Fan Fiction ❯ Forget Me Not ❯ Begining the Journey ( Chapter 3 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Emmablk1 
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.22.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 188 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.22.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 188 | Status: Completed
I actually started writing this almost right after I posted the second chapter. Is it okay if I follow the extended four-disk movies instead of the regular movies? Those are funnier to write about. Tell me- when the fellowship breaks, where should Miriam go? Should it be with Frodo or with Merry and Pippin? I've been debating for forever. They both would make some really good scenes, but would make some pretty bad ones too. Tell me what you think in a (nudge, nudge) review.
ON WITH THE FIC!!
ON WITH THE FIC!!
....- means 'later'
Chapter 3
From then on nothing was the same. Generations after would know the story of how `Old Bilbo Baggins' made his daring escape. Only minutes after he was gone, ghost stories had started to crop up out of all the children's mouths, insuring scary stories for years to come.
The party was in complete disarray. The initial shock hadn't worn off, so everyone was in a frantic search for Bilbo. Due to the running everywhere, the food was gone in the first six minutes. The crowd was very thick, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to find Frodo. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn't high enough, but it might have had something to do with how the crowd practically tossed me over toward the tree that I had stood by earlier that night.
After a good solid half hour, people started to notice that the food was gone and look for more of it instead of Bilbo. They started to thin out and head toward the pub. No one was too concerned now that one of their own had disappeared. As I stood by the tree watching them, I saw that Frodo wasn't in the bubbling mass. Things quickly got quieter and I began to think, leaning up against the tree for comfort.
“Arrghh!” I abruptly cried out, frustrated by my lack of thinking skills. I turned around and kicked to tree in anger, but I only succeeded in giving my big toe a huge bruise. As I winced in pain, I suddenly saw Frodo strolling around the remains of the party and acting as if nothing had even happened.
I desperately tried to hide behind the tree, but as soon as I moved he saw me. “Where is everyone, Miriam?” His eyes searched through the growing darkness for signs of life. I came out from behind the tree and ran over to him, my mind filled to the peak with questions.
“Where's Bilbo?” I began. And from then on, nothing could stop me. “How did he disappear like that? Where did you go? Why didn't you stay? Where is Gandalf? How could you not know where the party went, isn't it obvious? Did you hit your head again?” The questions flew out of me as if I had no control over my mouth. Frodo's eyebrows went up, but he smiled. “What?!” I asked, annoyed.
“Don't worry about it,” He answered. “Everything will be just fine. They're just...” He stopped for a moment and thought, clearly making the answer up as he went. “They're indisposed at the moment.” His voice sounded shaky and hesitant; he wasn't sure if I'd believe him.
“You're hiding something, aren't you?” I narrowed my eyes at him and his smile dropped immediately. “I knew it!” I practically yelled, jumping up and down, excited about being right for once.
“Y-you must be delusional,” He reached up and pretended to check my head for a temperature before putting both his hands on my shoulders and shaking me lightly. Distantly I could hear my heart beating rapidly, but for once in my life I focused on the moment at hand.
“Don't play with me!” I threatened. “I know I'm right!” I poked him on his chest to emphasize the point.
“No! You're-” he stopped suddenly when he realized that his arms were wrapped around me and my hands were encircling his neck. (A/N: well, they have a mind of their own and like to move from time to time!) Our eyes locked for minutes that felt like hours. “W-what were we talking about again?” he said after he snapped out of it, but instantly fell back in. I was falling too, just like last time. Fortunately, I was on the lookout for Sam, unlike last time.
“Sam'll...be back...any...minute...now...” I found it hard to breathe when we were this close. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves, but it just seemed to make it worse. I heard him gulp and I thought dimly if he was as nervous as I was. This time no one would interfere. It wasn't like anyone was there, anyways.
I closed my eyes and touched my forehead to his. His hands had risen to my face and he was stroking it tenderly. Maybe this would work out...maybe...maybe I'd get my first kiss from-
“Miriam!!” My thoughts were interrupted by my idiot brother once again. I resolved to lock him in the basement when we got home. “What are you doing?!” Suddenly I remembered that Sam could see us and we looked a little more than friendly. Frodo and I both pulled away at the same time, blushing the same shade of pink. Sam was once again running toward us, most likely coming out of his hiding place from where he was spying on us.
