A Prologue

They could only cling to one another. Not long ago, wind filling the ships sails had pushed them so far out to sea that their friends, whom they had left standing on the shore, were no longer visible. When distance had diminished Sam, Merry, and Pippin, from view, Frodo turned to Linwe and just looked at her. For so many months he had been constantly telling himself and her that he must leave. For months he built himself up for the torture of actually taking those first steps that would take him away from her forever. For eight days he had traveled with his heart growing heavier, believing he was slipping further away from her. Then in a few brief moments all of his resolve and the need for it had been torn away. She was there. She was in his arms. He would never have to spend another day without her for so long as he lived. That was enough to overwhelm him, to take his breath away, but that was not all there was for him to learn in that moment. For she was with child. Their child. So many months of dreaming, longing, and heart breaking loss were now replaced with this bright hope of new life barely begun.

But all of this joy, wonder and awe, had to be set aside. He was leaving and his dearest friends were there to see him off. He watched as she said her good byes. They loved her, as a dear cousin, friend, rather like a sister, and as he could tell for two of them, as an ideal to help them in choosing whom they would one day wed themselves. She was soon done saying her goodbyes and went to stand at the foot of the walk leading onto the ship. He then took his turn.

Goodbye to Merry who he took to his heart as a younger brother at a time when Frodo felt bereft of family. Goodbye to Pippin, the younger brother he and Merry had shared. Goodbye to Sam, though younger than Frodo, came to be like an older and wiser brother. Too soon it seemed Frodo found that he must turn away from them. His heart was heavy. But then his eyes fell on her and he felt a surge of hope and happiness. He went to Linwe and put his arm around her. Together they went aboard the waiting ship.

"Together. Was he really so blessed?" He thought to himself

They stood at the rail, waving until the last possible moment. Until dear family was no longer in sight. Then Frodo turned to his beloved Linwe. The reunion that had been interrupted before, now resumed. All of the joy and wonder he had set aside earlier came flooding through him once more. All he could do was look at her, then when that was no longer enough, he tried to kiss her, but even this was not enough so they held one another tightly, and watched as Middle Earth shrank down to a smudge on the horizon, then disappeared.

Author's Note- If you have not read the prologue you likely should go back and do that.  It is short and moving.

Far and Away

By MysteriousWays

The sequel to Enigmas-The Life and Love of Linwe and Frodo

"...And a new earth across a wide ocean

This way became my journey

This day ends together,

Fay and Away"

-Book of Days as written by Enya

Chapter One

On Adjustments and New Friendships

"Oh! I’m going to be sick!" exclaimed Linwe. These words and Linwe’s sudden departure woke Frodo up. He quickly rose, snatched up a pocket handkerchief and submerged it in a pitcher of water which sat next to their bed, before following Linwe over to the ship’s rail where she stood on a box so that she could lean over. This was the way Frodo and Linwe had started their day for the last seven mornings. Their first morning on the ship was the first morning this happened. Frodo had been most alarmed when Linwe suddenly shot out of bed and ran up on deck to the side of the ship. Being too small to lean over the rail she was forced to put her head between the rail’s spindles. Frodo followed close behind and was shocked at how violently ill she was, he only paused a moment before shouting for Merenwen at the top of his voice. "It’s nothing to worry about, Frodo," Merenwen had said calmly upon her arrival at the scene.

"How can you mean it is nothing to worry about, she’s sick, and we are in the middle of the ocean. She should be home in bed."

"Frodo, you must calm down, it is in part because we are on the ocean that she is ill. There are those that become slightly nauseous from the movement of the ship going over the waves."

"This is hardly slightly nauseous!" cried Frodo as he flung a hand out in Linwe’s direction.

"No it isn’t, but then Linwe is with child as well. Expecting Hobbits sometimes suffer from bouts of nausea. I suspect it is the ocean and her pregnancy that is making Linwe sick."

"Well, aren’t you going to do something about it?" demanded Frodo.

"Yes," said Merenwen with a barely suppressed smile, "I am going to see that there is a bit of bread and fruit by her bed side each night so that when she wakes up she can eat before she even sits up."

"What? Why?" demanded Frodo, looking more bewildered and confused than before. He sank to his knees at Linwe’s side. Her heaving had subsided but she still leaned tiredly against the rails. Frodo eased her back so that she was leaning against him.

"As far as her pregnancy is concerned she is ill because she has not had anything to eat in quite a while. If she eats a little something before she so much as sits up then that should help calm her stomach. Hopefully this will suffice."

It hadn’t. The next morning Linwe did just as Merenwen had instructed. When Linwe woke up she immediately picked up a nearby piece of bread. She ate two bites, and then started to feel nauseous; she swallowed down two more bites, but then threw the bread to one side as she dashed to the rail to be sick again. Frodo was only a second behind her. As soon as he reached her side he took hold of her hair to keep it out of her way as she heaved up the recently consumed snack. That morning Frodo did not have to call for Merenwen, she appeared within a few moments carrying a cool damp cloth. "Hmm, I see that the bite to eat did not have the desired effect," said Merenwen as she helped to ease a now quiet Linwe to a sitting position on the deck while wiping her face with the cloth.

"What can be done for her now?" Frodo asked anxiously.

"I think tonight we will have to get Linwe up during the night for a light meal. I am almost certain it is that long absence of food during sleep that is causing most of this."

So Linwe had been awakened for meals during the night but then in the morning she would dash out of bed to be violently ill yet again. Different types of food were tried. Linwe was even awakened every two hours through the night. By the fifth morning Merenwen admitted defeat. "I’m sorry my dear ones. There is nothing else that I can think of to do. Most of what I know about Hobbit pregnancy I learned from Lila, and she was never sick like this. She admitted to some mild nausea but nothing to what I am seeing here. There are herbs that might have helped but I brought none of them with me. I had not anticipated needing to treat this."

"So does this mean Linwe just has to continue on like this every morning, until the baby is born?" Frodo asked in dismay.

"No, Frodo, the nausea should subside in a few weeks, when the first stage of pregnancy ends. The mornings until then will be unpleasant but we can be grateful that at the very least she is able to keep food down the rest of the day. The morning sickness isn’t doing any harm to her or the baby."

