As always, great responses to my last chapter. I'm sorry that this one is a bit late in coming, but I've started college this week, and as you can guess, if had other things to be doing! But it's here now, and the next chapter should be up in the not too distant future.
Shirebound-Please do keep pointing out those obvious errors, I am trying my hardest to correct anything that you point out, so please do keep at it. I'm so glad that you are enjoying this!
Bookworm200- I also love post-quest and pre-quest stories the best, which was why I tried to figure a way of combining the two. I'm glad you like it! Welcome on bored! (I love your name by the way!)
Celebrindal- Sorry the update was a bit late, but I'm happy you liked the lines from the last one. The one's you pointed out were probably my favourite as well. (I'm I allowed to have favourite lines in my own story? Oh well)
Gamgeefest- Glad to see more new people joining the slowly growing number of my reviewers! I write because people like you inspire me with your nice reviews, keep them coming!
Crazytook- I was actually going for that cute/sad feeling with this, so I'm happy you picked up on that! Can I ask you what `kudos` means? Severaly people have said it before, and I don't have the faintest idea what you are talking about! It's good I hope!
MaidenOfImladris- The flash backs are actually all part of the story, without them, there would be no plot, so It's a good job that you like them best! But seriously, thank you for such a kind review!
Samwise the Brave- Your wish has been granted my friend, here is the next chapter! (I'm sorry it was a bit late in coming)
No1fan (who refuses to give up her title)- I was happy to hear that you think that my story would even be worth Tolkein reading! Next chapter here, your wait is over.
????- Indeed, Legolas did refer to lembas as his `commercial`, and I suppose I did sort of use that, but I was actually quoting out of the book, so I didn't relate to the dvd when you mentioned it.
Cosmo-queen- Glad you could imagine Sam's dialogue as much as I can, the line about the caterpillar eating his button was the one I was most proud of (and the one that I only put in as an after thought, that one was one of the last to go in!)
Obelia medusa- I understand your lateness completely, I did guess that you were moving house, so I really don't hold it against you my number one jellyfish fan! I'm glad you liked my `Pulling your head off` line, the idea made even me laugh when it came to me! (If that isn't sounding too big headed!) And you think I have literacy talents? Wow!
I have been looking for your next chapter of anchored, but it doesn't seem to be up yet. Hmm..I don't suppose you got fed up with your new place and decided to move back where you came from again? I didn't think so!
Mousegal- I'm glad you like my Sam character, as you probably already know, he was my favourite in the book, so I found his younger childhood not that hard to imagine! I'm glad you liked my letter, that took me quite a while to write, and get it just like I thought it should go. I don't know if you noticed, but several of the lines were taken directly from some of my poems! Anyway, I'll let you get on with reading my next chapter now!
LegyLuva- (A Sam of my very own.) No spelling mistakes? By Jove! But I doubt this will last long, look hard enough, and you're bound to find some in this chapter!
And you used to twist your own buttons? Well there you go, I never knew that. Just another reason why you seem so very much like my own Sam!
If indeed, I never get enough flames to destroy the Ring, then it will be up to you to help me do it myself dear friend!
I had to save your response till last, because I wanted to include this announcement in it
Important announcement: This story is specially written for My very own Sam, who was my whole complete inspiration for this idea, and the whole reason that this chapter came into being.
I'm sure this will not make sense to the rest of you, but by the end, LegyLuva will know exactly why this story is dedicated to her, as a thank you for so many years of friendship. May it continue throughout college. "My strength, my light, my kindred spirit, my hope, my soul and my shining star"
~*~
Memories of a Gardener
By Michelle Frodo
Chapter 4- Thunder
Over the next few weeks, Sam refused to let himself open the Box, which he had stored underneath Frodo's bed.
He knew that it would be simply too much of a distraction, he had spent so much time musing already.
Instead, he plunged himself into his jobs, and kept his mind occupied during the day.
He was elected mayor of Hobbiton, which worked as a fine thing to concentrate on for a little while.
But he never did plan on forgetting completely, as Frodo had pleaded with him not to, and so it was one blustery autumn morning when he found himself back on the floor of the old bedroom of Bag End.
But his mind didn't stay in Bag End.
After finding the next item in the box, his mind was taken through the door, down the hall way, and out of the garden into the lane beyond….
