Attention: For a few chapters, most of the POV will be told from Miranda's point of view, simply because I don't really think I can properly how Frodo is feeling during of the tale telling. ^_^
~*~
Red String
The Web Thickens
"Miranda?"
Miranda looked up from her day dreaming. Frodo was looking at her worriedly. Both were sitting in front of the fireplace in Frodo's rooms. Miranda blushed in shame, her mind had been wandering back to the dream she had just the day before, and she had it again that night. She wasn't sure what exactly was spinning in her, but whatever it was it was attracting her to Frodo. The sad thing was, he didn't seem like he was even interested in anything more than a friendship.
"Miranda, are you alright?" Frodo asked worriedly, putting his hand over hers. Miranda bit the inside of her mouth and first and tried to keep from blushing before she was able to bring out a nod.
"Yes, I'm sorry Frodo." Miranda said, trying to keep her composure. "I've just been thinking a lot lately, I'm sorry if I didn't seem like I was paying attention to your tale."
Frodo took his hand from her hands and folded them in his lap, looking at the fireplace. There was no fire going, as seeing how warm it was outside in Buckland. "It's alright." He said. His voice dropped to a low steady emotionless tone. "Sometimes it's easier to say when no one is listening." He said as if to himself, but Miranda caught it. She looked down for a moment, not saying anything.
"As I was saying." His serious tone came back as well as his volume. "We were cornered by the Nine Black Riders; Strider was no where in sight. Merry and Pippin and Sam all attacked the Riders to keep them back from me, since they were after me in the first place. When they had been tossed aside, I, in foolishness placed on the Ring." He stopped as soon as he heard a small gasp from Miranda. He glanced over, seeing her eyes were wide in wonder, shock, and perhaps fear?
"I opened my eyes to find that the Nine were no longer shrouded in black dirty and torn robes. They were old decrement men, withered by time. They all wore black crowns upon their heads. Their leader, known as the Witch King, pulled out his blade and struck my shoulder." He paused and a stiffening silence developed. "I was able to strike the Witch King's foot before I collapsed, and was able to force off the Ring. Strider distracted the Black Riders with fire to make them flee. I fooled my friends into believing I was fine and that it was not much of a wound."
Miranda stood and came over beside him, looking at him worriedly. Frodo looked up through his curly bangs at her, in a questioning way. Miranda put her hand softly over his shoulder, his wounded one. Frodo's eyebrows lifted up in confusion. "Does..it still hurt? Your wound.."
"..Yes." Frodo said hesitantly. He put his left hand over hers, and she shivered at its coldness. "A few weeks before the anniversary of the stabbing, it begins to ace, and then it will hurt and I will be ill on that day. Then it will slowly stop hurting, much like it has been the last two years."
"But.when were you stabbed?"
"October sixth."
"Frodo.that's a month away..I.."
"It is always cold." Frodo reassured. "I am fine right now, Mira, don't worry." Miranda looked at him oddly. He looked up at her. "What?"
"You called me Mira!" Miranda said, smiling. "I haven't been called that since I was young."
"I am sorry."
"No it's alright, don't worry." Miranda smiled again. "I don't mind." Frodo nodded and looked back at the empty fireplace. Miranda frowned; he never smiled, did he? She had to admit that more color would return to his face if he would smile more, not to mention he would look more alive and not some pale beautiful dead face..
"We traveled for a few days." Frodo broke her thoughts, not moving his hand from hers. "We were then met by an Elf from Rivendell, whom Lord Elrond had sent to find us. His name was Glorfindel, this Elf. He told us that the Riders were close, and we would not escape them. So, Strider and Glorfindel set me upon Aspfoloth, and I rode to the Ford that stood near Rivendell. I was greeted by the Nazgul, who demanded the Ring back. I told them they would not have the Ring or me, I remember falling from the horse and the sound of rushing water, and then I knew nothing until I awoke in Rivendell."
Miranda was amazed. This small frail man had gone through so many traumas just two years ago! Riding from evil Riders, meeting Big Folk, bearing dangerous and horrible evil Rings.it was something right how from a fantasy, nearly. A silence developed again and she squeezed his shoulder, bringing him from his thoughts. Frodo turned his head up to look at her. "We should go for a walk."
"A walk?"
Miranda nodded. "Yes, we've been stuck inside all day during this nice weather, we can go out for a bit and have a walk, clear our minds." She smiled. Frodo pondered over this for a moment then nodded. She removed her hand as he stood and grabbed a light jacket from the coat rack. She had noticed that since he had been saying his tales, Frodo did not wear his dark cloak as much. Frodo opened the door for her in a gentleman fashion and the two began to walk around Brandy Hall after he had closed and locked his door.
Miranda and Frodo stopped near a small creek and sat down, both exchanging the local news and what was going on, trying to keep each others minds off the adventure that Frodo had just spoken of. A silence developed again, and Miranda stared at the clouds while Frodo looked off into the distance.
