The theme song for Prevale is "Farewell", which did not appear on "The Hunger Games" soundtrack. The instrumental jazz band music, "In the Mood" and "Beyond the Sea", plays in the café. "Rue's Farewell", which did appear on "The Hunger Games" soundtrack, plays as Frodo leaves the café. Also, Bilbo's words came from J.R.R. Tolkien's first book in the trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Chapter Thirty:
The Dragon's Café
Soon after he dressed, Frodo grabbed his quiver, standing next to his sword Sting, and left the guest room. On his way out of The Cabin & Lady Pub, Frodo received a note from Coral, who had first given the message to the innkeeper. The note said these words:
Meet me at the training hall in one hour.
Already, thirty minutes had passed. Frodo left The Cabin & Lady Pub moments later. He ran past two blocks before reaching the training hall. Inside, he found four open arenas with targets and training dummies, stuffed with hay. At the first open arena, Frodo found Coral watching two pairs of swordsmen duel. He joined the scarred lioness in moments.
Coral turned to Frodo once, before returning her gaze to the four swordsmen. "You're forty minutes late." She told him, solemnly, "I see you're still mad at me."
"I'm only frustrated," admitted Frodo. Peering at Coral, he asked, "I mean you hardly spoke to me after the dinner party." He continued, "The party must have been good, if only I had stayed there longer-"
"Why did you leave right away?" asked Coral, curious and confused.
Facing her again, Frodo said, "It was way too crowded."
Coral shrugged. "Might have been better for you, if you-"
"Frodo!" cried a familiar feminine voice, "Hey Frodo!" Frodo and Coral turned at the same time to see, in the arena across the way, Jezebel wave to the hobbit. The voice was hers.
Curious, Coral asked Frodo, "Were you going to practice?"
Frodo slung the quiver across his back. He shrugged, and said, "I suppose I'm not. I'll meet you at the Crimson Rose tavern…"
Coral interrupted, "Actually, I'm headed to the Dragon's Café. You might want to stop by. Give you a chance to meet new people, and animals."
"You sound like Aslan," said Frodo. He left the scarred lioness without saying another word.
Before he could leave the training hall, Frodo was stopped by Jezebel. Immediately, the chocolate snowflake hedgehog asked, "How are you, Frodo? Feeling better?" Without letting Frodo get a word in, she asked, concerned, "Did you ask Coral about-"
"No," said Frodo. "No, I never had the chance to ask."
Jezebel sniffed. Then she said, "Oh well. It probably doesn't matter. It's not my concern."
"Did you want something, Jezebel?" asked Frodo.
Looking up at him, Jezebel replied, "Yes. I was wondering when we might have that meeting – if you can call it a 'meeting'." She emphasized the word 'meeting'.
Frodo shook his head. "No. I shouldn't." He added, almost as an excuse, "I don't do well conversing with animals. It's not your concern, but – it should be mine." He attempted to leave the training hall.
Jezebel stopped him again, as she announced, "That's okay." She watched Frodo turn to face her, as she continued, "I mean, we don't have to call it a meeting – eh…" As she pulled herself together, choosing her words carefully, Frodo noticed Coral hiding behind a stone pillar. Eventually, Jezebel blurted, "We can call it a – happy hour, if you want."
"No thanks," said Frodo, attempting hard not to chuckle.
"What are you afraid of?" Jezebel asked, almost shouting the question to him. She explained, "Look, Amor's not here and you're the first hero I've seen who's been generous to me. Amor, on the other hand, can be a handful." She added, "All I'm asking is for a few hours. Besides, you might learn something from this – in return."
Frodo thought for a few moments. He muttered, eventually, "All right, but I'm not asking to turn this into something more."
"Hey, all I need is a friend," said Jezebel. "I'll take you to the Dragon's Café. It's a real neat place-" She rambled on.