Frodo did not feel reassured. He found it quite disturbing to wake up each morning to his wife flying out of bed to be violently ill over the rail. At least she was no longer required to try and fit her head between the spindles of the rail. Gandalf had put a box by the rail so that Linwe could stand upon it and lean comfortably over.

~~~~~

Linwe eyes narrowed as she carefully scrutinized the game board before her. She was playing checkers with Bilbo. She had played against him several times over the last several days and was feeling rather annoyed because he kept winning. The first time Linwe accepted Bilbo’s offer for a game she had done so thinking that it was likely to be an easy game. Bilbo was, after all, very old, and he was forever dozing off. Linwe didn’t think he would even stay awake through that first game. Linwe had been greatly mistaken. From the moment that Bilbo reached out to make his first move, the years seemed to fall away and a fiery gleam lit up his eyes.

As determined as Linwe was to beat Bilbo at a game of checkers, her matches with him also served to help her get to know the old Hobbit. Bilbo was important to Frodo, but he was also the only other Hobbit she was likely to have around for the rest of her life, aside from any children she and Frodo had. After seven days at sea Linwe was starting to feel a certain loneliness that can only come from no longer living in a larger community of folk of one’s own kind.

The first few days of the voyage had gone by with barely a concern. She had spent those days only aware of Frodo, adjusting to the idea that they were to spend there lives together after all. The daily trips to the rail were tolerated as reminders that she was also once more with child. By the fourth day of travel, Linwe started looking about her and a sense of uneasiness began to set in. Not only was she surrounded by strangers, but she was surrounded by people who were not of her own kind, but rather Elves and one wizard, many of them great persons that she had read of. She was surrounded by water, as far as her eyes could see, and the only people she felt at ease with were Frodo and Merenwen.

"You have nothing to fear here, Linwe," said Merenwen, when Linwe admitted her nervousness to her elf friend.

"That is easily said but not as easily felt," replied Linwe, "Elves make me nervous."

Merenwen laughed, "But, dearest, you have known me all your life. Has my being an elf made you nervous?"

"Of course not. But I have never spent time with you among your own people. You have always come to visit me among mine. I think all of these years I never really saw you as an elf but more like and overly tall and too thin Hobbit"

"That does make sense," Merenwen said with a chuckle. Merenwen laid a comforting hand on Linwe’s back and smiled sympathetically. "I realize this is all a big adjustment for you. But you are among friends, though you do not know them as you know me. Everyone here is concerned for your happiness and well being. And they would all like to get to know you. They are simply waiting for you to show that you are ready to accept their friendship."

Thus was the start of Linwe’s efforts to get to know those people around her, whose reputations intimidated her to silence. She had started with Bilbo. He offered her a game of checkers and she accepted. Over those games Linwe and Bilbo found similar curious minds. Truth be told, Bilbo had been rather wary of Linwe. In his experience most Hobbitesses were mostly concerned with matters of the home, new dresses, and hair ribbons. Bilbo was delighted to find that Linwe had a sharp and curious mind as well as the customary strong instinct to nurture. After several games of checkers, during which Linwe displayed an ability to learn from his own moves on the board, Bilbo became sure that here was a lass worthy of his nephew. When Linwe got into a spirited discussion with him over the theoretical fairness of one of his moves, he came to see Linwe as a long missed niece. Heated arguments became the foundation of their caring relationship.

Linwe found herself friends with Gandalf before she had a chance to try. One morning, Linwe sat on deck her hands busy with knitting, Gandalf was nearby smoking a pipe. The silence between them was companionable. Knitting always relaxed Linwe, so she was only mildly startled when the old wizard spoke to her. "You look very much like your mother," he said without preamble.

Linwe stopped knitting to look at him in surprise. "You knew my mother?"

"I met her on a few occasions, yes," Gandalf said. Linwe noticed that the old man before her had a very kind and warm smile. "I used to meet up with your father nearly every time I passed through Bree. You mother, as I recall, was rather shy so I did not see her so often, but I remember she was quite pretty." Gandalf paused for a moment, "You know, I have just remembered that I have met you once before."

Linwe was surprised, "I have no recollection of meeting you."

"I would be surprised if you had. You were only an infant. You parents were doing a bit of shopping when I came upon them at the market square in Bree. I remember they were quite proud of you."

Linwe found herself feeling warm with the start of new friendship.

On their eighth morning at sea, Linwe was sitting in the common room in the aft of the ship, settling into a large breakfast. Linwe had a large plate before her filled with a variety of foods. "Linwe, how can you possibly eat so much? You were sick to your stomach barely an hour ago and now you are sitting down to a breakfast that would have daunted Pippin," Frodo said in amazement.

Linwe shrugged a little, "To be perfectly honest, I don’t know that I will eat it all. It’s just that everything on the buffet looks so good that I want to have a taste of all of it. Who is it that is doing the cooking?"

"That would be Elwe and Maeglin," replied Merenwen.

"They are elves?" asked Linwe with some astonishment.

"Yes, of course. They are brothers in fact," added Merenwen.

"Ah, it seems a little odd to think of elves doing anything so common place as cooking."

Galadriel smiled, "Our immortality has its limitations, dear one. We still have to eat and someone has to prepare that food."

Feeling encouraged by Galadriel’s smile, Linwe found herself questioning the Lady of Lothlorien, "Have you done any cooking?"

Galadriel’s smile became in even warmer and more inviting, she was truly pleased to have Linwe finally opening up. "I have, I particularly enjoy baking bread."

Linwe shook her head in disbelief, "It is difficult to imagine you up to your elbows in flour."

"I have been as you have just described, and I enjoyed it. Elves have much in common with the mortal races. We still require the necessities of sustenance, shelter, and clothing. We grow our own food, build our own homes, and sew our own clothes, from fabric we have woven ourselves. Like Hobbits we have those in our society who find they have an affinity to one of these more commonplace tasks. There are those who find great fulfillment in cultivating and growing food, those who find great pleasure in the preparation of that food. There are even those elves who find peace and contentment in doing those mundane tasks of maintaining the cleanliness and comfort of our homes. I myself take great pleasure in weaving. Were it not for my other responsibilities to my people I would in all likely hood spend my days at my loom, further perfecting and adding to my craft."

Curiosity had now overcome Linwe’s more bashful tendencies. "What will the Undying Lands be like?"

Galadriel smiled, "I think you will find that it is very much like Middle Earth. In that there are some cities rather like Minis Tirith, made up of buildings of stone. Then there are places more akin to Lothlorien and Rivendell."

Linwe sigh, "I have never seen any of those places. I would have liked to visit but the opportunity never presented itself."

"That is a pity. I assure you, Beloved One, you would have been most welcome."

Linwe frowned, "Why did you call me that? Why did you call me ‘Beloved One’?"

"Because it is your title among the elves. Merenwen, have you not told her of this?"

"No, my Lady, I am afraid it slipped my mind." Merenwen turned to Linwe, "It is customary among the eldar to bestow titles of honor or special names upon those that we hold in high regard. The Eldar have named you The Beloved One for you are the beloved of The Ring Bearer."

Linwe sat staring with wide eyes as she absorbed what she had just been told, "I don’t understand. I have done nothing to earn such consideration."

"You are mistaken," said Lady Galadriel, "Through your connection with Frodo you supported him in his task."

"I had no choice," Linwe protested quietly as tears started to trickle down her face.

Galadriel got up and moved to an empty seat next to Linwe. Galadriel reached out gently touching Linwe’s face turned her head so that their eyes met. "Linwe Taralom, you did have a choice. At anytime in all of your life you could have denied the call of Frodo’s heart. You did not have to love him, hear him, and share his burden."

Chapter Two

Of Hobbit Nature and Family Planning

It is a commonly known among those who know Hobbits that Hobbits have a fine appreciation for the simple pleasures of life. This affinity for simple joys gives Hobbits an air of childlike innocence. However this does not go on to mean that Hobbits are childish. Hobbits are in fact deeply possessed of a special sort of wisdom generally known as common sense, or as it is in their society "Good Hobbit Sense".

One of the simplest and most enjoyable pleasures a Hobbit or rather two Hobbits can partake in, is that which goes on between male hobbits and female hobbits. Hobbits being an agricultural society see certain actions that go on between males and females of many species as quite natural and nothing to be ashamed of. Good hobbit sense dictates that by the time a Hobbit child is ten years old they can tell anyone who asks exactly where babies come from and how it got there to begin with. However Hobbits being generally obsessed with family lineage strongly believe that intimate relations between male and female be avoided until marriage and then kept strictly between husband and wife so as there can be no doubt as to the parentage of any resulting offspring. These views are taught to children along with the knowledge of how babies are made. Young children being as obsessed with family lineage as the oldest gammer or gaffer, are able to see the practical sense of waiting until marriage to do their own exploration of the opposite sex and experimentation in procreation. However once in a while values instilled in childhood are forgotten between an amorous lad and lass who are enjoying the cozy quiet comforts of a hay loft or a particularly enthusiastic betrothed couple that feel they wedding date is set far too of in the future.

Once a Hobbit and Hobbitess are properly wed their curiosity is completely unleashed. Pretty much any intimate act or touch one can think of is acceptable so long as it is done out of love. Hobbits take to these intimacies like children to sweets or the Wizard Gandalf’s fire works, with innocent enthusiasm and wonder.

