The Gift

"Frodo, you're shivering. Come and sit here by the fire and I'll bring you some tea." Linwe helped Frodo off with his cloak then hung it on a peg near the door. "Here, you pull your chair close to the fire, I will be right back."

Frodo thankfully settled himself in to a comfortably upholstered wing chair, with his feet up on a padded stool, before the fire. It was a bitterly cold day. He had been out in it far too long. He was grateful to return to the Cotton farm and find the house unusually quiet for a change. Frodo was thankful the Cotton’s let him stay in their home until Bag End was made livable once again. Frodo had thought about just going to stay at Crickhollow until the old Hobbit hole was ready, but then when it was clear that Mayor Whitfoot was not in proper health to keep up with the demands of his office, Merry and Pippin volunteered Frodo for the job of Deputy Mayor. The next thing Frodo knew everyone around him were agreeing with Merry and Pippin, insisting that Frodo take the job. For the life of him, Frodo didn’t know why folk seemed to unanimously decide he was best suited. Merry and Pippin he could understand, they were younger than him and had long been in the habit of looking to Frodo as the authoritative figure of their little group. In truth it was Merry and Pippin who had led the insurrection that had freed the Shire of the roughians. Granted the pair deferred to Frodo for final approval of all plans but they were the ones to figure out what needed to be done and to implement the plans. Frodo could only assume that the other inhabitants of the Shire, who had been on hand to approve the plan of naming Frodo Deputy Mayor, were once more influenced by the leadership of Frodo’s two younger cousins.

With taking the office of Deputy Mayor Frodo was more or less obligated to stay in Hobbiton so he was in a central location to all of the Shire. The Cotton family volunteered their home, and thus Frodo found himself settled there, awaiting the time that he could once more live in the home he held most dear.

Living in the Cotton house was not a bad thing. But it had its disadvantages, the greatest being that it was crowded. The Cotton family was a rather large one. Then to add to their numbers, Sam and his Gaffer were staying there. If that was not enough Merry and Pippin had brought one more house guest with them the last time they had come from Buckland. Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche was her name. She happened to be related to Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam. With all the large intermixed families of the Shire it was amazing how few could claim that distinction. Linwe had been a stranger to all but Merry. She and her family had lived in Bree until they moved to Brandy Hall within a day of Frodo and the others passing through Bree on their way to Rivendell with the Ring. Linwe had a talent for the healing arts. While Merry and Pippin were visiting Buckland just after the battle of Bywater, Merry’s mother, Esmeralda, suggested that the two should escort Linwe to Hobbiton to help the overwhelmed Healer Burrows with all of the injured from the battle.

Frodo was rather uncomfortable with the newcomer at first. The first time he had seen Linwe had been a startling experience to say the least. Frodo himself seemed to have lost track of an entire evening, all he could remember was looking at her. He avoided Linwe as much as possible for the next two weeks, but then one day as he was walking in the woods he crossed paths with her. They talked. Now he found himself somewhat nervously accepting her friendship. Why she made him nervous he could not understand. In the past Frodo had always been comfortable talking with the lasses. He was not even frightened of them when it was obvious to him they were seeing him as a possible husband. Frodo had become adept at diverting the attention of those lasses to lads who were far more welcoming of the attention.

Frodo enjoyed Linwe’s company and conversation so he did his best to set aside the nervousness. He had been delighted to discover that she loved reading as much as he did and that she could even read and speak Elvish, thanks to some peculiar circumstances surrounding her birth and upbringing. Yes, Frodo found that Linwe was a most unique Hobbitess. He was pleased to return to the Cotton home, that blustery cold day, ten days before Yule, to find the house mercifully empty of everyone except for Linwe.

Linwe returned to the common area of the house carrying a brightly patterned quilt. Frodo recognized it as one from his room. "Here, Frodo, let me settle this about your shoulders," she said as she officiously draped the quilt around him. "I can understand how much you enjoy your long walks, but if you are going to go traipsing around the country side on a day like this, you really should dress warmer."

"I know, I hadn’t planned on being out all that long. I guess my thoughts got away with me. It wasn’t until my feet were feeling frozen that I realized how long I had been out." Frodo said looking properly chastised.

