Disclaimer: see chapter 1
Chapter 21
The days passed slowly and my anticipation grew for Friday to come. Instead of loathing my duties, I was eager to complete each chore, counting them off, each one leading closer to my time off and another conversation with Frodo. I did not know if I was looking forward to the free time or the time spent with Frodo, but I was glad that there existed an eagerness in me that had not been there for a long time.
During my first Friday off, I walked with him near the edge of the forest, sitting underneath the trees and listening to his tale. He told me about the formation of the fellowship and the its journey through Moria and the loss of Gandalf, how the mirror of Galadriel had shown him his fate if he should fail. Then he told of how they rowed down the river, his confrontation with Boromir and how it was then that he decided he had to depart on his own.
I listened to him with anticipation, hanging on his every word and taking in the emotions he hid in his voice but tried to hide from his face. Slowly, I saw his energy exhaust itself and I encouraged him to stop for fear that he would collapse and not be able to continue his tale. We headed back to Bag End together and he retreated to his study, putting his quill to his book and began writing.
Sam confronted me as I put away dishes, asking for what Frodo had told me and then thanking me for being so patient with Frodo since he had been through so much.
The next week passed slowly. I wanted to spend more time with Frodo, but I saw the toll our conversation had taken on him, and he was left in worse state than the last time, although he recovered soon enough.
Sam saw it too. I knew it in the way he tried to make everything a little bit easier for Frodo and how he constantly checked on him.
The next Friday, I was reading in the front room when I heard a muffled cough. I turned around to find Frodo standing in the doorway, his hands stuffed into his pockets and his weight shifting from one foot to the other.
"Yes?" I asked, setting the ribbon in the pages and slowly closing the book.
"Mira, would it be too troublesome if we set out a bit earlier today?" he questioned, taking a step into the room.
"No, it would not." I put my book on the side table and stood up, going to stand next to him.
He walked slowly to the front door and opened it, letting me pass through it. He followed me for a while and I continued to walk to the edge of town and into the forest. Frodo walked close behind me, staying silent.
After some time, I found my favorite tree and leaned up against it, sinking down to sit upon the soft earth. Frodo bent down and sat next to me, looking straight out into the distance.
"I'd like to thank you for listening to me," he said softly, still gazing upon the horizon.
"You're quite welcome, but I assure you that it is no trouble to me. I enjoy this." I said, taking his hand in mine and rubbing my thumb softly over it.
A silence fell between us, yet I continued to hold his hand, trying to encourage him to speak without vocalizing my wishes.
"After leaving Amon Hen, Sam and I wandered around for some time, lost in the mountains," Frodo started, continuing his story. "Soon, we found our guide, Gollum."
"But didn't he have the Ring at one time and want it back more than anything?" I asked, pulling our previous conversations to mind.
"Yes, he did, but we needed to get to Mordor and he knew the way there. At first when I saw him, I pitied him, seeing the poor state the Ring had left him in. Then as we moved closer to Mordor, he frightened me, for I knew that he was once a hobbit like me and the power of the Ring was already seducing me. I could never sleep because the Ring would call out my name, haunting my mind. I would lay awake at night, staring at it in hopes that the act would satiate my hunger for its power, but I only fell deeper into its control."
He slipped his hand from mine and started to finger this chain around his neck, his eyes losing focus and staring at some distant object only seen by him.
I stayed silent, not wanting to disturb his trance, but I continued to gaze at him, seeing the pain that was inside him.
After a while, he let go of the chain and folded his hands in his lap, taking a deep breath to proceed. He continued to tell me of how Faramir had captured him and Sam, but had sent them on their way since he knew the Ring was treacherous. He told me of the thoughts the Ring poured into his mind and how slowly it ate at his soul until he felt hollow with Sam as his only reminder of what the task at hand was.