“Nothing!” I called to him as he came nearer. I looked at Frodo and he shrugged- the lightest trace of a smile on his face. “Why would we be doing anything?” I turned a question back on him to see him stutter.
“Well, I...that is...I mean...” I gave him a look and he stopped talking, not having much to go on anyway.
“That's what I thought.” I looked at the two of them. “C'mon, let's go to the pub and check out what Merry and Pippin are up to.”
....
The pub was rowdy, but right away you could see and hear Merry and Pippin. They were over in the corner, standing on the table and singing. Sam instantly went over to another table with some of the older hobbits to talk and smoke, not to mention get a good view of Rosie, but Frodo and I grabbed some drinks and joined in with the duo.
“...To heal my heart and drown my woe,” It was a song we all knew since birth. I began to clap along to the beat and sing. Frodo jumped around the table taking sips of his beer as he went. “Rain may fall and wind may blow, but there still be...” we held out the note for a few seconds. “Many miles to go!” Merry and Pippin stomped their feet to the rhythm so hard on the table that I feared it would break. “Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain and the stream that falls from hill to plain! Better than rain or rippling brook...” We stopped singing together to give Pip his solo.
“...Is a mug of beer inside this Took!” he completed with pride and gobbled down his beer. The crowd cheered, but we were the loudest, laughing the entire time. I took a big sip and felt the liquid go down my throat and I realized how thirsty I really was.
I began to listen to the conversation between Sam and some of the older hobbits who were smoking not too far from where we were. The pub was noisy, so I couldn't hear very well, but some snippets of what they were saying floated over to where I was standing.
“Strange folk...crossing. Dwarves...war is brewing. Mountains...teeming with...goblins.” Suddenly my mouth was dry again. Something was going on that we didn't know about. I tried to get closer so I could hear everything they were saying.
“Children's stories...beginning to sound like...old Bilbo Baggins...cracked, he was.” I couldn't believe was I was hearing. Bilbo was gone for only three hours and already they were talking about him as if he'd died.
Frodo had gone to get the group some beers and was heading their way. The other hobbit spoke. “Young Mr. Frodo here, he's cracking.”
Frodo sat down and passed out the mugs. I dared to edge close enough to hear their whole discussion so that they couldn't see me. “And proud of it! Cheers, Gaffer.” They all nodded. I could tell that Sam wasn't exactly following the conversation with alertness; he was too busy staring at Rosie at the bar to notice anything they were talking about.
“It's none of our concern what goes on beyond our borders,” another hobbit put in. “Keep your nose out of trouble, and no trouble will come to you.” Frodo and the rest nodded and smiled at the philosophy. Suddenly Frodo's eyes darted out and caught mine, winking at me. I smiled and winked back, blushing as always. He turned back around.
I was fixing to do the same when someone's hands went over my eyes. “Guess who?” a disembodied voice asked.
“Hey!” I said, trying to pull away their arms from my face, but his hands (A/N: you caught me, it's a guy.) were stuck on me tight. “Let go of me!” I started to laugh really hard.
“Give me one good reason.” He said, and suddenly I knew who he was.
“Pip? What are you doing?”
“Ahhh...You had to guess?” He complained, finally letting go of me. I turned to look at him. He was pouting.
“No...Don't give me that...! I know you're faking!” His pout turned into a smile and he took my arms as some music started.
“C'mon, let's dance, it'll be fun!” He twirled me before I could refuse and the music started to get faster. I grinned and went along with him.
....
The sky turned dark quicker than expected and we all started to file out of the pub. I could see Sam's eyes travel with Rosie as she stationed herself at the door to say goodbye to everyone. He looked at me and pleaded. I groaned, but pulled myself away from the table where Pippin, Merry, Frodo and I were sitting and walked toward the door with Sam.
Frodo came running up behind me. “All three of us can walk home together.” He explained and I nodded. Sam found us and we went out the door.
“Good night, lads. And Miriam, of course.” Rosie said as we passed her. We smiled and waved. Just as we were on the road, there came a cry from behind us.
“Good night sweet maiden of the Golden Ale!” Someone had gotten down on one knee to Rosie. She was obviously very flustered, but she looked tired, as if this had happened too many time already.
