Disclaimer: AU Story. Based on Shirebound's wonderful drabble, "Grace";
much thanks for her permission. The characters and settings continue to
belong to Tolkien. But the plot is mine and I very much hope that you enjoy
it. ^^
Shirebound: I wish I had a magic way of predicting updates. Or, even better, a device that poked me and nagged me every day until I wrote the next chapter. In stories, I'm usually just as curious to know the ending as anyone else. Kings of the Horizon is currently lost in a lot of mist and it'd be nice to find time to draw it out again!
Aemilia Rose: *hugs back* Please don't bang your head on account of my lousy updates! I will be better- Christmas holidays present opportunities galore! So pleased you enjoyed that paragraph of Pippin's thoughts- it was surprising how interesting Pippin's whole mindset is.
Bookworm2000: I know what you mean by the clouded eyes- very creepy stuff. Heh. Muchos gracias for the comments! (Oh, I checked out your new bio- you simply rock ^^)
Monica: Of course there is more! I can't stop now! This is going all the way to Aragorn's coronation and...maybe then...beyond...Wow, you'll love me forever? Thank you!
MagicalRachel: ...Or, as I wrote it down as an abbreviation recently- MagRag...hmm...I do not rule, unfortunately, as I have not had an idea yet for you to angstify! But many congratulations on that beautiful Rosie fic- added it to my favourites as I think it is one of your best pieces of genius to date ^^
Note: There are references in this chapter to my previous fic- Garden of the Moon. Please forgive the odd nature of this plot device. Things ought to start happening again in ch.9, coming soon...
~ Chapter Eight ~
"Make way..."
Faramir came to a halt in front of the herald, who was quite startled that the Steward had not cantered past him.
"Could you take me to the Ringbearers?" Faramir asked, hopefully. The herald nodded- not be put off- and started back into the crowded tents and pickets. He came to the tent and opened up the flap. Sam was sitting cross- legged on a rumpled bed, examining his hand with what appeared to be deep concentration. The herald cleared his throat nervously and the hobbit jumped back to the real world, face lighting up at the sight of Faramir. He jumped up.
"Oh, you came!" he cried happily. The ranger was truly touched by the pure delight ringing in these words and ran to embrace his once-lost friend.
"Sam..." he breathed, "You did it. You really proved me wrong, didn't you?"
"Well," said Sam shyly, "That's probably a good thing in the long run."
"In the long run.it has been so long. It feels like a whole age since I saw you last but, to my knowledge, it has been no more than three weeks. Samwise! It is wonderful to see you again!"
In a burst of impetuous friendship, he swung the hobbit round as he would a child and then deposited him back on his feet with a parting embrace. Sam, though slightly ruffled, smiled up at him. It bewildered him, sometimes, why people were suddenly so pleased to see him when- as Sam saw it- Frodo had done all the work. Faramir straightened up and gazed round the tent thoughtfully, asking,
"So where is your master? I heard that he had woken to and I would be most disappointed to miss him."
"You're not staying long then?"
"I fear not. Do you know where Frodo is?"
Sam sighed and put on such a wearied grimace that the ranger almost laughed. The hobbit scratched the back of his head and frowned a little.
"Well, to be honest with you, Captain Faramir, your guess is as good as mine. Since getting better and all, Mister Frodo hasn't slept one wink. It's as if he's making up for all those days he's been sleepin'. Last I knew, he was out walking with Gandalf but goodness knows where he might be now."
"He is feeling well then?" Faramir laughed.
"Oh yes! That's for certain sure," Sam replied with the flicker of a smile. But this gesture faded as he went on and a distant look came to his eyes, "It's odd. Sometimes.I think I can still see him.like he was in Mordor. I'll see it sudden-like and then it's gone again and he's back to proper Frodo." The mist seemed to clear and the smile hastily returned, as a sort of mask to Sam's emotions. "We'd best go and find him for you, Captain, he'll be more than pleased to see you. Oh, but sir." he stopped as he came to the entrance of the pavilion, turning to engulf Faramir with his anxious gaze, "You didn't really come that terrible long way just to see us, did you?"
"Well, er.no, no, I had some business to discuss with Mithrandir that was most urgent. Though it would be far more pleasant to see your faces instead of his."
Sam smiled with relief and led his companion from the tent, Faramir looking on with renewed love of such a wondrously pure heart.
--
Frodo breathed in the scent of the gardens and his mind filled with visions of the Shire. He stared listlessly at the sky and saw there misty blue memories, wreathed with cloud. How many times he had let himself fall into that abyss, lying awake those dark nights, searching for stars amid the fumes. He shook the thought from his head, saddened by the fact that nothing seemed to keep his mind from wandering to the past. A time when he still had the Ring.
Gandalf coughed abruptly, drawing Frodo back to Ithilien.
"Sam tells me that you've not been sleeping," he said, throwing the topic to the winds with a casual gait. Frodo smiled.
"Yes," he replied, "Yes, that is true."
"And why's that then?"
There was a pause that, although easily missed by any other ear, was not lost on the wizard. "Oh, I'm just happy to be awake, I suppose. Perhaps all that sleep has allowed me a few days of constant wakefulness. Besides, I've so much work to do on Bilbo's book."
