Author's Note: I must apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up.
Between a severe allergy attack and the fact our computer was infected by a
virus and we had to wipe the hard drive, I wasn't able to do much on this
story. Anyway, this chapter is sort of one of those filler chapters, but
does bring us up to date on one of our missing characters! It won't be as
long before the next update, I promise!
Thanks so much to all of you for reading and reviewing. You guys are great!
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Hobbity: Well, Sam has killed orcs, but that's not quite the same! I think it all just got to be too much for Sam and after Fig started mistreating Rosie, Sam just snapped!
Bronwyn: I agree. Ted is also a scumbag! Maybe somebody should knock him in the head with a shovel too!
Szhismine: Sorry, but you'll have to wait a little longer to find out what happens to Sam, but at least old Fig got what he deserved!
Rabidsamfan: Welcome back! I hope your move went well (I hate moving!). There is still lots more to come in the misadventures of Samwise Gamgee! I hope you aren't disappointed!
Laurajslr: There is lots of worrying contained in this story! LOL! But, isn't that what makes them fun? What WILL happen to our favorite characters!? Rosie is safe...at the moment!
LalaithoftheBruinen: Sorry I couldn't get this updated any quicker (I do try to be prompt!), but I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks so much for your review!
FrodoBaggins87: Yes, Sam is free at the moment. But in the future? Hmm. Who knows!? As for meeting up with Frodo and the others, he will meet them at some time or another! However, we will be checking in on our other intrepid hobbits very soon.
Gamgeefest: I think Sam saw an opportunity and thinking this might be the last time he sees Rosie, he took it! Sam is always in trouble in these stories and he isn't out of the woods yet!
Elijahshobbitgal: Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm really glad you're enjoying my story. It's been fun to write and even more fun with wonderful reviewers like yourself! I hope you continue to enjoy this tale of woe.
Althea: Sam always has lots of people to worry about. He's just that kinda guy. His sensitive nature is what made Frodo's "rejection" so hard for Sam to bear and why we all love him!
Sam: I'm flattered that you check this story so often! Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. Such is life! I wanted Sam to have someone in the Shire to care about and who better than Rosie?
Janna Hawkins: Thank you so much for posting a review! Each and every one means a lot to me. As for Sam, he has always been my very favorite as well!
Arwen Greenleaf: Thank you for taking time to review. Believe me, I understand about time crunches! Sometimes, I barely have time to read a story much less review, but I really appreciate you reading when you can!
Renaissance Grrl: Here is the latest update! Poor Sam really does have more than his fair share of suffering!
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Chapter 19 In the Lockholes
When Hertig finally awoke, his first terrified thought was he had been buried alive. He was lying on his stomach with the cold smell of dirt filling his nostrils It was very dark. He moved his head to the side and instantly regretted it. With a low moan of pain, he reached up to the back of his aching head. He could feel his hair encrusted with dried blood, but there also seemed to be a makeshift bandage wrapped around his head. He started to push himself up when a soft voice said, "I wouldn't try that if I were you, master soldier." Hertig froze and tried to locate the speaker. It didn't sound like Sam. A figure, just barely visible in the darkness moved closer to Hertig. He gently lifted the Rider's head and gave him some water. Hertig drank gratefully. "How do you feel, sir?" the voice asked again.
"I have certainly felt better," rasped Hertig ruefully fingering the bandage around his head. "What is this place? Who are you?"
The voice sighed. "I am the mayor of Hobbiton. Will Whitfoot is my name. And this place? This is one of the Lotho Sackville-Baggins deluxe accommodations, also known as the Lockholes. His ruffians put anyone ol' Pimple doesn't want around in the Lockholes where they are promptly forgotten. And, who might you be sir, if I may be so bold as to ask?"
