Hey you guys! Back again. Just so you know, the whole of this story has now been written and typed up. There are four more chapters to look forward to after this one. I'm hoping we're going to see some dramatic character changes from now on, especially where old Sam is concerned, though you might notice that young Sam is quite a bit older in the memories too. After all, we all have to grown up sometime, however much we'd like little Sam to stay cute and little! But as people say, "If Growing up were easy, would it take so long?"
Also, the Gamgee siblings feature quite prominently in this chapter. So this one is for my fellow Gamgee fan club member, but also for anyone who loves the Gamgees!
Replies to Reviews:
Obelia Medusa- Hello! Welcome back to the wonderful world of Fan Fic! You have no idea how much I missed your reviews! I hope you weren't too ill, it must have been really bad to have kept you away from my story, I know you would never have not reviewed for so long unless some disaster struck, but I'm glad your better now. And I agree with you, you should go and write more of Anchored! Get going! Shoo! (well, read and review this first!!)
Shirebound- Thanks for the tip on the spelling! I'm making a (rather large) note of every mistake that you point out for me, and I'm going to correct them all at once, when the story is finally over. Thanks once again for your marvellous comments, you make me smile! J
Lady Freesia- Believe me, not all of my chapters will make you cry. Though, if you're the soppy type, which I guess from your reviews that you are, I urge you to have a hanky ready for the last chapter! (But a while to go before that commences yet, don't worry!) Hugs back from Michelle.
Laurajslr- I believe your question has been answered above. And yes, my story is very prophetic; I'm glad you noticed! There are very few people who can actually pick such moments out (check out some of the conversations between Cosmo-queen and me.) You must be reading very carefully, well done you! Thanks very much for your review!
Bookworm 2000- So your having deja-vu thoughts about my story are you? You aren't by any chance reading my mind while I write it are you? It's the only thing I can think of as to how you have already seen a box similar to the one that appeared a few chapters ago! Thanks for continuing to review!
Gina- I love the way you pick you separate your favourite parts of my story in bullet points in your review. It makes it so much clearer as to what you enjoyed about the chapter. I'm so glad that you like my character of Bilbo, I have loved Bilbo Baggins since the first time I read the hobbit many years ago, and I am always going back to his lines in the book to check up that I am writing him properly!
Weaver of Words- Welcome mellon nin, so glad to hear from you! I shall indeed continue to write, as long as people continue to tell me how much they are enjoying my work!
My Very Own Sam- I promise that I would never hurt little Sam! Of course I wouldn't, but you see he had to be a little ill so that the story would work, but I made him better! And I thought that at least some mention of us at our sleeping over sessions would have to appear in the story. So much of it already has come from my own memories, it would have been silly not to use a few of the many I have gained from such silly night times with you! (You might also recognise some of our silly trying to pass the time games in this chapter!)
GamgeeFest- It's not going to end too soon, don't worry! Plus I might have another story up my sleeve, I'm not sure yet, we'll have to see. And if your name is anything to go by, I think you might enjoy this chapter! Thank you for your constant reviewing!
No 1 Fan- Wow, you really got the point across that you liked that chapter didn't you? And I'm glad you liked my staying in bed for the whole of forever line. You say it is something that your girls would say to you? Its something I would say to my parents too! And I'm sorry, but the story has to end sometime, it can't go on forever (much as I would like it to, I love getting reviews!)
Samwise the brave- awww…you really think my story is THE best? That's so sweet! Thank you ever so much! And don't swell up and burst just yet, we have a few chapters to go, and I promise you that you are allowed to swell up and burst on the last one, how's that?
Anarane- Somebody else who loves my Bilbo, I'm so glad that I am at least managing to get his character right! I tried to pick him straight out of The Hobbit and land him in my story, of course being a little bit older and wiser, and with a little more fun and mischief about him! So glad it worked, keep those lovely reviews coming!
Cosmo-queen- Random and Fun, I like it! It just describes some of the best memories, the kind which you keep forever, don'' you think? And you might notice that i posted this on Return of the King day! I wish so much that I could watch it, but with exams coming up, and revising to be done, I think I'm going to have to wait until weekend, which sucks!! And I'm glad you're picking up on the references to the future, you're not over analysing at all! I put them in there simply for you to find, and so far, only a few people are picking up on them! Hmm…Looking back on things while camping out on Mordor's doorstep, I like that, I like it very much. I might be able to do something with that, if you don't mind me using it in a future chapter? It would just fit in nicely with out I am not too happy with at the moment.
Marendigell- Greetings Mellon Nin! Welcome to the story! Hang your bags and coats on the peg by the door, and please come and take a seat, we were just about to start a new chapter.
Memories of a Gardener
By Michelle Frodo
Chapter 13- Something Beginning with "F"
Sam stood in the little alcove off the kitchen of Bag End, completely shocked into silence. He really couldn't believe his ears. Had his daughter really grown up that fast?
