Ent-Friend

This is a little ficlet based on one of Shirebound’s extra plot bunnies.

Just a tiny bit AU in that it allows Frodo the time for a brief visit to Fangorn Forest which is not in the book.

Usual Disclaimers: Not my Hobbit or Ent. Tolkien’s. Just borrowing them.

Frodo found Fangorn forest curiously comforting. The dark, tangled roots and towering misshapen trunks, the lowering boughs seemed to shelter rather than threaten him. And the deep, intense green quiet was filled, for him, with restfulness and an old, old, abiding peace.

All the others seemed intimidated by the great power of the ancient atmosphere and though they were respectful of the mightiness of the Ents and grateful for their inestimable assistance in defeating the hordes of Saruman even Aragorn retained a look of wary watchfulness.

Frodo found himself completely unafraid and wandered amongst the trees in deep thought. Though what the thoughts were he would not have been able to say. Thoughts as old and ineffable as this strange land filled with a wisdom he felt he could touch.

‘’H...u...roooom...” Treebeard uttered contemplatively as he observed the Hobbit of whom he had heard so much from the noisy hasty young peoples who had reentered his domain. He was sure he quite liked these noisy young ones but they were not at all peaceful. Perhaps young Gandalf was more prone to quiet than the others but then he too could suddenly dash off on some grand errand in a very un-Entlike manner.

But this little one...... this one who had carried the Great Ring to its doom..... very, very ....... un-hasty. Yes he was young but so old inside. This Frodo was filled with knowledge that no one else, not even Treebeard himself had ever been aware of. A sad and painful knowledge, hard-earned through many terrible trials but this young Halfling had learned much and retained it quietly, with dignity and a humble heart.

Frodo found himself standing at Treebeard’s feet and was not surprised. He had felt the most-aged Ent’s gaze for sometime and looked up at Treebeard calmly.

“Harum..” Treebeard rumbled approvingly.

Frodo bowed respectfully to the chief Treehearder.

“I am pleased to meet you, Treebeard. “ He said.

“And... I ..am...most pleased to know you, Ring....bearer.”

Frodo smiled and he could have sworn Treebeard smiled at him kindly in return.

“Rest, young one. Then speak with me.. awhile.” Treebeard told him as he gestured with his long arm toward a moss-lined seat on a curved fallen log.

Frodo climbed up into the sweetly scented bower and sank gratefully into the soft moss. He felt he could doze pleasantly off to sleep here. And peaceful sleep was something he had thought lost to him now.

Indeed he did fall asleep and the un-hasty Treebeard was content to just stand patiently by and let Frodo be.

The sun which filtered through the trees was now low in the sky when Frodo opened his eyes.

“What time is it?” he asked Treebeard, still right where he had been standing a few hours before.

“Hoom... It must be near to.... evening. I see a star above...... Yes.... near...to... night..... time...”

“The others will be looking for me.” Frodo said, but felt no need to rush off to join them.

“They.... will wait. They....... are much... too.... has...ty. They know you are with me... or they ...should.... if they are... w.... ise. Young..... Gandalf..... will..................... know.”

Frodo laughed at the idea of Gandalf being young.

Treebeard understood.

“Gandalf is on....ly..... 500... years.... old.”

“Only! Well, I suppose to you that is a very short time.”

“Verr.......ry ....short.... indeed.”

“Gandalf would not agree.”

“Time is... different for...Ents. For you.... too.”

Frodo looked up into Treebeard’s wise old eyes.

“Yes... it is. Now. It feels as if I have either too much time or too little.”

“Very..... Entish.”

“I have so much to think of and much that I wish to forget.”

“Hoom.. a.....rum ” Treebeard sounded in sympathy.

“You know what I mean, don’t you, Treebeard?”

“Yes...... So much sadness. So much.... that is...lost.”

Frodo looked down and felt overwhelmed with sudden grief. So much lost.

“No... no... little Ringbearer. Much ...HAS....... been lost. But much is here... and all.............. alive. Much will grow now... and ....thrive.”

Treebeard leaned over, not bending exactly, but he was able to reach the earth and he gently picked up a small object with his long, knobbed, twiggy fingers. He held it out in his palm before Frodo. It was a ripe acorn.

“It... is ...ready to.... sprout.. Now.” Treebeard said fondly. He handed the little brown and green nut to Frodo. “Take it with you to remember....... all that now is ...alive...that might not... have been... if you... had failed.”

Frodo gazed at the acorn with new eyes. With new hope. Even if it was not for himself.

“No. I will not take it. It belongs here.” Frodo knelt and made a small hole in the ground and carefully settled the acorn into it, patting the soil back over it.

Treebeard nodded approvingly.

“It will become a........... fine, tall oak now. Good. Very... good.”

“It will be here long after I have gone.” Frodo said wistfully.

“It will be your..... oak. Ents will.... remember.”

Frodo smiled up at Treebeard.

The tall old Ent picked Frodo up and held him carefully as he loped with long strides to return to the waiting group of travelers.

“Remember us, Ringbearer.”

“ I will. Always.”

“Good...... You are not...... hasty.”

~*~

END