Ch. 4
Sam always liked Bag End. Ever since he was very young, he would follow his father up to the smial at the top of the hill. When ever he walked though that round, green door, it was like entering another world. A world full of elves and dwarves and dragons and wizards. A world full of adventure and excitement.
Mr. Bilbo, who was in the process of teaching Sam how to read and write, would also tell Sam the stories of his adventures with Gandalf and Thorin's company; traveling far out of the Shire, (which very few hobbits did) through Mirkwood and to the Lonely Mountain. Sam would always ask to hear the parts specifically about the elves. He was fascinated with ever- immortal, incredibly wise, never aging elves of Middle-Earth and dreamed of the day when he would finally meet one!
:-:
Once inside, Frodo headed right for the kitchen, as it was habit with most hobbits, with Sam following close behind. Stirring the fire a bit, Frodo began to put some tea on. He was grateful that Sam had agreed to join him. A strange heaviness had been plaguing Frodo for some weeks now, and it has worsened since Bilbo had left only 2 days ago. What made things even harder was the fact that Frodo would be all alone in Bag End for another 2 weeks, unless Bilbo decided to come back early. But knowing Bilbo, he had other places to visit other then his relatives.
The tea kettle whistled shrilly, bringing Frodo back from his thoughts. He realized that he was sitting at the kitchen table, which was nicely set for 1. Glancing around, he caught the last glimpse of Sam, as he turned the corner and headed in the direction of the pantry. A minute later, Sam re-appeared, his arms willed with various foods and snacks and quickly began arranging them on the table in front of Frodo.
The screaming tea pot was increasing the pain that was growing in Frodo's head. He got up to remove it from the fire, when Sam quickly came up behind him and gently pushed him aside.
"I got that, Mr. Frodo. You just sit down." Sam ordered as he grabbed the tea cloth next to the hearth and took the kettle from the flame. Placing it gently on the table, he quickly poured the hot content into Frodo's cup.
Then, taking a plate from the table, Sam began to fill it with the assorted goodies that he had pulled from the pantry. When he was satisfied with the display, the set the overflowing plate back in front of Frodo, and pushed the tea in closer.
"There you go, Mr. Frodo." Sam announced. Frodo looked at the plate and cup then to Sam. The young hobbit stood humble on the other side of the table. His eyes were focused intently on something near his foot and his hands were behind his back, fingers obviously fidgeting.
:-:
Frodo suddenly had a flash back to when he was living at Brandy Hall. Being so large, Brandy Hall was fully equipped with an army of servants to take care of everything from laundry, to preparing meals, to tending the amazingly large garden. Frodo's parents had always taught him to treat every hobbit with respect, no matter what their station. It seemed that those living at Brandy Hall were not taught the same.
On a number of occasions, Frodo had witnessed members of his own family harassing and treating servants without the slightest bit of respect. Once, he had even seen one of his 3rd cousins slap a poor, young Proudfoot lass. She had tripped while carrying a tray with afternoon tea on it. Frodo couldn't help remember the way the servants at Brandy Hall would stand there; with their sad, downcast eyes and withdrawn composure.
Now Sam was looking the exact same way! Here he was, Frodo Baggins, just sitting there while poor Sam worked himself to the bone. Well that was about to end. Frodo would not let this injustice go unchanged!
"Come on Sam. There's more then enough for both of us here. Sit down and join me." Frodo said, standing from his chair and walking to the other side of the table. Pulling out the vacant seat across from his own, Frodo turned to Sam and smiled.
Sam looked wearily at the table laden with food. He was hungry, since he didn't have time to get second breakfast at home and didn't dare ask for elevensees at Bag End; not after what happened with his father that morning. It was just about lunch time and he could feel his stomach beginning to protest the wait. He wanted so badly to sit down and enjoy the meal....
But if his father found out! Sam took a sudden step away from the inviting chair, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process. No. He knew his place and it was not in that chair.
"No...no thank you, Mr. Frodo. I'm really not hungry." Sam lied. The problem was his stomach chose that exact moment to make itself known. Frodo knew that Sam was lying, even if his poor stomach hadn't given him away.
Like most hobbits, Sam enjoyed all 7 meals of the day. It was then that Frodo realized that Sam had never come into Bag End for elevensees, which they would usually have together, and with Bilbo, when he was around. It was unlike Sam to miss a meal. Now he was SURE there was something the matter.
"Don't lie to me, Samwise Gamgee." Frodo said, a bit more sternly then he had intended. Sam recoiled slightly from the tone of Frodo's voice. He couldn't remember the last time Frodo spoke like that to him. "Now sit down and have something to eat."
Sam wasn't sure if he was more afraid of not honoring Frodo's order or of his father finding out. After a moment of internal debate, he decided that his father wouldn't find out if he had a bite to eat. He was busy at the Cottons' and would be there all day. So, very slowly, Sam inched over to the chair being held out for him and cautiously sat down. Satisfied, Frodo moved around the table and took his seat.
Frodo sipped his tea and took a piece of cheese from the plate in front of him. Sam poured himself a half of a cup of tea, and sipped it for a long time. After a few moments, Sam began to relax and took a piece of meat from the table. Looking up at Frodo, Sam caught his eye and saw happiness; pure happiness. He couldn't remember why he had been so skittish about all this. He had eaten lunch with Mr. Frodo and Mr. Bilbo almost everyday!
Frodo noticed that Sam appeared less tense now, and actually seemed to be enjoying himself. Now this was the Sam that Frodo knew. They ate in relative silence until Frodo finally broke it with a rather hard question. The last question Sam had expected.
"Sam? Did something happen yesterday? I mean, after you left Bag End?"
No answer.
"Sam? What happened?" Frodo demanded. Sam's eyes grew fearful. He quickly set down the apple he was about to bite into. "If anything happened, and I mean anything, you'd tell me, right?" Frodo left this as another question for Sam to answer.
Again, no answer. Then, finally;
"Yes, sir, Mr. Frodo. I would." Sam half mumbled. Frodo looked on; he could sense there was trouble. He let the awkward silence linger for a moment, before starting up again.
"Fine, Sam. If you say everything's alright, then it will be no problem if I have a little talk with the Gaffer." Sam gasped. Frodo wouldn't! He couldn't! "Well?" Frodo asked. Sam was backed into a corner.
"Sir, I...I..." Sam sputtered out.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Frodo and Sam jumped from their seats simultaneously and looked franticly towards the round front door. There was only one person they knew that knocked like that.
"Dad?!" Sam exclaimed. Frodo looked suspiciously at Sam. Maybe this was the answer.
"Shall I answer it?" Frodo asked, standing from his chair. Sam panicked.
"No! I got it, Mr. Frodo!" Sam leapt from his seat and rushed out of the kitchen. "Please! Just...just sit down, sir. It's no problem." He called over his shoulder before he reached the door. Looking back to make sure that Frodo was sitting back down, Sam took a deep breath and slowly opened Bag End's great, round door.
TBC...
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