~~~~~

"Ooof! Good afternoon, my dear, is my lap the only place you could find to sit?" Frodo asked of Linwe just after she had plopped onto his lap. It was a bright, sunny afternoon. Frodo had been sitting enjoying the sun and ocean breezes on a small sheltered bench near the doorway that led below deck.

"There are a few other places to sit but I thought your lap looked most inviting," replied Linwe with a happy smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

Frodo laughed, "Are you comfortable?"

"Hmm, nearly so, I need to make an adjustment." Linwe started to wiggle about.

"Linwe, please don’t do that."

"I have to get comfortable." Linwe wiggled just a bit more.

"Linwe, please, I beg you to stop!" Frodo’s cheeks started to take on a rosy hue.

"Why, am I hurting you?" asked Linwe with wide eyed concern and innocence.

"You know it’s not that." Frodo struggled to keep a level, even tone of voice.

"No I don’t, if I am not hurting you then whatever is the matter?" Linwe wiggled again and smiled.

Frodo gritted his teeth. "You know perfectly well what all of this wiggling about on my lap does."

Linwe assumed an artful expression of deep thought then slowly shook her head from side to side, "No, I seem to have forgotten. Why don’t you explain it to me?"

Frodo’s blush had now spread to the tips of his ears, "I will do no such thing. You know someone may over hear us, here."

Linwe absently started to delicately trace the outline of his ear with her finger, "I long for your instruction. Should we go somewhere more private?"

"Linwe, it is the middle of the day, the ship is not large, so everyone is likely to notice." Linwe leaned forward and kissed the tip of Frodo’s ear several time and had the satisfaction of feeling him shiver. "Linwe stop! Everyone can see us!"

"Then let us retire to our quarters. If you don’t agree I shall continue with what I am doing right here, where anyone may watch."

Frodo‘s eyes widened in a show of shock, "You wouldn’t."

"I would," whispered Linwe. She then firmly pressed her lips to Frodo’s. What little resistance Frodo had melted beneath the heat of Linwe’s kiss. Hidden beneath her cloak Frodo’s arms tightened around her as he allowed himself to respond to Linwe’s kiss with equal enthusiasm. Linwe let this to go on for several moments then pulled away, "Tell me husband, shall we go to our quarters?"

To Linwe’s surprise Frodo flashed her his most wicked mischievous smile, "Oh I don’t know, have you had enough of making a spectacle?"

"Frodo!" exclaimed Linwe, "You’ve been pretending all this time? How could you?"

Frodo laughed, "Out of love for you, of course," he replied with somewhat excessive sincerity. "I know how you like to be a little wicked from time to time. I was only too happy to give you that chance. Now, I believe you spoke of going somewhere more private."

~~~~~

Marriage is an educational experience in the differences between male and female for the parties involved. Each newly married couple starts off with joyful explorations of one another’s physical differences. Within a month or two of the happy couples wedding, there is commonly an announcement that the newly weds are to become new parents, thus opening the way to new educational experiences of the differences between the sexes.

~~~~~

"Oh bother!" These words were uttered by Linwe who was behind a curtain in the quarters she shared with Frodo. Frodo was in the room, reading a book while waiting for Linwe to dress so that they could go to breakfast. Just a moment prior to Linwe’s frustrated exclamation, Frodo heard the distinctive sound of fabric ripping.

"What’s the matter?" asked Frodo without taking his eyes from his book.