The path widened out into a green rise, with a tangle of thorns to the right. The smell of pine trees and fir tinted the breeze. The spring sun was low and dazzlingly bright and it lit up even the tiniest crevice in the most insignificant leaf. To his surprise, Frodo was struck by how familiar the scene was. Though he remembered very little of the quest and its landscape, he recalled emotions. Fear. A sudden rush of adrenaline. He could hear his heart hammering wildly in his ears as he lay very still, listening to some close danger at hand.
"Gandalf," he exclaimed excitedly, pulling on his friend's sleeve, "I remember this place! I think I've been here before."
"This is most likely. Henneth Annûn is only a mile or so behind us. What do you remember?"
Frodo frowned as he made his way round the patch of thorns, examining the earth, bringing back floods of memories with every stretch he covered. He ran a few paces up the hill and stared round. It was the view he could not forget.
"The place where Gollum first left us," he said, "When we were chased by orcs down this very hillside." He laughed at a sudden recollection. "Poor Sam! As he fell, one of his pans came loose." As these words emerged, he saw Gandalf bending down and drawing out a rusted metal saucepan lying forlornly in a small thicket. The handle was nicked and the shine gone but it was the same, nonetheless. It had travelled the length of Middle-Earth only to be lost in a terrifying flight from the enemy. Frodo crossed the earth to his friend and took the thing gently in his hands, touching the rough surface that filled his heart with bitter joy.
"What a trophy for dear Sam," he breathed, "And worth more than all the stars in the heavens."
--
".I'm Pippin and this is Merry. And I'm a knight of Gondor and he's a.well, he's a something of Rohan. What are they called in Rohan, Merry?"
"You know, I don't think I ever asked. Captain Faramir, do you know what they call them in Rohan? Am I a knight too?"
"Well, I, er."
"Captain Faramir!" Frodo cried delightedly, dashing across the lawn towards the ranger, who was sitting cross-legged on the grass. Merry and Pippin parted to let their cousin greet Faramir and Sam stood to one side, looking at his feet.
"Frodo, you look very well!" the captain laughed.
"Thank you! The same for you, my friend. How lovely to see you again! It is good to see you in fairer times."
The two hugged but, in doing so, elicited a pained cry from Faramir as something large and sharp dug into the small of his back. Frodo drew back with profuse apologies.
"I'm so sorry, I completely forgot! Sam, look here, what Gandalf found! Now you know that those orcs didn't get it afterall."
Sam took the proffered pan with quivering hands, tears filling his eyes as he clutched it to him. He was too overcome to speak.
Shirebound: I wish I had a magic way of predicting updates. Or, even better, a device that poked me and nagged me every day until I wrote the next chapter. In stories, I'm usually just as curious to know the ending as anyone else. Kings of the Horizon is currently lost in a lot of mist and it'd be nice to find time to draw it out again!
Aemilia Rose: *hugs back* Please don't bang your head on account of my lousy updates! I will be better- Christmas holidays present opportunities galore! So pleased you enjoyed that paragraph of Pippin's thoughts- it was surprising how interesting Pippin's whole mindset is.
Bookworm2000: I know what you mean by the clouded eyes- very creepy stuff. Heh. Muchos gracias for the comments! (Oh, I checked out your new bio- you simply rock ^^)
Monica: Of course there is more! I can't stop now! This is going all the way to Aragorn's coronation and...maybe then...beyond...Wow, you'll love me forever? Thank you!
MagicalRachel: ...Or, as I wrote it down as an abbreviation recently- MagRag...hmm...I do not rule, unfortunately, as I have not had an idea yet for you to angstify! But many congratulations on that beautiful Rosie fic- added it to my favourites as I think it is one of your best pieces of genius to date ^^
Note: There are references in this chapter to my previous fic- Garden of the Moon. Please forgive the odd nature of this plot device. Things ought to start happening again in ch.9, coming soon...
~ Chapter Eight ~
"Make way..."
Faramir came to a halt in front of the herald, who was quite startled that the Steward had not cantered past him.
"Could you take me to the Ringbearers?" Faramir asked, hopefully. The herald nodded- not be put off- and started back into the crowded tents and pickets. He came to the tent and opened up the flap. Sam was sitting cross- legged on a rumpled bed, examining his hand with what appeared to be deep concentration. The herald cleared his throat nervously and the hobbit jumped back to the real world, face lighting up at the sight of Faramir. He jumped up.
"Oh, you came!" he cried happily. The ranger was truly touched by the pure delight ringing in these words and ran to embrace his once-lost friend.
"Sam..." he breathed, "You did it. You really proved me wrong, didn't you?"
"Well," said Sam shyly, "That's probably a good thing in the long run."
"In the long run.it has been so long. It feels like a whole age since I saw you last but, to my knowledge, it has been no more than three weeks. Samwise! It is wonderful to see you again!"