Hertig carefully rolled over to his side and took a deep breath waiting for the pain in his head to ease a bit. "My name is Hertig," he replied softly. "I am one of the Rohirrim from the plains of Rohan. I accompanied my friend, Samwise Gamgee here from my city of Edoras. I was supposed to see him safe and sound to his home but I am afraid I have failed in this." He paused for a moment. "I do not suppose you have heard anything of Sam's fate? Is he here with us?"
"Samwise Gamgee was with you?" asked Mayor Whitfoot in surprise. "What about the others? Frodo Baggins, Merry Brandybuck, and Pippin Took? Were they with you as well?
"No," replied Hertig, "It is a very long story, but they remained behind in Minas Tirith. I do not know if they remain there still or if they are now on their way here."
The Mayor sighed. "Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that they are all still alive! If Frodo returns, I hope he brings some reinforcements! That Lotho Sackville-Baggins has made a right mess of the Shire! As for Sam, I'm afraid I haven't heard a word about him. So, he probably isn't here in the Lockholes at any rate."
Hertig lay quietly for awhile thinking about all that had happened. "How long have I been here?" he asked.
"Just a day or two," came the reply. "I thought at first you were dead, but what point would there be in locking up a dead man? You had a nasty head wound and I fixed it up as best I could. I don't know how long you were out before that, though. Where did they catch you?"
It took Hertig a moment to come up with the name. His thinking seemed rather muddled. "Sarn Ford," he said finally. "Sam and I were looking for a place to cross the river and avoid the guards at the ford. We crossed safely enough, but then were ambushed. That is all I remember. I hope Sam was not killed!"
"They might have taken him to Bag End," replied Mayor Whitfoot thoughtfully. "I believe Lotho would like nothing better than to humiliate any friends of Frodo's. Probably has old Sam repairing that mess those ruffians made of the gardens."
Hertig sighed. Sam had certainly been right to worry about bad things happening in the Shire. They had barely made it across the border and he, a reknowned Rider of the Mark was ambushed and imprisoned! And what of Sam and the horses? If Manelys could break free, he would head back to Rohan and perhaps that would bring help. Manelys was a very intelligent creature. However, Hertig could not depend on that. He had to get out of these "lockholes" and find Sam. If anything happened to the faithful gardener, Hertig would never forgive himself. He didn't think his family would either!
"Has anyone ever escaped from these Lockholes?" asked Hertig as he considered the situation.
"Not that I know of," the Mayor replied quickly. "There are both men and hobbits guarding the Lockholes. The men would just as soon knock you over the head as look at you, but some of the hobbits will smuggle messages out or bring you extra food or notes from the outside. Not everyone works for Lotho voluntarily. It is very dangerous, though. Is there someone you know that can help us?"
"I don't know. If I knew where my horse was, he would return to Edoras for help if sent. But, I must find Samwise. I promised to protect him and I must fulfill my pledge. He is a hero."
"A hero?" laughed Mayor Whitfoot in disbelief. "Samwise Gamgee? Granted, he's a likeable enough lad and a fine gardener, but a hero? I hardly think so! I can't imagine him doing anything more dangerous than walking home from the Green Dragon in the dark after having an ale or two too many! Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"
Hertig shook his head in the darkness. How provincial these hobbits were. So isolated from the rest of the world. They had no idea how close they had been to total destruction! Yes, there were indeed problems here now, but they were minor compared to what would have happened to them if Sauron had emerged victorious. "Master Whitfoot," began Hertig, "Because of Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins, all of Middle Earth was saved from destruction by the Dark Lord Sauron. Together, they carried the One Ring of power all the way from the Shire to the slopes of Mt. Doom in the heart of Mordor. The destruction of that ring was the only possible way to destroy the Dark Lord and they did it, barely emerging with their lives. I know you may think of Sam as nothing more than a simple gardener, but the rest of Middle Earth hails him and his master as two of the greatest heroes of Middle Earth."
Mayor Whitfoot was silent at that. "Well," he finally exclaimed in amazement, "Who would have thought it! And Merry and Pippin? Were they involved in this as well?"
