Chapter 3
Frodo. Frodo. FRODO!!!!
"NO!" Frodo woke with a start and let out a cry of sheer terror. Looking around frantically, he found he was still in his study. Cold sweat was dripping from his dark hair and pale face. He was breathing so heavily that his chest hurt. His shoulder burned and ached as well. He rubbed it, feeling the scar the Witch Kings blade left him.
"Mr. Frodo?!" Sam rushed though the door and raced into the study. "Mr. Frodo, what happened? I heard you scream from the front gate." Sam began fussing over Frodo. Frodo, in turn, simply breathed deeply in an attempt to catch his breath. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his forehead.
"I'm fine Sam, really." He tried to reassure, not only Sam, but himself as well. "It was just a nightmare, that's all. Frodo tried to get up from his chair, but his legs nearly gave out from under him. Thankfully, Sam was there to catch him. "Perhaps I've been working too hard." He said as the slowly sat back down.
"You've been in here for near three days, Mr. Frodo. You barely eat anything and hardly sleep a wink. Don't think I haven't noticed. It can't be healthy for you." Sam knew Frodo was in pain and wished there was something he could do to ease it. "I have some news to deliver, Mr. Frodo."
'News?' He thought to himself. 'News of what?' Sam produced a beautiful envelope. The crest of Gondor was beautifully painted on the front. Taking it into his own hands, Frodo read the name,
:~: Master Frodo Baggins; Former Ring-Bearer: ~:
"What's this?" Frodo asked. Sam looked down at the envelope.
"I don't know, Mr. Frodo." Sam answered honestly. "A messenger from Gondor brought one for you and one for me. He said he also had ones to deliver to Mr. Merry and Mr. Pippin." Frodo continued to stare at the writing on the envelope.
"What is it about?" He asked in a tone that suggested that he almost didn't want to know. It's not that he was not happy to receive a letter from the King, his old companion, but something still frightened him about it.
"I'm not sure, Mr. Frodo. I haven't opened mine yet. I brought yours right over, as soon as the messenger left." Sam said as he pulled out his own envelope. His read,
:~: Master Samwise Gamgee; Loyal Companion :~:
There was a long moment of silence. Neither Sam nor Frodo opened their envelopes. Whether out of fear of that it might say, or the simple fact that they were confronted with an official message from the King, it seemed that 'announcement' as Aragon called them, were not going to be opened. Finally, Sam broke the silence.
"It would be very impolite to ignore a message directly from the King." He said. Frodo was silent. "Mr. Frodo?"
"Yes, it would be impolite." Frodo finally answered, though his voice seemed rather faint and distant. He turned the envelope over. His hand made the motion as if to break the seal of Gondor that held it closed. But Frodo did nothing. His hand froze in midair, as if he was under a spell, though he wasn't completely stable. His hands shook slightly as they hovered over the seal.
"I'll open mine first, Mr. Frodo." Sam said, resting his hand on Frodo's and gently placing them into his lap. Frodo let out a heavy sigh as if a great weight had been lifted off him.
Sam, who was also shaking slightly as he held the envelope, finally broke the seal and removed the letter from inside. The paper was pure white with graceful writing across it. Sam read it over silently and looked questioningly at it for a moment.
"What does it say?" Frodo finally asked, getting a bit concerned that Sam hadn't said anything yet. Sam looked up.
"It's an invitation." He answered.
"An invitation?" Frodo questioned. "From King Elessar? What is it concerning?"
"It doesn't say, Mr. Frodo. It just says that he is inviting me to Rivendell on the 10th of October. I would guess that yours says that same thing."
Frodo glanced down at his again. A journey to Rivendell. He has been home in the Shire for quite a few years now, but it just does not feel the same. Something feels wrong. Perhaps this exactly was something he needed; a vacation. Frodo then opened his envelope. It read the exact same way as Sam's. It was laid out in this fashion:
:~: Frodo Baggins :~:
My dear companion, It has been quite some time since we have seen one another. I dearly wish to be in your company once again. It is my wish that you come to Rivendell on the 10th of October. It is of great importance that you arrive by this date. Arwen and I send our wishes for your good health and a safe journey and await your arrival.
~King Elessar of Gondor
Aragorn son of Arathorn
He then looked at the calendar on his desk. August 21st. They did not have much time to prepare. There was much to be done before they could leave.
"Sam, go home and talk to Rosie about this. Then come back here after supper." Frodo said.
"Are you sure, Mr. Frodo. Maybe I should stay here with you. You seem like your not feeling well again." Sam responded.
"No Sam. This is very important and you need to speak with Rosie about it. It will take a bit of time to travel all the way to Rivendell and back. I'll see you this evening." And with that, Frodo returned to the papers he was working on. Sam didn't want to leave Frodo in such a condition but knew he had no choice.
"Good Afternoon Mr. Frodo." Sam said and left Bag End.