"Fortunately for you everyone has gone out to the barn. Buttercup is trying to birth her calf and is having a difficult time. Everyone is excited about having the arrival of the new calf and worried that mother, babe, or possibly both will be lost in the birthing. With everyone so occupied you will not have been missed so you will not have to endure a lot of fussing from Sam for going out without even a scarf around your neck."

Frodo smiled, "That is good fortune indeed." He watched as Linwe went about preparing tea for him. Something about the way she went about doing the most ordinary tasks fascinated him, this too made him nervous. "Why is it that you are not out with the others?" asked Frodo in an effort to divert his mind from the nervousness he was starting to feel.

"I thought I would stay in here waiting for you. I had a feeling that you would be out wandering for too long, and come back chilled to the bone. My mother would always be waiting for me when I would go out walking in the cold for too long. I would get a lecture on how I needed to be dressing warmer when I went out, while she settled me by the fire, wrapped me in a warm blanket and made me tea. I absolutely loved the treatment. Before long I would deliberately go out without proper warm clothing then suffer the lecture just so that I could come in and get spoiled by her. I thought it might be nice to give you the same treatment, if I found you to be in need, which I have. For you though, I will dispense with the long detailed lecture about the importance of going out properly dressed for the weather and what constitutes warm clothing."

Frodo couldn’t help but laugh, "Thank you, you are too kind."

A few minutes later Frodo and Linwe were seated companionably before the fire sharing tea with fresh baked scones slathered with jam and clotted cream. "Will you be going back to Brandy Hall for Yule?" asked Frodo after taking a sip of tea.

"I had thought about it. I am feeling a bit at loose ends. I have never spent a Yule without Mother and Father. Last year was the first time since I was little that I spent the holiday away from our home in Bree. With both of them being gone I have been trying to sort out where it is I should go to spend the holiday. Esmeralda and Saradoc of course have asked that I go back to Brandy Hall. Eglantine wrote to me to invite me to Great Smials for the holiday, pointing out that I have never been there. She said that she and Paladin would be happy to have me, pointing out that it would be a good opportunity to meet more of my Tookish cousins."

"That it would," agreed Frodo, "but it doesn’t seem like that you want to go to either place."

Linwe sighed, "Am I that pathetically obvious?" she said with bewildered smile.

Frodo’s returning smile was encouraging and warm, "I don’t think to everyone, well to Rosie maybe. She seems to know you very well, but I don’t think anyone else would see your reluctance so easily."

"I feel like I am being ungrateful. So many folk have shown me kindness since Mummy and Papa passed away. So many have done their best to show me that I am not alone and friendless in this world. Relations I have never met or barely know are more than ready to take me in and make me a part of their homes. I can’t seem to accept any of their offers. I can’t help but think that the large crowd of Hobbits at Great Smials will just make me feel lonelier than ever. I don’t really know anyone there, and I have never felt comfortable in that sort of gathering. If I go to Brandy Hall I am afraid I will just be tormented with memories of my parent’s final days. I don’t think I would be very cheerful company at either place."

"I can understand that. I can’t say that I am particularly comfortable at large gatherings myself these days, but, Linwe, why go to either place? You have been invited to stay here and spend the Holiday with the Cottons. Why don’t you accept their invitation?"

"Oh, I don’t know. I think I would just be underfoot then with missing Mother and Father I am not likely to be very good company here either." Linwe sighed, "I think I will just go back to Brandy Hall. If I am going to be a wet blanket on the festivities I might as well be where everyone is used to my wandering off on my own or hiding in my room."

