Disclaimer: All characters belong to JRR Tolkien. Except Lorin, Lothlien and a few.

Chapter 7: Miserable

Lorin rocked the small hobbit in his arms and murmured soothing words to him. He had no clued what upset Frodo this much. From the short time he spent with the boy he knew the answer would come out finally when Frodo calmed down enough and then they could talk later. Like he predicted, Frodo's tears stopped after an hour, only soft sniffing emitted from the boy. Lorin pushed Frodo out a little and used a finger to lift his chin up. Frodo's eyes were so red and full of misery that made his heart ached.

"What happened, Frodo?" He asked.

Frodo swallowed his tears and shook his head; didn't want to talk about it.

"You know, you can tell me anything."

Still Frodo shook his head.

"Was Legolas the part of your tear?" Lorin kept trying.

Frodo nodded as a yes but still kept his silent. Lorin sighed heavily. Although it was only a few days he stayed here, he created the tendency towards this hobbit. Of course it had a lot of hobbit children around Buckland. But no one like Frodo. The boy had the inner light that none had, which attracted Lorin to him especially when considering Frodo was just a mere hobbit. But then, sometimes, the dept of his heart told him that maybe…maybe this one was more than met the eyes.

"I don't know what's going on between you but I will go talk to Legolas. Whatever occurred he shouldn't have upset you like this," Lorin said seriously and prepared to stand up, only to stumble back to the ground when a hand pulled him back. Lorin glanced at Frodo questioningly while the Frodo refused to look at him.

"Don't." He whispered softly, almost inaudible, that if Lorin wasn't an elf with sharp ears, he wouldn't have hear the word.

"Why?"

"Legolas hates me and doesn't want to see me anymore. If you talked to him, it will make his hate to me run deeper. Please I don't want him to think of me worsen more than it already is."

"He really said that he hate you? I can't believe it." it was really out of Legolas' personality to say those horrible words, not in a million years his brother would do so, especially not to Frodo. Anyone with good eyesight must realize how much Legolas was very fond of Frodo. Lorin even dared say his brother was so wrapped up in this little one's fingers.

"No, but his action told me enough." Frodo whispered sadly, the tear threatened to spill out again although he tried to keep it in check. Lorin pulled the hobbit into his arms once more, tried to give him warmness and love to him. Frodo snuggled into the elf's chest as much as he can. Though it wasn't the embrace from the one he craved the most, at least it made he felt a bit better. Soon the soft heartbeats of the elf lulled him into exhausted sleep.

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As much as he hated to disturb the boy's sleeping, he had to. The sun had disappeared from the sky for awhile, left only the lingering warmness and the promise of coming back tomorrow. Birds flied back to their nests as well as squirrels ran from branches to branches back to their comfortable holes. Farmers walked slowly back to their homes, some pushed the cart full of cabbages, potatoes and other vegetables to give some to the wives for making dinner and to sell in the market tomorrow.

Lorin looked down at the small form nestled at his chest. His heart full of sympathy; he had thought sleeping would bring some peaceful to Frodo's trouble mind. Wrong he was; Frodo's miserable was too much to let go even in his unconscious state. He was restless, whimpered and sobbed a little every once in a while. Lorin's gentle rocked and soft words helped calmed Frodo a bit but not entirely. This trouble needed amending very soon. It wouldn't do any good to let the one so young in this misery. Else the heart would be wounded and left the invisible scar inside for the rest of his life.

Soon no one was seen around them, the moon started it nightly route far away. The silent around them made him felt serene, if he could, he would content to stay here with Frodo in his arms until tomorrow. However, that was very impossible. Frodo's disappearance will make his relatives worries as well as caused chaos upon this land. Beside he knew too well of the hobbit's appetite.

Sighing softly he shook Frodo's shoulder gently. "Frodo, it's dinner time. Let's get going inside."

It took less than a minute to stir the young one from his pitiful rest. Frodo blinked owlishly at him while he repeated the words. The hobbit only nodded his acknowledge but said and done nothing to get into the brandyhall. Thus Lorin hoisted himself up and carried the boy to the great smial.

As soon as he entered the Brandyhall, he was attacked by Esmeralda. Worry, angry, and love were in her eyes as she bombard her poor nephew.

"Where were you, Frodo! I was worried sick when I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I'm so sorry, Aunt Esmeralda," Frodo looked at the floor sadly. Why must he always make trouble to the others? Why? Surely, Legolas realized now and wanted him no more. No one like troublesome, right?

"You look flush," Esmeralda stated and touched his forehead to trace any sign of abnormal heat. "mmmm…." She sighed a bit too loudly, and he thought he tracked some boredom in that tone. "You had a little fever, best to go to bed now. I'll follow in a short while with your dinner tray."

"What's about Frodo's punishment for punching Saginen? The poor boy is so battered that he has so much difficult eating anything except soup," Said one of Saginen's aunt who doted him too much since she could not have the little one of her own. "You wouldn't want him to grow up bully, right?"

