loveofthering: I was so tickled by your review. I was giggling the whole time I read it. Where indeed is a Balrog when needed? lol Oh, yes. Sam will rescue Rosie...I think.

Celebrindal: I am glad you "like" Aunt May that much. She will be causing more pains for our dear Rosie.

DiamondTook3: I am glad you have enjoyed the story so far. You should be happy with the two chapters I have posted. ;)


Chapter Three: Reaching for the Moon

Candles all over the Shire are going out. The mood is that of sleepiness. It has been long since the sun has been down. Many have gone to bed and are peacefully asleep.

At the Cotton hole, all candles are out except in Lily's and Rosemary's rooms. Rosie has finished putting up Lily's hair for the night and has moved to Rosemary's room; Lily follows, eager to talk about the latest gossip.

Rosemary sits at a dresser, admiring her reflection in the mirror while Rosie combs her blond hair. Lily is sprawled over Rosemary's large bed, talking about her visit to the market.

"...and there was Mister Gamgee, surrounded on all sides by every young lass that was in the market today. They all were sweet talking, trying to win his attention. He appeared to be very flustered by it all, but he also seemed secretly pleased," Lily tells her story.

The two other hobbitesses listen with great interest. Rosie cannot imagine the Sam that she remembers being flocked by a lot of girls. Just hearing about it seems so unnatural.

"So what did Sam do?" Rosie ventures to ask.

"That's Samwise," Lily corrected, everyone calls him that.

Rosie is surprised. Before he left, he was just Sam to everybody.

"Samwise the Brave," Rosemary adds. She meets her cousin's gaze in the mirror.

Lily goes on. "I was quite sick by the whole thing. All those girls buzzing like bees around Samwise as though he was honey. I boldly walked up to the group and called out to him. I got many glares from the lasses but ignored them. I took Samwise by the arm and led him away. He was very grateful for my helping him. I told him it was no problem. He said goodbye and then went on his way."

Rosemary sighs. "The four of them Travelers are so handsome -- particularly Frodo and Samwise. Im surprised none of them have gotten married yet."

"Oh, it wont be long," Lily answers. "I heard from Daisy that it seems both Merry and Pippin have had their heads turned by some lasses. Merry has been with Estella Bolger for a while, and Diamond of Long Cleve has caught Pippin's eye. Last I heard both are seriously courting their lasses."

Rosie vaguely recalls meeting Diamond a few times. She had seemed like a sweet and lovely girl. And Estella. Estella had been one of Rosie's closet friends before she had gone off to Deephollow. They had so many wonderful times together. And when her parents had died, Estella's had been the shoulder to cry on.

Rosie comes out of her thoughts at hearing "Samwise" mentioned again.

"It is a pity," Rosemary wrinkles her nose, "even though he has returned as a hero and famous, that he still keeps his simple trade of gardening. He is still employed as Mister Frodo's gardener."

"But despite his humble lifestyle, girls of all classes -- including the very rich, like ourselves -- cluster around him. Evidently, his being known throughout all of Middle-Earth overrides his simple living and work," Lily points out.

Rosemary nods her head, in understanding and agreement, slowly, so as not to disturb her cousin's brushing her hair. "Yes. If he does marry a girl of high status, he will most likely make his home more comfortable."

"I shall do my best to be that lucky lass," Lily decides. "You can make for Frodo." She tosses this statement to her sister.

"To be married to the most famous people of Middle Earth," Rosemary sighs dreamily.

Rosie lays the brush down on the dresser, her task finished. Rosemary's hair shines in the candlelight. Rosemary inspects her hair, is pleased, and dismisses her cousin. Rosie takes a candle and goes to finish the last of her chores before going to bed.

Rosie silently fumes against her cousins. The nerve! Disproving of Sam's trade, as though they had the right in saying what he should and shouldn't do. They're talking as though they were prizes to be picked. And then their calling him Samwise. To her, he was always Sam the gardener -- and her friend. Not that she wasn't impressed by what he and Frodo, Merry, and Pippin had done, no. But now always hearing Sam being called by his full name made him seem as though he was up in the stars, far above her. Samwise the Brave was what he was known as outside the Shire. Yes, her cousins are definitely reaching for the moon.

But perhaps he is different than she remembers. He perhaps has changed. Maybe he secretly welcomes all the attention and praise. Maybe he has forgotten all about her.

She has not forgotten him. She has thought of him every day since he and Frodo, Merry, and Pippin disappeared into the Old Forest.

I wonder what Sam did today, Rosie ponders as she makes her way down the hallway.


Don't you just want to tell Lily and Rosemary to back away from Sam?!