Chapter Five: Dark, Lonely Night

"Come on!" Estella cries, dragging Rosie by the hand behind her.

Rosie smiles and allows herself to be pulled onto the dance floor and lines up with the other lasses, ready to start the first dance of the evening. Across from the lasses are the hobbit-lads, also waiting to start. Frodo Baggins stands right in front of her. He smiles warmly at her.

"Good evening, Rosie," he greets her.

"Good evening, Frodo," Rosie says in return. She also returns his smile with one of her own.

The music starts, and Rosie smiles with pleasure as she gets caught up in the music. She first dances with Fatty Bolger, then with Brandy Took, followed by Ted Sandyman, and a bunch of other lads, all eager for the honor of a dance. Rosie takes a break from dancing and scans the crowds. Her eyes light up as they come to rest on a table near the dance floor. Sitting at it is Sam with a mug – of ale, probably – and Frodo.

Rosie is about to go over to them, but another lad asks for a dance. She grants it, a little resigning. She can go to Sam after this dance. The lad keeps her for three dances before she can finally escape.

She starts toward the table where the hobbits are, but she stops short. They are no longer there. Only the mug still rests on the table. Puzzled, Rosie looks about as much as she can but does not spot either of them. She moves about the party field, searching in vain for them, and then backtracks to the dance floor. She suddenly realizes that she has not seen Merry or Pippin either.

Someone taps her on one of her shoulders, startling her. Spinning around, Rosie finds herself face to face with Sam. He smiles shyly down at her.

"Sam!" she exclaims in surprise.

"Hello, Rosie," he says in greeting. He pauses uncertainly. "Would you care to dance?" he asks softly.

Rosie smiles happily at him. "I would love to," she answers.


Rosie has lost track of how long she has been in Sam's arms. It has seemed like a blessed eternity. She could let herself drown in his blue eyes for all the ages.

Suddenly the music halts abruptly. Everyone stops dancing. Rosie looks about in puzzlement. The crowd parts on one side of the dance floor. Through the parted hobbits appear Aunt May and Uncle Wilcome. They step toward Rosie.

"It is time to go home," her uncle says in a strange, low voice.

Rosie pales. "What? I don't want to!"

Her Aunt May comes and roughly grabs her by the hand. She starts dragging her off the dance floor.

"No! Let me go!" Rosie cries. "Sam!"

She looks over her shoulder. Everyone's gaze is turned away from her. Sam has disappeared.

"Sam."


Rosie jerks awake. She looks around her room with wild eyes before she lets her head fall back on the bed. She is covered in sweat. Her heart races crazily. She shakily gets out of her bed and opens her small window, trying to cool herself with the night air, and attempts to gather her thoughts. It was only a dream, a horrible dream, she tells herself several times in an attempt to calm down.

As she leans against the sill gazing at the sleeping countryside, a wave of sadness slowly washes over her. She tries to remember as much as she can about her old life, before she was taken away from everything and everyone dear to her. One by one, she brings to mind a picture of her brothers, parents, and friends. Memories of sweeter days come to her: when her ma had made for her a crown of daisies when she was about six; riding in the wagon with her pa to the market; watching her brothers partake in many wrestling matches with each other; playing with the Gamgee children nearly every day…. Slowly hot tears roll from Rosie's eyes and slide down her face. Quiet, bitter sobs rock her body as she buries her face in her arms. Her heart aches in her chest. She does not know how many minutes pass before all her tears are finally spent. The weariness slowly drops from Rosie's shoulders. She raises her head and gazes up at the night sky. Rosie sighs, a feeling of peace settling over her. Closing the window, she returns to her bed and drifts back to sleep.


Sam cannot sleep. First he turns one way, then the other. But he cannot get comfortable. Giving up finally on falling asleep at the moment, Sam shifts so that he is leaning against the hardboard of the bed, allowing a good view out the window at the star-filled sky, and at last he lets his thoughts wash over him. He thinks about the last party he attended before leaving the Shire. It had been Bilbo's 111th birthday party.


When Sam had arrived, the party was in full swing. He got some ale and then sat at a table by the dance floor. His eyes glanced over the dancers when they alighted on a figure. Sam's jaw had dropped.

There, happily dancing to the festive music, was Rosie Cotton. She wore a lovely blue dress that looked stunning on her. Her brown curls fell just past her shoulders. There was an adorable smile on her face. The sight of her caused Sam to catch his breath and stare and stare and stare.

"Why, hello, Sam!" Frodo's voice, filled with amusement, sounded close by.

Sam whipped his head around to face Frodo. His friend grinned at him, and then tried to pinpoint what had captured Sam's attention. His smile widened into a grin.

"Did you see Rosie out there? She looks quite lovely, if you ask me."

Sam blushed and mumbled something that Frodo couldn't make out.

"Why don't you ask her for a dance?"

"I-I don't know…," Sam was flustered.

"Then I'll ask her to dance!" Frodo proclaimed.

Sam only had time to gasp in disbelief before Frodo was at Rosie's side, requesting a dance.

Sam turned away, not wanting to watch.


Sam smiles to himself. What a foolish hobbit you are sometimes, Samwise. Making the poor lass wait all night for a dance with you. You do worry too much once in a while.

And that night was when he had gotten his very first kiss from any lass. It had been a very featherlike brush of Rosie's lips on his cheek, but he had felt like a prince at that moment. And the way she had looked at him before going off…. Sam sighs happily at the memory.

Then he thinks of the last time he saw Rosie. He and Frodo were leaving the Green Dragon, and Rosie wished them good night. Sam had held her sparkling gaze for a moment before reluctantly turning away. Then Rosie got all sweet with that Ted Sandyman. Just watching from a way's off, Sam had wanted to pound the hobbit's face into the ground. He wondered if Rosie had really meant anything by the kiss she had given him on the cheek. He had turned back to the Green Dragon and saw Rosie watching. The smile and light from her eyes were gone. In its place was a look of worry and sadness…and longing? He had wanted to go back and find out what was amiss. But he had just continued on with Frodo. And the expression on Rosie's face, the last time he looked at her, had haunted his dreams.


Finally feeling tired, Sam burrows under the covers and falls asleep. His dreams are of him and Rosie turning round and round in each other's arms.