"You're overacting, Edna. We all know that Frodo, unlike Saginen, never lays hands on anyone, much less the younger one. Beside he's still sick and certainly didn't have much strength in his body to really harm anyone. There IS no way Saginen would hurt that much. Also the boy is three years older than Frodo. I don't believe he couldn't fend himself." Esmeralda retorted back, almost angrily, at Edna. She never liked her much because of her bias to anyone who dared against her, if not already, spoiled nephew.

"I want you to give no food to him. It's not fair that he could eat all delectable foods while Saginen had none," Edna said firmly. In her eyes, Saginen always a good boy. He had done nothing wrong, even if he did; it was because the others pushed him to do it.

Esmeralda looked at her relative ghastly. "I can't believe I heard those terrible words from you, Edna. I'm very disappointed in you. You asked me to unfeed a sick boy? HOW! You better do that in YOUR h-o-u-s-e-h-o-l-d-s, not here."

No one made any noise. The room was quiet that you could almost hear a mouse's breathe. Esmeralda didn't have much temper. She may get annoyed sometimes but rarely angry anyone. This one was the most angriest they had ever seen. Usually, everyone in the room knew that Edna always won the argument or would rather say Esmeralda let Edna had her way if it wasn't important. Now Edna took a very big step on Esmeralda without realize her mistake that it was too much for Esmeralda to ignore. Unmistakably, Edna was going to pay for it.

"I think you better go back to your sister's house for dinner tonight and pampered your little baby 'Sagi'," Esmeralda said coldly to the nervous Edna. She was easy to Edna too much. It was time to stay firm and made Edna realized she was not the queen that everyone must obey to her demand. She was just a spoiled adult, selfish and thought only her want. Esmeralda had enough of it.

Edna was shaking with angry. How dare Esmeralda talk to her like that? She may be the wife of Saradoc who was the eldest son of the Brandybuck's head. She came from the other clan and seemed never relate to the Brandybuck. Unlike her, Edna was Saradoc's first cousin. Her mother was Saradoc's aunt; daughter to the Brandybuck's head. Esmeralda had no right to act toward her like she was nothing. It always was a doubt in her mind why Esmeralda always protected Frodo. He was no one important. Too skinny, loved reading book, and had weird personality. Never trust the crack Bilbo to raise a child. She remembered Frodo's departure the Shire after the death of his parents. When they returned, Frodo only talked about the elves. How wonderful they were. She shuddered at her memory. Clever Saginen beat it out of him, threatened Frodo not to say any words about his imagination race. And so Frodo stopped and finally forgot. Her Saginen had done the good deed to bring Frodo back to reality. And no one praised his generous action. In contrast, they said Saginen was a bully kind beaten his younger cousin, made 2 rips crack and quite a bruise on Frodo's face. They were too exaggerated; Saginen was a very sweet child, never lay a hand on a fly. Surely, Frodo was deceived them for attention. She thought with Frodo punching Saginen, they would finally see the truth. But no, they were so blind, especially Esmeralda. No wonder, during the boy's travel, he must learn some enchantment from the elves and wizard he met. Esmeralda must under Frodo's spell. The idea startled Edna. She should get out of here before Frodo casted it on her. Edna almost took a step when she heard a voice.

"It's alright Aunt Esmeralda. I'll stay in my room tomorrow. I'm too tired to go out anyway."

Esmeralda almost protested but Frodo already heading to his room. She glanced at Edna coldly before followed her nephew. Let they go ahead eating, she wouldn't take a bite until Frodo was fed and no one will stop her.

Frodo was too occupying by his misery that he didn't notice the Legolas' eyes. If he just looked up a bit, he would realize how wrong he was, the pair of blue orbs showed only concern and guilty of his harsh words he spoke out this evening. Legolas hated to see his lovely boy so sad.

Talked, they needed, the sooner the better.

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Frodo sat silently on his desk, his face buried in a book. If someone looked into the room, they would think he enjoyed the book in his hands. But in reality, Frodo saw no letter at all. In other to shut the pain, his heart turned out blank, didn't want to think, didn't want to hurt, didn't want to know anything anymore. Yet, he was roused by someone shaking his shoulder gently. He turned toward the cause, blinked his eyes a few times before they focused on the worried Legolas.

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Legolas tried to get out from dinner as soon as possible without being rude to his hosts. The tunnel was so complex that he got lost so often the first week. But now he started remembering the way, of course just the paths leading to Frodo's room, dinning hall, main living room (each family had one of their own, like Esmeralda and her husband), kitchen, bathroom, and to the front door.

In Frodo's room, the hobbit sat at the desk with his back to the door. A gentle light of candles luminated on the beautiful feature. For the moment, he thought Frodo looked ethereal, like he wasn't belonged to this world. Legolas almost succeed persuading himself that it was all a dream; he was dreaming and would wake up soon, almost.

It seemed Frodo was deeply in thoughts that he didn't see nor hear anything. Legolas swallowed the lump inside his throat. Thinking hard how to talk to Frodo. The guilty he felt irritated him some. He didn't do anything wrong by reprimanded Frodo. The boy deserved it. His bully act towards his cousin was unreasonable and couldn't go without a punishment. Otherwise Frodo would grow up thinking he could do anything he wanted, good or bad.

