Cousin Bilbo all about my adventures and about me meeting and Elf and a Dwarf!" exclaimed Frodo triumphantly, he didn't notice that Sam's face fell and the gardener glanced around nervously.
"You see 'ere Mr. Frodo . . . " started Sam. Frodo looked back up at him curiously. "Well, we won't be going 'ome for a very long time. You see . . ."
"We aren't going home? We're staying . . . out here?" asked the young hobbitling, eyes growing wide in surprise.
"Yes, we're going to have to travel for a long time most likely Mr. Frodo . . ." Sam was cut off in his explanation as Frodo jumped into the air and hugged him tightly.
"Yay! We're going camping! Isn't this great! I knew it! Just like Cousin Bilbo's big adventures!" chirped Frodo. "I'm going to help bring some firewood!" And with that Frodo began running into the forest, only to be stopped by a patient hand on his shoulder.
"You wouldn't want to be doing that lad. Dangerous thing being out there all alone on a night like this," grunted Gimli. "Best for you to be staying here."
Frodo looked back into the forest, wanting to help, but he nodded. Instead he scampered towards Merry and Pippin.
*
"He's rather enthusiastic isn't he?" commented Merry to Pippin, as Frodo ran over to them. Pippin nodded. "Reminds me of a certain little Took." grinned Merry glancing back at Pippin. Pippin nodded again and smiled somewhat absentmindedly. Merry watched and waited for a few moments, then had to hold back a fit of giggles as his younger cousin turned on him with a bewildered glare.
"Hi!" said Frodo plopping down at their feet, his bright blue eyes looking at them adoringly.
"Hey there, Frodo!" smiled Merry, "So how are you keeping up with our trek?"
"Great!" burst out Frodo, "Sam told me that we're staying out here for a long time and we're camping!"
Pippin raised an eyebrow, "We are?"
Merry jabbed him with an elbow swiftly causing the Took to squeak indignantly, "Of course we're camping. Under the stars in the sky, with friends and family. Going to places we never have seen before." said Merry.
Frodo nodded and drew his cloak around him, shivering, "Yes, but why did it have to be so cold?"
Merry and Pippin glanced at each other. Well, this'll be the best moment in time to practice making impromptu excuses.