Chapter 13: How Long Until I'm Free?
"I thought both you and Rudigar were going out to work today, Bear!" Eos said, surprised.
"No, I'm staying home today. I can't always leave my boy at Celandine's, you know. Ham, no playing with balls in the house!" Her son immediately stopped bouncing the sphere. "And besides, I need to keep an eye on you when he comes."
"Oh, Berylla, I won't act that way again! Don't you trust me?" Eos cried.
"I trust you, but I can't trust you not to do that with him when left alone," said Berylla with a wry grin. "You know, I can keep Crystal and Ham occupied while you're with him…"
"Oh, stop!" Eos pounded her fist on the oak kitchen table. "I'll take care of everything to do with him! You don't need to watch me!"
"You needn't shout."
"You needn't tease!"
Eos drew aside the curtain on the little round window. Beside it was a vase of sprigs of holly. In fall, there was a pussy willow. In spring and summer, it contained roses or daisies. This little tradition had run in the sisters' mother's side for years. She wasn't about to let her daughters forget it.
Outside, the January sky was overcast. Harsh zephyrs rushed through the skeletal willow and oak trees that dotted the ground around the smials. Farmer Rumble, a few kilometers down the road, said that it would snow later that day. It was cold enough for that. Eos wondered if it would be too cold for Frodo to bring Crystal. Would he think the girl would catch her death?
"The fact is, Eos, I really like that you and Frodo are in love. You are, after all, meant for each other. But can't you wait until your divorce is final?"
"I suppose I must, if I can bear it. I don't think I will if the papers take too long to be approved. Frodo ought to tell me how long I'll have to wait, he's coming down the road now."
She gazed at the two figures on the cobblestone lane. Frodo was leading Crystal by the hand. He'd bundled the child up in a cloak of the richest wool, which looked charming on her. She stumbled, and Frodo swept her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way down. That simple gesture took Eos's breath away.
"Is he, now?" Berylla came to her side and followed the direction of her eyes. "Maybe my Ham will enjoy a playmate."
"Frodo told me Crystal likes books and dolls, not ballgames."
"How would he know? He doesn't watch her all the time."
They were interrupted by the doorbell, which Berylla went to answer. Eos turned back to play around with the holly, trying to buy herself time. Her heart beat so hard against her ribs that she felt like a drum being played from the inside. She felt a shiver crawl up her spine when she heard a familiar voice at the doorway.
"Eos." Frodo. Her heart always felt like a kitten being petted when she heard his beautiful voice. The beautiful melodic voice that would sing songs with friends at parties in their younger days.
"Eos?" A slender hand touched her elbow. She had no choice but to turn to him. She almost swooned at the love that filled Frodo's eyes. His soft lips brushed hers gently before drawing away, smiling. "How are you?" he asked.
"I'm alright. How's Crystal? Where is she?" There was a sound of a ball bouncing in the hallway, and two little chirruping voices, joined by Berylla's eager one.
"Playing in the hall with your nephew." He put his arms around her waist and kissed her some more. Their lips moved against each other like butterfly wings in slow motion. Eos let her arms loll about his neck. "Is that holly I see in the window?" Frodo asked between kisses.
"Mm-hm, Celandine, Berylla and I all put holly in vases in winter. Well, at least I used to." Eos pulled her lips away. Frodo put his forehead against hers, and they looked into each other's eyes lovingly. "I only did it in the nursery back when I still lived with Olo. The kitchen wasn't really worth the feminizing; he always had his fits in there." She kissed his lips and pressed herself to him.
"Do you want to see her? Your daughter?" he asked, his lips in her hair.
"Yes! I'll go now!" She pulled on Frodo's hand. They went out into the hallway, where they found the two children hitting little Ham's ball around. Crystal, upon seeing her mother, dropped the ball and ran to her, pressing her face between her legs. Eos knelt down and embraced the girl. Ham whined impatiently for her to rejoin the game. Crystal ran off to play.
Frodo took Eos by the elbow. "Let's go work on your case," he said gently.
They went into a drawing room and Frodo laid out his work for her. They talked quietly for a while about the divisions of Olo's property, of which Eos wanted nothing. The custody of Crystal was unspoken, for no little girl deserved to have to live with such a father. After all the work was done, the papers had to be approved by the people down in Michel Delving, and that would take a long time, according to Frodo.
Presently, Berylla came in with two mugs of tea. As she left, she cast Eos an impish smile.
"What was that about?" Frodo asked, staring after her.
"She was teasing me this morning, it's nothing," replied Eos. "Things between sisters, you know?"
Frodo was silent. He reached over and touched his love's hand. "Does she know about – that?" he asked.
"Well – yes. She is my sister. I trust her. Are you very angry with me?"
Frodo laughed softly. "No, of course not, darling." He held her hands in his. "If I was, it would be hypocrisy. Truth be told, I confessed our night together to Sam." They both looked at each other, and burst out laughing.
"I guess we both tend to trust, don't we?" said Eos. Frodo drew her to him and cradled her in his lap. She did not see his eyes sadden in memory of Gollum, but she sensed tension in the arms that surrounded her. Eos kissed his neck.
"I love you, Frodo Baggins. I always have, and always will. You needn't darken when speaking of us."
"I wasn't thinking of us, love. I was thinking a certain person I met during my travels…" His voice trailed off.
"Certain person? Who?" Eos demanded. Frodo laughed at the glimmer of jealousy in her eyes.
"It wasn't a woman! Don't be silly, love! You know I couldn't love anyone other than you."
"I don't know about that. I remember the troupes of girls who flirted with you back when you came of age. I was twenty-five, remember?"
"I do. But you were the prettiest one, if younger than them all."
"If you thought so, you could have approached me a long time ago, before I married my drunken oaf of a husband," scolded Eos.
"I thought you were too young then. I was a foolish boy. Oh, darling, stop it!" he cried at Eos's snigger. "How do I know that you never eyed other boys?"
"I did. But none of them knew as much about elves and dwarves and the like." She nuzzled his neck. "None of them could read beyond their own names. I liked the sophisticated one with pretty blue eyes best. His neck smells the best." She began nipping and kissing the white column softly. "If the ink on my divorce were dry, I'd shout my love for him from the hills."
Frodo sighed. "I'll do my best to hasten the process, Eos, but I cannot make promises."
"I know. I know I can bear the time, if only for you." Eos looked into his eyes gravely. "How long do you think it will be, Frodo? How long until I am free?"
Frodo gazed back at her with the same grave eyes. "Another two months at the least," he said.
They both cast down their eyes. Each knew it seemed too long for the other. "I'm sorry," whispered Frodo.
"It's alright. I can wait," said Eos. An idea came to mind. "You know, we don't have to hold our affair off. Aside from sessions like this, about the divorce, we could meet in secret somewhere, like at a small inn, or – "
Frodo shook his head. "We'd be living a lie. I wouldn't do that to you. I won't make you lie to your daughter and your family."
"Berylla knows! Sam knows! We wouldn't be hiding from them! We wouldn't have to make love, we could just talk and hold one another and tell each other everything. I need this, Frodo." Eos held him firmly by the shoulders. Frodo couldn't resist the intensity of her eyes. He put a hand to her cheek.
"If it is only to be with you, that is something I can do," he said. He leaned in and kissed her. It was a beautiful kiss. His tongue parted her lips and caressed hers, until it reached up to meet his. They clasped each other and buried their hands in each other's hair. Frodo couldn't help but stroke Eos's breast through her dress. She pushed his hand away.
"Not today, Mr. Baggins. I am not free yet. Don't forget that." And they both sat together in regretful silence.