"They did not go with the Ring bearers into Mordor, but fought most bravely on the fields of Pelannor," replied Hertig solemnly "Master Merry rode with the Rohirrim and he and the king's niece, Eowyn, destroyed the greatest of Sauron's servants, the Witch-King of Angmar. Master Pippin was made a Knight of Gondor and saved the life of the steward's son, Lord Faramir. Both have been much honored for their meritorious service in the battle against Lord Sauron. Your country should be very proud of its sons."
"Well, well, well," said the Mayor again completely taken aback by this news, "I know the Thain, uh, Pippin's father, will be most pleased to hear that! As will the Brandybucks. Young Merry and Pippin were far better known for their pranks and drinking abilities than fighting! We could certainly use some of that fighting ability now!"
"What exactly is the situation here in the Shire?" asked Hertig, trying to get a feel for what was going on. If he did manage to escape, he wanted to know as much as possible about the situation on the outside. He was a stranger to the Shire and any information he could gather could be very important.
The Mayor sighed. "After Frodo sold his home, Bag End, to that horrid Lotho Sackville-Baggins, everything went wrong. Lotho began buying up as much property as he could and bringin' in those rough fellows that you met up with. He declared himself the "Chief Shirriff" and with his ruffians backing him up, has taken over the runnin' of the Shire. His men go out and take pretty much whatever they want and Lotho sends it south to sell. Anyone that complains finds himself here in the Lockholes. The Tooks, Pippin's kin, tried to fight back, but Lotho just brought in more men and now the Thain and his men are pretty much bottled up." Mayor Whitfoot was silent for a few moments. "I realize you've been part of some mighty important battles and such, sir," he said, "And you must think us hobbits silly for letting ourselves be taken over in such a way, but we are not warriors here. We are peaceful people and not given to violence. If not fighting back will keep the peace, most of us will follow that path. Unfortunately, things have just gotten more and more out of hand and now few are capable of even thinking about resistance. I'm afraid things will get much worse for us all if we cannot find a way to fight back."
Hertig stared into the darkness. He was determined to find a way out these holes and when he did, he make those so-called ruffians rue the day they took on a Rider of the Mark!
Thanks so much to all of you for reading and reviewing. You guys are great!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hobbity: Well, Sam has killed orcs, but that's not quite the same! I think it all just got to be too much for Sam and after Fig started mistreating Rosie, Sam just snapped!
Bronwyn: I agree. Ted is also a scumbag! Maybe somebody should knock him in the head with a shovel too!
Szhismine: Sorry, but you'll have to wait a little longer to find out what happens to Sam, but at least old Fig got what he deserved!
Rabidsamfan: Welcome back! I hope your move went well (I hate moving!). There is still lots more to come in the misadventures of Samwise Gamgee! I hope you aren't disappointed!
Laurajslr: There is lots of worrying contained in this story! LOL! But, isn't that what makes them fun? What WILL happen to our favorite characters!? Rosie is safe...at the moment!
LalaithoftheBruinen: Sorry I couldn't get this updated any quicker (I do try to be prompt!), but I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks so much for your review!
FrodoBaggins87: Yes, Sam is free at the moment. But in the future? Hmm. Who knows!? As for meeting up with Frodo and the others, he will meet them at some time or another! However, we will be checking in on our other intrepid hobbits very soon.
Gamgeefest: I think Sam saw an opportunity and thinking this might be the last time he sees Rosie, he took it! Sam is always in trouble in these stories and he isn't out of the woods yet!
Elijahshobbitgal: Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm really glad you're enjoying my story. It's been fun to write and even more fun with wonderful reviewers like yourself! I hope you continue to enjoy this tale of woe.
Althea: Sam always has lots of people to worry about. He's just that kinda guy. His sensitive nature is what made Frodo's "rejection" so hard for Sam to bear and why we all love him!
Sam: I'm flattered that you check this story so often! Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. Such is life! I wanted Sam to have someone in the Shire to care about and who better than Rosie?