Stood facing him was Fastred, a striking young hobbit lad with hazel eyes and dark hair. He was usually the confident sort, but at this moment he was looking nervous and edgy. He looked down at his feet, picked his fingernails, anything to stop himself having to look at the remarkable hobbit standing before him. Eventually he could stand it no longer.
"Sir?" he said, hoping to bring Sam's thoughts back to the question before him. It worked, and Sam regarded him again for a few seconds.
"I would be honoured to have you as a member of my family, Master Fastred of Greenholm." Sam said, with a smile. Fastred beamed, he would have hugged Sam at that moment, if he hadn't been too afraid of causing offence.
"Thank you Sir." He said instead, and dashed back into the kitchen. He took Sam's eldest daughter by her hand, and led her outside into the garden, where they could have some peace.
Sam wondered aimlessly back through the kitchen and into the hallway. His Elanor. No, not his anymore. He had just given her away. Shocked and confused by the immense feelings going through his head, his feet took him unknowingly into his bedroom. There, on a shelf, was Frodo's memory box. Needing something to take his mind off the present, he opened it, and found inside a large black and white feather.
"Eye spy, with my little eye, something that sounds with a G"
"Garden?"
"Nope"
"Gate?"
"Wrong"
"Grass?"
"Well done!"
The Gamgee children were sat in a field on the outskirts of Hobbiton. It was midsummer's day, a holiday by Shire calendar, and they were spending their free time on a picnic. They had played many different shire games, some of Frodo's invention, which Sam had taught to his brothers and sisters. Anyone passing had seen the six of them running round like they were mad, and smiled. The Gamgee children were well known and respected in the area, and everyone was happy to see them taking some well earned time off. They had finally collapsed under the shade of a huge tree to eat the bread, fruits and cakes that their mother had packed for them.
"Eye spy with my little eye, something that sounds with an R"
"Robin?" Marigold asked. Hamson sighed. "Mari, can you see a robin anywhere?"
"Well, no." She admitted with a smile.
"River?"
"No"
"Rabbit!" Daisy guessed, just in time as it scampered away across the grass and into its burrow.
"Good guess, but no."
"Radish" Sam said, popping one into his mouth.
"Not anymore. Did you eat the last one?"
Sam looked over into the basket. " Think so." The rest of them groaned.
"Road!" Marigold shouted.
"Yes, road it was. Your turn. And remember you have to be able to see it!"
"I know silly!" She thought for a moment. "Eye spy, with my little eye, something that sounds with an F"
"Field?" Marigold shook her head no.
"Flowers?" again, Marigold replied in the negative.
Just then, a whistling noise could be heard coming towards them from the road.
"I know that voice." Sam said, screwing up his face while he tried to remember who it belonged to.
"No you don't." Halfred said, still irritated that Sam had eaten the last radish.
"Yes I do." Said Sam with a smile. "That's Mister Bilbo's whistle, or I'm a Breelander."
"You can't tell someone's whistle."
"Oh yes you can."
"No you can't"
"Yes you can"
"All right enough you two! Lets wait an' see who comes round the corner." May, ever the peace maker between the squabbling brothers, suggested. They all waited, watching the road expectantly, wondering who was right. Sure enough, Bilbo appeared on the road down below. Sam turned and stuck his tongue out at Halfred, who stuck his tongue out back. Then they both smiled. One thing to be said for Gamgee arguments, they never lasted long.
When they turned their attention back to the road, they realised that Bilbo was not alone.
"Frodo!" all the Gamgee's shouted together. Frodo jumped, looking around wondering who sounded so pleased to see him. Slightly off the path to his right, he caught site of the Gamgee siblings. He waved up at them, said something to Bilbo, who answered him, then the young Baggins ran up the hill to greet them.
"Hello!" He said.
"Frodo!" May said, looking over at Marigold.
"It's Frodo! Sam said.
"Frodo!"
"Frodo, I said it first!"
"No you didn't."
"Frodo!"
The hobbit in question looked around at all the smiling faces in complete puzzlement. They were all repeating his name, over and over, with no apparent reason for it. He just couldn't understand it. Then he realised that they weren't looking at him, but at Marigold.
"No" Marigold said. "It's not Frodo." The rest of the Gamgees sighed, and looked around them again. Frodo was flabbergasted. He looked down at himself. Yes, he was still him. What were they all talking about?
Sam suddenly realised that Frodo didn't know what they were playing.
"Mr Frodo! We're playin' eye spy; do you want to join in? We're tryin' to guess somethin' with an F sound, or did you already know that, as we were guessin' you?"
Understanding suddenly dawned on Frodo. He laughed. "Well that's something of a relief. I was beginning to wonder if you had all lost your minds, keep shouting my name at me like that!" The Gamgee's laughed too, and Frodo sat down, signalling to Bilbo on the road below to go on without him.