~*~
Sam trudged miserably up the lane, his hands in his pockets and his head down. He was heading up to the pasture that overlooked Hobbiton, with some other boys who lived in the area.
He didn't understand why he had to go with them. He would much rather have gone to Bag End, and maybe worked on his garden. But his mother had insisted.
Why it was important for him to spend time with lads his own age was a mystery to the sad young hobbit.
Similarly, the boys weren't particularly happy at having Sam join them. He was a few years younger then them, and in their opinion, too little to join in with their games.
But Sancho Proudfoots mother had insisted that they take the Gamgee lad along with them.
Acorn pasture was a great playing field for the young hobbit children. It was located at the top of a hill near to the Green Dragon Inn.
On three sides trees surrounded it, and the fourth side was the beginning of what the young children liked to call a `mountain`.
It was far enough away from the adults so that the children had privacy, but close enough to make sure that no mischief went on.
The path to Acorn pasture ran by the side of a stream, which fell down to join the Brandywine fifty miles away.
Sam had never been to the pasture before, but had heard his brothers talking about it many times.
He walked up the path by the stream gloomily, while the other boys chatted amongst themselves.
The path soon left the stream and turned into the `forest` (the `forest` was little more then a small copse of trees, but the hobbit lads and lasses had little knowledge of the world beyond their own front gardens.)
The much used path wound between trees and bushes, until it emerged at the edge of the small field.
The boys ran to the rock that stood in the middle of a sea of grass, while Sam walked after them slowly, enjoying the feel of the damp grass between his toes.
The first game the boys decided to play was `Mad Baggins`. Sam strongly objected to this, wanting to be faithful to his much loved Mr Bilbo, but the boys ignored his objections.
It was decided that Robin was to play Bilbo, and the rest were to play dwarfs, apart from Togo, who played a wizard when he was needed.
This agreed upon, the lads began their game. It became obvious to young Sam that they were not going to listen to his objections that Bilbo was not `mad`.
So Sam decided that the least he could do was make sure that they held true to the story. He walked up to Sancho, who, being the eldest by nearly 4 months, had elected himself as leader of the group.
"Mr Sancho" The young lad said, tugging on the older boy's sleeve. Sancho looked down at him.
"Some of you will have to play 2 dwarfs Sir." Sam instructed. Sancho raised his eyebrows.
"As there's six of you" Sam continued, counting on his fingers "Five of you will have to play two dwarfs, and one of you will have to play three." Sam looked up grinning, pleased at having worked this out all by himself.
The beginning of a smirk began to form on Sanchos' face.
"What are you talking about?" he asked Sam. By now the rest of the group had stopped trying to force Robin into a sack and be kidnapped by the dwarfs, and came over to listen to their conversation.
"Well " Sam explained "Mr Bilbo went on his trip with thirteen dwarfs, him bein' the lucky number an' all"
The other lads fell about laughing, and ignoring the young gardener, they carried on with their game.
Sam persisted however, in pointing out the various mistakes and changes they had made to Bilbo Baggins' adventure all those many years ago.
"Mr Bilbo met trolls before he came to the Goblins, you've missed the trolls out…….."
"If I remember rightly, the dwarfs were kept in different rooms 'round the elves castle, not all in one room…"
The boys grew so annoyed with Sam's corrections that they soon gave it up. Instead they decided to play hide and seek.
Sam loved hide and seek. Whenever he played with Frodo, the tweenager would pretend to be a dragon or a troll that Sam had to hide from.
The first time they had played, Frodo hadn't explained this, and Sam had been scared close to tears when Frodo had roared like a giant.
Freddie said that he would be `it` first, and the other boys ran off to hide, while he counted to a hundred.
Sam was determined not to be the first one found. He wanted to prove that he could play games just as well as the older boys. With this in mind, he ran into the trees, looking for a good place to hide.
He soon came to the bottom of a giant chestnut tree. Frodo, Halfred and Hamson had taught him how to climb trees a few weeks ago. This one was high, but didn't seem too difficult. Sam began to climb.
* * *
Frodo and Bilbo were sat on the couch in the living room in Bag End. Frodo was reading aloud from an elvish book, and Bilbo was correcting his pronunciations.
