Chapter 2
A few days later, while Rosie and Eleanor were out, Sam decided to get some reading done. He had been very busy lately and enjoyed when he had some quiet time to himself. Suddenly, there was a heavy knock at the door.
"Who could that be?" He thought as he got up from his desk to answer it. As he opened the door, he was very surprised at who was standing there. A rather tall man, (tall at least by hobbit standards). He was dressed in a black uniform with a beautiful silver tree embroidered on the chest. He knelt down, so that he was near the hobbits height. In his left hand he held a sealed envelope decorated with the same tree from the official man's uniform. He placed his free hand over his heart and bowed his head.
"Master Gamgee?" He asked. Sam stiffened slightly. He was not accustomed to be being addressed as 'Master". It felt very awkward.
"Yes," he answered, bowing low to the uniformed man, "I am Samwise Gamgee, at your service."
"Aragon, son of Aranor at your service, Master Gamgee." The man replied respectfully. Sam looked up at the man. He noticed that the man seemed to be studying him with much curiosity. Aragon, in return, noticed Sam's uneasiness. "Forgive me, Master Gamgee. I meant not to stare." He apologized quickly and bowed his head again.
"Am I to presume then," Sam began, "that I am the first hobbit you have seen?"
"Yes." Aragon answered. "Well, at least up close." Sam looked at him, puzzled. "You see, I was there the day of King Elessar's coronation. I was younger then and not yet in the service of the King. I caught a glimpse of 4 child-sized warriors. I had never heard of hobbits before then. It wasn't until I heard the tale of the great doings of your people, that I knew it was you that I had seen."
"Warriors?" Sam said in disbelief. "I would hardly call myself a warrior. Perhaps you are thinking of Mr. Meriadoc Brandybuck or Mr. Peregrin Took. They were both in the battle of the War of the Ring. THEY are great warriors, especially Mr. Frodo Baggins, the former Ring-bearer." Aragon looked down at the humble hobbit before him. "I am just a simple gardener." Sam added quietly.
"I have heard the story of the Great Frodo Baggins and his faithful servant, Samwise the Brave." Aragon explained. "I do not believe that a 'simple gardener' could do such courageous acts as you have done." Sam was shocked. There were stories about him?
"S...Samwise the Brave?" Sam repeated. "But that can't be right. I...I..."
"You are very well known, Master Gamgee, especially in the tale of the destruction of the One Ring of Power and the Dark Lord himself. Your tale of heroism will be told for generations to come." Sam didn't know what to say. He simply stood in the round doorway, trying to comprehend what he was being told.
Aragon let him have a moment, seeing the amount of surprise in the hobbits face. After a short time, he finally broke the silence.
"Master Gamgee," he began, "my reason for this unexpected visit is quite important." Sam blinked and looked down at the envelope still in Aragon's hand. "I am here to deliver a message directly from King Elessar. I am to deliver this immediately." Sam took the beautifully decorated envelope with a slightly shaking hand. What could it be? He was almost afraid to open it.
"I'm sorry to seem rude," Aragon said suddenly, "but I have other announcements to deliver. Could you kindly direct me to the home of Mr. Baggins?" Sam looked from the envelope to the man.
"I do not find it rude at all. You are simply fulfilling you duties." Sam responded. "Do you have many more to deliver?"
"I have 3 more. Mr. Frodo Baggins, Mr. Meriadoc Brandybuck and Mr. Peregrin Took." Aragon recited, as if he had memorized the names which were beautifully written on the envelopes.
"If you would like, I can deliver Mr. Baggins' for you. I am due visit him this very afternoon. It will save you the trip so that you may continue on your journey." Aragon smiled.
"I would greatly appreciate that, Master Gamgee." He said and handed Sam a second envelope. "I ask if you would not mind doing me one additional favor?" He added.
"If it is in my power." Sam responded.
"If you could you not inform King Elessar of your assistance? I was instructed to deliver each announcement personally." Sam studied the man. He seemed quite young; perhaps no more then 20 summers old. It was obvious to Sam that he was a bit fearful of King Elessar's wrath if he should not fulfill his assigned duties. Sam's personal experiences with the King allowed him the knowledge of the King's truly caring personality.
"You have my word as an honest hobbit. I shall not breathe a word of it to another living soul." Sam promised, bowing again.
"And you have my many thanks, Master Gamgee." Aragon said. Then, standing, he bowed deeply to the hobbit.
"Now, if you could do a favor for me." Sam inquired.
"It would be my greatest pleasure, Master Gamgee." Aragon answered.
"I only ask that you refer to me as Samwise. I am not worthy of the title 'Master'."
"I beg your pardon, but I must disagree." Aragon responded. "You are possibly one of the most worthy of the title." Then, giving Sam one last, very low bow, Aragon turned to leave. "Good day, Master Samwise." He added then began down the road that led towards Buckland.