Something sounding with an F. Frodo thought for a moment.
"Field?"
"May already had that one, t'aint field."
"Food?" Halfred asked, hinting that he was still hungry. Daisy, understanding what he meant, looked into the picnic basket. "Not an awful lot left I'm afraid. There's a bit of fruit. Fruit!"
"No"
Daisy handed round some raisins to everyone.
"Feather?" Frodo tried, as he picked up a large smooth black and white one from the grass near where he was sitting.
"Wow!" Marigold gasped, looking at the feather in Frodo's hand. "It's beautiful! And it's so big! I bet it came from an eagle!" she said, looking up at the sky hopefully.
"Don't be silly Mari." Hamson scolded. "We don't get eagles round 'ere." But Frodo couldn't help notice that he too looked up at the sky, just in case.
"So it wasn't feather then?" Frodo asked.
"No, it wasn't."
"Here, you can have it." Frodo handed the feather to his youngest friend. She smiled at him with large copper coloured eyes.
"Truly Mister Frodo?"
"Truly. Consider it an early birthday present." He smiled back.
"Thank you!" She said excitedly, as she took the offered feather. "I think you're the nicest non-brother I know." And she hugged him. To Frodo, this meant more then the whole world. He had always wanted a little sister or brother, and every so often he would feel jealous of Sam for having what he never could. He hugged Marigold back.
"You're most very welcome my little non-sister friend."
"Friend! That sounds with a F"
"It does, but it's not right." Marigold said, and she sat back on the grass, running the side of the feather along her cheek.
"Fence?"
"No."
"Farm?"
"No"
"May there ain't no farm round here for miles."
"Well I can see one. Just on the hill over there." Seven pairs of eyes peered over to where she was pointing.
"That's not a farm. It's a house." Sam said.
"No it's not, it's a farm, I thought you were s'posed the one with the good eyesight?" May said, irritated.
"Exactly why I should be the one to decide. It's a house."
"Actually, I don't think it is." Frodo said. "Can you see the field just behind it? It looks to me as though its been ploughed. You can see all the lines in it. But I'm only guessing."
"It's not a farm."
"Yes it is." Halfred joined in the argument.
"No it's not!"
"Does it really matter?" Daisy said, getting annoyed. "Marigold said it wasn't farm, so this is a stupid argument."
"Farmer?" Hamson guessed with a snigger.
"You can't have a farmer without a farm!"
"But it is a farm!"
"No it isn't!"
"Yes it is!"
"Does anyone want some cake?" May asked, wishing she had never mentioned farms, and trying to change the conversation. The distraction worked.
They sat munching cake for a while. Sam threw his last few currents to the birds. He picked up a blade of grass, held it between his fingers, and blew between them. A funny squeaking sound made everyone turn to look at him.
"I didn't know you could do that." Frodo said with a slight smile.
"I don't know anyone who can't do it." Sam answered.
"Yes you do." Said Frodo. "I can't"
"Really?" Daisy asked, picking herself some grass, and starting to make the same noise Sam had just created.
"I've never been able to do it."
"I'll teach you. Here." And Sam gave his friend a blade of grass.
"Oh no, really, I don't think this is a good idea."
"Look it's easy." Sam showed him how to stretch the blade of grass between his two thumbs, and make a little alcove with his fingers in which to blow through. "Now, you just blow."
Frodo did as he was told, but only succeed in making a fool of himself when the only noise he created was caused by the blade of grass splitting, and him laughing into his hands. He picked another piece and tried again. The same thing happened. And again. And again.
"I give up." Said Frodo, tossing the grass over his shoulder after his sixth attempt. "I can't do it, end of story."
"You'll learn how to do it one of these days, if I have to teach you for the rest of my life!" Sam promised, determined that it was easy, and not able to understand why Frodo found it so difficult.
"But not today." Said Frodo; "It's far too nice and sleepy to be bothered. Let's finish the game."
"Fern?"
"What's a fern?" Marigold asked.
"It's a plant stupid."
"Fir?"
"Foxglove?"
"Look, don't keep guessin' plants, they ain't a plant."
"They?" Frodo picked up on. "So you can see more then one?"
"Yes, there's lots of them."
"Freckles?" Halfred laughed. Everyone present, apart from Frodo that is, had freckles covering faces and arms.
Marigold laughed. "No. But good guess!"
"Was I close?"
"Closer then farm anyway." She laughed.
"Fringe? "
"Face?"
"Nope."
"I think we had best be headin' home." Hamson said, "Ma' said she was wantin' us home not too late."
"But we ain't guessed the F yet!" Halfred protested. "And besides, I'm comfy, an' can't be bothered movin'."
"You stay here then, I'm sure no one will miss you if you don't come."
