Lord of the Rings and all of its characters were created by the wonderful J.R.R. Tolkien.
Chapter 12: Sometimes We Must Leave
I was sitting down in chair near the warm fire thinking to myself as I watched it. It was around nine at night and the room was lit beautifully by the fire. Mixed in with the bright walls around the room were shadows that cast be objects that occupied the was laying down next to my feet with her head on my right foot. Around the shire she wasn't her usual timid self, although she still was shy around the people my walks around the Shire she had seemed to become more adventurous and would rather run swiftly through the grass than stay by my side.
It had been about two weeks since Gandalf left me here in the Shire and I couldn't help but feel grateful that he did. I was getting a bath and more than two meals everyday and I had a very nice place to stay. Frodo didn't seem to mind me much he was very welcoming for my company. I suppose since his uncle isn't here anymore it's nice to not be unexpectedly alone. Although Frodo and I had a comfortable quite atmosphere we talked everyday with each other. Only once has Frodo verbally expressed how much he worried about his uncle going to see the elves alone in his old age. Other times I just see it on his face. And I could tell that Gandalf's hasty leaving bothered him as well.
-Five Days Ago-
It was another peaceful morning and Hobbiton,,,,,, and I had just woken up. I didn't feel up to moving just yet so I stayed on the heavily sheeted floor. Suddenly an overlapping of loud metal bagging sounds were heard followed by a grunt and Sparkle's barking. Now it is early in the morning so you could imagine how annoying all of the loud noises were to my ears not to mention how alarmed they made me. I got up out of my nest of sheets quickly to investigate knowing that only that noises could be coming from Frodo. While Sparkle followed at my heels I was hoping that Frodo didn't hurt himself.
I made it to the kitchen to see pots around the floor and said hobbit was turned away from me with his hands on the counter and his head lowered. I could feel his frustration from here I stood in the hallway and cautiously spoke to him.
"Frodo, what's wrong?" I asked him. Suddenly realizing that I was in the room his shoulders tensed for two seconds before he pulled up his head slightly turned it my way.
"I'm alright . I was just going to make breakfast." He said. I knew that it was only partly the truth so I took that as a full confession as to what was wrong. Frodo was still very worried for his uncle. He had told me he was the day after he left.
"Frodo if your uncle would not have been safe on his journey Gandalf would not have let him go." I said.
"But why now? Why would he leave?" He asked putting his head down again.
"It may have because he was old. He may have wanted to feel like his younger self again." I said. Of course I personally didn't hold all the answers I could at least try and make him feel better with an educated guess.
"You really think that is why he left?" He said before he turned around and showed me his crystal blue eyes. Sparkle stood up from the spot she had sat and maneuvered her way around the pots to get Frodo and made sure to whip her tail the whole way to him. I couldn't see her behind the center counter but when he looked down I could tell that she was clawing his leg. He gave her a small smile before picking her up. It was pleasing to see she didn't only have ability to do that to me.
"Yes. And I know he's alright Frodo." I said looking at him. Our eyes connected meaningfully and he gave me a confident nod.
-Present-
I turned my head and stared outside of the window at the path I take to the river to bathe. When I go to the river I always have this nagging feeling that something happened there. The strong feelings from a memory seem to capture me but the memory itself is lost. I usually just brush it off and finish bathing.
After a while I was tired of thinking so I turned my head to look around the room and sighed. There was nothing to occupy me here, no television, no computer, no cellphone, and no one to talk to who understands my references. My cell phone died my third day in Middle Earth, it was very tragic. At first I thought I would be okay without cellphone games however a couple of hours later and I was turning on just watch the light go out after a few seconds of being on. Here in the Shire I would walk around to keep my mind off of the electronics that we basically use everyday. And I would also draw pictures and designs but they would only keep me occupied for so long.
When I heard the front door open and shut I knew that Frodo was home. Sparkle's head popped up and she started whipping her tail. I heard his feet slap gently against the wooden floors as he came down the hallway that lead to this room and not long after he was here.
"Good evening Jessica." He said with a small gentle smile. He pretends that he's okay but behind his eyes I could tell that he was really bothered by the unanswered questions. But I pretend that everything is okay to make it easier for him, there's no need for me to be nosy.
"Good evening Frodo. How was your day?" I asked him while sitting up in the chair. It's always nice to take time and see how someone is doing, is what my mom taught me. I get all my good qualities from her.
"Oh, like every other day. And yours?" He asked me.
"Good." I said but I guess my short answer said enough. Frodo let out a short laugh and walked over to the table that had my drawings spread out on it.
"I'm guessing that you're still bored." He said.
"Yes." I said with a big breath. He smiled at me before looking down at my drawings and then his smile widened.