Sam suddenly got very mad. “Mind who you're sweet-talking...” He was getting in that mood again; too many ales, someone else flirting with Rosie and too much talk of war made him like this.
Thankfully Frodo interfered. “Don't worry, Sam. Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one.” Sam's mood changed in an instant. His brow furrowed in worry.
“Does she?” I laughed at him.
“Sam...I...think she...already caught... sight of you... and not...in a...good way!” Frodo laughed as Sam hit me playfully on the arm.
We walked along through the night and saw Frodo home. We lived just a little down the road, convenient for Sam, who needed to have a short distance between work and home. As we got to the door, Sam abruptly turned around and grinned.
“Oh, no. I know that look. What are you planning this time?” I slowly started to back away from him in disgust.
“Did Frodo seem a little...different to you tonight?” he asked, still with a huge smile on his face.
“N-no...Why?” I asked suspiciously. Immediately it clicked. “NO! I will not spy on him!”
“Whyever not?” He said, annoyed with me.
“No, Sam. You can get me to plant dangerous plants in people's yards, you can and have made me flirt with the guy at the bar so you can get a beer underage, and you most certainly can use me in your stupid idiotic plots to woo Rosie Cottonwood, but you can't make me do this!” I caught my breath as he gave me a look. “WHAT?!”
“Does this have anything to do with the fact that you have fallen head over heals in love with Frodo?” He smiled at the look on my face.
“H-how do you...I mean, I do not.” I improvised. Of course, it totally made sense how he figured it out. He'd already seen us twice about to kiss.
“You do this with me and I owe you whatever you want from me. Besides, it's not as if anything's gonna happen.” I still didn't look convinced. He sighed. “We'll be back in time for a midnight snack.” I smiled and nodded. He grinned again and staggered past me toward Frodo's house.
“On one condition, though.” I caught him and he turned around slowly. “Promise me that you owe me something that I want really bad and you can't refuse.” He smiled halfheartedly and nodded, trying to get down the path. “Oh, and can my midnight snack be something with chocolate?”
....
The night had fully closed in on us and everywhere was eerily silent. Lights were on in windows, but were dimming gradually. It didn't take long to get to Frodo's, but we felt as if we were sneaking around, so we took longer. Looking back, I guess we were sneaking around, looking for some answers.
The light was on at his house, casting a glow on the gardening below the window. I tapped Sam, who was in front of me, on the shoulder. “You forgot one thing, smarty,” I whispered to him. “Where are we going to hide so we can eavesdrop?” I could tell he panicked for a moment, but got a hold of himself again.
“First thing's first,” He whispered back urgently. “This is not eavesdropping! It's called being concerned for a friend.”
“Oh, so that means it's right that we sneak around his house at night?” I inquired. Sam squirmed.
“Uh...we'll hide underneath the windowsill.” He said, by way of avoiding my question. We hurried over to the spot, crouching low to not be seen from the inside.
“What can you hear?” I asked him, because he was closest to the window and all I could hear was the rustling of his feet in the grass.
“Shh!” Sam hissed. He listened hard, then said, “Something about a...a ring? And the end of the...of the world?!”
“You're crazy, he is not saying that!”
“No, not just Frodo. Gandalf is in there, too. He's the one talking. I think...I think Frodo's going on some sort of mission.” He looked at me with wide eyes. “He's leaving the shire.”
“He can't!” I said forcefully, so hard that I lost my balance and fell back. To steady myself my hand flew out, but it hit a twig and a loud, sharp cracking noise ensued. There was rustling in the house, hurried whispers, and suddenly a large staff came out the window. It was aiming for whatever made the noise, but instead of hitting me, it came down hard on Sam's head.
“OUCH!” he yelped, and Gandalf's hand went out and pulled him up and over the ledge. Immediately I stood up and saw Sam on the table, Gandalf standing over him like a judge to a criminal.
“Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?” His voice seemed magically magnified ten times its normal capacity.
Sam shivered and said hesitantly, “I haven't been dropping no eaves, sir. Honest.” Sam was visibly scared now. I giggled at him and Frodo turned around, noticing me for the first time. His face lit up and he walked over, helping me over the window ledge. “I was just cutting the grass under the window, there, if you'll follow me.” Sam seemed to twitch a little when he lied, and he was twitching uncontrollably now.