"Mir-Mir!" a soft voice said. Miranda turned her head to see that one of her nieces, Rosemary, running over. Miranda had forgotten all about how she had promised to watch over Rosemary and her friends. Being involved with Frodo's adventure was enough to make someone forget about what was happening now.
"Rosemary." Miranda said softly and turned, standing. She embraced her niece as Rosemary hugged her. Frodo turned, watching. "I am sorry Rosemary, I forgot."
"Its okie-dokie, Auntie Mir-Mir." The young hobbit lass smiled. She looked at Frodo for a moment. "Is he your friend, Auntie?"
Before Miranda knew how to answer, Frodo did in her stead.
"Yes, I am." Frodo said, coming forward. "I'm sorry for keeping your aunt, Miss Rosemary, I was telling her something."
"Its okie-dokie!" Rosemary said, it seeming to be her favorite phrase. "Auntie is going to play a game with us, want to join?" Frodo looked doubtful at the moment.
"He doesn't have to, Rosemary." Miranda said scolding. "Mr. Baggins might be busy this afternoon.."
"No, I'm not." Frodo said. Miranda turned to him and was surprised. "You would be surprised how uneventful my days are, Miranda and Miss Rosemary. I'll accompany you and play your game with your friends.
Rosemary clapped in joy. "Follow me!"
~*~
Rosemary led Frodo and Miranda down the familiar path into a small grove. Frodo's eyes widened as they reached the clearing, a small group of children had congregated around the dwarf Maple tree. He knew then what they were to play.
"We are going to play Lords and Ladies, Auntie!" Rosemary smiled happily. "We were short two friends, so I was sent to go and get them. I figured that you'd want to play, Auntie Mir-Mir, since you liked playing this game when you were little!" she giggled. Miranda blushed softly, looking away and muttering something underneath her breath. Rosemary grabbed Miranda's hand and brought her over to the small group of hobbit children.
Rosemary began to introduce each one of her friends to the two adult hobbits. Both barely followed her quick speaking voice and names. The boys and the girls then separated into two lines, and then mixed themselves up in the lines, being with different people. They picked up hands, and began to sing. Miranda looked around to find Frodo in the mess of children, but he must have ended up on the other side of the Maple tree.
"Dance 'round the may pole, dance and dance. Be merry, then choose your partner, choose your partner."
Miranda closed her eyes as two hobbit children, a boy and a girl, came forward. These two would be choosing the two that would become the 'Lord and Lady' for the small fairytale adventure that was to follow. She felt a small hand grab her skirt and tug on it. Miranda came forward.
"Keep your eyes closed!" the little girl's voice said to her. "We don't want the lord to see his pretty wife!" Miranda smiled and surpassed a giggle.
The little girl stopped Miranda, and they stood hand in hand somewhere in the middle of the circle, Miranda's eyes still closed.
"Marry off, marry off. To the alter, 'round the may pole. Get the bride, get the Lord. Wedding day is here! Wedding day is here!" The children in the circle sang.
Miranda felt herself being pulled again, and then stopped. She felt the bristles of the maple tree brush against her skin, sending an itchy sensation down her back. She felt another younger hobbit take her hand and slip a small loop around her smallest finger on her right hand. The hobbit then took her hand by the wrist and placed it against the chosen Lord's hand, and they interwove their fingers together. She kept her eyes closed, wondering who the chosen Lord was.
"Open your eyes!" the voice of the hobbit child came.
Miranda opened her eyes to find to surprised ocean blue eyes. Her eyes became large in surprise as well, to find that the one she had been 'married' to was none other than Frodo. She looked down at their hands, finding them interwoven and a red string tied around their smallest fingers on their right hands - Frodo's wounded hand. Miranda looked back up at him, to find that he was now looking at her evenly with no surprise in his eyes, more like pondering.
"Married off, married off. Lord and Lady of the day, Lord and Lady. Married off, married off. Tied together by the Red String, tried together. Married off, married off, to be forevermore!" the children finished their song then ran about to prepare for their fantasy game that would take place next.
Miranda looked over at the children and began to move her hand from Frodo's, but he held it. Miranda brought her eyes back up to his, seeing a light in his eyes she hadn't seen before. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was welcoming her in some way. His hand's grip became tighter on hers, but not in a painful way. Miranda looked down for a moment, seeing Rosemary there.
"What does the Lord and Lady of the land want us to do first?" Rosemary asked.
Miranda saw Frodo continuing to look at her through the corner of her eyes. She felt her grip tighten on his hand as well. 'To explain what exactly has just happened.' she thought, looking back up at the gentlehobbit before her.
-*-
a/n: And so the romance begins! Now I bet you all never saw that coming! ^^
Zam Kenobi: I noticed that too! I will have to go back and fix that sometime...lol.
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