In a burst of impetuous friendship, he swung the hobbit round as he would a child and then deposited him back on his feet with a parting embrace. Sam, though slightly ruffled, smiled up at him. It bewildered him, sometimes, why people were suddenly so pleased to see him when- as Sam saw it- Frodo had done all the work. Faramir straightened up and gazed round the tent thoughtfully, asking,
"So where is your master? I heard that he had woken to and I would be most disappointed to miss him."
"You're not staying long then?"
"I fear not. Do you know where Frodo is?"
Sam sighed and put on such a wearied grimace that the ranger almost laughed. The hobbit scratched the back of his head and frowned a little.
"Well, to be honest with you, Captain Faramir, your guess is as good as mine. Since getting better and all, Mister Frodo hasn't slept one wink. It's as if he's making up for all those days he's been sleepin'. Last I knew, he was out walking with Gandalf but goodness knows where he might be now."
"He is feeling well then?" Faramir laughed.
"Oh yes! That's for certain sure," Sam replied with the flicker of a smile. But this gesture faded as he went on and a distant look came to his eyes, "It's odd. Sometimes.I think I can still see him.like he was in Mordor. I'll see it sudden-like and then it's gone again and he's back to proper Frodo." The mist seemed to clear and the smile hastily returned, as a sort of mask to Sam's emotions. "We'd best go and find him for you, Captain, he'll be more than pleased to see you. Oh, but sir." he stopped as he came to the entrance of the pavilion, turning to engulf Faramir with his anxious gaze, "You didn't really come that terrible long way just to see us, did you?"
"Well, er.no, no, I had some business to discuss with Mithrandir that was most urgent. Though it would be far more pleasant to see your faces instead of his."
Sam smiled with relief and led his companion from the tent, Faramir looking on with renewed love of such a wondrously pure heart.
--
Frodo breathed in the scent of the gardens and his mind filled with visions of the Shire. He stared listlessly at the sky and saw there misty blue memories, wreathed with cloud. How many times he had let himself fall into that abyss, lying awake those dark nights, searching for stars amid the fumes. He shook the thought from his head, saddened by the fact that nothing seemed to keep his mind from wandering to the past. A time when he still had the Ring.
Gandalf coughed abruptly, drawing Frodo back to Ithilien.
"Sam tells me that you've not been sleeping," he said, throwing the topic to the winds with a casual gait. Frodo smiled.
"Yes," he replied, "Yes, that is true."
"And why's that then?"
There was a pause that, although easily missed by any other ear, was not lost on the wizard. "Oh, I'm just happy to be awake, I suppose. Perhaps all that sleep has allowed me a few days of constant wakefulness. Besides, I've so much work to do on Bilbo's book."
The path widened out into a green rise, with a tangle of thorns to the right. The smell of pine trees and fir tinted the breeze. The spring sun was low and dazzlingly bright and it lit up even the tiniest crevice in the most insignificant leaf. To his surprise, Frodo was struck by how familiar the scene was. Though he remembered very little of the quest and its landscape, he recalled emotions. Fear. A sudden rush of adrenaline. He could hear his heart hammering wildly in his ears as he lay very still, listening to some close danger at hand.
"Gandalf," he exclaimed excitedly, pulling on his friend's sleeve, "I remember this place! I think I've been here before."
"This is most likely. Henneth Annûn is only a mile or so behind us. What do you remember?"
Frodo frowned as he made his way round the patch of thorns, examining the earth, bringing back floods of memories with every stretch he covered. He ran a few paces up the hill and stared round. It was the view he could not forget.
"The place where Gollum first left us," he said, "When we were chased by orcs down this very hillside." He laughed at a sudden recollection. "Poor Sam! As he fell, one of his pans came loose." As these words emerged, he saw Gandalf bending down and drawing out a rusted metal saucepan lying forlornly in a small thicket. The handle was nicked and the shine gone but it was the same, nonetheless. It had travelled the length of Middle-Earth only to be lost in a terrifying flight from the enemy. Frodo crossed the earth to his friend and took the thing gently in his hands, touching the rough surface that filled his heart with bitter joy.
"What a trophy for dear Sam," he breathed, "And worth more than all the stars in the heavens."
--
".I'm Pippin and this is Merry. And I'm a knight of Gondor and he's a.well, he's a something of Rohan. What are they called in Rohan, Merry?"
"You know, I don't think I ever asked. Captain Faramir, do you know what they call them in Rohan? Am I a knight too?"
"Well, I, er."
"Captain Faramir!" Frodo cried delightedly, dashing across the lawn towards the ranger, who was sitting cross-legged on the grass. Merry and Pippin parted to let their cousin greet Faramir and Sam stood to one side, looking at his feet.
"Frodo, you look very well!" the captain laughed.
"Thank you! The same for you, my friend. How lovely to see you again! It is good to see you in fairer times."
The two hugged but, in doing so, elicited a pained cry from Faramir as something large and sharp dug into the small of his back. Frodo drew back with profuse apologies.
"I'm so sorry, I completely forgot! Sam, look here, what Gandalf found! Now you know that those orcs didn't get it afterall."
Sam took the proffered pan with quivering hands, tears filling his eyes as he clutched it to him. He was too overcome to speak.