Frodo. Frodo. FRODO!!!!
"NO!" Frodo woke with a start and let out a cry of sheer terror. Looking around frantically, he found he was still in his study. Cold sweat was dripping from his dark hair and pale face. He was breathing so heavily that his chest hurt. His shoulder burned and ached as well. He rubbed it, feeling the scar the Witch Kings blade left him.
"Mr. Frodo?!" Sam rushed though the door and raced into the study. "Mr. Frodo, what happened? I heard you scream from the front gate." Sam began fussing over Frodo. Frodo, in turn, simply breathed deeply in an attempt to catch his breath. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his forehead.
"I'm fine Sam, really." He tried to reassure, not only Sam, but himself as well. "It was just a nightmare, that's all. Frodo tried to get up from his chair, but his legs nearly gave out from under him. Thankfully, Sam was there to catch him. "Perhaps I've been working too hard." He said as the slowly sat back down.
"You've been in here for near three days, Mr. Frodo. You barely eat anything and hardly sleep a wink. Don't think I haven't noticed. It can't be healthy for you." Sam knew Frodo was in pain and wished there was something he could do to ease it. "I have some news to deliver, Mr. Frodo."
'News?' He thought to himself. 'News of what?' Sam produced a beautiful envelope. The crest of Gondor was beautifully painted on the front. Taking it into his own hands, Frodo read the name,
:~: Master Frodo Baggins; Former Ring-Bearer: ~:
"What's this?" Frodo asked. Sam looked down at the envelope.
"I don't know, Mr. Frodo." Sam answered honestly. "A messenger from Gondor brought one for you and one for me. He said he also had ones to deliver to Mr. Merry and Mr. Pippin." Frodo continued to stare at the writing on the envelope.
"What is it about?" He asked in a tone that suggested that he almost didn't want to know. It's not that he was not happy to receive a letter from the King, his old companion, but something still frightened him about it.
"I'm not sure, Mr. Frodo. I haven't opened mine yet. I brought yours right over, as soon as the messenger left." Sam said as he pulled out his own envelope. His read,
:~: Master Samwise Gamgee; Loyal Companion :~:
There was a long moment of silence. Neither Sam nor Frodo opened their envelopes. Whether out of fear of that it might say, or the simple fact that they were confronted with an official message from the King, it seemed that 'announcement' as Aragon called them, were not going to be opened. Finally, Sam broke the silence.
"It would be very impolite to ignore a message directly from the King." He said. Frodo was silent. "Mr. Frodo?"
"Yes, it would be impolite." Frodo finally answered, though his voice seemed rather faint and distant. He turned the envelope over. His hand made the motion as if to break the seal of Gondor that held it closed. But Frodo did nothing. His hand froze in midair, as if he was under a spell, though he wasn't completely stable. His hands shook slightly as they hovered over the seal.
"I'll open mine first, Mr. Frodo." Sam said, resting his hand on Frodo's and gently placing them into his lap. Frodo let out a heavy sigh as if a great weight had been lifted off him.
Sam, who was also shaking slightly as he held the envelope, finally broke the seal and removed the letter from inside. The paper was pure white with graceful writing across it. Sam read it over silently and looked questioningly at it for a moment.
"What does it say?" Frodo finally asked, getting a bit concerned that Sam hadn't said anything yet. Sam looked up.
"It's an invitation." He answered.
"An invitation?" Frodo questioned. "From King Elessar? What is it concerning?"
"It doesn't say, Mr. Frodo. It just says that he is inviting me to Rivendell on the 10th of October. I would guess that yours says that same thing."
Frodo glanced down at his again. A journey to Rivendell. He has been home in the Shire for quite a few years now, but it just does not feel the same. Something feels wrong. Perhaps this exactly was something he needed; a vacation. Frodo then opened his envelope. It read the exact same way as Sam's. It was laid out in this fashion:
:~: Frodo Baggins :~:
My dear companion, It has been quite some time since we have seen one another. I dearly wish to be in your company once again. It is my wish that you come to Rivendell on the 10th of October. It is of great importance that you arrive by this date. Arwen and I send our wishes for your good health and a safe journey and await your arrival.
~King Elessar of Gondor
Aragorn son of Arathorn
He then looked at the calendar on his desk. August 21st. They did not have much time to prepare. There was much to be done before they could leave.
"Sam, go home and talk to Rosie about this. Then come back here after supper." Frodo said.
"Are you sure, Mr. Frodo. Maybe I should stay here with you. You seem like your not feeling well again." Sam responded.
"No Sam. This is very important and you need to speak with Rosie about it. It will take a bit of time to travel all the way to Rivendell and back. I'll see you this evening." And with that, Frodo returned to the papers he was working on. Sam didn't want to leave Frodo in such a condition but knew he had no choice.
"Good Afternoon Mr. Frodo." Sam said and left Bag End.