I nudged Frodo and he looked at me. “His ticklish spot is underneath his feet, if you really want to torture him.” I whispered in his ear, so not to disturb the scene that was playing before us. We both tried to hold in our laughter, but it kept slipping out.
Gandalf didn't seem to notice that we were cracking up in the corner. “A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?” he said, clearly mad at Sam.
“I heard raised voices!” Sam said in explanation for why we were here. It didn't do much good.
“What did you hear?” Gandalf seemed even madder by that statement. When Sam didn't answer, he yelled, “Speak!” “Nothing important!” he answered timidly. “That is, I heard a good deal about a ring, a dark lord and something about the end of the world, but- -” He swallowed loudly and pleaded, “Please Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't hurt me. Don't turn me into anything...unnatural.”
“No?” Gandalf looked over at Frodo and seemed almost surprised to see me standing with him. Only his eyes showed that he knew I was there. “Perhaps not.” He nearly smiled. “I've thought of a better use for you.”
Sam's lip quivered in fright as Frodo and I tried to control ourselves from rolling on the floor in laughter.
....
An hour later, Sam was laden down with everything under the sun that you could need for a very long trip. I too was helping; after finally acknowledging that I was there, Gandalf made me the official lookout. Looking out for what, I wasn't sure about yet.
“Come along, Samwise. Keep up!” he called from ahead of all three of us. Sam was lagging behind for about fifty yards. I sighed in annoyance.
“Midnight snack my butt...” I thought aloud as I remembered what Sam had promised me.
We walked into the semi-forest where Frodo had been sitting only yesterday. Gandalf stopped us and bent down to speak to Frodo.
“What's he saying?” I asked Sam when he caught up.
“He's telling him not to put it on.” He told me as way of an answer. I became very confused.
“Put what on? He's carrying something with him?”
“The ring, stupid!” Sam hit me as hard as he could with several hundred things on his back.
“OUCH!” I cried. “That hurt!” I punched him back, and with all the baggage on him, he fell over.
Frodo came over to us, not smiling anymore. “C'mon, let's go.” He helped Sam up as a bird called in the distance. Suddenly he became very nervous. He looked around him unpleasantly. “Let's cover as much distance as we can.” He smiled a weak smile and started walking.
From then on nothing was the same. Generations after would know the story of how `Old Bilbo Baggins' made his daring escape. Only minutes after he was gone, ghost stories had started to crop up out of all the children's mouths, insuring scary stories for years to come.
The party was in complete disarray. The initial shock hadn't worn off, so everyone was in a frantic search for Bilbo. Due to the running everywhere, the food was gone in the first six minutes. The crowd was very thick, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to find Frodo. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn't high enough, but it might have had something to do with how the crowd practically tossed me over toward the tree that I had stood by earlier that night.
After a good solid half hour, people started to notice that the food was gone and look for more of it instead of Bilbo. They started to thin out and head toward the pub. No one was too concerned now that one of their own had disappeared. As I stood by the tree watching them, I saw that Frodo wasn't in the bubbling mass. Things quickly got quieter and I began to think, leaning up against the tree for comfort.
“Arrghh!” I abruptly cried out, frustrated by my lack of thinking skills. I turned around and kicked to tree in anger, but I only succeeded in giving my big toe a huge bruise. As I winced in pain, I suddenly saw Frodo strolling around the remains of the party and acting as if nothing had even happened.
I desperately tried to hide behind the tree, but as soon as I moved he saw me. “Where is everyone, Miriam?” His eyes searched through the growing darkness for signs of life. I came out from behind the tree and ran over to him, my mind filled to the peak with questions.
“Where's Bilbo?” I began. And from then on, nothing could stop me. “How did he disappear like that? Where did you go? Why didn't you stay? Where is Gandalf? How could you not know where the party went, isn't it obvious? Did you hit your head again?” The questions flew out of me as if I had no control over my mouth. Frodo's eyebrows went up, but he smiled. “What?!” I asked, annoyed.
“Don't worry about it,” He answered. “Everything will be just fine. They're just...” He stopped for a moment and thought, clearly making the answer up as he went. “They're indisposed at the moment.” His voice sounded shaky and hesitant; he wasn't sure if I'd believe him.
