Title: Snow and Ice
Author: Anso the Hobbit
Beta: Marigold
Characters: Frodo, Merry and Esmeralda
Timeline: Brandy Hall, early SR 1387 so Frodo is 18 and Merry 4 as neither of them has had their birthdays yet.
Summary: A cold winter day is perfect for adventure!
Note: Written for Marigold`s Challenge 14 where I was told to write a story set on ice. I have to thank Marigold for the idea of this story and also the very cold weather we have had in my corner of Norway lately (with down to -16 C/3 F during the day).
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“Merry? What are you doing?” Frodo said half amused as he watched his little cousin sitting in the windowsill in the nursery, his nose pressed against the cold glass of the window, staring out on the downy white world outside the Hall.

Merry turned when he heard Frodo approaching. “Look Fro! It`s snow!” Merry had seen snow before but not this much. It had been very cold for several days, but the snow had been slow in coming. This day, while Merry was taking a little afternoon nap, the snow had fallen in abundance and now the world was covered in white.

“Yes, Merry it`s snow. Would you like to go outside and have a closer look at it?”

“Oh yes Frodo! Can we?” Merry bounced down off the windowsill.

“Let`s go ask your mum, all right?” Frodo took Merry by the hand and together they went to the parlour where Esmeralda was sitting by the fire, putting the last finishing touches on a green scarf she was knitting for Merry. Another scarf, larger and in blue, was lying ready for Frodo in her basket.

“There you are!” Esmie said as the lads entered. “Merry, come here, I have something for you to try on.”

Merry wasn`t very fond of trying on things his mum knitted for him, but he obediently went over to her all the same. Esmeralda wrapped the soft length of green wool around his neck and looked at him approvingly. “There. Very nice.” She unwrapped the scarf and gave him a quick hug.

Merry bounced up and down in her embrace. “Mum? Can we go outside? It has snowed!”

Esmeralda smiled. “Yes, of course you can sweetheart. Just don’t be late for tea and remember to put on your warmest clothes.”

“We will,” Frodo said. “Shall Merry wear his new scarf?”

“Yes,” Esmeralda nodded. “And I have made one for you too Frodo dear.” She reached down in her basket and picked up the blue scarf for Frodo. “Put it on love, and let’s see how you look.”

Frodo took the scarf and wrapped it around his neck. “Thank you Cousin! It is very soft and warm.”

“You`re welcome dear. Now off with you lads, and have a lovely time.”

Back in the nursery Frodo helped Merry dress in woollen smallclothes, woollen breeches, his favourite blue flannel shirt, a thick jacket buttoned up tight and the new scarf wrapped snugly around his neck before he quickly dressed himself similarly. They went to the wardrobe in the hall and Frodo dressed them in mittens, cloaks and woolly hats to protect sensitive ears and so they were ready to go.

For about an hour they played in the snow, Merry running from one place to another, exclaiming in wonder over the trees and bushes covered in snow and asking about this and that. He made snowballs and threw them at Frodo and hurled his little body into deep snow banks just for the fun of being dragged out again by a small foot and brushed off briskly so that he wouldn`t get snow under his clothes. All the same, he squealed with joy and shivered a little as a bit of snow managed to sneak its way down his back, making a wet track along his warm skin.

“Come, Merry,” Frodo said at length. “I have something to show you.” He looked up at the now clear, blue sky. If they didn`t tarry too long they would have just about enough time before they had to be back for tea.

“Where are we going?” Merry asked, eating a little of the snow off his mitten, just to see how it tasted.

“It`s a surprise,” Frodo answered mysteriously.

“Oh!” Merry loved surprises and eagerly followed, stepping into Frodo’s footprints to make walking easier.

Frodo led them to a nice little spot Merry had been many times over in spring and summer, but not in winter. It was a copse of trees and between them was a lovely pond that the littlest children liked to splash in, as it was very shallow. Merry had been allowed to splash around in this pond just this summer and it was a splendid thing to do. It looked a silvery grey now in winter, not the nice blue it had been in summer, and there were little heaps of snow floating on it here and there, which looked rather odd, but very pretty. Merry wasn`t certain what to expect when Frodo stopped by the edge of the pond, looking intently at it for a moment then turning to see if Merry was beside him. Then suddenly Frodo grinned and walked out onto the pond! On top of it! How was that possible? Could Frodo walk on water? Now Frodo was a few feet away from the edge and he was still standing on the water. Very tentatively Merry stepped closer, looking in awe at his older cousin, but Frodo only turned to him and smiled.