"These designs are really amazing." He said while taking a closer look at them and I smiled at his comment.
As soon as I opened my mouth to say something suddenly we weren't alone. Without warning Gandalf came out of the shadowed hallway and grabbed Frodo by his shoulders. I jumped up in surprise and Sparkle took cover behind the chair I had just occupied and barked loudly.
"Is it secret!? Is it safe!?" He asked a surprised Frodo. Gandalf looked disheveled and desperate. Since I had never actually seen him like this face to face since I had known him his appearance had alarmed me as well as it did Frodo. However unlike Frodo I knew why he looked so haunted and the thought of it made me nervous.
"I'll go make some tea." I said giving them a nod before I left the room with a timid Sparkle fooling at my heels.
As I poured the tea in a small white cup I realized that I was more anxious about Gandalf 's coming them when I left the other room. I felt jittery and my hands were shaking as I poured the tea from the teapot. Realizing I needed to calm down before I make a mess in the kitchen I sat the teapot back on the stove and started to fan my with the dish rag that I had held it with. I sat on the floor and my back against the counter and thanked goodness that I had not broke into a cold sweat. I leaned my head back on to the counter and cleared my mind.
When my breathing was evenly coming in and out of my nose I opened my eyes to the ceiling and lowered my shoulders. I felt that I was calm enough to get back up without shaking so I got up and sighed. Then I realized that Sparkle wasn't in the kitchen like I thought she was. I walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway to look for her. After I was done looking around the living room I decided to just call her.
"Sparkle?" I called for her. It was then that I saw her silhouette turn around next to the front door. Oh she had to go to the bathroom. I opened the front door for her and she went outside into the yard.
Outside the light from the fireplace was shining through the window and on to the green grass that was darkened by the night. Thankfully Sparkle was highlighted enough from the light for me to see her from the doorway. And it was because of that that I let my mind wander off to another place.
I saw myself back in Miami, laying on my stomach on top of a soft purple beach towel with blue flowers printed on it. I wore a blue two piece bathing suit and I had my hair pulled to the side in the crook of my neck while my head used my folded arms as a pillow. There were other people at the the beach as well, but they were so far away that they appeared blurry and only the faint sound of laughter could be heard from them.
I opened my eyes and looked down passed my feet at the ocean when the salty waves crashed against the sand and made sizzling noises. When the waves rolled in a more calmer fashion my gazed shifted higher towards the clear blue sky. Everything was so pleasingly peaceful that I shut my eyes again and smiled to myself as the sun warmed my back. I was so relaxed and comfortable.
A large warm hand pressed gently to my back and then I felt someone laying next to me. The only thing I could see was his muscled chest leaning over me making his long blond hair flow on to my back. When his hair tickled me lightly I moved my shoulder blades up and down and in response made him chuckle beautifully. He started gently rubbing his long fingers up my repeatedly and by than I couldn't take any more. Letting out a laugh I turned over on to my back and looked up at him.
His eyes were alluringly crystal blue and held a fierce passion within them. Because they looked as interesting and beautiful as a night sky full of shining stars I couldn't help but gaze at them. It was when he put his other arm on the other side of me did I pay attention to the rest of his face. How could I miss whose face this was..? I knew him, he was Legolas.
As I stared up at him in admiration my heart thumped. Legolas leaned down to my face and he put his arm on the other side of me which just made my nerves ball up. I put my hand on his chest and the atmosphere swelled thickly with unspoken words. His light brown hair created a curtain around us that made us focus on each others faces. And since he was so close to me his breath flooded my senses, his cool sweet breath smelled as if he had just eaten ice cream. My mind swirled with delight when he brought his face closer to mine, our lips just about to brush against each others-
Bark! Bark! I jumped up in surprise when I heard Sparkle bark at something loudly. I looked to where she was barking and saw something in the bushes making little noises that sounded like twigs snapping. I pulled my eyebrows together in confusion and was just about to say something when all of a sudden Sparkle charged in to the bushes.
"Oh! Hey!" I yelled after her in surprise. t was after she took off that I was completely sure that there was someone in there, and now they could hurt her. I ran into the bushes and grabbed Sparkle with both of my hands and pulled her to my chest. Her whole body was tense as she barked loudly. With my eyebrows knotted together I looked at the culprit who set her off and was met with brown curls and a surprised looking gardener who I knew was nothing but harmless Sam.
"Sam what are you doing here?" I whispered to him.
"I heard raised voices so I was listening to see if Mr. Frodo was alright." He whispered.
"And?" I asked.
"He doesn't seem to be in any immediate danger." He said looking just as confused as I was. Although I was looking at him strangely I knew that I shouldn't be at be at all surprised that he was here, it was his time to be here. Which meant I should leave now before I get in the way, and so I ducked down ready to crawl out of the bushes when I heard knock.