Night was slowly crawling upon us by the time he felt he could no longer proceed. I stood up and dusted off my skirt, standing up to find him still sitting with his head bowed. I kneeled down in front of him and reached for his hand.
"Frodo? Sam will be worried if we do not return soon," I said, knowing it was not the best thing to say at this time. Frodo lifted his head and raised his tired eyes to meet mine.
"I guess you're right. We should be leaving." He stood up and wiped off his pants, standing next to me and then starting the journey home. There was a new sadness in him and I assumed that the next part of his tale was the darkest, the most daunting task to tell.
We slowly walked to Bag End, the crickets chirping in the background providing a kind of music through the fields. I reflected on everything he had said and searched myself for bravery as if I were to take on a similar task. But I found none, admiring Frodo more with every reflection. I turned to look at him, gazing upon his smooth, pale skin and his dark hair that framed his face so sweetly. 'How could such a task fall to him?' I thought, wishing that he could be whole again and live a normal life, yet I knew in my heart that Frodo was chosen to take the Ring because his heart was pure and his soul was strong, at least it once was.
In my musings, my mind drifted and as I came back to the present situation, I registered that Frodo was gazing at me and I quickly turned my head to gaze at my feet, focusing on walking instead of him.
We reached Bag End and Frodo again sat down on the small bench in the front garden. I sat next to him, taking his hand and clasping it between my hands.
"I have a sense that the next part will be a bit more difficult to tell and I understand if you need more time to gather yourself or if you wish to end these outings." I knew I was taking a major leap in saying these things.
Frodo turned to look at my face. "Even though the telling is hard, I must carry on. It is a relief to tell someone." He put his other hand on top of my hands and smiled, his eyes shining with a hint of joy. "As for the outings, I enjoy them and I'd like to continue them as long as you would accompany me."
"I'd like that," I said gazing down at my lap where his hand was now rubbing the back of my hand. I could feel my cheeks burning with a blush and I hoped that the moonlight was not enough to show my reddening face.
His hand stopped moving, then lifted to my chin and raised my face to meet his. "Thank you, again for everything," he whispered. He dropped his hand and stood up, pulling his other hand from my grasp and heading to the door. Shortly before he reached the door, he turned around to face me. "Are you going to come inside?" he asked.
"I'd like to stay here for a while, actually. It's quite nice out," I said, wanting to remain where I was.
"Well, goodnight," Frodo said softly before entering the house. I stared up at the stars, placing hand to my face where Frodo's hand had been. My heart burned within me, filling my body with warmth despite the frigid night air. I could still feel his phantom touch upon my skin, fading away. I smiled to myself, knowing there was a new fondness for him growing in my heart. I had sensed this fondness for a while, but I had dismissed it easily. Now I knew it could not be ignored.
I raised myself to my feet and cautiously walked to the front door, calming myself down to enter.
I went to the kitchen to help Rosie and after everything was put away, Sam came up to me.
"So, how did it go?" he asked, balling his hands together.
"As well as can be expected," I replied.
"And how far did you two talk to?"
"When Faramir took you as far as he could and let Gollum guide you again."
Sam sighed and turned around.
"Sam," I called, hoping to catch his attention. He turned around. "I know the next part will be difficult for him, and I told him that all of his actions were not necessary, but this is all his decision. I cannot force him to do otherwise."
"I know, I just hope Mr. Frodo knows how to handle it all." Sam straightened out and sighed. "Well, goodnight, Mira."
"Goodnight, Sam." I said. Sam exited the kitchen and I finished cleaning despite the fact it was my day off.
That night, as I began to drift off to sleep, I thought about the events of the day, recognizing a new part of me that longed for the next day I would spend with him.
~*~
Thanks for all the nice reviews. Very encouraging. As always, I'll try my best to have more up soon.
Arwen Baggins: ummm.Merry and Pippin appeared in chapter ten, but they might appear again, haven't decided.
