He'd spent innumerable hours watching the gulls. HE admired the way they
swept along on the wind currents, flapping their wings once or twice, then
allowing the wind to push them speedily on their way. He'd amused himself
by tossing bits of salty bread into the air and watching how quickly a
group would gather. With instinctive brilliance they knew exactly where the
wind would take the food. They seemed to hover effortlessly over him, and
at times their lack-tipped wings would brush his face.
The sea birds reminded him of men. They were creatures of a sort of grace and beauty, living every day within reach of the mighty ocean, yet they were insensitive to it. The sea provided them with the food they needed and they in turn ignored it. Men were like that. They lived in the shadows of mighty forests and tall mountains never noticing them unless their families were hungry or threatened.
Today he waded waist deep into the swells and let the cool water drench him. He knew from experience that the salt and sand would become imbedded into his leather clothing, making the jerkin and breeches stiff and uncomfortable, but at the moment he did not care. He could taste the salt on his lips. Raising both hands in the air in an almost worshipful gesture he sprang lightly on his toes and dove under an incoming wave. He surfaced several feet further out at sea and had to bounce to stay above the water. The water that dripped from his hair brought to mind a face – rosy and big- eyed, framed by wet brown curls.
He had been standing up on a wall of Minas Tirith facing the sea (unseen yet always felt,) when he heard a commotion from a nearby chamber. He jumped down from the wall and headed curiously in the direction of the noise which became clearer as he neared their origin. Their was a great sound of splashing and a cheery hobbit voice raised in song, "Ho, ho, ho to the bath I go to heal my heart and to drown my woe."
As he stood on the threshold of a door he knew what he would find inside, and he was not wrong. The four hobbits were in large tubs bathing, but it appeared that the bathing had turned into an all out water war between the incorrigible Merry and Pippin. Typically Sam was serious about what he was doing, scrubbing his curls with a frown, but it was Frodo that caught the elf's eye. He sat in his tub, not moving, just staring at his four-fingered hand. Merry shot up a spray of water that hit Frodo squarely in the face. Sam frowned fiercely but Merry and Pippin just laughed, "That's familiar! Just like it used to be, eh Frodo?" asked Pippin joyously, but the jest fell flat and the room became silent. The hobbits finished their washing and dressed. The elf walked Frodo back to his quarters. They said nothing for a time, but at last the hobbit said shakily, "It will never be like it used to be." He looked up earnestly at his friend. "You can't look back or it will break your heart, or you'll go crazy for longing o bring back the old times." Nothing more was said until they reached Frodo's door, then he lifted tear-filled eyes, "But then, if that's all you have – the looking back, I mean – and you have no choice but to live in the far past because everything else is too painful – "he broke off with a sigh as he took in the golden elf who stood before him, "I don't suppose you can understand," he said and entered his room, shutting his door behind.
But now he could understand, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He swam for shore, the enjoyment of his swim ended. It would take him a long time to clean his clothes.
The sea birds reminded him of men. They were creatures of a sort of grace and beauty, living every day within reach of the mighty ocean, yet they were insensitive to it. The sea provided them with the food they needed and they in turn ignored it. Men were like that. They lived in the shadows of mighty forests and tall mountains never noticing them unless their families were hungry or threatened.
Today he waded waist deep into the swells and let the cool water drench him. He knew from experience that the salt and sand would become imbedded into his leather clothing, making the jerkin and breeches stiff and uncomfortable, but at the moment he did not care. He could taste the salt on his lips. Raising both hands in the air in an almost worshipful gesture he sprang lightly on his toes and dove under an incoming wave. He surfaced several feet further out at sea and had to bounce to stay above the water. The water that dripped from his hair brought to mind a face – rosy and big- eyed, framed by wet brown curls.
He had been standing up on a wall of Minas Tirith facing the sea (unseen yet always felt,) when he heard a commotion from a nearby chamber. He jumped down from the wall and headed curiously in the direction of the noise which became clearer as he neared their origin. Their was a great sound of splashing and a cheery hobbit voice raised in song, "Ho, ho, ho to the bath I go to heal my heart and to drown my woe."
As he stood on the threshold of a door he knew what he would find inside, and he was not wrong. The four hobbits were in large tubs bathing, but it appeared that the bathing had turned into an all out water war between the incorrigible Merry and Pippin. Typically Sam was serious about what he was doing, scrubbing his curls with a frown, but it was Frodo that caught the elf's eye. He sat in his tub, not moving, just staring at his four-fingered hand. Merry shot up a spray of water that hit Frodo squarely in the face. Sam frowned fiercely but Merry and Pippin just laughed, "That's familiar! Just like it used to be, eh Frodo?" asked Pippin joyously, but the jest fell flat and the room became silent. The hobbits finished their washing and dressed. The elf walked Frodo back to his quarters. They said nothing for a time, but at last the hobbit said shakily, "It will never be like it used to be." He looked up earnestly at his friend. "You can't look back or it will break your heart, or you'll go crazy for longing o bring back the old times." Nothing more was said until they reached Frodo's door, then he lifted tear-filled eyes, "But then, if that's all you have – the looking back, I mean – and you have no choice but to live in the far past because everything else is too painful – "he broke off with a sigh as he took in the golden elf who stood before him, "I don't suppose you can understand," he said and entered his room, shutting his door behind.
But now he could understand, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He swam for shore, the enjoyment of his swim ended. It would take him a long time to clean his clothes.