"My dress has ripped. My bosom has apparently gone and got larger over night. I had just barely managed to squeeze into my dress, I reached behind me to shake out the skirt in back and a seam split."

Frodo turned his head to look towards the curtain, "Your bosom has gotten larger?" His eyebrows raised and his eyes widened in astonishment and curiosity for this development. "Um, why or how could that happen?"

Linwe’s head appeared from behind the curtain. The look she fixed on Frodo spoke of her feeling incredulous. "You can’t possibly expect me to believe that you don’t know."

"How could I know. It isn’t as though I possess all knowledge in the known world," Frodo replied defensively.

"Frodo, were you not paying attention when Rosie was pregnant? Did you fail to notice the changes to her figure?"

"Of course I noticed. Her belly got quite round and her ankles towards the end, tended to be puffy with swelling. Anyone could have seen that."

"Frodo, her bosom got larger too. That is one of the first obvious signs that a hobbitess is with child."

"Oh, well I suppose I missed that," shrugged Frodo, " Why does it do that?" he asked curiously.

"To start preparing for the time when the mother will be nursing the baby," said Linwe. She was once again hidden behind the screen struggling to remove the torn dress.

Frodo’s brow furrowed slightly as he considered this new information, "I suppose that makes sense. How much growing is likely to be involved with this particular preparation?"

"Frodo!"

"What? I only asked a simple question. First you get rather snippy with me for not knowing all that there is to know about all of this, then when I ask a simple question you snap at me as though I said something offensive."

Linwe sighed as she sorted through her dresses for another one to put on. "Frodo, have you never been told by anyone what an expectant mother experiences during pregnancy?"

"No, that discussion would likely have come after the ones dealing with courtship and marriage, which I also never got. As you very well know, the last truly helpful information I had on the matters of marriage and family planning was my father explaining to me the basics of how babies are made. I was eight years old and found the whole subject rather sickening."

"It’s a good thing Bilbo is near at hand," said Linwe, as she stepped from behind the curtain. She was now wearing a navy blue, sleeveless dress, made of soft wool, with a cream colored linen shift beneath it. The sleeves of the shift were full and went to just below her elbows. The cuffs were trimmed with a narrow bit of lace. This same lace also embellished the neckline of the shift. The dress was of a type commonly worn by most female Hobbits but Linwe’s had some differences. Like the more common dresses Linwe fit snugly in the bodice with lacing in the back to adjust the fit to the wearer. However instead of having the more common full skirt with the fabric gathered at the waist, the panels of that made up the bodice of Linwe’s dress continued down to past her knees, flaring our wider as they went creating a graceful sweep of full skirt. Linwe walked over to Frodo then turned her back to him. "Cinch up my laces for me please."

Frodo stood up and started to carefully pull on the laces so that they were tightened evenly. "Why is it good that Bilbo is here?"

"Because I am going to have a few words with him about the gaps he left in your education. Ow! Not so tight. This growth has me feeling a bit tender."

"Sorry," replied Frodo, with a slight blush. Despite having known Linwe quite intimately for over a year every now and then something still managed to cause him to blush. "You know, you are likely to find that Bilbo knows nothing of expectant mother’s either. I think this is one of those matters that lasses talk about and lads don’t. There, your dress is all laced and secured."

Linwe paused in front of the mirror to look at the back of her dress, "hmm, I don’t think I shall be able to wear this for much longer either," she said absently to herself, then looked back to Frodo, "I can concede that as Bilbo stayed a bachelor he would never have had much interest in such matters. But surely other hobbits, as husbands and fathers, would be quite concerned. I would think that you and Sam had discussed such matters on number of occasions while they were expecting."

Frodo laughed, "Samwise Gamgee would never have discussed with me such things as Rosie’s bosom getting larger."

Linwe giggled, "No, I suppose he wouldn’t at that. But Sam is not the only grown male hobbit you know. Surely some of the other’s talk about these matters."

"No actually they don’t. Lads don’t discuss such things," Frodo said with confident finality.

"Why not?"

Frodo shrugged, "Because it makes no difference to us, I guess."

"Frodo Baggins, if that is not the most insensitive thing I have ever heard!"

Frodo was taken aback by his wife’s sudden ire. "There you go again, snapping at me for no good reason. You asked a question and I answered it honestly and to the best of my knowledge. All of you lasses seem to be able to talk about all of the minute details of pregnancy and child birth. Come to think of it, you are the ones that are the first to ask about such things as how long was the baby when it was born and how much did it weigh. I remember standing in the market one day to my left Sam was talking to Mr. Banks, who asked Sam how Rosie was fairing. Sam said she was well. That was all that was wanted. Then to my right was you and Rosie talking with Mrs. Banks. She asked how Rosie was doing and the two of you started telling the her how big around Rosie’s belly had measured that morning, what sorts of food Rosie was craving, and what smells made her ill. In fact all three of you carried on for half an hour with comparisons of Rosie’s pregnancy to all three of Mrs. Banks, and then you were joined by Mrs. Tuttle who added in details of her daughter’s pregnancy. Mrs. Tuttle proceeded to pull a bundle of letters our of her bag, the letters all being from her daughter, who meticulously writes from her home in the south farthing, every week, with all matter of those little bits and pieces that you all seem to take such delight in discussing constantly. That, my dear is an illustration of some of the differences between lads and lasses."

Linwe smiled, "I understand now. Thank you."

"Good, I am glad I could help."

"What it comes down to is that despite the fact you are the husbands and fathers, you have little concern for what we, the wives and mothers, are going through in order to bring your children into the world."

"What? I said not such thing! We do so care, we just prefer to keep things simple. You know all you wives were confusing before you started becoming mothers, in fact you were baffling before you were wives. And you, my dear wife, are the most baffling of them all. When we were first married I blamed my lack of understanding to inadequacies in my up brining. Since then I have determined that all of the Hobbits in all of The Shire could have told me all that they know about Hobbitesses and I would still be as confused as I am at this moment. What I have come to understand is that we, the husbands and fathers, do our best to keep things simple where we can. All of those facts and figures that you wives and mothers consider so important, make no sense to us. Further more, I think you take delight in complicating matters. All of this started when you said your bosom had grown larger, if I had been a proper husband I would have let that comment of yours go by, but instead I had to go and ask what I thought was a simple question. You see, I did my best to be interested and concerned for one of those little details you hold so dear, and what do I get for it? I’ll tell you what I got, I got told I was ignorant and uncaring. Next time I will do as I have been taught since I was married, and that it is best to say as little as possible."