Linda19: well, I'm glad that I've turned you over to hobbit fics ;) also glad that you like it so much
Chapter 21
The days passed slowly and my anticipation grew for Friday to come. Instead of loathing my duties, I was eager to complete each chore, counting them off, each one leading closer to my time off and another conversation with Frodo. I did not know if I was looking forward to the free time or the time spent with Frodo, but I was glad that there existed an eagerness in me that had not been there for a long time.
During my first Friday off, I walked with him near the edge of the forest, sitting underneath the trees and listening to his tale. He told me about the formation of the fellowship and the its journey through Moria and the loss of Gandalf, how the mirror of Galadriel had shown him his fate if he should fail. Then he told of how they rowed down the river, his confrontation with Boromir and how it was then that he decided he had to depart on his own.
I listened to him with anticipation, hanging on his every word and taking in the emotions he hid in his voice but tried to hide from his face. Slowly, I saw his energy exhaust itself and I encouraged him to stop for fear that he would collapse and not be able to continue his tale. We headed back to Bag End together and he retreated to his study, putting his quill to his book and began writing.
Sam confronted me as I put away dishes, asking for what Frodo had told me and then thanking me for being so patient with Frodo since he had been through so much.
The next week passed slowly. I wanted to spend more time with Frodo, but I saw the toll our conversation had taken on him, and he was left in worse state than the last time, although he recovered soon enough.
Sam saw it too. I knew it in the way he tried to make everything a little bit easier for Frodo and how he constantly checked on him.
The next Friday, I was reading in the front room when I heard a muffled cough. I turned around to find Frodo standing in the doorway, his hands stuffed into his pockets and his weight shifting from one foot to the other.
"Yes?" I asked, setting the ribbon in the pages and slowly closing the book.
"Mira, would it be too troublesome if we set out a bit earlier today?" he questioned, taking a step into the room.
"No, it would not." I put my book on the side table and stood up, going to stand next to him.
He walked slowly to the front door and opened it, letting me pass through it. He followed me for a while and I continued to walk to the edge of town and into the forest. Frodo walked close behind me, staying silent.
After some time, I found my favorite tree and leaned up against it, sinking down to sit upon the soft earth. Frodo bent down and sat next to me, looking straight out into the distance.
"I'd like to thank you for listening to me," he said softly, still gazing upon the horizon.
"You're quite welcome, but I assure you that it is no trouble to me. I enjoy this." I said, taking his hand in mine and rubbing my thumb softly over it.
A silence fell between us, yet I continued to hold his hand, trying to encourage him to speak without vocalizing my wishes.
"After leaving Amon Hen, Sam and I wandered around for some time, lost in the mountains," Frodo started, continuing his story. "Soon, we found our guide, Gollum."
"But didn't he have the Ring at one time and want it back more than anything?" I asked, pulling our previous conversations to mind.
"Yes, he did, but we needed to get to Mordor and he knew the way there. At first when I saw him, I pitied him, seeing the poor state the Ring had left him in. Then as we moved closer to Mordor, he frightened me, for I knew that he was once a hobbit like me and the power of the Ring was already seducing me. I could never sleep because the Ring would call out my name, haunting my mind. I would lay awake at night, staring at it in hopes that the act would satiate my hunger for its power, but I only fell deeper into its control."
He slipped his hand from mine and started to finger this chain around his neck, his eyes losing focus and staring at some distant object only seen by him.
I stayed silent, not wanting to disturb his trance, but I continued to gaze at him, seeing the pain that was inside him.
After a while, he let go of the chain and folded his hands in his lap, taking a deep breath to proceed. He continued to tell me of how Faramir had captured him and Sam, but had sent them on their way since he knew the Ring was treacherous. He told me of the thoughts the Ring poured into his mind and how slowly it ate at his soul until he felt hollow with Sam as his only reminder of what the task at hand was.
Night was slowly crawling upon us by the time he felt he could no longer proceed. I stood up and dusted off my skirt, standing up to find him still sitting with his head bowed. I kneeled down in front of him and reached for his hand.