Janna Hawkins: Thank you so much for posting a review! Each and every one means a lot to me. As for Sam, he has always been my very favorite as well!
Arwen Greenleaf: Thank you for taking time to review. Believe me, I understand about time crunches! Sometimes, I barely have time to read a story much less review, but I really appreciate you reading when you can!
Renaissance Grrl: Here is the latest update! Poor Sam really does have more than his fair share of suffering!
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Chapter 19 In the Lockholes
When Hertig finally awoke, his first terrified thought was he had been buried alive. He was lying on his stomach with the cold smell of dirt filling his nostrils It was very dark. He moved his head to the side and instantly regretted it. With a low moan of pain, he reached up to the back of his aching head. He could feel his hair encrusted with dried blood, but there also seemed to be a makeshift bandage wrapped around his head. He started to push himself up when a soft voice said, "I wouldn't try that if I were you, master soldier." Hertig froze and tried to locate the speaker. It didn't sound like Sam. A figure, just barely visible in the darkness moved closer to Hertig. He gently lifted the Rider's head and gave him some water. Hertig drank gratefully. "How do you feel, sir?" the voice asked again.
"I have certainly felt better," rasped Hertig ruefully fingering the bandage around his head. "What is this place? Who are you?"
The voice sighed. "I am the mayor of Hobbiton. Will Whitfoot is my name. And this place? This is one of the Lotho Sackville-Baggins deluxe accommodations, also known as the Lockholes. His ruffians put anyone ol' Pimple doesn't want around in the Lockholes where they are promptly forgotten. And, who might you be sir, if I may be so bold as to ask?"
Hertig carefully rolled over to his side and took a deep breath waiting for the pain in his head to ease a bit. "My name is Hertig," he replied softly. "I am one of the Rohirrim from the plains of Rohan. I accompanied my friend, Samwise Gamgee here from my city of Edoras. I was supposed to see him safe and sound to his home but I am afraid I have failed in this." He paused for a moment. "I do not suppose you have heard anything of Sam's fate? Is he here with us?"
"Samwise Gamgee was with you?" asked Mayor Whitfoot in surprise. "What about the others? Frodo Baggins, Merry Brandybuck, and Pippin Took? Were they with you as well?
"No," replied Hertig, "It is a very long story, but they remained behind in Minas Tirith. I do not know if they remain there still or if they are now on their way here."
The Mayor sighed. "Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that they are all still alive! If Frodo returns, I hope he brings some reinforcements! That Lotho Sackville-Baggins has made a right mess of the Shire! As for Sam, I'm afraid I haven't heard a word about him. So, he probably isn't here in the Lockholes at any rate."
Hertig lay quietly for awhile thinking about all that had happened. "How long have I been here?" he asked.
"Just a day or two," came the reply. "I thought at first you were dead, but what point would there be in locking up a dead man? You had a nasty head wound and I fixed it up as best I could. I don't know how long you were out before that, though. Where did they catch you?"
It took Hertig a moment to come up with the name. His thinking seemed rather muddled. "Sarn Ford," he said finally. "Sam and I were looking for a place to cross the river and avoid the guards at the ford. We crossed safely enough, but then were ambushed. That is all I remember. I hope Sam was not killed!"
"They might have taken him to Bag End," replied Mayor Whitfoot thoughtfully. "I believe Lotho would like nothing better than to humiliate any friends of Frodo's. Probably has old Sam repairing that mess those ruffians made of the gardens."
Hertig sighed. Sam had certainly been right to worry about bad things happening in the Shire. They had barely made it across the border and he, a reknowned Rider of the Mark was ambushed and imprisoned! And what of Sam and the horses? If Manelys could break free, he would head back to Rohan and perhaps that would bring help. Manelys was a very intelligent creature. However, Hertig could not depend on that. He had to get out of these "lockholes" and find Sam. If anything happened to the faithful gardener, Hertig would never forgive himself. He didn't think his family would either!