Linwe took one look at Frodo’s indignant expression and collapsed into a helpless fit of giggles.

Chapter Three

Across a Wide Ocean

He watched her as she gazed towards the west, waiting for the first thinning of the mist, watching for the first glimpse of their new home. Her Crimson cloak made her stand out vibrantly against the back drop of the white ship and the pearl grey mists. Frodo found it hard to take his eyes off of her. They were passing through the mists that separated Valinar from the rest of Arda. He would soon see what so few mortals ever have. By the end of that day he would be walking on lands where even not even a handful of mortals had set foot. But at that moment, Frodo cared little for the mythical beauty of Arnor. All he cared for was the simple sweet beauty of the lady before him, his own Linwe.

Linwe’s beauty was a simple and quiet sort even among other Hobbits let alone next to the ethereal beauty of Elves. When they had first met Linwe had been in the frequent habit of wearing her hair completely unbound. Hobbit hair being what it is, curly, wavy and just generally unruly, when aloud to grow very long then be left unbound it would generally look quite wild and unkempt. Most hobbits have a preference for neatness. The largest farms are often kept as orderly as the smallest gardens. Though it is generally the lady of the Smial that will see that the home is kept tidy husbands will frequently assist. Clothes are kept in neat order. Hair is kept neatly trimmed, braided, plaited and pinned. Linwe only differed from other hobbits in the matter of hair. In the early days of their getting acquainted, before they were married, Frodo found himself pondering what could be the reason behind this most un-hobbity preference of hers. Then one day, a few weeks before the restoration of Bag End was completed, he met up with Linwe as she was walking back to the Cotton farm, after a day of work in Bag End, in fact she had only just left the hobbit hole. In truth Frodo had been laying in wait for her so that he could walk her home. So he watched as she left the hole. He had observed that her hair was tied back in a ribbon at the nape of her neck, as was her custom when she was busy with work. As she made her first steps down the lane, Frodo observed her taking the ribbon from her hair then sort of shaking her hair out with her hand and giving her scalp a bit of a rub, after pocketing the ribbon. Frodo decided to ask her about this peculiarity, straight away. "I wear my hair like this," said she, "because the skin on my head is sensitive. Braids and hair pins that are secure enough to keep my hair from coming loose and falling in my face also happen to make my head hurt. It’s a shame really, as Merenwen taught my mother and I some very lovely ways of plaiting hair but they can take a considerable amount of time to do and then I can’t bear to wear my hair in the style for more than a few hours."

Frodo smiled a bit as his mind brought up a memory of his mother. "My mother used to complain of the same thing," said he. "Though I don’t think she was quite so sensitive as you apparently are."

"And how did she solve the problem?" asked Linwe with great interest.

"As she told it to me it was her grandmother that came up with the solution. Apparently when her grandmother was a young wife the fashion at the time was for young married ladies to cover their hair to show they were mature and had a family to tend to and no time for such frivolity as styling one’s hair. Some ladies would wound their hair up in a bun and wore a mob cap over it others took to wrapping their hair in scarves. The scarves were apparently quite popular for sometime as a scarf, using relatively little fabric, could be made of more costly materials and still be affordable."

"And was your mother able to wear her hair in this was without it coming loose and needing to be redone a few times a day? Because as comfortable as tying my hai back in a ribbon is, my hair will not stay tied back."

"I suppose it must have worked out quite well," assured Frodo. "Because my mother wore the scarves daily and had quite a large collection of them. They were long and rather narrow. She would wrap them around her head several times bundling her hair loosely into a section of the scarf, making a sort of bag for her hair. Other times she would let her hair hang loose down her back. Both ways were quite lovely, I thought. And she had some of the loveliest scarves of rich fabric and embellished with embroidery and long silk fringe. The fringed ones were my favorites."

"I’ve seen portraits, at Brandyhall, of ladies wearing their hair as you described. The pictures were quite old but the ladies in them did look quite pretty. The thought just had not occurred to me that it might be a practical solution to my problem. I wonder why the scarves went out of fashion?" mused Linwe.

"As my mother told me," answered Frodo. "The popularity fell away because hobbit lasses tend to be rather proud of their hair and found even the simplest bun preferable to covering their hair entirely."

Linwe laughed, "That makes sense. I must admit that my hair is the one thing about me that I think is truly pretty. However if I keep it down all of the time it does have a tendency to start resembling a birds nest, which isn’t particularly fetching to me. I think I will have to try your great grandmother’s solution. Who knows, I may bring them back into fashion."

Linwe did as she said she would and found the scarves to be the solution she had longed for since she had been an obstinate child telling her mother that hair did not like to be all ‘tied in knots’. As a wedding present, Frodo found his mother’s collection of scarves and gave them all to Linwe who loved them and wore one of them almost daily.

All in all where as all of the other lasses of the shire were like fancy flowers carefully grown and nurtured by master gardeners, Linwe was like a wild flower a simple beauty apt to grow off in any direction she or it set a mind to and he loved her all the more for it.

Frodo watched Linwe looking expectantly into the mist. He thought she looked lovelier than ever that day. Her face was glowing. Frodo had heard something of how an expectant mother glowed when she was with child. He had not paid much attention to such things before, but now as he looked at Linwe he saw it was true. Her figure was now fuller too, which would have made Esmeralda and Lily Cotton happy. Beneath her deep crimson cloak she wore a dark blue velvet gown. It was a new gown, made from the fabric of one of Merenwen’s gowns. The baby Linwe carried had already grown enough to make it so that she was unable to wear any of her own dresses.

Frodo finally tired of merely looking and moved to stand at Linwe’s side near the wheel of the ship. "What word do you have for me, are we nearly there?" asked Frodo as he slipped an arm around Linwe.

"Master Cirdan assures me that we are due to leave the mists within the hour. Within two we shall reach land."

Frodo leaned towards Linwe and whispered into here ear, "Are you ready for that?"

"I’m terrified," Linwe whispered back.

"You have nothing to fear."

"Nothing but hundreds of strangers staring at me. I know I will trip or do something else to make myself look foolish."

Frodo gave her a gentle squeeze, "You will do nothing of the kind. You will be lovely and graceful. Everyone will love you. Everyone always does."

"Not everyone loves me."