And sure enough right after I turned my head towards the window two arms with long grey sleeves jetted out and grabbed us both by our arms and pulled us right through the window. Both of our screams ended with an 'umph' when we landed onto the table in the room with the fireplace. Gandalf had a hand full of each of our clothes in his hands as he darkly glared at us.
"Samwise Gamgee! Jessica Jones! Have you two been eavesdropping!?" He yelled loudly at us, even Sparkle who landed on my chest knew to be afraid of that tone. I wanted to speak but I was still frightened at how fast he pulled us through the window and the tone in his demanding voice was definitively not helping to ease the fear.
"No! I was out trimming the grass underneath the window there!" Sam said out of fear and Gandalf's glare intensified.
"A little cutting grass is it not?" Gandalf asked him.
"I heard raised voices." Sam admitted lowly.
"What did you hear!? Speak!" Gandalf spoke loudly.
"N-n-nothing! Just something about a ring and a darklord and some wraths being after it! I wont tell anyone sir so please don't turn me into a frog or something of the like!" Sam confessed.
"No..?" He said giving him one last look before turning to me so I guess it was my turn to speak.
"I was just out walking Sparkle. She saw Sam and went after him then I went after her and then you grabbed us. I didn't hear anything Gandalf." I said strongly.
"That may have been the case, unfortunately you have learned more then enough from Samwise." He said letting us go. Sam looked up at him with unease.
"You're not going to turn us into frogs are you?" Sam asked him. I gave Gandalf a questioning look wondering whether he could do that. Gandalf turned his had to look at Frodo and gave him a conspiratorial look.
"Fear not have better use for the two of you." He said. After I saw Sam visually swallow my worries began.
~Sunrise~
In the morning we went out along the road to go into a more heavily forested area with dense undergrowth. I looked back at Same to see him messing with the pots and pans in his traveling bags.
"Come along Samwise, keep up!" Gandalf told Sam who was behind Gandalf's horse. Gandalf then his horse towards Frodo and I.
"I will meet you at the Prancing Pony. If i'm not there before you wait for me." He said to us. Frodo turned and walked a couple of steps forward to look ahead of the path we must take. When Sam came and stood next to Gandalf he leaned down and spoke to Sam.
"Keep your eyes on him Samwise, do not lose him." He said and Sam nodded. I pulled the big black coat that Gandalf had given me tighter around my shoulders. Sparkle was also under the coat but her head was sticking out as I held her with one arm. Gandalf looked at me and nodded his head in the opposite direction of Sam and Frodo so I came over to him to answer his signal. As we face away from the hobbits Gandalf looked down at me.
"I apologize that you were pulled into this Jessica." He admitted.
"Why can't I just stay here Gandalf?" I asked him.
"If those who are looking for the ring do no not find a Baggins they will take who ever it is that occupies that home. I cannot leave you here." He said solemnly. I nodded to him in understanding but I still felt a little crestfallen of the situation I was in. I thought that I could simply stay here but I was put into danger anyway. Gandalf looked at me with more reassurance.
"Do not worry yourself Jessica. I am an excellent judge of character in my time with you has shown me something. that in all my time I have never met such an intelligent, wise and observant youth." He said. I looked up from the green leafy ground to him.
"That can't be. You've must've met some really people before me." I said uncertain. Its not that I have low self esteem it's just that this is Gandalf i'm talking to. He know has known kings and queens and both human and not. Gandalf lifted his eyebrows slightly.
"None quite like you however. Perhaps it's because you come from a far away land but I know that you are knowledgeable in astonishing ways. A week with you proved that. You have told me things that even I didn't know. But I didn't need a week to see that you are an old soul." He said. I looked ahead of the road before giving him a sideways glance.
"My mother said the same thing to me once." I said to him.
"She was right." He said. He had only known me for a short amount of time I wondered how can he think of me this way. I allowed myself to smile at that though Gandalf gave me a small smile before he turned around to Frodo.
He explained shortly to Frodo to stay off the road and why he couldn't put on the ring. When he was done he nodded to all of us before he took off on his horse. I walked over to Frodo and Sam with less weight on my shoulders but still feeling nervousness creeping from my stomach and going in to limbs. To relieve it I blew out a couple of breaths to calm myself down and I look down at Frodo and Sam before giving them a nod and a small smile.
"I'm ready." I said.
"Then we should get going." Frodo said and then he turned around and started walking. Sam nodded before glancing my way and followed him. I let one more stab of distress consume me again before I pushed it aside. My last thought before I followed them was Note to self: don't run your mouth.