Frodo sat looking at Linwe, taking in the graceful lines of her profile, noticing the tears gleaming in her eye that went unshed. "Linwe, stay here. Spend the holiday here. I will stay as well. Rosie and Sam will be happy to have us. I can promise you that three of us will not mind at all if you are less than festive. None of the Cottons will either. Spend the holidays here with us, please." Frodo’s hand shook as he held it out to Linwe. Linwe looked at Frodo; her eyes filled with tears of gratitude, and then she reached out to take his hand. "All right," she smiled, "I will."

~~~~~

"Do you think we have enough greens?" asked Frodo as he cut through the branch of a cedar tree.

"Almost," replied Linwe, "I would like to get some of that Frazer fir, I like the smell and softness of the needles. They will add some interesting texture mixed with the cedar and the white pine." It was a crisp bright December afternoon. Not a breeze stirred the chill winter air. Frodo and Linwe had gone out to gather greens to decorate the house for the Yule holiday that was six days away. "You aren’t getting cold and wanting to go back are you?"

Frodo stopped to give her a long steady look. "You laid out all that you wanted me to wear out here. You should know that I have enough wool clothing on to keep ten Hobbits warm in the middle of a blizzard."

Linwe laughed. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to over do it. I just didn’t want you to get cold."

Frodo picked up the branch he had just sawed off laying it in Linwe’s gathering basket. "You had the best intentions so I will forgive you."

Frodo picked up his own gathering basket then started walking towards a stand of the soft needled firs that Linwe wanted. Linwe fell into step next to him. "Frodo, what is your favorite Yule memory?"

They walked on for several more steps before Frodo answered. "My favorite celebrations were the ones before my parents died. There were good ones after especially after Merry was born because I had always wanted a little brother, and he was just as good as one. After I went to live with Bilbo we always went to either Brandy Hall or Great Smials for the celebration. However, none of those celebrations were as nice as the ones I had with my Mum and Da."

"Was there something in particular that made them special? I mean I know after losing them any holiday you had with them would be special, but was there one thing in particular that you liked best."

Frodo thought for a moment, "Each Yule was special in its own way. Every year Da would make me a wonderful toy that I was sure was the very best toy ever and I would never get another toy that I could possibly like so well. I remember one year it was a set of carved farm animals. The details that he put into them made them incredibly life like. It was the toys I missed most the first few years without them. After my parents were gone Bilbo would come to Brandy Hall for Yule bringing me gifts of Dwarvish made toys, but even these were never as wonderful to me as my Da’s. When I finally started to outgrow getting toys, I found there was something else I missed, and as I got older I missed it more and more. That was Mum’s special Yule shortbread. I remember she said it was a special secret recipe that had been passed down mother to daughter for generations." Frodo sighed, "I would give just about anything for the smell of her shortbread baking and to bite into a piece of it still warm from the oven."

"Why don’t you make it yourself."

"I would have, long ago, but I don’t have the recipe. After my parents died I became the charge of the Master of Buckland, Merry’s grandfather at the time. My parent’s things were all put into storage. I have not the faintest idea of where my mother’s recipe box may have gone."

Frodo and Linwe entered the stand of trees "I’m sorry to hear that." Linwe said with audible sincerity.

"Thank you," Frodo said quietly. He turned his attention to the boughs of a tree that stood before him; avoiding Linwe’s gaze but not before Linwe saw him blinking back tears.

~~~~~

Frodo walked out of the woods at the edge of the Cotton’s farm yard. It was the day before First Yule and a cold and blustery day at that. Frodo had taken care to dress warm for his daily walk but hoped Linwe would still sit with him sharing a pot of tea, a bit of that day’s baking, and some friendly conversation upon his return.

Frodo stepped up to the large, blue, round door of the Cotton’s house, took hold of the cold metal of the door knob and turned. As the door swung inward his senses were assailed by a scent he knew well, bringing memories of his mother as she hummed while working in her kitchen. Frodo could only stand in the door way, with his eyes closed as a flood of emotions washed over him. A warm soft hand took hold of his, gently guiding him into the house. When at last he opened them he found Linwe standing before him holding a plate of familiar looking wedges of shortbread. Judging by the intensity of the delicate aroma that wafted from the plate he knew they must still be warm from the oven. Frodo struggled to speak past the lump in his throat. Only one word came out, "How?"

Linwe gave him a gentle smile, "I sent a letter to Esme by express, the same day we cut the holiday greenery. She put every child, gammer and gaffer in Brandy Hall, to work looking through the store rooms there. Not only did they find your mother’s recipe box but your mother’s cedar bridal chest as well. Esme sent the recipe for the short bread back to me. She said to tell you the rest of the things they found will be sent to Bag End when you are ready to move back there yourself."

Frodo smiled at Linwe, without a trace of his usual nervousness, but with one stray tear, Frodo reached and took her hand. "Why?"

Linwe smiled in a somewhat mysterious way, "I just wanted to give you a special gift."

~Slainte~

Author’s note- This has been a companion story to my larger work Enigmas- The Life and Love of Linwe and Frodo.