"Oh really?" Frodo made sure she saw his expression of disbelief. "Name for me one person who does not love you."

"That is easily done, Violet Longbottom."

"Who is Violet Longbottom?"

"She was the daughter of a tailor in Bree. One market day she was showing off for a bunch of us girls her new hair ribbon. It was a ghastly shade of green and she was telling everyone it was Elf made. I never particularly liked Violet, she was always bragging and showing off. That particular day she asked me if I didn’t find her ribbon to be the loveliest I had ever seen. I told her quit truthfully that thought it was one of the ugliest hair ribbons I had ever laid eyes on."

Frodo laughed, "Linwe Baggins! I am shocked. I did not think you capable of such rude behavior. But was that really enough to keep Violet from ever loving you?"

"Violet Longbottom did not like me before that day and she never cared for me afterwards either. And I assure you the feeling is mutual."

"Well, I do stand corrected. However you will not embarrass yourself today. Quite likely we will be overlooked with the return of The Lady Galadriel."

Linwe smiled, "I am sure you are right. I am sure that there will be no one there who cares in the least for the Ring Bearer."

Frodo sighed. "Well there is that. But really dear, everything will be fine."

Linwe sighed, "I know, but I can’t help it. I will always be shy of strangers. This situation is made all the worse because I know so little of where we are going. I know of no place where I may hide when the crowd gets to be completely overwhelming, and even if I did, I do not know when I would have a chance to slip away."

"Have you talked with Merenwen about this?"

"No, she would go to Lady Galadriel who would kindly make a fuss and that would be embarrassing too. I will muddle through this as best as I can. I will be fine... I think."

~~~~~

The surrounding mists shimmered to pale gold as sun light started to penetrate through. A few moments more and the ship was out of the mists and sailing once more on sun shimmered ocean. "My friends we have arrived," declared Cirdan.

~~~~~

Frodo sighed heavily and burrowed deeper into the bed he lay upon. The day had finally ended. Linwe was fast asleep at his side. Frodo lay next to her with one hand resting protectively on her stomach, musing over the events of the day. Their welcome to the lands of the valar had been as momentous as Linwe had feared. As they had sailed into the harbor they could hear the ethereal sound of over one hundred elven voices raised in song to greet the arriving ship. The highest ranking of the Eldar had been present to the welcome the new arrivals. As Frodo and Linwe finally took their first steps on the lands of their new home Frodo offered Linwe his arm, taking comfort from this familiar act of courtesy and affection. The Lady Galadriel, Lord Elrond, and Gandalf the White were soon greeted with what appropriate pomp and ceremony. Then Gandalf spoke in a voice that commanded attention and preceded to make the introductions of the rest of those notable members of the party that all gathered were truly anxious to see. This was the point at which Frodo felt the proceedings became overdone. First to be announced was Merenwen who was introduced as The Guardian. Then came Bilbo, Finder of the Ring. Followed by Linwe, The Beloved, and Frodo The Ring Bearer. He supposed this was all to be expected. Elves were terribly fond of ceremony, but Frodo was disappointed that Gandalf had not been able to restrain himself more. However Linwe had made him exceedingly proud. She stood straight and calm at his side. The only clue to what she was really feeling was the tight grip she kept on his arm.

As the sun started to sink below the horizon the gathering moved into a large building, that Frodo had missed the name of, for a banquet. Frodo had been amazed that he and Linwe had a chance to eat with all of the introductions they had to endure. Linwe tolerated all of the festivities better than Frodo thought she would have, thanks largely to the constant music made by instruments and voices. Linwe had become so caught up in what she was hearing that she made no mention of wanting to leave. However the events of the day did catch up to her and she eventually started to nod off at Frodo’s side. Merenwen who was never far away and ever watchful, took notice and came to show Linwe and Frodo to their rooms.

Plans to accommodate three hobbits had apparently been underway for sometime. The three were shown to a suite of rooms, two bedrooms and a sitting room. The sitting room was furnished with seating for both big and small people. The bedrooms had been furnished for the benefit of the with beds and wardrobes sized perfectly for them. Frodo had time to take this all in but Linwe had barely taken notice. She had placidly allowed herself to be led to her room, assisted into proper sleep attire and put into bed. Frodo suspected that Merenwen had used some herbs to encourage Linwe’s complacent behavior.

Frodo was well pleased with the arrangements that had been made for their comfort. He was glad to be on land once more, though he had greatly enjoyed the experience of sailing and hoped to do so again. Still it was good to be where one had space to walk. Good to have more to see than a seemingly endless expanse of ocean, though that too had its merits.

Merenwen had informed them that evening that their current accommodations were only temporary. When Linwe had asked when she could expect to see her new home, Merenwen had only said when it was time, and made mention that there were other things that needed to be attended to first. Frodo had tried to get Merenwen to explain further but she had steadfastly refused. However she assured them that the next several days would be given over to relaxing and becoming accustomed to being on land again.

Frodo was anxious to get Linwe to their new permanent home. He suspected that they had still more traveling to endure to get there and this concerned him. Linwe was now entering the second of the three phases of pregnancy. Her belly had a round bulge to it, just large enough that the dresses she brought with her no longer fit, but at the same time too small for it to be quite noticeable under the generous folds of fabric of her new gowns. Frodo feared that Linwe would soon be too far along for comfortable and safe travel and he was reasonably certain she would not be happy giving birth to their child in any place that they were not calling ‘home’.

Their child.

At times Frodo wondered if he would ever stop being amazed that he was to be a father. For over a year he and Linwe had longed and hoped for a child. They had made plans, shared dreams then consoled one another when all seemed to have been shattered. No amount of imagining could have prepared Frodo for the reality of Linwe being with child.