"Well done lad, only a few mistakes. You're getting a lot better."
"Thanks Bilbo" Frodo beamed.
The young hobbit would have done anything to please his `Uncle Bilbo` and his was the highest praise Frodo felt he could receive. He loved the old Hobbit dearly.
"Frodo my boy, would you go down and fetch young Sam for me? It's just about time for him to be starting his reading lesson."
"All right Bilbo, I'll go down the Row and see if I can find him."
Frodo grabbed his coat and walked through the door, closing it behind him with a bang.
His habit of slamming doors had annoyed Bilbo at first; he felt that door slamming simply made too much noise.
But after having lived with Frodo for many months, he found that doors closing quietly didn't make enough noise, and had even started to slam them himself.
Bilbo began to tidy up Frodo's work. Over the last few months Frodo had learned to read and write quite a bit of the elvish language.
The floor was scattered with pieces of paper, Bilbo's flowing elvish script on top, Frodo's neat copy underneath.
Bilbo was amazed at the progress that Frodo was making. It had taken Bilbo several years to come even close to Frodo's standard of just over three months' work.
The boy had a good head on his shoulders, Bilbo thought, as he began to get Sam's work out.
Teaching the common tongue was far easier then teaching elvish.
He set Sam's work on the table, and sat with his pipe while he waited for his nephews' return with young gardener in tow.
* * *
Frodo walked down Bagshot Row and came to number three. Bell Gamgee was darning shirts in the garden.
"Mrs Gamgee?" Frodo called. Bell looked up from her work.
"Hello Mr Frodo dear, wha' can I do for you?"
"I was wondering where Sam was. Bilbo says its time for his lesson. He's usually sat here at the gate waiting for me. Is he all right?"
"Oh he's fine. He's jus' gone up to Acorn pasture with some other boys. You can go n' get him if Mr Bilbo wants him. Just follow this road up past the Dragon, follow the stream, and you'll soon come to it."
"Thank you Mrs Gamgee" Frodo called politely, and walked off down the path that led to the Dragon.
He crossed the stream by the bridge, and followed the path up by the side of the fast flowing water.
The sky was getting dark, and it looked like rain. A breeze started to pick up as Frodo carried on walking.
He soon came across a group of chattering lads walking the other way down the path towards him.
"I'm looking for Acorn pasture. Am I on the right road?" he asked them.
All the boys knew that Frodo was Bilbo's heir, and that he was a gentle-hobbit. They treated him with as much respect as they could manage.
"Yeah Master Baggins', you're on the right road, ya just follow this path up, that'll lead ya right. Just come down from there meself actually."
"You have?" Frodo asked. He recognised the lads, and he suspected that it was this group that Sam had gone to play with.
But there was no sign of his little friend.
"Perhaps you can tell me where Sam Gamgee might be?" he asked.
The lads looked at each other startled, they had completely forgotten about Sam. Suddenly, Sancho started laughing, and the other lads couldn't help but laugh as well.
"What's so funny?" Frodo asked, beginning to get annoyed at not being able to get a straight answer from them.
"Was Sam Gamgee up in the pasture with you or not?"
"He was with us…..but…but…" Togo managed to say in between chuckles.
"Oh Elbereth!" Frodo cursed. "Just give me an answer will you!"
"He's still up there!" Robin managed at last. "We were playing hide and seek, n' when it started to look like rain, we made our way back down, n' didn't notice he weren't with us."
"He's up there by himself?" Frodo said, to no one in particular.
He pushed past the group of lads, who were still laughing at having forgotten about Sam, and made his way up the path again.
His pace quickened as the first big drops of rain began to fall. He could see the footprints of the lads who had just walked down the path slowly turning mushy as the rain fell heavier on the mud.
He stopped.
Something was telling him to go to his right. He hadn't reached the path yet, and right would take him straight into the bushes.
Frodo knew what a stupid suggestion that was; it was dangerous to leave the path.
But some deep dark corner of his mind was screaming at him to go to his right.
The rain fell heavier. The thought wouldn't go away. He had to make a decision.
Frodo took a deep breath, and clambered into the undergrowth.
* * *
Sam had been sat in the tree for ages. It must have been at least half an hour.
At first he was pleased. He had found the best hiding place, and they couldn't find him.