As he followed the hedgehog towards the front door, Frodo glanced back at Coral. Coral gave him an attempted 'thumbs up', using one of her fore paws. Although this didn't help his mood, Frodo nonetheless helped Jezebel open the front wooden door. He soon left the training hall, chasing the hedgehog through the village of Prevale.
Inside The Dragon's Café, Jezebel led Frodo to a wooden booth with bright red cushions. The booth stood in a corner, next to a wide glass window. As Frodo sat down at the booth, across from Jezebel, he set his quiver on the seat.
Noticing Jezebel pull out her wooden instrument from a leather case, Frodo asked in confusion, "Why are you pulling out your instrument?
"It's called a guitar," answered Jezebel, slinging the guitar strap around her shoulder.
"I'm sure it is," said Frodo in reply. "But why are you pulling your – guitar out?"
"Oh," said Jezebel, understanding his question now. "I just feel like, the only way I can express myself is through song. Here, I'll show you…"
Frodo interrupted. "No, you don't have to do that because I asked-"
"No, really, I don't mind," said Jezebel. Then she sang a song right off the top of her head:
"Thank you Amor
for allowing me to sing
for allowing me to live
and I promise something in return.
"But I know I can't right now
because my mind has thought of us…"
"Jezebel!" said Frodo, placing his hand around the fingerboard. "I know you want to sing, but talking usually helps me."
"Hmm… you're probably right," said Jezebel, thinking for a moment. She put her guitar back inside its case. When she looked up, Jezebel asked, "So, what did you want to talk about?"
"I thought you were in the mood to speak," said Frodo, confused.
"Well, there isn't much for me to say. Other than Amor and I have very few friends. Our families are our only friends," explained Jezebel, truthfully.
"That's pathetic," said Frodo. "You don't have any friends outside your family?"
Jezebel shook her head. "No."
Frodo thought for a few seconds. Then he asked, "Is that it? You needed to find someone to vent your emotions, thoughts, and feelings?"
"Amor's not a very good listener," admitted Jezebel.
"Are you always speaking about Amor, Jezebel?" asked Frodo, serious.
Jezebel spoke, defensively, "Amor is the only hedgehog I think about these days, Frodo. I mean, if you had someone that you care about in your life, apart from your best friend–"
"You mean a lover?" asked Frodo, stunned. He admitted, "I don't have one."
"Well, then, I'm sure she'll find you. She'd have to, since she's your soul mate. Soul mates tend to find each other through time. It doesn't matter how young or old they are. Soul mates are bound to each other, in ways even I don't understand," explained Jezebel.
"Why do you talk about soul mates? I haven't had a lover in my life." Frodo said, realizing, "You tricked me into coming here."
Jezebel took a sip from a ceramic, brown-painted mug. "I did trick you, only because you needed to experience dating for the first time." She added, "Amor doesn't know about this, unless someone tells him. But I'm sure he won't mind."
"No, he won't." Frodo said, tensely, "But I will."
Noticing Frodo stand up and grab his quiver, Jezebel asked, "Where are you going?"
"Home, hopefully. I'll see if I can straighten this out with Aslan," said Frodo, frustrated.
Stopping Frodo in his tracks, Jezebel cried, "You can't keep running away, Frodo Baggins! You know what I heard about your parents, long before you arrived on this world? I heard your parents were the best hobbits to have in your life, when they were still alive. I wish I had parents, such as yours. You must have loved them. You are their son. You're the only one who meant something to them-"
Frodo interrupted, not facing the hedgehog, "They're dead, Jezebel. They won't return."
"No, but I'm sure they're watching over you," said Jezebel.
As the loud conversations returned to the café, Frodo approached Jezebel. He spoke to her in low mutters, "Thank you, at least, for caring. Even if you tricked me into – my first 'date', which you shouldn't have done…" He paused. Then he finished his short explanation, "Thank you, but that's all you will receive from me."