As he did nearly every night now, Frodo thought of how far he and Linwe had come. He counted his blessings until he felt his eyelids start to grow heavy with sleep. He gave Linwe a kiss on the tip of her ear and one final rub of her belly then drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Four

Healing and Absolution

There was cool lush grass beneath him. The sunlight shown down through the brightly colored autumn leaves on the trees to warm him. There was nothing to do but drowse the afternoon away and languor in warmth of peace and contentment. Frodo felt something small and feather light fall onto the bridge of his nose. He barely gave it a thought, just brushed what ever it might be away. A moment later, two more objects came to rest lightly upon his face. One on his closed right eye: the other on his lips. His nose twitched as it caught the barest sweet floral scent before he blew the object on his lips away and brushed off the other one from his eye. When he felt the delicate touch of several more objects fall on his face and he grimaced in mild annoyance. Then he heard it: the sound of a barely suppressed giggle. Frodo lay perfectly still for several long moments enduring what was now a steady rain of ghostly touches. Then all at once, his upper body sprang up off the grass. His arms and hands thrust forward reaching for his "attacker". Swiftly he grabbed hold of his prey, pulling her into his lap and heard how she shrieked in surprise.

~~~~~

Linwe walked with silent steps, across the grass, to where Frodo lay beneath an immense tree. Her arms were laden with a large bundle of wild flowers. She had no particular plan for the flowers, she just felt like picking them. She came to stand near Frodo and found him to be dozing. He did not so much as twitch as she knelt down on the ground next to him.

Linwe set her flowers down next to her, then picking up one of the stems she started to pull the petals from the blossom, gathering them in a neat pile on her lap. As she proceeded to pluck petals from blossoms, with the new intent of maybe making some sachets for her wardrobe with them, she studied Frodo’s features while he napped. They were now free of lines of worry and concern. After two days this was still a new site for Linwe. Since the moment they had first seen one another in the Cotton family house, Frodo’s face had always been lined from the hardships of the quest.

Linwe found herself reflecting upon the events of the last several days and the healing that had been part of the Valar’s gift to Frodo. It had all started easily enough, with a question and another journey.

~~~~~

"Frodo seems to be doing well," Merenwen spoke to Linwe while she observed him. The two were walking in a garden and had spied Frodo sitting beneath a tree next to a pond while reading. Three days had passed since they had all arrived in the Undying Lands.

"He is better," admitted Linwe, "His spirits have improved daily since we left Middle Earth. But, Merenwen, I thought that once we were here he would be even better than he is now. I thought his nightmares would end, but he had another last night. I thought we were leaving all of that behind us."

Merenwen brushed a stray bit of hair from her face and frowned thoughtfully. " Frodo has nearly acquired all of the healing he will ever receive. The effects of the poison in his blood have been greatly lessened and will be lessened still more, but he will never forget all that he went through. He will still have nightmares. The difference is that they will no longer effect him as they have in the past, he is no longer a danger to you and he is no longer dying."

Linwe bit her lower lip and frowned. No one had told her that she should expect more healing than Frodo was receiving but what with all the hardship of having to leave behind all they knew and most everyone they loved, she had come to expect more from this near mythical place. "How much longer will it be before he is as well as he can be?"

Merenwen smiled, understanding her friend’s efforts to suppress her impatience and disappointment: "Just a few more days. The day after tomorrow we will be leaving for a brief journey. There are those who wish to meet you. It is they who will aid in Frodo’s healing more than anyone else is able to."

~~~~~

They had ridden for two days. Being mindful to Linwe’s delicate condition, their pace was slow and easy so as not to jostle her too much. The party that had made this journey consisted of Linwe, Frodo, Bilbo, Merenwen, Gandalf, Lady Galadriel, and Lord Elrond. They had ridden through lands of both cultivated and untamed beauty, upon a road that climbed upward in a gentle spiral around the mountain.

The burden that had been placed in Frodo’s hands the night of his thirty-third birthday lessened even more. For the first time since in nearly three years, Frodo felt so light of heart as to be inspired to sing. His song was one that Linwe had heard Pippin sing once. When Pippin sung it, it had been with a feeling of sadness and that had made Linwe weep. Now as Frodo sang it, the words and gentle melody carried a feeling of hope. Linwe found herself weeping again but this time with happiness and hope.

"Welcome, friends, to the palace of Manwë," declared Lord Elrond.

The end of their two day journey found them standing before a structure of such breath taking beauty which was beyond Linwe’s ability to describe. Linwe closed her eyes a moment, and then looked again. "Pinch me, Frodo. I am sure I must be dreaming."

"I will wake you as soon as I do, love," said Frodo without taking his eyes from the vision before him.

"Never could I have even dreamed such a wonder as this," breathed Bilbo.

Where nature ended and cut stone, crystal and forged precious metals began was impossible to say even for those who had built the soaring wonder. Wide, majestic steps rose up an entrance. It was a seemingly impossible creation of the clearest crystal and mithril made up a pair of doors. As Linwe gazed in wonder, the doors opened wide out from the dim shadows of the space and beyond stepped a woman far lovelier than any Linwe had seen before. Even lovelier than the Lady Galadriel. To Linwe’s left she heard Bilbo gasp and looked to see his old eyes widen in wonder.

The woman made her way down a series of steps, coming towards them. Her movements were so graceful as to make her appear as though she were nearly gliding on air. Her glossy hair was dark and hung in long, loose, curls and sprigged with small flowers. She wore a sleeveless gown made of layers of a silky sheer fabric, in varying shades of vibrant spring time green. The woman’s gaze fell on Frodo, Linwe and Bilbo, then smiled and spoke with a rich warm voice filled with joy. "At last, my children, you have come home!"

~~~~~

The following hours went by in a bemused glow to Frodo, Linwe, and Bilbo, which made the passing of time seem blissfully longer while it was truly so little time. Together, with their friends, they were ushered into a vast hall filled with all of the Valar and many of the Eldar. They learned that the one who greeted them was Yavanna Kementari, Queen of the Earth, Giver of Fruits. Yavanna presented them to the rest of the Valar, introducing each Lord and Queen in turn. The last, of whom, they were introduced to, was Varda Elentari, Lady of the Stars and her husband Manwe, High King of Arda.

It was all any simple hobbit of the Shire could do, to keep his or her composure when meeting beings of such lofty stature. Linwe registered giving a graceful curtsy before the illustrious gathering and. She heard herself utter appropriate replies to the welcoming remarks directed at her, but she observed it all as though she were a bystander watching all that went on before her.

At some point she found herself seated between Frodo and Bilbo, on a low upholstered bench. Food and drink were placed within easy reach of the diminutive guests. Then Yavanna Kementari stepped forward to tell a tale that was a surprise to more than just the Hobbit guests.

Yavanna spoke in a voice clear and strong so that all might hear her words however her attention was directed solely on Frodo, Linwe, and Bilbo. "My children, for that is what you are to me, the time has come for certain truths to be revealed to you. The moment is here for you learn of the origins of yourselves and all of your kindred.