Soon he began to get worried. What if the never found him? He would have to sit up in the tree forever.
Suddenly a drop of water landed on his nose. He looked up, and through the many branches, Sam saw the dark clouds that promised rain.
He decided he would have to go down himself. They obviously weren't going to find him.
He stretched his foot down to the branch below, but couldn't reach it. He strained and he struggled, but to no avail.
Just at that moment the rain began to fall heavier, and Sam lost his footing.
He gave a cry, and managed to catch hold of the branch.
He pulled himself up, huffing and puffing with the effort. He held on to the branch for dear life, and leaned his back against the trees think trunk.
He was stuck up in a tree, and couldn't get back down again.
* * *
Frodo continued to push his way through the trees that surrounded Acorn Pasture. He still didn't know what had made him leave the path. But the same something was telling him he was on the right track. He called at the top of his voice.
"Sam?.. Sam Gamgee can you hear me?"
"Mr Frodo? Is that you Sir?" Came the reply.
"Sam?" Frodo called again relieved at hearing his friends' voice. "Sam where are you?"
"I'm up here"
Frodo looked up into the branches of a great chestnut tree. He spotted Sam high up in its branches. The rain was falling harder.
"Sam! It's all right, I'm here now, climb down and I'll take you home"
"Mr Frodo I'm stuck!"
Frodo swore quietly to himself. He looked up at the branches, wet now and very slippery. Climbing trees in the rain was dangerous.
But he didn't have a choice.
"Sam, I'm coming up for you!" He reached for the lowest branch, and pulled himself up.
* * *
Bilbo still sat with his pipe in his mouth, not realising that it had gone out long ago.
It was usual for Frodo to be late back from the Gamgee house. Bell Gamgee had the notion that the tweenager needed feeding up, and always insisted on pressing cakes and pies upon him.
Frodo didn't often complain, as Bell was famous for her delicious pies.
But Frodo had been gone for a long time. Bilbo was worried.
He left the couch and walked over to the window. It looked like a storm was coming. It was already raining hard, with no sign of letting up.
Bilbo pondered things for a moment. Then came to a decision. He would give them ten more minutes, then he was going down to Bagshot Row to look for them.
* * *
Frodo carefully pulled his weight onto the branch where Sam was sat. The child's eyes were wide with fright, and it was obvious that he had been crying.
"It's all right Sam, I'll get you down, you'll be fine." Frodo took Sam's hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"But you're going to have to help me Sam. I can't carry you down, but I'll guide your feet for you. I won't let you fall."
Sam looked into Frodo's eyes, squeezed his hand back, and nodded.
"Right, I'll go first, and tell you where to put your feet. Be careful Sam, it's slippy."
Frodo let himself down off the branch, and Sam followed, with Frodo helping him.
* * *
Bilbo made his way to the front door of number three.
It was raining very hard, and he had his coat and cloak on. He carried Frodo's cloak under his arm, so the lad wouldn't get too wet on the way home.
Bilbo knocked on the door, which was opened by Hamfast.
"Mr Bilbo Sir! What're you doin' out in this weather?"
Bilbo walked into the hallway and shut the door behind him.
"Hamfast, is my boy Frodo here?" Bilbo asked directly.
"Why no Sir, I though he n' my Sam was at yours, beggin' your pardon." Hamfast answered.
Just at that moment Bell came walking down the hall drying her hands on a towel.
"Bell, have you seen Sam-lad and Mr Frodo?" asked Hamfast, beginning to get worried.
"Mr Frodo went up to Acorn Pasture a while back lookin' for our Sam, but that musta' been half an hour ago at least."
"They're outside in this storm?" came Bilbo's astonished reply, just as the first thunder clapped overhead.
"Come on Hamfast, grab your coat. We'll have to go and find them."
* * *
Frodo jumped down off the last branch, glad that his feet were finally on the ground.
He turned around to see Sam holding out his hands to be helped down. Frodo took the young lad in his arms, and placed him on the floor.
Just at that moment there was a huge clap of thunder overhead. Sam gave a cry and buried his face in Frodo's by now very wet coat.
Frodo tightened his grip on Sam and held him close until the noise stopped.
"Sam" he whispered into the lads ear. "Are you frightened of the thunder?"