“You're hiding something, aren't you?” I narrowed my eyes at him and his smile dropped immediately. “I knew it!” I practically yelled, jumping up and down, excited about being right for once.
“Y-you must be delusional,” He reached up and pretended to check my head for a temperature before putting both his hands on my shoulders and shaking me lightly. Distantly I could hear my heart beating rapidly, but for once in my life I focused on the moment at hand.
“Don't play with me!” I threatened. “I know I'm right!” I poked him on his chest to emphasize the point.
“No! You're-” he stopped suddenly when he realized that his arms were wrapped around me and my hands were encircling his neck. (A/N: well, they have a mind of their own and like to move from time to time!) Our eyes locked for minutes that felt like hours. “W-what were we talking about again?” he said after he snapped out of it, but instantly fell back in. I was falling too, just like last time. Fortunately, I was on the lookout for Sam, unlike last time.
“Sam'll...be back...any...minute...now...” I found it hard to breathe when we were this close. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves, but it just seemed to make it worse. I heard him gulp and I thought dimly if he was as nervous as I was. This time no one would interfere. It wasn't like anyone was there, anyways.
I closed my eyes and touched my forehead to his. His hands had risen to my face and he was stroking it tenderly. Maybe this would work out...maybe...maybe I'd get my first kiss from-
“Miriam!!” My thoughts were interrupted by my idiot brother once again. I resolved to lock him in the basement when we got home. “What are you doing?!” Suddenly I remembered that Sam could see us and we looked a little more than friendly. Frodo and I both pulled away at the same time, blushing the same shade of pink. Sam was once again running toward us, most likely coming out of his hiding place from where he was spying on us.
“Nothing!” I called to him as he came nearer. I looked at Frodo and he shrugged- the lightest trace of a smile on his face. “Why would we be doing anything?” I turned a question back on him to see him stutter.
“Well, I...that is...I mean...” I gave him a look and he stopped talking, not having much to go on anyway.
“That's what I thought.” I looked at the two of them. “C'mon, let's go to the pub and check out what Merry and Pippin are up to.”
....
The pub was rowdy, but right away you could see and hear Merry and Pippin. They were over in the corner, standing on the table and singing. Sam instantly went over to another table with some of the older hobbits to talk and smoke, not to mention get a good view of Rosie, but Frodo and I grabbed some drinks and joined in with the duo.
“...To heal my heart and drown my woe,” It was a song we all knew since birth. I began to clap along to the beat and sing. Frodo jumped around the table taking sips of his beer as he went. “Rain may fall and wind may blow, but there still be...” we held out the note for a few seconds. “Many miles to go!” Merry and Pippin stomped their feet to the rhythm so hard on the table that I feared it would break. “Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain and the stream that falls from hill to plain! Better than rain or rippling brook...” We stopped singing together to give Pip his solo.
“...Is a mug of beer inside this Took!” he completed with pride and gobbled down his beer. The crowd cheered, but we were the loudest, laughing the entire time. I took a big sip and felt the liquid go down my throat and I realized how thirsty I really was.
I began to listen to the conversation between Sam and some of the older hobbits who were smoking not too far from where we were. The pub was noisy, so I couldn't hear very well, but some snippets of what they were saying floated over to where I was standing.
“Strange folk...crossing. Dwarves...war is brewing. Mountains...teeming with...goblins.” Suddenly my mouth was dry again. Something was going on that we didn't know about. I tried to get closer so I could hear everything they were saying.
“Children's stories...beginning to sound like...old Bilbo Baggins...cracked, he was.” I couldn't believe was I was hearing. Bilbo was gone for only three hours and already they were talking about him as if he'd died.
Frodo had gone to get the group some beers and was heading their way. The other hobbit spoke. “Young Mr. Frodo here, he's cracking.”
Frodo sat down and passed out the mugs. I dared to edge close enough to hear their whole discussion so that they couldn't see me. “And proud of it! Cheers, Gaffer.” They all nodded. I could tell that Sam wasn't exactly following the conversation with alertness; he was too busy staring at Rosie at the bar to notice anything they were talking about.