"It's all right." Said Marigold. "You can still see the F if we walk."
"It's such a nice afternoon, can we take the long walk home?" May asked, hoping that it would satisfy everyone, and another argument wouldn't be provoked.
"We can as long as we don't dilly-dally too much."
"You comin' with, Mister Frodo?" Sam asked, as he stood up and started brushing grass off himself.
"Yeah, why not. Besides, I want to find out what this F is. I'm curious now." Sam held out an outstretched hand, and Frodo excepted the offer of help up.
They walked down from the field, and reached the road, which they began to wonder along. Hamson was carrying the picnic basket, which was an excellent opportunity for him to sneak the last of the raisins while no one was looking.
"Forest?"
"Nope."
"Fence?"
"We had that once."
"I know, but I'm running out of ideas!" They walked across the bridge that passed over the little stream. May and Marigold ran to look over the edge of the railing, as they had always done since they were young hobbit lasses.
"Fish!" May cried.
"We couldn't see fish when we were in the field." Marigold pointed out.
"That's true enough." May agreed, they both jumped down off the piece of wood which served as a railing, and ran to catch up with the others. They walked along for a few minutes, looking behind them, in front of them, to the side; always looking for things that started with an F sound.
"Flour!" Daisy said.
"We had that one already!"
"No, not the type that grows in the ground, the bakin' type."
"I can't see no flour." Halfred said, but Daisy pointed down the lane in front, and they all saw the baker coming towards them. He was indeed, covered from head to toe in flour.
Everyone present loved the baker. He always had a smile for them, and usually a piece of treacle toffee too. He was a round, plump hobbit, and whenever he laughed, which he did often, his belly would roll round in a rather amusing sort of way. He was especially fond of the Gamgee siblings, as they were such polite children, and never asked for or expected anything from him.
"Hello there!" he called out to them. He was just taking some of his freshly made cakes and pies down to his cousin in Michel Delving. They all called out greetings to him as he passed along the way. "Takin' some time off are we? I've just the thing for seven hungry youngsters on the rampage." And he handed them all a thick piece of golden fudge. "Cheerio then!"
"Thank you baker!"
"Bye!"
"Have a good trip!"
"Fudge!" Frodo said, as he took a bite.
"What about it?" Sam asked, also enjoying a mouthful of his piece.
"It begins with an F."
"So it does!" said Marigold, as she munched while she walked. "But that wasn't what I was thinkin' off."
They continued walking, and soon found themselves on the road that led up to the Gamgee house. The others were guessing words as quickly as they could, for if they made it to their front door, and nobody had guessed, then Marigold won the game.
"Frog?"
"Fly?"
"Fox?"
"Fist?"
"No no no and no!" Marigold sang with a laugh. She ran to her front gate, opened it, skipped up the path, and stood on the doorstep. "I win I win I win!"
"Well don't you go tellin' us the answer, I'm goin' to guess this F before I go to sleep tonight." Halfred said, and walked through the door, calling back anything that he stumbled across which began with an F.
"I'd best be going home. I'm not sure what time Bilbo will be back, but I'm going to go and make him some supper." Frodo said, as he stood at the gate.
"All right Mr Frodo, I'll more as likely be up later with those taters Mr Bilbo was wantin'." Sam answered, as he walked up the path.
"I'll see you later then!" Frodo called, as Hamson, Daisy and May walked through the door with a wave. Marigold was still stood on the doorstep, and was just about to turn and run inside, where there were shouts of foot floor fire.
"Mari!" Frodo called out. Marigold ran down the path to the gate. Frodo bent down so he could whisper in her ear. "What was the answer?"
Marigold smiled at him. She turned round to check that her brothers weren't listening, and whispered in Frodo's ear
"Finger." With a giggle, she ran back up the path, and into their house.
Sam and Elanor were stood in the gardens of Bag End. They were waiting for their queue. Any moment now, Sam was going to have to walk down the garden and hand over his daughter. He didn't know how he was feeling. He looked down at Elanor, dressed in Rose's old wedding dress. She looked absolutely stunning, and a little nervous. She looked up and met her father's eyes.
Just at that moment, music started playing, and Sam knew that it was time. He took hold of Elanor's hand, and gave it a squeeze. She did like wise.
They walked down the garden, friends and family all around, smiling and crying all at the same time. They came underneath the shade of a beech tree, and Sam had to let go.
As he stood on the sidelines with Rosie in his arms, and watched his daughter get married, Sam could see the joy that danced in Elanors eyes. And he knew he would remember this moment for the rest of his life.
May Elbereth bless my reviewers; Flames will be used in destroying the Ring.
This chapter was brought to you from Greg the Shire baker.
So come on, admit it, who didn't guess the answer before the end?
P.s. I've had a bit of a problem with this quick check formatting thing, so if the formatting on this chapter is all screwed up, you know why!