"You're leaving? You can't. You have to save us. You have to stop the villains from-"
Frodo interrupted, telling her in honesty, "I am not that kind of a hero, Jezebel. The Quest to Mordor nearly took my life. The burden cost me everything I care about. I can never go back." He admitted, "I thought this journey – this mission – was supposed to help me find peace and a sense of healing." He shook his head. "So far, it hasn't done that."
"Frodo-"
Frodo barked, "No! You have done more than enough for me already. Thank you, but leave me alone… for a while."
On his way out of The Dragon's Café, Frodo noticed a heavy silence stretch across the entire room. As he turned and looked, Frodo saw many faces stare at him, as if waiting for him to say or do something important. Tension and nervousness soon dragged Frodo out of the café, leaving him with so many unanswered questions: Why hadn't Gandalf said anything further about the mission? Was Aslan behind everything that happened in this life? Why should he care whether he or any of his companions survived against the villains? He barely watched his step as he re-entered The Cabin & Lady Pub.
Without saying two words to the innkeeper or anyone he passed by, Frodo quickly climbed up the stairs to the second floor. Upon entering the guest room, Frodo slammed the door and set his quiver down on the bed stand. While pacing back and forth, Frodo caught a glimpse of the sword Sting. Memories came back to the days at Rivendell, and his final farewell to Bilbo Baggins, his uncle, on the day he prepared to set out for Mordor. Two sentences still struck his thoughts, as they rippled back:
'I'll do my best to finish my book before you return. I should like to write the second book, if I am spared.'
The very thought of these words nearly sent tears into Frodo's eyes. More questions flooded his thoughts: Could his just abandon the mission now? Were he and his new companions close to the Merswold Camp, as Aslan and Coral said? He was afraid the villains would be too powerful for him take head on, on his own. If only I had the sword, Seeker, with me. Then I could…
"No," said Frodo to himself, shaking this thought off. "I couldn't bear to face those villains alone…" His mind drifted off, as more questions continued to pound his mind: What if I cannot do this? What if I cannot complete the task? I would surely lose and never find peace. I would never heal… "What about that girl in my dreams?" he asked himself out loud.
Finding no resolution or end to the questions, Frodo made his way towards the bed. The second his head hit the pillow, deep sleep entered his mind, forcing his eyes to stay closed. Very soon, he entered another nightmare, different than his dreams about the girl:
Frodo's heart beat faster as he ran across the plain countryside…
He knew he had to avoid the villains at all costs…
Before he could reach his destination, Frodo was stopped in his tracks by the same witch with the black-and-purple robes. The witch attempted to end his life by use of spell balls. Frodo, fortunately, dodged most of these blows. However, the second he turned around, a creature stood before him. He was reminded of the creature that appeared in a previous nightmare.
The creature growled, low and deep, as it told him, "I am Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor. Who might you be, Halfling?"
"Uh… Frodo," said Frodo, nervously.
The creature chuckled evilly. "Frodo… now I remember you: the same Ring-bearer that destroyed my Ring of Power." He sneered, sinisterly, as he said, "You are in a tight spot. Aren't you, Baggins?"
Several seconds passed. When the creature called Sauron swiftly approached Frodo, everything fell into darkness…
Frodo awoke with a start. A splitting headache proceeded to keep him from moving into a sitting position. By the time he stood up, stretching his legs and his arms, Frodo found the sun was already climbing down the afternoon sky. Knowing what he needed to do, Frodo washed, changed, and wrote messages, on separate pieces of parchment, to his new companions. He strapped the sword's belt to his breeches' waist, before grabbing his quiver, his pack, and his keys. Then he left the guest room and locked the door after him.
Downstairs, Frodo gave the innkeeper the parchments and the keys to his guest room. Taking one last look at the pub, Frodo approached the front door and vanished from sight on the dirt road.
At The Crimson Rose Tavern, Coral did her best to get away from Regal Charleston, who was annoying her to no end. Fortunately, when she found a break, Coral rushed up to Kovu. The result was not was Coral had in mind.