A few days later, while Rosie and Eleanor were out, Sam decided to get some reading done. He had been very busy lately and enjoyed when he had some quiet time to himself. Suddenly, there was a heavy knock at the door.
"Who could that be?" He thought as he got up from his desk to answer it. As he opened the door, he was very surprised at who was standing there. A rather tall man, (tall at least by hobbit standards). He was dressed in a black uniform with a beautiful silver tree embroidered on the chest. He knelt down, so that he was near the hobbits height. In his left hand he held a sealed envelope decorated with the same tree from the official man's uniform. He placed his free hand over his heart and bowed his head.
"Master Gamgee?" He asked. Sam stiffened slightly. He was not accustomed to be being addressed as 'Master". It felt very awkward.
"Yes," he answered, bowing low to the uniformed man, "I am Samwise Gamgee, at your service."
"Aragon, son of Aranor at your service, Master Gamgee." The man replied respectfully. Sam looked up at the man. He noticed that the man seemed to be studying him with much curiosity. Aragon, in return, noticed Sam's uneasiness. "Forgive me, Master Gamgee. I meant not to stare." He apologized quickly and bowed his head again.
"Am I to presume then," Sam began, "that I am the first hobbit you have seen?"
"Yes." Aragon answered. "Well, at least up close." Sam looked at him, puzzled. "You see, I was there the day of King Elessar's coronation. I was younger then and not yet in the service of the King. I caught a glimpse of 4 child-sized warriors. I had never heard of hobbits before then. It wasn't until I heard the tale of the great doings of your people, that I knew it was you that I had seen."
"Warriors?" Sam said in disbelief. "I would hardly call myself a warrior. Perhaps you are thinking of Mr. Meriadoc Brandybuck or Mr. Peregrin Took. They were both in the battle of the War of the Ring. THEY are great warriors, especially Mr. Frodo Baggins, the former Ring-bearer." Aragon looked down at the humble hobbit before him. "I am just a simple gardener." Sam added quietly.
"I have heard the story of the Great Frodo Baggins and his faithful servant, Samwise the Brave." Aragon explained. "I do not believe that a 'simple gardener' could do such courageous acts as you have done." Sam was shocked. There were stories about him?
"S...Samwise the Brave?" Sam repeated. "But that can't be right. I...I..."
"You are very well known, Master Gamgee, especially in the tale of the destruction of the One Ring of Power and the Dark Lord himself. Your tale of heroism will be told for generations to come." Sam didn't know what to say. He simply stood in the round doorway, trying to comprehend what he was being told.
Aragon let him have a moment, seeing the amount of surprise in the hobbits face. After a short time, he finally broke the silence.
"Master Gamgee," he began, "my reason for this unexpected visit is quite important." Sam blinked and looked down at the envelope still in Aragon's hand. "I am here to deliver a message directly from King Elessar. I am to deliver this immediately." Sam took the beautifully decorated envelope with a slightly shaking hand. What could it be? He was almost afraid to open it.
"I'm sorry to seem rude," Aragon said suddenly, "but I have other announcements to deliver. Could you kindly direct me to the home of Mr. Baggins?" Sam looked from the envelope to the man.
"I do not find it rude at all. You are simply fulfilling you duties." Sam responded. "Do you have many more to deliver?"
"I have 3 more. Mr. Frodo Baggins, Mr. Meriadoc Brandybuck and Mr. Peregrin Took." Aragon recited, as if he had memorized the names which were beautifully written on the envelopes.
"If you would like, I can deliver Mr. Baggins' for you. I am due visit him this very afternoon. It will save you the trip so that you may continue on your journey." Aragon smiled.
"I would greatly appreciate that, Master Gamgee." He said and handed Sam a second envelope. "I ask if you would not mind doing me one additional favor?" He added.
"If it is in my power." Sam responded.
"If you could you not inform King Elessar of your assistance? I was instructed to deliver each announcement personally." Sam studied the man. He seemed quite young; perhaps no more then 20 summers old. It was obvious to Sam that he was a bit fearful of King Elessar's wrath if he should not fulfill his assigned duties. Sam's personal experiences with the King allowed him the knowledge of the King's truly caring personality.
"You have my word as an honest hobbit. I shall not breathe a word of it to another living soul." Sam promised, bowing again.
"And you have my many thanks, Master Gamgee." Aragon said. Then, standing, he bowed deeply to the hobbit.
"Now, if you could do a favor for me." Sam inquired.
"It would be my greatest pleasure, Master Gamgee." Aragon answered.
"I only ask that you refer to me as Samwise. I am not worthy of the title 'Master'."
"I beg your pardon, but I must disagree." Aragon responded. "You are possibly one of the most worthy of the title." Then, giving Sam one last, very low bow, Aragon turned to leave. "Good day, Master Samwise." He added then began down the road that led towards Buckland.