"Has anyone ever escaped from these Lockholes?" asked Hertig as he considered the situation.
"Not that I know of," the Mayor replied quickly. "There are both men and hobbits guarding the Lockholes. The men would just as soon knock you over the head as look at you, but some of the hobbits will smuggle messages out or bring you extra food or notes from the outside. Not everyone works for Lotho voluntarily. It is very dangerous, though. Is there someone you know that can help us?"
"I don't know. If I knew where my horse was, he would return to Edoras for help if sent. But, I must find Samwise. I promised to protect him and I must fulfill my pledge. He is a hero."
"A hero?" laughed Mayor Whitfoot in disbelief. "Samwise Gamgee? Granted, he's a likeable enough lad and a fine gardener, but a hero? I hardly think so! I can't imagine him doing anything more dangerous than walking home from the Green Dragon in the dark after having an ale or two too many! Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"
Hertig shook his head in the darkness. How provincial these hobbits were. So isolated from the rest of the world. They had no idea how close they had been to total destruction! Yes, there were indeed problems here now, but they were minor compared to what would have happened to them if Sauron had emerged victorious. "Master Whitfoot," began Hertig, "Because of Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins, all of Middle Earth was saved from destruction by the Dark Lord Sauron. Together, they carried the One Ring of power all the way from the Shire to the slopes of Mt. Doom in the heart of Mordor. The destruction of that ring was the only possible way to destroy the Dark Lord and they did it, barely emerging with their lives. I know you may think of Sam as nothing more than a simple gardener, but the rest of Middle Earth hails him and his master as two of the greatest heroes of Middle Earth."
Mayor Whitfoot was silent at that. "Well," he finally exclaimed in amazement, "Who would have thought it! And Merry and Pippin? Were they involved in this as well?"
"They did not go with the Ring bearers into Mordor, but fought most bravely on the fields of Pelannor," replied Hertig solemnly "Master Merry rode with the Rohirrim and he and the king's niece, Eowyn, destroyed the greatest of Sauron's servants, the Witch-King of Angmar. Master Pippin was made a Knight of Gondor and saved the life of the steward's son, Lord Faramir. Both have been much honored for their meritorious service in the battle against Lord Sauron. Your country should be very proud of its sons."
"Well, well, well," said the Mayor again completely taken aback by this news, "I know the Thain, uh, Pippin's father, will be most pleased to hear that! As will the Brandybucks. Young Merry and Pippin were far better known for their pranks and drinking abilities than fighting! We could certainly use some of that fighting ability now!"
"What exactly is the situation here in the Shire?" asked Hertig, trying to get a feel for what was going on. If he did manage to escape, he wanted to know as much as possible about the situation on the outside. He was a stranger to the Shire and any information he could gather could be very important.
The Mayor sighed. "After Frodo sold his home, Bag End, to that horrid Lotho Sackville-Baggins, everything went wrong. Lotho began buying up as much property as he could and bringin' in those rough fellows that you met up with. He declared himself the "Chief Shirriff" and with his ruffians backing him up, has taken over the runnin' of the Shire. His men go out and take pretty much whatever they want and Lotho sends it south to sell. Anyone that complains finds himself here in the Lockholes. The Tooks, Pippin's kin, tried to fight back, but Lotho just brought in more men and now the Thain and his men are pretty much bottled up." Mayor Whitfoot was silent for a few moments. "I realize you've been part of some mighty important battles and such, sir," he said, "And you must think us hobbits silly for letting ourselves be taken over in such a way, but we are not warriors here. We are peaceful people and not given to violence. If not fighting back will keep the peace, most of us will follow that path. Unfortunately, things have just gotten more and more out of hand and now few are capable of even thinking about resistance. I'm afraid things will get much worse for us all if we cannot find a way to fight back."
Hertig stared into the darkness. He was determined to find a way out these holes and when he did, he make those so-called ruffians rue the day they took on a Rider of the Mark!