“Come on Merry,” Frodo tapped his foot on the ice. ”It`s frozen solid. The water has turned to ice, because it is so cold. It isn`t dangerous at the moment.” Frodo came back to the edge and reached out a hand. “Take my hand.”

Gingerly Merry took his cousin’s hand and put one foot on the cold and slightly wet surface that used to be the pond. His foot slid a little and he held on tighter to Frodo. Gaining his balance he put the other foot onto the ice too and looked up at his big cousin in surprise and delight.

“See? It is safe, you can walk on the ice too, Merry!” Frodo kept hold of his hand and lead them further out on the pond`s frozen surface. As they walked Merry became more sure and let go of Frodo`s hand. Merry took two steps on his own, lost his footing on the slippery surface and landed hard on his backside.

Immediately he started crying. That hurt! He tried to get to his feet and take the hand Frodo held out to help him up but slid again, this time landing on his front, arms and legs sprawling.

“Oh, poor Merry! Don`t worry, it`s all right. Everyone slips and falls sometimes, and this is your first try.” Frodo said and picked him up hugging him and setting him firmly back on his feet, but not letting go.

Merry was still crying. Frodo kept hold of him with one hand but took the mitten off of the other hand, fishing through a pocket for a handkerchief. “There. Blow your nose now. No harm done.”

“It hurts, Frodo,” Merry said, rubbing his rear.

“I`m sorry dear,” Frodo bent down and turned Merry around, blowing at his rear and giving him a light pat. “There. All better?”

Merry sniffed a bit more, but nodded and giggled. It didn’t hurt too badly, and it was fun being on the ice. He was quite proud that Frodo thought he was old enough to see and do this very special thing, and he wasn’t going to act like a baby and make his cousin change his mind.

“Do you want to try something else?” Frodo asked. “I promise I won`t let go of you unless you want me to, all right?”

Merry nodded and Frodo took both his hands, starting to walk backwards on the ice, increasing his pace as he did so that they were sliding. He turned them around and pushed Merry before him, the both of them squealing with laughter. After a while he stopped and let go of one of Merry`s hands and together they slid across the ice, making curves and twists as they went, now and again increasing the pace. Frodo spun them around in a circle and they both lost their balance as they came to a stop, landing in a giggling heap with Frodo at the bottom and Merry sprawled out on top of him. At last and upon Merry`s request, Frodo let go completely and Merry slid across the ice by himself. It was a wonder to him how this was possible and he scrunched up his face in thought.

Why had this water turned to ice? Merry looked over to the Brandywine, but he could see the water moving on the gently curving river. Why this water, and not the river? Frodo had talked about teaching Merry to fish here in the summer, but that wouldn`t be possible now that the water was gone, would it? Unless the pond somehow transformed itself back into water after winter?

“Frodo,” Merry said taking Frodo`s hand again, making them both stop just by the edge of the pond. “Where is the water?”

“It`s still here Mer,” Frodo said. “Come, I`ll show you.” Frodo led Merry to the edge and showed him a hole in the ice where they could see the water rippling against the rocks on the bank. “See? The water is just hiding. It is only the top of the water that has frozen, though sometimes, when the winter is very, very cold, all of the water in this pond might turn to ice.” He crouched down in front of his cousin and looked Merry earnestly in the face. “Merry. There is something important you need to know, all right?” Frodo waited for Merry to nod and then continued. “You can`t come sliding on the ice unless a bigger hobbit tells you it is all right, understand?” Again Merry nodded. “It can be very dangerous if you do so. The ice can become thin and it is possible for it to break, and a little hobbit could fall through into the water underneath, and that would be very bad.”

“All right, Frodo. I won`t,” Merry answered, trusting his Frodo to know best, and besides, he didn`t think it would be fun sliding on the ice unless Frodo was with him.

“That`s my good lad.” Frodo hugged him and together they slid around a bit more on the ice until they got cold and it was time to go inside to have their tea. Merry had a lot more questions about the ice and how the water froze and Frodo answered as best he could, explaining that except on very rare occasions, the Brandywine never really froze because the water always was moving. This of course led to more questions about where the water in the Brandywine came from and at last Frodo was exhausted by Merry`s insatiable appetite for knowledge, so he made up a story of a very brave hobbit lad who always listened to his elders and never went out onto the river or the pond unless someone said it was all right for him to do so.

The End