Notes to Readers:

Please be sure to leave a review! They are very motivating, and each review you leave entitles you to a free cup of cyber-tea in the parlour (The Muse and I do try to make our guests feel welcome).

Xena, glad you enjoyed the wedding. Now we have a little pause to catch our breath before diving into the story once more.

Expect another chapter of "Shire" next, as long as ffnet cooperates. My editor is helping me whip it into shape, chapter by chapter.

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Chapter 50. Tiny, but not Insignificant Pause

Elanor gave a sigh as her father finished. 'I never tire of hearing the story,' she said. 'I wonder why Mr Frodo wrote it out so nicely here, but only put the barest mention in the Red Book?'

'Perhaps he grew tired of writing near the end,' Sam said, his face sober. He closed the book and stroked a gentle hand over the cover. 'I never knew he was failing,' he said now, and not a little sadly, 'I never saw, or perhaps I didn't want to see. I didn't know until the very end, when he was leaving. Mr Merry saw, Mr Freddy did, even my Rose, but Mr Pippin and I, we kept telling ourselves that all was well.' He sighed.

'When do you think Mr Frodo knew?' Fastred asked.

Sam considered. 'I think he had an inkling after the thirteenth of March,' he said. 'Mr Freddy noticed that he was "off" for a time after that, but then he seemed to regain his strength. Still, when he was reciting the wedding vows, I believe the wizard's words came back to him then. "Long life and health—but you will have neither," Saruman said. He said it wasn't a curse, but a kind of foreseeing, but what if that was one of his lies?' His hand tightened into a fist upon the cover of the book.

'I do not think the Wise would have allowed such a curse to fall upon the Ring-bearer,' Elanor said softly. 'I remember, Queen Arwen offered Mr Frodo her place on the ship, even before he returned to the Shire to confront the wizard.'

'You're right, Ellie,' Sam said, his hand relaxing again to lie flat upon the polished leather. 'Of course you are. I only wish—' He broke off and stared into the dying fire.

'Is the story nearly done then?' asked Rose. 'In the Red Book there were only a few pages more after the wedding.'

'Ah, no, Rosie-lass,' Sam said, brightening a bit. 'There are some chapters to go, yet, in this bundle. But it's late, and I've lost half my listeners,' he looked fondly about at the sleeping children, 'and so I think we'll put it off until the morrow.'