"In the beginning all of this world was sung into being by myself and my kindred. We sang of creation of beauty and harmony, but there was one among us who would sing of discord and shadow. It was only the Wise and Revered Ilúvatar, creator of the Valar, who was able to full see, hear and understand what we sang into being and all its promise. Only Ilúvatar could see the full extent of the malice spread by he who now remains nameless.

"Seeking counsel from no one, our Revered Father, considered the visions of what would come if the darkness of the nameless one were to go on unstopped. In time he saw a means of overcoming. Ilúvatar called upon me. He asked that I do as my husband, Aulë, maker of Dwarven kind, had done, and make another race of beings to live in Middle Earth.

"I was told that it was vital that I say nothing to anyone of my efforts, not even my husband was to know, for the people that I was to create were to be an innocent race, free of the desires of power that had corrupted the Elder and the Younger children of Ilúvatar. Ilúvatar envisioned a people that revered and honored the simplest beauties of this world. A people carefully sheltered from the other races of Middle Earth to nurture and preserve their inherent innocense.

"I did as I was asked to. I made and watched over my creation, as I would a delicate sprout sprung from a seed. I chose fertile rich soil for my creation. I guided them without revealing who and what I was. They grew and flourished according to the design of Ilúvatar, knowing nothing of Eldar or the race of Men, nor even of the Valar.

"In time Ilúvatar spoke to me again. I was told that in time there would come one who was the hope for all of Middle Earth, and there would be five others who would support the one and be an inspiration to Edain and Eldar so that they would be ready to meet their destiny. In further preparation for these six, I inspired my people to move and settle in a new land, named The Shire.

"Frodo, you were the one on whom all hope rested. Bilbo, Samwise, Meriadoc, Peregrin, and Linwe were the five born to nurture, guide, and comfort you."

Linwe watched as Yavanna knelt before Frodo, reaching out to touch his face tenderly. Now was the moment Linwe had been waiting for. Now was the time when Frodo would be set to rights. Linwe watched, deeply touched as tears welled up in Yahvanna eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "My dear, Frodo, son of my heart. I am full of pride for what you have accomplished and I grieve for all you have suffered. It was the very purity of your heart and strength of spirit that made you the only possible choice for such a dreadful task. But that which made you the world’s best hope also made you vulnerable to great pain. I can never fully take away your suffering, my child, some part of it must always remain with you. The suffering you must always carry with you is to be used as a tool to help you let go of one burden that is not yours to carry.

"Frodo Baggins, you are not responsible for the suffering of those who stood by you through your ordeal. Everyone, including your beloved, Linwe, has done what they were born to do. Do not demean their own heroism by placing upon yourself the burden of their suffering. Each of them had the choice to take up a task for the hope of the world or to turn away from destiny."

Linwe understood that was what Frodo needed more than anything. Choosing to remain in Middle Earth would have most assuredly meant Frodo’s death, but a death he may have been willing to go to peacefully if he could have felt free of guilt for the suffering of others. Linwe watched as tears coursed down Frodo’s cheeks. Each tear was a bit of pain he was finally allowing himself to be free of. As any true mother would, Yavanna pulled Frodo to her, holding him close, supporting him as he cried out his pain. She only let go when Frodo’s tears had subsided.

Shimmering like a fading dream, Linwe recalled being told of gifts the Valar chose to bestow on herself, Frodo and Bilbo. She and Frodo were given back twenty years of their physical life. It was a gift of time and energy to keep up with and enjoy their children and even their grandchildren. For Frodo and Linwe who through the power of the ring and the bond between them had not aged in appearance since their thirty-third birthday, and the only immediate proof of this gift was a faint tingling. Bilbo was offered and accepted the health and vitality of a hobbit nearly half his age. "I’ve looked after Frodo as though he were my own son," said Bilbo with a smile, "I think it is only proper that I be here to enjoy the duties and privileges of grandparent-hood." Linwe and Frodo felt that by having this one dear family member in their lives longer was another truly generous gift.

~~~~

Linwe paused in her flower plucking: it had only been three days since Yavanna had told them the truth. Frodo was now free of the effects of the poison that still lingered in his blood. In this blessed place it no longer could prey upon him. Frodo still had nightmares of all he had been through, but they now lacked the strength to pull him neither back fully into the torment of the original moment nor make him a danger to himself or others.

Linwe sighed with contentment. Frodo looked so peaceful lying there on the lush green grass of Yavanna’s garden. ‘Too peaceful,’ she said to herself. A wicked smile curled up the corners of her mouth and she picked up a single flower petal from her lap, held it over Frodo’s face, then taking careful aim, let it fall.

~~~~~

Frodo tightened his hold on his squirming and giggling prey. "Wife! Why do you disturb me?" he demanded in his gruffest voice.

"Because you have lounged long enough. Now unhand me, you brute."

"I don’t think I will do anything of the kind. I believe I would prefer to keep you right where you are." Frodo kept his eyes on her face noticing how even in early pregnancy she had a new glow.

Linwe impulsively took Frodo’s face in her hands and kissed him soundly. When she was done kissing, she just looked at the face she still held in her hands and smiled.

"What are you smiling for?" asked Frodo with a smile of his own. "What is going on inside that pretty head of yours?"

Linwe paused for a moment and then answered, "I was just thinking that you now look like a Hobbit who has remembered how to laugh and be happy."

Frodo smiled. "And so I am."

Author’s Note- There you have it, my own speculation in regards to the origins of hobbits. I researched this matter. I read the Silmarillian. I asked a friend who is pretty well versed in Tolkien. There seems to be very little said about how Hobbits came to exsist beyond they popped up in the neighborhood of Mirkwood and later moved to The Shire. I felt I had two options before me at this point. I could continue researching. Which would mean my buying books that I did not have and could not get at the library or I could just say the heck with it and follow through with writing this according to my own ideas and speculations. Well I did not really have the money for more books so I opted for setting aside my research and getting on with the writing.

Some of you out there might be far more knowledgeable the matters, people and places that I wrote about in this chapter and perhaps you find fault with what I have written. Please know that I intended no disrespect in any in advertent strays from what is canon. And remember that though I have done my best to stay as near to canon as possible this story is still ‘alternative universe’ so a few small lapses should not really mean all that much.

Acknowledgments

 - To Rhapsody, thank you so much for your help and your friendship. (((HUGS)))