“It's none of our concern what goes on beyond our borders,” another hobbit put in. “Keep your nose out of trouble, and no trouble will come to you.” Frodo and the rest nodded and smiled at the philosophy. Suddenly Frodo's eyes darted out and caught mine, winking at me. I smiled and winked back, blushing as always. He turned back around.
I was fixing to do the same when someone's hands went over my eyes. “Guess who?” a disembodied voice asked.
“Hey!” I said, trying to pull away their arms from my face, but his hands (A/N: you caught me, it's a guy.) were stuck on me tight. “Let go of me!” I started to laugh really hard.
“Give me one good reason.” He said, and suddenly I knew who he was.
“Pip? What are you doing?”
“Ahhh...You had to guess?” He complained, finally letting go of me. I turned to look at him. He was pouting.
“No...Don't give me that...! I know you're faking!” His pout turned into a smile and he took my arms as some music started.
“C'mon, let's dance, it'll be fun!” He twirled me before I could refuse and the music started to get faster. I grinned and went along with him.
....
The sky turned dark quicker than expected and we all started to file out of the pub. I could see Sam's eyes travel with Rosie as she stationed herself at the door to say goodbye to everyone. He looked at me and pleaded. I groaned, but pulled myself away from the table where Pippin, Merry, Frodo and I were sitting and walked toward the door with Sam.
Frodo came running up behind me. “All three of us can walk home together.” He explained and I nodded. Sam found us and we went out the door.
“Good night, lads. And Miriam, of course.” Rosie said as we passed her. We smiled and waved. Just as we were on the road, there came a cry from behind us.
“Good night sweet maiden of the Golden Ale!” Someone had gotten down on one knee to Rosie. She was obviously very flustered, but she looked tired, as if this had happened too many time already.
Sam suddenly got very mad. “Mind who you're sweet-talking...” He was getting in that mood again; too many ales, someone else flirting with Rosie and too much talk of war made him like this.
Thankfully Frodo interfered. “Don't worry, Sam. Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one.” Sam's mood changed in an instant. His brow furrowed in worry.
“Does she?” I laughed at him.
“Sam...I...think she...already caught... sight of you... and not...in a...good way!” Frodo laughed as Sam hit me playfully on the arm.
We walked along through the night and saw Frodo home. We lived just a little down the road, convenient for Sam, who needed to have a short distance between work and home. As we got to the door, Sam abruptly turned around and grinned.
“Oh, no. I know that look. What are you planning this time?” I slowly started to back away from him in disgust.
“Did Frodo seem a little...different to you tonight?” he asked, still with a huge smile on his face.
“N-no...Why?” I asked suspiciously. Immediately it clicked. “NO! I will not spy on him!”
“Whyever not?” He said, annoyed with me.
“No, Sam. You can get me to plant dangerous plants in people's yards, you can and have made me flirt with the guy at the bar so you can get a beer underage, and you most certainly can use me in your stupid idiotic plots to woo Rosie Cottonwood, but you can't make me do this!” I caught my breath as he gave me a look. “WHAT?!”
“Does this have anything to do with the fact that you have fallen head over heals in love with Frodo?” He smiled at the look on my face.
“H-how do you...I mean, I do not.” I improvised. Of course, it totally made sense how he figured it out. He'd already seen us twice about to kiss.
“You do this with me and I owe you whatever you want from me. Besides, it's not as if anything's gonna happen.” I still didn't look convinced. He sighed. “We'll be back in time for a midnight snack.” I smiled and nodded. He grinned again and staggered past me toward Frodo's house.
“On one condition, though.” I caught him and he turned around slowly. “Promise me that you owe me something that I want really bad and you can't refuse.” He smiled halfheartedly and nodded, trying to get down the path. “Oh, and can my midnight snack be something with chocolate?”
....
The night had fully closed in on us and everywhere was eerily silent. Lights were on in windows, but were dimming gradually. It didn't take long to get to Frodo's, but we felt as if we were sneaking around, so we took longer. Looking back, I guess we were sneaking around, looking for some answers.
The light was on at his house, casting a glow on the gardening below the window. I tapped Sam, who was in front of me, on the shoulder. “You forgot one thing, smarty,” I whispered to him. “Where are we going to hide so we can eavesdrop?” I could tell he panicked for a moment, but got a hold of himself again.
“First thing's first,” He whispered back urgently. “This is not eavesdropping! It's called being concerned for a friend.”