"Enjoying yourself with the mutt?" asked Kovu, jokingly.
Coral muttered, "Help me!"
Noticing Coral talk with Kovu, Regal approached the two. He told the scarred lioness, delightfully, "Yes, thank you Coral. I would never have gotten through that dinner party the other night."
Coral told the spaniel, sarcastically, "Oh, ho. I didn't have much of a choice, did I? You were clinging to me all night."
"And what a fine treat this is to meet the famous Simba's son-in-law!" said Regal, approaching Kovu fast. "My, my, I must say you look exactly the way Simba described you."
"Thanks Regal. I'm sure it must have taken you an adventure to learn so much from my father-in-law," said Kovu, attempting hard to be polite. Deciding to trick the dog, Kovu glanced up at the air. To his surprise, Regal fell for the trick and walked away from the lion and the scarred lioness.
Coral chuckled under her breath, as she told Kovu, "I told you. He's an annoying little – dog."
"Luckily, I got us out of this mess," said Kovu, fighting back.
"I'm sure you did," said Coral.
The front door to the tavern burst wide open. Standing in the passage was Harry, who had a piece of parchment in his hands. When he found Edmund, Jack Sparrow, and Anakin, Harry approached them and said, "Hey, I just received a parchment from Frodo."
"So did I," said Edmund, protesting.
"I did too," said Anakin, showing the parchment to the boy wizard.
"What can this mean?" asked Jack, attempting hard to decipher the meaning of the words on the parchment.
Approaching the four, Coral asked them, "What happened? Kovu and I just heard you say something about Frodo-" Kovu followed her seconds later.
"Yes," said Harry, "we all received the same parchment from Frodo."
"He says that he will never be happy, while we're still journeying. He would rather be home, where he knows he will find healing and peace," said Edmund, coming close to the same words that Frodo had written.
Understanding the meaning of the words, Coral said, softly, "He's going to run."
"Run?" asked Edmund, shocked. "He wouldn't do that… would he?"
"Haven't you heard the full tale of his journey to Mordor?" asked Coral. Noticing the confused expressions from her companions, Coral explained, "Look, the Fellowship of the Ring separated because Frodo fled from them, taking his best friend Sam with him. This group will also break, unless we do something."
"And that is?" asked Kovu, confused.
Coral, ignoring Kovu, told the four, "We have to find him."
"Tell me why you care? You're a scarred lioness, Coral," said Anakin.
"And you're supposed to be a Jedi. Well, I'm not following the ways of a scarred lioness. Am I, Anakin Skywalker?" asked Coral, defensively. She told the five, "Come on. We have to start searching for him."
"Why should we trust you now? I mean, you could still attack us at any time," asked Harry, nervous and slightly confused.
Facing Harry, Coral exclaimed, "Listen, I am the only woman in this group! I may be a cat nonetheless, but I am still a female. The Fellowship of the Ring had no women. It was an all-male group of companions. So far, I am the only female in this group to have turned tomboyish. If you can't accept what I've become – who can?"
"Wait. We shouldn't find Frodo first, until after we've found Mumble and Gurgi," said Kovu.
"Who left you in charge?" asked Edmund.
"Look at yourselves. This pointless arguing is getting us nowhere. The longer we stay here, the more of a chance that Frodo will escape on us. We have to find him, now, before something wicked does," said Coral, growing more defensive.
"We'll find Mumble and Gurgi. Then we search for Frodo," said Anakin.
"No, we should split up. We'll cover more ground that way," said Edmund.
"Splitting up is too dangerous, Edmund," said Anakin, facing the boy king.
"Do you have a better plan?" asked Edmund.
Anakin paused. After some thinking, he told him, "All right. We'll do things your way."
"Let's go," said Edmund.
"Wait. Who's traveling with whom?" asked Coral, confused.
"Just come on, Coral," said Kovu, following the others out the front door.