Sam shook his head defiantly. But another clap of thunder came, and he hid himself in Frodo's warm embrace again. This time he looked up to meet Frodo's eyes, and nodded his head softly.
Frodo was lucky in the fact that he had never been scared of the thunder. Though when he had lived at Brandy Hall, he had had to look after Merry during such storms. Being scared of the thunder, he hated to be by himself.
"It's all right Sam." Frodo said softly, cuddling Sam in his arms. "I'm here, you're not on your own, it can't hurt you."
Sam relaxed his grip slightly. The rain continued to fall.
Frodo looked around. He hadn't seen any lightening, but he still wanted to get out of way of the trees, just in case.
But he couldn't remember the way back to the path.
He looked down at Sam, who had his arms wrapped around the tweenagers middle.
"Sam, do you know the way back to the path?"
Sam looked around, then turned back to Frodo wide eyed, and shook his head.
"Well" said Frodo, more cheerfully then he felt, not wanting Sam to know how worried he was. "We can't stay under the trees, we'll have to walk and hopefully find our way back."
He dislodged Sam from around his middle, but just then another rumble of thunder echoed through the trees, and Sam grabbed Frodo's hand.
He was still frightened, so Frodo gripped his hand back, and began to walk in the general direction he thought he had come from. He thought he could hear voices, so he walked towards them, holding Sam's hand in his.
* * *
"Frodo?"
"Sam-lad? Mr Frodo?"
"Sam? Oh it's no use Gaffer" Said Bilbo, hoarse with all the shouting. "They can't hear us over the rain."
"We gotta' keep trying Mr Bilbo, we're nearly at the pasture now, they mus' be 'round here somewheres."
"Frodo?"
"Sam? Frodo Baggins?"
"How many Frodo's do you think are in here?" came a reply.
"Frodo my boy!" cried Bilbo as Frodo emerged out from the trees on his right.
"Sam-lad!" cried Hamfast, as he caught sight of Sam clinging to Frodo's hand.
Both boys were pulled into many armed hugs, as the rain continued to fall.
"Come on lads before we all catch our deaths." Cried a very relieved Bilbo. "Lets get you home."
He placed Frodo's cloak around its owner's shoulders. Hamfast made to remove Sam from Frodo's hand, but Sam wouldn't let go.
"It's all right Gaffer, I've got him. He needs to share my cloak anyway, not having one of his own."
The rain came down harder, and the thunder grew louder, as they made their way home.
* * *
Hamfast went back to Bagshot Row to tell Bell that the lads were all right.
Bilbo was getting a warm bath ready, and Sam and Frodo were sat in Frodo's room.
Sam was sat on Frodo's knee, drying the tweenagers feet, and Frodo was rubbing Sam's hair with a towel.
It suddenly occurred to Frodo that Sam hadn't said a word since the thunder had started.
He must have been so very scared, stuck in a tree all by himself. But…why had he been in a tree in the first place?
"Sam" Frodo began "what in the West Farthing were you doing sat in a tree?"
"I was hiding Mr Frodo. It must have been a good hiding place, because it was only you who managed to find me. Don't you think it was a good place to hide Sir?" Sam turned round and beamed at Frodo.
"A most excellent hiding place Sam"
"Oh! And I almost forgot!" Sam jumped off Frodo's knee and turned round to face him. "Look what I found."
He dug his hands in his trouser pocket and brought out a bright green conker shell.
"Where did you get that?" Frodo asked. It was several months too early for conkers.
"It was up in the tree. I sat on it, and it pricked me." Sam answered with a giggle.
"It looks like a big one. Open it Sam" Frodo said.
Sam pressed his fingers between the spikes, and the shell broke open.
Inside, instead of one conker, there were two. Sam picked them up off the floor where they had fallen.
"Wow Mr Frodo look! There were two inside!"
He looked at them both, his eyes wide with glee. Then he took hold of Frodo's hands, gave him one of the conkers, and closed the older lads' fingers around it.
"Here Mr Frodo, you keep this one. Thank you for rescuing me from the thunder."
~*~
A slightly different style to what I usually write, this chapter skipped from different people's points of view. Let me know if it was all right!
May Elbereth bless my reviewers; Flames will be used in destroying the Ring