From what he gathered from Saginen, it seemed Frodo was quite a spoiled child. He always had easy way out of trouble, using other's sympathy of orphan. It might work well with others but not with him though. The boy needed someone to say a reasonable 'no' and 'yes', not 'yes' all the time. And he would be that one to stay firm and made sure Frodo grew up to be a reasonable and respectable hobbit.

Yet, Frodo's teary eyes before he run away this afternoon, tormented him badly. They full of pain, unbelievable and a bit of betrayal. He couldn't forget them even he was with the group of very cheerful hobbits that made him laugh every time they met. He kept thinking about those eyes and felt bad for it. Frodo's avoiding eyes at dinner only made his heart twisted more. All way through dinner, he kept pondering how to approach and talk with the boy. His luck wasn't bad as he found Frodo was alone instead of had Esmeralda accompany.

"Frodo," Legolas called. Nothing happened. So he called again. Still no reaction from the hobbit.

"Frodo," He called louder with a hint of panic in his voice. He shook the hobbit gently, wishing to wake him from his stupor. Finally, Frodo returned to his sense and turned to look at him. Legolas almost gasped at the lifeless in his eyes.

Did he the one cause this to Frodo?

Of course you make it, idiot, a voice in his mind said irritately.

Frodo averted his eyes to the ground once he saw who disturbed him was Legolas. Wondered why Legolas was here. He was really sure the elf wanted to do nothing with him anymore. Even some of his relatives didn't like him much. They said Bilbo was bad influenced to Frodo. Made Frodo's personality such as thinking and believing weirder than normal hobbits. Some of them didn't want their children to get too close to Frodo, afraid their children would turn up 'abnormal' like Frodo did.

"Frodo look at me."

Nothing happened.

Legolas sighed a little. He sank to the ground, made his face the same level as Frodo's. Two hands cupped the boy's face gently, lifted his face up and tried to look into his eyes. Not unsuccessful though for the hobbit shut his eyes tightly, his eyelashes was wet with the unshed tears.

"Please Frodo look at me," Legolas said, almost hurt by Frodo's reaction. Maybe he was too harsh to Frodo. And now the boy was so afraid or hate him too much that he didn't want to see him anymore. Oh Frodo!

Afraid Frodo was but the way Legolas said to him was hard to ignore. He slowly opened his eyes. Legolas' expression full of concern, worry, and almost love. Relief and all the emotion he was trying suppress all this evening were so overwhelm and finally over the dam. He burst into tears and threw himself into the elf's waiting arms.

He cried so hard. All things pent up inside his heart rushed out like the waterfall. Legolas heard his fear, his wish, his love, all of it. He hugged Frodo tighter every minute passed until the little one struggle a bit to get his much need airs.

"Sorry, sorry," Legolas murmured and lessening his hold, realized Frodo stopped speaking for awhile now. He could feel the damped shirt plastered to his skin. He cared none of it. Legolas changed his position slightly to get more comfortable, leaning his back to the desk and stroked Frodo's soft hair gently.

"I'm sorry I punched Saginen. I didn't know what possessed me to do it. I didn't mean to. No, I think I meant it a bit. I guess I wanted him to stop bragging you like him more than me," Frodo paused a little before continued. "I know I shouldn't have done it. You must hate me now. I'm a bad hobbit. Thinking of what I want first. Never thinking of what other people feel or want."

The painful voice made Legolas' heart ached. He lifted Frodo's face up and kissed the ivory forehead lovely.

"No, that's not truth. You think I never really look at you. You are so kind. I saw you gave a piece of cake to the younger child yesterday when he asked for it even though he ate one and you had none. And you gave it to him without reluctant at all. You are not selfish. In fact you have a great heart. Listen, everyone have a dark side in them, even me. What you did this evening may be too harsh and not the right thing to do, but it understandable to me."

"Really?" Frodo asked in small voice, uncertain of what he heard.

"Really. Now listen to me. No matter how many hobbits I know, no one COULD replace you in my heart. You are the most relish one to me. It will never change, I promise you that. All right?"

"Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much." Frodo smiled brightly. The burden inside his heart eased up the great deal. He believed Legolas' words with his heart.

All emotions, tears, and with the just-recovery-state tired Frodo out very much. His eyelids slowly closed on its own accord, soon the room was filled with soft cute snore.

Legolas sat silently, thinking of things Frodo spoke in his anguish. He was so stupid and underestimated Frodo's feeling for him. Never thought and expected the boy would hold him so high. Part of him proud that even a seven year distant, he could still be number one for Frodo. Yet apart of him ashamed that he didn't reciprocate the affection to Frodo as much as Frodo gave it to him. He promised to himself, he will change, he will make Frodo as much happy as he can for the last few days.

His injuries almost healed completely. The arm he thought was broken didn't break. It just a severe strained nerve that pained him too much to move and so gave him the wrong perception. A few more days and his arms will be as good as new. For now he felt some strain just a bit but nothing really hurt. Lorin told him they must travel as soon as possible. They sent a letter to Lothlien before travel. The late arrival would get her anxious of their safety which did no good for the pregnant female at all.

Legolas had only a week in the left in the Shire with Frodo before departure to Gray haven.

To be continued…