“Oh, so that means it's right that we sneak around his house at night?” I inquired. Sam squirmed.
“Uh...we'll hide underneath the windowsill.” He said, by way of avoiding my question. We hurried over to the spot, crouching low to not be seen from the inside.
“What can you hear?” I asked him, because he was closest to the window and all I could hear was the rustling of his feet in the grass.
“Shh!” Sam hissed. He listened hard, then said, “Something about a...a ring? And the end of the...of the world?!”
“You're crazy, he is not saying that!”
“No, not just Frodo. Gandalf is in there, too. He's the one talking. I think...I think Frodo's going on some sort of mission.” He looked at me with wide eyes. “He's leaving the shire.”
“He can't!” I said forcefully, so hard that I lost my balance and fell back. To steady myself my hand flew out, but it hit a twig and a loud, sharp cracking noise ensued. There was rustling in the house, hurried whispers, and suddenly a large staff came out the window. It was aiming for whatever made the noise, but instead of hitting me, it came down hard on Sam's head.
“OUCH!” he yelped, and Gandalf's hand went out and pulled him up and over the ledge. Immediately I stood up and saw Sam on the table, Gandalf standing over him like a judge to a criminal.
“Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?” His voice seemed magically magnified ten times its normal capacity.
Sam shivered and said hesitantly, “I haven't been dropping no eaves, sir. Honest.” Sam was visibly scared now. I giggled at him and Frodo turned around, noticing me for the first time. His face lit up and he walked over, helping me over the window ledge. “I was just cutting the grass under the window, there, if you'll follow me.” Sam seemed to twitch a little when he lied, and he was twitching uncontrollably now.
I nudged Frodo and he looked at me. “His ticklish spot is underneath his feet, if you really want to torture him.” I whispered in his ear, so not to disturb the scene that was playing before us. We both tried to hold in our laughter, but it kept slipping out.
Gandalf didn't seem to notice that we were cracking up in the corner. “A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?” he said, clearly mad at Sam.
“I heard raised voices!” Sam said in explanation for why we were here. It didn't do much good.
“What did you hear?” Gandalf seemed even madder by that statement. When Sam didn't answer, he yelled, “Speak!” “Nothing important!” he answered timidly. “That is, I heard a good deal about a ring, a dark lord and something about the end of the world, but- -” He swallowed loudly and pleaded, “Please Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't hurt me. Don't turn me into anything...unnatural.”
“No?” Gandalf looked over at Frodo and seemed almost surprised to see me standing with him. Only his eyes showed that he knew I was there. “Perhaps not.” He nearly smiled. “I've thought of a better use for you.”
Sam's lip quivered in fright as Frodo and I tried to control ourselves from rolling on the floor in laughter.
....
An hour later, Sam was laden down with everything under the sun that you could need for a very long trip. I too was helping; after finally acknowledging that I was there, Gandalf made me the official lookout. Looking out for what, I wasn't sure about yet.
“Come along, Samwise. Keep up!” he called from ahead of all three of us. Sam was lagging behind for about fifty yards. I sighed in annoyance.
“Midnight snack my butt...” I thought aloud as I remembered what Sam had promised me.
We walked into the semi-forest where Frodo had been sitting only yesterday. Gandalf stopped us and bent down to speak to Frodo.
“What's he saying?” I asked Sam when he caught up.
“He's telling him not to put it on.” He told me as way of an answer. I became very confused.
“Put what on? He's carrying something with him?”
“The ring, stupid!” Sam hit me as hard as he could with several hundred things on his back.
“OUCH!” I cried. “That hurt!” I punched him back, and with all the baggage on him, he fell over.
Frodo came over to us, not smiling anymore. “C'mon, let's go.” He helped Sam up as a bird called in the distance. Suddenly he became very nervous. He looked around him unpleasantly. “Let's cover as much distance as we can.” He smiled a weak smile and started walking.
Wow, that took FOREVER! It is four pages longer than the other two! After this favor, you people better review! Oh, I know...FREE LOTR DVDS FOR ALL WHO REVIEW!! I think that might work. It always works on me, anyways. Next up: Merry and Pippin meet up with them! And don't forget to tell me who Miriam should go with- Sam and Frodo or Merry and Pippin! Good bye now!