"Frodo? Sam will be worried if we do not return soon," I said, knowing it was not the best thing to say at this time. Frodo lifted his head and raised his tired eyes to meet mine.
"I guess you're right. We should be leaving." He stood up and wiped off his pants, standing next to me and then starting the journey home. There was a new sadness in him and I assumed that the next part of his tale was the darkest, the most daunting task to tell.
We slowly walked to Bag End, the crickets chirping in the background providing a kind of music through the fields. I reflected on everything he had said and searched myself for bravery as if I were to take on a similar task. But I found none, admiring Frodo more with every reflection. I turned to look at him, gazing upon his smooth, pale skin and his dark hair that framed his face so sweetly. 'How could such a task fall to him?' I thought, wishing that he could be whole again and live a normal life, yet I knew in my heart that Frodo was chosen to take the Ring because his heart was pure and his soul was strong, at least it once was.
In my musings, my mind drifted and as I came back to the present situation, I registered that Frodo was gazing at me and I quickly turned my head to gaze at my feet, focusing on walking instead of him.
We reached Bag End and Frodo again sat down on the small bench in the front garden. I sat next to him, taking his hand and clasping it between my hands.
"I have a sense that the next part will be a bit more difficult to tell and I understand if you need more time to gather yourself or if you wish to end these outings." I knew I was taking a major leap in saying these things.
Frodo turned to look at my face. "Even though the telling is hard, I must carry on. It is a relief to tell someone." He put his other hand on top of my hands and smiled, his eyes shining with a hint of joy. "As for the outings, I enjoy them and I'd like to continue them as long as you would accompany me."
"I'd like that," I said gazing down at my lap where his hand was now rubbing the back of my hand. I could feel my cheeks burning with a blush and I hoped that the moonlight was not enough to show my reddening face.
His hand stopped moving, then lifted to my chin and raised my face to meet his. "Thank you, again for everything," he whispered. He dropped his hand and stood up, pulling his other hand from my grasp and heading to the door. Shortly before he reached the door, he turned around to face me. "Are you going to come inside?" he asked.
"I'd like to stay here for a while, actually. It's quite nice out," I said, wanting to remain where I was.
"Well, goodnight," Frodo said softly before entering the house. I stared up at the stars, placing hand to my face where Frodo's hand had been. My heart burned within me, filling my body with warmth despite the frigid night air. I could still feel his phantom touch upon my skin, fading away. I smiled to myself, knowing there was a new fondness for him growing in my heart. I had sensed this fondness for a while, but I had dismissed it easily. Now I knew it could not be ignored.
I raised myself to my feet and cautiously walked to the front door, calming myself down to enter.
I went to the kitchen to help Rosie and after everything was put away, Sam came up to me.
"So, how did it go?" he asked, balling his hands together.
"As well as can be expected," I replied.
"And how far did you two talk to?"
"When Faramir took you as far as he could and let Gollum guide you again."
Sam sighed and turned around.
"Sam," I called, hoping to catch his attention. He turned around. "I know the next part will be difficult for him, and I told him that all of his actions were not necessary, but this is all his decision. I cannot force him to do otherwise."
"I know, I just hope Mr. Frodo knows how to handle it all." Sam straightened out and sighed. "Well, goodnight, Mira."
"Goodnight, Sam." I said. Sam exited the kitchen and I finished cleaning despite the fact it was my day off.
That night, as I began to drift off to sleep, I thought about the events of the day, recognizing a new part of me that longed for the next day I would spend with him.
~*~
Thanks for all the nice reviews. Very encouraging. As always, I'll try my best to have more up soon.
Arwen Baggins: ummm.Merry and Pippin appeared in chapter ten, but they might appear again, haven't decided.
Linda19: well, I'm glad that I've turned you over to hobbit fics ;) also glad that you like it so much
